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As I contemplate this strange little series, a question pops into my mind. Why would a woman watch a series such as this, a series which is practically built around the idea of the panty flash? And on top of that, why might a woman actually enjoy it? I often find the gratuitous panty flashes that plague many anime series to be annoying, and the thoroughly unrealistic portrayals of women found in anime series can bother me as well. However, when these anime traits are taken to extremes and/or used as parody, then I become interested. It is as if the anime genre is poking fun at itself. "Colorful," in part, is a parody of anime fan service, and it makes fun of stereotypical male fantasies and male behavior. I like "Colorful" for the same reason that I like the British comedian Benny Hill's classic TV programs. A seemingly normal and innocuous man encounters an attractive woman and catches a tantalizing glimpse of her nether regions. He suddenly turns into a blithering idiot, a sex-crazed fool who is driven completely out of his mind by a glimpse of a woman's underwear. The expressions on the men's faces in "Colorful" are hilarious, and the sudden transitions from normal to nuts upon viewing the infamous undergarment are also funny. The artwork and animation quality are good but not great, appropriate to the setting and story line, but no more than that. This series doesn't have a strong story as such, but a strong, consistent story is not necessary; the randomness is actually entertaining. Character development also isn't a major feature of this series, but again, strong characters aren't really necessary. Since the show is interested in stereotypes, stereotypical characters are appropriate. For a compact piece of weirdness that pokes fun at stereotypes, Japanese culture, and anime conventions, I find this series successful, and it is enjoyable to watch. At least in this series, all the panty flashes are appropriate to the story and the concept.
If Japanese men truly are as crazy as they appear to be in "Colorful," I'll have to make sure I don't give them the opportunity to look up my skirt if I ever travel to Japan. Japan's problems with groping, voyeurism, and other forms of sexual harassment occasionally make the news around the world, and the situation is disturbing. Perhaps "Colorful" and other parody series like it are useful in exposing and counteracting this problem. Maybe men can watch this series and see the humor in their own situation; the show makes fun of men, but in a lighthearted manner. However, do men really want to be just like the jokers portrayed in this series? I should think not.
