Satoshi "Sasshi" Imamiya believes his life is in shambles, as only a 12-year-old can. Having lost his card collection, his childish dilemmas worsen when he learns that his childhood friend, Arumi Asahina, will be moving away.
Suddenly, their issues are dashed aside for the surreal, and they find themselves transported away through bizarre worlds of science fiction, magic, and war. Any attempt to escape only catapults them into another alien land. Soon, the two come to a realization: every world is just a reimagining of their hometown. But there are two unfamiliar faces—the voluptuous Mune-mune and the elusive blue-haired Eutus—and they just might be the key to escaping their predicament.
Abenobashi Mahou☆Shoutengai follows Sasshi and Arumi's comedic exploits as they desperately attempt to return home. However, when the pair unravel a tale spanning generations, they begin to wonder if the cause of their situation is more personal than they thought. Is returning home truly what they desire?
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
Ranivus
Abenobashi Mahou Shoutengai is pretty much Excel Saga meets Alice in Wonderland, with a suprisingly good story line thrown in for good measure. The story pretty much surrounds two really good friends Arumi and Sasshi. Who happen to live in a rundown project area called Abenobashi Shopping District thats on the verge of being replaced with a new develpment complex. Of course noone wants to leave but then, everything just starts to go awry quite fast. This is where the 'falling down the rabbit hole comes in' Some seasoned anime watchers will be thinking this is alot like Excel Saga but the onlyconnection will be that they are stuck in wierd (not random) enviroments. Beyond that everything will make sense the more you watch the show. Overall, the show manages to bring comedy, drama, action, fantasy, and even romance in to one nice fun 13 episode package.
When you hear people talk about how important having a good production company is for an anime, Abenobashi would be a perfect example. Gainax and Madhouse are two of the best companies in the businesss and watching this show you'll see why. Theres so many dfferent handpainted backgrounds, that i lost count at about 100 per episode. And the art themes and backgrounds are very different in every episode which makes this show such a joy to watch. On top of that the comedy gags are just so funny you cant help but laugh out loud. Some comedy shows can get by just by having a poor art and great characters, but if you want to see what a comedy can be like with high qualtiy art, this would be the show. I cant forget to mention that the shows characters all show such a diverse range of emotions (and body parts) that fit perfectly with every situation. They use comedy faces at the right times, drama faces at correct places, all of them are displayed with such timing and style its almost eerily perfect. Its hilarious how they manage to pull off so many anime, movie, and video game gags in such a small amount of time. Also my only gripe is that the cast sometimes talks too fast but thats also for comedy purposes
Another thing with the characters is that the voice cast are just perfect for this show, the two main characters are polar opposites from each other but sometimes on occasion they switch roles which makes them fun to watch. You'll manage to love and hate both of them in equal amounts. Most of the other characters are so hilariously good that you'll wish you can get them out of you memory banks. The ugly characters are rife with age spots and the youthful characters are filled with beautfy and sexiness. Speaking of sex theres alot of ecchi sittuations in this show, so if you don't mind a little skin with your comedy its there, Theres even a large amount of ecchi jokes that most people might find offensive but is still hilarious in their own right.
Usually when somone hears the same sound effects robbed from other places its a bad thing. But in this case, robbing or emulating the same sound effects are perfect for this show and whats makes this anime so top notch. It was so fun trying to spot all the different sound effects and spoofs and place them with their original place. The high quality sound actually carrys on to the songs. The background music cosists usually of big band style music perfect for a comedy pair such as Ayumi and Sasshi. The op song is perfect as its a very up beat fun song excellent to set you in the mood of watching the show. Whereas watching the ending song gives you almost a nostalgic feeling (complete with black and white japanese history slide show) which you should be feeling after watching one episode of Abenobashi with all the fun spoofs and such. I can safely say i've seen the op and ed every time and thats usually hard to do.
Overall, the show was paced perfectly, comedy was spot on, sight gags were more than perfect, more than enough media spoofs all throughout the show, and it was all just a generally fun ride throughout. Typically the general public views anime as a cartoon with slapstick comedy, boobs, and alot of screaming (like Akira). Thats a pretty good description of the show in a nutshell. This is one of the show's that would be perfect to show a new anime viewer. Everyone should watch this show regardless of their preference, because even if it sounds like the same formula (from Excel Saga) it is far from it.
Not a big fan of giving all 9's and 10's but that my honest feeling about this show.
YourMessageHere
Take Quantum Leap (or Sliders, your preference) and cross it with Excel Saga. That, in a nutshell, is Abenobashi Magical Shopping Arcade. A couple of kids, a bright but otherwise unexceptional girl and her male otaku neigbour and long-term friend, find themselves tumbling from one lunatic parallel world to another in what begins as simply an attempt to return to normality but becomes an attempt to make things in their own mundane yet beloved reality right. The presence of recurring characters, not only versions of people they know but people they don\'t, begin to clue them in to the method behind themadness.
The debt this series owes to Excel Saga is obvious and considerable, and wile I love both series, to me this has the edge in my affections. Sasshi and Arumi\'s efforts take them from one genre parody to another week by week, but unlike Excel Saga\'s scattergun "just because I said so" approach, the whole affair has a coherent and moderately serious storyline running through it, tying everything together. That one can maintain a single overarching plot through an RPG world, a kung fu world, a scifi world, a gangster world, a warfare world and so on is impressive enough.
But the fact that you needn\'t follow the plot, if you don\'t want to, is also pretty smart. If you prefer, you can generally ignore the overarching plot and concentrate on the humour, of which there is lots, and it doesn\'t really let up; none of excel\'s recycling here, no "cute animal anime skit number three". The exceptions are a couple of episodes that in fact aren\'t all that funny and are mostly concerned with the overarching plot, a bit of a weakness. Perhaps with a little more polish this element could have been spread across the whole spread of episodes, and as it is, it does require some concentration to fully \'get\' the plot. No matter, I found myself laughing my ass off most of the time anyhow.
Graphically, Abenobashi Magical Shopping Arcade has nothing very special about it - but it\'s a rare comedy that dazzles the eyes too. Everything is however perfectly unobjectionable, with character design probably the most impressive aspect. All the supporting cast, the familiar faces from around the Shotengai, appear in a new form for every episode; it\'s easy to take for granted the way they all fit straight in to whatever setting, yet are instantly recogniseable, no small feat in actuality.
There\'s a mostly jazz-flavoured soundtrack, the BGM nothing incredible, generic but pleasing, and far from seeming out of kilter; like character design it is easy to take for granted its modification to fit the setting of each episode. The opening theme is infectiously catchy and great fun, one of my favourites among Hayashibara Megumi\'s many, many happy songs. The ending theme is also one of hers, and is gentle and lovely, the sort of music that makes you think of summer sunshine.
