DVD: Disgaea Collection

DVD Reviewed by The Evil Dr Sanchez, Esq.

Editor's Rating:  

(8 /10)

Starring: Laharl, Flonne

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And now for a brief history of anime … GOT YA! Like I have the time. Disgaea is in the adventure-comedy vein of such great anime series as Ranma ½ (also available from Madman) and Sailor Moon.

The gist is this: a ditzy, naive angel in training (Flonne) arrives in the Netherworld from heaven (Celestia) on a mission to assassinate (those crazy anime kids, an angel assassin – who woulda thunk it) the King of the Underworld.

The catch is that the King has been dead long before her arrival. Before she realises this Flonne ends up unearthing the heir to the underworld throne, Laharl and joins his gang of misfits as he attempts to claim his birthright. Along for the ride are Laharl’s vassal (kind of like a follower-slave) Etna and her incompetent subordinates the Plinny Squad, a bunch of lost souls trapped in the body of penguins who say ‘dude’ a lot. What they don’t know is that there is a price on Laharl’s head which may or may not come from someone close to him.

The comedy-of-errors style and great dialogue that made Ranma so hilarious is prevalent in this series. The penguins are genius, incredibly silly yet at times quite endearing. Like in Ranma also the anti-hero is a grumpy teenage boy (well he is the heir to the Netherworld) whose raging hormones at times become his Achilles heal, especially when presented with a voluptuous woman and visual boob jokes ensue, as they do when the gang meet their sometimes less than worthy opponents.

Pretty much Disgae is great fun and if you have not seen it then I advise you do so at once (yes, right now if the shops are open). If this is your first flourish into the anime world and you want more, then check out Ranma ½ as well, you won’t regret it (unless you have had your sense of humour surgically removed of course). You can also join Laharl on his quest for the throne in the Playstation 2 game Disgaea: The Hour of Darkness.