Osomatsu-san

Osomatsu-san is to anime what South Park is to American animation, and what Deadpool is to superhero movies. A glimpse at the synopsis and simplistic art style may create the impression that Osomatsu-san is a family-friendly show for 'the kids', but do not be misled. It is packed with dirty humour and cursing, aimed primarily at older teenagers and twenty-somethings (and old men who watched the original series!) who have grown tired of how dull and artificial most comedy anime have become. If, like me, you happen to be a young adult who no longer cares for the twenty or thirty rom-coms airing each season, ... and who don't take themselves or the medium too seriously-- Osomatsu-san is an absolute joy to watch, and joy enough that I watched the entire twenty-five episodes in a single day. It may just be the funniest anime I've seen.

For some, Osomatsu-san's crudeness may be going a step too far. There are frequent jokes about things like enemas, phimosis and masturbation, and the characters will stab each other in the butt or attempt to... yeah, defecate on a table, and on more than one occasion. Those looking for something more mature or refined in their comedy are probably not going to find what they are looking for in Osomatsu-san. It is far more crude than something like Gintama, but not quite as offensive as something like South Park (and without all its racism and antisemitism). Whether or not you will enjoy Osomatsu-san's irreverent humour is entirely dependent on your tolerance for the above-mentioned things. If enemas and table-pooping don't immediately scare you off, you're in for a very fun time with Osomatsu-san.

Iyami, the dumbass, self-proclaimed "Frenchman" (I put quotation marks here as what nation or planet he actually comes from is a mystery), armed with buckteeth and a bowl cut, is probably the highlight of the entire show. An episode will, for example, open with him watching a newscast about brushing your teeth "at least 45 minutes a day", and he will stare at some grotesque object (the likes of which I can only imagine came from a person's digestive system) with his misshapen pal Daiyon, screaming and fidgeting into some bad Austin Powers pose as though he is having some sort of aneurysm or seizure. In one of the later episodes, Iyami engages in a martial arts competition with the aforementioned "Sheeei!" pose, and the sextuplets make him unleash his Inner Sheeei by shredding his bank statements and insurance cards from the stands to piss him the hell off. These are just a few examples of how much of a goof, and unbelievably stupid character Iyami is. I am not sure how someone could not laugh their butts off watching him. If he truly was the protagonist of the 1988 series, I can easily understand why.

Hatabou's episode is another example of the many, many amazing moments in the show, what with all the awful flag puns and Barack Obama appearing out of nowhere, to name a few things. Or how about all the moments when Juushimatsu is just casually sitting in the background, completely unlike his brothers, tongue out and eyes googling around, seeming like he is on the hardest psychedelic drug ever known to humankind. The show is so stupid, and yet hilarious all the same. There will inevitably be a joke every now and then that you find dull or repetitive (I didn't laugh once during the 'fish idol' gags, for example), but the overall win-to-lose ratio with Osomatsu-san's jokes is quite high. It is like the best moments of Gintama, but much cruder and more neatly compressed. Most comedy anime struggle to be even a fraction of what Osomatsu-san is at its worst.

I think having a certain level of experience with anime and Japanese culture also lends to a greater appreciation for what makes Osomatsu-san so unique, especially when compared to how banal most other comedy anime are. I can easily picture new fans, still going through the big boys like Clannad After Story and Steins;Gate, checking out an episode of Osomatsu-san out of curiosity and wondering what the hell they are even watching. While I don't think references should play an important role in any anime, the frequent parodies of less-popular shows like Akagi are a good indication that Osomatsu-san is meant to be watched by an audience already well-acquainted with the medium.

There are, surprisingly, quite a few references to western media as well, like the Saw or Captain Underpants ones in the third episode. I had no idea Japan knew or cared about the crap that my generation was reading in primary school. Captain Underpants! I haven't even thought about that dumb series in a decade.

Osomatsu-san's art is particularly cartoonish and simplistic, but this simplicity lends more freedom to the outrageous acts and facial expressions that the comedy relies on, and which would not be possible, or at least severely limited, under a more elaborate and distinct art style (i.e. your typical KyoAni anime). My only complaint is that the six brothers look almost exactly the same, with the exception of Jyuushimatsu and his trippin' googly eyeballs, and Ichimatsu who looks like he is constantly stoned. For the first half of the series, you will likely find yourself relying more on the voices to tell who is who, and so things can get quite chaotic as you're busy pointing fingers.

If there is one detail that should be criticised, it is that the random bouts of drama can get a bit concerning. These scenes are generally well-executed, but the problem is that they put a damper on what is supposed to be a comedy series. I'm not entirely against the show having a structure more resembling an actual plot, but the reason we're all watching anime like this is to have a nice, fun time, yeah? It does not feel appropriate here.

While I do not have any experience with the original anime, a bit of research reveals how the entire series is something of a cultural phenomenon in Japan, far more mainstream than I had originally guessed it to be. There's even black-and-white pictures from the 1960's of kids enacting Iyami's pose! It's neat to find such a successful revival of a historic series. Nothing in the 2015 anime feels old-fashioned, and it perfectly captures the humour and culture of the current generation of twenty-somethings. As far as I am concerned, Japan has a knack for picking excellent anime for their mainstream, if we consider series like Touch, Aikatsu and Osomatsu-san. The west could take lessons from Japan in that regard.

Sure, Osomatsu-san's brand of humour is not going to be to everyone's taste, and perhaps it will even be a bit disturbing to those of a more conservative palate. I get it. But if any of what is described above sounds even the slightest bit appealing, I would wholeheartedly recommend giving the series a go, beyond the initial, confusing first episode.

And you know what? Even if it doesn't sound appealing--- I never would have thought I'd enjoy something like this, either--- Osomatsu-san serves as a careful, potty-mouthed reminder that great anime can also exist outside of one's comfort zone. Maybe it won't be the 'best' anime of the year, but I have little doubt it will have been the most fun. A little bit of fun is something we all need in our lives. We get stressed and we feel the need to turn on our electronic devices, relax and enjoy the smaller things life has to offer. Table-pooping is OK with me.

I may be the minority opinion here but I pretty much struggled to finish this anime, in fact i was on the verge of stopping from watching it completely . Why? Well it really has nothing to do with the quality of the anime or anything like that, it's just that frankly I could rarely get even a chuckle from it- and it being a comedy anime, made it impossible to skip through any of it as that was what it mainly offered.

I am perfectly aware this was a reboot targeted towards the Japanese demographic, but as someone who tends to have a rather wide-spectrum ... of humor, I had a hard time getting behind the comedic aspects at all. Especially with how much the anime forces something funny to happen out of thin air, it becomes a chore to watch. I think this is because everything about this anime is heavily bent on being Japanese on almost every aspect- which is perfectly fine, but it's obvious this wasn't made for anyone outside of Japan to understand.

Each 25 minute episode has numerous segments, at first i thought it was actually fun at first but it gradually became annoying and in my opinion very detaching. I ended up skipping some segments as I simply did not enjoy the plot, which was something that also heavily influenced my criticism for this anime. A good portion of the story of each segment felt very stretched out at times or even repetitive as segments beforehand shared a very similar basis/outcome.Once again, I get it- it's supposed to be funny and random, but it always bothered me how the amount of scenarios the sextuplets were in that it was sort of like they had amnesia of the person they were interacting with. It didn't feel progressive, or like as if what you were watching was actually accumulative aside from at most reoccurring characters that just end up being thrown in to quite literally fill in the background or maybe show up for a line at most - there just no development that felt like watching it in order was pointless.

