Ranked #556

Nerima Daikon Brothers

Nabeshin, most famous as the afro-sporting director of Excel Saga, thrives with material no one in their right mind would even think to create. With Nerima Daikon Brothers, he molds the story of two brothers, their cousin, and a soft... VERY soft... panda, who want nothing more but to turn their paltry daikon field into a concert dome where they can perform their music. But this is Nabeshin, so there has to be a catch, and it's a doozy... you see, Nerima Daikon Brothers is an anime musical. Singing, dancing, and lots of it.

Every episode deals with the Nerima Daikon Brothers looking for a break, finding corrupt rich people, and taking their money then losing it all once again. Though the episodes are formulaic, enough elements carry over and alter the story so no episode is exactly the same as the last. Ongoing jokes seldom get old.

The characters themselves, including a shadowy Nabeshin, are not so much in it to grow or learn, but to wreak havoc, and they do it in spades. Hideki is a loudmouth horndog, Ichiro is a monotonous douche, and Mako is a materialistic bitch. They're selfish, foul, and incredibly loveable. Though they are nothing more than caricatures of themselves, the whole show feels like a caricature of itself, so it works well. Even when a certain infamous pop star becomes a recurring role, it just works because at that point, you're willing to believe anything the series throws at you.

The art as zany and colorful just like the show's atmosphere. Much of the time it straddles the line between American animation and Japanese. This gives it a unique and fun look, energetic but never sloppy, that can really be appreciated after the same constant anime designs over and over for the average otaku.

Also keeping in mind this is technically a musical, the show thrives on the sound element. Dialogue turns into well-timed puns with bizarre numbers on panda sex and following inane laws. The energy and pure randomness of it really sell it though. Recurring numbers such as the money song and rental shop song are fun, catchy, and brilliantly written to keep in line with the series structure. The dub especially so.

Nerima Daikon Brothers is a show you don't have to think about when you watch. It's pure, zany fun beginning to end. Many comedy shows these days are full of more cynical, deadpan humor, but Nerima's selling point is it's cartoonish brand of comedy that is actually funny more than it is groan-worthy. For a good belly laugh, just pop this in and enjoy. It's nothing memorable, but it's a solid 12 episodes of fun.

Overall, I give Nerima Daikon Brothers an 8 out of 10. read more

Nerima Daikon Brothers is definitely for the comedic anime fan. The story revolves around three relatives, Hideki, Ichiro, and Mako, who are trying to make it big as blues musicians in the city of Nerima. They farm a type of radish called Daikons in order to get by though they still find themselves constantly out of cash. Their dream is to build a dome where they can perform.

The thing about Nerima Daikon Brothers is that the three are always getting into quite random trouble fending off unexpected enemies of all kinds. From the Panchiko Parlor owner to the japanese take of Michael Jackson, you'll be kept laughing at the unexpectedness of it all.

To fight these wrong doers the Nerima Daikon Brothers have help from a mysterious rental man whom you might recognize if you're an Excel Saga fan.

Overall the show is quite the crazy ride, very enjoyable if not a bit pointless. The characters are hilarious and the off the wall bits of comedy put into song make it fun for lack of a better word.

There is a lot of sexual based humor and language here and there but nothing I would consider major. It's definitely worth looking into if you want a good laugh. read more