 |
|
4. Iodine  
Comedic fantasy-adventure shows are usually awful when
done badly, but can be really something special when
the creators manage to get them right. Photon is
one of the good ones, following a grubby, stoic little
boy named Photon, who is launched on a frenetic
galactic adventure after thoughtfully scribbling "idiot" on the forehead of a naked sleeping beauty in
a cryogenic chamber. Said beauty takes this as a pledge of matrimony upon waking up, and takes him
along on her quest to find missing technology, evade a crooked lord, and so on. A good portion of the show's
humor comes from the girls, Keyne and Aun, who make up for Photon's quiet demeanor with their volcanic
tempers, energetic bickering, and gleeful
self-delusions. The show also features a delightfully
evil villain: the cowardly, despicable Papacha, whose
misdeeds are matched in enormity only by the constant
mishaps that befall him. For the most part the writing is a marvel, but like so many other comedies,
a sudden shift to more angstful dramatics in the last act mangles the story beyond repair.
The production values for the OAV are very good, most
notably the animation. This lets the characters be as
physical in their comedy as they want, and contributes
to the quality of the series immeasurably. Designs
are unremarkable, but hold up well, and the vocal
performances are a smash. There's a lot of action
involved that sometimes goes too far, making the show
more violent than it really needs to be. Many of the
characters are also frequently running around with no
clothes on for humorous purposes, but there are barely
any sexual overtones to their behavior. Though short
and pretty obscure, Photon is one worth keeping an
eye out for.
|
| 3. Corkscrew
Photon is a fairly good comedy show about a young man
(although he looks more like a little boy) with superhuman strength. He is forced
to leave his village to chase after his sister, who has run off in search of the
famous rock star she idolizes. While he's out looking, he runs into an attractive
space pilot who is running from... what has to be one of the most over-the-top
villains ever created. For the most part, Photon
is hilariously funny, especially when Papachump, the crazy evil emperor villain
is involved. The characters are endearing, and this show does tell a complete
story. However, I would recommend against watching the whole thing in one sitting.
With these being OVA length episodes (ie: around 30 minutes each), you're talking
over 3 hours, and some things started to wear on my nerves a bit by the end. In
two sittings, however, this show is great, and definitely a good comedy series
to show to friends. |
| 
 |
