Gyakuten Sekai no Denchi Shoujo

On paper, Fall 2021 is a stacked season if you enjoy original shows with cool action, robots and unique art styles - but then you actually watch them. You dig through the likes of Sakugan, takt.op, AMAIM, Muvluv and Ranking of Kings, desperately hoping they live up to their promotional materials. And then of course, none of them do (except for Kings, watch Kings). AMAIM is boring, takt.op is a cheap mobage ad, Sakugan is ~aight~ and Muvluv is about as good as its source material.

So you quadruple check anichart for anything else to watch and you stumble upon "denchi goober gakku saigo shoujo desu" ... or whatever word salad MAL has this series listed as, and your eyes snap open, and you realize that this show delivers where multiple of the above failed.

Let's dive into RUMBLE GARANNDOLL - this show's actual name.

Rarely do you see a series that's so lovingly crafted and fun to watch, yet so completely under the radar and underrated to match. And not only that, it has numerous aspects of other, more popular Fall anime, but does each and every one of them better.

You want a robot war show about a divided Japan? Fuck AMAIM, watch Rumble.

You want an action series about a dysfunctional duo working together in a post-apocalyptic future? Fuck takt.op, watch Rumble.

You want a wholly original property with fun characters and world design? Fuck Sakugan, watch Rumble. (But also still probs watch sakugan it's ok)

You want a show that feels like it's a VN/game adaptation (but isn't!!)? fuck takt.op again, and also Muvluv. Watch Rumble.

You just want a good, energetic super robot show for the first time in years(besides Dynazenon)? Watch Rumble.

Do you want to see what Franxx would've been like if it weren't a fucking embarrassment? Watch Rumble.

At this point it's no secret that I'm a big fan of Rumble Garanndoll, the show that has two N's in its name just to look like Gurren Lagann. It could be because it fits my tastes like a glove, it could be because it's directly competing with similar-but-mediocre shows. Or it could be because it's actually a pretty darned good show. Probably a bit of all three.

THE STORY

Rummby Garanndy draws a fine line between outright parody and earnest story. This is by design. The series takes place in a ruined Japan that is sharply divided between two factions: Fantasy and Truth - with the Fantasy army being based in Akihabara and run by cosplaying nerds, fighting against the militaristic and overly serious Truth army based out of Odaiba (who are also honestly a bunch of nerds). I'm not making this up. Our main character, who is an in-debt goober working at a Host club (like a brothel, but for girls who just want handsome guys to fake-enjoy talking to them), gets swept up in this conflict and now has to reconcile his extreme cynicism and fight on the side of Fantasy.

He ends up paired with an extreme tokusatsu (Kamen Rider) fanatic, and they pilot a robot together. The catch? The robot is powered by his partner's passion, and its his job to keep her energy up. To do that, our main boy has to stop being such a wet blanket who thinks "waa this is so dumb and corny."

There are some obvious themes here, and the series very much knows what it's doing. It's a show about liking what you like, and being proud if it. Being happy about it. Relearning that passion you had as a kid, when you weren't an wageslave who guzzles down isekai shows and booze in your free time. Yeah, you.

It's got some real heart to it.

THE CHARACTERS

Grand Rambo's cast is a stand-out of the year. Everyone is fun and cool. Everyone's designs are cool.

HOSOMICHI: Works as a glorified male stripper. He has crushing debt and two personalities - one where he takes his glasses off and turns into a disingenuous faker bishounen, and glasses-on - his true self who is very cynical. Will he reconcile what was probably a disappointing childhood?
HOSOMICHI'S YAKUZA WHO WILL KILL HIM IF HE DOESN'T PAY UP: Playing the role of Hoso's only "friend" on this earth, is this guy. He loves money and pushes our boy into being a robot pilot because it pays well, so he can be paid. Will he come to value Hoso as an actual friend, or sell him down the river?

RIN: Hoso's first partner and my wife. A total fan of heroes and robots. Her entire goal in life is to rediscover a boxset of her favorite show, content that's disappeared ever since the world got blowed up. Her energy is unmatched. Will she help pry the stick out of Hoso's ass?
YUKI: Hoso's second partner and Japan's ~ final idol ~. Unlike Rin who wears her heart on her sleeve, Yuki has two personalities just like our MC - One the cute rabbit idol girl, the other a savvy, angry businesswoman.

