Tag: humour

EtoTama

(12 episodes)

What’s it about ?

A comedy show about the the cat being left out of the Chinese zodiac… Wait, Wikipedia claims a manga adaptation of this started publication in 2013. How long has this TV show been stuck in the pipeline ?

Characters

Takeru, our male protagonist, found a cheap house to inhabit. Unfortunately, it’s haunted by…

Nyaa-tan, the personification of the Cat zodiac sign. Which doesn’t exist in the Chinese zodiac, of course. (She blames the Rat.) She intends to reclaim her rightful place by… actually, I fell asleep halfway through this, so I have no clue what her zany plan entails. The only thing I can see is that the house is no longer standing by the end of the episode.

Takeru is also harassed by all 12 of the other zodiac signs. There’s a running joke of nobody remembering those past the Snake, so I’ll take that as a cue not to bother listing them all. The only one with a degree of distinctiveness is Chuu-tan (ie the Rat), who smirks in the background while wearing a dominatrix outfit. Of course she does.

Production Values

Nothing to write home about. It’s okay, I guess, although some of the signs’ outfits are more than a bit fanservicey (especially Moo-tan !).

Overall Impression

Ah, the token series that completely puts me to sleep in spite of its hyperactivity. But then, those one-note characters are unengaging, the central joke isn’t particularly funny, and I just can’t bring myself to care.

Next show, please !

via [In Which I Review] New anime, Spring 2015 – Page 4.

Mikagura School Suite (Mikagura Gakuen Kumikyoku)

(12 episodes)

What’s it about ?

Adaptation of a comedy light novel series, itself based on a series of vocaloid songs. Is this starting to become a thing ?

Characters

Eruna, our protagonist, does her best to be as irritating as possible. She’s lazy (to the point of playing around instead of choosing a high school to attend after her graduation), shallow (she picks the school her cousin suggests because it’s got nice-looking uniforms and dorms), and more than a bit of a pervert. Also, she’s clearly attracted to girls, if her dating sims and the way she slobbers over any pretty girl in sight are any indication.

Fortunately for her, the entrance exam is a joke. She gets a ridiculously easy special test (“1+5 = ?”), and a nonsensical interview that she passes just for seeing the magical mascot interviewing her. (There’s noise in the background that she got fast-tracked because of her bloodline or something like that.)

The school’s gimmick is that there are a number of cultural clubs competing in battles, and the standing of your club determines the quality of your accommodations ; as someone in no club yet, Eruna gets barely any food, 5 minutes of water in the shower, and a sleeping bag in a corridor. This gives her strong incentives to join a club, any club. She just has to find one that’ll accept her. Given her obnoxious personality, that’s no easy feat.

Each representative of a club we see lugs around a giant symbol of their club, for some reason. So far, we have :
– the enthusiastic head of the calligraphy girl (giant paintbrush)
– the super-shy and apologetic member of the astronomy club (decent-sized telescope)
– the member of the painting club with the face of a thug (and merely some paint on his face)
– …I’m not sure I want to know what the club of the guy hanging around in the background with a big scythe is about.

Seisa, the headmistress’s granddaughter, heads the “going home club” (of which she is the only member), which is apparently a polite excuse for her to stay in her room most of the time. She goes out of her way to offer Eruna potential membership in her club. Eruna is delighted (she’d been drooling over the beauty posing in the school’s leaflet for a while), although she’s slightly more worried when Seisa asks her to take her place in the club battle… next week.

I have no clue what’s going on in the prologue.

Production Values

Quite good. It can sell the school as a place of wonder and weirdness, and it’s got decent comedic timing.

Overall Impression

Well, that was certainly baffling. Still, I’m a bit intrigued ; and while Eruna is a terrible excuse for a human being, she’s at least entertainingly so. I’m as curious as her as what the heck is going on with this school ; provided some answers come at a decent pace, this could prove to be fun. On the other hand, if it keeps on being gratuitously random and goes nowhere, it’ll wear on my patience very quickly.

This could turn out either way ; still, I’m willing to give it a second episode. Don’t waste it and please get to the point.

via [In Which I Review] New anime, Spring 2015 – Page 4.

My Love Story!! (Ore Monogatari!!)

(24 episodes)

What’s it about ?

Adaptation of a shoujo romantic comedy manga series.

