THE ECCENTRIC FAMILY #1 - - Special Review

| Sunday, July 21, 2013



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THE ECCENTRIC FAMILY #1 - - Special Review



One thing I love about this job is that it often feels like one, enormous
session of connect-the-dots for my life’s entire interaction with pop culture.
If I ever have even the slightest question lingering about some show I watched
as a kid, I’ll inevitability find its answer throughout the course of all this
anime viewing.

Case in point - - SUPER MARIO BROTHERS 3 came out 25 years ago. As you
might recall, its featured gimmick was the flight-granting raccoon suit Mario
wore whenever he happened upon a feather. At the time, I just assumed it was another
non-sequitor in the game’s overall surreal setting; a random
transformation on the order of the fire powers he gained from flowers.

Well, after watching THE ECCENTRIC FAMILY, I now know that Mario’s power-up
was actually in reference to the raccoon-like tanooki
creatures of Shintoism. I guess it was more-or-less like him turning into a werewolf
if he happened upon a full moon icon, and the show’s depiction of the rivalry between
the shape-shifting tanooki and the avian tengu is a Japanese equivalent of the werewolf/vampire
feuds we’ve seen played out in UNDERWORLD, et al.

== TEASER ==

And who says anime can’t teach you something sometimes?

The Summer 2013 anime season has been living up to its less-than-stellar
reputation so far with all the pilots I’ve watched up until, now. So the fact
that this actually held my interest for its duration is a feat in itself. I
feel like I’m missing a lot of the context for the joke about our lead’s
cross-dressing (it’s just so easy for him to shapeshift, perhaps?), but aside
from that, this is a really fun premise for a sitcom.

Of course, it isn’t an action-packed shonen, so I doubt it’ll be
lighting any fires for the American anime community over the summer… but I
might just watch it anyway
. That is, unless a better pilot comes along (not
likely?
).

Watch this
episode,
"Goddess
of the Noryoyuka” here and decide
for yourself.

Now, read my write-ups on other pilots from this season below…








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