region2 DVD: pub: Revelation Films. FUN72602. 1 DVD 100 minute film plus extras. Price: £15.99 (UK).

check out website: www.revfilms.com and www.funimation.com/peachgirl

OK, so we're onto volume two of 'Peach Girl'. We left in the last episode with Momo being ostracised by both her class and Toji who is still well pretty clueless to what's happening. All by the sly and manipulating Sae, who up to now had pretty much everyone wrapped around her finger. Sae even manages to sabotage Momo's swimsuit so she can't perform well in her swim meet and win back some favour from the rest of her class. The thing is Sae's world is finally starting to show cracks. Kairi who has pretty much had Sae clocked from the start helps Toji find out a bit more of the truth about Sae. Toji starts to realise the extent of Sae's meddling, manipulations and lies.



Momo fights back and the tables start to turn and it starts to become Sae who is ostracised by the class. In an attempt to win back some brownie points, she starts dating a model Jigoro, a teen idol. She has everything including a boyfriend who all the other girls dream over. He takes her out and buys her everything she wants. Sae starts to realise that this isn't what she wants. She wants...wait for it, Toji. Has she fallen for the boy? Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your viewpoint, Momo and Toji relationship is becoming incredibly close and solid. The doubts are not as strong as they were. With Momo's sixteenth birthday coming up, Sae recruits Jigoro to help in her scheme to get Toji for her own.

Well, it was difficult after the first volume to see how far they could push Sae continually pulling the wool over everyone's eyes. I think with the hospital escapades it would have been overkill to keep this side of the story continuing in the same manner. I know to add flavour you need a nemesis to create mayhem for the would-be couple who are desperate to get together, but you also need balance. At least for the moment, the series is moving in a different direction. Sae, though, still continues to stick her fingers in other people's pies and will probably carry on doing so but to a lesser extent. Momo's character came across as being strong in many respects but also somewhat weak when it came to Sae's scheming. I think this is addressed more in these episodes and I think both Momo and Sae's characters are developed better in these episodes. For all Sae's shallowness, she finally realises that it's not just the winning that counts. Has she fallen in love with Toji? Speaking of Toji its almost light relief when he finally gets together with Momo although there is still a ting of tension there. Their newly resurrected relationship provides a more definitive barrier to Sae's almost bunny boiler antics especially on the final episode of this disc when her cunning plan escalates to a new level of stupidity and general nastiness.

These episodes are not as manic as the first volume. The pace, although still quick, has calmed somewhat and it allows the series to develop at a more natural pace. Toji is not quite as weak as he was to start off with. Although Jigoro is mind-numbingly stupid and completely one-dimensional character - perfect for Sae's manipulations then. The interesting character though is Kairi, who with clever writing you're never completely sure who's side he's on but nearly always ends up doing the gentlemanly thing in most situations, after throwing the viewer a curveball. He is very protective of Momo and it's obvious he likes her. He is very clued into how Sae operates and uses this against her in intelligent ways.

Overall, its more entertaining than the first volume and the characters are explored a bit more and there is less reliance on characters just reacting to situations. The dubbing altogether is good and generally in keeping most of the time. Extras wise there's the textless opening and closing sequences and an interview with the Japanese actress who plays Sae. It will be interesting to see where this series goes and whether Toji and Momo can stay together with all the difficulties they face.


Phil Jones