3ET: Space Dandy

"What do you mean we don't have a plot?"
"We don't NEED a plot!"

Studio: Bones

Director: Watanabe Shinichiro (Cowboy Bebop, Sakamichi no Apollon)

Writer: Various

Main Cast:

Suwabe Junichi as Dandy

Satake Uki as QT

Yoshino Hiroyuki as Meow

Character Design: ItouYoshiyuki (Full Metal Alchemist, Star Driver)

Music: Various

Note: This review is for the subtitled version of the show

Well, well, a new anime from the director of Cowboy Bebop. That is not Cowboy Bebop. Or Samurai Champloo. Or Sakimichi no Apollon. Or anything else that Watanabe has directed in his illustrious career. And to be honest, that's not a bad thing. Space Dandy is Watanabe's foray into the comedy genre, complete with his penchant for mixing Eastern and Western cultural references. And thankfully, this is one of the rare comedies that doesn't have to rely on being funny to keep me interested in watching.

First off, the jokes, like with most comedies are hit and miss. That's not to say this show is without it's genuinely funny moments. It knows exactly the type of humor it's going for and will run with the joke, even at the risk of running it into the ground. Sometimes this takes an entire episode, sometimes only a few moments.  Some of the jokes are about Dandy's incompetence as a rare alien hunter. Some are about his quirky supporting cast of a robot (QT) and a stoner cat alien (Meow). Some are about a Hooter's ripoff or breaking the fourth wall. And in the end, some work and some don't. That's the nature of comedy, and this show has more to offer than just laughs.

"You all right, man... cat... thing?"
"Dude, I'm so high right now."

The real strength of Space Dandy lies in the visuals. For example, when their ship goes to warp, it isn't a clean jump from one place to the next like in other science fiction shows. It's a psychedelic whirlwind of colors and shapes, with character models deforming and reforming along the way. This is a show that takes full advantage of the fact that its animation and lets the writers and animators do whatever their imagination desires. Then, there are the aliens. These aren't bipedal palette swaps, these are true aliens, taking inspiration from all types of life on Earth as well as some of the best aliens in science fiction. The result is a feast for the eyes, especially with the money that a well-funded studio like Bones can put into it.

So, despite not having characters that I care about, or an interesting plot, Space Dandy is an easy pass. The simple characters and plot serve as a template for the writers and animators to do with what they will. Oh, and I haven't even mentioned that yes, Kanno Yoko is in on the Space Dandy House Band. And yes, the music provides an excellent soundtrack to sit back and enjoy the visual ride that Space Dandy sends the audience. All in all, it's a different kind of good, one that I'll be looking forward to each week.