Basically, Abenobashi Magical Shopping Arcade is one of those rare things that is as complicated as you want it to be. It can be just a parody humour show, or a more complicated tale with serious points to make about urban decline and the loss of community feeling, and also about genre cliches, if you like, on top of simply being funny as hell. You gets more than you pays for, for once.
yacques
Abenobashi Mahou Shoutengai First when I heard this anime's name, it made me think of a bunch of cute magical girls with pink hair and super round eyes casting spells and fighting against evil. Something I totally wouldn't watch. Then I noticed the producer is Gainax, which immidiately made me intrested of the series. So, watched it and I'm happy I did. ABOUT: Abenobashi tells a story of two childhood friends, Arumi and Sasshi. They live in the peaceful city of Osaka spending time with each other and just hanging around. However, Arumi is going to move to Hokkaido with her family and Sasshi's pretty shocked when hefinds it out. After few strange incidents these kids get sucked in different worlds. Time and period changes every time but the city and the people in it remain, although their settings change. Only Arumi and Sasshi can remember their 'real' world, everyone else are living their lives like it has always been the same. Arumi and Sasshi are trying to figure out why they are shuffling these weird paradox-worlds and how they can get back to their original world.
Abenobashi has many movie references from famous American films which is a funny twist when you recognize them. Each episode contains a different world with different set-ups, varying from fairyland to a world of war. Even the art style changes making you really wait for the next episode. It’s a story about life and changes that come along with it.
ART:
As I am a big fan of Gainax productions, I really enjoyed this art. It reminds me of FLCL, maybe being a bit more mellow and pastel-colored. Still it has those little details and fast paced movements that makes it super-enjoyable in my eyes. I wish there would be more animes made with this same style.
SOUND:
The atmosphere is mostly created by the art and dialogue/storytelling, so the music mostly stays in the background. The music isn’t that intense but it fits in nicely. Voice actors in the other hand are extremely good choices! None of them made me irritated, they fit really well with their characters. Sometimes it's really a pain in the ass when you find a good series but the voice actors suck so bad it makes you not even want to watch it at all. Gladly that's not the case in this one.
CHARACTER:
The main characters are really good friends with each other. Sasshi’s a good example of a teenage boy who’s still a bit childish with his dreams and behavior, while Arumi is a bit more mature and she easily gets mad by Sasshi’s ‘stupid’ actions. We get a peek of their familiesl and their pasts as well, which makes you understand the main characters and their intensions better. All of the characters are unique persons, they have their own story and goals to reach. In every episode the background-characters positions change, though they still manage to remain their personalities.
OVERALL:
If you have watched FLCL and liked it, you totally need to watch this. Abenobashi’s wacky, energetic and humorous. It makes you laugh and smile but some episodes might make you cry and leave you with chills. Because of the jumping from world to world, this anime has a little bit of something to everyone. You should watch it, even if only once.
Wahmphi
Story: Abenobashi jumps from hamfisted comedy to serious plot moments and back again, giving the series a very uneven tone and pacing. It would have done better to excel at one or the other rather than try to do both. That being said, the plot's central premise is interesting enough to keep a viewer engaged from episode to episode, even if it does get wearying at times. Art: The art is bombastic and cartoony, full of bright colors. It's a more than capable vehicle for the zany humor this show presents, but it doesn't really stand out either. Sound: This series is full of cartoony, western sound effects, addingto the madcap style of the show. The characters are well acted and convincing. Do not watch the dub. Not because I dislike dubs; I love dubs. I watch most series with dubs but Abenobashi has the misfortune of having one that wrecks the immersion and misrepresents the characters.
Character:
The lead characters are a charming duo, who's personalities play off one another in hilarious ways. They were the main draw of the show for me. Their interactions provide a backbone for the otherwise reference-laden comedy of the show. The side characters are one-note, but suitably funny.
Enjoyment:
I enjoyed this show the most during its funnier moments and more serious character moments, but the humor was very hit and miss for me. If you enjoy referential humor and wacky sexual humor, you'll probably enjoy this show.
Overall:
This show was mostly wasted potential for me. It's main characters are witty and likeable, but the plot was unsatisfying and dragged down by the show's comedic nature. It could've either been a great comedy or a great story but it took the middle road and suffered for it.
Vedict: 6
AnnoKano
“The times, they are a changin’” once sang Bob Dylan, in a song about a revolution against the old guard of established capitalists, about to be replaced by the creative and political youth. They would bring about a change for the better and create a world where the common man remains in control and the Capitalists are kept on a short leash. Needless to say Dylan was, as every generation since has been: completely wrong. The vanguard of Capitalism is now more powerful and in more control than it ever was, and the common man who has yet to file within its ranks is beingsquashed and squeezed by its weight.
Abenobashi Mahou Shoutengai is about a community about to fall victim to the turning wheel of progress- a small group of local kids whose parents all work in the aging local shopping arcade, shortly to be made redundant by the construction of a new megamall in the vicinity. Some recognise the inevitable and opt to move away- such as the Asahina family, who run a French restaurant within the Shoutengai. Recognising the imminent destruction of their way of life, their father decides to resettle the family in rural Hokkaido. However, this has rather unfortunate consequences for daughter Arumi and her best friend Saashi, who have grown up together within the shopping arcade but are now set to be separated forever. The blameless victims of a ruthless economic system out with their comprehension, Arumi and Saashi have precious little childhood left- that glorious time spent living in a bubble untouched by the harsher realities of life and sheltered from the workings of the wider world.
It can be forgiven in such circumstances, particularly of children, to want to retreat into the realm of fantasy. Millions of people will buy lottery tickets this week, even though only a handful of them will win, because of the potent fantasy that wealth will solve all of life’s problems. Saashi and Arumi are children however and so do not imagine a solution to the problem, but instead imagine a reality where there is no longer a problem. They enter a series of parallel universes where the shopping arcade exists in a different theme, each one an homage to a different genre of fiction. The residents of the shopping arcade are there too- with different roles in each new dimension. One re-imagines the Shoutengai as a fantasy castle; another as a space ship; yet another as a film noir influenced detective story. Each one is an excellent homage to the genre it portrays, with all the usual tropes included and plenty of jokes and references to season them.
The whole experience is lots of fun for Saashi, a geek at heart, getting to experience for himself the worlds of fiction that he has immersed himself in throughout his childhood. Simpler worlds where the stake is greater but so are the odds, and where the enemy is a man with a moustache rather than a recurring trend in an economic system. His character is a representation of those of us who are passionate about fiction, and his experiences a metaphor for why we immerse ourselves in fiction. On the face of it, because we like the stories that are told and the wacky worlds we encounter- but deep down because of a desire to escape the tedious complexities of reality.
Antagonistic to this trait is his best friend Arumi, who despite being the same age as Saashi is a great deal more mature than he is. When the two are transported to the parallel universes of the Shoutengai, Arumi maintains a level head and demands that the two of them return home, despite recognising what the consequences of doing so are for the two of them. This conflict between the two adds an interesting dimension to the story and drives the development of the two characters. Arumi’s character is also, by the standards of the medium, something of a feminist icon. Young girls in anime are portrayed in such a fashion that even intelligence is turned into a sexual fetish rather than a single aspect of a complicated personality. Arumi is different; she isn’t just an archetype, she has the qualities of a real person and while her level of maturity and pragmatism are perhaps a little exaggerated for someone her age, we should ask ourselves whether Abenobashi Mahou Shoutengai is really about the behaviour of children, or about the behaviour of adults.