Regardless of the massive amount of inconsistency and flawed humor for me, I can't ignore the obvious dedication and love the people who made this anime put in, you can tell they really wanted to please their fans by tipping their hat towards the classic series and generally enhance for not only the old fans but the newcomers of the series as well. The visuals are simplistic yet very well done (especially with how colorful it is), the sound is excellent, and i really enjoyed the characters, especially the sextuplets.

Now, if there is something that i felt this anime shined in it was actually the serious ,dramatic episodes - there's about 3 that's revolved around the main 6 (well from what I remembered) and they were actually the most memorable episodes to me. I know that praising a comedy anime for content that isn't it's main focus is kind of unjust but I really felt the need to acknowledge their ability to really tug your heart strings as it depicted moments that had alot of depth to them despite the majority of the anime was a never ending joke in comparison.

If you've watched a clip that shows what the anime is like and you get a laugh out of it, then watch it, because that's exactly the content you'll be seeing for the majority of the time. If you could barely laugh about it at all and found it sort of obnoxious like I did, I would skip it.

Osomatsu-san: 94% ridiculous hilarity, 5% why am I suddenly sad, and 1% what is this I'm scared.

It actually took me a while to get around to watching this show. The art was too Muppet-ish for my tastes, and I didn't see anything appealing about a gag anime where the main characters all looked the same. I'd never heard of Osomatsu-kun either, so there was really nothing drawing me in. The only reason I started watching was because I heard that the first episode was filled with anime parodies and you could only watch it illegally because the creators didn't want to get sued. It took ... me a good few months, but by the end of that first episode, I was hooked.

Story: 9
The best part of the Osomatsu-san story is that there kind of isn't a story. There are no story arcs, no rising or falling action. They just kind of throw some ridiculous short plot at your face for a few minutes and then move on to something else. This can be a really tricky kind of show to pull off, but the staff managed it so that viewers can be pissing in laughter one minute and ready to cry about a cat wearing glasses the next. (Writing goals.)
The comedy is a wildly out there kind of toilet humor where you don't really understand what's going on but you're laughing out loud regardless. It's the kind of comedy that western shows like Family Guy and South Park strive for, but can't pull off as well or as consistently as Osomatsu-san. This show's like adultswim's wet dream, seriously.

Art: 8
As I mentioned earlier, Osomatsu-san has a weird Muppet-esque type of art. They look like Garfield and Kermit the frog had a litter of cartoon babies. However, this perfectly suits the show's overall tone, and when it doesn't, they aren't afraid to change it up. They'll throw in some clean Studio Pierrot animation (with character designs that clearly reference UtaPri), stylistic facial references, and even replace everything with just words. It's odd, but it really works somehow.

Sound: 7
The background music didn't really stand out to me. I'd notice it on occasion, and when I did it would fit the scene, but I never thought, "wow that's some real good jammin' in the background."
The openings and endings, on the other hand, were great. Both openings had a quirky sort of denpa-meets-folk vibe, while the endings seemed to have disco-pop influences. They're all incredibly catchy, and stupidly hard to get out of your head (which can be a great thing and a wildly annoying thing).

Characters: 10
Ah, the shining beacon of light that made this show the work of art it is. The brothers, who at first glance look like the same person in different shirts, are soon apparent to be clearly cut individuals. After watching a few episodes, you get to the point where you can easily tell them apart at first glance, just by their postures, expressions, and the occasional oh-so-subtle differences in hair.
Characters who seem to just be an embodiment of comedy are delved into and developed to the point where the viewer becomes so emotionally attached that they go to bed thinking, "I hope Ichimatsu gets enough sleep; he always seems so tired..." You think that background character is just gonna be comedic relief? Sorry buddy, you're about to get wrecked over a bald boy with Naruto whiskers.
No character is simply what they seem to be in this show; everyone has 3d personalities, everyone has different sides to themselves. The character that you thought was a lazy freeloader turns out to have deeply rooted psychological issues, and the one who you thought was just the classic Minnie Mouse style sweetheart will beat you with a fish while insulting your genitals. They're realistic characters in an incredibly non-realistic world, which is a weird but wonderful contrast that really gets you thinking.


Osomatsu-san will ruin you in the best way possible. You'll fall in love with a Muppet and question your life, but you will enjoy it. Feel the pain. Love the pain. Laugh over the pain. And someone please give these boys some hugs and counseling dear mother of christ.

Overall: 9/10, would recommend.

Osomatsu-san…..this is a show that’s kind of what you’d describe as a cult classic. It was originally published as a comedy series by Fujio Akatsuka and ran in the Weekly Shounen Magazine for 7 years from 1962 to 1969. Not only did it bring Akatsuka’s reputation to light to the public, the series itself is what I’d describe as an extraordinary comedy.

The modern version of Osomatsu-san is adapted by studio Pierrot and like the original, focuses on the Matsuno sextuplets. A group of six boys, they are known to cause mischief and the series chronicles their daily misadventures.

A common question that viewers may find ... themselves asking is: do I need to watch the original series? From a personal perspective, the answer is no. Every episode is a story in itself divided into segments and there isn’t a complicated story angle that viewers needs to follow to understand it. Really, what’s there to understand about a show filled with gags, parodies, and jokes? Osomatsu-san is the very essence of satirical comedy that knows its intentions. It’s self-aware with the jokes and often pokes fun at every opportunity it gets.

As a show that chronicles misadventures, it’s important to get the characters right. This isn’t easy considering that all six of the main characters looks similar with some rather gimmicky names. (Osomatsu, Karamatsu, Choromatsu, Ichimatsu, Jushimatsu, Todomatsu). While all of them look similar, their personalities are quite different and that in general is a trigger for tension and feuds. The self-proclaimed leader and titular character is Osomatsu who also happens to be the oldest of the siblings. His commanding presence and arrogance often sets off fire that escalates into hilarious drama. And because this series is stockpiled with comedy, the drama often extends to innumerable amount of laughter.

Most of the other siblings are pretty fun to watch as well. Because they each have a different personality, each episode and their segments offers something different. From the womanizing Karamatsu to loner Ichimatsu, the show really knows how to define their character. It’s also through interactions outside their group that makes them easy to notice as the siblings often get into trouble for the wrong reasons.

The show is structured with segments so each episode offers at least two different storytelling angles with little to no correlation with one another. As a fruit for thought, the show often parodies other popular genre whether it’s the horror thriller Saw or the dark fantasy Attack on Titan. The first episode became infamous for this when the artwork style is completely different from what new fans would imagine it to be. Furthermore, the show is self-aware and knows how to sell its comedy. The way it presents its characters is obviously used to make fun of their roles so nothing should be taken seriously. On rare occasions, there are some bittersweet moments that may be surprising. But make no mistake about it, the show isn’t predictable and often messes around with itself. From gender bender to breaking the fourth wall, this series is literally a crazy roller-coaster. That brings a sort of the hit-or-miss situation. The comedy may be so recurring that some viewers will find it forced or unfunny at times. A few of the side characters like Iyami also gets attention for the wrong reasons. It’s hard to describe it but comedy doesn’t always sell. Take it for granted, this show is not one that everyone can appreciate despite its recreational creativity.

Style. That’s a way I’d like to describe the artwork for this show. The simple character designs, vibrant backgrounds, and outlines is what makes this series stand out. The twins are designed to look very similar so it’s very easy to mistake them unless you pay close attention. When the show goes into parody mode, the artwork goes through an evolution and is what most modern fans may be used to. But by presenting work in this fashion and style, it’s what makes the show unique. It delivers the feel of a cult classic.

