| |
|
Balls to [a.f.k.]; Anonymous saves the day. All of series two has now been subbed, there is no more. Unless all of Japan buys the DVDs and they get a third season, Despair-sensei and his harem of mental cases have left for good. Zetsubou shita, indeed.
What to choose from? The alien invasion episode - delivering at once the best Gainax pisstake in years and the first reference to David Beckham ever seen in anime. The 'How to draw Mr. Despair' song. Kaere's cookery lessons. Chiri's life-and-limb threatening attempt to reinvent herself as a loveable ditz. The continuing utter patheticness of Kagerou Usui. Nozomu's rather sweet semi-romance with the pretty college student who lives next door, the conclusion of which actually caused me to scream at my monitor in alarm. The murder mystery episode, the 'let's cram in 25 different animation styles until the budget runs dry' episode and its utterly disgraceful lolicon magical girl opening, the baffling as fuck nature documentary/duelling monsters episode. The tooth-rottingly catchy theme songs (once you've got 'Marionette/Teacher's pet!' in your head, you're fucked for the rest of the day). And my pick of the bunch, the 'counter currents' skit which in dissecting the modern tendency to get into things ass-backwards, caused uncomfortable shuffling and avoidance of eye contact in some quarters:
 
 
Why do I love this show so much? I think it's because in addition to being stunningly directed and designed, populated with terrific comedy characters and funny as hell - notwithstanding that a good chunk of the Japanese pop culture and literary references fly right over the head of Western viewers including me - it's also, somewhere in the mix, achingly sweet and sad. Chiri's forlorn reflection that she, who just wants to do things properly, will never be as popular as a cute clumsy girl; Komori's unnoticed and unthanked cooking and cleaning for Nozomu and his nephew; Maria's naivete, Matoi's romantic mania, Kafuka's loony optimism - all are milked for laughs, but at the same time there's always the sense that these are just very screwed-up people looking for love and recognition. At the centre of it all is Sensei himself, moving always along a line that connects premodern Japan to a contemporary 'modern life is rubbish' sensibility without quite turning into Jeremy Clarkson along the way, and managing to be oddly inspirational despite the fact that as teachers go, he is vocationally appalling.
If you haven't watched series two so far, I recommend it highly. Apart from anything else you have to see it through to the end to the stunning closing sequence that'll make you wonder when Mike Mignola became Japanese. Watch it or I'll sue. |
|
|
