Review of The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.
Subversive and witty. Saiki K. is, in my opinion, the undeniable champion of comedy anime. I've never been a huge fan of anime comedy. I find that a lot of it is very low brow and cliché, and generally pretty unfunny. I wouldn't consider myself to be some sort of miser that just hates comedy that isn't American, rather that much of the comedy anime that I've been exposed to tends to feel pretty uninspired and tough to watch. In that regard, Saiki K. is a huge breath of fresh air for the genre. It's incredibly self aware, and plays on a lot of the tropes thatruin anime humor for me in a way that completely transforms said tropes, which in turn, allows the jokes to feel so much fresher than something you would see in a generic slice of life anime.
What absolutely makes this show for me however, is that it doesn't simply clown on common slice-of-life tropes, but also that it pokes fun at literally every anime trope you could possibly imagine. Because of this, and because of the way the show is written, the jokes are unimaginably intelligent while still retaining some degree of mass appeal. Anyone and everyone that enjoys the medium of anime will get something out of this show, whether it's a simple chuckle (or a hearty laugh) or appreciation for the attention to detail in Saiki K.
The voice acting and editing are also phenomenal. The show's format was initially short, 4-5 minute episodes that were later compiled into standard length anime episodes, a format that definitely comes off as a strong suit for the show. The length of the micro-episodes allows the show to do so much more with its 22 minute runtime, where the episodes might relate to each other, but they don't have to. Generally, each full compilation will end up being a pretty unique mixed bag that will have something for everyone in it. Due to the show's admittedly and relatively unconventional format, Saiki K. is ridiculously easy to pick up and watch whenever you want.
Furthermore, in regards to the length of the micro-episodes, joke-efficiency is phenomenally utilized in Saiki K. Presumably due to the length, the voice acting is often sped up to accommodate for time, which feels like a joke in and of itself, simply due to how hilarious it is hearing some of the characters talk at a ridiculous pace.
The one and only weakness about this show is simply that it doesn't have much to say. Yes, it does feel like the anime as a whole is a grand statement about how comedy anime can and should do better, but other than that, it's just like something you would find on American television: something funny to watch and not have to think about. It doesn't have any overarching themes that make a profound statement about anything special to the author.
Is this a bad thing? Absolutely not. Saiki K. knows what it's doing, and it does it well. I would simply say that this "weakness" holds it back in the sense that it doesn't really leave much for the viewer to ponder and carry with them. I'm rambling at this point, but I feel like I've made myself clear enough.
I want to say more about Saiki K., but there isn't anything else to mention, really. If you like anime humor, you'll like this show. If you're like me and like anime but bear a strong aversion to the types of jokes you'll typically find in anime, you'll love this show still.