Characters

Takeo, our protagonist, is a hulk of a kid. Despite just graduating middle school, he’s about twice as tall as his classmates. He’s brusque, not good at schoolwork and a bit dumb, but he’s a good kid at heart.

Makoto, his best friend, has nothing in common with him ; he’s a handsome kid all the girls around fawn over. Including just about every girl Takeo liked ; they all tend to confess to Makoto before Takeo can make a move. Makoto rejected every single one of them, and Takeo didn’t have the heart to push things any further.

If you’re wondering why they’re friends… well, they’re neighbours and have known each other forever. Takeo is the only person who makes Makoto laugh through his bumbling ; and somehow, it doesn’t feel mean-spirited. They just feel like they’re comfortable with each other.

Yamato is a girl Takeo saves from a groper in the train. The joke is that while she seems genuinely attracted to him, he assumes she’s just interested in Makoto standing just behind him, like all the other girls. Cue long series of misunderstandings. (By the way, while Makoto does find her nice – apparently the first time he said that of a girl ever – he’s also eager to get out of the way so that Takeo can romance her without obstacle. Unfortunately, he doesn’t quite manage to.)

Production Values

Well, shojo adaptation, so expect bright shiny colours and tons of sparkles. The contrast with Takeo’s frightening appearance is the whole point, of course.

On the other hand, there are often some gag asides that are just written in the background ; that must have worked better in the original medium.

Overall Impression

Well, that was fun. It’s a simple setup, but with charming enough characters and a slightly unusual protagonist that its feel fresher. Hopefully the 2-season length of the show means that they’ve planned it so that it can have a decent conclusion (although you never know, as the manga is still ongoing).

Anyway, I don’t need much incentive to watch a shojo romantic comedy, a genre I always find at least decently entertaining ; and since this seems to be the only such offering this season, I’m not going to be picky. Especially as it’s certainly good enough.

via [In Which I Review] New anime, Spring 2015 – Page 4.

RIN-NE (Kyoukai no Rinne)

(25 episodes)

What’s it about ?

Adaptation of the latest manga series by Rumiko Takahashi (Ranma 1/2, Inuyasha). Okay, it started publication in 2009, but you know what I mean.

Characters

Sakura, our heroine, is an ordinary high school girl with the one quirk : she can see ghosts and spirits. (Apparently someone thought it was a good idea to bring her to the spirit world when she was young.) She’d rather not have that gift and live a normal life, though, so she’s trying to ignore and avoid eye contact with the various ghosts she crosses paths with daily.

Rinne is supposed to be the guy sitting next to her in class, but there’s clearly something off with him. There’s the bright red hair. There’s the fact he didn’t show up at all for a month, making everyone wonder whether he even existed. He’s also apparently so poor he can’t afford a proper school uniform… or so he claims, since he also got his hands on an expensive-looking robe that makes him invisible to everyone but Sakura. (It also works the reverse way : people can see ghosts wearing it inside out.) Also, he’s set up a donation box so that people can ask him to solve their supernatural problems ; this mostly involves him guiding ghosts to the next step of the Circle of Reincarnation so that they stop harassing humans.

Two small cases this week, mostly as a way to introduce the premise : a prank caller, and that ghost dude who was stuck in the middle of Sakura’s way to school.

Production Values

Remember when studio Brain’s Base used to produce some of the most interesting series in any given season ? Well, it seems their star has fallen a bit, as they’re not involved anymore with the new seasons of Durarara!, or even Teenage Romcom SNAFU. Instead, they’re doing this… which I don’t think is going to put them back on the map either.

This show looks decent, but there’s something in the transition to modern animation and coloring techniques that seems to smother Takahashi’s original style a bit.

Overall Impression

Well, this is perfectly watchable, there’s some decent comedic timing… but why does this feel so generic and rote ? This is drowning in stock elements (half of them pilfered from Takahashi’s other, better series), and lacking any kind of personality. That it’s a daytime show not even getting a full year doesn’t feel like the producers have that much confidence in it. (And it’s not like like anyone expects a Takahashi series to have a satisfying conclusion within only 25 episodes.)

This is mildly entertaining, as even Takahashi on autopilot still has a perfect control of the basics, but I’m afraid that won’t cut it in a season with much more distinctive shows available. I’m giving it a second episode to see how the supporting cast is introduced, but I don’t expect to stick with it.

via [In Which I Review] New anime, Spring 2015 – Page 3.

