“Gay bishounen-filled South Seas diamond kingdom battles criminal syndicate with MI6 bodyguard in surreal, genre-bending anime.”
Patalliro!
パタリロ!
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Based on your preference for character-driven stories with layered emotional arcs, this title's exploration of identity and belonging would deeply resonate. The pacing mirrors series you've rated highly, and its thematic depth aligns with your appreciation for nuanced storytelling...
However, the slow initial episodes might test your patience given your history of dropping shows that don't hook you early. The art style shift in the middle arc could also be a concern...
Synopsis
Gay bishounen-filled South Seas diamond kingdom battles criminal syndicate with MI6 bodyguard in surreal, genre-bending anime.
Patarillo! is set in a society much like ours in most ways, with one decided twist. The manga on which it is based is one of the much-read works produced for adolescent Japanese girls that features a healthy proportion of gay men and beautiful teenagers aka bishounen (beautiful boys). Most of the action takes place in Marinera, the land of eternal spring, located somewhere in the South Seas. The country is a major producer of diamonds; they provide much of the basis of conflict in the anime series. They come from one of the most prolific mines in the world, owned by the king of Marinera, the vertically challenged but horizontally endowed boy-king Patarillo himself. The International Diamond Syndicate - a huge semi- criminal organization/ secret society dedicated to taking over the world's entire diamond supply- wants that mine and will stop at nothing to get it. In the early episodes they send off a number of bishounen assassins to do in Patarillo, which necessitates his having a bodyguard, the English MI6 agent, Major Jack ('Bishounen-Killer') Bancoran. Bancoran's nickname doesn't mean he shoots bishounen in cold blood. The soubriquet comes from the fact that no male under the age of 17 can resist his sexual fascination. This, to Bancoran's eternal disgust, includes Patarillo himself. The action switches often from Marinera to MI6 headquarters in London (London seems to be an easy two hour's flight from the South Seas) or Bancoran's palatial condo in the suburbs of same. (MI6, be it noted, looks a lot like Fritz Lang's Metropolis, while Jack's 'apartment' bears a passing resemblance to Randolph Hearst's spread.) The action also goes into the past and future and out into space. Patarillo evidently gets around. (Source: aestheticism.com)
What people say
Community consensus
Derived from 5 sampled reviews
What 5 viewers settled on.
Mostly aligned
σ 1.17 · some divergence
—
Not enough recommend signal yet
↑ 0.80
Running avg · Jun 2015 → Sep 2022
- 7 “Patalliro! is a unique, vibrant masterpiece that excels through its psychedelic tone, baroque aesthetic, and the brilliant comic timing of its titular character. While the narrative structure can...”
- 8 “This series is a genuinely fun ride, packed with an incredible "madness factor," clever cultural references, and stellar voice acting. While the episodic miniplots can occasionally feel disjointed...”
- 9 “Patalliro stands out for its unapologetic, normalized portrayal of queer characters and its delightfully absurd, satirical approach to storytelling wrapped in shoujo-inspired aesthetics. However,...”
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- Format 49 × 24′ eps × min
- Total runtime 19h 36m all episodes
- Aired Apr 1982 – May 1983 Spring 1982
- Source Tv media type
- Rated PG 13 - Teens 13 or older
- Ref. BS-2603 catalog
Produced by
- Fuji TV Producer