- Episodes : 35
- Genre : Shoujo, Magical Girl, Romance
- Airing Date : July 1995 – March 1996
- Producers : Studio Gallop, NAS
Nurse Angel Ririka SOS Preview / Plot (No Spoilers)
Moriya Ririka is just an ordinary 4th grader but that all changes when a young man named Kanou transfers to her school. On her 10th birthday and gives her a gift because he’s beautiful. This gift is the Angel Cap. With the Angel Cap, Ririka becomes Nurse Angel and fights the evil forces of Dark Joker.
Who does Nurse Angel Ririka SOS cater to?
Back in the mid-90s when the magical girl genre was booming thanks to “Sailor Moon,” “Nurse Angel” is seen as one of its clones but with a different gimmick. I say for anybody who wants to see how “Sailor Moon” influenced a genre, this will be one of those anime to check out. Since the character is younger, it does feel more innocent and at the same time, brings a different baggage of emotions in the context that the fate of the world is in the hands of a girl so young.
What's so appealing about this piece of work.
Beyond a distinction in gimmick to the magical girl formula, I feel the viewer gets to see how a little girl such as Ririka is usually independent in her battle against the forces of Dark Joker despite relying on one friend though he may not be as powerful as her. I find Ririka to be an excellent role model for children, and I find the overall theme presents a wonderful message about protecting the environment.
Nurse Angel Ririka SOS Opening
Nurse Angel Ririka SOS Main Characters List
Moriya Ririka
Voice Actor :Aso Kaori
The main heroine of our story, Ririka is just a normal elementary school girl until she encounters Kanou, the new boy at school and gives her the Angel Cap. With the Angel Cap, she becomes Nurse Angel. She is also in love with Kanou. Due to receiving a present from Kanou, she earns the jealousy of all the girls at school. She is spunky and tends to spend time with her best friends, Seiya, Karin and Anna.
Uzaki Seiya
Voice Actor :Ishida Akira
Ririka’s best friend from childhood and her next-door neighbor. The son of a doctor who runs a local hospital, he believes in helping people. He is in love with Ririka and cannot stand Kanon. After a sequence of events (which will be covered in the events section of this review), he becomes Ririka’s greatest ally in the battle against Dark Joker.
Kanou Nozomu/Kanon
Voice Actor :Kikuchi Hidehiro
Kanou is the new sixth grade boy at school under the identity that he is a student from England. With his handsome and mature looks, he becomes the most popular boy at school earning all the attention of the girls and the jealousy of all the boys. His real name is Kanon and is from an alternate earth called Queen Earth, which was destroyed by Dark Joker with their powers of pollution. He sees Ririka to make her Nurse Angel and have her fight their evil.
Contains Spoilers
Nurse Angel Ririka SOS Review
The series is formulaic in which you see Ririka trying to live life as a 10 year old girl, some monster or minion shows up, and you have the recycled footage of her transformation and her finishing move. But there were certain things from this series that really took me by surprise which kept me hooked.
Of course, those factors that will be covered in the three events section. I really like what this series does to make itself not seem like a “Sailor Moon” rip off beyond a simple change in concept in regards to costumes. I really like how the series uses its characters as it progresses and I will admit these certain plot twists threw me off in a good way.
The climax did take me by surprise and it really made me care for Ririka, her friends and family. The episodes will also highlight some of her family members and friends, which I thought adds more emotion to how it ends. I know I am indicating a spoiler here, but I am glad the series did not abuse Kanou’s usage and it allows Ririka to grow.
The villains work in context to a children’s series but, I think older viewers will have difficulty taking villains, who just want to pollute and corrupt the world just for the sake of it, very seriously. I managed to enjoy this series mostly because of Ririka and her friendship with Seiya.
The art is very simple and generic but you can tell the characters apart. I am also glad it does nothing to sexualize the characters in comparison, to lets say some moe or loli titles. If you want to do easy fan art or learn how to draw Japanese style animation, I say this is a good reference point to learn the basics. I feel that the costume and the transformation sequences were done appropriately and in taste. And yes, it abuses the hell out of recycled footage.
My only big issue was that Kanou was drawn way too mature for a 12 year old and looks more like he could be in high school. From the way he looks and the way he dresses, granted the series will show you more about him, and I think trying to blend in, he stands out way too much. As for Dewey, one of the villains, for a time, I couldn’t distinct if he was a man or woman until much later on. And add to the fact that the voice did not help.
The opening and ending songs are really nice and catchy, and are all sung by Ririka’s seiyuu, Aso Kaori. The hook of the opening song, in which a mysterious woman is pleading for Ririka’s help, really brings you more into the show as opposed to the song by bringing them together. The opening song has a distinct intensity and a very sad tone. The ending theme is really upbeat and catchy about Ririka, though the lyrics do steal some of Sailor Moon’s catch phrases.
However, I think the second opening and ending theme should have been switched in a way in which the ending theme should have been the opening and the opening theme should have been the ending. The background music itself is very elegant and there is a nice piano track in which it can both intensify desperate and hopeful atmospheres.
Aso Kaori as Ririka, does a great job of being a 10-year-old girl. The performances that surprised me the most were the inclusions of Ishida Akira and Horikawa Ryo. Ishida Akira, famous as the voices of Gaara in Naruto and Kaworu in Evangelion, really blew me away as Seiya. Granted he had the same nasal voice, he does a good job of playing a 10 year old boy in this series, which I really didn’t recognize his voice, and his acting really impressed me.
Horikawa Ryo, the voice of Vegeta from DBZ, plays the main villain, Buros. Granted he has done more feminine characters like Shun from Saint Seiya in which that performance will always impress me. As Buros, he is a bit feminine but in a more sadistic sense. He does have that sense of Vegeta’s voice, but way more crazy as opposed to megalomaniacal.
1. Kanou’s Sacrifice to Seiya
Throughout the first sixth of the series, Seiya on the surface has a very distrusting nature towards Kanou out of jealousy. Seiya is initially unaware of the true situation but after Kanou faces near death, Kanou entrusts his powers to Seiya. Without hesitation, Seiya takes Kanou’s powers and becomes part of the battle. Though he has no formal training, Seiya becomes pretty good at using them despite some initial difficulties.
2. The Return of Kanon/Kanou
While Kanon was recovering, Dark Joker took his body. Dark Joker heals his body and brain washes him to do their bidding and fight Ririka and Seiya. Knowing their strong bond, Ririka would not do anything to fight him showing how cruel and manipulative Dark Joker can be to accomplish their twisted objectives. Thankfully, he is cured and comes back to being a good guy.
3. Dewey Becomes a Good Guy
With Kanou becoming a bad guy, Dewey, one of Ririka’s strongest rivals who she previously spares, comes back to help Ririka. Initially, Dewey does not want to be seen as a good guy and claims he only wants to get back at Dark Joker for kicking him out. After being touched by the good nature of Ririka and Seiya, Dewey accepts the good in his heart and becomes a very valuable ally in the battles which get progressively tougher.
The thing that surprises me the most about Nurse Angel Ririka SOS, is the co-creator himself, Akimoto Yasushi. Yes, the exact same Akimoto Yasushi who helped create idol groups such as Onyanko Club in the 1980s and also created AKB48, Japan’s top idol group. So if any AKB48 fans reading want to know that he can tell a quality story in addition to making idol groups, this is your opportunity to check that out.
Author: Justin "ParaParaJMo" Moriarty