Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi: Volume 1

Review Date: 2005 April 28 16:21

Reviewed by: Spike

Released by: ADV Films UK

Age Rating: 15

Region: 2 - UK

Volume 1 of 4

Length: 100 minutes

Subtitles: English

Audio: English 5.1 Surround
Japanese 2.0 Stereo

Summary

Sasshi Imamiya and Arumi Asahina seem like normal 12 year old kids, hanging out in the school holidays. But life is changing for the two as Sasshi's family bathhouse in the Abenobashi shopping arcade has been demolished, and rumour has it that Arumi's father is talking about moving away to be a chef at a hotel! However, when an accident happens at Arumi's grandfather’s restaurant, things start to change like never before, and Sasshi and Arumi are flung into a whole new world - literally! Now they have to deal with a terrible transvestite, a busty nutcase, and a mad scientist that seems to be going through some sort of mid-life crisis. Together they must unlock the secret of their predicament, if they hope to stand a chance of getting home.

Review

Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi is a bizarre parody Anime that packs a new world into each episode at a frantic pace, leaving it seeming like the mutant lovechild of Excel Saga and the sci-fi series Sliders. Most comic Anime take a passing shot at other genres for a quick laugh, however Abenobashi doesn't so much "take a passing shot" as it does pull out a huge heat-seeking rocket launcher, aim it at point-black range at its target and pull the trigger. Each episode is a self contained world that lampoons one genre, be it sci-fi, kung-fu movies or role playing games, by trying to get as many sight gags, references, and jokes as it can into it in 25 minutes.