So first of all, a confession. I rarely find Japanese "wacky" shows to be all that funny. That's not a fault of the format itself, I just prefer a more sardonic form of wit than just gleefully smacking someone upside with a frying pan.
So what did I think of Jashin-Chan Dropkick, or Dropkick on my Devil as it's known in the West? Well, I loved the intro, which put me in mind of Tiny Toon Adventures both in style and execution. Fast cuts, cute characters and a subversive underlying theme, I was surprisingly more on-board than I expected to be after the music concluded.
The show is cut into a number of short stories, all revolving around Jashin-chan (the titular demon) trying to murder the gothic lolita witch named Yurine who summoned her - only the witch's death can return Jashin-chan to hell. Since Yurine is vastly more powerful and cunning, these planned "lolitacides" end in complete failure, with violent consequences for our poor devil. Throughout the show, Jashin-chan is stunned, burned, sawn in half with a chainsaw and eaten. Ouch.
So in my mind, the show is a cross between beloved British sitcom Bottom, and Tiny Toon Adventures. The animation is lively and the characters often break the fourth wall, giving the show plenty of energy and character. Additional characters who are never introduced include Medusa (who only goes outside with a paper bag on her head) an angel (Pekora) who has lost her halo and a cow-girl.
The show kept my attention, but I'm not sure I could stomach a lot more of the same. It'll depend on your comedic preferences of course, but with no story arc (to my knowledge) and the promise of ever more ridiculous and violent variations of the same theme, I'm not sure the show has much longevity. You just know Jashin-chan isn't going to succeed, and I'm not sadistic enough to watch her get tortured for an entire series. Your mileage may vary!
Dropkick on my Devil is streaming now on Amazon Prime
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