24 hours. That is how much time my brain has rolled Punchline around in my thoughts like the world's most engrossing (or insidious) ever-lasting-gob-stopper. AND IT'S NOT OVER. Minutes before writing this I was in the middle of a manime fest which would culminate in the finale of Stardust Crusaders, when Kenshiro popped some mook's head like a cherry. Then I started thinking about nosebleeds, followed by asteroids, followed by Punchline. So let's review this then; in my mind it's been awhile (precisely 544 days) since the last review that could be summarized by a single 'OMG GUYSH GO WAHTCH THIS ANIME! !!! !!
!111!111 ! AMAZING IT"S SO GOOOOOOOD!'.
Punchline is one of those anime that sounds rough on paper. A comedy, ecchi series about a boy who lives in a building with a bunch of girls, all of whom have some quirk. The guy gets a nosebleed at the sight of panties and an asteroid ends all life on Earth shortly afterwards...wait, what? Oh and he's also a ghost, courtesy of a bus-hijacking crash, and is on a mission to retrieve an ancient Indian text called the Nandala Gandala that will allow him to get back to his body which time-traveling spirit has possessed.
So after the first episode I was like 'Okay. So it's going to be one of ridiculous oh, Japan-sort-of-anime-with-fanservice-as-an-added-bonus. Been there, done that. But I love them sorts of anime, so here's to Punchline!' Yet the further I got, the more I realized: I Absolutely love this show. Every episode had something to further this crazy jigsaw of a plot, and the characters began to grow from Invaders of the First Dimension, to rounded three dimensional characters to whom I had gotten extremely attached. The stakes of this anime are literally world-class, but I found myself more preoccupied with Uchikoshi butchering the main cast than I did most of humanity.
The plot itself is in need of some kind of award from the E.L. Doctorow Society. Imagine someone shredded your laundry and then proceeded to knit an outfit straight out of Vogue; I'd be slightly exaggerating if I said that Punchline's plot is as impressive, but I'll be damned if it doesn't come close. Much like the characters, the plot grows more complex with every episode as so many seemingly unrelated threads interweave to make a completely cohesive narrative all leading up to a finale that was as satisfying as it was bizarre.
It's got quite the cast too. Armin, Asseylum, Asuna, Tsumugi, and the queen of tsundere herself, lend their talents to bring the residents of Korai House to life. Add to this the talent of Mappa (whom are quickly ascending my totem pole of studios, what with this, Shingeki no Bahamut and Zankyou no Terror) and a composition by Tetsuya Komuro (Vampire Hunter D) and you have yourself quite the contender for anime of the season (shutupkekaisensen).
It's not perfect, sure. Any number of plot-holes are present in a given episode, it's quite possible I'm being a tad hyperbolic when I call the character fully three dimensional (though I maintain they're at least 2.75 D) and the jury's still out on whether the fanservice is entirely necessary. In truth though I found these to be so much white noise in the face of such great story, characters, soundtrack, animation and stupidity.
Thanks for reading! Here's where I'd normally ask you to like, favorite, etc. Instead I'll beg you to follow this link to the nirvana that is World Conquest Zvezda Plot. Also watch punchline. Goodnight.
*note*
If you're wondering where the thing on Fractale went, then know that I've come to realize it was garbage. Basically a couple page rant—not funny, not useful.
Punchline is one of those anime that sounds rough on paper. A comedy, ecchi series about a boy who lives in a building with a bunch of girls, all of whom have some quirk. The guy gets a nosebleed at the sight of panties and an asteroid ends all life on Earth shortly afterwards...wait, what? Oh and he's also a ghost, courtesy of a bus-hijacking crash, and is on a mission to retrieve an ancient Indian text called the Nandala Gandala that will allow him to get back to his body which time-traveling spirit has possessed.
So after the first episode I was like 'Okay. So it's going to be one of ridiculous oh, Japan-sort-of-anime-with-fanservice-as-an-added-bonus. Been there, done that. But I love them sorts of anime, so here's to Punchline!' Yet the further I got, the more I realized: I Absolutely love this show. Every episode had something to further this crazy jigsaw of a plot, and the characters began to grow from Invaders of the First Dimension, to rounded three dimensional characters to whom I had gotten extremely attached. The stakes of this anime are literally world-class, but I found myself more preoccupied with Uchikoshi butchering the main cast than I did most of humanity.
It's not perfect, sure. Any number of plot-holes are present in a given episode, it's quite possible I'm being a tad hyperbolic when I call the character fully three dimensional (though I maintain they're at least 2.75 D) and the jury's still out on whether the fanservice is entirely necessary. In truth though I found these to be so much white noise in the face of such great story, characters, soundtrack, animation and stupidity.
Thanks for reading! Here's where I'd normally ask you to like, favorite, etc. Instead I'll beg you to follow this link to the nirvana that is World Conquest Zvezda Plot. Also watch punchline. Goodnight.
*note*
If you're wondering where the thing on Fractale went, then know that I've come to realize it was garbage. Basically a couple page rant—not funny, not useful.
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