THE FANTASYBROS: The rest of the heroes' organization is fun too, but I'm tired of typing. There are no "blank npc" characters in this series - if they have a speaking line, they have a design and a memorable personality.

THE TRUTHERS: There's a squad of four Truth Army generals who battle our heroes - as noted above they're all very fun because every character is fun. Ninja girl. Army wife. Etc. These characters honestly barely seem "evil" in the traditional sense, so one has to wonder if there will be a mid-season team up.

THE AUDIOVISUALS

Rumpus Gumpus is a very nice-looking show that actually blends its CG mecha and 2D characters extremely well. It's amazing what happens when your staff knows what they're doing. The robots are all rendered in a chibi style with big heads and all, which may be off-putting to some at a glance, but it fits the tongue-in-cheek nature of the series.

The character designs are detailed and colorful. Unlike say, Pride of Orange, you won't ever being confusing the characters for one another. Everyone has unique silhouettes and color pallets, even the characters who are dressed identically - almost like the artists on the show know their fundamentals or something. Also the girls are cute and a cut above most anime so you would think degens would love this show.

The action has been executed well, if sparsely, and it's paired with the moment-by-moment animation actually being good and fun to watch. Unlike a show like takt.op which goes from "characters with NPC designs standing still on screen flapping their mouths" to "4K 60fps laser lightshow", this Rumble is actually enjoyable at all time with smart direction, scene composition, cuts, etc.

The opening is a fuckin bop. The insert music is great. It has eyecatches before the commercial break. It does the Transformers/GI Joe thing there the armies' logos appear on screen and do a flippy to change scenes. Sometimes it omits the OP or ED to fit more content into the episode itself. It's a work of love.

OVERALL

I love it. I love this show, because I love shows that feel like they're made by people who give a shit, have something to say, and actually enjoy what they're making. You get that from Rumble. Every episode is presented to you by people who love what they made, who want you to see it.

I don’t write very many reviews, as most of the time I feel like other people can convey my feelings about a work better, or my opinion on a show is similar enough to the masses that it’s an unnecessary effort. HOWEVER, that is not the case with Gyakuten Sekai no Denchi Shoujo, also known as Rumble Garanndoll. This show is honestly so much god damn fun, one of my favorites of 2021, and I just can’t understand how other people don’t see it (aggregate score reflects that). Also, this won’t be some long, drawn-out review to breakdown the "quality" of the story, sound-direction, and ... animation because if that's what you're looking for, then you're already approaching the show wrong.

THE STORY:

First things first, Garanndoll is not just some generic Mecha/Comedy as the tags make it appear, but rather it’s effectively a parody anime, particularly of the Mecha genre, and somehow so many people fail to recognize that. The entire premise of the show is damn hilarious as it’s literally about an organization, called the True Army, seizing power and using Mechs and WWII-esque propaganda to suppress the predominant problem plaguing Japanese society…Otaku culture (Games, Anime, Idols, etc.). Meanwhile, our “heroes” are members of a rebel group, called Arahabaki, trying to fight back against the True Army and reclaim what was lost before the True Army took control. Considering the meme plot of suppressing Otaku Culture, it shouldn’t shock anybody that the main geographic location of our story is Otaku central, aka Akihabara, Japan.

THE CHARACTERS:

The characters in Garanndall are all "uniquely generic" and super fun in their own ways. They all play out stupid/common tropes and yet they are unique and add nothing but enjoyment to the series! For example, all the three main villains (Outside of Akatsuki) are classic waifu cliches for female characters, being the princess, the ninja, and the stern military general. And then we have our “heroes” which are (1) Hosomichi -who is basically Shinji Ikari since he was scarred by his relationship with his father but still has to get in the damn robot; (2) Rin - a Mecha weeb whose goal is recover a boxset of her favorite discontinued anime; (3) Yuki - an Idol who just wants to continue Japanese Idol culture and; (4) Misa - a shut-in who loves to play fighting games. Not only that, but the leaders of Arahabaki, the rebel group which our heroes support, are just as "dumb" - (1) Balzac – A guy who just wants to be Kamina (Watch Gurren Lagann); (2) Mimi – the tech wiz who is legitimately just a cosplayer and; (3) Tanaka-san - A loli with seemingly endless resources and some mystic aura (because why not?). Like seriously guys, these characters are all just funny and if you don’t see it, you’re completely missing the point.

