Review of Space Dandy

Space Dandy is an incredible ride, baby. It's amazing to me that I can actually sit down, watch, and enjoy a show like Space Dandy. Most of the anime that are being released today are completely narrative driven, as that tends to be what the masses enjoy. And while some of my favorite shows are also narrative driven, there's so much more that goes into making an anime incredible aside from a riveting plot. This tends to be my main issue with a lot of shows. The industry's primary focus on creating an enthralling story tends to inhibit other aspects of storytelling that are necessary forcultivating engagement, and as a result, fundamental aspects like worldbuilding and character development are cast aside.

Space Dandy takes a different approach to its narrative. Instead of creating a large overarching plot, it focuses on presenting itself as a more traditional Saturday morning cartoon, generally showcasing the infinite possibilities for adventure that exist within the universe.

Although Dandy's profession is in alien hunting, episodes will often use that as a means of setting up a conflict within the episode, then shifting the focus of the episode over to character interactions and the differences in the world that the B.B.P. crew ends up in.

This allows Space Dandy to be so much more than a generic show about hunting aliens, and that becomes apparent within a few episodes.

This is where I'm going to shill for Watanabe, because I'm quite honestly brainless and think that this show catches way too much flack.

The man is absolutely amazing at worldbuilding. Space Dandy's worlds that generally only exist within a single episode are rife with their own dynamics and communities that just make them feel so unbelievably lively. Cowboy Bebop is like this as well, as both shows are relatively episodic in nature.

When dealing with something as vast as the entire universe, I can only imagine how difficult it must be to make it feel lively. Space is an infinite void of which we, as a species, know very little about. Space sci-fi isn't a new genre, but Space Dandy is shocking evidence that the genre still has room for innovative concepts.

I also wanted to take a brief moment to note that I love how Space Dandy justifies its own presentation. Episodic storytelling hasn't really ever needed justification, nor should it; why can't a show just show what it wants to, when it wants to? That was how I assumed Space Dandy was going to be, and I didn't mind. But no, there's an actual justification in the show, and though this isn't made "canon" until sometime in Season 2, it becomes incredibly apparent as to what's actually going on by Episode 4 or so (the ending theme song also clues the viewer into this). Either way, it's cool, it's explained well, and it's set up well.

Moving past the stellar presentation, why don't we segue into something sorta related to the topic of presentation? The art.

My God, Space Dandy might just be the most gorgeous show I've ever seen in my entire life, and I find it hard to believe that anything will ever eclipse it.

Studio Bones was put in charge of animation, and they really hit it out of the park here. Bones has a reputation of animating ridiculously well, with some of their highly regarded shows like Mob Psycho 100 and FMA:B being praised for their animation, but even MP100 can't hold a candle to the sheer caliber of the animation present in Space Dandy.

Generally, once per episode, Space Dandy will just start doing crazy shit, and it is carried by the animation. The linework and fluidity varies from episode to episode, generally due to the change in directors, but it is still consistently amazing. Coupled with the expressive nature of the characters and the vivid, lively color scheme, and you have what might be the most gorgeous anime of all time. Seriously, if you don't believe me, watch some clips on YouTube.

Space Dandy doesn't just pour its budget into the animation either, though they probably poured MOST of the budget into it. The soundtrack is just as good, if not greater, depending on what you value more in an anime. Composed by a cast of some insanely talented musicians, Space Dandy's OST covers the full gamut of emotion.

Some tracks are upbeat and jubilant, others are more serious or melancholic, and some are just unforgettable rides in and of themselves. My personal favorite track comes in Episode 8 of Season 2, titled "Ferry" by OGRE YOU ASSHOLE. It gives off this cosmic and existential sentiment that one might be familiar with if they listen to prog rock, specifically early-mid Pink Floyd. It's a perfect backing track for the scene it plays in, and all in all, an experience that I'll never forget.

Finally, we have the characters. Watanabe has a very archetypal approach to creating characters, and Space Dandy isn't really an exception in this regard. Dandy's personality is akin to a charismatic, yet desperate, 70's punk. If all of Space Dandy was just focused on such a contrived persona, I think Space Dandy would be a significantly worse show.

However, Watanabe likes to explore the fundamental weaknesses and vulnerabilities of these personalities, as is the case for most of his works. Because of this, Space Dandy has some of the most genuine and heartfelt interactions with this has-been punk and those who manage to break through his rough and composed exterior. This, along with just about every other praise I've lobbed at Space Dandy thus far, comes together in such a magnificent way to give this show heart and character. It's so much more than throwaway plots in which the same three characters meander across the galaxy, learning nothing and refusing to grow. It's a show that instead prides itself on authentic expressions of emotion and personal growth.

Basically, if you're looking for something to watch for fun, something that you don't have to pay attention to with every fiber of your being, something that still offers genuine experiences on a consistent basis, then Space Dandy is the right show for you. It's not so deep that it would take a professional dissertation to analyze, but it's not shallow either. Just sit back, watch, and have some fun, baby.

Edit 6-2022: I've since bumped my score for season 1 up to a 10 upon re-watching it. It seriously deserves the praise.

While I'm here, I'm going to gush about another simply fantastic song in the soundtrack, that song being "Stardust Pipeline" by Junk Fujiyama. It is so unbelievably phenomenal, not just with how it's used in the show, but also just as a standalone track. It's funky, it puts you in a good mood, and it perfectly captures the feeling you get when you try something you didn't know you liked for the first time. It's used in the show once, and it is singlehandedly one of the best moments I've seen in any anime, period.

There's nothing more for me to say about Space Dandy really. It's phenomenal, and one of the best, most genuine and down-to-earth shows I've seen. My main gripe with its lack of popularity is how people don't seem to see what I see in this show.

Space Dandy is frequently written off as being "just another quirky comedy in a sea of similarly bland shows". Space Dandy is a comedy, yes. Comedies generally exist solely to make an audience laugh, but Space Dandy does something that I've never seen a comedy do before: actually have something to say. Its self-contained storylines are unified by a central theme that you'll notice in every episode, and this is the glue that holds the series together and elevates it artistically.

Simply put, Space Dandy is all about making the most out of every experience. Every interaction, every hobby, every new person you meet, every thing that you do in your day-to-day life. Is this a robust theme that's never been explored before in any kind of media? Absolutely not, but I think Space Dandy's presentation and characters do a lot of the legwork at actually legitimizing this attitude and making it feel fresh.

It's all about going with the flow, and just seeing where life takes you. That is the Dandy way to live.