Bart:	As a rule, we men don't like romances. Romantic stories tend to fall in with dolls, pink bicycles, curling irons, organic shampoos, and other chick stuff. A lot of us go to great lengths to prevent showing sissiness. At the end of Sleepless in Seattle, for instance, one notes that most of the guys in the room suddenly have to go to the bathroom.
Jae:	There's nothing wrong with a good romantic comedy. After all, it's got both romance and comedy. Besides, a good romantic comedy's likely to be the closest that anyone who's sitting in a lecture hall on a Saturday night's ever going to get to a relationship.
Bart:	Yeah, whatever. I just don't want people to assume that I'm some kinda sissy just because I like Ah! My Goddess.
Jae:	It's already too late.
Bart:	Oh well. It's not as if I'm the only guy out there who has trouble admitting to that sort of thing. Heck, one person I know even went so far as to build a special helmet with hair dryers mounted on either side, aimed at his face, to avoid crying at the end of Titanic.
Jae:	What type of guy would cry at the end of Titanic? I mean, sure, maybe a tear or two at the end of Les Misérables or Grave of the Fireflies, but Titanic?
Bart:	Hey, listen. If you don't like the way I'm starting this article, then start it yourself, and I'll sit there and be contradictive.
Jae:	Be my guest. *ahem* Keiichi Morisato is just your average Japanese college student. He's rather short, not that popular with the girls, and laden with all of the tasks that his sempai don't want to deal with. Case in point: the first OAV (Moonlight and Cherry Blossoms) begins with him dorm-sitting and taking messages for the rest of the gang while they're out.
Bart:	No it doesn't.
Jae:	Fine, if you want to be technical about it, it starts with the AMG theme song (which is absolutely wonderful) and a shot of Belldandy in Heaven. But Keiichi sitting in his dorm room is where the story really starts.
Bart:	Actually, some would argue that the real story starts in the fifth episode, but I'll not get into that. Please continue.
Jae:	Thanks, I will. While ordering takeout, Keiichi happens to dial a wrong number and calls up the Relief Goddess Office by mistake.
Bart:	Wish I could make a mistake like that. When I dial the wrong number, I usually end up getting some weirdo's answering machine. Keiichi, on the other hand, gets a visit from a beautiful woman who wants nothing more than to give him anything he desires.
Jae:	Hey Bart, what would you wish for if that happened to you? A billion dollars? Your own personal harem?
Bart:	Both.
Jae:	Well, fortunately for the sake of our plot, Keiichi isn't like you and instead asks for a girl like her to stay with him forever -- which the goddess, Belldandy, interprets as meaning that she should stay...
Bart:	Okay, I take that back. I'd probably go with the Keiichi wish, especially if the woman granting it happened to be Belldandy.
Jae:	And thus begins what is arguably the best romantic comedy series in anime.
Bart:	Down with Ranma! Down with Maison Ikkoku! Down with Urus... *ahem* Sorry, I have these little outbursts from time to time.
Jae:	What about Marmalade Boy and KOR? Down with them too?
Bart:	Well, obviously I'm kidding somewhat. I don't see where you get "arguably," though. AMG has more feeling in it than any of the others, by a long shot.
Jae:	Hey, I wouldn't argue it, but some people would. Most girls I know that have seen the show aren't that fond of it. Especially since Belldandy can be a little over-enthusiastic in trying to please Keiichi.
Bart:	Ya know, I picked up on that as well, back when I first saw the series. It kinda bothered me for a while, but now that I think about it, it doesn't so much anymore.
Jae:	Same here. But if you think about it, having the mother in the house is the situation in which a lot of us grew up. It's the same thing as having the father in the home -- except that it's a lot more common.
Bart:	Belldandy is a strong woman -- much more than she actively lets on. She knows that Keiichi would do everything for her and then some, so it's alright with her. I mean, Keiichi isn't the sort to take advantage of someone like that.
Jae:	And Keiichi's a nice guy who really loves her, although he does have a little bit of a problem standing up to others. Either way you look at him though, he's a lot better a guy than Karigari from Boku no Marie.
Bart:	Or Ataru Moroboshi from Urusei Yatsura.
Jae:	Or Yusaku Godai from Maison Ikkoku, or half of the guys in anime.
Bart:	Or me, for that matter. But I digress. The point behind all this is that AMG is well worth watching, even if you're not a romantic at heart.
Jae:	And if you are a romantic, you don't have to admit it. Just don't start singing along to the opening and you should be able to disguise it well enough -- even if you're a macho man (or woman).
Bart:	I'm macho all the way. *whisper* Do me a favor and don't tell anybody about the two AMG posters on my wall, or the watercolor of Belldandy I did, or the mp3 of the theme song I have on my computer.
Jae:	What, the one you got from me? Sure, I promise I won't tell a soul.
Bart:	Thanks, man. I owe you one.
Jae:	No problem. It's not like I'm publishing this behind your back or anything.

Next week: The Cupid of Love pays a visit, Keiichi shows why it took a goddess for him to get a date, and Belldandy wears a swimsuit!

Bart:	(wiping blood off of his nose with a tissue) And so does Urd.
Jae:	Among others.
Bart:	And of course, the bug-zapper line.
Jae:	Of course, it's the best line in the series.
Bart:	But let's not spoil the whole second episode. We'll save that for next week.
Jae:	So until then, sit back and enjoy the first OAV... and try not to think about Bart's sick obsession with Belldandy.
Bart:	It's not a sick obsession, it's a cute fanboy crush.
Jae:	Yeah, well, that's what they all say.