[Categories: Anime Reviews]
Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei #1
How in Heaven’s name did this slip under my radar? Even after the favourable intro I read over at Epic Win the other day, I was surprised at how I ‘got’ this very twisted and offbeat show. Some animated comedy makes me inwardly chuckle, others make me snicker outwardly but this was the first time in A LONG time that I was creased-up, laughing out loud and almost falling off my chair at any TV show, animated or otherwise. Sayonara Zesubou-sensei isn’t funny. It’s bloody hilarious.
This is a comedy show. No, really.
The concept, that of a consistently pessimistic homeroom teacher having to teach the most positive-minded student imaginable, is a pretty simple one, I admit. Most comedy double-acts rely on polar opposites for the character dynamics but the nauseatingly extreme personalities are only half the story: it has a suicidal twist which adds a very dark and edgy streak to the humour, which I absolutely loved from the get-go. The first scene, where our comic duo first meet, is a shoujo-esque spring morning of sakura blossoms and pastel colours until Kafuka saves Itoshiki-sensei from hanging himself (while we’re on the subject, remember that volume #4 of Paranoia Agent was edited for its UK release for making light of such things…I’m not holding my breath for a licence for this). Itoshiki-sensei sees nothing but despair from life in a way that makes the Hitch-hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’s Marvin look normal; Kafuka in contrast is likened to Anne of Green Gables and thinks of dustbins as ‘treasure chests for the homeless’. She is one of many weird and wonderful members of his class, who are given as their first assignment to list their top three despairs.
The first lesson is always the hardest.
The idea of a suicidal teacher and irrepressably happy student in a classful of oddballs sounds like a one-trick pony to me though, so I don’t know how many attempted hangings poor old Itoshiki-sensei will go through before the joke wears thin. I’m not sure whether the title of the series refers to his habit of suicide attempts either, or whether it’s a hint that Kafuka can turn his life around and shed this persona - with the plot almost nonexistent and the gags so unpredictable, I’m not sure what will happen next.
The essence of the show in one image
Apart from this and the innovative artwork, such as the Gankutsuou-style way in which the clothing textures are rendered, this is a very different show from what’s currently on offer. The setup is like that of Azumanga Daioh’s evil twin, with schoolroom comedy clashing with a Type O Negative variety of self-effacing, morbid humour that may offend some (I promise I won’t flame you…much). The comedy is rapid-fire and reliant on puns and wordplay in the FLCL vein - the teacher’s name is allegedly made up of an unlucky number of strokes, and when written horizontally spells the ‘despair’ of the title. My knowledge of hiragana is limited and that of kanji is nonexistent so some of the impact is lost on me but nevertheless there are plenty of laughs from the small details; I was pressing the pause button repeatedly to read the gags scrawled on the chalkboards in the background!
The caption on the left says “I’m not postrating myself. I’m looking at the sky on the other side of the Earth.” The one on the right reads “I still mess up kanji on a cell phone.”
This is typical high shool sketch-type of comedy, complete with references to other shows, melodramatic plot devices (I’m using ‘plot’ in the loosest sense of the word here) and larger-than-life characters. The idea of the chalk-and-cheese personalities of Itoshiki-sensei and Kafuka (possibly named after the lead character of Kafka on the Shore, which is the icing on the referencing cake for me) is a good one though, so I’m interested to see what, if anything, the show does with them. The op theme, by the way, is a suitably incongruous and catchy up-tempo rock number. Utterly nuts.
This show will provide endless contenders for a captions competition
Posted on August 27th, 2007 @ 11:29 pm
I adore this show. From the subtle chalkboard references to the story as a whole. I tried it out without knowing nothing about it. And it kicked me with one hell of a surprise. It is animated brilliantly. The humor does hit me right on. Black humor at its best.
As the series goes on. Characteristics of all the characters do come to together with on-going jokes and laughs. But it is a superb series. And I can’t wait to finish all 13 episodes.
(A lot of pausing is needed to read all the captions. XD)
Posted on August 28th, 2007 @ 4:49 am
The best thing about it is precisely that it’s going to be short–13 episodes. The show I sometimes compare this to is Hayate no Gotoku, which also started off very strong and very uniquely, but now is beginning to wear out its welcome. There’s only so much “postmodern” comedy you can do before it starts getting repetitive. I remember trumpeting Hayate as being the show of the spring season initially, and then slowly getting more and more disappointed. I’m glad I most likely won’t say the same about Sayonara, which is still the best comedy currently running.
Posted on August 28th, 2007 @ 7:43 am
Glad to hear we managed to convert you! I also discovered this show late, what with work and all these other “real life” demands encroaching on anime time and all.
When I first saw this show, I remember thinking that the humor felt sort of “British”, possibly since that kind of dark, edgy humor tends to go over better there in the UK than here in the US where everyone’s too uptight to admit that they actually enjoy it.
I agree that this show offers endless possibilities for caption contests. There’s just so many great shots, and the artwork is so offbeat funky. =D
Posted on August 29th, 2007 @ 6:29 am
I love this show! It’s got to be my favorite this season. Too bad it’s so short. The art and the characters are great. Keep watching, it gets better. I’m up to five, and I’m not sure what happened to episode six and who’s subbing it. I’ve been waiting forever and it’s non-existent, T_T! Anyways! It’s so pretty to watch and it’s hilarious at the same time. Never knew suicide could be so funny. XD
Posted on August 29th, 2007 @ 7:37 pm
@Jayme: I’m intrigued by the rest of the cast actually - according to the subbers’ notes at the end, their nicknames reflect their personalities so that should keep things interesting.
@Mike: I agree - thirteen episodes sounds just right. The same could be said of FMP? FUMOFU, which was a really funny show that lasted just long enough to not outstay its welcome.
@Orion: yep, thanks again! A British upbringing exposed me to the likes of Monty Python, Blackadder and Spaced so this is right up my alley really. I’ll probably do some sort of comedy-related editorial later this week since this show has got me thinking about the genre as a whole. Watch this space…
@Xerox: I was surprised at the artwork too. It’s kinda Gainax-ish but has a lot of shoujo mixed in…then there’s the sepia tone to the captions and that traditional ‘Japanese painting’ look to the clothing and backgrounds. Even without the humour I’d watch it on the aesthetics alone.
Anyways, I’ll be following this show for a while yet. Thanks for the replies. ^_^
Posted on September 5th, 2007 @ 9:38 am
Someone told me about this one, and judging by your review, I think it’s goingto be amust-download for me! I’m watching another series that *does* make me double up with laughter (perhaps not quite as intellectual) but really quite funny is Seto no Hanayome. I didn’t think I’d like it, but it is grippingly funny! (although episode 22, the latest, isn’t quite on the same scale as the rest) It’s worth takinga look though( from episode 1)!