Variable Geo

Original Title: ヴァリアブル ジオ
Romanized: Variable Geo
Literal:

Plot Synopsis

Variable Geo: A fighting tournament held to determine the strongest waitress in the world! ... Yeah, okay. But it's all the rage in the world VG is set in. In Variable Geo you either win everything or lose everything (I mean everything). However, when fighters are experimented on with drugs that make steroids look like vitamins, everyone raises an eyebrow. When they see how incredibly strong they make someone, everyone starts to ask questions. But it's not until Satomi Yajima is caught in this world of drug abuse that Yuka Takeuchi, Satomi's best friend, decides to do something about it!

Quick Review

Rating: 3 / 5
Reviewer: Legion
Review Date: 2002-04-15

The idea of waitresses with super powers in a tournament is bound to make anyone groan and not give VG a chance. For those who do, the worry is that Variable Geo is going to be an hour and a half of exploiting and stereotyping women. It wasn't really bad in that regard. Even the theme of "the loser of a fight must publicly strip" thing is turned into a plot point, with the public humiliation being more important than fanservice for the audience. Most important, though, is that it's shockingly good looking: great looking fight scenes with very good animation even when there's no action going on. The dub is also surprisingly good.

If martial arts action anime is your thing, Variable Geo will entertain and maybe even surprise you. If you don't like martial arts anime, you may wanna give VG a look. It may change your opinion slightly.

US DVD Review

ADV's no-longer-in-print DVD includes all three episodes and two stereo soundtracks. It doesn't boast of any extras.

Content Guide

Due to violence, nudity, and adult themes, AD Vision appropriately rated it 17+.

Violence: 3 - Lots of fighting and some of it is brutal.

Nudity: 4 - Aside from the punishment, there were several scenes that definitely did ADVs 17+ rating justice.

Sex/Mature Themes: 4 - There were themes that also earned a 17+ rating. Some were funny but most were nothing to laugh at.

Language: 2 - On the whole, there was very little offensive language.

Notes and Trivia

Based on the "adult" 2D anime-style Variable Geo fighting game series. The series started on 16-bit consoles like the Super Famicom (SNES), and continued through the Advanced Variable Geo PlayStation and Saturn games, as well as adaptations for Windows. There is also a much newer (2004) OAV series.

Availability

Originally available in the US from AD Vision on bilingual DVD or one subtitled or dubbed VHS volume. All are out of print as of this writing.

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