THE MECHS:

The mechs in this show are just hilarious and it just fits so perfectly. At first, I too took the show seriously, and was like “are you being serious with these dumb designs right now?!” only to realize that I was the one being dumb. The goofy aesthetic of the Mechs, both on the True Army and Arahabaki sides, all perfectly fits the over-the-top nature and overall theme of the show. Not to mention that the fights aren’t even that bad, especially when you factor in how hilarious the Mech transformations are (See Misa Kotatsu fight).

THE MUSIC

The OP is a banger, that is all you need to know.

In summary, Garanndoll Rumble is absolutely ridiculous and it’s easily one of the most fun shows I’ve seen in a long time, especially as a long-time participant of general Otaku culture. I don’t want to come off as “elitist,” but I legitimately believe that one’s enjoyment of Garanndoll will increase with not only of anime you have watched prior, but also your own personal connection to things that fall under the “Otaku” umbrella. It’s sad to see something I love this much be so misunderstood, and received so “poorly” as a result, but I do think this show is absolutely worth a watch for any anime fan.

Over the many years of watching anime, I pretty much have a standard of knowing what to expect for shows, even more so for originals, where ideas can get so ridiculous and even thought-provoking at times if it chooses to do so. At least for Gyakuten Sekai no Denchi Shoujo a.k.a Rumble Garanndoll, I can respect the concept that came forth from this original expedition by famed studio Lerche director Masaomi Andou, but in all honestly, this was far from being original, was a chore to go through, and is pretty tame as a derivative of something that's already done the same, but superior in ... every way.

Gyakuten Sekai no Denchi Shoujo a.k.a Rumble Garanndoll is the story premise concept about a "what if" situation if in the modern day (before the crossing of <Emperor name> years), Japan's entertainment epicenter Akihabara gets purged by government officials declaring that "Otakudom is dead", and leaving it irately desolated of what made it popular in the first place, only for the same Otakudom to declare war and fight for their rights to be free from oppression. If you're wondering why I'd label this Otaku project as being unoriginal, there is a source material that I feel has done this concept a lot more better, and the oldies will know it best: Winter 2017's Akiba's Trip. The same premise of protecting the core town of Akihabara from evil beings in their know-how with the exact kind of ludicrious humour that depending on the viewer, is able to evoke enjoyment or disappointment. IMO only except that the former is Akiba's Trip if it went all mecha-like, and compared to how I really love the latter because it doesn't take itself seriously while being very entertaining and simultaneously a love letter to Akihabara, I can't say the same for this show, which other than the mecha aspect being so overused these days, sounds good on paper while having some questionable execution choices from start to finish.

The knife cuts the wound even deeper because Makoto Uezu is the person responsible for the overall composition of this show, and no doubt most of his work are good (stemming from recent works and series like KonoSuba and Yuuki Yuuna to name a few). But bear in mind that this is the same person whom helmed series like Seikon no Qwaser and the infamous School Days, so take it as you will.

I'd think the BIG problem with this show lies with the characters. Their motivations are all heartfelt because they genuinely love the Otaku roots, and want to rebel against the government (which is the True Army) to protect their "motherland" of post-decimated Akihabara (known to them as Arahabaki, as if it's no longer a tongue-twister already). That in and of itself isn't wrong, but the main problem is putting characters on a pedestal and labelling them as such: the Denchi Shoujo a.k.a Battery Girls when stripped of the plot mecha armor, become simplistic characters that play the significant role of just like any other person fighting for the same goal. The Arahabaki Otaku military that's led by its acting Commander Balzac Yamada, even with VA Tomokazu Sugita, is only as best as an unsuccessful attempt at replicating how Gintoki would react if he was Isekai-ed to a fantasy world such as this. At least Akio Watanabe's character designs are pretty good.

