This one's gonna be a cult classic someday

Apr 30, 2021 2:47 PM

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Dec 2018

Yeah, I know the butt and buttjuice stuff pisses some people off (and I definitely get it) but I find it almost punk-rock and respectably bold how Ikuhara laid out the full, bare, ugly truth of kappa folklore for his audience -- making most of them "wtf" gloriously hard in the process -- and presented it in this hilarious, campy, literally ultra-colorful way complete with catchy-ass (haha, get it) songs.

My husband was pretty repulsed and / or weirded-out by the main "Song of Sarazanmai" sequence and "Soiya" dance (especially the former) when I showed them to him from the web, but he couldn't get those songs out of his head for weeks. It was hilarious, and now thanks to the Ikuhara-universe poster hanging in my room he has to know this show exists for the rest of his life despite his quote-unquote "trauma". My inner lolz from that are still pretty strong.

For me this show has a lot of emotional and intellectual elements if you actually kept going with it, and even the polarizing butt stuff is there for symbolic reasons related to the show's overall themes. (I have my own conclusions but I'll let you draw your own or read analysis elsewhere.) I learned a lot of interesting things about Buddhism and ancient youkai lore just from watching this anime and doing my own investigating.

Anyway, just my take. It's not gonna be everyone's cup of tea and I definitely get why it's hated or even just meh'd by some, but only speaking for myself I've seen equally gross things in stuff like Junji Ito manga and the movie The Holy Mountain.

EDIT: 2-3 months later, I actually watched this anime with the husband and we ended up experiencing and appreciating its emotional impact together, and it was an even better view for me the second time. What a beautifully symbolic and pure-hearted gem of a show underneath that initial ugliness (mirroring our own misunderstandings and ignorance oftentimes about people, ideas, and life itself). It's also a masterpiece from a technical perspective and things like

seem cutting-edge for anime even right now. Sarato...

SchlockendaleJul 11, 2021 10:55 PM

Apr 30, 2021 2:57 PM

Piromysl

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Jul 2015

13807

Well, we have reached the point, where pulling stuff out off ass is considered a comedy, so...

Apr 30, 2021 3:07 PM

Schlockendale

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Dec 2018

Yes, we do in fact live in a world of rainbow-shitting unicorn toys. I'm surprised those exist and yet something like this got people mad, lol.

Apr 30, 2021 3:56 PM

daikenkai

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Jan 2009

The songs are honestly way better than they have any credit being. I tell my friends to watch it all the time but they're so weirded out by the premise they stop. Shame on them because the emotional punch is why this show is as good as it is. The ugly truth of the lengths to which we go to obtain and keep connections.

Apr 30, 2021 4:10 PM

PinkOni

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Dec 2019

Ehhhhh... had some cool visuals and some of the music is great... but penguindrum was infinitely better.

May 1, 2021 7:12 PM

johnyian

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Jan 2020

This is the most punk anime in existence and deserves all the additional content it's currently receiving.

May 3, 2021 2:10 PM

Thrive2Mix

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Aug 2009

This show is so stupid but I kinda love it. huhuhu

May 26, 2021 5:00 AM

sugar_slut

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Jan 2017

431

It sure is to me, but to general audience I think the weirdness of it kinda overshadows the serious message and the symbolism of the show. I feel like if it had at least 24 eps or more like Utena/Penguindrum, the story and characters would get more development and some plotholes would be covered. I still think ReoMabu's story was the most interesting to me but they never got enough of spotlight.

Aug 11, 2021 7:04 AM

Rojaseb

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Jul 2019

1222

I agree, it has the potential, one of the most amazingly artistic anime ever

Nov 26, 2021 10:53 PM

#10

CTGrell

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Jun 2014

I just finished it and immediately started to recommend it to everyone with the warning of weirdness. I really loved this one. All the deep topics and moral questions, struggles... Yes the actual fight scenes are 3 lil kappa dude singing and awkwardly posing. Then what? This anime had more emotions then most seinen drama anime.

Jan 20, 2022 8:49 PM

#11

Hxttori

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Aug 2021

Well this is ikuhara show we are talking about, it delivers its theme in a very beautiful way.

Dec 25, 5:18 PM

#12

eblf2013

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Jan 2020

1571

Ikuhara himself is a cult-classic director so yeah, Sarazanmai will surely be seen in a similar vein to his other works which are considered cult classics.

MOKUSHI KUSHIMO SHIMOKU KUMOSHI MOSHIKU SHIKUMO.

See All Discussions

Poll: » Sarazanmai Episode 11 Discussion ( 1 2 3 ) Stark700 - Jun 20, 2019	142	by eblf2013 »» Dec 22, 11:40 AM
Poll: » Sarazanmai Episode 7 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Stark700 - May 23, 2019	56	by eblf2013 »» Dec 22, 9:14 AM
Poll: » Sarazanmai Episode 5 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Stark700 - May 9, 2019	66	by eblf2013 »» Dec 21, 7:54 PM
Poll: » Sarazanmai Episode 4 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Stark700 - May 2, 2019	81	by eblf2013 »» Dec 21, 6:56 PM
Poll: » Sarazanmai Episode 3 Discussion ( 1 2 3 ) Stark700 - Apr 25, 2019	105	by eblf2013 »» Dec 21, 5:44 PM

This one's gonna be a cult classic someday

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