Oct 29, 2012
This is a frustrating review to write, knowing there are over 1700 chapters of manga and over 370 anime episodes that are not translated, but that this is the only official thing that did. But it's okay, since this was truly hilarious and enjoyable, and if you read up on the characters before watching the movie, you'll be able to get more of the references and jokes they make (which they do A LOT), but it's truly worth your time.
Story: 8
It surprised me how it had a good balance of comedy, and
...
later drama, but then the two went hand in hand. The comedy was hilarious, and the drama surprisingly gripping. The general story is about as good as this kind of movie gets, and it was very human and enjoyable at that. The writing in general was very well done, and the overall pacing was very good. I thought it was funner to split the movie in 4 parts and watch another part later, just to remember certain scenes as clips of an episode, just to drag out the enjoyment more.
Art: 8
Surprisingly good animation for 1999 shounen comedy standards, it's no End of Evangelion or Princess Mononoke, but you'll be impressed with what the animators were able to make. I loved the hell out of the character design, especially Ryotsu's, as well as the other characters, but it's overall look and smoothness is honestly no better than most modern anime today (But I actually like the way old anime looks, so it's not a problem here).
Sound: 7
It has good sound design, and a lot of the actors were good, but Ryotsu's voice was kind of annoying. That doesn't mean it doesn't have a specific charm to it, and I do like it, but it's something that was just a bit grading when he was yelling. The music was pretty good, fit the mood pretty well.
Characters: 10
Oh my God, so many fantastic characters. They have many different flavor of character. Foreign, everyday men/women, children, bad rich guys, shy guys, manly guys, strong women, and even some surprises here and there. It really is a good idea to look up information about episodes from the show, or information about the characters, since the movie assumes you've seen at least an episode or two of the TV series. You should get a good amount of enjoyment either way.
Enjoyment: 9
It was a fun as hell movie to watch, and it also has a really feel good plot.
Overall: 9
If you like cop gag, comedy, or Japanese culture, you'll love this movie. If you like action or romance, look for another tittle, since this mainly focuses on the first three things I listed. Defiantly watch it, you won't regret it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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