Reviewed on May 30th, 2006

Visually

When I first got my hands on the Excel Saga anime, I made the stupid choice of promising Aidan I would review it. So here I am, cranking this review out a week later than I said I would and I still have no idea what to say. The fact is that Excel Saga defies explanation. There is no way to describe how absurd, off-the-wall, and incomprehensible this show is. Really. How do I explain an anime in which the heroine dies three times within the first five minutes?

Audio

Excel's English voice is nerve grating at best, so I recommend watching Excel Saga in subtitles. But beware, slow readers. Excel often speaks at such a fast pace that subtitles fly by without giving any time to watch the actions of the characters. I often found myself going back after reading the subtitles in order to see what was happening.

Storyline

Excel Saga is the story of Excel, a recent high school graduate working for the super secret ideological organization ACROSS, which is trying to take over the city. Excel is madly in love with ACROSS's leader Ilpalazzo and does anything he asks without thinking (she doesn't seem to do much thinking at all). So together with her coworker Hyatt, who keeps hacking up blood and dieing, and emergency food ration Menchi, she goes on missions for ACROSS which seem to have no point at all.

DVD

Each episode of Excel Saga is set up as a parody or 'experiment' of a different genre of anime (sci-fi, action, high school romance, etc). One episode is set up as a dating sim. The show then proceeds to make fun of both Japanese and American culture alike with witty and laugh-out-loud antics at an extremely fast pace.

Overall

The fast-paced randomness that is Excel Saga makes it hard to decide whether it's a work of genius or just plain stupid. Excel Saga gets a one AND a five in all categories (except DVD, which gets a two because it just comes with the standard crap that no one really cares about).

by Aidan