Ranked #4229

Me gumi no Daigo: Kajiba no Baka Yarou

I found this passably entertaining, but a few things didn't work for me:

It's a highly dramatic bit of animation that really seems to be emulating the live-action blockbuster hero action movies of the time. Slow-motion scenes, hyper dramatic soundtrack, a weepy love-interest, and loads of shouting.
There is even an antagonist for the hero to win over: a scruffy self-righteous reporter who has impeccable timing for showing up when there is fire-related action. Oh, and he's very concerned about damage to taxpayer property.

What makes the above not work is that there is no rising tension to make the final vindication of our hero resonate with the viewer. It's like watching something like Backdraft, from starting it at 40 minutes before the end of the film. You'd be able to get the basic idea, and enjoy the acting and drama, but the climax would be flat, since you would have nothing emotional invested in any of the characters.

Apparently that's where the original manga story would come in. It's been licensed, so perhaps I'll be able to read the 20 volumes at some point. I imagine it would be a good story.

Final:
The way the final scene begins is a completely ridiculous contrivance, but perhaps it made sense in the manga, if it was in the original story at all. I half-hoped Daigo-kun would have just shouted at the fire until it withered under his never-say-die enthusiam. read more