UlasanAnime.com – This season presents an abundance of short anime, creating a distinct atmosphere.
Previously, I noted that I planned to add gdgd to my watch list. It has now been completed, as I managed to watch all of season 1 and catch up to season 2 within the specified timeframe. This was not overly challenging, considering each episode is approximately 13 minutes long, and I even found myself watching with my eyes closed for a quarter of the time due to food comas. Nevertheless, I believe I grasped the core reasons behind its dedicated fanbase. The primary factor is that it deviates from the traditional anime format. Anyone attempting to categorize it based on conventional anime standards would likely dismiss it upon seeing its “Red vs. Blue” (season 1) visual style. The humor, while effective, is secondary to the reason it warrants discussion.
I am not the first or the last person to discuss anime as a medium for delivering laughs. I appreciate comedy in anime, but it’s often an overlooked aspect. It’s difficult to articulate and, perhaps, challenging to watch, as comedy in anime this season often manifests as 3-minute shorts filled with inside jokes. This might be why I eagerly anticipate “Kotoura-san” each week, especially given its potential for dark humor, which is a rare quality. It will have to suffice. In some respects, the past few years have been quite fruitful for comedy anime, though finding the truly good ones has been a challenge. It requires extensive searching, looking into shows like gdgd or Infernal Cop, or other similar titles.
Therefore, consider this an attempt to discuss comedy and highlight what you might be missing (or not). For each show, I will present one positive aspect and one negative aspect, as most of them possess at least one of each.
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Osaka Okan – Asumi and Shiraishi form a decent duo, but Asumisu consistently carries the show, as is her usual pattern. Yuka Iguchi provides humorous support as the third wheel when needed. Good: It’s moe. Bad: All the jokes are akin to “you might be a redneck” punchlines.
gdgd fairies – If you enjoyed season 1, you should definitely watch season 2. However, if you haven’t seen season 1, do not proceed with season 2 until you have completed the first. The unique aspect of gdgd lies in its presentation as more of a radio show than a typical anime, and this characteristic is even more pronounced in the second season. Good: Random. Bad: Too long.
Ishida & Asakura – Sketch comedy typically relies on build-up, character development, and viewer engagement. This series, however… Good: It reminds me of Cromartie. Bad: It is significantly, and I mean significantly, worse than Cromartie.
Mangirl – This anime centers on manga and education. It also leaves you wishing it were genuinely about girls who are men. Good: It’s educational. Bad: Punchlines are often optional.
Ai-Mai-Mi – This could be considered Teekyuu’s spiritual successor. It also lacks “Strawberry Eggs.” Good: It makes sense. Bad: Considerably inferior to Teekyuu.
Senyu – This series condenses gamer humor through trope inversion. Good: Creative (for those unfamiliar with nerd webcomics). Bad: Whiny.
Puchim@s – A 4-koma comedy comic presented serially. It’s simulcasted on YouTube, which might mark the first instance of a daily anime simulcast. Good: Daily. Bad: Low amount of new content per episode.
Bonus:
Encouragement of Climb – If you managed to overcome the hurdle of its Engrish title, you will find that it is not a sketch comedy. Good: It’s an ishashi-kei anime, making it somewhat experimental and novel in its format. Bad: It is not a sketch comedy.
Infernal Cop – This is an indie, web-only animation from Imaishi, distributed by Comix Wave. I haven’t encountered anything quite like it since my last viewing of Bevis & Butthead. Good: The direction is exceptionally well-executed. Bad: It lacks substantial depth beyond its direction.
