Series Review: Popotan
Yes, it’s another series review. I have to fill this thing with some kind of content, now don’t I?
Popotan. Dandelions. It’s a strange thing to base a show on, and even stranger when you learn that this is also spawned from an h-game of the same name and basic premise: Three girls who talk to dandelions.
I’ll keep this short and spoiler-free, since Popotan is really just a bit of dandelion fluff itself.
Once you get past the fact that this show is chock full of blatant fanservice (panty shots and naked breasts) you’ll discover a charming, adorable, touching little story. Ai, Mai and Mii along with their robot maid Mare live in a Christmas-themed mansion that just happens to occasionally disappear. Popotan is the story of their little adventures, their relationships and their overall quest. It’s filled with humor and drama as well as lots of scenes of girls taking baths.
There are only two major weaknesses to this show. The first is the obvious dichotomy between the heartfelt dramatic stories and the pointed, copious nudity. My impression is that the studio behind this series is out to prove something (“we can do really good work!”), but felt like they had to kowtow to the proclivities of whatever built-in fanbase the game might have generated. It doesn’t cripple the show, but it is sort of distracting at times. (No, not that way. Perv.)
The other weakness is more subtle. By not giving us much in the way of background on these three girls, the show keeps us a bit detached. Even at the end of the series we know little more about them than we did at the start, and that’s sort of disappointing.
For all that, though, Popotan is still a warm and cuddly little bit of nothing. It’ll make you smile, it’ll make you sad. It made me wish for more episodes, and when a show can do that then the creators did their job.
Upon recommendation of folks smarter than I, I’m dropping the “grade system” in favor of a statement of recommendation: If cartoon nudity doesn’t bother you, and you’re in the mood for something cute and fun with just enough drama to make it interesting, Popotan is a good choice.
A word of caution, though. The opening and closing themes are infectious. I’m not kidding. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
October 21st, 2003 at 11:20 pm
The opening theme song is one of the great evils of the universe. I haven’t watched an episode in weeks and it still bounces around in my head. Beware what this great evil can do to your soul.
October 23rd, 2003 at 3:21 pm
You should hide people’s IP addresses.
November 17th, 2003 at 3:58 am
I have the same with the endingsong
(LOVE – suki – sukisuki – LOVE. LOVE – suki – ari ari – KISS) \^O^/ I’m so fucked up for actually liking this show…
November 23rd, 2003 at 12:43 am
Popotan
Is that a ferret in your blouse, or are you… Uh, on second thought, never mind. Update: Wow, this has to be, hmm, probably the seventeenth or eighteenth weirdest anime I’ve ever seen. What with the ferret-girl and the dancing dandelions and all. Upda…