Dropkick on My Satan!!: Apocalypse Day Anime OVA Evaluate
The animated life of Dropkick on My Devil! is a continuous, immoral experiment that is changing in real time. Bonus episodes from the series were part of its seasonal run, back when Amazon attempted to sell their anime-streaming portfolio on this premium exclusive. Dropkick on My Devil, the second season! Dash even boldly continued its run by adding an OVA and a clip-show. But now that simulcasting has taken hold, the all-devouring Crunchyroll beast is in charge. Last year, Jashin-chan concluded her third season, which was supported by crowdsourcing; this Apocalypse Day detour is a distinct production. When I questioned my editor, half-sarcastically, whether she even needed a stand-alone review for this, she eagerly confirmed my assignment right away. As I am to Jashin-chan, really, I’m the goof.
The reality is that Dropkick is Dropkick, even with a mere twenty-three brain-bleeding minutes to deal with. It’s as much a spit in the face of those who paid for and created this as it is a joke to the gullible viewers. It’s reasonable to assume that the meteor impact that destroys little Jinbōchō at the opening of this OVA is a reference to the catastrophe that Jashin (naturally) was unable to avert at the conclusion of Dropkick on My Devil! X, given that a year has passed. However, the sun burst, not a meteor, which is why the season-ending event left the trivial cliffhanger predictably unanswered. Rather, the introduction creates a new apocalypse just to satisfy the requirement to do a clumsy Fist of the North Star parody anytime this special wants to pass the time. It’s not like any effort at consistency mattered in a special that culminates with the main heroine savagely cooked and devoured by her friends. I suppose they are spoilers. It’s all kind of like jazz free-form with a little more jokes about mutilation.
It’s more of a meta-aware statement on the dangers of a continuous humor series and local tax and financing systems than anything else I think could be anticipated from an anime that is, at this point, less of an ongoing tale. This is the show that has persevered even after the season in which Jashin stole money from a crowdfunder was really refused some financing by Furano because it portrayed the city in a negative way. I don’t think anything could have been a more fitting ending for a Jashin-chan anime than that. How does this OVA react? an alternative partnership with the municipality of Takamori, which begins with a scenario in which Jashin is not granted local tax financing for the same reason as Furano reversed her payment. Dropkick may as well turn into a documentary while it’s at it—jumping from screwball humor to high-concept metatext to edutainment.
After all, what more could fans want for from an additional thirty minutes of Jashin doing havoc on the screen? Jashin mentions in passing that the animation appears different this time around because it was produced by studio Makaria rather than Nomad, but in the end, everything still falls into the same loose, charmingly janky character designs squabbling in an unremarkable field. Even the production quirks are at the mercy of the show taking the piss out of itself. Or maybe this is indeed a well-known Takamori landmark, but my sense of landscape recognition is about as advanced as Jashin’s perception of all her purported pals based only on hair color.
Aside from the hardly noticeable studio change, this apocalyptic diary’s cast of characters may stand out the most. When I reviewed Dropkick on My Devil! X, I pointed out that Jashin’s growing entourage was beginning to push each other out. It seems like Apocalypse Day took the criticism quite personally. It was reminiscent of Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie, with every character from the series appearing in a single episode. Mostly, however, since a few lesser players may not be there and the legendary Hatsune Miku will have none other than the one and only Kenshiro fill her guest seat. Against the mostly unnoticed background of Yurine’s dictatorship, this is likely Dropkick returning to its most conventional shitpost humor. For whatever reason, Minos has become crimson. Before the big fight, Pino speedballs a lot of drugs. Perhaps the most indirect, belated Christmas special ever, Pekola appears in a scene with adorned trees. This is not an anime that is meant to be viewed for a traditional story, and this particular episode is definitely not one that lends itself to a comprehensive written review.
So, boss, why in the world am I here? For the sake of completionism would be the natural response. A review of Apocalypse Day covers the chronological encyclopedic gap between all things Jashin-chan, as it serves as a holding pattern for Dropkick on My Devil! as they get ready for the whole fourth season that they somehow managed to deceive a crowd into sponsoring again. Though that might have been said of the first season as well, I would grant that this cynical indulgence in side-story turmoil is hardly the best place for any hypothetical wide-eyed beginner to this brand to start. The Dropkick on My Devill!! experience is something that nobody can ever really be ready for, whether they are anime fans with twenty-three minutes to spare or the whole unsuspecting city council. At least it’s an anime series that’s entertaining and still stands out from the crowd, even if it may be legitimately accused of being a money-funneling racket at this point.