That is not to say that the rest of Abenobashi is feminist, however. It contains the usual perverse humour that is prevalent throughout the genres depicted. In particular, one of the main characters has breasts on the anatomically impossible side of enormous, and this is played for laughs frequently. For those who have matured since their younger teenage years, or those who are female, this is not particularly funny and certainly not original. Similarly offensive is its depiction of the local drag queen, which is neither clever nor amusing. It is probably best to sideline these transgressions as stylistic elements, intended to play off the wackiness of the rest of the production.
Depicting multiple universes provides Abenobashi with ample opportunity to experiment with different art styles while remaining cohesive and studio GAINAX use this to their advantage. Throughout the series: every new setting comes with a new artistic style and each one is brilliant in its own way. No expense is spared on animation either, and movement is smooth throughout the series. The character designs are cartoonish and exaggerated, yet versatile enough to fit the wide range of different settings that appear throughout the series.
In short there are many aspects of this series that are of exceptional quality and worthy of high praise, but there is one specific element of the storyline which is liable to sour one’s opinion of this otherwise clever and humorous production. If you are familiar with the anything else from the Gainax catalogue, no doubt you will be able to guess what that might be.
The conclusion of Abenobashi Mahou Shoutengai is a rather bitter pill to swallow. The development of the series until that point leads one to expect a certain conclusion, until suddenly changing direction dramatically and going somewhere completely unexpected. It usually feels a lot less satisfactory than the obvious ending envisioned, which is frustrating. At the time, I believe my exact words were:
“Fucking Gainax!”
However, if one spends time afterward to mull over it, you can start to appreciate the qualities of the ending presented to us. While having our expectations realised would have been a satisfying experience, to have them dashed at the last moments prompts us to think about the production more without actually having lost anything; for if we so firmly expect a certain conclusion that we are outraged when it is not satisfied, we know already how it would have played out had that been the conclusion shown. Derailing it means we must not only ponder the significance of the alternative, but why the creators decided to use the alternative.
To anger the audience, I hear some of you say. That was my initial impression, but on reflection I have started to doubt it. While the series is presented as a parody, but the underlying storyline is about escapism and its central themes are the end of childhood and, crucially, the relationship between a story and its audience. If Saashi is a representation of the audience, which I believe is self-evident, Abenobashi Mahou Shoutengai’s conclusion begins to make sense. For when like Saashi, we are faced with a dark and threatening side of reality which we are powerless to stop, we just cover our heads, avert our eyes and disappear into our own little worlds of fantasy.
Fear_the_Reefer
It’s a tale stretching back through countless generations of Japanese mythology... The legend of Shitenno, the Four Heavenly Kings of Buddhism. There’s the dragon of the east, the bird of the south, the tiger of the west, and the turtle of the north. By placing statues or other representations of those four animals at the four different points that they’re associated with, you can bring good fortune to your home... Or even to an entire town. One such location is the Abenobashi Shopping Arcade, a long-lasting and culturally rich town that’s finally teetering on the edge of relevence, and drawingnearer to it’s end, to the great dismay of Arumi Asahina and Satoshi “Sasshi” Imamiya.
Having spent the first twelve years of their lives in Abenobashi, these two best friends are about to enter a world of uncertainty as the town they love is slowly being destroyed and redeveloped, and Asumi’s family is preparing to move to Hokkaido... But before any of these changes can take place, Asumi’s grandfather takes a horrifying fall off the roof of her family’s restaurant. He survives, but their statue of the pelican... The last remaining guardian statue in the entire town... Does not. As it shatters, so does reality, thrusting Arumi and Sasshi into a bizarre multi-verse from which there appears to be no escape. They may not ever get back home, but does it matter? I mean, after all, it’s being human and having your health that’s the important part.
I’ve said before that the best word you can possibly use to describe the animation quality of any Gainax anime with would be “Inconsistent.” Well, do you want to know how to make it even more inconsistent? Hire Studio Madhouse to pitch in, that’s how! Now Madhouse isn’t necessarily a bad animation company... I personally feel they’ve done more good looking shows than bad ones, and hey, every company releases more cheap looking titles than you’d want them to... But the styles of the two companies are starkly different. Madhouse is primarily known for it’s realism in terms of facial details, shading and environments, even in it’s more cartoony projects. Gainax, ironically, is much more like an actual mad house in it’s visual style. Gainax is much more known for it’s fast, frenetic character movements and experimental artistic visions. To put it another way, when Gainax tries to put out a show that looks more like a Madhouse project, we get Corpse Princess, and we get bored out of our skulls.
If there’s one thing that both studios excel at, it’s the clever use of lighting and framing techniques, and Abenobashi looks it’s best when it’s exploiting this similarity. This happens mostly during the slower, more serious scenes, like pretty much the entire first episode. As for the rest of it, this series just looks ghastly. I’m assuming there were some major budget problems here, because whether they’re resorting to low frame rates and broken character models to keep the movement flowing or not, it just looks cheap as all hell. It hits rock bottom in the Dating Sim episode, but it’s not a very far drop from the episodes that are surrounding it. It looks passable when there isn’t a whole lot of movement going on, but even then, the little movement we do get can sometimes look almost like the result of a poorly drawn flip book. The CGI that’s used whenever Sashi and Arumi jump between worlds is at least pretty impressive.
As for the soundtrack... It’s a really weird one. There are a lot of different musical styles in it, all of which were composed by the legendary Evangelion composer, Shiro Sagisu. He has his own aesthetic, but with a story that involves multi-verses, and each one of them parodying a different genre, he’d also have to pull off a lot of diversity in the sound... And he does. The soundtrack does it’s job nicely. For episodes taking place in present day Abenobashi, he sticks to upbeat, jazzy banjo music, a juxtaposition that’s somehow perfectly fitting with the “southern hick” reputation that the Osaka region has adopted with the rest of Japan. He abandons this sound and works under a different style for each weird world that the story crosses into, from fantasy epic to big band Star Wars-like themes. It does it’s job, but while there are a few stand-out tracks... The tense, sleazy “Hard boiled” BGM from the film-noir episode is a personal favorite of mine... It still amounts to some generic background music.
The opening theme, Treat or Goblins, is much less forgettable. It’s a catchy pop tune with some jazzy orchestration, and it’s sung by Gainax staple Megumi Hayashibara. It’s a fun song, played over clips taken directly from the show(an admittedly lazy tactic), but once you get past the actual music, this song has some strange, strange lyrics. I mean, even for an anime theme. I don’t know what’s so hot about an equalitarian, or why I should chit-chat with one, but Hayashibara-sama sure sounds enthusiastic about it. I like the ending theme better, myself.
The English dub, much like the music, does it’s job well enough. The leads are played by Luci Christian and Jessica Boone, two of my favorite actors from classic ADV, and this is one of the first dubs either of them did. Jessica Boone is endlessly charming as mature, ambitious Arumi, but Luci Christian blows away the part of Sasshi, pulling off so much range even as she rasps her voice to what has to be an uncomfortable degree. They work off of each other fluidly, matching and in some cases even surpassing the chemistry the original japanese seiyuu had.
