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I always find it hard to actually LIKE a comedy. Sure, it's fun and all that, but that doesn't mean it's good. So what's a good comedy like? Well, I've never been a real fan of slapstick humor because it's just too easy. When I was introduced to Cromartie High school (thumbs up for Danny), I gave it a shot right away. After several episodes, I put it away as it didn't seem interesting. When I gave it another shot weeks later, I was proven wrong.

The anime starts off with the main character's - Takashi Kamiyama - first day at the Cromartie High school ... for delinquents. From there on the story spirals down a maze of odd events and insane situations. Though he's the only non-delinquent person on the school, Takashi claims the title of class boss - and later the 'boss of japan' title. And that's only the beginning of the madness.

Story: Naturally, there isn't much of a story to mention. However, following a nice, intelligent person on a school filled with delinquents should be interesting enough. You get to see other schools as well. They're always planning to attack Cromartie, but never succeed. You could say this a delinquent slice of life(!), driven by activities done by the characters rather than a main storyline.

Art: Although there is remarkably little movement in this anime, the art makes up for it. The roughly sketched faces really make the characters look like badasses. And that's what's also improving the fun factor.

Sound: With great power comes great responsibility. And with little movement, comes little sound. If you catch my drift. The sound in general doesn't really stand out, except for the kickass voice acting of Mechazawa. Although the sound doesn't stand it, it's still a main part of the whole thing, and therefore gets a high score.

Character: A gorilla. A Freddie Mercury copy. A robot. And his son. A tough, strong boss with motion sickness. A silent boss with a wish to become a known comedian. A man with fake hair (No spoilers, duh). A servant without a name. The anime introduces a wide selection of characters, each with their own unique personality. Cromartie wouldn't be Cromartie without its characters.

Enjoyment: I'll admit it. Cromartie starts off a bit slow. If you survive the first five, six episodes, you will find it hard to not watch the rest right away. Every episode tells a different story, usually following one person or a group through the episode. It's impossible to forsee what's about to happen, and that's definitly a good thing in a comedy. A good example of this is when they hold a competition to decide who gets the 'Boss of Japan' title. All contestants have to answer the question: "Is it milk in yoghurt?" Hundreds of delinquents are present, but, naturally, Takashi's the ONLY ONE who gets it right. And even if you won't laugh when you watch, you'll laugh later. Sometimes it just needs to sink in.

Overall The unique thing about Cromartie is that it takes two quite different elements and put them together. In this case, that would be 'delinquents' and 'FUN'. If you're not used to seeing serious-looking gangsters in hillarious situations, it might take some time before you get used to it. All in all, Cromartie is one of the funniest and smartest comedies I've ever seen.

Every once in a while, a truly magnificent and original anime shows up. Being a media everyone relates with silly characters, a fun story and a little ecchi now and then, the typical anime-lover would get a mild shock from a movie such as this.

Through the film, we follow the cat Nyatto on his quest to reclaim his sister's lost soul. They embark on a strange journey filled with mystery, darkness and disturbing obstacles. There isn't much more to say, really.

Nyatto and his sister - and also a few other characters - were all in Nekojiru Gekijou, the series this film spawned from. Although ... this story takes place in the same world as the original series, this is not similar to it at all. All the black humor that Nekojiru Gekijou was built upon have been replaced with a dark and disturbing tale.

When people watch a movie such as this that blends surrealism and symbolism into a lovely mix, they usually react differently. The writer might not have had any ideas behind all of it, and there's a possibility that there are no real answers to the mysteries. In other words, you're free to interpret it as you like. That's what made David Lynch's "Eraserhead" so popular amongst some, while being hated by others.

The only thing I don't like with Cat Soup is that it's a tad too short. There's potential for so much more. One can only hope for some kind of sequel in the future.

-Fred