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[series:3102#628] | ||||||
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(Nine episodes watched): I went into episode one of Hacka Doll knowing nothing but the series' name. I hoped for a more-or-less serious series about the culture of computer hacking, perhaps in the future. That wasn't exactly what I got (except perhaps the future part). Hacka Doll is a largely inane comedy short about three incompetent artificial girls whose job is to help humans deal with the information overload of the computerized world. It's more about fanservice than musing about what the future will hold; not exactly an intellectual show. But the fanservice could have been more blatant than it was, and it was kind of amusing in a modest way. I think I will watch it, although my expectations won't be high. I had hoped for a serious show with a plot rather than this farcical comedy, but Oh Well--that's what happens nine times out of ten when you get optimistic about anime based only on their titles. Episode two had little to do with computers or robotics or anything like that, and made me wonder if this show was already discarding it's premise. I don't recall it being all that funny, either. Episode three, however, was good with a parody of Evangelion. I couldn't help laughing as I saw classic images from that show repackaged in an episode of this one. This was a surprisingly clever and fun bit, especially considering how unambitious and unremarkable Hacka Doll had seemed up to this point. If only the show would do more of this rather than stuff like the predictable 'let's be idol singers' theme in episode two. But I have a feeling that it won't happen. Episode four was OK as one of the girls bursts out of the TV screen of a guy who plays dating sim games since he has given up on his chances of ever having an actual girlfriend. It's a very awkward/arousing situation, and you can ask yourself what you would do if you found yourself in a similar one. Episode six, in which Hacka Doll number 3 is sent to assist a rich but lonely boy, seemed to be full of unfulfilled potential. Of course five minutes isn't a lot of time to work with, but the episode had just a hint of what might have been a moving experience (and judging from the way the music and credits at the end were played, we were supposed to be moved), but it wasn't. Another example of an anime in which the jokes alone aren't funny enough to entertain us, so we need a long-term plot, but don't get one. It doesn't have to be brilliant, it just needs to pick up the slack. And is #3 actually a boy? I didn't get that joke. Maybe it was revealed back in episode one, but didn't stick in my memory and it isn't worth going back to double check. Episode nine was sort of fun as the girls go into a Sword & Sorcery MMORPG to look for a shut-in guy because his mother is worried about him. This show seems very uneven, with clever touches here and there, and largely unremarkable content everywhere else. If it had a little more time to work with, and a little more talent as well, the premise of Hacka Doll seems to have a lot of potential, but alas not all that much of it is exploited here. I honestly cannot remember if I watched the entire series or not--it's not the sort of show that sticks in your memory for long. Last updated Thursday, March 24 2016. Created Thursday, October 08 2015. | ||||||||