Ultimate Otaku Teacher (Denpa Kyoushi)

What’s it about ?

Adaptation of a comedy manga series.

Characters

Junichiro, our protagonist, used to be a teenage prodigy ; submitting impressive research papers before even leaving high school, and apparently figuring out how to build a teleporter (although actually making it from his blueprints won’t be possible for another century). The problem is that he’s now completely bored with science (he’s already done anything he ever wanted to in that field), and has devolved into a NEET focus on his one true passion : anime, and the popular culture around it.

Suzune, his younger sister, won’t settle with his wasting his life and wants him to get off his ass and get a job. Look, she’s found him a part-time teaching job at his former high school, where he still has enough of an aura for them not ask too many questions about the whole year he spent as a NEET. He just has to put on a labcoat so as to look vaguely teacher-like. If he doesn’t go, he’ll have a taster of her bat.

Minako is our first problem student of the week. Well, only a problem as far as she’s obviously bullied by her former kogal friends, who aren’t taking lightly her breaking away from them. Especially as she’s turning a lew leaf by… training to become an anime voice-actress, which they deem childish. (Junichiro has the opposite view : the field is so competitive that she has a snowball’s chance in hell of making it. That lands him her fist in his face.)

There’s a girl observing his humiliation of the bullies from the darkness of an unlit car. She looks more silly than ominous. But then, this is a very silly show.

Production Values

Okay enough for a gag show. Not too much fanservice on display, actually.

Overall Impression

Hum. I’ve always said that what really counts for a comedy is the ability to make me laugh. This show has its moments, but a good chunk of it I just found mildly irritating. Part of the blame resides on Junichiro himself, who’s far from compelling enough to get my sympathy. (Excuse me as I have little time for his ennui.)

Obviously the shadow of GTO looms large on this, and it’s unfair to compare it to a show that doesn’t even pretend to have the same kind of edge. Still, I’d have much more time for this if the jokes landed more often.

Against my better judgement, I’m giving it a second episode. But it better find its feet quickly.

via [In Which I Review] New anime, Spring 2015 – Page 2.

Re-Kan (“Sixth Sense”)

(12ish episodes ?)

What’s it about ?

Adaptation of a 4-panel comedy manga series about a girl who can see and interact with ghosts.

Characters

Amami, our main character, has always been able to interact with ghosts, and knows all the one haunting the neighbourhood. (She can also talk with cats.) They can be a bit annoying at times, always demanding her attention, but they’re mostly benign and sometimes even helpful. Amami is genial enough to have gotten used to it.

Inoue, one of her new highschool classmates, is our actual point-of-view character for this episode. She claims not to be believe in ghosts, and is thus quite irritated by Amami’s behaviour… but the truth is that she’s got a weak sixth sense and can thus sometimes see the ghosts a bit if she squints. That doesn’t sit well with her, and she spends most of the episode in denial.

Most of Amami’s other classmates have gotten used to her quirks rather quickly (although some of her stories still give them cold sweat once in a while).

Production Values

From some of the people that gave us Survival Game Club ! It’s decently animated, although the computer-painted backgrounds give it a weirdly empty and almost SHAFT-lite atmosphere. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

The fanservice levels are almost surprisingly low.

Overall Impression

Inoue, shut up. Seriously, the show would be far more enjoyable without your outbursts ; the quirky ghosts, their interactions with Amami, and your classmates’ reactions are fun enough not to need you shouting all the time. Just calm down, please ? It’s obvious you’re in denial over your own abilities, and the sooner you accept it the better.

The next-episode preview promises that next week will focus on another classmate besides Inoue, and I breathe in relief ; I wouldn’t bother with a second episode otherwise. As it is, it’s the show’s last chance to convince me to keep watching.

via [In Which I Review] New anime, Spring 2015.

#33 : Hand Maid May

(10 episodes + 1 special)

What’s it about ?

Wait, we didn’t get a “Magical Girlfriend” series yet ? Only “Magical Baby” & “Magical Roommate” ? This is an oversight that MUST be fixed post-haste, whatever the cost.

Characters

Kazuya, our nerdy protagonist, is a college student with a heavy interest in electronics. To the point of spending most of his nights tinkering (and sleeping during classes).

