Radical Dreamers 2002

Synopsis: At a time when humans and aliens co-exist on earth, a poor girl has a very close encounter with the third kind. Mayuko already has trouble making ends meet: she lives in a run-down public bathhouse and holds three jobs just to have enough cash for cram school. Then, a gluttonous under alien, NieA, befriends her and decides to live with her. NieA literally eats up Mayuko’s budget! However, despite her huge appetite, NieA genuinely likes Mayuko and wants to make her life a little better. The problem is, this troublemaker of an alien only seems to make things harder for Mayuko!

Review: In spite of the aliens that pop up at every scene (NieA, in particular), NieA Under 7 is one anime which hits close to home. It tackles real life issues such as discrimination and poverty in a very subtle manner. Unlike other run-of-the-mill anime series, NieA Under 7 is plot-driven and does not rely on kawaii mecha/chara transformations. The viewer can easily empathize with the characters because the latter are placed in situations which the former is likely to encounter in his or her daily life. NieA and Mayuko’s contrasting personalities often lead to humorous, and at times very touching, encounters. The graphics in NieA Under 7 are very neat, and the part where the alien mothership slowly disappeared is especially eye-catching. NieA Under 7 is a must-see, feel-good anime… don’t miss it!

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Ratings are based on a maximum of 5
Reviewed By: Natsumi