Well, I don’t really have anything to add to that…
The latest in Osomatsu-san’s hostile takeover of the world: tissue box covers that say “Fapping in Progress”, and a tie-in with shoujo magazine “Margaret”. It’s also prompted by far the largest print run ever of manga magazine “Pash!”, which has interviews with Nakamura Yuuichi (Karamatsu) and Fukuyama Jun (Ichimatsu) as well as director Fujita Yoichi and writer Matsubara Shuu (it’s already prompted the first-ever reprint of “Monthly Animage”. which sold out in hours after putting the series on the cover).
I’m pretty much in awe of this show – yeah, it’s brilliant, but more than anything the impact it seems to be having on Japanese pop culture. I wonder if this show will ever hit in the West in a big way – I suspect not, because I think the humor is just too culturally specific (it’s funny if you’re not a Japanese NEET, but not the same kind of funny). I also wonder if the show’s staggering success is making Yoichi and Matsubara delightfully drunk with power, because they seem to be going all-out to top themselves every week.
I don’t think there’s any point in my trying to blog an episode like this one in traditional form – it was pretty much a nonstop onslaught of self-referential deviance for 22 minutes. I’ll just point out a few moments that struck me as especially brilliant, but first note that my plaintive calls for a return by the supporting cast – especially Iyami – could hardly have been answered more literally. I do love the brothers, but this other characters here are so great that it’s kind of a shame to see weeks go by without their involvement. Best moments:
- Osomatsu-san being called out for being “remarkably unpopular”
- The return of Fappymatsu and the introduction of the Fappymobile
- Chibita’s consternation about the three lines on his face – and his plaintive appeal to “Akasuka-sensei!”
- Iyami taking the time to stop and set off dynamite because he didn’t have a vehicle with which to run Osomatsu over
- Ichimatsu derailing Sachiko by turning into his “hot version” and going full frontal
- Iyami using his ultimate weapon and using everyone’s dark side against them in an incredibly disturbing montage of brilliant surrealism
- Iyami turning into a robot and using a faucet to piss all over Osomatsu
- Shonosuke winning the race on a Segway
Seriously – what could I possibly say to enlighten that experience any more than it already is?
Simone
February 9, 2016 at 9:13 am“You know what shells mean in a race!”
Yes. Yes, we all do.
gilraen_tinuviel
February 9, 2016 at 3:47 pmEh, look at that animation at the end, man! Look, what a sudden surge of money is doing with people. Suddenly, they have a rush of blood to the head and blow it up on sakuga animation in a silly comedy anime! 😉
Did ya read the rules of the race?! I tried three times to pause it at the good frame before I succeeded. And oh my god… I don’t know what did they take but I want it too.
The commentator/ narrator’s deadpan delivery was funny too.
I’m curious if they’ll extend the new protagonist joke over next episode (at least partially).
elianthos
February 9, 2016 at 3:54 pmIyami-san :,) stringing together Mad Max, Time Bokan (the self destruct gag, the cute skull button, the resulting wardrobe malfunction! Nipples ahoy! ), First of The North Star, Terminator, Mad Max (again?!), Hardware [Mark 13], the evil overlord from Daitarn III whose name is totally eluding me right now [edit: Don Zauser/Don Zauker. Gotta love those vintage brain-in-a-bowl skull kind of villians ], and ofc a certain animanga iconic white-freeze-frame death that need not be named on top of many many other things… and his formidable anal grip :,DDD. Ah btw Totoko’s eyes a-la Go Nagai’s DevilLady were a nice touch too. Aaaaaand the despicable friends old duo’s nod to ( I suspect) Belmondo&Delon’s ‘Borsalino’.
P.S.: GlassOfRed Bathtubmobile, NekotatsuCar or OverTheTottyWirelessBroadbandSofamobile? Decisions, decisions…
It’s a nice view from the swinging rope when the matsu branch holds up.
P.P.S.: Looking forward to the Valentine episode >D.
Chrysostomus
February 9, 2016 at 7:07 pmWhen will we have a Choro episode?
Probably never, I hear he is the least liked matsu. : (
moodytot
February 10, 2016 at 8:43 amActually, Todomatsu is last in the rankings (ha! Kyoudai ranking). According to the 2015 poll from the official website:
1. Karamatsu (14054 votes)
2. Ichimatsu (11372 votes)
3. Jyushimatsu (9187 votes)
4. Osomatsu (6892 votes)
5. Choromatsu (5808 votes)
6. Todomatsu (5618 votes)
Who knows if it’ll change for Season 2.
Taimis
February 10, 2016 at 3:45 pmNice to see the Karamatsu girls of the real world are showing support! I can’t bring myself to choose among the brothers. I love them all. I relate to Choromatsu the most though, but I don’t think that’s something one should brag about, haha.
Guardian Enzo
February 10, 2016 at 6:16 pmI know I’m not the target audience (and maybe that’s why we disagree) but I like Totty. I find the way his relative social dexterity clashes with the others hilariously fascinating.
Jyuushimatsu (Ono is just killing it here) and Karamatsu would be my other faves. But I think the supporting cast (especially Iyami) is just as funny as the brothers. Has there been an official poll of the non-sextuplet characters?
Simone
February 10, 2016 at 10:02 pmTotty also has the wisdom of knowing his personal rankings of his brothers shouldn’t be flaunted too much. We viewers should only follow into his footsteps and admit the F6 are all equally amazing XD.
Chrysostomus
February 10, 2016 at 6:46 pmHell yeah, Karamatsu girls/boys unite! I love Kara, Ichi & Juushi too of course, but I hope their popularity doesn’t end up in favoritism. Hopefully the writers will give Choro some love soon…. hopefully.
Gina
February 10, 2016 at 6:02 pm>> Iyami’s best move is to piss off Osomasu (literally)
>> Mad Max parody is gold each time.
>> The violence at the end reminds me of Higurashi no Koro Ni. It definitely went to a very dark side.
I ROFL so hard when Osomatsu is called out for being amazingly unpopular though. And I hope to see more of those Ojisans’ menancing side (their faces are so meme-worthy)
ruicarlov
February 10, 2016 at 9:06 pmAh, the memories of when I used to watch Wacky Races every day…
That radar image set my nostalgia on full throttle. All Iyami was missing was a Mutley to his Dick Dastardly persona.
moodytot
February 11, 2016 at 4:00 amEnzo, I agree. Totty’s the one who resists his brothers’ self-destructive NEET spiral the most. No matter what Choromatsu says, it’s better to have all six than just five.