Pani Poni Dash
Lethal Lesson
by Fredrick Guese
Pani Poni Dash! can be described in one word, and that word is random. The show revolves around Rebecca Miyamoto, a smart but somewhat arrogant 11 year old MIT grad, who returns to Japan to teach 10th grade. Her snobbish attitude can quickly vanish as she’s quite sensitive to almost anything. Her students meanwhile are equally unique; from the hyperactive Himeko to the nerdy and cynical Miyako. Then there are the less than common cast members, like the 10th grader Behoimi, who is a self proclaimed "Magical Girl", Rebecca's terminally depressed bunny, and "God", a catlike being that lives in the vending machines.
The episodes have pretty simple plots throughout the series, but this works as its advantage. The comedy is the driving force of the show. The first episode starts with Rebecca’s first day at school, where she encounters the supposedly mischievous class. At the peak of her frustration, she replies to bombardment of questions by yelling at her students, and flipping them off. In the second episode, Rebecca insults the class by coming up with less than flattering nicknames, and drives one of her students into sulking in the bunny cage. Meanwhile, one of the drama club’s members infiltrates the class by pretending to be a mysterious robotic transfer student, and ends in an ear shattering explosion. As you can see, there isn't much a plot in episode and it serves as a basis to use the various gags to full effect. It never gets too tiring or too annoying. It rides the right balance of randomness and slapstick to keep you tided towards the end.
Everything from the character designs by Kazuhiro Ota are pretty atypical, and look similar to its ilk ‘School Rumble’ and Azumanga Daioh, but instead of several short stories, the plot remains consistent and more flowing. The show is filled with various references from the intro, which is a blatantly obvious parody of ‘Planet of the Apes’ to the seemingly irrelevant messages on the chalkboards. There are so many puns and references that the AD Vid Notes team credited themselves as deceased.
The transfer is clear lacking the interlacing issues of something that was aired on television, even on an HDTV. The colorful art is highlighted by this, and there is no pixilation. All and all, it has a very clean transfer.
The audio meanwhile is pretty topnotch though Japanese track is louder and has more bass than the English track (whether it is the way they recorded the dub or with the mastering process remains a mystery). Both tracks are recorded in Dolby Digital 2.0 so you won't miss much if you don't have a home theater system. The music is often synch and fit the tone of the show. It neither gives the viewer emotion nor gets in the way of the dialogue. It’s often a bright and cheery and doesn't really interfere with the ambiance.
The English dub is pretty decent and has the usual ADV regulars such as Hilary Hagg who voiced the lead, Brittany Kabowoski as Himeki Katagiri, and others. The delivery is alright and often serving its purpose. The voices may annoy some people because of their high pitchness, but it fits the age group and tone of the show. It’s a solid dub, but the Japanese track is much better for purists.
The extras are surprisingly good and have some great swag such as a reversible cover, an alternate opening animation, a guide with character bios/interviews with the various seiyuu on the show. It’s all put together in a colored guide. Of course there’s the obligatory clean opening and closing sequences and trailers. For what you’re getting it’s a great buy.
The DVD package is well put together and is a good introduction to Pani Poni Dash! The thing is, you don’t expect much of a plot or character development. The comedy is not too dark or too cute for its own good. Every frame is filled with gags, puns, and situational irony. The mocking of various western films is very reminiscent of Excel Saga, just in a high school setting. Fans of the genre will love it as an addition to their anime library, and newbies can jump in and get a quick laugh or too. Those who prefer darker or more adult humor can enjoy some of the more obscure references, but just don’t expect any adult situations. All and all, Pani Poni Dash! is a great show made greater with beefy extras. The only weak link is the plot or lack thereof.
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