As a piece of anime and hentai history, Suashi no Houkago may look pretty interesting, as it was made more than 35 years ago, in 1985. But as an anime you would watch on your free time? Absolutely terrible, no one should try it. But, come on - it was 1985! They had a lot of time to evolve. So, Suashi is what you could name a "prototype-hentai" OVA. About the technical aspects... I usually do anime encodes for my fansub (the things I do for love!), so I understand some good things about audio and video. And here, in Suashi no Houkago, things are... definitelynot good. As MAL says on the description, Suashi no Houkago was originally part of an OVA "series", the Little Mermaid Series, which included 3 other OVAs (which, let me tell you, also doesn't look that good.), but what MAL DOESN'T tell you is that Suashi no Houkago was released FOUR times! In VHS, VCD, LaserDisc and even DVD, this little piece of animation was there. But you may ask, "what difference does this make"? Well, I watched both the VCD and DVD versions (both japanese because this obviously didn't get to the US or any other country), and the thing is, they may probably one of the lousiest video masters I've ever saw. Audio is missing, frames too... Not that it makes a big difference, since the animation here is really bad, too. And I say "audio", when it's pretty much some badly acted speech sequences followed by a weird 80s song. Different times, maybe.
Story and char. designwise, there's not much to say. It's your basic "girl loves girl - lesbianism ensues" plot, and to be honest, with only 26 minutes, i don't think there was much more that could be done. Character design looks bad, but like I said before - it was 1985. They improved a lot with time, at least.
I wouldn't exactly say to you "Don't watch Suashi no Houkago, it's bad!" as it may be an interesting piece of history. But as for its quality? Bad, very bad. Watched it once and i'll likely never touch it again.
Recommended
Why are there so many negative reviews? It's all subjective. I think the anime deserves attention, as hentai was just emerging and became a part of history. The hentai uses real footage, which is also extremely unusual and interesting. I liked everything about it. I'd also like to highlight the unique censorship: instead of annoying pixels, there are tons of special effects, like soap bubbles and flashes of light. It's much cuter and cooler than those disgusting pixels. There's also yuri, and lesbian relationships were more taboo back then than they are now. And it's interesting and enjoyable to watch. First of all, it's sure to appeal tofans of anime history and those interested in the evolution of the hentai genre. Its innovative technical solutions—the use of real footage and the unique "bubble" censorship—make it a must-see for anyone who appreciates artistic experimentation and original approaches to animation. For those seeking something different from the mainstream, tired of the same pixelated censorship, and eager to see a bold, historically significant work, this anime will be a true revelation and a delight. It's not for everyone, but for its target audience, it's a gem.