There’s a little controversy as to their accents, however. Anime dubs have had a long tradition of representing the Osaka dialect as a southern drawl. I’m normally very forgiving about this, as that dialect can be a very difficult thing for an American to pull off. It was used for some comedic effect in Excel Saga, and the dubbed Wolfwood from Trigun was able to use it as smoothly as if the actor were born speaking it, but aside from that, I can’t say I’ve ever heard it done well. The southern accent isn’t the worst way to represent an Osaka dialect, as any viewers of Azumanga Daioh will tell you, but the fact that the two of them are the only characters in the show speaking it can be a little jarring. In any case, it’s a fine dub overall, but the sub is still a lot more fun. You can go either way on this one.
If you’ve watched a lot of Gainax’s work, you may have noticed two themes that they just can’t stop repeating... The first theme is the perils of growing up, and the second is the dissolution of traditional Japanese culture at the hands of invasive Western influence. These may seem like two distinctly different ideas, but they’re both representative of the fear and uncertainty of change. You may not find them in every Gainax work, but the amount that they’re in is staggering. They love writing stories about young children who are either on the verge of puberty or who are already coming of age, and they never shy away from the awkwardness and sexual tension that these changes bring.
In Abenobashi, Sasshi is our main protagonist(Because of course he is), and these two themes embody everything he’s going through in the story. His best friend is moving away just as he’s reaching the age where he might start to understand his feelings for her, and his entire neighborhood is quickly being bulldozed to make way for more modern accommodations. We find out pretty quickly that the worlds they’re being sent to aren’t just a random multi-verse, they’re his childish fantasies brought to life. Every time they’re about to jump, as Arumi assures him that everything’s going to be okay when they go home, it just isn’t enough for him, and another bizarre world awaits them on the horizon.
This, alone, is a pretty good plot point. It’s interesting, to say the least, and it’s really the only reason we’re given to care about the two main protagonists. But as the plot evolves, and we get to look deeper and deeper into the backstory of this multi-verse, you can start to see why so many people consider it to be the ‘boring’ material. It gets way too complicated way too fast, and part of it has to do with just how culturally impenetrable the backstory is. You’d have to possess a deep understanding of Eastern mythology to fully understand it, and most viewers don’t... Including me. It involves a story that I can swear I’ve seen in later shows like Hell Girl’s “Purgatory girl” episode, which is really my only clue as to it being a mythology-based story, and the way it ties into the final resolution is just too damn confusing.
Of course, as most fans of the show will tell you, it’s not the story or plot that matters... It’s the insane, balls-to-the-wall, joke-a-minute genre parody episodes. A little over half of Abenobashi’s episode count is spent on the various worlds that Sasshi chooses for the two of them to visit. Each of these worlds is a macrocosm of the cliches, trends, and tropes of a particular genre of entertainment. It has an experimental feel to it, which brings up Gainax’s third repetitive theme... The fact that they really, really wish they’d been the ones to make Excel Saga.
Well, I’ve never been shy about being the lone dissenting voice, and in my opinion, those are the ACTUAL boring episodes. They’re not so much ‘joke-a-minute’ as they are ‘reference-a-minute,’ and considering how little thought or insight go into these references, I found myself constantly referring to Abenobashi as “Buzzfeed the anime.” Every single one of these episodes could have been easily retitled with Buzzfeed-friendly headlines, like “You know you’re a sci-fi fan if,” “Fans of dinosaurs will roar over these gifs,” and “If you hate harems shows and dating games, you’ll love these observations!”
Abenobashi’s style of comedy gets points for pacing, but it absolutely reeks of excess, with constant references being thrown in your face from both sides of the ocean, as well as fan-service shot after fan-service shot that are delivered not only from the kids themselves(ick), but also from the voluptuous, scantily clad meganeko girl “Mune-Mune,” their guide to these crazy worlds as she searches for the mysterious blue-haired man that they keep running into. The comedy at play here is more exhausting than funny, and the few jokes I did laugh at were instantly killed by writers who just don’t seem to know when enough is enough.
But getting back to the plot for a moment, we find out halfway through the series that Sasshi isn’t just jumping between worlds for the reason that he initially thought. The truth is, he’s refusing to go back to the real world because of a tragedy that his jumping prevented from happening. I won’t give away what it was, but the way it was executed was pretty damn clever(Props to you if you figured it out early), and it plays to the fear of death just as well as the world jumping plays to the idea of Sasshi retreating into fantasy in order to avoid the inevitability of change in the world around him. It’s a pretty poignant little twist. The problem, however, is that it’s stupid. Any viewer of at least average intelligence will come up with about half a dozen solutions to this problem, the easiest of which being “Go back to your world just before the tragedy happens, and put yourselves in the right place to manually prevent it.”
The solution they reach... After several episodes of the viewer screaming “Fucking tell her already!”... ties in directly to the very culturally impenetrable sub-plot that I was talking about earlier, leaving many viewers to question what the hell just happened. It wraps up not only the tragedy, but the other plot points as well with a nice little bow, thus belittling the themes it was working with and steering directly away from the satisfying conclusion that the series was heading towards. Abenobashi wasn’t about preventing a series of life changing events from occurring, it was about watching Sasshi grow up so he could learn to become mature and accept them as a part of life. By copping out and going for the happiest ending possible, Gainax just wound up insulting the intelligence of both it’s audience and themselves. Frankly, it's nothing but a shadow of the far superior series, FLCL.
Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi was originally available from ADV Films, but it was one of the titles they unfortunately had to sell off when they went under several years ago. It was sold to Aesir Holdings, one of the five companies that have Section23 films as it’s distributor. The formats that ADV released it under are still available online, like the individual disks, the box set, and the once popular steel-cased “Perfect Collection,” but they’re a little on the pricey side. Aesir has released it in a much cheaper collection that you can currently find on Amazon for about 25 dollars... Or hey, maybe you were lucky enough to grab it from Rightstuf for 15 dollars during their holiday sale last year. A two volume manga series is also available in many locations... Most likely used... For a ridiculously low price, but I should warn that it does follow a different(and raunchier) version of the story. The soundtrack CD is also pretty easy to find, and like the manga, you won’t break your bank over it.
I’d be hard pressed to say that there was anything genuinely good about this show. The plot showed some promise early on, and it may have been more enjoyable for a native Japanese audience than it was for American audiences... I don’t know... But it wound up being confusing and hard to follow, and like many Gainax projects, it lost sight of it’s message as it neared the conclusion. The comedy, which many have claimed to be the saving grace of the series, ultimately amounts to a set of keys being jangled in our faces. Some viewers will be stupid enough to be entertained by all the instances of Gainax saying “Hey, look, we remember this too!’, but for those of us who aren’t, this show was just flat out boring. It’s nowhere near as entertaining as similar shows like Excel Saga and Panty and Stocking, and I’d just like to point out that neither of those shows are perfect in the first place. With nothing else to offer BUT that comedy, it has nothing else to save it when that comedy fails to entertain. I give Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi a 3/10.
