3ET: Houzuki no Reitetsu

This is Japanese hell.

Studio: Wit Studio

Director: Kaburaki Hiro (Kimi ni Todoke, Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun)

Writer: Gotou Midori

Main Cast:

Yasumoto Hiroki as Houzuki

Nagasoko Takashi as Enma Daiou

Character Design: Katou Hirotaka (Eyeshield 21)

Music: Tomisiro (Honzawa Naoyuki and Kakegawa Yousuke) (Rinne no Lagrange)

Houzuki no Reitetsu, is hell. Literally. The show takes place in Japanese hell, specifically. The title character is an assistant to the Japanese equivalent of Satan, Enma Daiou. Hell is portrayed as a giant bureaucracy, with Houzuki seen as one of the most powerful demons in the underworld. It's pretty much a gag comedy, a genre I usually don't enjoy. The last one I can really think of enjoying was Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou. As usual with comedies, it all comes down to whether I find it funny.

The good news is that there is some funny stuff in this show. The second half of episode two had Satan, the Euro version, show up. And it was funny, good cultural clash and it's a sign of how bizarre the show is that even Satan is weirded out by it. That bizarreness is best exemplified by Houzuki's hobby. In what I think is a parody of caring for bonsai plants, Houzuki cares for plants that grow giant goldfish as flowers. I'm not sure if that is good comedy, but it sure is weird.

... the fuck?

Unfortunately, my Japanese knowledge may not be enough to truly enjoy this show. First off, there are a lot of Japanese puns in this show. I don't like puns when they are in English, much less when I can't understand where they are coming from. Second, a lot of the cultural references in this show go over my head. I think I only got the bonsai parody because it's something so highly associated with Japanese culture. These aren't things that are actively wrong with the show, I think I'm just not the audience for this show.

I don't mean to speak poorly of Houzuki no Reitetsu. It's not a bad show. Maybe if I was more knowledgeable about the Japanese language and culture, I'd find it funnier. But, I don't have that knowledge, so I don't find it funny. And it's for that reason, not for any necessary flaw in the show, that I have to fail it.