Ranked #2840

Fireball Charming

Story: 7

there's really nothing to work off of here given that each episode of this anime is only a minute long, and that the review has only watched the first episode of the series. So for the story I will review the premise.

A sleek, shiny, (sexy... for me) white female robot of royal descent and her partner in comedy, a large four legged spider like robot with a red eye, colored yellow which would make anyone think that it belongs in a construction site.

Very nice base to start building off of. But I'm currently not expecting anything more that short comedy skits you see in the commercial breaks.

Art: 10

The art explains completely why it's only a minute long. It shows that much money and effort went into making this anime sex for the eyes. Animation, lighting, art, it's all there in 3-D CG. Reminds me of Cat Shit One.

Sound: 8

The BG music is great, Voice acting is kickass, the little robotic sounds (whirring and clanking) were well done.

Character:8

The designs are excellent, although generic, the personality of each of the characters makes them completely unique despite their physical appearance. You can tell each and every movement of the robots were carefully thought out and that really adds to their character.

Enjoyment: 9

This is REALLY easy to enjoy. Gets right to the point, smart on the jokes and the best thing and the worst thing at the same time is that it's only a minute long. you can rewatch it over and over, savoring the art and animation, catching little details that you've missed the last time, some parts even get addicting to some level. You can enjoy as many times as you want without investing too much time.

And of course it sucks cause it's not longer. this kind of quality takes time to make so i guess that's something to deal with.

Overall: 9

Now ANYONE will be able to watch and like this. Why? Because it's a minute long and simple enough to cater to watchers of various individual tastes. This is a must watch! short but hella good, it's a bargain deal you can't miss. read more

If I were a millionaire, I would buy a copy of Fireball Charming and send it to every single anime screenwriter and demand that they watch it. Because it's just that good. Most writers start off with a great concept. It's unique, it's captivating and it's ripe for the picking. But they just don't know how to use it, and you get a mess of something that should have been fantastic(this review was spurred on by that regret from SAO). And in my opinion, Fireball Charming is the perfect example of how not to make a mess of that idea, even if it's a not so great idea to begin with. In simply 2 minutes of comedy and wonderful scriptwork, Fireball Charming can convey nearly any emotion in any way, and leave you wanting more.

Story:
Through the past millennium, robots and humans have evolved to a point of separation, and have eventually declared war on each other because they can no longer coexist. In the middle of this battle is the Tempest Tower, essentially a robotic Tower of Babyl, where the great robot duchess Drossel Von Flugel and her servant, Gedächtnis reside, weathering the ongoing war and attempting to uncover the past through ancient pieces of human and robot technology. The best part? This all plays the background to a much simpler and lighter comedy. Essentially, you get slice of life comedy with 2 clueless robots and the occasional guest. Some people may be turned off by this decision, but it works amazingly, it manages to be deep yet superficial at the same time. An air of absurdity accompanies every joke, the feeling that greater things are at stake, but then you realize, these are robots, which live forever and have no need for a sense of urgency.

Art:
It’s CGI Anime. Take of it what you will, but while the original Fireball was mediocre even at the time of its release, Fireball Charming is a vast improvement. Visual flourishes are everywhere and the environment of the Tempest Tower has a serene beauty accomplished only from its massive size and repetitive nature.

Sound:
Because each episode is less than 2 minutes long, you won’t ever be hearing more than the main 10 second theme. But it’s a nice short tune and actually surprisingly memorable. The robotic sounds are a bit stock-effect sounding but they work. The voices are great, but the superior part is the way that the voice actors speak in a nonstop, fast stream of words. Robots like Drossel and Gedächtnis do not need to spend the time a human would analyzing each other’s speech and considering a reply, they talk immediately after each other, as quickly as a computer can process. Absolutely perfect.

Character:
Here is where Fireball Charming excels the most. Despite having only 2 main characters, and a small cast of random visitors, each character is memorable and enjoyable. Somehow, these robots are just as lifelike as humans. Drossel seems to be your typical snooty 14 year old anime princess, yet she’s got an entire range of unexpected personalities and emotions that are surprisingly consistent for her character. Gedächtnis, who acts as her loyal and often abused elderly servant, is the ground for Drossel’s sanity and the one who explains the outside world. Both are immensely charming(no pun intended) and truly great.

Enjoyment:
The comedy in Fireball Charming is top notch. The original Fireball had excellent puns, wordplay and irony that made it an intellectual comedy that could still make one laugh out loud. Fireball Charming has added a range of slapstick to the mixture, without lowering the overall level of intelligence. The polar opposite ends of comedy go hand in hand in a way you’ll never have thought possible. The banters between Gedächtnis and Drossel are easily the most memorable duo lines made in anime and every word has been painstakingly arranged for maximum comedic relief. Make sure you get good subs, because they will make a major difference if you don’t speak Japanese.

Overall:
A true masterpiece. Don’t let the Disney production tag, short run time or CGI aspects fool you. This series is a wonderful gem of comedy that everyone should watch. And with the small episode lengths, you’ll only be wasting 30 minutes of your life for a whole season instead of 12 hours. Each bite sized episode is small but brimming with flavor and personality, one can only hope Disney will treat us to another season sometime soon.
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