Papuwa Vol. 1: Wild Things 2003 - 2004 ADV Films Official US Website Buy It Now Official Japanese Website

So, you’re down with the weird right? Well, get ready for what might be one of the strangest anime series’ to grace North America yet. You may have loved the insanity of Excel Saga, you may have been swooned by the zany antics of Hare + Guu, but anime has a new face that brings an all-new blend of quirky comedy and bizarre characters to the States and anime comedy may never be the same.

Kotaro has spent some four years in a state of suspended animation; at least he did until he heard a mysterious voice that brought him back to the world of the wide awake. He’s now escaped a strange military facility, stolen a boat, and found his way to the lush tropical paradise of Papuwa Island . . . . oh, that’s the SECOND Papuwa Island. Kotaro actually has a deadly and destructive power beneath his childish guise; the problem is that he doesn’t remember it. Well, it may not actually be a problem at all.

After arriving at the island Kotaro meets Papuwa, a young boy who obviously the island is named after, his dog (or maybe it’s a wolf . . . perhaps a bear) Chappy, and Liquid who Kotaro has now determined is the “maid” since he’s always doing some sort of domestic chores. Liquid however happens to know who Kotaro really is and what he’s capable of and decides to hide his true identity from him. Kotaro has now become Rotaro, and that’s just the beginning of the comedy. The island is also inhabited by talking animals of all sorts, talking plants, and if that weren’t enough, now Kotaro has agents sent by his father to look for him and rogue militant groups showing up as well. Papuwa Island is in for some rather odd and obnoxious visitors.

Papuwa is so far out in left field, nothing else really compares to it. When you think talking animals, you probably think Disney as they have a long standing tradition of that sort of thing, but Papuwa isn’t necessarily some child friendly series that is going to make a younger audience laugh. No, this is for adults, and this series has animals such as fish, complete with fishnet stockings, huge pink dinosaurs, drum playing sea otter, and poisonous mushrooms who carry on a conversation and induce mild hallucinations.

As crazy as it may seem though, it’s the perfect set up for comedy, and there is plenty of it. Even though the series may be named “Papuwa,” Kotaro really is the star of the series (and besides, calling it Kotaro would be just silly.) Even though he may have amnesia, you really can’t feel sorry for him. The self-proclaimed pretty boy is nothing more than a spoiled brat and nothing can ever quite please him, at least when it happens to be something that Liquid has done. Even though he’s often the recipient of verbal and physical abuse, Liquid hands in there, hiding the secret of who Kotaro really is and trying to keep anyone else from revealing the truth as well. Liquid you see was once a member of Ganma, the organization that Kotaro’s family happen to be the heads of, and now that they’ve sent assassins to bring him back, life isn’t getting any easier on the island, though it’s nothing that a little mushroom can’t handle.

Papuwa quickly becomes addictive, not just because of the strange approach to everything, but it’s the humor, and each episode is filled with sight gags, word plays, and outrageous dialog. This is a series that isn’t going to ever having you think “just when I though that I’d seen it all” due to the fact that if it’s outlandish and unheard of, Papuwa does it, and there is a surprise around every corner. Ever see a diving suit that is made to look like a swan? Yeah, I didn’t think that you had. What about seeing talking snails giving birth and their young quickly become the main menu attraction? I was pretty sure you hadn’t seen that either. That’s the point. Papuwa seems to know no limits, and that’s perfectly fine.

You do of course have other stories going on. Back and Ganma headquarters, they’ve found that Kotaro is gone, and dad wants him brought home as quickly as possible Liquid wouldn’t mind that either for obvious reasons, though his real goal is to keep him from remembering who he is and making the second Papuwa Island a distant memory. You also have a second fringe group who wants to get to Kotaro as well, though their goal is to kidnap him for revenge, and maybe pay their former member, Liquid, a little visit as well. Everyone is converging on the one place where “fun and excitement’ aren’t going to be in high order, though perhaps some counseling when it’s all said and done might be.

Papuwa is unique in its approach to its story, but the same is true of the animation style. Pastel colors actually are used quite a bit throughout much of the series, and for some, that might see to be something of a turn-off, but they aren’t gaudy or loud, and instead really help to bring the series to life in ways that other anime only dream of. There are a number of different looks to the series as well. Papuwa fro example is drawn in a simpler style that the other characters, having more in common with some anime for younger children (though we rarely see these come over to North America) while the other characters are drawn in a fashion that is more akin to the standard anime style. You have big eyes, lots of spiked hair, and Liquid looks like he may have borrowed his look (and even wardrobe) from Street Fighter II’s own Ryu. Then there’s the other creatures, and they are just strange, and definitely have a much different look than everything else in the series. The oddity of Papuwa doesn’t end with just the premise, and almost everything in this series exudes a bizarre essence that is utterly unique and captivating.

If you assumed that an anime of this nature was ripe with Japanese cultural references that most of us aren’t going to get, then you are absolutely correct, but don’t give it a second thought. ADV has included translation notes in the extras, and you certainly are going to need them. Papuwa however isn’t spilling over with references though like Excel Saga, even though the same creative team can be credited to both series. You will also find a character gallery as well as the standard issue clean opening and closing animations.

Papuwa may defy logic much of the time, but what it doesn’t do is defy comedy, and this is a series that already has a niche market. Remember from the start of the review? Excel Saga, Hare+Guu? That’s the type of audience that is going to love this series, so pack your bags and get ready for a trip to the tropics that you won’t soon forget. And, should you not heed my advice, I’ll sue you, and I’ll win. Don’t worry, that will all make sense once you watch Papuwa, and you will.

Episode 1 – Welcome to Papuwa Island!

A mysterious voice has woke Kotaro up from his hibernation, he’s escape some weird installation, but things are about to get even weirder. He’s found himself on Papuwa Island, a place filled with talking animals, and a few people, but why are they trying to hide his identity from him?

Episode 2 – Caution: Extremely Poisonous?! Here Comes Komoro the Destroying Angel Mushroom

Mr. Magic wants someone to go and bring Kotaro back, and Arashiyama has unfortunately found himself selected. Back on the island, Kotaro wants something to eat, and not the food Liquid wants to prepare. Fried snails, poisonous mushrooms and a few hallucinations all play an important role in this cooking insanity.

Episode 3 – My Personal Motto is the Power of Friendship. I am Arashimaya

Arashima has finally found Kotaro (with some help from Komoro) but getting him back to headquarters isn’t going to be easy. Liquid is the one who seems to be standing in his way, as well as being out of cellular range, and now its all come down to Ganma verses former-Ganma is a fight that may not be the finish.

Episode 4 – Here Comes the Wandering Drummer, Oshodani the Sea Otter

While out fishing, Liquid happens upon a huge pearl in the bottom of the ocean, and after passing out when Kotaro insists that he retrieve it, it’s up to Papuwa to help out. Luckily there’s that abandoned diving suit, but the pearl has a curse, and Kotaro’s greed is the prefect thing to free a sea otter and leave the poor boy to a much deserved fate.

Episode 5 – Fancy Yankee?! Liquid’s Fabulous Past

Liquid’s old squadron has come looking for him as well as Kotaro. A few magical charms aren’t going to help him though, and while he’s out cold, Papuwa and Kotaro take the liberty of looking through his album and learning a bit more about him.

-mike-