While soundtrack isn’t hyped like the comedy, it’s still noticeable because of the character voice mannerisms. Each of the sextuplets sound alike that makes them even harder to tell who is who at times. Still, the nail in the coffin is that how their voices work so effectively to make their characters more appealing. It brings their personalities to light each episode and the show really knows how to capture’s the audience’s attention. Plus, the OP and ED theme songs are quite amusing by comedy standards with its unorthodox choreography.

Can’t lie. This isn’t a show that I found myself enjoying at first but it only took about two episodes for me to buy into the comedy. The way it portrays the characters, story segments, and comedy gags is every easy to get attached to. Understandably, each episode also parodies a variety of genres, culture, and popular franchise for amusement. While the artwork is something that is stellar, it’s unique and fitting for this series. This is a show that I’d highly recommend to anyone especially if comedy is something on your checklist. It’s not just about the humor, it’s about the Osomatsu-san.

Art/Sound: The animation isn't horrible. But it mostly only adds to the frankly awful and unfunny humor and the character designs are really unflattering. The first OP was decent, and the first ED is notable for the ending animation alone. It's actually quite interesting, even if it's really stupid.

Story/Characters: A friend of mine who loves this show who doesn't get why I hate it so much keeps telling me 'it's just supposed to be a light and fun why are you judging it so harshly?' My answer usually ends up being, 'just because it's fun and light means it has to have unlikable, uninteresting, and ... frankly hatable characters.' You can have a fun light show with interesting and endearing characters and actual funny moments. They don't even have to be the best show ever to have this. Himouto Umaru-chan! is a fun show about an otaku who spends her entire life lazing around while her family members do all the work. And it's entertaining, funny, and the characters don't make me want to punch all of them in the FACE. Squid Girl is a fun little show with an endearing protagonist who makes you laugh and has a ton of fun. And if you're looking for something of even higher quality watch Hatakaru Maou-Sama! (AKA The Devil is a Part-Timer). When I watch shows of a certain genre, I end up comparing them to others in that genre I have watched. And as I watched it I was thinking, there are so many better comedy shows I could be watching with actual compelling and entertaining characters and a better story (though the premise is one of the better things about this show).

Side note: I was actually going to give this show a 2/10, because at that point the show had never outright offended me. Then I watched that episode where all the people DYING OF THIRST give up ALL THEIR WATER just to watch the sextuplets SWIM AROUND SHIRTLESS BECAUSE SEXINESS! Like seriously. SERIOUSLY! This episode was actually offensive to me as a person.

Final: I recommend that you watch any of the shows mentioned above instead of wasting your time on this one like I did. I wish I could have that time back to watch literally anything else. Other comedy anime to watch as apposed to this: Baka to Test, Hetalia, Kuroshitsuji, Lucky Star, Noragami (which is actually one of my favorite anime ever), One Punch Man, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (and if you've already seen that), The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan, even something like Black Lagoon or Angel Beats! are way funnier than this show, even if they aren't pure comedy. Heck, Yu Yu Hakusho has made me laugh WAY more than this show (same with Hunter x Hunter actually).

Osomatsu-san is the anniversary celebration of a 60s show centered on six identical brothers and their friends, now grown up and living in a modernized world with the humor and animation upgraded to reflect their new age. The entire show consists of a bunch of skits centered on these characters either dealing with their shitty lives or reminding us that anime is awesome, and whilst some of the characters keep their old traits from back when their creator was alive, their personalities are mostly wildly different from what old-school fans might know of them. Karamatsu is now some wannabe ladies' man who wears tacky clothing ... and says lines that he thinks are way cooler than they actually are, Jyuushimatsu is now a hyperactive idiot who always seems to be on drugs, Ichimatsu is now a social recluse with a love of cats and, and Osomatsu is pretty much the same as he always was except with an addiction to playing pachinko and a desire to get laid.

And you know what? It pretty much hits all the right notes when it comes to re-introducing old source material to a new audience in way that far outshines other similar projects like Yatterman Night or Young Black Jack. The show only makes token nods to the previous incarnations, and it's not like you need to see Iyami being the main character in the 80s show to understand his frustration that he's not the lead in this one. The new modern visual style is energetic without overdoing it. And despite how similar the brothers look, it doesn't take too long to associate the names with the default expressions they usually have or remember the names in general. But most of all, it keeps to the spirit of its predecessor - mainly being a gag comedy - whilst understanding that humor in the 60s just isn't the same as it is now.

Having said that, the show can try a little too hard in regards to keeping up with what's cool. See, I know that people found the first episode where these 60s anime icons were reimagined as Utapri-style BL characters to be one of the show's best highlights, but I don't understand what's supposed to be funny about parodies when the only joke is "look at how anime we are. Aren't we cool?" with the only twist being that they're not cool, especially when you repeat that joke five fucking times within two minutes. Even more grating when you call attention to it with that aggravating "self-aware humor" that's been ruining all anime and Western comedies under the sun. Did I mention this anime is directed by one of the Gintama dudes? Funny how that anime never gets sued for its blatant parodies like this show did.

But whilst it's a gag show, Osomatsu-san will occasionally try to tug on the heartstrings by focusing on the characters' troubles regarding how modern society doesn't fit with their views or their desire to find romance. And it generally does this without losing its sense of humor. In fact, I'd say the humor improves during those segments because it's being used as a crutch to keep the drama from getting too heavy whilst being a core part of what makes it work. A good example is when Jyushimatsu gets himself a girlfriend who actually laughs at his lame jokes, which doesn't make them any less lame, but it makes sense that a girl who likes them would like him too. And it also makes it all the more heartbreaking when distance separates them.

All in all, Osomatsu-san is an anime that deeply earns my respect in so many ways, mostly in its shedding of the old and embracing the new in a way that actually caused it to become one of the most popular anime of our time. It's aware what the audience of today wants, and it gives it to them without sacrificing the spirit of it predecessors and making sure that the finished production wasn't made solely as an obligation to fulfill the dead creator's anniversary. Which is why it breaks my heart to say that despite all it has going for it, I don't actually like Osomatsu-san. Why? Because it didn't make me laugh. Once. Which for a comedy show, is pretty much the equivalent of playing basketball with no hands or legs.

Well okay, I'm exaggerating. I did laugh at that skit in the third episode where some guy who's basically a cross between Leatherface and Jigsaw has all the siblings tied up in an underground lair and tries to kill Osomatsu, only to keep mistaking his brothers for him to the point that after ten tries, he just goes "fuck it" and mutilates one of them off-screen? That was pretty solid. Everything else? The Mario Kart skit? The one where the sextuplets go trick-or-treating at Iyami's house and end up robbing him for some reason? Anything involving Totoko? At most, only a brief chuckle, which is admittedly an improvement over most anime comedies.

The humor relies entirely on pop culture references, breaking the fourth wall, exaggerated faces that stopped being funny after the 90s ended, yelling out the obvious, or just being weird for the sake of being weird, which are all bargain bin jokes that aren't worth the fifty cents you'd pay for at the dollar store. I'm not really sure what's supposed to be funny about Osomatsu failing to discover the source of the loud snoring in his room even after covering up his brothers' noses. Or that time when the sextuplets go trick-or-treating at Iyami's house and end up robbing him because...um...Halloween? And even that is ineptly handled since the director brought his comedic timing from Gintama into this thing, which means that even when a skit approaches being funny, it shoots itself in the foot by dragging itself out so long it ends up looking like a skeleton at the end rather than something with actual meat.

