Human Bug Daigaku

Every season there is a show that challenges you and takes you to places that you didn't expect. For me this is that show, Hirofumi Satake survives his hanged execution and is guided to remember his past. Because of his defect he is considered the "Human Bug." Expect life lessons, moral dilemmas, and thoughts on being human done in classic 50's - 60's retro art style.

Similar to Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei and Gaikotsu Shotenin Honda-san for humor. The conversations between Satake and the Professor in each episode give us more questions and answers on his life. The learning curve is strong and yes because ... it is an original web comix the production values are different than the current market of shows. His innocence nature draws you in and his life experiences are both incredible and horrifying almost at the same time. Amazing voice talent, weird and wacky storylines.

Did he commit the heinous crimes he has been accused of or was he set up? What are the influences that drive him?
Don't expect Fan Service This series doesn't chew your food for you. 10/10

Every once in a blue moon, there are shows that more than just the typical copy-paste blurb that you see in the current seasonal landscape, takes you to a deeper dive of something that is truly original and stands out on its own. While the most recent case example is last year's Odd Taxi being seemingly an unkempt story about a walrus driving a taxi with the detective mystery plot of twists and turns hiding from within and awaiting its chance to demystify and satiate the audience at every corner. And this Fall, other than the return of Pop Team Epic renewed for Season 2, ... that show is Human Bug Daigaku a.k.a The Human Crazy University.

Human Bug Daigaku tells the story of a lone salaryman by the name of Hirofumi Satake. Accused of a murder that he committed of his fiancée Chie Negishi, the punishment for murder is death, and he is being sentenced just as the justice courts say so. Satake has one particular trait: being known as the "Undead Man", he has outlived all the dangers imposed on his life, no matter how high nor how wide. For that reason, the mysterious research institution, known only as "The Human Crazy University" with the unassuming Professor spokesperson in toll, develops an interest and uses him to seek answers to the mundane human life of miraculous phenomena and the thing we call karma.

Derived from a web manga published by K Contents and seralized online via YouTube with voiced narration and dialogue since March 2019, this is what I can call: the dark side of the web, and seemingly so, because this show is the definition of edutainment. Sprinkling in real-life events, locations and the like in tandem with Satake's situation of finding out who is the mastermind behind this murder case that he obviously did not commit, takes a bunch of truth and facts that it just feels satisfyingly undeniable. In fact, I will go so far as to say that despite studio DLE's choppy Flash animation-like prowess (because the studio DID start off as one) in the veins of one of my favorite anime of all time (Gaikotsu Shotenin Honda-san), it looks out of place and bad, but I assure you that please do not define a show by its animation, when the plot itself is so interesting and has many twists and turns that when you come around to realize it, it has already taken into effect of its own case study.

As an example of creative use, via the Torture Sommelier Shigeo Ijuin, there is actually a YouTube channel dedicating to everything about torture, its many ways of infliction and whatnot that feels like a road trip diving into YouTube's great unknown of entertainment that is seen by the few and hardcore. And adding to that, the magnificent casting of Tomokazu Sugita and Yui Ogura as the main couple, with some unknowns like Professor's VA Hidenari Ugaki adding into the mix, and you'll have one fine web comic that has unlimited amounts of creativity at whatever it desires to showcase.

nano's OP fits the show to a T, and Lowland Jazz's instrumental ED, NGL, is a certified banger. Heck, I would consider this as one of my favourite EDs of the season.

The only sad part: it's tough to recommend a show like this, if you're a very simple-minded person hell bent on criticizing even one aspect that makes or breaks the watching experience. And I tell you, while Human Bug Daigaku is easily defined as a niche anime, it's for the people who can see this from a different view, to take a chance and say: "Man, how did I dismiss such a show like is? Because it's deep, rich and contextual, and it's so engaging." It's definitely a personal preference if you like or hate this show, but if you take a gander, it's really a fascinating one-of-a-kind show that's unlike anything else out there.

If you think anime shows are about beautiful or flashy visuals, then do not try to watch Human Bug Daigaku. However, it is not always about visuals. I have always disagreed with people that put animation over anything else; actually, I think what makes an anime good is “that something”. Human Bug Daigaku has many “somethings”. It is a show with plain art and almost non-existent animation, that does not take itself seriously when that is not needed. But it knows how to entertain its audience very well and includes comedy – which I find hilarious - combined with a well-built, intriguing mystery. Also, it ... is an educational anime since there’s brief random trivia analysis in every episode, usually mixed with comedic scenes.

