I prefer to keep things positive in this blog, but sometimes one can only express disappointment about an anime.
Samurai Flamenco started out as a lighthearted send-up of the superhero genre, with likable male model Masayoshi Hazama moonlighting as a pretend superhero who actually becomes a real superhero. Along with his buddy, straight-man cop Hidenori Goto, Hazama brought his innocent sense of justice to every crime and villain he encountered.
At the end of episode 7 however—all of that changed. A number of insane and fantastical creatures started to show up, beginning with a gorilla with a head-chopping guillotine for a stomach.
It turned out that all of these creatures were the minions of a secret powerful villain: King Torture.
The King Torture arc lasted from episodes 7-10, and rapidly divided the fans who loved it from the fans who hated it. I marathoned episodes 8-10, to my regret. The King Torture arc basically killed the show for me.
A reviewer on ANN discussed the King Torture arc, and the comments section shows how divisive the arc was for the audience (here’s the link if you’re interested: Samurai Flamenco - King Torture Arc Discussion).
I’ve said that I’ve been dropping more shows in mid-stream recently, but Samurai Flamenco gave me good cause to. Not only was the tone shift drastic and unforgivably dark, but the King Torture arc wasn’t entertaining or inspiring enough (by which I mean – of course Hazama and Goto wind up defeating King Torture so good eventually does triumph over evil – but their triumph comes too late to save some important characters in the story) to justify its existence in the storyline.
I’m a writer, so I understand and appreciate the need for storytellers to take risks. If the King Torture arc had been darkly funny, or brilliant in its set-up and payoff, or simply executed extremely well and integrated into the story overall as part of the Samurai Flamenco canon universe that you could accept as necessary—I would still be watching the series.
But not only was none of the above true, but the producers seemed to be presenting the arc for the one reason I can’t respect—for sheer ugly shock value. Because in the episode after that, Hazama simply started a new adventure arc, with a shonen Power Ranger-type team. In other words: the show just resumed its usual silliness. I stopped watching at episode 11, and from what I’ve heard the succeeding episodes haven’t been any better.
If you’re going to take big risks with a story, fine. Just respect the audience that’s been with you up to that point... if you want them to come along with you.
Speaking of dark stories – up until recently I stubbornly kept BTOOOM! on my “still watching” list on MyAnimeList, even though it’s been over a year since the series finished airing.
BTOOOM! is—despite its silly name—a dead-serious seinen drama. Set in the near future when people can send their enemies to a deserted island to play a vicious game of survival, BTOOOM! is dark and desperate from the outset.
Despite this darkness, moments of humanity shine through the muck from the main characters and others. And the story has numerous solid dramatic scenes and great payoff scenes.
I stopped watching it because too many scenes literally turned my stomach - but it's an anime worth finishing. I’m currently stalled at episode 8, and it’s only a 12-episode series. I don’t know when I’ll finish BTOOOM! but I know I will finish it, because the story is strong and none of its darkness is out of place or unexpected.
Finally, I’ve found a new winter series that does darkness, well... in a light and funny way.
You’ve never seen Hell quite like this!
Hozuki no Reitetsu is set in Hell, or rather—one of the hells. In this crazy universe, apparently there are several hundred different hells.
In the Asian Hell (I’m serious – there’s also Western Hell, Egyptian Hell, etc.), Great King Enma rules over all.
Unfortunately, Enma isn’t very smart, so he often turns to his Chief of Staff Hozuki to resolve the problems that arise in administering Asian Hell.
Hozuki is ultra-competent and handles every situation that comes his way with a terminal look of bored displeasure on his face. ;-)
Although there are a few dark aspects, Hozuki no Reitetsu handles even those in a light way. For example, there’s Animal Tormentor Hell where humans who tortured animals in life get attacked by small enraged dogs, cats and monkeys (kind of a justified hell in my opinion).
The art is gorgeous, particularly when Hozuki leaves Enma’s palace and goes out into Asian Hell. Every background looks like a woodblock print. The beauty of the art reminds me of Mononoke.
In episode 2, Satan, the ruler of Western Hell, pays Asian Hell a visit. Of course, his secret motive is reconnaissance for a future invasion.
As Hozuki shows him around, Satan is increasingly unnerved by Hozuki’s cool and ruthless efficiency. The final straw comes when he sneaks into Hozuki’s room and discovers Hozuki’s plan to cook and eat him.
Satan runs screaming back to Western Hell as Hozuki picks up his cookbook, noting that he’d misspelled a word. He meant "Santa," not “Satan.”
If you find the concept of Santa Claus being cooked and eaten in Asian Hell more funny than, well—not—you might give Hozuki no Reitetsu a try. =D
