Had a hunch that “Space Dandy” could be the best contender for the best surprise hit out of all the series that am watching this winter, looks like that will indeed be the case. Was hesitant to include this show on my to-watch list, but as soon as I saw the first episode, knew I was in for an epic ride.
There has been plenty of talk online about “Space Dandy” and admittedly, this show isn’t for everybody, especially for those who might watch it with wrong expectations of what this series is trying to be.
If any comparisons are to be made, to me “Space Dandy” feels like a crazy mash up of “Space Adventure Cobra” and “Excel Saga”, but it definitely is not trying to be the next “Cowboy Bebop” or “Trigun”.
In my personal opinion “Space Dandy” achieves exactly what it is aiming for, a no holds barred space adventure comedy that is a roller coaster ride of crazy, over-the-top adventures with silly caricatures of characters.
That the series manages to invoke a sense of nostalgia is a terrific bonus, it has an atmosphere reminiscent of series like “Space Adventure Cobra”, anime from a bygone era when epic adventures set in outer space were all about simple fun with impossible but inspiring science fiction, all set in a colorful universe full of wondrous aliens where anything could happen.
Feels as if “Space Dandy” is trying to mimic something not unlike the uniqueness that the original “Star Trek” series has compared to the various incarnations of the venerable franchise that came so many years later, in the sense that it is a wondrous, colorful adventure in an infinite universe full of unexpected encounters.
While it does offer does take a few clever stabs at our current society and has a few messages right underneath its bright and colorful surface , “Space Dandy” definitely is an all out comedy, filled with silliness and parody which lacks any of the serious or more dramatic themes that shows like “Cowboy Bebop” or “Trigun” have.
Maybe the best analogy for “Space Dandy” is that this show is what a young boy would dream a wild adventure in space to be, a fun, colorful ride full of epic encounters and crazy aliens where he gets to be the cool hero.
Although in this case, the show’s hero Dandy definitely is not the epitome of cool that Spike Spiegel was, nor is he a lovable fool that hides suffering and drama behind his smile like Vash the Stampede.
No, Dandy is the one who desperately tries to act cool and wants to be the hero but never really makes it. Perhaps he is not unlike most of the viewers in that aspect, which may make him easier to relate to. After all, don’t most of us still have those childhood dreams of being the cool hero in a wild space adventure?
Although I really enjoyed space pirate comedy “Mouretsu Pirates”, that show fell short of really achieving what “Space Dandy” has managed to pull off with only three episodes so far, to be a fun, over-the-top space adventure with crazy characters up to impossible shenanigans in space in its purest sense.
If you are looking for a fun sci-fi anime that is full of adventure and downright sci-fi silliness, then definitely give “Space Dandy” a try.
