Stella Girls Academy - 1

Yamato Yura is a shy student starting high school at an all girls boarding school. When she finds her absent roommate’s collection of airsoft guns and action movies, she proceeds to reenact a shootout, to the joy of Rento, who, as a member of the understandably unpopular C3 mock battle club, is looking for members. Failing to convince Yura after butchering her name and continuously calling her a weirdo, the club tries to win her over with a mock battle. Yura is initially hesitant, but seems to begin enjoying the battle as she sees the other girls in action, and begins to imagine the battle as real.

This is going to become a regular thing, isn't it?

So, let’s take a more in-depth look at Studio Gainax’s latest offering.  Firstly, good character designs!  All of the characters have distinctive personalities and physical features, without going over-the-top.  Gainax has also averted one of their eponymous tropes, keeping the bust size realistic, which given the amount of action that is going to take place, we will likely be thankful for.  (And I like pettanko.  So sue me...)

Natural hair colours, but still distinct character designs.  Pinch me, I'm dreaming.

The pacing was good, aside from a slightly slow beginning, and the inclusion of a fight scene and the introduction of most of the main cast certainly aids in getting a feel for the show early on.
One thing I found quite amusing was the copious use of the word hentai, which, I’m sure for many of us, has connotations other than the intended ‘weirdo’. It made certain conversations more interesting to listen to, that’s for sure. (If you don’t know what hentai is, I take no responsibility for your ill-advised Google search)

I think for anime fans in general, there's something therapeutic about a main cast made of outcasts who delight in abnormality. I think it's important to note that in shots as below, we switch to a first-person perspective when Yura is being called weird. It feels at times almost as though the characters are speaking directly through the screen. If I had to guess, I'd say Gainax knows their audience. It certainly gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

The idea is certainly an interesting one, and with good writing, a nice animation style, and interesting characters, Stella Girls Academy looks like an anime to watch.  (Pun intended)

I recommend this anime.