As I packed my bags for cruise vacation over Thanksgiving break, I made sure to remember Samurai from Outer Space. After reading a full chapter on what seemed like female empowerment, I was ready to get back home and watch Oh! My Goddess (well, not really since I was on a cruise, but I was definitely ready to get it over with!) After struggling with blackboard to get the words and sound effects to stop lagging fifteen seconds behind the actual film, I was ready to write!
On the whole chapter of what I read, I was disappointed to have read very little specific information on Oh! My Goddess. The book was right on the spot when it mentioned the whole bit about how in the film, Keiichi embraced Belldandy’s powers while in American shows, it is quite the opposite. In Bewitched, Darren dislikes Samantha’s powers. In Oh! My Goddess Keiichi is fine with being looked over by his Goddess. Even after all the baggage she comes with (after being used as a ‘Trojan Horse’/virus spreader, losing her memory, and having the pass through the Gate of Judgement) they still end up together in the end, and there love is still as strong as ever.
While reading the book, it seemed like a romance like Belldandy’s and Keiichi’s is quite normal, but in the film, I felt as if it hinted that it was a bit strange. Celestin seems like he wanted her for himself and was not okay with her choice of a lover. In the book it seemed as if that type of coupling was socially acceptable. I believe one of the ‘salient issues’ was that love can overcome anything. After having her memories of Keiichi erased, she still ended up with him in the end.
I hate to compare the film with Twilight but I have to for a moment. Let’s not pretend that we didn’t notice that when Keiichi drove to Belldandy’s temple at insane speeds without realizing that he was expecting Belldandy to save him from having an accident. That scene made me think of when Bella was being a complete retard and was driving her motorcycle super fast and jumping off of cliffs to see Edward’s face and be ‘saved’ by him.
Love your Twilight mention! Haha, I totally thought of the scene where Bella wrecklessly drives a motorcycle/ Edward has to save her. And you made a good point that a relationship like Keiichi and Belldandy's was made out to seem more normal in the book than in the actual movie. Celestin really does kind of outshine Keiichi in terms of manliness/ godliness. I never really thought about that. But that's still not say the power of love dominates. Keiichi and Belldandy's relationship works really well due to the fact that she has such wondrous powers. Keiichi could not lover her the same way if she didn't. It's a beautiful thing, really, when a girl is taller than her boyfriend. Just look at Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban; talk about a power couple! haha. But yeah, overall good review of Ah! My Goddess!! And I am super jealous of your cruise. I bet that was slightly more fun than watching Ah! My Goddess...
ReplyDelete