Even more begrudgingly and frustrating to watch, is the MC himself: Hosomichi Kudou. Being someone who lives a carefree life without any issue or worry, it's only apt that with his buddy that is Munekata follow him throughout the progression, only to be forced into this contraption when he least expected it. I'd thought that he's gonna take this experience and help out the Arahabaki people (because he wants to get out of it as well), but nope. Since he's the central character to help "Power Up" the Battery Girls and their sense of motivation, this is akin to what I can refer to as the worst of the Otakudom: toxic behaviour, where both you and I just rub each other the wrong way until we come to a consensus, like it or not. I don't really expect much from Hosomichi in the first place from the beginning because he's just learning to accept his inclusion into an entirely forced premise, but man, did the progression ever made that "drama" more forced to watch until it becomes totally ingrained and impliedly pulled along with the plot's narrative. Serious or not, I'd at least expect the MC to at least have some backbone or a ground that he can stand on, but nope, Hosomichi is a pessimist through and through, somebody whom I can relate to as not to give flying effs about what is happening around him.

Studio Lerche can do absolutely no wrong when it comes to production of even their most insane creative ideas, and I can wholly trust director Masaomi Andou to know what he and his staff team are doing for this show. From absurd expressions to the actual mecha battles, it feels like a polished production (except for the occasional background production issues) that anyone can pick up and enjoy. For the most part, this is fine and I have no issues whatsoever if this project is yet another passion work to do something different for once.

Sound direction is kinda hit-and-miss, but that's also depending if you take this show seriously or not (which I know that most of you would do the latter). It's certainly wacky and full of charm embellished of the Otakudom, and it does that pretty well. Even this trickles down to the OST of Mia REGINA's OP and Aina Suzuki's ED, which I'd like to believe, also holds a prominent foreshadowing of the entire series overall. The OP "Fever Dreamer" evokes all of the vigor of the intensity of Otakudom support and sounds like a banger, while the ED "Reverse-Rebirth" tells the overarching story of MC Hosomichi, whom was someone like them but regressed because of his upbringing. IMO, the OP is so repetitive and feels like an utter reject of song ideas compiled together that makes it unsatisfying to listen to, but the ED is such a stark comparison that only Aina Suzuki's angelic voice really made it for me, I'd say that this was one of the low-key better EDs to come out of the Fall season.

Alas, as much as I want to "turn off my brain" and enjoy this show like any other easy-going person would, it just had ideas and concepts intriguing for a parody of themes done before, that all while managing to pull off decently, the payoff...just doesn't exist. I didn't come into this with any expectation whatsoever, and still found it to be very mid. You're free to disagree though, because Gyakuten Sekai no Denchi Shoujo is a show that disappeared just as fast as it came, only left to be forgotten as a minor footnote in people's career list.

Definatley an underrated gem of the season.

.Apart from the CGI battles and prolonged 2nd half due to budget restraints., a lot in what happens in this show stand out from most anime and manga nowadays.

1)A lead thats actually complex and interesting
He isnt some blant self insert gary stu.He doesnt cry or whine a lot to be relatable.He is playboy otaku that can plausibly flirt with girls in real life at the same time is cynical due to being trapped in the reality of his situation.These two sides of him come into play often.

2)Villans with purpose
A lot of anime and manga have villans that are ... just evil for the sake of it or don't fit with the rest of the story.Here the villans are anti fun conformists vs the passionate half,giving the fight a personal stake and a reason for the audience a reason to care.

3)The harem
They are not just his trophy harem,their passions power the robot and the main character has to help them reslove their issues.Each passion has thematic weight and about the idea of facing reality. So for each girl you get meaningful character arcs.

4)Nothing feels wasted
The show doesnt waste your time, every scene serves the story and moves it along.No unecessarily overused fanservice and downtime.