Kasumi, his childhood friend and the assistant landlady of his apartment complex. She keeps checking on him way more than strictly necessary, often entering through the window. I doubt the way she’s completely immodest in his presence is entirely innocent.

Nambara, his “rival” (Kazuya couldn’t care less), who keeps trying to upstage him and/or cause him harm. He’s a moron, but with enough money to be a nuisance ; and apparently in 2000 the old “virus on a disc” trick still worked.

Bizarrely Nambara’s virus might have actually connected to a “real” website, as Kazuya nearly immediately receives a package. (And if you believe that was a real delivery woman, I have a bridge to sell you.) Inside : the titular May, a small android maid. Somehow Kazuya isn’t bothered by not having passed any order, and just takes her in stride.

Production Values

Hello, fanservice ! Kasumi all but throws herself at Kazuya, and the camera loves to perv on her. As well as on May, of course.

… Although, really, it’s a bit more tasteful and restrained than I expected at first. They didn’t even clarify whether Kazuya jury-rigged the recharging USB cable into the front or the back slot.

Overall Impression

Sigh. There are a few decent jokes in here, but most of it felt stale or downright nonsensical. (Nambara’s antics were especially painful.) And despite it being the whole premise, relatively little is made out of May yet. The show just doesn’t manage to sell her as the catalyst for any semi-interesting stories, and that’s a problem. It’s almost like the show is too shy or embarrassed by its premise, and that just won’t fly for an ecchi series. Especially when the main cast is so forgettable.

I have no interest in watching any more of this.

Source: [In Which I Review] Anime series from 2000 – Page 9

#30 : Hamtaro

(296 episodes)

What’s it about ?

The adventures of a pet hamster and his furry friends, adapted from a children’s manga series that’s still running.

Characters

Hamtaro, our protagonist. Tends to escape a lot from his cage, as he likes to explore his surroundings. Easily makes friends.

His owner is a nice little girl who just moved into a new neighbourhood and doesn’t get much screentime yet. I’m sure she and her family will have room for more characterization later on.

Oxnard, a goofy other hamster who lives in the neighbourhood and apologizes a lot.

“Boss”, a “field hamster” who built his own little underground nest nearby. He’s a bit gruff, but seems nice enough once you get to know him. He’s in love with…

Ribbon, a cute hamster who lives in a house nearby. She doesn’t get any lines as Boss tries romancing her through the window… but it looks like it’s Hamtaro who caught her eye. (Also, her owner makes friends with Hamtaro’s in a subplot.)

Production Values

Perfectly alright. On the other hand, this is another show where I could only get the English localization… which clocks at 17 minutes instead of the usual 22. Even accounting for the absence of OP & ED sequences, it still makes me suspect some cuts were made… Although nothing immediately noticeable.

Overall Impression

That was quite cute. I can see how it got successful enough to run for six years : it’s well made, the characters are fun to follow, and it has none of the lowbrow humour you often get from kids’ shows. Even this setup episode was entertaining enough.

But not enough for me to commit to watching nearly 300 episodes. It’s good at what it does, but I’m not really the audience for it.

Source: [In Which I Review] Anime series from 2000 – Page 7

#25 : Love Hina

(24 episodes + various OVAs & specials)

What’s it about ?

Adaptation of one of the now “classic” harem romantic comedy manga series.

Characters

Keitarou, our hapless protagonist, has yet to enter college despite turning 20. Part of the problem is that he’s applying to the prestigious Tokyo university that’s way beyond his reach. This is because he’s trying to be faithful to a promise he made with a girl as a kid, and this is the place they’re supposed to meet again. (His parents wish he would wise up.)

The plot kicks off when his grandma decides to stop running her lodging house, and brings him in as a replacement. The current tenants aren’t too pleased (especially with the tons of ridiculous misunderstandings before he can even introduce himself), but eventually give him a chance. They are :
– Naru, clearly our lead romantic contender, and already displaying plenty of tsundere chemistry with him. Also trying to enter the same university, except she’s actually good enough to have a good chance at it. (Odds of her being the childhood friend : very high.)
– Mitsune, the one obsessed with money ; her interest perked up when, like everyone else but Naru, she mistakenly understands that Keitarou is already in that university and on the fast track to a successful life.
– Motoko, the tall taciturn beauty with tons of fangirls.
– Kaolla, the weird little tanned blonde who just does random stuff.

