- Genre : Comedy, action, slapstick, drama, neon
- Episodes: 25+1
- Studio: Satelight
Jyugo is a man of many skills. He can break out of any prison, open any lock, mimic any key. He can also…ummm. Ok so Jyugo manly has the one skill but he’s working on it. Kida. It’s just not that easy to broaden your horizons when you spend all your time in a jail cell. Well, not that Jyugo spends all that much time there, what with all the breakin out and all. And it’s not that bad, his cell mates are pretty fun guys and the guards are decent too, as long as you don’t make *too much* trouble. All in all Jyugo can’t complain. Except that someone’s been using him for human experiments and he can’t quite remember what happened. Oh and the prison has just been taken over by a monstrous convicted ex guard who might murder them all. But otherwise, things are pretty good!
If you were to ask me right now why I decided to watch Nanbaka, I wouldn’t be able to tell you. I had never heard of it at all and the only clue I had about the story, were the prison jumpsuits the characters seem to be wearing. Sometimes, you just got to go for it and hope for the best!
I wish I could recommend Nanbaka, I really do. I just don’t know who to recommend it to! It’s a technically proficient anime but it’s also a hodgepodge of so many clashing elements and styles.
For instance, the visuals are great. But they’re too stylish and zany to appeal to traditionalists and too unpolished and easygoing to be one of the cool kids. I would describe them as a more childish looking Danganronpa. The colours are fantastically loud and just everywhere. This show is an explosion of color and the thematic use is so heavy handed it’s comical. If you are the least bit annoyed by particularly loud colours though Nanbaka may kill you.
The animation is surprisingly good and fights look impressive but the pretty boy aesthetic may scare some people away. Even though the boys are very pretty, they’re also not the characteristic androgenous shoujo style. For instance I thought Hajime was one of the more attractively drawn ones and he’s a very tall, very muscled bald man. Which I realize is just another way of saying attractive. What was I doing? Oh yeah – reviewing a show.
The acting is deadpan and fast paced, which makes sense considering that Nanaka is a comedy show (this is a running gag in the show). Here’s the biggest problem when it comes to recommending Nanbaka, it’s a collection of intense tonal shifts.
The first few episodes had me thinking that this was i fact strewn together super short episodes. It was extremely silly and seemed more disjointed than most. It really made me think of Saiki in many ways but not quite as, for lack of a better word, smart. But then, out of the blue, it became a genuine action anime complete with great fighting sequences and impressive super powers held together by a clear continuous storyline and I really started to get into it. Then it got dark… Serious themes of addiction and uncomfortably topical discussions of police brutality were addressed head on. The moral dilemma and implications of drawing a line between discipline and reform, and punishment and vengeance were brought up but never answered.
And we go right back to slapstick humour, fourth wall breaks and casual innuendo. Shift again, the background puzzle of Jungo’s existence is brought up again just in time for a new conflict to emerge. The latter half of the second season was a fantastic mix of tension, mystery and action that had me blowing through the episodes at breakneck speed to see what happens next. It felt like the first arc of what could become one of my favourite long running shonen and then, it just ended. I mean the show ended way before the story ever did… ARG!!!! WHY!!! NO!!!
I read up a bit on it after finishing the series and it seems Nanbaka was adapted from a web comic. I believe this is the first time I’ve seen a webtoon adaptation and this may have something to do with the unusual tonal structure and slightly frantic mix of elements. It’s very difficult to compare Nanbaka to anything else. At best, you can compare it to a mix of 3 or 4 very different shows. An that makes it so difficult to recommend.
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t watch it. Because of its nature, I don’t know if you’ll like Nanbaka. And even if you do, I can’t guarantee that you won’t be annoyed by certain aspects of it. But as a clash of styles and ideas it’s interesting in concept if nothing else. You have not seen a show quite like this and you probably won’t again for some time. Or I am once again showing my limited anime knowledge and this is a super popular subgenre with hundreds of popular titles available. But I hadn’t seen anything quite like it before.
Also hair goals. I want to have every single one of those hairstyles, except Hajime’s (although that’s probably what I’ll end up with if I dye my hair that much). Oh and the Warden. The warden is amazing. She is more than worth your time and the only thing I really reproach that second season for, is the fact that she’s mostly absent.
If any of you have seen this (I know Mel has), please let me know what you thought of it. I’m really curious!
Favorite character: The Warden!!!!
What this anime taught me: adorableness can be mistaken for intimidation which explains so much about my life…
When life gives you lemons, add gin and tonic
Suggested drink: The Lock Pick
- Every time something gets bleeped out – take a tiny sip
- Every time anyone speaks in English – take a sip (water if it’s the dub)
- Every time anyone escapes prison – stretch
- Every time Hajime gets mad – hide
- Every time anyone sparkles – take a breath
- Every time the warden is adorable – squee
- Every time Seitarou-kun cries – take a sip
- Every time there’s a 4th wall break – take a sip
- Every time Uno goes girl crazy – take a sip
- Every time Rock obsesses over food – get a snack
- Every time Nico reminds you of yourself – take a sip
- Every time the warden gets mistaken for angry or ruthless – giggle
- Every time Hajime smokes – take a sip
- Every time Jyugo is bad at something – raise your glass
So…I figured out how to viably take screenshots of entire series…. YAY?
Yup I did watch it did I like it? Yes, and you are right, this series is hard to recommend to anyone cause it doesn’t really fall under a particular genre other then comedy series.