This becomes particularly obnoxious in the show's second half, which have some of the worst cases of a joke outstaying their welcome I've ever seen. Water being replaced by lubricant in a Mad Max world? Kinda funny. The idol brothers making said dystopia a better place by pouring it all over their bodies for ten minutes? Um, it's just Utapri except in a Mad Max setting. What's supposed to be funny about that, and why are you making this joke go on so long when the only punchline is "BL will save the desert"? Don't even get me started on the Girly-matsu skits. I'm pretty sure the only joke in those were the male voices coming out of genderbent versions of our leads.

Osomatsu-san may have all the elements to create good laughs, but similar to when most stand-up comedians try to make it big in the movie world, something was lost in translation trying to string them all together, and I blame the lack of required energy on the fact that its setting is incredibly wacky as is, which lends itself some good heart when it wants to sell feelings, but doesn't allow for much irony when it comes to selling itself on the absurd humor that makes up the majority of the skits. I mean take Urusei Yatsura for example. Its humor runs on combining wacky with wacky and getting more wacky, but the reason it works is because it takes place in a fairly normal anime suburbia that just happens to get invaded by aliens and the military can just have their run of the place whenever some teenage girl gets upset that she can't go to school. Very rarely do the characters ever point out how strange it is that the folk hero Kintaro just happens to be flying around amongst the common folk, participating in kindergarten activities and swinging axes at folks with horns on their heads, or that Wendy from Peter Pan can come out of a library book and bring a bunch of other literary characters to shatter the "please be quiet in the library" rule into pieces. And my god is that show not funny when it tries to be "special" (fuck you periodical episodes).

I will say this: the final episode with the baseball match that basically resembled that one episode of Samurai Champloo combined with Space Jam was alright. Otherwise, the only other thing I can praise Osomatsu-san for are its opening and ending themes, both on a visual and sound level. Granted, the second one is generic J-pop, but something about it feels kind of triumphant. And it has every right to be triumphant. Over twenty-thousand Blu-ray sales for each volume, man!

After putting it off for a while I've finally come back to write my review of Osomatsu-san, why I absolutely adore this series and why it's my favorite anime of all time. It's a little lengthy, but I hope that this can help explain why I hold this anime so close to my heart.

STORY:

There really isn't much of a plot in Osomatsu-san, however, it's also that lack of plot that makes it so fun to watch. The main bulk of each episode comes from the characters reacting to their situation as hopeless NEETs and trying to find a way out of their social grave. That ... isn't to say there is no plot though, while most episodes are standalone and episodic, there is an overarching set of themes about maturing and finding your place in the world. Through each of their failures, it not only leads to humour but also a lesson about growing up. It's interesting to see the comedy blended in with these mature undertones, but I feel it works really well for the series and makes it feel more real, in a sense. Aside from that, the main draw here is comedy, and it is something that the series pulls off amazingly. From slapstick to poking fun at each other, each joke feels refreshing and I can't recall a time when this series has failed to put a smile on my face.

ART:

Just by taking a look at Osomatsu-san will tell you that it isn't your generic anime series based on the artstyle alone, however, it gives it so much more personality and charm than if it were to be rendered in a more traditional style. While in earlier episodes ('Let's Become Independent' is a good example of this) the way the characters are drawn tend to be a little off compared to later in the series, it's nothing too distracting and anyone can imagine the switch from a 'normal' anime artstyle to a more unique one such as Ososan's would put anyone off.

As quirky as it is, the show is animated beautifully, with slapstick moments completely conveying the chaotic atmosphere whereas in more heartfelt episodes the fluid animations and tranquil settings work hand in hand to create emotional hardhitters just from the animation alone.

SOUND:

One thing that I don't see talked about much around the community is how great the soundtrack really is. It's incredibly underrated, which should be a crime judging by how good it is. Each track is distinctive and really blends into the atmosphere of each episode, intensifying or just overall adding to the mood. There's pretty much any genre you can imagine - electronic, classical, loads of songs with trumpets to give us a slice of Hoenn, etc. There's really something for everyone here and I'd highly recommend checking out the soundtrack in your own time too. Also, the OPs/EDs are both extremely catchy and feel-good in the ED's case, OP1 (Hanamaru Pippi wa Yoiko Dake) is my favorite OP of all time.

CHARACTER:

The main draw aside from the comedy has to be the characters, namely the Sextuplets. Despite looking the same, their personalities are as different as night and day. Almost any website detailing the show notes them to be 'shitty NEETs' and while that is true, all six of them are beyond endearing in their small traits and overall characters. They all initially seem to come from a trope however this is quickly subverted, leaving us with a loveable group of misfits.

Osomatsu is the eldest as well as the titular character, and has a love of gambling and pachinko, as well as having quite a mischievous and brash personality. He's often pushed to the side in favour of the more 'unique' brothers, but there's so much more to him than meets the eye, an example of this being how he relies on his brothers for his happiness and sense of identity, as seen in 'Letter'. Karamatsu is 'manly' and obsessed with being cool, but it's apparent that this is all an elaborate act and he's a real sweetheart underneath, or maybe he's only being nice for the sake of appearing nice? It's up to the viewer to decide how they view each character amongst all the speculation and it's something that I adore about this anime, nothing is black and white.

Choromatsu is the 'straight man' of the group, although how well he plays that role is really up for debate, with him appearing more quick to anger than anything. It's understandable why he'd get so annoyed with his brothers though, and seeing him fanboy over idols is a whole new level of captivating. My personal favorite brother is the dark doll of despair, Ichimatsu, either renowned as being the softest brother or the creepiest.
Jyushimatsu is, well... I'll leave that up to you. And finally, Todomatsu is everyone's favorite back-stabbing bitch-in-sheep's-clothing, laced with cuteness and charm.

The way in which these characters interact with each other and the world around them is nothing but a joy to watch. One minute they could be working together and the next they'd have turned their backs and mid-argument. It's like having a group of vitriolic best friends try their best to survive in a world which seems to hate them, and the outcome is nothing short of hilarious. Even with the cast just sitting in an empty room, anything they say or do is sure to be memorable. This isn't even mentioning the side characters, while they don't get nearly as much time in the spotlight as the Sextuplets each one acts as a good foil to the Sextuplets, either motivating them or hindering them in their schemes to find their way into the real world.

ENJOYMENT:

I'm sure I made it clear enough but Osomatsu-san was a blast from start to finish and one I have revisted countless times. There was never a dull moment as each episode was filled to the brim with gags, laughs and even some really depressing scenes that it's hard to pull your eyes away for even a second. While some do stand above others, each episode is definitely worth watching and there isn't one I'd recommend anyone to skip. Any audience should be able to watch this show and have a great time with it.

To conclude, Osomatsu-san is a criminally-underrated gem that has changed anime as a whole for me, with all of its charm and appeal coming together to create a series that Akatsuka would truly be proud of.

Thank you Osomatsu-san!

SCORE: 10/10

Let me just start by saying this is my new favorite anime. It was Zankyou no Terror for the longest time, but this anime stole the spotlight.

Okay. If you're looking for an anime with a bunch of character development and plot development, this anime is not for you. This anime is simply one for people who are in a bad mood and want to laugh at something. The characters' stupidity brings out comedy for this anime, as well as inside jokes and the overall facial expressions of some characters at times. The bond between the characters is humorous and not at all serious.