DirtyMidnighter
I'll say this up front: I am a fan of Gainax productions. To me, their special brand of bizarre yet curiously heartfelt storytelling and outrageous art/animation form a style that is quintessentially "anime" and wholly unique. To me, Gainax's productions represent an apex of modern animation and stretch the limitations of what is expected from an anime series. That being said, while Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi is certainly not the best Gainax series, it is a hugely entertaining series that conveys everything that makes the studio so special. Right off the bat, the most notable thing about Abenobashi is that it is freaking HILARIOUS. By farthe funniest anime series I have seen. The humor will definitely appeal most to those with a knowledge of film, the anime genre, and video games. The story follows two kids who, in each episode, are transported to a different universe based on a piece of popular culture. There is a film noir universe, an adventure game universe, a kung fu universe and many more. A big part of the fun of the series is seeing where they will go next. The jokes in the episodes heavily riff off of the established conventions of the genre and it makes for some very entertaining stuff, provided you have an at least partial appreciation of what is being parodied.
This is truly a series for anime aficionados, as many of the parodies are targeted at various staples of the anime genre. There is even obvious spoofing on the "Gainax style". The show does not take itself seriously at all. There is rampant fan service, slapstick comedy, and goofy nonsensical plot devices at every turn. Plain and simple, if you are looking for something serious, this will not be your cup of tea. If you can enjoy the goofiness, which is easy to do because it is so well written, then you will have a great time. I literally had a huge grin on my face about 90% of the time watching this show and laughed out loud frequently.
As far as actual plot goes, it is sort of just a pretext for the parodying. Two kids get trapped in a inter-dimensional vortex and attempt to get back home. There is a bit more to it than that, but honestly not a whole lot. The tone of the series switches between two distinct settings- dramatic slice of life in the beginning, middle, and end episodes, with all out silliness the rest of the time. The dramatic sections move the plot along and in the rest, the plot is completely thrown out the window to make room for bizarre scenarios starring the same characters that appear in the serious bits. This actually sounds a lot more jarring than it is. Once again, if you just go with it and not to find logic, you will have a great time. The shift of tone can be compared in many ways to another Gainax series, FLCL. In many ways, Abenobashi can be seen as the spiritual successor to FLCL. Honestly, if you haven't watched FLCL by now, then you should be slapped in the face. It is a shame that this series does not get anywhere near the same amount of love, but it makes sense, as it is much more geared toward the anime fan where as FLCL can be enjoyed, if not really understood, by anyone. Anyway, like FLCL, the plot itself is not the real draw. Instead, it is the style and energy that the series exudes that keeps you watching.
Technically speaking, this is the fastest and loosest you will see Gainax play a series outside of the very recent Panty and Stocking (which I have yet to see). When the series morphs into full on comedy, the animation follows suit and can range in everything to super-deformed miniature characters to caricature-like faces of iconic film stars. The animation itself also ranges from comically under-animated to ultra-fluid and high quality. I really like when a series is willing to alter the style of art and animation to fit the mood of a scene instead of picking a baseline and sticking with it. This is another quality that this series and FLCL both have. In summation, the art and animation are highly entertaining, frenetic and oozing with character.
Speaking of character, I would,t usually make special note of this but the english voice cast is off-the-charts amazing. Be warned- they speak in southern accents, which is supposed to roughly translate to an Osaka accent in Japan. At first, I was extremely leery of this. However, after the second episode I realized that this was an excellent decision on the part of the english translation staff. The two main characters, Sashi and Arumi's funny southern twang perfectly suits the content of the series and enforces the idea that they are from a bit of a backwater place in Japan. Special props to the english dub folks in general, really. It must have been a daunting job to convert the quick fire Japanese jokes into English and make them not only understandable but even funny! I feel like they must have taken some liberties with the original dialogue to make it work but they did an outstanding job of it. Unfortunately, the music is mostly forgettable despite being composed by Shiro Sigisu, who's body of work includes the End of Evangelion, probably one of the very best film soundtracks ever. He just didn't really seem to take this project very seriously. He even reuses a track from Eva in an early episode. Whatever. The end theme is nice at least.
Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi is pretty inconsequential stuff. It is to anime as "Airplane!" is to the disaster-film genre. It's a parody, but a hugely entertaining one that may just be considered essential viewing in it's own right. It's just really nice to see an anime that is not afraid to acknowledge that in many ways, anime can be completely stupid. Yet it is more of a celebration of this stupidity as opposed to a ridicule. All good parodies share this fundamental understanding. And aside from that, It's just a good series. The characters are likable, the plot is easy to follow (aside from a trademark Gainax ending which I won't spoil), there is just enough actual substance to support all of the silly non-sequiturs, and the art direction gives the impression of a highly skilled and talented studio cutting loose and just having fun. It's a love letter to anime, film, video games and nerd culture in general. While Gainax has certainly produced better and more important work (Eva, FLCL, Gurren Laggan), it has never been this freewheeling and outright hilarious. I absolutely, wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who is a bit tired of stodgy, self important anime and just wants to laugh. Isn't that everyone?
Lurna
This is deffinetly an anime you will want to check out if you enjoy parodies of famous movies and other anime. Sasshi and Arami are childhood friends, but after a terribles accident a strange event occurs and they find themselves in another world. Altho trying to find a way back to there beloved abenobashi they keep ending up in other worlds made up of there old friends and family but in the strangest surroundings. These worlds based on famous American movies from all genres. With Sasshi's beloved Otaku obsession and Arami reluctant attitude these two are a perfect match for what is in store to come. Therejapanese voices are much better than there english voices, but once you get passed the somewhat southern accent you will fall more in love with the english version. Abenobashi has really good music played throughout this entire short anime, but it fits so well.
It is fast paced and action packed with a twisty twervy story line you is fun to try and descifer. This is one of those pee your pants laughing anime for sure, the work they put into thier jokes and actions are too enjoyable.
I overall LOVED this anime, it had a couple slow scence, but the action packed laugh your ass off scene really made up for it. Its deffinelty brings a feel of nostalgia when you watch it and it related to a bunch of old famous movies thats im sure you have all seen and had a connection to. This anime deffinelty makes this conection, you will be left with tears in your eyes and attitude for some more crazy anime.
brand_182
Arumi and Sasshi have been together as childhood friends in Osaka for 12 years, but things quickly change when Arumi's family decides to move to Hokkaido and her grandpa, Masa, is involved in an accident. Suddenly Arumi and Sasshi find themselves in strange new worlds where the Abenobashi shopping arcade and familiar characters remain, but time period, setting, or sometimes both have changed. To add to the confusion, as they travel through the worlds they keep running into two people who they have never met before: the large-breasted Mune-Mune and the mysterious sorcerer Eutis. To find their way home, Sasshi and Arumi will have toconfront their fears and take control of their own realities.
Abenobashi is a sight to behold: while you won't find cutting-edge animation or impressive attention to detail, you will enjoy a variety of animation themes thanks to the constant change in world and setting. And while there is the occasional use of hokey 3D effects, most of the show is drawn in an artistic, unique fashion. As for the soundtrack, nothing stands out for better or worse; the voices, on the other hand, grew on me over time and were distinct from those of other anime. Southern twang takes a bit to get used to, but in the end it was a good choice that brought life and individuality to the characters.
