The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.

You're in a crowd of people and trying to hide from a really creepy dude that you know from school or work. Luckily, he hasn't noticed you yet. You probably want to do the best you can to get out of his line of sight... right? So you've finally managed to make it behind him, but then, just as you think that you're safe, the creepy dude stays facing forward, but SWIFTLY does a horrifying 180-degree HEAD-ONLY turn. He then, with a derp face, looks SOLELY at you out of everybody in the crowd. In a shocking development, you've somehow been spotted! That "wtf moment" thatyou'd experience makes for comedy at its finest! You will find that type of comedy and much, much more in Saiki Kusuo no psi-nan. Funny does not even begin to describe this anime! That's right, it's hilarious! It's one of the best, if not the best, comedy anime that I've ever seen. It's very original and has definitely become my new favorite comedy anime. TL;DR at end Story: 10/10 Saiki, the main protagonist, comically takes being overpowered to a whole new level. He's basically a god-level psychic that can do anything. He's smart, has x-ray vision, one punch man level strength (or maybe All Might?), time warping, can change the laws of the universe, has telepathy, teleportation, memory wiping, there's basically nothing this guy can't do. The story follows him in his everyday life as he, an extremely superior being, has to deal with ordinary folk. He's a pretty sarcastic guy and is always doing a hilarious internal commentary about the bothersome events that happen to him throughout the anime. There is no overarching goal of the plot (it's kind of just a linear succession of skits). The pacing is often very fast, but I think that its speediness actually benefits the series because the series continuously hits you with jokes like they're bullets from a machine gun (if some jokes miss, np there are like 20 more incoming). I truly cannot imagine how they could have improved the story in this series. This story's comedy is a 10/10 masterpiece. Art: 6/10 The artwork was very plain and the animation was a bit choppy, but it didn't take away from the series in my opinion. The simple art may have actually enhanced the series in a way. Perhaps you would have missed the comedy if you were too focused on the art? Who knows, but there's really not much to talk about when it comes to the art. Sound: 10/10 I loved the opening of the 4-minute shorts. The background music were mostly very unique, well-suited, and catchy (8.5/10 for music). I think it should be strongly noted that the sound effects were masterful in this series. Sound effects in anime often go unnoticed, but this anime’s sound effects really enhanced the comedy if you took notice of them. The voice acting was absolutely fantastic! The diverse characters and their personalities were well acted out by each of the voice actors/actresses. Normally music is what largely determines the score when it comes to sound, but I feel the other areas of the sound were so strong that this category actually does indeed deserve a 10/10. Character: 10/10 A riveting cast set of mostly original characters. I mean, c'mon. This anime had a fucking “Nendou”. Once I discovered this “Nendou” creature, I just knew that the characters deserved a 10/10. Just kidding, but in all seriousness, this series had many really diverse characters including: a Nendou, dramatized narcissistic perfect girl who attracts everybody but Saiki, average girl, chuunibyou guy character, thug character, tsundere grandpa, workaholic, deliberately annoying kids, shitty magicians--- there’s too much substance here to list them all! All of the main characters get pretty well developed as well. Enjoyment: 10/10 This series had me laughing very hard every day! The simple and fast humor was perfect for my tastes. Often other popular comedy anime, like Nichijou for example, take much too long to get the jokes across and consequently make the watchers feel bored. Saiki Kusuo no Psi-nan usually hits you with the jokes so fast and repeatedly that you only have a few moments to let it sink in before it hits you with the next one. I’m so glad this anime had a bold, new type of episode design where it did 4-minute comedy sketches released once a day (most days). I was so excited to watch a fun new skit from this series every day. At the end of the weeks, the five 4-minute sketches were compiled into a single normal-length episode. I think this anime will be setting the precedent for future 4-minutes-a-day comedy anime. I look forward to season 2! Overall: 10/10 TL;DR This is one of the funniest comedy series I’ve ever seen! You WILL laugh if you watch this series. The story was non-complex and in the form of multiple short skits with no overarching unifying plot (It’s just following Saiki as he lives his god-like superior being life). The art was pretty basic, but it didn’t take away from the series much. The background noises and voice acting were all great, but the opening song and the “shit’s going down” BGM were the only memorable OSTs for me. The main characters were all very unique, diverse, added to the comedy, and well developed by the end of the series. Should you watch this series? If you’re looking for a comedy series, then hell yeah you should! If you want to try a new type of series that you haven’t seen before, yeah watch it! If you’re looking for a sci-fi, then ehh it’s not THAT sci-fi related but you can give it a shot. If you’re looking for a serious, complex, and/or linear plot with an end-goal, then you’re definitely in the wrong place buddy. This series was too great! You should definitely watch it! If you thought this review helped you make your decision please let me know by clicking the “helpful” button~ If you thought it was wrong or inaccurate, let me know why so I can improve my reviews in the future ^^.