Some may not know that Human Bug Daigaku is an anime adaptation of a YouTube web manga series of the same name. The web manga is long, and includes many stories – one of them is the story of Satake Hirofumi. Surprisingly for non-Japanese audiences, it has millions of views and is very popular in Japan. That’s another point to be made when I explain why Human Bug Daigaku is such an unjustly unpopular anime show, and it deserves more attention despite its poor animation quality; it makes it clear that it's not just a random anime. Now, let’s go to the story.

Satake Hirofumi is accused of murdering his wife and sentenced to death. Surprisingly, despite being hung, he gets out alive. We learn that he is generally the luckiest man in the world, and that’s how the mysterious story starts. We do not know the truth, we get to meet many suspicious individuals, as we start to like and root for a, now amnesiac, Hirofumi. A man who sets on dangerous adventures and – somehow - always survives. Something very strong in this anime is how most of the characters Satake meets are interesting and easy to remember, as they all have their unique character, backstories, and relationship with him. In addition, the show takes place in many cities and even different countries, which makes the experience more amusing. But what’s most amusing and memorable about it is how it keeps its light-heartedness from beginning to end, and even when things get dangerous, there is always love and optimism.

The comedy might not be for all audiences, but it includes a unique, goofy sense of humour, it is well-combined with the story progression, there are many inside jokes created as the show progresses and is faithful to what it is. On the other hand, even if we know that the main character is invincible in a way, the mystery is always there, and week by week I was agonizing over what may happen next. There is ingenious plot progression, and you never know how things will turn out.

As much as I love the writing of Human Bug Daigaku, I also love its voice acting cast. Tomokazu Sugita performs splendidly once again as the main character, but there are many other great performers to be mentioned: Hidenari Ugaki as the crazy Professor, Takehito Koyasu as the torturer Shigeo, and more.
Opening and Ending songs are both pluses for the anime. The OP is a typical nano anisong, and nano is usually loved by anime fans. The ED is a totally different thing, though. Catchy as hell, retro-ish and playful, Bad City/Bug Human by Lowland Jazz is a great fit for the show’s vibes.

To conclude, I only want to say that I wrote this review to make more people watch Human Bug Daigaku, and to express my approval of animated series with plain animation. I did not put much effort, but I hope it is enough to persuade some of you to give anime like this a chance. Because Human Bug Daigaku is a fun show to watch when you’re happy, when you’re sad, when you’re bored, when you’re eating, when you’re trying to sleep, or when you want to give a hard laugh with your friends. Basically a successful show, as far as I’m concerned.

Thanks for reading :)

This season everyone is hype for many shows. Chainsaw Man, Blue Lock, Mob Psycho 3, Spy x Family 2 - plus multiple cute slice of life and hell even some random fantasy/isekai dogshit are not bad.
However, Human Bug Daigaku is easily the anime that has left the greatest impression on me this whole season.

This is a polarizing anime. It's slow, less than basic plot wise, and just a meme art wise. Honestly, it's more of a slideshow than an anime lol.

However! I would argue that what makes this anime so great are the great risks that it takes with medium. What is ... lost with nuanced plot and detailed art is more than made up for in simple humor that simply rubs your soul in the right way.

I find that these glaring "flaws" are integral to the content that this anime attempts to deliver which makes it fully worthy of your consideration. Who knows, it might cure your existential depression for a few hours :)

Solid 8/10

P.S. (hydrate and touch some grass you weebs)

Also the OP and ED are bops lol.

i quite like the story so far, the description and title is wrong though lol, there is no "university" at all. its about a guy with horribly bad luck and his near death adventures that take him everywhere. then the show will give you cool facts about the crap he survives and a history lesson with weirdly stupid humor. I quite like it. animation quality, it sucks. but I'm always a story guy so it doesn't rub me the wrong way.

the music is killer though, holy sh## the music is good.

I absolutely hate ecchi so when an anime doesn't have any ... it instantly gains a star.

Here is my review of this anime in 2023!

Story (8)
The story is about a man who got into prison because of killing His fiance. Then He got the death sentence but somehow He's still alive and got amnesia. After that, He wants to recover the memories and bumps into a lot of accidents but is still alive. In the end, you will see whether He's the killer or not.

Art (8)
The art of this anime is very good. It's quite rare for me to see anime with this style. Somehow it's really a match for this anime!

