“Love is the origin of a maiden’s power.”
What if, instead of Thor and Loki and Heimdall, the defenders of Asgard were cute girls? And what if they needed to go on dates with a socially awkward boy chosen by Odin so they could “level up” and transform into Valkyries and defeat the demons that threaten to destroy the world? That’s the idea behind Val x Love (pronounced “Val Love”), a silly but enjoyable harem anime that I’ve been following this season. You might want to give it a shot!
Poor Takuma is a giant, clumsy boy who’s feared by his classmates because he’s got a scary face, and as a result, he just wants to be left alone to study. Imagine his surprise when a gaggle of cute girls invades his home, insisting on going on dates and spending time with him. It turns out that Odin has blessed (cursed?) him as the savior of the world, and sent his nine daughters to live with him. He’s required to clear certain classic “dating events” with the girls, like “go buy toilet paper while holding hands” or “share an indirect kiss by drinking from the same bottle of tea” or “get intimate in the gym storage room.” These unlock various date flags in the girls, allowing them to gain levels and transform into their Valkyrie forms.
A main character who has to go on dates in order to save the world? If it sounds similar to Date a Live, you’re right, the two shows are kind of cut from the same cloth. Each episode involves Takuma going on structured dates with a different sister, helping her unlock her potential by getting into sexy situations with her, which moves the story forward and provides viewers with some enjoyable fanservice. So if you’re into mindless shows with cute girls and sexy situations, or are curious to see a sexy anime take on Norse mythology, then Val x Love is your show!
A hero who fights beside beautiful girls and needs to do sexy stuff with them to increase in level is a trope that shows up in Japan’s hentai games quite often. One example is JAST USA’s Trample on Schatten!, a gorgeous game about a hero who transforms to fight evil shadow creatures with his beautiful heroine sidekick. Naturally, after each battle, they’re required to do make love in order to “power-up.” Give it a try if you like this sort of thing!
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