With the abundance of short four minute episode anime becoming increasingly more common every anime season, Saiki-kun felt like a breath of fresh air from the same boring and tiring formula that has been used ever so frequently. One thing that works in favour of the show above others of the same format is that Saiki-kun lasted for many more episodes while also airing a new episode everyday. My main problem with these types of shows is the weekly formula as they're airing; once the episode stops and the next one begins the following week its hard to keep track of what has happened and theshow feels like it is going nowhere. Sure, this problem is eliminated after the show has finished airing but the lack of episodes also means a lack of characterisation and story progression which, fortunately, Saiki-kun does not lack. Saiki-kun tells the story of a teenager who has physic powers but ends up living a life in which these powers are more of an annoyance then a gift. The show follows his life and how he uses these various powers for different situations; very basic stuff for a basic type of show. But the main strength of this show lies in its comedy and its characterisation. Each character has an interesting gimmick and quirky personality which all bounce off each other rather effectively throughout the show as they find themselves in various scenarios and situations. Most characters have more depth and personality traits to them then just what is on the surface which invokes a lingering sense of anticipation as each character will act in a different way based on the situation at hand keeping the comedy fresh and interesting. There is also a variety in jokes keeping the comedy from becoming too stale or repetitive and the four minute formula only helps with this. There are also many references in the show to other manga and anime, which if you're like me, then you'll enjoy since I like referential comedy. What's good about this show is that it doesn't rely solely on references (which can become tiresome after a while) as most of the comedy is derivative of the interaction between the characters. In terms of an over-arching story there is really none aside from a few mini-arcs which sees one particular scenario play across a multitude of episodes. The animation and art style were not always the best and could at times look plain ugly and strange but it was nothing bad enough to take any pleasure away from the overall experience. In conclusion, Saiki-kun was a refreshing four minute show that actually has substance with fun characters and great comedy. I would recommend it.

Saiki K is an hilarious low-energy gag comedy. It uses the power of 5 min attention span and high speed incantation dialogues to deliver a climax and a cliff hanger at once. Jare jare…. The cover art and the synopsis may be off putting, but believe me, this is worth your time. I binged this whole anime in just 2 days. What makes it so watchable is it non-cliché jokes and low-energy main character. ÒꙍÓ ART ÒꙍÓ The animation style of Saiki K is simple and pleasing. The emphasis lays on it’s dialogue rather than an impressive background or action showdown. The animation for Saiki’s powers are welldone and not to lazy. ÒꙍÓ SOUND ÒꙍÓ As I said earlier, the dialogues sound like high speed incantations (on Netflix) and that was okayish I guess. It was sometimes annoying, because I had to read super-fast but it was doable for a veteran dub reader. Having a simple background with not to much going on made it easier. The voice acting is what makes Saiki K so good. The character can convey their dumbness across the screen. Unbelievable. Its loveable, good and done just right. You can almost feel what the characters feel. As for Nendo, you gotta be smart to act so dumb. ÒꙍÓ CHARACTERS ÒꙍÓ The cast is what made this anime so enjoyable. Being a gag comedy, the plot is almost non-existent. It follows Saiki K in high school. That is kinda it. But how they experience their high school time is fantastic. The characters have their own distinct traits and are predictable, yet they don’t behave to much of a cliché. They all have something which makes them a bit unique and interesting. I would totally simp for the perfect girl Teruhashi. Saiki, the star of the anime, is so damn funny. He isn’t to bother by the people he tries to escape and he has a heart. When problems arise he doesn’t act like a hero but he does what he must (to maintain his peace). He is quit flexible and that was something that surprised me a few times. It creates a very dynamic setting for new jokes and disasters. Luckily the use of his powers is done very creative and logical. He is very powerful but it has also some drawbacks. And this also adds a lot to the comedy factor. Look forward to see his reactions. ÒꙍÓ ENJOYMENT ÒꙍÓ I was surprised at how entertaining this was. It was easy to keep on watching and trying to discover new scenario’s with Saiki. I really ship him with Teruhashi as she is a perfect girl. I would only recommend this if you like gag anime with a touch of slice of life/ high shool. This is by far one of the best comedy anime I’ve seen so far (not so much but still).

