Abashiri Ikka

Not too long ago, I decided to look for some interesting anime by going from url number to url number. Today's subject has the url number 305, so it was one of the first thousand added to this site. Now, the score is 5.53, so I wasn't expecting anything marvelous, but do we at least get some trashy fun? Let's find out!

Abashiri Ikka, better known as the Abashiri Family, struck me as Kill la Kill before there was Kill la Kill. Let's tick off the boxes. Tough-as-nails girl fighting with the concepts of feminity/masculinity? Check. A school that's more like a dungeon run by psychopaths? ... Check. Over-the-top action? Check. A bubbly and incompetent roommate/sidekick? Check. Ecchi stuff? Check. Animation that constantly switches between serious and comical? Check. Enough plot turns to cause you neck pains? Check.

Now if this sounds like barrel of fun to you, I'd recommend looking into it.

The story is pretty dumb and the morality is undeniably black-and-white. Every character, Kikunosuke notwithstanding, is either completely stupid, completely evil or dies before you get a chance to figure out. For example, the faculty that run the school are all cannibals/rapists/murderers. Yup, that's definitely nuanced and complex. As for Kikunosuke's aforementioned roommate, she doesn't do much besides provide support for Kikunosuke in this dark time and get kidnapped.

The art, as I've mentioned, shifts from serious to comical. However, seeing how this was inspired by a Go Nagai manga, I can't speak ill of it too much.

All in all, I felt the 5.53 score is more or less accurate for this anime. It's not going to make you think about life, it won't leave you with much to reflect on, but you'll get some thrills. You're probably not going to remember it after the fact, but it's a popcorn flick when it lasts.

It's certainly better than Dark Cat, I can tell you that.

This is such a classic XD it's known for its over-the-top characters and humorous take on the criminal lifestyle. Basically a parody of crime dramas. The series is characterized by its comedic tone and exaggerated character designs, typical of Go Nagai's work :D
The humor often stems from the absurd situations that the family finds themselves in and their interactions with other eccentric characters. If we compare this to other stories of this genre it is pretty niche, but totally worth if you watch it with the expectations of watching a good parody :)
This unknown series has left a mark on the anime landscape without ... people noticing, and it's remembered as one of Go Nagai's early works which not all people pays attention to. Its influence can be seen in later anime that blend action, comedy, and unconventional storytelling.
Big respect.