Ranked #1499

Abenobashi Mahou Shoutengai

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 only connection 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.

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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 the madness.

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. read more

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.

There japanese 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. read more

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 just yet.
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. read more

RORICO N. FAN RECOMMENDS THIS SERIES

PROPER MINDSET
Seen from afar, Abenobashi should only be viewed by people who have seen several genres of anime, are familiar with most Hollywood blockbusters and are accustomed to the Japanese culture. It is brimming with so many parodies of anime stereotypes, famous movie clips and cultural references that if you are not a seasoned otaku, you will miss most of the jokes. If you are not one yet, you better leave this aside until you become one. So… MOVE YOUR BUTT AND WATCH AS MANY AS YOU CAN if you ever want to truly appreciate the series.

THE STAFF
GAINAX strikes again with yet another weird show with an even weirder ending while Madhouse offers us one more of its wonderful animated works. This is also important in a way for being director Yamaga Hiroyuki’s best work (not that he directed many good shows to begin with).

PRODUCTION VALUES
[Wacky to the point of originality.]

- Each episode features the exact same area (a shopping district) dressed as a different anime genre each time. It didn’t strike me as repetitive but as creative. So, yeah, I liked the concept.
- The graphics are heavy on deformity, as characters are drawn simplistic and very often with erratic proportions. Being a parody, this is to be expected; a grotesque perception of the fine arts is a common trait in comedy. If you prefer clear drawings and stable proportions, then this series is not your cup of tea. Still, the deformity and the same background being changed on each episode was a nice idea and with a well presentation.
- The animation is chaotic, as everything moves with cranny fps and little concern about the laws of physics. This mockery is done intentionally for increasing the laughing factor. If you prefer realism, look elsewhere.
- Lightning/ Visual Effects are scarce but present. When something serious is going on, 3D models and nicely made lightings pop-up.
- Voice acting and music themes are never serious-sounding but they are very high-spirited. If this were a serious series, then that would be something to bitch at. But since it’s not… they fit like bread and butter! A notice must also be given to all those easily recognizable variations of several blockbusters’ soundtrack themes.

SCRIPT
[Transformerabenobashi! More than meets the eye!]

- There is scenario present only in the first, the seventh and the last episode. Unlike the cheery atmosphere of the general plot, it’s gloomy and serious. The story starts serious; not funny at all, continues as a parody and ends as a metaphysical mystery. Bizarre is not a strong enough word for it. But it definitely is different and interesting in the same time.
- The serious part involves two kids who see the shopping district they grew up in to be about to shut down. Their families will move away and they will separate, a thing that makes them really sad and pessimistic about the future. Then suddenly…
… The parody part begins with the kids being transported to alternative realities! On each episode (generally stand-alone), their district is transformed into a different-themed place. From epic phantasy (RPG parody), to science fiction (mecha parody), to martial arts, film noir, date simulations, and more (always parodies). And as I mentioned before, you have to be accustomed to many things in order to get the jokes. Most of the time, the kids try to find a way to return home but then…
… The metaphysical part comes to bring revelations, plot twists and a really weird conclusion (can’t say more without spoiling the surprise).
- The story has no side stories and is not even a main attraction. But it definitely gives reasoning for all the wackiness you get to watch and a purpose for the characters (other than making us laugh, that is). And yes, even deeper meanings can come out of it (can’t reveal what; spoilers suck). Compared to most parodies, Abenobashi not only has a serious side to it, but it also makes sense and provides philosophical questioning (if you stretch it a lot, of course). Even if undermined in favor of parody, it deserves a good mark for that.

CAST
[A bunch of likable idiots.]

- The two main characters (the boy and the girl that travel throughout the alternative dimensions) start off quite uninteresting; wimpy boys and edgy girls are the norm of most anime. But as the story closes towards the metaphysical part, they become a lot more than what they seem at first (no, I can’t say more; you know why). They do develop and find a form of catharsis in the end.
- The rest of the characters are there just for laughs, although the boy’s father and grandfather are part of the serious part of the story and that wizard/scientist does provide reasoning for all the strangeness of the show. No character development but really strong presence and mostly vulgar humor is what makes them better than average stunts.
- In general, all characters have funny quirks that provide them with a strong presence in the story.
- Interesting backdrop stories and personalities are otherwise hard to find in them.

LEGACY
[Tribute galore!]