An anime that is so easily dismissed and left out was easily my favorite anime of not only the season but also for the entire year. Last year I felt there was no shortage of good anime. From seasoned veterans like JoJo to new shows like Mob Psycho, there was no dearth of anime I enjoyed. But between good shows there was another one which for me was great and arguably the greatest of them all. As this is a review for Saiki Kusuo (too long a name to write in full), there would be no prize for guessing the best of the lot. 5mins a day, for 5 days a week, this anime consistently delivered big on laughs. Containing with itself all sorts of humor from slapstick to deadpan, this 5 min. anime was a treasure chest filled with rich laughs. The premise of the anime was simple, it follows the life of protagonist Saiki who was born with superpowers, as he navigates through various scenarios of school life interacting with various people. These powers that range from telekinesis to transformation are all not a convenient gift, they also cause minor inconveniences. Each of the episode time just above 4 min and have a different stories. Earliest episodes include Saiki dealing with his over enthusiastic but simple parents, as the series progressed we become introduced to other lively characters at his school. Again, the early episodes were used to introduce characters, set up their personalities and to showcase Saiki's relationship with them. As the show progressed the stories used these characters like paint, they were mixed and match together creating hilarious situation for Saiki as he dealt with not only the characters but with the mess they created. Another impressive thing about the anime was how it dealt with introducing characters. A lot of characters were introduced at early stages of the anime. Then the anime focused on their relationship with Saiki. When the same characters were used multiple times the show introduced new characters. Also, unlike anime like Sket Dance, all the new characters weren't introduced simultaneously; rather they were introduced over a period of time. Often not more than one character was introduced at a time. As soon as a character was introduced, the character's relation with Saiki and co. was displayed, and just when things were starting to go stale another character was introduced, launching more permutation and combination into the mix. This way throughout 120 or 24 depending on the version, the anime was able to retain its charm and freshness. The show had a huge cast. The good thing about having a huge cast is to have a variety of personalities. This can be both good and bad, depending on the mangaka. Though Saiki uses this to its advantage in a big way, probably the anime's biggest strength. All, I mean every single character had something to contribute. Every character had a different personality and each personality brought with it, its own brand of humour. From Saiki's deadpan-sarcastic style to Kaido's delusions humor to Nendou's dumb humor to Teruhashi's obsessed girl, to name a few; like this every character brought something new to the show. Every character a different color in the beautiful painting. None of the character will feel repetitive or tedious. From the moment they enter to the moment they sign off, each character was an absolute delight to watch. The art and sound had nothing much to complain about, not that the anime itself had many complaints. They were pretty standard. Though I personally would give a shout out to both openings. A good opening, I feel, helps set the tone of the show. In this anime both the openings were cheerful and joyous, and helped set a merry mood. They were absolutely catchy to me and despite not being a Japanese, I couldn't help but hum the tune occasionally. At long last, I would say that this little anime is absolutely worth the watch and deserves way more applause than it receives. To be honest, I too skipped on this one, due to episode's duration; albeit the very thing that made me skip it made me watch it. The duration per episode, it was perfect to watch as a break in between exams. Though once I started it I watched almost 30 episodes of it at once. After that everyday watching the 5 mins of the show and anticipating the next episode for 23hrs and 55 mins became part of my schedule. Thus, as said earlier this anime is perfect for the watchers who are looking for something hilarious and fun to watch and stress off on.