Comedy series can be hit or miss. Those that really dig you hard to the point of LMAOing, like Grand Blue or Asobi Asobase, or the latter that tries too hard to appeal to everyone, like this season's Shinka no Mi a.k.a The Fruit of Evolution. Where mangaka Itaru Bonnoki's work on Kyuuketsuki Sugu Shinu a.k.a The Vampire Dies in No Time lies at, IMO it is neither here nor there, as much as we're all happy to have an esteemed studio like Madhouse be back in the seasonal run. Such a mixed bag.
Humans and vampires don't really exactly have a good reputation between each other, one that's even more so when the human is a vampire hunter and the vampire is your typical Dracula-style being. But that is exactly the case between Ronaldo and Draluc, whom the former has received a hunter job that's supposed to save a kid whom has wandered into the latter's castle, only to realize that he isn't so high and mighty like the stereotypical vampire that he is. And just with something trivial as a clapping of hands, Draluc very easily turns into ash while Ronaldo gets hung up around this kid who's smarter than the both of them to infiltrate his castle just to have fun. The ramifications of all these unhinged actions, is that Draluc's home gets destroyed in the process, and has to co-live with Ronaldo in his vampire hunter office because he has nowhere else to go. The incentive that result from all these events, is the introduction of Draluc's pet armadillo named John, and that the trio makes up one hell of an unusual team as they are forced to work together to fend off the "evildoers" ranging from Ronaldo's fellow vampire hunters (that could smell out Draluc) to even his condescending editor responsible for his valiant stories of heroic deeds against lesser vampires in the city of Shin-Yokohama.
Right off the bat, you know that this show is a comedy first and foremost, and doesn't try to sugarcoat its wacky premise in basis of the time and progression. That in and of itself should give you the idea that in the world that the detective Ronaldo, vampire Draluc and armadillo John lives in, there's a wack ton of things happening concurrently, but the job is there to maintain stride and "glory" that Ronaldo is banking on: his War Chronicle series that his editor Fukuma is always trying to scourge out of the vampire hunter, because that's also both his and Ronaldo's interpersonal business relationship as well. Oh, and Ronaldo is part of the Hunters' Guild, where other vampire hunters of all forms exude their weirdness, so take that as you will. As for Draluc, he is nothing but trouble to the vampire hunter, much more to the police division where there's a specialized team of policemen under the Vampire Control division that handles both vampire hunters and the cases of lesser vampires running amok within the city, no matter their heinous and nefarious plans to oblivion. This is led mostly by Hinaichi (most people call her Hina) who seems overwhelmed with trying to spot what is Draluc's role in Ronaldo's life, only for her (like Ronaldo) to see that he's no threat at all, just yet another lesser vampire that turns into ash from the touch.
The cast of characters, when you get to know them the very first time, they're kinda of the near perfect symbol of brain-dead people, doing things that either pleasure or displeasure others to the point of them being a laughing stock. And that is certainly felt from the start. It's only the journey thereafter that really tests your funny bones to depict what's hot and what's not. However, you can't deny that the salvation of this series is always fixated on Draluc's pet armadillo John. In contrast to the entire cast, John is the most cutest and adorable mammal that's just simply likeable, amazing and always mesmerizing to watch. I always look forward to scenes of situations that showcase John being empathic and playing along with the gags of everyone, he's the best laughingstock character out of them all that makes the cut for comedy always and without fail. All hail the next anime deity that is John the Armadillo, and praise be to John and the cult of Nu.
It's great seeing Madhouse be finally back doing seasonal shows after some time off and coming back with last season's Sonny Boy. The truth of the fact is that we've just missed Madhouse too much that from the passing year that's just filled with the extent and rampage of the pandemic, and now the studio is back with this show and the MAPPA collab with Takt Op. Destiny. Concerning this show though, Madhouse did a pretty decent job all things considered, and the studio's signature flamboyancy mark is once again prevalent as well, most particularly with the OP visuals which is a throwback to one of the studio's most popular and the highly-praised best original series of all time: Death Parade. It's just simply a joy to see Madhouse's name as their comeback of a Renaissance period, although both shows aren't the best examples with Sonny Boy already making waves even from back then.
Just like with Death Parade, Jun Fukuyama's OP "DIES IN NO TIME" is insanely good. It is such a bop-to-the-lit classic segue of a title song with both MCs Ronaldo and Draluc fleeting and dancing around what looks like an enlarged roulette wheel, which for hardcore fans of Madhouse, you'll instanteously know the reference to Death Parade at least for the visuals. Sadly though, the duet of Daisuke Ono and Takayuki Kondou as TRD performing the ED "Strangers" just doesn't really follow up well, and comes off as just kinda mediocre to listen to. The only thing that I want to listen to more of is Mutsumi Tamura's incredible VA performance as John with all the "Nu"s in variable tones, considering that she has just started her role as Hermes Costello in JoJo Part 6: Stone Ocean. Nu nu nuuuuu!!!
Like I've said in the beginning: comedy is hit or miss. Depending on your depth of what's considered to tickle your funny bones, this show can either do that or just desperately try its best to keep you invested, knowing that the same gag, trope or joke is repeated over and over again. I know I did at the beginning, because I didn't know what to expect and got a good laugh out of it, only to feel tired of the fact that the growing repetition of jokes didn't really click with me. Maybe yours will still do, but this show really tests your patience if you really want to just turn off your brain and truly enjoy for what it is. This show exists in two camps: either you love it or hate it, that's all.
But still, watch this ONLY for the wholesomeness of John, and in our Lord and saviour, the cryptid god character may the anime community receive thoust salvation. All of this in John the Armadillo's name we pray, say it with me: Nunen.
