How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? follows Hibiki Sakura, a second-year
high school student with a voracious appetite who desires to slim down after it
was pointed out to her that she’s gaining weight. Although initially reluctant of doing so, she
decides to join Silverman Gym – thus, begins her life-changing journey into the
world of strength training.
There, Hibiki becomes gym buddies
with fellow second-year high schoolers Akemi Soryuin, the student council president
who has a fetish for huge muscles; Ayaka Uehara, Hibiki’s best friend who works
as a part-time instructor in her father’s boxing gym; and Gina Boyd, an otaku
Russian transfer student; as well as their history teacher Satomi Tachibana,
who is secretly the famous cosplayer Yuria Riko. Together, the girls are mentored by Naruzo
Machio, the ever supportive and mild-mannered Silverman Gym trainer who looks
like a normal-sized young man when he has his clothes on but is actually
tremendously muscular.
This 12-episode anime series
turns out exactly as I thought it would be when I picked it up at the start of the summer season, so I’m completely satisfied with it. It’s just a light, uncomplicated, breezy
show. It doesn’t have depth because it
doesn’t have an overarching storyline that needs it. It’s more concerned with presenting episodic
comedic moments through its premise while giving some helpful,
humorously-delivered (i.e. it gets gratuitously ecchi-ish, which has a comical
effect) exercise and fitness tips along the way. And it’s pretty entertaining as it sets
itself out to be.
It’s not my-stomach-hurts-I-can’t-breathe
hysterical, but it is consistently funny.
The recurring joke of Machio-san’s clothes exploding whenever his physique
transforms from normal-looking into bulkingly beefy a la Bruce-Banner-to-Hulk
never gets stale. His kindly face uncharacteristically
resting upon that hulking body also serves as a hilarious visual gag. There are many other sources of laughs, or
course, but the Machio-san-centered ones are the best. This includes the show’s catchy ED.
Overall, How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? isn’t outstanding. But it’s utterly enjoyable for what it
is. It may even prove inspirational
enough to compel someone to actually pick up weights.
Nice bulk!
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