I feel as though I’ve been totally trolled by this show – which is wholly appropriate, What I thought was going to be a heady mix of drama and comedy now looks as if it’s going to go for straight-up hilarity. Which is fine – this is the funniest new series of the season, for sure. Of course, this could be yet another troll, and we could lapse back into serious material again anytime – the X-Files/Twilight Zone episode wasn’t a total lark. I won’t put anything past Prince Baka.

Among the true moments of genius this week:

– Kraft turning on the Prince, using the laptop (how was that staged in the manga in 1995, I wonder?)
– Anything the deadpan kid – “Color Ranger Black” – does. He cracks me up.
– The blond kid – Color Ranger White – not being able to remember all the girls he’s toyed with. “What a dick!”
– The grinding scene in the RPG world. The whole RPG world, really.
– Tachibana-sensei (she’s hot, BTW) using her…appendage to answer the phone.

Every season can use a show that just flat-out entertains – something that’s smart but doesn’t make you work too hard to enjoy. Level E is just that – it’s pure entertainment, incredibly stupid and really smart all at once. It’s a bit of a shift dealing with a different set of characters every arc, but that’s all right – the Prince ties it all together and he’s a piece of work. I really like the boys in this arc, too – their know-it-all, blase yet subtly pissed off reactions are spot-on.

I can’t let this episode pass without praising the Color Rangers theme song. Is it as good as the Gachi Rangers theme? Well, not quite – but it’s still damn clever and I loved the way it was used in the episode. I can’t wait for next week – I know I’m going to get trolled again and I can’t help it, I love it. Thank you, Sir – may I have another?