Suddenly Princess · review
Very much like I said about Dragon Half, Detatoko Princess is a wacky, early 90's fantasy comedy that's a delight to watch. I know I harp on this frequently, mostly in relation to OAVs, but the comedy fantasy/parody genre was an art that passed with time, and with the exception of the on/off again Slayers franchise, you see nothing like this anymore. Akin with the aforementioned Dragon Half, albiet a slightly sillier premise, our young protagonist Lapis embarks on a quest in search of adulthood and maturity, which quickly becomes a dangerous struggle to stay alive. Keep in mind that her pursuer is a curvy,dark witch with lesbian tendacies who is about as threatening as Jessie and James in Pokemon. Lapis herself, while far from original or impressive, is a very enjoyable ditz and she holds her own pretty well. If you liked Lime in Saber Marionette, then you should get a kick out of her. The pudding gag is pretty symbolic of anime females in that era; they fill their empty heads with desserts. Unlike Slayers and Dragon Half, however, Lapis' travelling companions offer very little in comedy. They're not unlikable, just not as entertaining as Lapis and have no real presence. The little fairy that sits atop Lapis' shoulder is pretty darn cute at the very least. Topaz, the witch that's stalking her (and the highlight of the show), is pretty amusing however. Using little lolis that she collects like Medabots to attack and her slight lesbianish tendacies toward Lapis only makes me wish that more time was used to establish the rivalry between her and Lapis a little more. On a side note, Lapis' parents were pretty funny in their limited role.
Animation is on par with Slayers, so it's easy on the eyes. The visual gags are not as insane as Dragon Half, but are in the same spirit. And the Pop-Up Video-esque jokes that appear as commentary to what's going on is a nice touch. The English dub is pretty darn good for it's time, as are most comedy anime in the early to mid 90's, but the music makes this show seem ten years older than it actually is. Most of the jokes surprisingly don't focus on parodying the fantasy genre to a great extent. In fact the entire third episode comes off as something you'd see in Excel Saga or something. Each of the three episodes are fun individual stories that admittedly have no real end game or direction, but hey, it's a wacky comedy. Granted, the pudding gag might a bit old, but I've witnessed worse one-liners and shticks.
IN CLOSING: Detatoko Princess is a fun romp in the comedy genre that deserves a gander if you're into watching an old-style anime. I grew up with this kind of stuff, so i have a big soft spot for it and wish today's satire were more like it. The character designs are prototypical, but cute. The backgrounds and animation look like a cross between Knight of Ramune and James Cameron's Avatar, with it's floating rock islands (I know it's fiction, but someone has to explain how those work) The jokes are pretty light-hearted and amusing, and the music is catchy, yet ancient. While it isn't stellar in any one particular category, Detatoko is at best a fun little harmless fantasy fairy tale that shouldn't be taken too seriously.
STORY: 6
ART: 7
SOUND: 6
CHARACTERS: 7
ENJOYMENT: 8
OVERALL SCORE: 7 out of 10
PROS: Pretty high rewatchability, obscure references, Evil sorceress Topaz
CONS: Not as explosive as Dragon Half, repetitive music, poor supporting cast makes Lapis and Topaz carry most of the humor