While there is some romance and the ending is touching, Abenobashi is primarily a comedy. And while the premise allows for constantly evolving animation and some interesting stories, it doesn't make up for the hit-or-miss nature of the show's humor. Much of what you will find here is raunchy (no problem there), but often the jokes are poorly put together and, rather than creative comedy, viewers are subjected to repetitive, stale material. There are some episodes worth noting: episode 12, focusing on Abenobashi in Hollywood world, had my sides aching, as did episode 3 set in a space station. But because of the varying quality in episodes, I had to force myself through much of the show. If you do decide to give Abenobashi a view, you probably aren't making a mistake. Just keep in mind that a legitimate plot will come together in the second half, and that even if you are unimpressed in the beginning, you will probably smile at the end.
Animation: 7.5/10
Audio: 7.0/10
Story/Script: 6.6/10
Overall Score: 6.8/10 (Good)
Check out my full review with synopsis and snapshots here:
http://animefiend.blogspot.com/
Nimurai
This is a great anime. It's well done, the main characters are some of the best characters I have ever encounter. If you only count those characters their same age, I would say this are the best ones. How the story is told, and the 'edition' is formidable. If I had to complain about anything in it, that would be the last chapter. I didn't like the way it was told the resolution of the story. That aside, the homage to pop culture and anime culture are a bit dated, so if you are less than 25yo, you would need to watch old anime and movies toenjoy them.
(If you never watched anime from the 80s or 90s, I don't know what are you doing reading this. Just go enjoy yourself.)
Arizzle
Gainax lives up to its name with this early addition to its collection of energetic and fast paced works, Magical Shopping Arcade, which proves to be as clever as it is quirky. With good character development and a fresh way to keep up the flow of a story with a strong background, Magical Shopping Arcade proves to be a fun experience, with few mistakes until its disappointing ending. For an early-2000 anime, Abenobashi stands out in animation. Although its unfair to compare it to others for the sole sake of it being developed by Gainax, it's still worth mentioning the work put into its art style.With each new episode presenting a different atmosphere comes a new form of animation each time, from super-deformed to 3D-space with the main characters drawn in. Being drawn well and animated fluidly, the characters and interactive environments blend in well with the drawn backgrounds, which at many points detailed beyond quality seen in early 2000 anime.
Abenobashi uses the alternate universe trope as its main story-telling device, which is nothing new. The intelligence in this show's story telling is the use of parody with most, if not all, of the alternate realities used. In almost every episode, the show parodies themes from American Hollywood movies to common cliches in anime, and even Gainax's other works such as FLCL, Evangelion, and even Gurren Lagaan (which is surprising since it wasn't even produced until 5 years after.) The witty dialogue and loveable personalities of the characters, well timed jokes, and running gags and slapstick comedy make it easy to watch and an enjoyable experience.
-Spoilers, but more In-Depth Review further-
Unfortunately, this show would garner a score closer to perfect had it not been for its missteps at the ending. Abenobashi places a strong and important theme during its running; moving on. It takes a long time for the actual moral to make itself known, but nonetheless its an integral part of the story. Nearly every member of the main cast needs to deal with the loss of someone; a relative, a friend, and a lover, and the show constantly hints at trying to fix the problem rather than move on and accept things as it is, but merely failing to. But it's not until the very conclusion that the anime betrays is own theme by presenting a cop-out ending. A better, more true ending was so in reach, and so easy, but for some reason it didn't accomplish. It is quite possibly the only drastic mistake made for the whole series.
But despite a cheap ending that doesn't stay faithful to the rest of the show, Abenobashi is certainly a gem rightfully recognized by many. Its sharp script and self-awareness and parody make it a must-see show for all who have enough experience in the industry.
SgtSalamander
Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi is a trippy, funny, horny, absurd, surrealist odyssey, dripping with the inimitable charm of early 2000s anime. It is admittedly a difficult task to give it the right rating, because while it definitely has the trappings of greatness, a series of bizarre decisions and unusual creative choices ultimately end up holding the whole thing back from its true potential. We begin with the story, which is utterly unique as the isekai of isekais, years before there was even a glimmer of the genre boom that was to come. Accidentally falling through worlds upon worlds, unable tofind their way home, Sasshi and Arumi have to navigate their way through various dimensions and unravel the mystery of what's really going on in order to return home. The formula is extremely strong, with each world they get transported into feeling utterly unique and creative, passionately executed in order to fully capture the essence of what the world is reflecting, be it a parody of the mecha genre, or noir crime dramas, or slice of life romance anime. Coupled with the fact they have to find a "goblin" in each world to get sent on to the next one, this formula could have gone on for a hundred episodes and not lost an ounce of its flavor or punch. Plus, the mundane scenes in Amenobashi itself are grounded and emotionally poignant, delivering the full spectrum of nostalgia and forlorn uncertainty about the impending closure of the place in which they've spent all their lives. Now, what keeps the story from being the strongest aspect of this anime, and ultimately what keeps this anime from achieving its true potential, are those strange creative decisions I mentioned earlier. Without spoiling anything, while the Ecchi elements themselves aren't necessarily out of place, there is one character in particular who is treated as the nexus of these Ecchi themes, for whom things get very uncomfortable when the viewer learns more about her. It makes her otherwise silly and playful presence throughout the show take on another dimension that it feels like nobody asked for, and derails not only her character but even the tonal shift her story takes on in the second half of the show. Speaking of which, while there are many compelling conflicts throughout and the pacing is excellent, the ending feels as though it is a major cop-out, almost refusing to deal with the conclusions of the conflicts it had set up for itself from the very beginning.
So, the strongest aspect of this anime then becomes the art. As mentioned earlier, it is defined as a whole by that warm, lovely animation style of the 2000s, with a masterful use of color and character designs that are distinct and engaging. The art style is one which is eminently easy to get lost in, with all its little details, and its execution of facial animation is fantastic, conveying emotion powerfully at every turn. However, perhaps the most impressive part of the art is its ability to change between so many styles for the respective worlds that get explored. This chameleon quality is a true feat of this anime, and counts as nothing less than a truly ambitious work of art.
The sound is very solid throughout, with excellent voice work, sounds of life, and a soundtrack that mixes various elements and styles to feel as multifaceted as the situations the characters find themselves in.
As for the characters, they are many, and uniquely they appear and reappear as different archetypes over and over again in the various worlds they explore. Of them, however, my favorites are the main duo, Sasshi and Arumi. Their chemistry is undeniable, and while an innocent young romance between them is never explicitly explored, there are heartwarming tones of a rich childhood friendship that make them and their contrasting personalities perfect for each other during the adventures they find themselves in. Overall, Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi is a weird anime, but nonetheless a fun experience, even with all of the issues which hold it back. If it played its cards right it could have been one of the legendary Gainax titles that we still talk about today, but things got just a little too weird, and as a result it remains generally unknown, even with all of its genuinely great aspects that, in my opinion, deserve recognition on their own. Overall, it's still worth watching, especially if you like the early 2000s as much as I do, and find that era of anime embodying a rare charm and boldness that only a few titles can claim as their own, even if they don't always stick the landing.
angelsreview
This is one tripped out show. I think Gainax just loves to create some tripped out shows. The first part is like a slice of life show, the second part is really created like a video game like a RPG, the third is a Star Wars Parody… the list goes on and on of what this show seems to do. I watched it mostly to see what the hell they would come up with next. It wasn’t boring at all to me because the story line just went a bit crazy for these two children. A lot of this stuff is odd and like PuniPuni Poemi or Excel Saga. It’s just pure insanity and that’s what makes it funny I think.