5)The visuals
I like how the feelings of the girls are expressed in the grandoll with a grand visual montage making you really invested in the background.For a lot of anime the background are merely a means for something to happen


At least i recommend people to give it a shot.Its also seems like an experimental idea to combine twgok/kamnomi with the Super Robot anime

Ok first let’s say I currently watching 4 mecha seasonal anime and out of the four,this one is the worst,not because the story,but because the mech itself.
Let me ask,what makes a mecha anime a mecha anime ?,the mech ofc,it’s important to make a good design choice for the mech,it doesn’t have to be very big or “gundam-ish” to be cool-looking,just look at 86,the mech design is very simple yet it still looks cool ,but then we have the mech in this anime and to be honest it looks horrible…fcking horrible,they can just make a simple mech and yet they just make a shinier,jumbo version of ... b-daman that didn’t balls.
That aside this anime is actually a pretty decent one for me though,I don’t really know where I have to put it,usually for mech anime it’s either on “wholesome,all good nothing bad’’ or “serious stuff”,and when it comes to this anime,the tone is very random, sometimes it have a light tone but a few moment later it would be the opposite.
As for the character,which is one of the reason I keep watching,I like most of them especially the female main lead,Rin.Courageful girl with a colorful personality and childish behaviour is always my favorite type.
For the music,well it exist,the OP and ED song is quite good for me atleast
I love the animation,it’s colorful and eye-catchy.The animation is also a few of the aspect that I find interesting.
Overall from the few aspect it’s a good anime,but it’s not a good MECHA ANIME.so if you are bored or need a time-killer,this one could be your choice.

It is kinda fun because at the first look, it is trashy, and second look, it is still trashy.
But it does not stop me to watching it, maybe it is just my trash taste after all? or it is really a hidden gem?

To be honest, as a mecha fan, the mecha hier is not really my type, they looks pretty strange afterall, like Shark 1 is pretty much a SD version of GABAAAN (maybe I pronounce it wrong). And it get even worst with the 3D animation, ha ha ha.

I can not say a lot about the story, it is a staight simple story that ... is just about "Protect your dream","trust, love, believe and friendship". But the show is serious, it does not joking around, even it often shows a relaxing atmosphere.

Music is actually great, I love the OP and ED both, but especially the Gaban Ramble, that is really hyping one up, it really remember you the old good sentai or super robot animes.

Characters are great, i do not like how Munakata shows up but main characters especially Idol is really well shown, it is like a real person and not a virsual idol that cosplays another personality.

Enjoyment, well it has a simple storyline, you can enjoy it without thinking alot and it would not trigger any understanding issue.
I mean, philosophically you could think about what they say, like deep diving into the discussion the characters do, but I do not think this is recommended anyway.

As a season with a lot of mechas, this might be it, a simple but good show that you need. I wouldnt say this anime is better than 86 or Muv Luv, but in my opinion, this show do not fall in the same categorie with them after all.
Overall it is more like a anime for Otakus overall instead for Mecha-Fans i would say.
It does not nessesary need the mecha to tell us this story, it is more like a pot, where you throw all otakus love in there, I magine the fusion of Kamen Rider, Idol Master, Gamers and so on in a nutshell, this is what the anime is about.

If you have anime hunger and do like the mecha genre, this might be a good choice for you to spend some time for.
This might be it, not the best mecha anime of this season, but the most hype and dream-followed one! Yes, my heart of hype is burning again !

This show didn't seem to know what it wanted to do. From reading the synopsis I had a completely different idea about what the show was going to be. I figured there would be more direct conflict between the two different versions of Japan and I think the story overall would have been more interesting if it had been about the initial invasion rather than another boring and bad resistance plot. The protagonist suffers a bit from "get in the robot" syndrome while he struggles to find a personality, and many ideas presented are executed poorly or forgotten before they can go anywhere interesting.

Overall it ... wasn't painful to watch, but it wasn't exactly fun. 6/10

Saying true to yourself is never easy especially if you still confused to justify your feeling. I think this is the whole idea of 'Rumble Garanndoll'. Hosomichi have traumatic past that he don't really know how to solve it, especially in his current condition with huge debt and the changing world. We already know life must go on but it never easy to move on.

It has good idea for start an original story, but Garanndoll cannot fully used it to full potential. If they only focus on Hosomichi, Rin and Yamada it will become deeper story. Too many supporting cast in Garanndoll make the series ... feel shallow and generic. I cannot enjoy it as action and sci-fi series, it just feel like dumb argument about Japanese anime culture and their big enemies.

In conclusion this anime is nothing special, but still bring you some enjoyment. It easy to understand but it too simple, if they want to make sequel for this series I hope they bring game changer. Try to go deeper and it might be a good series.