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[series:3770#628] | ||||||
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(Rent- or Watch+) (All episodes watched): I almost didn't watch this show when, in the first minute, it became clear that it would have a wrestling theme. But fortunately I pressed on, because it soon became clear that it has a bizarre, unconventional premise which seemed genuinely unique. How many people are transported to an alternate reality and promptly go to work trying to set up a pet shop there? Also, the jokes seemed like they just might cross the line from the usual weak humor to some clever and original stuff. There was no guarantee it would stay fresh; Genzo's goal of getting humans and monsters to understand each other and make peace could go either way. He would need something more than the ability to subdue hostile monsters by pinning them to the ground. But for the most part this show remained fun and entertaining. It was funny enough to draw a genuine laugh from me now and then, which is a considerable accomplishment considering that most anime comedy can't do anything more than make me smile. It has a silly premise to set the stage for telling jokes, not to try to teach us any meaningful lessons or do anything ambitious like that. Genzo's real-world arch rival wrestler, 'Mao' (convenient name) eventually winds up in this fantasy world as well. We get an explanation of the conflict between the backers of Genzo and Mao, and while it isn't brilliant it does flesh them out somewhat. A number of amusing misunderstandings about just who Mao and Genzo really are play a part in the plot. Genzo assembles a little harem of female semi-humans; there's nothing perverted about the relationship since he is obsessed with animals, and the girls are likable and amusing characters. The first fantasy wrestling match in episode eight was amusing and summoned some genuine laughs from me. A more ambitious one is schedules as well, with Mao as Genzo's opponent in the final match. Early on, I had worried that a particularly absorbing story might not come together, and indeed things stayed silly and lightweight, but as it worked out the show was funny enough that it didn't need a deep plot. Last updated Saturday, December 28 2019. Created Tuesday, October 15 2019. | ||||||||