Sound (8)
All the sounds they used are very good and ... adjusted to the animation.

Character (9)
The main and supporter character is memorable especially the main character since He has unique personality.

Enjoyment (8)
It's enjoyable to watch this movie in 2023. There are lot of comedy scenes that you will see in this anime!

Overall (8)
Recommended for those who love action and comedy anime!

This is 100% a hidden gem. It certainly took me by surprise how much I ended up enjoying this one since the art initially was a turn-off. But I got used to the art and actually ended up appreciating it, especially as a fan of the Archer series -- the animation is similar and the main character even resembles Archer, although their personalities are totally different.

I found myself looking forward to every episode to find out where the story amd characters would go next. I'm not entirely sure if the tidbits of information dropped every episode is actually legit, but it was certainly entertaining. ... The characters were also interesting and I grew to really enjoy them over the 12 episodes, which made following their shenanigans a worthy investment.

I know the art is weird -- but give it a shot. This anime is a wacky but fun ride.

this anime has its own charm , STORY is unique in itself.
the animation is so bad , the dialogue is shit and the characters don't cut it for me.
But everything is badly good that it will get you hooked .

there is a different plot in every episode that will connect eventually but definetely unique twists and lots of fun.
As for the jokes i didn't find it funny but the simplicity of the main character can cover for it .
Must give it a try a least. i think you may actually like it for the originality.

To conclude , it is a matter of opinion you could ... find hard for the eyes to enjoy or go beyond that and love it for its genuinity.
i ll give it 7/10 specially for the end.

First a summary of the plot: Satake Hirofumi is sentenced to death. He is accused of killing his fiance and another man because he thought she cheated on him. He then lost all his memories of the past. After that he even survives the execution. The police isn´t sure what to do now so he is left alive as an interim solution. He now tries to get back his memories and quickly realizes that he already survived many unusual situations.

When you watch the first episode you´ll definitely notice that the animation is awful. At first it kinda bothered me but I quickly got used ... to it and accepted it as the shows own style.

The story isn´t deep but this anime doesn´t really need it to be. At first it´s a pretty episodic series but later on the plot becomes more coherent. In every episode they tell a funfact that is pretty well implemented into the story. It´s not supposed to be some deep, dramatic story (or at least I hope so because otherwise it completely fails).

The characters also aren´t that complicated. They just have one trait that is usually pretty cool and unique (one guy is absolutely crazy about trying out all different kinds of food and local specialties) but that´s it. There´s no big development of them throughout the show but just like with the story they don´t need to be deep or anything.

Apparently the original web manga was published on youtube (the manga panels and a voiceover) and that doesn´t surprise me because this show feels more like a youtuber project than a TV anime.

If you expect just that this anime definetly won´t disappoint you. Otherwise even the first episode will be a absolute pain to sit through.

Crazy Boring University.

Crazily enough I was slightly looking forward to “The Human Crazy University”. From what had been shown through promotional material this would be a fun, absurdist comedy told through a 1960s, minimalist animation style about a death row inmate surviving his death sentence and recovering his memories. And it is that… minus the comedy… and the absurdity… and any reason to continue watching it….

The biggest problem this show has is how seriously it takes itself despite its goofy premise. The first episode is told completely straight-faced from start to finish, setting a strangely sombre tone that overstays its welcome. Even the introduction of ... the Professor halfway through the first episode feels very underwhelmingly sane for a character with a mad scientist vibe.
That’s not to say the show doesn’t have its moments where a chuckled at some of the character quirks, and the mystery around Satake Hirofumi's circumstances is well told and somewhat interesting, but there's nothing that will immediately grab you as a viewer and hook you into watching more (expect the ED, that song slaps).

I think the show would benefit from a shorter episode run time instead of the standard 20-22 minutes to speed up the pacing and make each episode more engaging. Series like “Pop Team Epic” and “The Way of the House Husband” which also used minimal animation benefited greatly from this approach and their episodes felt more like fast-paced comedies rather than drawn out and full of exposition with a few gags thrown in. It is hard to watch literal static, wooden characters talk for 20 minutes about things when most of the time there's nothing to focus on.

Overstaying its welcome is the overall impression I get from “The Human Crazy University”. It doesn’t take advantage of its art style, its pacing is sluggish and although I do think it has an interesting narrative it’s just not all that funny for a comedy. Now I know comedy is different for different people, but… should this be labelled a comedy MAL?

3/10 Wasted Potential.