Summary
- Rick and Morty: The Anime introduces new adventures between Rick and Morty in anime style.
- The series had its start is a series of shorts.
- The anime has a different sense of humor compared to the original series, skewing towards more typical anime humor.
As someone who’s been a dedicated Rick and Morty fan since its inception, I must admit that diving into the anime spin-off felt like stepping into a whole new dimension – or should I say, alternate reality?
Rick and Morty’s Anime Adaptation: A Spin-off with a Unique Background
Initially, it seems like these two versions of “Rick and Morty” have distinct comedic styles. The original Western animated show tends to be humor that adults can appreciate, while the anime version leans more towards what one might anticipate from an Asian animated production. However, as with all adaptations, characters and their relationships may vary. We’ll investigate if “Rick and Morty: The Anime” retains the same comedic charm as its original counterpart.
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What Is Rick & Morty: The Anime?
As a dedicated anime fan, I’d like to share some exciting news about a captivating series that unfolds between seasons five and six of its original saga. In this unique tale, our beloved Smith family encounters an alternate reality where they can no longer traverse portals. This intriguing twist sets the stage for a self-contained narrative that delves into fresh characters while revisiting familiar faces from the past.
The character designs, reminiscent of an anime style, closely resemble those from the initial series. This similarity stands out even more when contrasted with the late-night animated shows typically aired by Adult Swim and Toonami. While some Japanese actors from the original production return to their roles, the English version introduces a fresh ensemble of voice actors.
Where Did the Series Come From?
The spin-off was initially developed from a collection of short episodes released in 2020, featuring various tales such as “Samurai & Shogun,” where Shogun Rick safeguards his ward Morty, and “Summer Meets God (Rick Meets Evil),” which depicts Summer interacting with a supernatural entity disguised as a smartphone, while Rick battles an evil counterpart of himself.
Director Takashi Sano was involved in the creation of two short films, namely “Rick and Morty vs. Genocider” and “Summer Meets God (Rick Meets Evil).” TMS Entertainment, which contributed to both shorts, also handled the animation for the series through Telecom Animation Film.
In a conversation with Comicbook, executive producer Jason DeMarco said,
At Adult Swim, we’ve consistently embraced the concept of collaborating with independent animators, both domestic and international, to put their unique spins on our series. The extraordinary popularity of Rick and Morty made it clear that we were eager to explore various interpretations.
The Anime & the Original Have Different Styles of Humor
Generally speaking, the spin-off show tends to follow the pattern of a conventional anime comedy rather than mimicking Western adult animation’s style. It contains significantly less explicit humor or dialogue. Moreover, unlike the original series that often breached the fourth wall and played with typical storylines, this anime typically maintains a straightforward approach, although it can still be quirky in its own way.
In my perspective, I came across an immersive virtual reality game featuring Elle and Frank as characters, offering me a glimpse into various lives. The audience is transported to diverse realities, yet the narrative primarily maintains a straightforward approach, emphasizing understanding one’s surroundings. The concept of alternate realities is consistently present in the world of Rick and Morty, but it often includes a surprising twist.
In certain aspects, the characters in this adaptation lean more towards conventional anime character traits rather than those of the originals. For instance, Rick appears less confrontational and more quirky in the anime version, as opposed to his anarchist persona in the original series. This shift is also noticeable in the way the characters interact with each other. While the initial series might have portrayed them as criticizing Jerry, the narrative in this adaptation gradually validates those criticisms.
The anime continues to poke fun at Jerry through recurring gags such as his constant complaints about the bathroom or being excluded from family photos, and interestingly, the other characters seldom acknowledge these jokes. Essentially, the show humorously undermines Jerry by making his actions themselves the source of laughter.
The anime appears to cater to fans of the original, since it is brimming with nods to classic jokes from the source material. For instance, a scene depicts Jerry, a character from the “Cronenberg” universe, standing in for Rick as a protector, engaging in combat against Mr. Nimbus – a recurring antagonist and meme-worthy adversary of Rick’s Atlantean foe. However, those unfamiliar with the original series might find these references hard to grasp.
Is the Anime as Funny as the Original?
Essentially, although the new series has a distinctly different sense of humor than its predecessor, die-hard fans may not find it as amusing. However, it was likely crafted with those very fans in mind. Unfortunately, they may not encounter the same type of jokes that initially drew them to the show.
Fans of anime may find the show’s structure appealing and gain interest from a fresh perspective on a different medium. However, some anime enthusiasts might have preferred the series to adopt a more anime-like visual style, rather than resembling the initial animated series. In the end, certain fans might choose to continue watching the original shorts.
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2024-08-21 01:01