Nov 19, 2021
Chrono Trigger is one of the best 16-bit games out there. Hell, it's one of the best games out there. And there's an anime based off of it. A sixteen minute, one episode one from 1996. Let's look at it.
Story:
The tale is set on the eve of the Millennium Fair. At this point, a bunch of familiar monsters come out to play and celebrate since many of them will invariably be killed once the game starts and everyone needs EXP. Especially best character Lucca. Our main monsters are Nuu and Mamo. The pair of them are trying to recruit other monsters to join
...
their group. This, naturally, leads to shenanigans.
As a comedy, this isn't bad. It has some funny moments and some sequences that work pretty well. It plays off of the two bumbling henchmen trope with Nuu being the fat dumb one and Mamo being the smaller, more fast talking but also stupid one. That being said, it's one of those comedies that's always somewhat amusing but never uproariously funny. It's entertaining enough but never at the level where you're giving a real hearty laugh. And for those people thinking "aren't you being too harsh considering it's only fifteen minutes?" I would point out that most Galaxy Angel episodes are funnier and they're also fifteen minutes.
Characters:
In addition to Nuu & Mamo, there are some familiar Chrono Trigger monsters. Johnny & Gato both make appearances as side characters. None of them are very complex but they do work decently enough for the comedic elements. Though I do think some people are apt to be disappointed by the lack of the major characters from the game.
Art:
The artwork looks pretty good. We see a lot of monsters from Chrono Trigger with their game designs intact. The animation is decent and there are some pretty good visual gags. Though it's definitely dated in terms of its quality.
Sound:
This is one of those anime where the comedy is a bit exaggerated and there's a lot of over the top delivery. The actors do fine, all things considered but you may find that aesthetic a bit grating. If I'm being honest, the only reason it doesn't really bother me here is because it's short. If this were multiple episodes or even an hour long, I'd definitely be annoyed by the exaggeration. The music is taken right from the game soundtrack. And the game has an excellent soundtrack.
Ho-yay:
There isn't any.
Areas of Improvement:
1. The humour could stand to be more subtle and clever. Yeah, there's a place for the over the top elements but comedy that relies solely on that doesn't tend to work for repeated viewings or hold up super well.
2. Speaking of more subtlety, the performances could be toned down.
3. The short could have used a little extra time and done more to establish the setting. Yeah, the fair is well known to fans of the game and a lot of the activities in the short will be familiar to those of us who have played the game. But something like this should also encourage people who haven't played the game to do so and the beginning segment where they're giving the setting is a bit rushed for that.
Final Thoughts:
Jikuu Bouken Nuumamonjaa is a decent little OVA. If you're a fan of Chrono Trigger, you'll see a lot of nods to the game, recognise the music and monster designs and get some amusement from the misadventures of Nuu & Mamo. If you aren't a fan of the game you may still find it entertaining for the take on the two comedic henchmen. I'm giving it a 6/10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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