The Chocolate Panic Picture Show

This is a short surreal film, probably inspired by stream of consciousness. I can't say this is for everyone, taking into account a number of different factors, despite its style and age.

The film illustrates what can only be described as the alcohol and heat-induced nightmare of a sun-bather, who is overwhelmed by phenomena occurring on the beach around him, namely naval carriers and aircraft.

Judging by the soundtrack, if you couldn't discern anything from the overt symbolism, one can concluded improvisation and is the driving force behind the film. Because of this method of story-telling, there is not much be said about the character ... except that he is borderline and anxious, and the plot leaves its viewer much the same way.

Overall I can't say I enjoyed this too much, its seems to be an attempt to explore consumerism and militarism, if anything. But I can appreciate the attempt.

Overview:

Studio Gainax has the highest reputation of any studio on MAL with the possible exception of Madhouse. So...everything they've ever made was gold right? Consider that even Madhouse made Junk Boy and Reign the Conqueror. Gainax it turns out has made some bad anime too and Chocolate Panic Picture Show is perhaps the worst.


Background:

The year is 1985. Some of the boys at Gainax just got done watching the 1980 film "The Gods Must Be Crazy" followed by some psychodelic European arthouse cinema. This was when Kamui Fujiwara decided to combine those 2 things and create...this...thing.

Plot:
...
There is no plot. This is a 30 minute acid trip that combines the finest of appallingly racist imagery with the pretentiousness of an avant garde art film. Imagine 1940s Looney Toons like "Scrub me Momma with a Boogie Beat" or Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips" if they were directed by Andrei Tarkovsky or Ingmar Bergman. Now make it 1,000 times dumber and more boring. That's this anime.

Music:

30 minutes of ear rape. I think there is a nice guitar solo thrown in there somewhere though. I may have imagined it. This anime took a toll on my mind.

Art: See plot above


Overall:

The good thing about anime like Shitcom or Utsu-Mutsume is that they are under 5 minutes. This piece of shit is like that stretched out to a full half hour. FFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!

Hello there, traveler! I'm sure you've come to this page after watching Evangelion, FLCL, Gunbuster and/or Gurren Lagann, and you wondered to yourself, "What else does Gainax have to offer?"

There's...THIS. I am not sure what you would call this besides bottom of the barrel trash.

The Chocolate Panic Picture Show was made after the Daicon shorts and Studio Gainax became its own beast. I think that the studio was still just three guys in a garage at the time. Obviously, they were still putzing around, still trying to come into their own.

Anyway, I can't really explain this, since there's no plot and it's just a bunch ... of trippy images. You know those 30-second bumpers that Nickelodeon aired during commercial breaks back in the day? This is like that, but longer, older, less entertaining and Japanese.

So, what do we have here for characters? We have three stereotypical African children playing, and that's it. There are other people who pop up, but yeah, not important.

As for music, it was occasionally tolerable (I kind of liked the drum roll during the "climax"), but the song that played during the end credits was an assault on the ears.

The art is pretty crappy, which is unsurprising considering this is Gainax's early days.

I can't say I got any enjoyment out of this. It was surrealistic, but not the fun kind. It's dumb, but not the kind of dumb you could enjoy with your friends, or even by yourself.

In conclusion, Gainax is quite the powerhouse in anime, but this is their lowest point.

I would avoid this if I were you...unless you're a flat earther. I bet flat earthers would get a kick out of this anime's ending.