Paniponi Dash!: Danjite Okonaeba Kishin mo Kore wo Saku

The premise for the episode is as ridiculous as almost anything in the series. Several of the students at the school have recently failed a major exam, and are going to be required to retake it. But, they can get out of it, if they win a game of Kick the Can, which for the purposes of plot is the same as Capture the Flag. Becky leads the defending team while Rei heads the attacking students. Hijinks ensue, betrayals occur, and the ending is as deadpanned as always. Also, pretty much every major character from the anime’s run makes anappearance in some way, and some of the minor characters get cameos. At its core though, PPD is a parody anime, so it’s never going to take itself too seriously. And if you haven’t been keeping up with anime much in the last few years, you’re going to be left a bit in the dust. You’ll see references to Strike Witches, Gurren Lagann, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, and even video site Nico Nico Douga. The episode stands alone well enough, but if you’re paying attention, you’ll get a bit more value out of your time. The level of fanservice has also jumped a bit, so if you like that sort of thing, have at it. The animation of the original work was pretty good already, but the OVA still makes everything look a little bit prettier. As a parody, the art style occasionally shifts, both for scenes and for simple background objects, and all of that is handled nicely as well. The OP and ED used are from the anime, so there’s nothing much new there. The background music is pretty subdued, and this series really relies on sound effects rather than music for scenes. As I watched the English dub of the series, I like the Japanese voice actors better for the most part, though I kind of Rei’s amateur VA, Carlee Gabrisch, from the dub. So, bottom line. If you like Pani Poni Dash!, you need to go watch this. If you like parody animes, this is a solid choice. If you’re not sure about either, this is a good way to enter the series and see if it’s something you might enjoy.