Fellow old school manga and anime nerds will know Ken Akamatsu as the creator of legendary harem comedy Love Hina. In 1997 Ken drew a short one-shot manga for Shonen Magazine "Itsudatte My Santa!" This was later adapted into an anime OVA in Japan, 2005. Released in the west in 2007.
We all know that Japan has some of the most eccentric and endearingly bizarre interpretations of the Christian holiday of "Christmas." Traditional turkey and ham!? No! KFC dominates the season with millions of Japanese families chowing down every yule to a bucket of chicken wings. Who cares about Valentine's Day!? December 24th is the hottest date night for young Japanese couples. And who can forget about our lord and saviour Santa Claus, nailed to a literal cross in department store windows across Tokyo!? Holiday visual merchandising... crucifixion style.
I personally feel that My Santa is the most gloriously weird snap shot of Christmas-meets-Japan. Imagine It's a Wonderful Life crammed into A Christmas Carol but with more Big Titty Magical Girls from the North Pole.
My Santa centres around a dispirited young man on Christmas Eve in Tokyo. Our down-hearted hero is alone, once again, shunned by family and friends on this festive night - which also doubles as his birthday. For dear young hero's birthday is in fact December 24th. In honour of such a Christmassy birth date, his (now absent) parents decided to call their child... Santa!
So here we are, December 24th and young Santa is depressed that he's all on his ownio. Cue his Guardian Angel, or rather, Guardian Santa Mai - a flat-chested but large spirited Santa in Training from the Santa School in the North Pole come to Earth to give boy Santa hope and joy this holiday. (Yes. That is more Santas than a police line-up from Hell.)
Hilarious misunderstandings, public "pervert!" embarrassments, slap-stick whimsy, a stuffed reindeer named Pedro and an uproarious run in with a Yakuza boss and his now smashed Christmas Cake ensue. In true holiday special fashion, by the end of the episode boy Santa has learned the true meaning of Christmas, the importance of family and the value of friendship. There's even a little cherry blossom of love blooming between Santa and Mai.
Does the old saying that every time a bell rings an angel gets it's wings still hold true here? Like Hell it does! Every time a bell rings a Santa in Training gets her titties! Brace your eyes for an absolutely bonkers Magical Girl Sexy Santa transformation at the end.
The "Ittsudatte My Santa!" OVA DVD even comes complete with a second Summer Beach Special episode. Sexy Santas at the beach. Oh Japan. Never change.
56 minutes of my life every Christmas Eve is dedicated to this weird little gem, purely because it reminds me that life and its traditions are not to be taken so seriously. Life is for living and laughing and the one thing "Ittsudatte My Santa!" will make you do is laugh.
Happy Christmas and New Year from Straight Outta Kanto.
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