Now, just like in FLCL, this show seems to have an underlining story line behind it all… but most of the time, I think it’s lost in translation. Where FLCL had an underlining meaning about growing up, this one seems to be about dealing with change. At least… I think it is. The idea is hard to figure out and really makes me feel a bit stupid but as I was watching this in the early morning, I didn’t really care. Part of the fun was that I had no sleep and had a moment of what I call ‘ask me if I’m a stone’ moment. (The reason for this is a very long story. Long story short, it’s when things that don’t make sense become funny when you’re running on very little sleep.)
The character designs are rather generic mostly. I can see a lot of similar things between Eutus of this show and Kaze from Final Fantasy Unlimited making feel that they went for stereotypes. A mysterious man with a cape and long hair, chiseled face. Not sure about Mune’s character. When they show the history, she was pretty sweet and seemed rather... well, covered up. Now she seems to be rather slutty and show off a lot of skin. Threw the show, I have not seen any reason why that happened although it explains just a little about who Mune and Eutus are in the real world. I’m at least happy they don’t give me the middle finger and tell me to read the manga like how FFU does.
The artwork is pretty vintage, but you can see signs of today’s crisp looking art. Unfortunately from the start, I could see many things in the artwork that makes me think Gonzo or Gainax right off the bat. I didn’t find out till later that Gainax did have a hand in it but I don’t understand how Madhouse has a hand in it. Most of Madhouses stuff looks so much better then this stuff. In fact, I could say that this is a lot like Final Fantasy Unlimited and FLCL more. Lots of times, they had a runny eggs approach and I was grasping at straws trying to figure out what I was even seeing. Colors just blend into each other, characters become miss-shapened, and a lot of odd things pop up from the blobs. The opening is very disappointing; looking pretty much like it was just clips from the first episode. The ending is odd as well with old still images. Both of these made it really odd.
The voices… I’m not so sure why the English voices seem to have a southern Texan accent. I guess it would be something to show that it’s Osaka like but I don’t know about this. But then how the heck is Arumi’s dad able to speak so strong French when he is daughter sounds Texan still? I also don’t get why every 5 seconds, Arumi has to say her cheesy line. It’s annoying. It’s not just the English with the saying and the French voice. They say it in the Japanese dub two (Although it is really freaken funny hearing a French accent with Japanese language). This is one of the shows that they seem to of tried to keep it as original to the script as possible but sadly, it makes the characters sound odd.
Sashface
Abenobashi Mahou Shoutengai is an unusual series to say the least. After a rather slow opening episode, albeit one that is important in setting up both the characters and the overall plot line, it kicks into high gear, providing a continuous run of episodes that are full of great gags, very impressive interactions between characters, and always moving the plot forwards. Story: It starts off very simple, with Sasshi and Arumi, two childhood friends who are inseparable. However, this pairing is quickly threatened with the revelation that Arumi will soon be moving to Hokkaido, and Sasshi is not ready to deal with losing his best friend justyet.
So, luckily for him, he finds himself and Arumi pulled into a series of parallel worlds, where they are always at home, just home in a slightly different way. As the series progresses the plot line takes some interesting turns, linking various characters in ways that were not obvious at the start, and there are no real cliche's in how the story develops.
On top of the overall story, each episode usually has a specific subplot, mainly concerning the specific alternate world the main characters are in. These are usually resolved within a single episode, but occasionally certain elements carry over to the next one.
Art:
The art is very well done. The character designs at first seem very simple, but they are more realistic then in a lot of anime. However, as the series goes on, various different genres and art styles are used, so the look of the characters changes from ultra serious and realistic to chibi and to mega cutesy. It is a testament to the animators of this series that even throughout all of the different art styles the characters remain very definable, with no discrepancies between each of the styles, except occasionally for comedic effect.
The scenery is also very well created, with the space episode in particular standing out. Some of the shots of Sasshi and Arumi's home town transformed into a space station are teeming with detail, and it really adds a sense of depth to the town, which is actually a fully functioning shopping arcade.
Sound:
The sound in the anime is good, it borrows a lot of sound effects from other anime in specific episodes, for comedy of course. The characters are all voiced very well, and the voices suit the characters perfectly. Also interesting is the choice of accent for the characters, I watched the series in its original Japanese dialogue track, and yet the characters all had accents similar to those found in the southern states of the USA. It was a very interesting choice, but it ultimately worked, adding another layer to the characters and the type of town they lived in.
Character:
This is an area where Abanobashi Mahou Shoutengai really excelled. All the characters worked well with the others, the different personalities caused a lot of the humor, particularly the dialogue between Sasshi and Arumi. Each major character was developed as the series progressed, some more than others, and the relationships between the characters changed as the series progressed. It was interesting discovering the secrets behind some of the characters, and the way that the secrets were revealed was very believable.
All of the characters also had the chance to be very funny, with each member of the main cast having multiple gags per episode. What was nice was that these funny moments never occurred at the expense of character development, or outside of what a character would normally do. This made the comedy funnier in some ways, as each character was simply reacting in their normal way, its just that their normal way is way over the top.
Overall:
Abenobashi Mahou Shoutengai is a fun romp through the adventures of two best friends as they attempt to make their way home through a series of parallel worlds. However, behind its playful, comedic surface, there is a very engaging storyline, which has some very serious moments that pull you in and keep you watching when you aren't laughing. Although, for most of this anime, you will be laughing.
Ja025
Magical☆Shopping Arcade Abenobashi short review by Ja025: Interesting: Confusing story that doesn’t provide you answers until the end – weird but interesting and even touching development, if you’re patient enough. Notable: It will make you wonder what are you even watching at some points. Annoying: Weird sexualized violence is the only way Arumi can interact with Satoshi in uncomfortable/awkward situations. Quite weird but probably less weird than the director’s meeting where they approved this to be added to anime. Frustrating: It takes some time to understand what is going on and why (like 10 episodes). Obvious: This fusion – confusion might discourage you from watching it till the end. Alsolots of medium strength ecchi.
Why the score: It sorta comes together at the end so I’m willing to forgive it’s imperfections and flaws. From weird over fun and goofy to serious and touching, you have it all here.
SiberianNinja
Another series by pure awesomeness incarnate Gainax. Abenobashi is a crazy adventure about two tweens, Arumi and Sasshi, who somehow get sucked into an alternate dimension and their quest to get back home. Each alternate dimension is a parody of a certain genera. Reminiscent of other Gainax works such as FLCL, this series is pure wacky perverted humor though Abenobashi defiantly has a more easy to follow plot. And, of course, the animation is beautiful. So if you like action shows and perverted randomness check it out!