I refused to ... watch this anime at first, absolutely refused it because the art style wasn't my thing. You get used to it the more you watch it, you really do, so those of you not watching it because of the art style obviously don't have experience with anime considering lots of anime with bad art are the best anime (Aku no Hana being an example). I deeply regret not watching it sooner!

The characters all have different personalities, so there's more to love. I think, in a way, there's a character for everyone to love.

I went and started watching this anime expecting little out of it, but what I got was an anime that made me laugh out loud lots of times and made me really get into its fanbase.

Some episodes are rather boring and some jokes drag on for a long time, but other episodes are very funny and enjoyable. I don't think you should drop it after episode one, as I think the first episode was a little boring compared to the others. Keep watching this anime, don't drop it. It doesn't get better and it doesn't get worse, it's just overall a good anime. It's rare that I give an anime a high rating but this one is special, it's definitely something great. I think it's often overlooked and deserves more praise.

This isn't an anime for little kids. There are adult jokes, so those who are into that type of thing would enjoy it better, most likely. While sometimes the humor is bizarre or childish, there are definitely adult jokes present. Don't be fooled!

This anime's purpose is to make you laugh at the characters and how dense and crazy they are. DO NOT watch it expecting a great plot. I repeat, DO NOT.

I could see this anime being for newbies and veterans. I think everyone could enjoy it, but not everyone SHOULD enjoy it. Get it? Anyway, watch it with an open mind and do not drop it. This is coming from someone who has seen more than 200 anime.

Osomatsu-san is a comedic anime from 2015 to 2016, recently adapted into a manga, brought to us by Pierrot. Yes, the studio that worked on Yu Yu Hakusho & Hikaru no Go. Along with a bunch of stuff I haven't reviewed. It's also set up as a sequel to a manga/anime originally from the 60s. I'll be up front, I haven't seen or read that one, so I won't know how well this one follows it. How does this one compare to Pierrot's other works? Well, let's have a look at it and see.

Story:

We open with a black and white scene of a group of ... identical sextuplets being told that they're getting a new anime after their long absence from the air. We'll ignore the fact that identical sextuplets make no sense since it is a comedy. From there, we get a bunch of stand along gag episodes, most of which have multiple segments of varying lengths & art styles that may or may not be related. The humour involves a lot of fourth wall breaking, a lot of zany hijinks and a lot of gags about how the sextuplets are generally terrible and life deservedly kicks them down.

Honestly, the humour doesn't always work. Most of the stuff prominently involving Dayon and/or Dekapan is just stupid. There's also some humour that's very much the puerile “we mentioned private parts” type. There are also some jokes where the set up is fine, but the pay off falls short.

That being said, the series does have a lot of really funny moments. Some with the sextuplets just having crazy hijinks and there are others that involve one shot gags about F6, girlmatsu or something else that might be called back to a few times but won't have any impact on anything and involves a shift from the regular content. Then again, most of the segments don't have an impact on any of the other segments. I will also credit this series for making me laugh at toilet humour twice. That's not something that happens often. I usually just roll my eyes at it.

Characters:

This isn't a series with complex characters. The characters are pretty basic, each one having some quirks. However, they do play off of each other pretty nicely and they're varied enough that there are a lot of comedic possibilities. So, for comedic purposes they work well.

Art:

The main art style is pretty simple, but there are a lot of things I appreciate about it. I like that the designs serve as a call back to the old series. At least they seem to based on screen shots I've seen. To reiterate, I haven't seen Osomatsu-kun. I also like that Pierrot makes the sextuplets distinct enough that you can easily tell which is which in a group shot, even when it's a group shot at the bath house and they aren't wearing colour-coded shirts. I will also credit the series for being quite good at visual gags. It really is a case of simplicity not being a bad thing.

Sound:

They did get some really talented actors for this. Ono Daisuke, Fukuyama Jun, Irino Miyu, Kamiya Hiroshi, Nakamura Yuuichi & Sakurai Takahiro voice the brothers. And, as a whole, the performances are pretty good. There are times when they get a bit exaggerated for my liking, but they are generally strong. The music was composed by Hashimoto Yukari. She's done a lot of music for series I've reviewed: Penguindrum, Yuri Kuma Arashi, the ending theme tune for Strike Witches, Upotte, & Toradora. As for her work here, it really suits the series. She does a great job.

Ho-yay:

There are a few jokes involving things looking homo-erotic or yaoi terms being used incorrectly, but that's basically the extent of it.

Final Thoughts:

So, that was Osomatsu-san. Honestly, I kind of enjoyed it. I wouldn't call it one of the best comedies I've seen, but it had plenty of funny moments and it kept me mostly entertained. As such, my final rating is going to be a 7/10. Next week will be this year's film festival week. It all starts on Sunday with Dragonball: Shenron no Densetsu.

Never knew I would love it this much. Osomatsu-san is clearly now one of my favorite anime. I already like a lot comedy anime but damn this one hits hard. I went from not knowing how to differentiate them to owning all 6 nendos and translating stuff. It’s an understatement to say I enjoyed it

Story
It is a comedy focused anime so of course the story is nothing too extra. It is more about how the jokes are written, and there are mostly all very well made. Speaking of writing, shout-out to the french translator for crunchyroll who made an amazing version, I was very impressed

Art
Fucking ... love it. I usually love retro styles remade to today’s standards but man this one is so good. The colors, the designs, the animation, everything is so pretty to look at it is astonishing.

Sound
Let’s talk about dubbing one sec, the Japanese cast is amazing. There are veterans and it shows. I don’t even know if with a different cast this anime would be as funny. The soundtracks fits very well the tone and damn the songs. All of them are good. Yes even the endings ! I never skipped an opening and same goes for the first ending, they are that catchy and I love them

Character
All of them are precious. I get that they are supposed to be scum and overall trash but why are they so likable ? I swear I like all of them (and some more than others) and I found them more endearing than so called good guys in other animes. They each have jokes and all of them are funny, I really can’t say anything bad since there isn’t anything bad to say, just 6 likable neet brothers

Enjoyment
Laughed to tears, no need to say more. I’m now stuck with this anime, bought the nendos, installed the mobile game, saw many live events, translated a drama, listened to a drama CD, plan to buy the psvita game and I can’t wait to see the two movies soon to be released

Overall
It is a fantastic anime with a cast of 6 people who joke around and don’t work, with potty humor, and it’s amazing.

This stole my life (and my heart)/10

Osomatsu-san, the best anime I’ve watched. I was entertained during every episode and I am currently waiting for arriving episodes for season two.

Story: 9
Story was great, things were all over the place and some episodes didn’t make much sense, but were still comedic. Only but a few episodes kind of connected, the rest were on different topics and themes. It’s basically just these sextuplets, who are unemployed and virgins. It’s a parody of the old show made in the 1900’s.

Art: 10
I love the simplistic old 1900’s artsyle, it’s differs from the nowaday highly detailed anime artsyle. It makes it easier for them to animate episodes, ... and they can get them out quick but still make them enjoying. The artstyle, to me, is just very pleasant to look at, and it’s easy to draw fanart in the style because of it.

Sound: 7
Sounds were decent, they at least fitted with the current scene of the anime. Punches, wind blowing, etc, overall, were all good. Screaming and Outbursts were on point on another level.

