Excel Saga

Publisher
ADV
Director
Shinichi Watanabe
Production
J.C.Staff, TV Tokyo, Victor Entertainment
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
26 episodes
Year
2000

Excel Saga Volume 1: The Weirdness Has Begun

By John Huxley
28th Apr 04

Episode Summary

Episode 1: The Koshi Rikdo Assassination Plot

An introduction to Excel and her crazy world. After dying a couple of times, Excel is ordered by the great lord Ilpalazzo to assassinate the authors of trashy manga comics. So, off she goes to kill Koshi Rikdo, otherwise known as the author of Excel Saga.

Episode 2: The Woman From Mars

Now a sci-fi epic, Excel Saga introduces us to the second major character, Hyatt. She arrives in a giant star cruiser along with a space butler and a race of cute, cute, cute little critters called Puchuu. Unfortunately they want to take over the world. But...but they're sooooo cute!

Episode 3: The Sacrificial Lamb of the Venomous Great Escape

A parody of low budget action flicks completely shot in widescreen. The action takes place in the jungle (just next door to Excel's flat, of course) and features plenty of helicopters, explosions and army guys. Hyatt must rescue the captured Excel from the clutches of the evil army while she attempts a daring escape. But when both of them are so totally incompetent, how do they ever expect to succeed?

Episode 4: Love Puny

Excel Saga sets it's sights on love anime and dating games. One of Excel's next door neighbours falls so hopelessly in love with Hyatt that he enlists as a government official in order to impress her. Meanwhile, Lord Ilpalazzo is researching human culture by playing dating games (and getting very frustrated).

Episode 5: The Interesting Giant Tower

A take on Japanese live-action dramas. Excel and Hyatt go undercover to spy on city hall but end up getting involved in a political conspiracy. Lots of men in suits, newspaper editors and false moustaches (?).

Volume Review

Excel Saga kicks off by killing its central character...twice. Then things start to get really strange. Edible dogs, removable moustaches, space butlers, cute but deadly aliens, immigrant construction workers, these are all par for the course with Excel Saga.

Each new episode is introduced by Koshi Rikdo (a regular character and author of the original manga) who always says something along the lines of 'I hereby give my permission to turn Excel Saga in to a quack experimental anime'. So, the next episode it might be a sci-fi epic or soppy love story. Giving each episode a unique theme is not only a good way to poke fun at stuff, it also keeps things feeling fresh. This way you're never treated to the same old jokes over and over (well, maybe a few), and plot devices are rarely re-used.

It also makes things more than a little confusing. It has no real structure to speak of, just a truck load of comic situations strung together by a wafer-thin plot. One episode Excel and Hyatt may be infiltrating a civic building, the next they are working at a construction site or starring in a wide-screen action flick. The lack of structure is definitely a hindrance at first, but you'll get used to it quickly.

When you learn to sit back, relax and take the madness as it comes, Excel Saga can be a joy to watch. Yes, the characters are annoying, the references obscure and the plot almost nonexistent, but since when has that kind of stuff mattered? Not in Excel Saga.

R2 DVD Notes

Features: English subtitles, English and Japanese audio, AD-Vid notes, Clean opening and close, Japanese opening and close, Original Japanese video piracy warning, Original Japanese trailer, Production sketches, ADV previews.

Notes: What a great DVD. Not only does it have all the usual suspects such as production sketches and trailers, it also features AD-Vid notes, a unique feature that helps explain some of the more obscure jokes. This is not only entertaining in its own right, but also helps enhance the show itself. The presentation is also very nicely executed, using a handheld games console that lord Ilpalazzo plays in episode four as the menu interface. The image and sound quality are top drawer, so no complaints there. ADV's best yet.

-- John Huxley 28th Apr 04

Excel Saga Images