The content of this piece was written during a viewing of the first episode of Disgaea on March 25, 2011. Edits have been made for spelling and grammar, but the rest is completely untouched, and un-edited from its original format.
7:39 PM: Good evening everyone, and welcome to another showblog!
7:39 PM: Tonight’s feature is one that may be interest to the gamers out there.
7:39 PM: Tonight I’ll be covering Disgaea.
7:39 PM: For those who haven’t been exposed, Disgaea is a mediocre-at-best strategy game that encouraged game breaking and grinding over strategy.
7:40 PM: The title did have some popularity though, thanks to stronger-than-average writing, and spawned three sequels, as well as numerous side games
7:40 PM: Still, the anime IS based on a video game, so I expect this to be, like the game it’s based on: mediocre at best.
7:40 PM: Anyway, before I begin, let’s get the basics out of the way:
7:40 PM: Directed by Kiyotaka Isako (Massugu ni Ikou)
7:40 PM: Character designs by Akira Kano (Initial D: Fourth Stage)
7:40 PM: Produced by d-rights (Eat-Man, X, Princess Nine)
7:40 PM: Opening theme: Aishitageru by Loverin Tamburin
7:40 PM: Closing theme: Kusari by Akiko Kawakami
7:40 PM: Based on a game by .@nisamerica
7:40 PM: Distributed by .@funimation
7:41 PM: And without further ado, away we go!
7:42 PM: And we open to a sweeping shot of the heavens, going down to hell… so we got THAT part established early. :P
7:42 PM: And enter the blonde angel-in-training, before kicking to the opening credits.
7:43 PM: Catchy opening theme – so it has something going for it so far
7:44 PM: Music sounds like straight-up recycles from the PS2 game.
7:44 PM: Anyway… we’ve got someone going into a giant structure of sorts.
7:45 PM: Who’s very polite… and clum- oh… it’s blondie, aka Flonne
7:45 PM: “It smells in here D:” She can’t do anything right. Or can she?
7:45 PM: Apparently she can – found a casket… and now she’s going to go Sailor Moon on someone’s ass!
7:46 PM: …Some cute visual gags, but nothing I’d call “funny” yet.
7:46 PM: Not even the whole “blow up the damn casket with a missile launcher” bit
7:46 PM: Fission Mailed… or is it? :o
7:47 PM: The overlord awakens… and he’s pissed.
7:47 PM: Enter the antihero, Laharl… who’s underwhelming and shirtless
7:47 PM: “I think this is a garbage dump :D” your powers of observation are KEEN, Flonne
7:48 PM: “I’m an assassin named Flonne :D” “And you’re an angel? T_T” “Actually, I’m just a trainee :D” …smart girl is smart. >_>
7:49 PM: And she got the wrong casket! Epic Fail, Flonne.
7:49 PM: She’s off to kill Laharl’s dad… but she’s against it, herself – CHARACTER BUILDING! Or something
7:50 PM: God, this is as crappy as the games!
7:50 PM: “Love is for losers! T_T” Laharl: #ForeverAlone
7:51 PM: Exposition time! Laharl was buried and left for dead, Flonne dug him up. The Overlord proper died 2 years prior.
7:52 PM: “The overlord met a tragic end when he choked on a dumpling of the damned! :3” I guess fail runs in the family
7:52 PM: “When you lose a loved one, I think you’re supposed to cry! D:” Flonne doesn’t get demons.
7:53 PM: “Demons don’t know what it’s like to feel love either? D:” Enter SUBPLOT A
7:53 PM: And monsters attack on the way out. .. which Laharl dispatches quickly >_>
7:54 PM: “Violence is never the answer ;-;” …Flonne just doesn’t get it… at all.
7:55 PM: And they’re on the ropes and gonna die, thus ending this show early! Or it’s just a false moment of tension.
7:55 PM: Anyway, eyecatch.
7:55 PM: Mid-show analysis: god, this sucks. It sucks worse than a broken strategy game that doesn’t rely on strategy! Wait…
7:56 PM: And back to the show
7:56 PM: Laharl and Flonne got their butts saved by a stray rocket.
7:56 PM: “HOW COOL! *.*” ..looks like Opa-Opa
7:56 PM: And inside is human superheroes.
7:57 PM: “Who the hell are these irritating fools?! T_T” That’s what I wanna know.
7:57 PM: Ohh… Captain Gordon and crew.
7:57 PM: …How did a human get into Hell? O_o Nevermind… the plot’s already fucking broken beyond repair
7:57 PM: Requisite fanservice… giant bouncing boobs!
7:58 PM: And Laharl’s being hit on by the girl with a massive rack
7:58 PM: “Laharl, your weakness is voluptuous women, isn’t it? :O” …ya think?
7:59 PM: And he’s been poisoned… gotcha
7:59 PM: Flonne casts a cure spell, amazing Captain Gordon.
8:00 PM: Who now thinks he was trying to kill Flonne… and we get another face full of boobs T_T wtf, Japan
8:00 PM: “Danger, danger! Sekuhara! :O” I like the robot… kinda
8:01 PM: Girl’s name: Jennifer – and the robot morphs into a giant cannon. Fun.
8:01 PM: Well… that’s the end of THEM
8:02 PM: And Flonne? She’s lecturing someone that leveled a giant stone structure.
8:02 PM: Oh boy… Flonne lost her pendant. .. which keeps her alive in the netherworld
8:02 PM: Laharl’s helping… for a price
8:03 PM: And Flonne doesn’t have any money… this is so predictable it hurts
8:03 PM: And, of course, the humans have it
8:03 PM: “If I don’t find it, I’m gonna disappear ;-;” PLEASE do so this show can end.
8:03 PM: Looks like the monsters are back for round 2.
8:04 PM: this time, Laharl’s actually winning.
8:04 PM: “What do you know? T_T” I wanna know, myself. >_>
8:05 PM: Sucker punch fail from other demon.
8:05 PM: “I might rot away soon but I’ll use every ounce of strength to assassinate you! T_T” Oh boy, please do
8:06 PM: Flonne’s going Pokemon on his ass… GIANT DRAGON, I CHOOSE YOU!
8:06 PM: And now we have our third protaganist entering: Etna
8:06 PM: …and like that, the episode’s over.
8:07 PM: Verdict: This show is just… it sucks.
8:07 PM: The humor falls flat, the characters are vapid, two-dimensional pests, and everything is just painfully predictabl.
8:08 PM: From this short taste, I’d say you’re best off leaving this alone. It’s a below-average anime, based on an average-at-best game.
8:08 PM: There are far funnier comedies, and far more satisfying adventures than this.
8:09 PM: Anyway, thanks for joining me tonight. Have a nice weekend!