Characters: 10
Each character had good and bad personality traits, the designs made on the sextuplets made it easier to tell them apart than the first show. Because of Ichimatsu’s hunched back, messy hair and half closed eyes, Karamatsu’s amazing eyebrows, Todomatsu’s small mouth and larger pupils, Choromatsu’s smaller eyes, no cowlick and V shaped mouth, Jyushimatsu’s single cowlick and open mouth, and Osomatsu’s annoying grin. It’s easy to tell them apart. The side characters, such as Iyami, Hatabou, Dekapan, Totoko and Chibita, all have their old designs and personalities. Making them funny and unique.

Enjoyment: 10
The enjoyment in this anime was entertaining, comedic, heartwarming and more.
There were serious, funny and upsetting scenes in each episode, and it touches the heart, because some things in it are just very relatable. The actions of the characters make you feel different emotions. And some scenes are quite scary. Although, the faces shown on characters expressing emotion are hilarious.

Overall: 10
A really good anime and I really enjoyed it. I suggest people who like anime that has no sense but is still funny to watch it, I think you’ll enjoy it. This anime is my favourite.

My favorite anime of last year came down between five anime that I simply adored. Hibike Euphonium, Sore ga Seiyuu, Osomatsu-san, Non Non Biyori Repeat and Rolling Girls. And at the end of the day, my choice for best anime of 2015 was...Osomatsu-san. Now I know some technicalities make it so Osomatsu-san isn't a 2015 anime but anything that debuted before the end of the year is 2015 to me. So...what makes this anime so special? Well, let's take a look.

Story:
The story to Osomatsu-san is simple. It's six sextuplets who grew up into 20-something adults from their previous adaptation, Osomatsu-kun, and are now trying to ... survive into today's age of new technology and new surroundings. Though they don't seem to have a hard time since they're able to be the wacky insane children they were but in 20-something year old bodies. Overall, there's not much in this department other than sit back and enjoy.

Characters:
You have a TON of characters to explain in this show. First is the brothers. You have the somewhat "leader" Osomatsu, the cool and confident Karamatsu, the mature one Chronomatsu, the dark but has a soft spot Ichimatsu, the totally bonkers Jyushimatsu and the two-faced Todomatsu (the one I got from a Osomatsu-san quiz kek). Then you have the other side characters such as Iyami (Mr. Teeth), Chibita (the one who runs an Oden shop), DAYOOOOOOON, and even bratty characters like Totoko, the one who wants to become a fish idol but instead will take any attention she can get. All characters are given lively personalities and even though the main focus is the brothers, the side characters are not left out on purpose.

Why this anime is so great:
There ever comes a time when an anime makes you laugh, cry, be mad, laugh some more, go "what the **** just happened?" then laugh your butt off. That's Osomatsu-san. Each of the brothers make each other's lives a living hell but in the end it's all for the sake of a joke (ex. Osomatsu ruining Chronomatsu's chances of meeting his favorite singer or all six brothers being kidnapped by a parody of Jigsaw) and whether or not you find that joke hilarious or flat out meh is up to your taste. The side characters I mentioned also come in for the sake of a joke, whether it's Totoko messing with the feelings of the sextuplets or Iyami and Chibita getting into the rent-a-girlfriend business. In the end, all the characters make you feel at home when watching and you're always in for a good time no matter what episode you watch as the episodes do not carry over from one another. There will be some hit or miss jokes, but most of the time, the hits really hit and there are rarely any misses. I would relate this anime to be the male equivalent of Nichijou, without most of the japanese references and more about just living the life of a sextuplet. I really wish I could explain this anime more but it's really meant to be experienced instead of explained. It's the closest to a slice of life gone wacko that you'll get in today's comedies.

In the end, Osomatsu-san is a comedy that makes you laugh till you cry, makes you feel things you never thought you could feel, and makes you want to cheer for one brother over the other even if all six have great qualities. There RARELY comes an anime that can make it into my top 25 anime of all time while only being on japanese airwaves for less than a year. THAT is the power of Osomatsu-san.

Jebus Matoi gives "Osomatsu-san" a solid 4.5 SHEEEEEEEEEH's out of 5.

Short Review Summary:
- a few hidden gems in a mostly unfunny show
- great performances by voice actors
- nothing special or great about art or animation
- very hit and miss

I feel like I can’t give a proper review of this show because it was a skit comedy show, and with comedy, everything was a hit and miss. With this show, there were many hidden gems, but I am not sure whether one would find it worth it to go through the entire show for those few moments. There were a few parts where I was laughing my head off, but most of the time, the humour ... fell flat.

One episode that stood out to me was the second part of episode 9. That episode was one of the best out of the whole show. It had the spectacular mix of comedy and seriousness which is not usually seen since it’s a self-proclaimed “gag” anime. Unlike its other episodes, it had a good story in mind going in and really stuck to it quite well.

In terms of score, I didn’t like it. In terms of animation and art, it was original, but by no means is that always a good thing. I will add that the voice actors (in the Japanese dub anyway) were amazing. Many of these people were professional top-tier voice actors, so I guess it was to be expected, but their performances truly made the show. Like a comedian with their jokes, I feel like if it was done by anyone else, it would’ve fallen flat. It was quite funny seeing voice actors who can sometimes take on opposite types of roles settling down for a show like this.

Osomatsu-san is an anime that captures Humour and Slice Of Life really well. I always find myself crying in laughter at least once when I watch this show. It has a good balance between a proper story and progression alongside the skits in each episode as there are references and such used from episodes previous. It also has characters that are so low that it comes around to be really funny. Once you start this anime, it will strap you in and you will get addicted.

The humour is so hilarious at times that I catch myself laughing even after watching it. This is of course ... my personal taste as I like most internet memes or gags. Honestly though, each skit is so different from the last that you will find at least something that will make you laugh.

Even though this show is made up of skits, there is progression and emotional scenes. References are used from past episodes to form character personalities ((Choromatsu pfft)) and such. Also there are some skits that will make you empathise for the characters giving you a bit of everything.

Everyone in the show is sh**ty. I don't mean that in a bad way though. They are the bottom of society and seeing them try to up themselves but failing in the worst way possible is what makes them all so low. You grow to love them though. It's impossible not to!

Although not everyone will enjoy Osomatsu-san, I honestly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a laugh. You will feel happy, sad and even angry throughout the whole anime giving you feels from all over the place. Even the characters will have you wanting to see more to see what they have to say. If you give this anime a chance, I assure you that you will want to watch it till the end. Trust me, it really is a gem that is shining as bright as I say it is!

CONTAINS SLIGHT SPOILERS

Sometime around early September last year, I had gone through the seasonal anime chart. You know, the one that shows all the upcoming movies. Yeah, that chart.

As I kept giving quick looks to the various titles on display, a certain one had caught my eye. Yes, that anime was Osomatsu-san. What with it’s art style and rather eccentric color palette that screamed everything but modern Japanese animation, I was instantly captured.

Well, even though I was caught, I still didn’t watch the show until 2 days ago. The reason for that was, well, it’s a rule of mine to not watch or read something ... that it still ongoing. So, seeing as I hadn’t watched any anime in a while and was really hungering for a gag show, naturally, I instantly remembered Osomatsu-san.

And I watched it. And I just finished it. So, here’s a review.

Osomatsu-san was released in the Fall of 2015. This is not an original anime. It’s a reboot (of sorts) of a very old popular manga (1960s) by Fujio Akatsuka. I don’t know who convinced the higher-ups of Studio Pierrot to make this but, thank God they did because as peculiar and absurd as this show is, I liked it. I liked it a lot.

