High School! Kimengumi

If you think back to your school days, you probably remember someone who was the class clown and a proud underachiever. That's lucky, because the "funny-face gang" in High School! Kimengumi happens to fill this exact type of endearingly sophomoric role. But before we dive into today's topic, I think it's crucial to first discuss the key elements that make up this anime. Indeed, many reviews fall into the pitfall of delving into specifics right away, which can confuse readers unfamiliar with the fundamentals of the work being reviewed. This is especially true with this item, a cult classic that has become increasingly obscure towestern audience over time. The genre is clearly labeled as comedy, but this category can encompass many different types of comedy, each with a wide scope. More precisely, KIMENGUMI is to be categorized as vaudeville, which is a form of light comedy. Its hallmarks are a reliance on visual gags, such as super deformed character morphing and goofy mimicry of socio-professional archetypes and animals, as well as situational comedy. Most importantly, the humor is light-hearted, so it doesn't have any psychological or moralistic ramifications. This work is purely focused on regressive, escapist fun. The structure of the episodes is similar to that of the early seasons of "Urusei Yatsura," with each episode divided into two distinct segments. Indeed, the closest anime to compare it to is Studio Pierrot's flagship title. After all, it popularized the new wave of absurdist high school comedies in 1981, largely due to the creative transgressions of Mamoru Oshii's team rather than Rumiko Takahashi herself. Therefore, it is not surprising that they share a common grammar of surrealist humor. Case in point, in one episode, Rei Ichidou is slapped so hard that he is sent into space or split into multiple selves through illogical pun reasoning. However, beyond this affinity, they remain distinct from one another. Indeed, Myanimelist's categorization of Kimengumi as "Romance" is simply inaccurate. Unlike in Urusei Yatsura, where Ataru Moroboshi is the romantic object of Lum's fixation and a variety of outlandish incidents derive from that, the Rei Ichidou/Yui Kawa duo aren't even the core of the comedic intrigue. Instead, Rei Ichidou's main concern is to be a stylish dunce (i.e., to cause chaotic mischief and drive his foes up the wall). It's clear that Yui likes Rei, but more as a quiet admirer of his silly genius than a jealous pursuer. As a consequence, this greatly dampens any romantic tone in the series. In any case, none of the usual operatics of this genre can be found there, simply because the main male characters are indifferent to love affairs unless they can poke fun at courtship in an annoyingly unserious way. For example, when Rei is taken on a date by Amano Jako, the sukeban, and told to observe the park for clues about being a boyfriend, he begins imitating the stray dogs urinating on a tree! Therefore, KIMENGUMI is not a full-fledged romance anime, despite what the opening theme clips may suggest. If you start watching this franchise expecting Yui and Rei to develop a relationship over time, you will be disappointed. Another difference is the collective nature of the cast. The Funny Face Gang is as inseparable as the five fingers of a hand, unlike Ataru and the Lum Stormtroopers, whose underlying tense relationship is highlighted by proxy games of rivalry. Instead, the Funny Face Gang focuses on demonstrating its superiority by cleverly overriding rules or outwitting authorities just for everyone's amusement. Besides them, there are other colorful interest groups: Amano Jako and her gang of violent delinquent schoolgirls; Nihiruda You and his masculine counterparts, the Undou Kai; Kireide Shou and the other playboys; and Honeshiki Muzou and his socially awkward, studious geek friends. It is really too bad this anime doesn't involve more inter-gang feuds because those are definitely the most entertaining type of episodes... Sadly, the other "clubs" only appear in rare cameos around the time Uru Chie changes her hairstyle and sports her definitive ponytail hairstyle. The unique strength of KIMENGUMI's American-style teen comedy is gradually wasted due to the inefficiency of the supporting cast rotation. Even Harumage Don, Rei's childhood friend and neighbor, who should be one of the most important secondary characters, is phased out by the showrunners. At one point, he is even dismissed as a pale knockoff of Rei instead of a proper rival. Rei's dog is more of a protagonist than all of them combined, for crying out loud! However, it is an inherent flaw of episodic shows because they are constantly reshuffled by many storyboard artists. They tend to flutter around, which is sometimes for the best but more often for the worst... Also, I cannot help but think the funny-face members individually lack definition. Besides Rei, the leader with no eyebrows, and his insubordinate pro-wrestling brawler/alcoholic