Ryntaia
Ohh...how do you begin to define something like Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi? To me, this show is a perfect example of a good idea that was poorly executed. The idea of trying to get home via world jumping from genre to genre in a parody attempt--that's some fun shit! But this show tries way too hard to have it both ways. It wants to have both its genre parody, AND its 'shocking' and serious drama. So, as you can imagine, SPOILERS AHOY! I'm gonna start with the ART, because it's the most positive aspect about the show imho. ART: 9 For what it is, that beinga 13 episode sort-of parody show, the animation in this is pretty great. It's not necessarily perfect, and in some shots its flat out lazy, but it works for the character design and the fast-paced manner that most of the jokes are given in. We get to see a wide range of expressions, designs, and even different styles at some points. None of the designs stick out as being badly done, unless they were purposely made to look bad or ridiculous.
This show is also one of the instances in which Gainax actually managed to spread the budget properly across episodes so the show consistently looks good, aside from maybe the opening which is made almost entirely of shots lifted from the first episode of the show.
STORY: 5
This is probably the biggest downfall of the entire show so I'm going to be discussing it at length. It's a good idea, and for a little while, it's executed decently--albeit with some fairly lowbrow humor. It's fun, it's fast paced, and tends to consistently be interesting despite the idea of just jumping from genre Abenobashi District to genre Abenobashi District becoming repetitive. Even with the flaws of the first few episodes it still knows what it is and successfully sets out in doing that.
But...then about halfway through it takes a sharp turn into trying to be a drama. It reveals a bunch of information about the history of Sasshi's and Arumi's families, the history of some doomed romance that involved a bunch of suicide and attempted resurrections, and that SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER Sasshi doesn't want to go back to the real world not because his friend is moving away but because Arumi's grandfather actually died in an incident prior to them moving dimensions to the first time--and she doesn't know about it.
Now, I want to be clear, this is a LOT of shit to pack even into a thirteen episode run but it doesn't really start getting introduced until halfway through. So there's even less time to cover all this familial bullshit and drama that is packed kind of oddly against a backdrop of over the top parody comedy. I'm not saying that the two genres cannot mesh--they've done so successfully before--I'm saying that they don't mesh here. The comedy is simply too bonkers to really work with this backdrop of relationship drama and death. But more insultingly than that, possibly the most insulting of all, is that the ending pretty much renders all of that drama to be completely meaningless when SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER Sasshi essentially resets the world so that the death doesn't have to be dealt with and the relationship drama was somehow resolved off-screen. Even Arumi moving away to Hokkaido is reset by him.
SOUND: 7
I like the opening. I really do. Treats and Goblins is one of those poppy tunes that you hear a lot in anime, but the tune itself is recognizable and catchy. With both a mixture of Japanese and Engrish, it comes out sounding very 'hip' like the show itself sort of is intended to come off as at the beginning. The ending doesn't fair so well, being one of those generic nostalgic sounding songs you hear at the ending of...well, a lot of cheap anime soundtracks. It's forgettable as soon as it is heard.
Then there's the rest of the soundtrack. I'm not sure what to say about it. The best term is 'eclectic'. The bgm is either absolutely unmemorable, or clearly composed to be reminiscent of a famous movie (examples being Jurassic Park, Star Wars, and many others that I'm sure I just am not recognizing). Some of the tracks sound SO much like the original track from the movie being referenced that one ends up wondering if they just flat out lifted the original track (and who knows, maybe they did).
CHARACTERS: 7
Arumi would be pretty atypical of the slap-happy anime girl, but she's mostly portrayed as the more logical of the two kids. In this, they mostly succeed at making her a likeable character. The closest thing the show has to a 'straight man' character, as it were. That said, she does kind of fall to typical anime girl pitfalls such as being concerned about her breast size and being angry about women flirting with the protagonist. Still, with her catchphrase "Havin' your health, bein' human, that's what matters" she comes off as pretty appealing.
MuneMune and Eutus are probably the second most tolerable characters--she's batshit insane and wild while Eutus is more calm and flippant. MuneMune is wild, rapid, and always there for rapid-fire and silly jokes. Even when she goes to her more calm and controlled state she's likeable because despite how annoying the drama is, Mune's sorrow IS sympathetic. Eutus' approach to things is more distant and unapologetic, which would come off as annoying if he wasn't dealing with the protagonist Sasshi. In that he's much more amusing, since Sasshi's childish antics and approach throw him off his cool to a degree.
And this comes to the protagonist, Sasshi. This characters starts off as amusing, goes briefly into sympathetic, and then comes out as flat out deplorable. This is a kid who is selfish and childish and despite everyone making it clear that he needs to grow up and face reality, the show pretty much gives him all the freedom to do the exact opposite. We are shown Sasshi being admonished for his selfish behavior only to pretty much get his way in the end. He is asked repeatedly by the show and the characters surrounding him to stop being so immature but he simply will not, and thusly is rewarded for it. Character flaws that were once funny, his obsession with the constant and his fanboyism, go to shit when he is essentially rewarded for it.
OVERALL: 5
I liked this show at first, and I wanted to like it all the way through. But it feels like it was being written by two different people at the same time who both had very different ideas of what they wanted to write. One wanted to write a crazy comedy, one wanted to write a serious drama, and then some third guy butted in and tore apart the built up message about facing reality as it is. I mentioned earlier that Gainax actually spread its animation budget across all thirteen episodes in this show--it's just too bad they couldn't spread the writing budget in a similar manner because this could've been a lot better show.
Sidewinder51
One of the go to motto is ignorance is bliss. in layman's terms i can be happy if i do not know the ugly truth. since this anime focused on this concept not only was this relate-able but i felt myself at several points laughing/ silently wishing if only that were true for me. Being an adult you miss the joys and innocence of a kid. now, some may say the ending was cheap or a w.t.f.(as the kids would say) but i disagree. to understand what i mean aside from actually watching the show you would have to break it down each line anddo self reflections.
Sure there was cheap production because we hardly saw new faces or heard new voices but the ending message and the stories plot made it worth watching....
if i were to recommend this to a person i would not put an age restriction(despite the nudity:seeing how it is mild for the most part). anyone no matter the gender would enjoy it. to give you an idea... adventure seekers would be amused... harem fans would be head over heals and even women/girls would awe at the characters choices and even more by the later ones.
with all that in mind i give this a 7. i rarely do a 10 for you would have to blow me out of seat to do that(i am not doing a perverted joke so mind out of the gutter). i suppose this anime could an 8 for its clever use of censorship. any child can draw a black line takes a pro to do something else.
potplant
Abenobashi Mahou Shoutengai is a riotous ride of a Gainax production. It started out tentatively, then suddenly thrust into the most outrageous slapstick/parody comedy show in the middle. Then, just about time the viewer is starting to tired\ of the gag of the day format, it turned serious drama and tied back to the introduction. Typical Gainax really, you can always expect a complete story (on this topic, Evangelion series did end proper, at the meta level. The extra 'ending' ovas only wrapped it up physically) Some may find the transitions random, others may find it refreshing. This is a story about a boy growing up, throwingparallel universes, time travels, and plenty of symbolism.
It raises questions rather than giving definitive answers: For example, Does growing up always sacrifices the inner child?
Personal score is 10 however it very much depends on how comfortable the viewer is with the twists and turns. Therefore I think it is a solid 8 for everybody.
If you enjoy comedy, don't mind the randomness and willing to be taken for a ride, at the end of the tunnel there's just enough instrospection to leave a bitter sweet aftertaste.
