Anime Review | Kill Me Baby (Lights, Camera, Action!)

Kill Me Baby (UK Rating: 15/TBC)

Most of the series has no real overarching plot or story, and instead each episode is made up of an overwhelming torrent of gags with a very loose premise holding it all together. It relies on the strength of the pairing, and Sonya's extremely violent reactions to the simplest of things from Yasuna always make for some really humorous moments. It's a simple enough setup but it works surprisingly well, and the characters are fantastically portrayed and developed, so it's hard not to like them.

The pair are joined by two extra characters as the show progresses - a very chilled out Ninja, called Agiri, who is always trying to shill her Ninja Tools and secrets, which often are much less than what they seem, and the aptly named "Unused Character," who is a girl that was meant to be part of the main cast but cut in the end, and so attempts to force her way into the episodes, usually while attempting to kill Yasuna and Sonya.

While Kill Me Baby is filled with funny moments and gags, there are a handful of issues that prevent it from being on par with the very best of this style of 4Koma comedy series. Firstly, the gags occasionally feel like a never ending onslaught - just a barrage of random jokes level with the worst of the infamous cut-aways of Family Guy. While it adds to the random nature of the comedy, and can occasionally result in very funny moments, it can also end up feeling like a cheap sketch show. This pales when compared to the absolute worst aspect of the show, however, which is the opening theme. It is absolutely appalling - a toneless, annoying assault on the ears. It's a shame, also, that this was produced as a full-length show, since the concept may have worked much better as a short series of 10-minute briefs.

Even these issues can't detract from the overall quality the series exhibits, though, and the animation and cutesy chibi art style is a fantastic fit for the comedy on-screen. The voice actors do a great job, in both the English and Japanese. Even for those that avoid dubs, this is one of the few series that is worth experiencing in both languages. Sonya, in particular, fantastically delivers her lines with a great deadpan nature.

6/10

Good

While not on par with Nichijo, any new series that can capture the same type of insane surreal comedy and do it well is a welcomed addition to the ranks. With just a few small changes, this would have been a must-see comedy. Although flawed, it still manages to be an enjoyable, mindless romp that fans of slapstick humour will vastly enjoy, yet sadly feels quite forgettable at the same time.