Depending on your personal tastes and acquired knowledge over movies and anime, some episodes will appear funnier than others. There is a repeating motif on the parody-based episodes that will probably tire you after a while but as a whole it is very enjoyable. Being a famous series that ends a lot different than it began, it does make it even more special and memorable, even if you didn’t like the ending or the crude jokes.

SUGGESTION LIST
Excel Saga
FLCL
Genshiken

And now for some excused scorings.
ART SECTION: 7/10
General Artwork 2/2 (whacky)
Character Figures 1/2 (generic)
Backgrounds 2/2 (fitting with the feeling of the series)
Animation 1/2 (basic)
Visual Effects 1/2 (basic)

SOUND SECTION: 7/10
Voice Acting 2/3 (corny but fitting with the feeling of the series)
Music Themes 3/4 (not great but fitting with the feeling of the series)
Sound Effects 2/3 (ok I guess)

STORY SECTION: 8/10
Premise 1/2 (typical)
Pacing 1/2 (erratic)
Complexity 2/2 (rich context and in-jokes)
Plausibility 2/2 (it actually makes sense in the end)
Conclusion 2/2 (solid)

CHARACTER SECTION: 8/10
Presence 2/2 (funny)
Personality 2/2 (cheesy but well founded)
Backdrop 1/2 (generic and simplistic but it’s there)
Development 1/2 (overblown but it’s there)
Catharsis 2/2 (solid)

VALUE SECTION: 6/10
Historical Value 0/3 (None)
Rewatchability 2/3 (Most episodes are funny enough to deserve a second view)
Memorability 4/4 (Quite unique in its approach)

ENJOYMENT SECTION: 7/10
Art 1/1 (looks whacky)
Sound 1/2 (sounds ok)
Story 2/3 (feels simple but later on it develops the theme nicely)
Characters 3/4 (they are very funny despite being generic)

VERDICT: 7/10 read more

I watched the first episode of this show almost 7 years ago, but only now got around to actually seeing the rest of it. It's a wacky , short show of only 13 episodes, but works perfectly in this short format. It involves the two main protagonists jumping from one weird alternate universe to another, all of them paraodies of certain genres. I must say two of my favorite were the Dating Sim and Hollywood universes, the latter because I was familiar with almost every movie they referenced. While the first half is purely goofy, the show takes a surprising twist in the middle and becomes quite a bit more serious, with one episode lacking almost any humor. The remaining half is the two children heroes wrestling with the serious themes while still in these crazy world, and where the show in my opinion hit a slight problem. I felt the early episodes were almost a bit pointless, since they were really just almost pure silly, whereas the later episodes had a little difficulty in finding the right balance between drama and comedy. Despite this, it was still a fun little series that does a pretty great job overall. Oh, and the fan service.

So much fan service.

I mean seriously, this show made me re-evaluate the bar I have set for the stuff. I mean, if nothing else is telling, one of the recurring characters is called "Mune-mune" which I'm told (by Wikipedia) translates to "Chest-chest," and the main male character often finds his head buried in Mune-mune's mune. This alongside episodes like the Giant Robot/Sci-fi episode, where the majority of the time was spent trying to get back the female protagonist's panties made the show a bit extreme in that respect, but oh well.

Overall it's still a good show, and especially worth watching since it's short and thus easy to knock out in an evening or two, especially if you can stomach the constant sexual references. read more

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 far the 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? read more

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 to confront 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/ read more

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, throwing parallel 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. read more

did not like plot was odd not for me i did like opening music, plot was just not all there in trems of a good story 18 and under iam 26 did enjoy boobs lots&lots of boobs one character was very simulating

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 Puni Puni 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. read more

Superb concept. The show had me baffled from the get go and I just wanted to watch more and more. Top that off with a unique, well done, and fluid style and you definitely have a great show. However the show definitely has a major barrier to entry: knowledge of anime. I'm still just a beginner in this realm but I understood a lot of the jokes and references throughout the series, however this is not a starter show. It is crazy, it is Japanese, it is AWESOME!

What I enjoyed most about the show was just the crazy places it went. The end was a little rushed and kind of a sell out but I'd say the rest of the shows ridiculous awesomeness was worth it. read more

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!

Although the story seemed rather disconnected until the later episodes, the idea of the whole series and how it was delivered was interesting. The story was well delivered considering it all came out in a short number of episodes.

Most of the episodes were entertaining to watch, got a few good laughs in! Overall a good anime to watch for its short length