The basic premise is that the Matsuno sextuplets and numerous other characters of Akatsuka-sensei’s work have grown up into their 20s and it’s about their lives. The catch is that they aren’t as innocent as they were in Akatsuka’s manga (in which they were kids). And so, we have 6 sextuplets – namely Osomatsu, Karamatsu, Todomatsu, Ichimatsu, Chorofappyski, and Jyushimatsu – who are at the bottom of society. They have no jobs, haven’t gone to college, are virgins, still live with their parents, and are pretty damn evil as it becomes apparent as the show continues.

Osomatsu is the eldest of the sextuplets. He also the most normal. Karamatsu is one of those ‘super kool’ leather jacket wearing womanizer wannabes who you can’t help but pity. Todomatsu is the cute yet utterly vile youngest brother. Ichimatsu is what you get when cross a serial killer and a cowardly bishi together with a pinch of cat hair. Chorofappyski’s name pretty much says it all. And Jyushimatsu… let’s not go there. There really is no good way to describe him. What I will say is that he is my favorite of the brothers.

The supporting cast is really diverse as well. Firstly there’s Iyami the con artist, Chibita the oden-otaku, and Totoko-chan the average American cheerleader sort. Hatabou, Dayon, and the semi-nude fat guy serve mostly as gag pushers but at times they can really shine (like in the Great Race episode).

To be honest, most of the gags in Osomatsu-san were some of the dumbest things I’ve seen in recent history but, boy, did I sensibly chuckle at them. As stupid as they were, they were largely returning and continuously build upon each other in subsequent episodes as you watch the show.

If you’re going to watch the show then I will tell you that it is certainly not for kids. Don’t let the character designs fool you – this is not a shitty Doraemon type show. Quite a lot of the gags are rather vulgar. Taking a dump in public in anger and shoving your naked ass in an interviewer’s face are recurring gags. Now you know what to expect: a tame Japanese South Park.

What really annoyed me at first was that I couldn’t tell which brother was which and they pretty much sounded the same. As the show went on, I learnt how to distinguish between them and I somehow felt a sense of achievement. Also, some of the skits were just so left-field that I could only say, “Hwat?” There was a skit about the a post-apocalyptic world devoid of moisture with mankind killing each other for skin lotion. Yep. Points for creativity, I guess.

The voice acting was really good. You could really feel the Seiyuus putting their all into the ‘Sheeh’s. The background music and the Ending and Opening songs were pretty abysmal for me. I couldn’t even bear to listen to the Endings and Openings the first. Though, the music may have been bad, the visuals were not. At least they were weirdly fun to watch due to the fact that they were vastly different from most anime Openings and Endings. Check out the link below to see what I’m talking about.

Anyways, overall, I really enjoyed the show. Even if you’re not a fan of gag anime, you should still give Osomatsu-san a try. It’s the perfect show to binge with a drink after coming home tired from work. Or if you’re a NEET – after waking up at 5 PM and deciding not to cry about how shit your life is. The Matsuno brothers have it worse than you. Trust me.

I give Osomatsu-san an 8 out 10.

What happens when you make 6 lookalike sextuplets that are utter vermins of society (Lazy ass NEETs), place them into a batsh*t insane world, complete with highly contrasting personalities of the 6 thirsty dudes and entertaining as hell side characters? You get Osomatsu-San, A celebration of the late mangaka Fujio Akatsuka, It definitely lives up to the legacy of the apparently Really popular anime of the 80s, and I am definitely sure Akatsuka-san will be really proud of studio Pierrot, the studio known for ninjas in orange jumpsuits getting a prostate exam from their teachers. (a neverending series....)

Characters are easily recognizable, even though the ... brothers look alike, they are very easy to tell who is who.
Osomatsu: Selfish bastard who has a bad gambling problem and no logical sense whatsoever
Karamatsu: As painful as a bullet ant sting, but all the fans love him...
Choromatsu: Acts like a sensible guy, he is actually a "Salad Tosser" and a REALLY thirsty guy.
Ichimatsu: Emo, Cat fetish, Lonely, Depressed, Probably Suicidal.
Jyushimatsu: Smiling Emoji, Hustle Muscle, Weird all around, Hyper.
Todomatsu: Totty, Probably Gay, Girly, Two faced, Legendary Face in episode 7.
Totoko: Arrogant, Pompous, A general b*tch and has mike tyson's Body blow.
Iyami: SHEEEEEEEEEEEEH, Lives under a bridge after an "incident", Very entertaining, Miserable.
Dekapan: Dasu. Invents the most RANDOM of SH*TS
Dayon: DAYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON. Fus ro dah in a nutshell
Chibita: Oden Fetish, Secret of the Sticks, Very short in stature and in temper.
Hatabou: Flag Enthusiast, Shoved a giant spiked pole with a flag on the sextuplets.
Hirijisawa Shonosuke: Best Character in anime.


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The south park of japan, Vulgar with a mixture of fantastic dark humor and sexual jokes, Fun characters, Good animation (Especially in episode 18)
A "Story" that..... Actually got sad really fast. (Nearly cried, The problem was just so real, not fitting of the insanity of the series and how heartbreaking it was in general, ep 9 is also went from 0-100.
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It was not too popular in other parts of the world, but this in Japan... SURPASSED BLOODY ONE PUNCH MAN! This anime is a must watch for those who enjoy clever crude humour and dark and dry jokes about vermins doing sh*t and sabotaging each other (the brothers), A fantastic comedy, Watch it, but beware of the uhhhh Female community.......

Whether or not you are familiar with the original source material, Osomatsu-san is a fantastic cavalcade of comedy that anyone can watch.

The original story (titled Osomatsu-kun) is similar to this reboot, but more simplified and more family-oriented. Here, it's set where our main characters (a set of sextuplets) are grown-up and doing adult things. If you ignore what it originally was about and not think of this as a new adaptation, it still works in its own way. There isn't any overarching story to it, as most episodes have smaller segments within. However, as the series progresses, there are references of things from past episodes. ... Think of this kind of like a sketch comedy, but also with some real emotional moments.

I believe the characters are what make the show so great. I tried to get a look into the earlier iterations of the series (manga, various anime), and while I didn't find too much (difficult to find) what I did find was interesting. The sextuplets in their original state, all looked identical (obviously), but their personalities were almost the same. With this new show, all six have their own individual personalities, and are even distinguishable (though it took me a few episodes to fully do so). The side characters, who are regulars of the original series, are also pretty entertaining. While having some characteristics that are new to the reboot, there are still those that what make them their character (physical appearance, speech quirks, catchphrases, etc.).

The animation is quite pretty to look at, and it's what initially caught my eye when hearing of this show. It's very colorful and compliments the outrageous things that happen.

Before deciding to watch this series, I was skeptical having not read the manga or seen previous anime adaptations. However, upon watching (which I am glad I did), I concluded that you don't necessarily have to be familiar with the older material, as it's easy to figure out the elements that made the original (character quirks and the like). As a comedy, it's great. There is never a dull moment (save for the few cases of drama), and I always looked forward to seeing each episode.

Osomatsu-san is a sequel to an older show from the 60s and 80s about sextuplets who still live with their parents at the rip age of 20(give or take). I originally was put off by this series, as I assume others were as well, as the art style was outdated in my mind, but I had heard some good opinions about it.
After watching the first episode, which sadly isn't available legally now, I saw the potential in such a show. Now, the first episode may not be available, but there were plenty more gags and jokes to come as the series progressed. Now I should ... probably get to my actual review.

