Well, well. This is a work themed around possession, but overall, it left a "so-so" impression. There were too many scenes featuring Yui Hatano, and I wish they had given more spotlight to the younger actresses. If they're going to include cosplay elements, they should have pushed those to the forefront in the production, or else the viewer feels unsatisfied. As a result, it lacked the kind of excitement that gets you pumped up, which makes it a regrettable work.
If that's the case, wouldn't body jacking be fine? 『Soul-Infused Possession Gun』's latest installment has finally been released. And on top of that, it's set in a school setting, which I've always envisioned in my head, so I went ahead and bought the 4K version, which I usually don't bother with. I've watched it all the way through, so here's my review (spoiler warning).
First off, to cut to the chase, my honest impression is: "As a single work in the Soul-Infused Possession Gun series, it was honestly disappointing." What do you all expect from this series? For me, the appeal lies in "women who have had souls infused into them becoming puppets at the protagonist's will, calmly saying things that would never normally happen, and being made to act in ways that are unthinkable." That's right, "puppetry" is the key point.
However, in this installment, there's no depiction of the soul flying into the woman's body when it's infused, and the sound effects are just some vague wind noise. There's no sense of the soul being infused at all, and the question "What are they doing?" lingered throughout. Furthermore, the depiction after the soul is infused is also terrible; rather than becoming a puppet, it gives the impression of "becoming another self that can operate autonomously," and I couldn't help but blurt out, "No, that's body jacking!"
Of course, in past works, there were scenes where women who had souls infused into them spoke in a male tone. But that worked because there was a clear depiction of the soul being infused, and scenes where the protagonist was nearby, concentrating, making it clear that he was "making them say it." Without those depictions, and with most of the scenes showing them acting like a "second self," I felt it was clearly off.
Overall, the female teacher has way too much screen time, and the individual puppetry scenes with the other female students and the principal are too short, which is a major downside. Since there are four actresses with good looks, the female teacher's main role should have been limited to the early practice money scene, and more time should have been allocated to the other actresses' roles and puppetry scenes.
As I mentioned at the start, this is a scenario I personally like, and it's a series I really enjoy, so with such high expectations, this level of completion is very disappointing. It's not that there aren't any shining moments here and there, but the concept of "puppetry × possession hybrid," which is the greatest appeal of the Soul-Infused Possession Gun series, has been diluted, and it's a real shame that it's ended up similar to other works. For the next installment, I strongly hope for a return to basics in style.
A blend of the best of brainwashing and possession. To be honest, I've submitted entries a few times in the past myself, but unfortunately never won. However, the "Soul-Infused Possession Gun" that Tohya Koh created with this work has turned out far better than I expected. It made me keenly aware that my own drafts were lacking in ideas and gimmicks.
I recall that the "Soul-Infused Possession Gun" series itself has been around for quite a long time. The fact that it's continued for so long is a testament to its popularity. That said, looking back at past works, it's true that the elements of "possession" and "brainwashing" often didn't blend well, leaving a half-baked impression.
I feel Koh has refined the previous weakness of being "neither here nor there" into something elegant, without letting it become a jumbled mess. The two women on the package photo are likely in the veteran category, but their stable acting lets you relive the sensation of possession.
The theme has potential to unfold in various settings, so if this work is well-received, it might be interesting to set it in places like a hospital, office, modeling agency, or public bath (hot spring facility or pool). It's a work that both fans of gender transformation (TSF) and fans of brainwashing can enjoy with peace of mind.
I was looking forward to it, but... Lately, the Body Jack series isn't bad, but I can't help expecting the high quality of past works. The unique tension and intricate story development found in earlier installments feel somewhat diminished in this one.
A Good Feeling I felt that I wanted more of a possession-like element, where the protagonist possesses their unrequited love interest and brainwashes them into having feelings for them. If such psychological manipulation and control had been depicted a bit more deeply, I think it would have enhanced the sense of immersion.