Common Name: Mahoujin Guru Guru (2017)
Alternative Names: Mahoujin Guru Guru, Magical Circle
Score: 6/10, 4/5
Length: 24 Episodes
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Romance, Magic
Summary: Long ago, the Demon King Giri was sealed away thanks to the efforts of a young hero and a mage of the Migu Migu Clan, users of the mysterious Guru Guru magical arts. Now word has gotten out that the seal on the Demon King has broken, allowing the dark king to slowly regain the power he once possessed, and the only ones able to stop him are the fated hero, Nike, and the last remaining user of the Guru Guru arts, a young girl named Kukuri. The only problem: neither of them know the first thing about saving the world. So, with nothing but their companionship and the fear of what chaos Giri might wreak if they can't stop him to drive them ever forward, the fate of the world has been left in the hands of two young, incredibly weak children.
Review: As I've said before, the idea of adapting or remaking an anime for a new audience is, while commendable, often a poor decision. Like all media, some shows are crafted to fit the era in which they were created. Current events, social norms, and types of humor all play into the creation of most forms of media and fiction, yet these things are known to drastically change within a matter of years. So, I can't help but wonder whose bright idea it was to adapt a 1994 Dragon Quest parody anime for an era in which Dragon Quest isn't nearly as relevant as it used to be. What's more, why remake an older Dragon Quest parody when the Dragon Quest parody subgenre has already been done to death. There are already dozens of such parodies already on the market that have a lot more going for them than this show that looks like it was made for kids, yet has a distinctly adult brand of humor that can't be ignored. I guess what I'm trying to get at is that I cannot begin to understand who the target audience for this show was meant to be. Similarly, I'm not sure the lack of clear audience is really a solid criticism though.
After all, the show does possess some amount of charm in spite of itself.
Focused primarily on the adventures of the would-be lovers, Nike the Hero and Kukuri the Guru Guru-User, this show basically functions on the premise of riffing on standard retro-RPG tropes while cracking dick jokes, showing some skin, and putting the characters in situations that are just as uncomfortable as they are crude. The simple fact of the matter is that the story doesn't matter because it's already been seen a million times. Both the show and the viewers already know what's going to happen, so it typically resolves itself to a very simple formula. Nike and Kukuri always venture to one of the towns or ruins that contain some kind of hidden power up. They usually find the situation to be more dangerous than they prepared for since they're under-leveled. They dork around the area until they find an ally that will allow them to gimmick through all the dangers. They find the treasure, encounter the scenario's boss, and manage to survive because Guru Guru is broken as hell. Then, once all is said and done, they are basically told where they need to go next and the cycle begins again. Keep in mind, at the show's start, each rotation of this cycle takes roughly three episodes. Things only really start to pick up in the last couple of episodes when they make a mad dash to the Demon King Giri's fortress because the show is running short on time.
That's not so much a criticism as it is a statement of fact--one that the show itself acknowledges.
Quite simply, the only real substance to be found in this show is the driving force behind it all, and that is the character of Kukuri herself. While, yes, the main story is the standard "save the world from the bad guy" plotline, the actual point of the story is Kukuri's slow and gradual growth as a character. At the start, she's a quiet, bashful, and timid mage with no confidence in herself or her abilities. Once she begins to develop a relationship with Nike and a need to support him on his hero journey (or, more accurately, carry his sorry ass), she begins to develop her own set of goals, principles, and dreams. While most of these things revolve around Nike, what with her falling for him and everything, it also gives Kukuri a need to learn more about her family and the nature of Guru Guru itself.
Sounds like a pretty solid plan actually, considering how FUCKING BULLSHIT OP Guru Guru is.
Seriously, the girl finds the ability to summon Bahamut Zero by episode two. How is that OK?
Unfortunately, the way in which Kukrui's story is portrayed is one of my greatest issues with this show. In a show full of nudity, fart jokes, and a hero that pervs on every girl he meets (even though he knows about their feelings for one another), it makes little to no sense how pure and innocent Kukuri is in contrast. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all for the slapstick comedy of Misty hitting Brock during Pokemon, but this show doesn't even go that far. Where I'd normally claim there's a juxtaposition to be found in this, I can only see tonal inconsistency. There's just no way for me to reconcile the idea that these characters are thirteen, yet undergo the same emotional issues seen in Ponyo where none of the characters really know how to express or what to do with their emotions. Granted, I might have been more willing to believe their emotional arc if they actually looked thirteen.
So, once again, I'm left to return to my point from the beginning: I have no clue who this show is supposed to appeal too. Regardless of the current situation with Dragon Quest and all its parodies, this show looks like something meant for kids yet tonally and comedically presents itself as something meant for adults. So, I guess it's trying to strike a chord with an audience that is also at that awkward in-between stage between childish innocence and perverse adulthood? Am I to assume that this show is for middle schoolers or early high schoolers? I mean, if so, that's all well and good but all that does is leave a sour taste in the mouths of everyone else who are forced to call this show too childish or inappropriate for their tastes. As much as I liked this show, even I could only stand it on a weekly basis. I pale to think what bingeing it would be like. In either case, I'm forced to conclude that this show was just a poor decision all around. While the art and animation were fine, they never matched up with the tone of the show and just spoke to the age of the original product. Even the show's disco-themed music called back to that fact several times, so I'm inclined to believe that was the point. Sticking to a particular nostalgic theme isn't enough to make a show quality as good though. In all honesty, I'm still a little shaky about labeling this show as above average, but I can't deny that some parts, all be it disparate parts, of me found this show enjoyable. So, would I recommend it? Not really, no; but I'm content to label Mahoujin Guru Guru as a guilty pleasure of sorts at the very least.