Story: 9
I admit, the story sounds a bit lack luster. Just some NEET brothers all trying to survive and get on their own two feet. There are shows that cover similar premises and would be a lot "easier" to watch because you won't confuse one identical brother to another. However, the way all the characters interact in situations makes it funny. The similar characters allow gags other shows could never do with easily distinguishable characters.

Art: 9
As I stated previously, I thought the art style was outdated and honestly turned me away from the show. It looked almost unpolished, but I was completely wrong. This show has a more simplistic art style, and that's what is amazing about it. It is a way for a hilarious joke buildup or punchlines that shows with more details and design wouldn't be able to do. My favorite skit in the entire show revolves around this sort of humor. coughTottycough

Sound: 7
The sound admittedly is pretty forgetful. There are only a few soundtracks that come to mind, mostly Karamatsu's whistle track and the opening and endings. But those that do stick are extremely catchy and fun to listen to. I'd be lying if I said I haven't listened to the 2nd opening more than any other anime opening. Now while the OST of the anime is lackluster, the following category makes up for that.

Characters: 10
This is where the show truly shows its beauty. The six brothers all look identical in the previous shows, only differing in slight voice changes. Osomatsu-san may seem the same at first, but you'll soon notice the differences. Each matsu is slightly different than the others. Jyushimatsu always has a smile on his face, while Karamatsu has the eyebrows of a god. They all look different, and that isn't where it ends. Each brother is unique personality wise as well. You get the obnoxious Osomatsu, painful Karamatsu, nerdy Choromatsu, slightly sadistic Ichimatsu, happy Jyushimatsu, and cutesy Todomatsu, and that isn't even scratching the surface on these brothers plus the side characters that are just about as interesting as the brothers. They all have their quirks and downfalls, but that's what makes everything better. And if that isn't enough to convince you, the cherry on top are the seiyuus of the brothers with fan favorites such as Takahiro Sakurai, Daisuke Ono, and Kamiya Hiroshi just to name a few!

Enjoyment: 10
Overall, this is one of my favorite anime of all time. Sure some jokes would fall flat, but all comedy anime will have those moments. It's the moments that make me laugh out loud in the middle of class or make you cry during the emotional episodes that truly makes this anime amazing. So if you haven't watched this show already, what are you waiting for?! Season 2 is coming in only a few months and you can get on this crazy hype train with the rest of us! You might only slightly regret it

Comedy. A notoriously difficult genre to approach, mainly because of its notoriety as a ridiculously subjective area. Sure, to an extent everything is subjective- whether an art style is appealing (also relevent with Osomatsu), whether something is "scary" and what "good" even is. But comedy is especially difficult. Making people cry with laughter is quite the task, and when you've directed an anime like Gintama- renowned for its comedic content- then the task becomes even more difficult because there are certain expectations. If comedy is intended to be the driving force- the "story" itself- then it better measure up or the entire thing will just ... flop.

Osomatsu-san is a funny little series because I'm still not sure whether it worked all that well comedically. I didn't drop it so I can say I found it entertaining, but I was never keeling over with laughter at any of its comedy. In fact, I found the shenanigans of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure and Hajime no Ippo- series that can have comedic undertones- to have much more hilaroty than Osomatsu-san.

So why did I watch until the end and why do I like the series so much, despite a lot of its comedy (the focal point) flying over my head? Honestly, it's because Osomatsu-san isn't so much funny as it is strange. Even as I'm writing this, I am still in  awe of its strangeness because I've never seen an anime quite like it. It made me curious and was honestly a bit of a shock, but being out of my comfort zone was both a pro and a con. It felt fresh and stylistic to an extent, but at the same time it didn't feel like the "anime" I've grown to know and love...and this segways in to the elephant in the room.

The art.

It's not for everyone...the typical anime watcher, and those like myself who are not fond of Western animation might find it difficult to get used to it. It's stylistic to the point that it has barely any typically "anime" characteristics aside from the decidely more "modern" anime-esque Idol segments of the series. I'd describe it as a mish mesh between South Park, Powerpuff Girls, Family Guy and maybe Astro Boy. Original? Definitely. But originality doesn't always equal good in my books. Kudos for having the guts to make such a bold choice though, and a great way to pay tribute to the late creator of "Osomatsu-kun", which this anime is a re-imagining of.

Anyway, enough of the art.
The main characters themselves- the virginal 20-something NEETs that are the Matsuno sextuplets are what make this anime really shine. How many anime do you know that have six brothers with the same face as the protagonists? Exactly. It's great and these guys' personalities play off of each other so well. In fact, their individual personalities are so well pronounced, that it doesn't even matter that they all look the same, and that's quite an achievement. These guys are all pretty awful, conceited and lazy- but lovable jerks.

The same can't be said about the rest of the cast though, who come off as much more contrived and annoying with their clearly outdated catchphrases and skits.

I get that they're trying to pay homage to the original creation, "Osomatsu-kun" , but the age can be really felt with these mickey mouse-ish  and gimmicky side characters. Iyami is one such character, who screams out "sheehhh!" everytime anything happens. And that's it. The extent of his comedy. Am I supposed to find that funny? I didn't. The main characters got an upgrade, but the side ones didn't and remain largely stuck in the Showa era of their predecessor.

See, the anime thrives when the Matsuno brothers interact with each other, or when they interact with the outside world...so when the anime steers away from that, it becomes stale and its gags don't translate well. However, most of the time the anime seems to understand that fact because what Osomatsu-san undoubtedly has is self-awareness; its fourth wall breaks are definitely entertaining...it also parodies everything which did make me laugh at times. Idol anime, Hana Yori Dango, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Attack on Titan and Kuroko no Basket to name a few. Nothing is safe. Not even Obama.

Sound-wise we have an all-star cast fronting the series (which is sure to draw in all the VA fanatics). Hiroshi Kamiya, Daisuke Ono, Yuuichi Nakamura, Jun Fukuyama and  Takahiro Sakurai are VAs many are familiar with and they do a stellar job here. They even sing the ED songs, which are both adorable and damn catchy. The OPs are pretty standard though, being somewhat less memorable although I guess that's a matter of taste.

Overall though, I really enjoyed Osomatsu-san, even when taking into consideration its flaws. There's a charm about it that's almost infectious, and I would definitely enjoy a sequel. It's the sort of anime that - if the cards are played well- can only improve as time goes on, and if popular enough I could easily see it working well as a long-running series. The ending felt far too abrupt and I wanted more content, because the possibilities really are endless with this one.

It's unbelievable how Osomatsu-San is this much underrated. I guess it's like this in the West, because from the looks of the cast, collaborations and sequels, it is some kind of a franchise in Japan.

It might have become a franchise, but the first season is definitely a passion project. It's obvious, they love the original work and put so much thought on every detail of the script and designs for the successor. I can't remember how many times I thought "that is genius" or laughed out screaming or smacked my knees.

It resembles Nichijou in terms of structure and absurdity. But I must say that ... I dropped that one, and Osomatsu-San is way more vulgar than CGDCT. It resembles Gintama in that aspect and with the 4th wall issues, but Osomatsu-san also saves us from cringe emotional moments of Gintama.

There will come some unbearable noisy moments and running gags, but never cliche and always wacky. After seeing production team's love for the original, I will definitely take a look at 60s and 80s series as well.

Give Osomatsu a chance if you're reaally into comedy, it will broaden your taste spectrum.