Review: Kangoku Senkan ~Hidou no Sennou Kaizou Koukai~

The Kangoku Senkan series has spawned numerous adaptations and each come with their own strengths and detractors. Here I will be looking at the manga adaptation of the original game to see what it’s like and whether it holds up compared to the anime.

Lieri Bishop and Naomi Evans work as officers for the Universal Federation. Their new mission is to board a space battleship to report crimes on the Neo Terrors. Donny Bogan is the captain of this ship and of the Neo Terrors. With past memories of being arrested for an attempted kidnap by Lieri and Naomi still ingrained in his mind he has revenge in his sights of the lecherous variety. Will Lieri and Naomi being able to resist or is their future set in stone?

It may be a typical revenge story but it’s the content that makes it stand out from the crowd. I adore when an authoritative figure is taken down a peg or two, just and noble responsibilities or not, so seeing it on the page here with an ever increasing level of degrading acts is a joy to see. The battleship acts as a prison (hence the series name), with no escape for the girls as they are forced into a lurid hell with plenty of fetishes to keep it fresh.

Lieri is the senior commander here, Naomi looks up to her as a role model for her job. Both are stern and always abide by their duties. Lieri being the senior commander asserts herself much more, she has an aura of control. When it comes to the sexual scenarios she takes the lead so as to make a good impression on Naomi who is rather reluctant and finds it hard despite it being her duty.

Lastly we have Donny Bogan who was once arrested by these two girls years ago after he was caught attempting a kidnap mission. He is seedy, dirty minded, holds a grudge and plans to humiliate and break them in revenge. Sure what he wants to do seems a bit overboard and a bit generic but it works and works well here. He has a sick motivation and is hell bent on ensuring it works.

One of my favourite part here is when the lights go out. During the day Lieri and Naomi are duty abiding officers who put their foot down but as night comes a switch is flicked and they effectively become comfort women servicing the male officers in any way they desire, all thanks to the brainwashing. The helpless look on their faces, their feelings of despising this yet have not having a choice really did it for me. As senior commander Lieri sets the tone whilst Naomi is more resistant meaning the gradual decline and move into more perverted and filthy acts is worth the wait.

What’s even better is that when they come around in the morning they remember none of it as the guys on the ship give them seedy, leering looks which disgusts them. That they do not know what is exactly happening to them is what is thoroughly exciting, they have an inkling something is up but have no idea what.

The content here is dark and nasty with many fetishes catered for. Large amounts of rape (though the girls think its their duty), torture, erotic maid outfits, use of stocks, the use of nose hooks (I really, really love nose hooks) and brainwashing. This goes down the more extreme line of fetishes which escalate; anyone with even slight aversion to this should steer clear.

A special mention to the brainwashing machine that covers their heads as an untold number of sex toys and vibrators are strapped to them along with constant injections as they cum incessantly and begin to lose their mind. The image of them sat in these contraptions, with their uniforms (and later without) being subjected to this is one of the many standout images here.

Acts escalate by the chapter and they never linger on something for too long which can be a blessing and a curse, sometimes I would have liked a bit more of one particular humiliating act or even a bit less. That is the one issue with the pacing, because it has one volume to get through the content it does rush through sometimes.

Kusunoki Rin is the artist here and he brings a level or respect to the franchise as well as imparting his own style onto these characters. He knows how to draw the female form. Both Lieri and Naomi are rather buxom with large breasts and accentuated features. It is ideal for an ero series as both girls look incredibly sexy. Their uniforms deserve a mention as well with their long leggings and short skirts that only just cover their panties. That said it doesn’t look quite as polished or visually impressive as the anime or VN which is to be expected.

Overall the content from the game and the anime transitions perfectly to the page. If you weren’t a fan of the camera work in the anime and aren’t one for games then this is the version for you. Filled to the brim with luscious art and less intrusive censorship yet doesn’t skimp out on the content you will be sure to enjoy.

Mangaka: Kusunoki Rin

Released: 2011

Length: 10 chapters, 1 volume

Availability: Amazon Japan, Mandarake, JList

9/10