I initially thought, okay the game was an interesting premise and was fun but how can they make this a show even if it is only 13 episodes long ?? Is it just going to be fanservice ?? Is it going to have a half-assed plot ?? Can it possibly be good ??
Answers to these questions: it's awesome for 13 episodes, no it's not just fanservice, the plot wasn't fantastic but definitely not half-assed, and it was very fun anime to watch.
So you guys know I may throw several spoilers for several different episodes in the review so if you want to watch the series first then I suggest doing that, I highly suggest it regardless, but yes there will be some spoilers for both the plot and some major points to the story in the series.
MAIN CHARACTERS
Tamotsu Denkigai
Matome Mayonaka
Arisa Ahokainen & Niwaka Denkigai
Arisa is a Finnish foreigner who's traveled all over the world, is extremely educated, and has fully embraced otaku culture. Interested in figurines and dressed in a different cosplay every episode she is the 3rd member of the vigilante group Tamotsu and Matome created. Electric Mayonaise. She isn't a bugged one like them just incredibly strong for no reason other than she's freakishly strong. The only thing about her I really dislike is the fact she says Moi constantly as something of her staple phrase. You think it's not bad but it gets annoying after 13 episodes.
Niwaka is the little sister of Tamotsu, following in her big brother's footsteps she is an avid otaku and this whole madness starts on their day out together in Akihabara. She isn't a vigilante like the others but always supports her brother however she can. What I like best about Niwaka is just what a devoted little sister she is for Tamotsu, especially trying to hook him up with Matome, because she's too stubborn and he's too dense but she's a sneaky little sister. I always like the funny clothes she is wearing too from the funny panda on her head, to her frog hat, and duck hoodie they make her character fun and always happy go lucky.
PLOT
Oh and another thing, Matome is a former high ranking "Bugged One" and when she kissed Tamotsu bringing him back to life he became one as well, hence why he is unable to leave Akihabara. How do they defeat bugged ones, it's in the title of the show, stripping. Stripping the clothes off of a bugged one will revert them back to a normal person; unless they are a high ranking bugged one then that person dies. That means Tamotsu and Matome can die if they're fully stripped as well. So stripping is how they fight in the show, fighting by stripping, awesome must be pure fanservice. It is done actually quite well, they only show underwear and it is very briefly, if they do partial attacks that reveal any clothes underneath it's not excessive which is good. It's enough to create a little fanservice but not enough to take it to that next limit "ecchi" anime. An example is the damage Matome took below during the first fight Tamotsu had.
The Street Fighter V tournament, for instance, is when Tamotsu has to get his sister back by beating a top tier SFV fighter. Training in the most ridiculous ways that have nothing to do with fighting games, he eventually unleashes godlike potential, and beats her in what can only be described as absolute nonsense. Only to find out that the SFV fighting champ girl wasn't a bugged one, it was the announcer. I loved it because it showed the intense atmosphere of a pro fighting game match and just helped add more absurdity to the show.
I also really enjoyed the Battle Creatures episode because rather than strip his clothes, to beat the boss he plays him in a card game and if you've ever seen Yu-Gi-Oh during the card fights they switch art styles to match that kind including the RIDICULOUS hair in those shows and it is just pure awesome especially watching Matome's expression. "We outnumber him why can't we just beat him up and take his clothes ??" "You can't disrespect the cards"........her blank expression after that says it all, what any of our friends say when we get deep into a game of Magic:The Gathering. What are you idiots doing ??
He gets his powers back. And the two finally realize something important. They need each other and that they love each other, their strength together is more than apart.
They save the city together and Electric Mayonaise continues to be the vigilantes to protect the city..........until future Niwaka and Arisa come to steal the other two away to the future. I'm looking forward to the obvious nonsense that the next season of Akiba's Strip.
The series ends with the words: "Akihabara. It is a city of dreams, that accepts everything."
And that's what all of us are looking for just a bit of acceptance but that's another entry into the blog for another day.