Saturday 6 November 2010

Currently watching: Ogon no Buta










Well, I’m torn. Blinded, as I certainly am, by the lovely gorgeousness of Shinohara Ryoko, even I can’t help but worry that this show isn’t going to be particularly good. While episode one was engaging and funny, I’m now starting to suspect that was because most of the story was about introducing the characters.

The series is about an ex-con, played by Ryoko, who is forced into joining the Audit Office (or something) as part of her parole. In the team she’s joined is a naive newbie, a boss who’s hoping for a promotion, a cyncical career-minded type, and a guy who was previously conned by her. If that last one seems a bit unlikely, it does at least give a bit of spark to their dialogue.

Now, however, all that work’s been done. The situation is established, and the story can unfold. The trouble is that episode two, if you look closely, has no story at all. Without giving away what happens, it goes something like this: Establish an impossible-to-defeat enemy. Introduce a sad story. Make impossible-to-defeat enemy seem even more impossible. Remind people of the sad story. Get last-minute evidence from unlikely source. Defeat the enemy. Oh, and remind people of the sad story again.

There. I just saved you fifty minutes.

So, two episodes. One good. One bad. This could go either way. Place your bets.

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