I did enjoy the second season more cause there was more of a plot going one, we had a story to follow, something was actually going on, now I just wish they finish it cause between you and me the ending of the 2nd season was a little bit meh.
it wasn’t an ending
Lol true, that reminded me a lot of how the ended Gangsta.
Really sounds like an interesting anime…. DAMMIT! I NEED TO WATCH MORE ANIME!!! I’ve only watched a few anime movies and shows in my life… Spirited Away, Totoro, The Witches Flower, Ponyo, Glitter Force, Winx Club, Avatar the Last Airbender, Princess Tutu, and I actually think that’s all I’ve watched. I don’t usually judge anything before I know them either but One Punch Man, a show that was recommended to me, looks pretty stupid.
I’ve also watched Devil is a Part-Timer.
it’s a pretty witty subversion of the genre imo
SHOW MY REPLIES WHEN I POST THE COMMENT, NOT AFTER I LOOK, DON’T SEE IT AND MAKE ANOTHER!!!!!!!!!!!
>: O
AND PUT THEM WHERE I WANT THEM, DAMMIT!!!!
i always see them at the right place and people always answer you so you don’t have to worry aout that
the site may think our pm since you put up a lot of comment in quick succession like bots do.
Ah, I see. At least they pop up in the right places on Ur screen. 4 me, they don’t.
I saw the first half. Didn’t love it, but liked it well enough. Nanbaka has me confused, because I can’t tell whether I dropped the show, or whether I simply didn’t watch the second season. The show aired all at once over two cours, but the first half aired on TV, and second half was released on the web. I think if it had been a straightforward two-cour, I’d have finished it, and if it had gotten a second season a little later I might have watched it again. But as it is, I was quite happy to not watch the second second season for now, and “for now” has lasted until today so far. I haven’t given up on finishing yet, but it’s getting increasingly unlikely that I’ll pull through. That it teases story but doesn’t conclude isn’t exactly motivating either.
I did really like the art style, and the characters were endearing. Maybe I’ll get back to it after all, one day?
I personally enjoyed the second season more desite the sudden end. It was more character driven but I missed Rin terribly
Oh my God! I complete forgot about this anime, I also loved it so much lol. It’s definitely unique in its own way, I’m happy that you added in your post that it’s from a webcomic! I remember missing this series after it ended after all so I will definitely have to check out the webcomic!
Me too. I’ve added it on my to read list
I hardly get to see any anime shows! It’s so unfair! :, (
That’s so true! Life really gets ya huh? Lmao
Yeah…
Don’t forget to make time for hobbies tho! At least the weekends (ง’̀-‘́)ง good luck!
Yeah, thanks! I’ve finished my trio of 3 comics of Sheilla’s Life! Sheilla’s my imaginary avatar. She’s an elf.
Ooh an elf! I’m more of a mage gal myself but elves are amazing and cute ☺️
I actually watched the anime recently and started reading the webcomic. So far, it’s more or less the same as the anime, but it’s still ongoing with almost 150-160 chapters. I love how funny the anime is; plus the story within it is good as well. I was rather disappointed with the last episode since it felt like it was cut short/ ended abruptly.
Oh yeah
Anime bleu balls
…..???? Bleu balls?
…..???? blue balls?
PUT MY RANTS HERE!!!!!
This was just a pretty fun watch I actually really enjoyed the OP a lot. Pretty catchy stuff. It was easy to get lost in all the sparkles.
So much sparkles. Not since Magi Kyun has an anime been so sparkly
Nanbaka I was pretty hyped for as I first saw it as a manga on Crunchyroll (and then Shinji Takamatsu got attached to it, which added hype to my hype). I think it’s better as an aimless comedy and season 2 stopped in a terrible place (to the point where it’s one of the only series to have the sequel be ranked lower than the original on my list…which really says something about how much I favour sequels), especially because the OVA does nothing but read like a bad fanfic. So, truth be told…I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone either.
I do like Rin! Rin! Hi! Hi!, although it pops up in my head sometimes when I get stressed and makes me even more stressed…
Strangely, the only one I felt like liking in any capacity was Jyugo. He may be the most mediocre character in a while, but I got kind of attached to him…not in any particular crazy way like I normally do, but it was amicable while it lasted.
Since your How to Keep a Mummy post is staring me in the face right now, I’ll just mention that Nanbaka and it are both Comico series – that is, they started as web manga and eventually got the Entertaining Dead Tree tankobon treatment if they were popular enough. Crunchyroll seems to have a monopoly on Comico series’ manga, but their reader is pretty terrible and hasn’t been getting much focus so I haven’t gone back to it in a good while.
I didn’t realize Mummy was a comico series or even a webcomic but now that you mention it, i see it
Ahh Nanbaka, been a while since I saw this series. At first I just started watching this because I was bored and I couldn’t find anything better. But, I gotta admit the cast of characters and how diverse they are (from each block even–the rivalry between them was my absolute favorite) it was what really kept me watching. Although I nearly threw my phone at the wall with the way they ended it. I mean c’mon! you can not give us a story arc like that and just end it there! Other wise this anime was a rollercoaster of entertainment and weirdness in my opinion.
I would happily watch another season
Same here
I never quite finished this. I think we were three episodes from the end when we stopped watching here, though that was more due to time than anything, I think. It was fun though. I felt like it was at its best when it was at its silliest.
I liked the second season more. They solidified the characters a lot
That’s interesting; when we were watching it was all listed as one season. I wonder if there’s been a second added or if it was all just put into one on the site we were watching on.