friend, Reitsu Go, the rest of the crew is made up of one-note stereotypes. The running joke about Daima Jin's monomaniacal obsession with food quickly becomes tiresome. At least Shinzawa had the good taste not to bluntly turn him into a fatso, instead highlighting his bon vivant nature through the chubbiness of his face. Similarly, Shusse Kiyoshi is essentially a non-character because his perversity has few avenues for exploration. Sleazy humor often veers from merry looniness to tastelessness, but KIMENGUMI chose not to be overly daring from there. Then there's Monohashi Dai, the okama. He wouldn't be so cringe-inducing if he had a more well-rounded character beyond his effeminate demeanor. Still, he's just the resident cross-dressing Easter egg gag or fodder for misgendering jokes. These three then have little agency to speak of and are nothing more than one-dimensional filler members overall. The gang's backstory is interesting, but Rei only mentions it briefly. The idea that these misfits were bullied for their appearance and learned to use it to their advantage ultimately rests on nothing but a throwaway line in a single episode's script. At best, it's a narrative red herring because, as mentioned earlier, the show avoids this type of serious psychological implication. The character design by Hiroshi Kanazawa aims to give the anime a larger-than-life feel. It bolsters the comedic tone by mocking nature with disproportionate, oblong, octagonal, or rotund head shapes, as well as exaggerated face masks that foreshadow personality traits such as obtuseness, severity, and bonhomie. Its relative simplicity allows the lively animation to transition seamlessly into the visual gags. There is nothing to criticize about the art department. At the time, Kanazawa had already gained experience designing Super Deformed models with Ranpou (a short-lived Urusei Yatsura copycat) and Sasuga no Sarutobi. He was appropriately suited for the role. The sound direction is solid overall, aside from the tonally misleading openings I mentioned briefly above. Those openings and endings were essentially performed by members of the Onyanko Club, a large all-girl band and precursor to groups like Morning Musume. Interestingly, Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi, the spin-off group that sang the most recognizable Kimengumi themes, appeared as themselves in episode 63. Unfortunately, they missed an opportunity to tease an original insert song. Instead, they were introduced and played the first opening, which is titled after them. This missed opportunity makes the episode seem more like fanservice charged filler. The composer of the original soundtrack was the late Shinsuke Kikuchi. You probably know him for the intense orchestral pieces he created for the Dragon Ball franchise, which sound like they could be used as scores for Oaters or Chopsockies. KIMENGUMI's soundtracks were composed with a different intent in mind. His pieces, which feature idiophone phrasing, are mellow enough to inspire a fleeting sense of nostalgia. Even his action-oriented tracks are energetically madcap, setting them apart from his general body of work. What casts a cloud on my overall good mood is not that Studio Comet technically underdelivered, but rather Hiroshi Fukutomi's unambitious chief direction. This production, which emerged during the twilight years of Urusei Yatsura, once showed enough promise to be a worthy successor. Regrettably, he more captivating "collaborative effort against adversity" episodes were overshadowed by the dull "enriching daily routines" ones. Add the overuse of certain secondary cast members to this, and you get a show that slowly runs out of steam over time. My critical appreciation remains relatively high because it is a minor genre classic that accomplished more than just riding on the coattails of Urusei Yatsura. It has a quaint Showa-era charm that you will likely fall for if you can overlook its being surpassed by cutting-edge offerings like "Sakigake!! Otokojuku" or "Cromartie High School." # Please note that Kimengumi was recently the subject of a remake in January 2026, animation produced by Seven Animation Studio. This review only addresses the original as a standalone, without comparing these entries. And that was all your host, Ziusudra, had to say. Stay tuned for more comprehensive takes on obscure subculture pieces! ..| Colophon |.. The purpose of the Colophon is to provide practical information to the audience about objectionable content. .. Violence: It is a cartoonishly carefree comedy, so even the violence is caricatured to the point that it loses any shock value. Naturally, nobody dies gruesomely, and no heavy themes are ever addressed in similar graphic detail. .. Graphic Nature: Despite having a pervert in their group, the Funny Faces' antics are relatively tame in terms of racy content. Most of the fan service comes from the beach-themed episodes and theme songs, which occasionally showcase the underused supporting female cast.