As explained by Haruka, his aunt who barely has time to give a bit of a helping hand, there’s little choice here : either the tenants reluctantly accept a male manager, or there’s just nobody left to run the place and it just closes down.

Shinobu, a “normal” girl Keitarou runs into in the neighbourhood. Presumably she joins the regular cast later on.

Production Values

Decent enough. There’s a weird ethereal atmosphere throughout, as not only does Keitarou keeps daydreaming all the time, but also for some reason the town keeps being shrouded in fog, with weird old dudes being a bit creepy.

As the lodging house includes a hot springs, expect a good amount of fanservice.

Overall Impression

Well, this was pleasant enough. All of the basic elements have been done dozens of time, but there’s nothing wrong with using them, provided it’s done properly and with enough energy. And that’s the case here ; I was reasonably entertained.

And hey : it’s Love Hina ; it’s the kind of show so famous I feel like I should have seen them already. And this first episode was okay enough for me to have no qualms with finally getting on that sometimes in the next few months.

Source: [In Which I Review] Anime series from 2000 – Page 5

#17 : Kaitō Kiramekiman

(26 episodes)

What’s it about ?

Okay, this is a weird one. In the 70s & 80s, Tatsunoko Productions produced a bunch of anime shows collectively known as “the Time Bokkan series” (named after the first of them) ; the most well-known is probably Yatterman, the second one, which is getting a modern remake this year for the 40th anniversary of the franchise, starting… today. (Serendipity !)

None of those shows seem to have much in common plot-wise, aside from having a trio of villains with similar character designs, and being a variation of sentai. This one, 8th in the series (and produced more than a decade after the 7th), goes for a sentai/gentleman thief mash-up.

Characters

Kaitō Kiramekiman are actually a team of two people :
– #1 is actually Lip, daughter of an unaware police chief, and looks like the one in charge
– #2 is Paf, the… manservant at her house ? It’s not clear, but he does stuff like driving her around and repairing the car. He’s the one handling the technical preparation of their heists, including their giant (and sentient) cat mecha.
From the best I can gather, they’re not really bad guys, they’re just looking for some magic stones, and the heists are a cover to appropriate them. If they got it wrong, they’ll just give the precious stones back to the police down the line (and offscreen).

But much of the screentime is devoted to a trio of inept cops, trying to catch the thieves to better their own reputation. Given that nobody takes them seriously and they’re bumbling fools, you can easily see why. They’re :
– a superficial blonde woman who bosses the other two around ;
– A dumb brute who provides the muscle ;
– A smart guy with a big nose who just won’t shut up… and seems to actually have some competence in store, given how he’s built their own giant dog mecha that does manage to capture Kiramekiman for a while until his efforts are thwarted by the ineptitude of his colleagues.

Now, it’s hard to see those three as villains ; at best, they’re antagonists, and they often feel like the true stars of the show. On the other hand, they’re in contact with a Mysterious Boss that doesn’t seem to be part of the police, so I have a strong suspicion they’ve infiltrated the police station to pursue their own agenda (getting their hands on the magic stones, maybe ?), in accordance with the overall throughline of the Time Bokkan shows. But there’s barely any evidence for that, and you often find yourself taking the side of those poor shlobs against the semi-sadistic and unstoppable thieves.

Production Values

Time capsule ! Which makes sense once you learn the show’s history. And hey, those very retro designs have their charm, mitigating the sparse animation where people don’t even walk down stairs properly.

The blond woman is a frequent source of (very mild because kids’ show) fanservice, because of course.

Overall Impression

This is a fascinating show, especially once I did my research. Which helps make sense of why the titular protagonists barely get any character development or backstory, and the trio steal the show ; we’re at the stage where the latter are the most recognizable element of the franchise. Since they’ve got fun chemistry, it’s a sensible choice.

On the other hand, this is clearly a series that relies a lot on Japanese references and puns that the fansubbers who translated the token episode didn’t bother with ; plenty of it flies right above my head. And I suspect the novelty value would wear off quickly, as this looks like a very repetitive show. So while I’ve enjoyed a decent chunk of this, and I’m grateful this project has exposed me to such an oddity, I’m not too broken up over the non-availability of the rest of it.

It does get me more interested in this year’s Yatterman revival, though.

Source: [In Which I Review] Anime series from 2000 – Page 4