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Jul 31 2005

Categories: anime, episodic review, pani poni dash
Tagged: pani poni dash

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Eleven year old prodigy graduates from prestigious university.

(Mmm…)

Gets a job teaching grade school in Japan.

(Shoot I know this…)

And ends up teaching an all female class who can’t stop fawning over the cuteness of the prodigy.

(Damn… I just made a post of this series… I should know what it’s called.)

It may seem like your typical harem genre ecchifest…

(I got it!)

… only it ends up being Excel Saga.

(Pani Poni Dash!)

The Ana look-a-like is Rebecca Miyamoto, who’s father is American (If her dad is American, why is her name Rebecca Miyamoto? Wouldn’t she have an English last name? I disgress.) and is a child prodigy having gotten an M.I.T. degree while eleven years old. She’s the focus of Pani Poni Dash, which is based on the manga of the same name by Hikawa Hekiru.

Despite being a school comedy series about a short, cute teacher, it is much more hardcore than Sensei no Ojikan. If Sensei no Ojikan were 7 Up, Pani Poni Dash would be Absolut Vokda. Despite her looks and age, Rebecca is one cynical, sarcastic eleven year old. She reminds me of Ipalazzo… and certainly Pani Poni Dash is more of a gag series along the line of Excel Saga.

So the first episode has Rebecca trying to get through her first day. Only she sleeps in… gets lost, which kinda reminded me of Jubei (the original Lovely Eyepatch variety) on the way to class in a forest… while her class is devising nicknames for their new teacher. Of course, it doesn’t end well as Rebecca is overwhelmed at being called “Becky”. Most of the humor is generated through the interaction of the stereotypical characters… which have been recycled many times thoughout anime history. Also, thoughout the episode, there are also a sprinkling of visual gags that fly by.

The animation is done by the same art house as He Is My Master, and they make Rebecca and her class look adorablely dysfunctional. I’m not sure who would win a cuteness poll… her or Ana? What do you think? (Or Mika?)

There seems to be some underlying plot between all the gags in the form of aliens for some reason judging Rebecca. I’m definitely looking forward to more of this series now just to see if Rebecca can give Ipalazzo a run for his money in the evil department and Ana a run for her money in the cuteness department.