Jungle Wa itsumo Hale nochi Guu

[Halcyon]

Haré+Guu
(a.k.a. Jungle Wa Itsumo Hale Nochi Guu)

Synopsis, screenshots, recommendations ~ Add Recommendations

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Jungle Wa itsumo Hale nochi Guu - TV - 26 Episodes
Story/Setting :
Here is a village in a peaceful jungle. The blazing sun and tropical trees. The people build a village around the elder. Food depends on hunting. The festival of every month. There is an animal outside of the village. A child's snack is freshly-picked banana. Really the living which seems to be the jungle. However, there are actually a television and a game, too and children live like the today's kids.

The boy called Hale lived here. One day, his mother brought one pretty girl from the town. Her name is Guu. Hale wanted to make friends with her. But, next morning, the face of Guu had changed. And the character changed into the extremely unfriendly one, too. Furthermore, she swallows the banana, swallows the small bird, swallows human, and swallows everything. And, somehow swallowed people live in her body !? Who is Guu on earth?

This is THE most weird anime i have seen. The story is ordinary, yet a little strange, but Guu really really twists this thing around :) I have never laughed this much of an anime ever. It makes me wonder what kind of sick twisted freak came up with the idea :) Hale is like a regular kind of kid, with a not so regular mother. But Guu?? She's out of the ordinary. The jungle they live in isn't quite regular either. It's filled with small and strange animals named "pokute", wich is actually like food for them. I wouldn't eat it though :)

Animation :
Funky. Very very funky. A lot of moments where you almost choke on your own laughter :) It's hilarious. They have a very smooth look, yet funny. And a lot of the faces you'll see troughout this series is so funny that it almost made me die :) Check out the intro, it'll confirm it all :D

Music :
The music is nothing special. It fits in with the rest though, but it's nothing we didn't hear before (like in Excel Saga or something :P), exept for the intro song, i really loved that one. It's funny :P

Overall : 8
If you set the comedy aside, there is nothing left in this show :) But whatever, the weird expression the characters often make, combined with the funky music and a thin but hilarious story makes this show an 8. If you liked Excel Saga, Puni Puni Poemi or similar shows, you WILL like this one. Trust me :D

[KiraRin]

Probably be the last one from me for a while, unless I watch something completely standout... I hope all of these footnotes are teaching people some new Britishisms ;P

Story 9/10
As an anime reviewer, it turns out I have critics of my own. Apparently they think I am a harsh connoisseur who loves to bash popular anime. So, as a one fingered salute to all those people, I decided to re-watch one of my all-time favourite shows, Jungle wa Itsumo Halé Nochi Guu, and prove I am not just a venomous one trick pony.

Guy lives in jungle. Guy meets girl who can swallow anything and let it live in her stomach. Girl causes no-end of misfortune for said guy. With a crazy overall plot, there is so much more uncharacteristic depth to this bizarre comedy. The underlying story of Halé’s (the guy) relationship with his lovable booze-hound mother, Weda, and their whole reason for living in the jungle is episodic and actually quite touching; especially with the introduction of an unlikely father-figure. Like a new parent in a family, this relationship is handled with kid gloves and disguised with numerous laughs. However, there is a carefully presented moral tale that permeates, regardless of the slapstick surrounding it.

Much of the humour relies on Halé’s worrisome monologues that apparently only Guu can hear; her subsequent dead-pan reactions further worsen the situation and apply delicious comedy icing to the tasty situational humour cake. Despite her pretence of naivety, there is a hint of mischief that gives the impression that she knows exactly what she’s doing. This dark comedy pervades every episode of the series, never failing to make the viewer laugh out loud – from Guu’s acquisition of the village chief’s chest rug to make an afro wig, to her consumption and subsequent regurgitation of the entire class, sarcasm drips from Halé and Guu like jam from a freshly squeezed Manda.

It’s difficult to review the story part of an episodic show, where any semblance of plot is constantly changing and evolving. All I can say is this presentation suits the story down to the ground. It gives the feel of a day by day roundup of “the life of Halé”, giving more reason to empathise with a pathetic main protagonist. The ability to pick up Halé and Guu one episode at a time makes for extremely easy watching, although the addictive humour means you run the risk of an obsessive marathon.

Animation 7/10
The weakest point of the show is also one of its strengths – the bold simplicity of the artwork does nothing to detract from the non-stop humour being fed to the viewer intravenously. The artists are able to take great liberties with the characters expressions and give them highly amusing caricatures to fit the current joke. For example, one scene sees Waji teaching Guu to laugh and the insane girls’ head vibrates on static shoulders with her distinctive frown still engrained in place.

Making full use of the colour spectrum, vivid oranges and reds are splashed over a leafy green backdrop and questionable costumes are drenched in striking yellows and pinks. Although not the best looking visuals by any stretch, it fits the show perfectly – giving a cutesy child-like feel to a show with some dark adult humour.

Sound 9.5/10
An amigo, whose dazzling posture,
Is mucho dangerous to children

Echoing the childish charm of the show, the music is catchy and the lyrics nonsensically puerile – in a good way of course. Verging on a perfect score for the audio, the opening and ending tracks for every season of Halé and Guu are outstanding, not just the first 26 episodes. I have lost count of the number of times I have been yelled at for humming the various soul permeating jingles and bogling* along without even realising it. Also, listen out for the theme for Guu’s high jinks – just hearing a few notes of the bizarre tune had me giggling at some highly inopportune moments.

The Japanese seiyuu are superb. From the sexy tones of the MILF Weda, to Guu’s robotic and complex mannerisms, the native tongue fits the personalities perfectly. If only the same could be said for FUNimation’s bastardisation of the characters’ vocal spirit. Halé is turned into a whiny brat, and his mother transforms from an alcoholic babe into a nasal-sounding fruitcake. If you had the misfortune of seeing this show dubbed, please give it a second chance with the original soundtrack.

Characters 9.5/10
Most of the standout comedy moments come from the pan-faced Guu and her torment of the naive Halé. Her dark humour is what makes the series so attractive; the constant barrage of new and inventive ways to terrorise her poor victim are frequently laugh-out-loud funny. Although the origins of this bizarre pink haired girl remain a mystery, this also adds to the love/hate charm of the character. Is she an alien? A freakish science experiment? And what is going on in her stomach? Frequently playing naive and innocent, she certainly understands a lot more than she lets on, much to the chagrin of Halé and delight of the viewer.

Luckily, around 90% of the episodes focus on the main protagonists, whilst the supporting cast are exactly that – occasionally used to prop up the main comedy storyline. Extremely diverse, each face adds his or her own dimension to the off-the-wall humour. From Dr Clive’s dry perversion, to the romantic implications between the innocent Mari (until she is transformed into a buxom babe by Guu) and Halé; each character is treated to screen time in which to shine, then fading into the background before he or she can become stagnant and boring.

Overall 9.5/10
Close to animated perfection for me, I quite simply adore Halé and Guu. It’s stupid, it’s silly and it’s fun. Victims of my recommendations have also agreed with this one, sharing the jokes and numerous screenshots with anyone who would look or listen. As Guu grows on you like Chouji's chest hair and makes you laugh like a retarded Waji, I'm surprised there are not more people championing the series' universal appeal.


*A very special dance reserved only for the musical legend Aswad – urbandictionary.com

H.

[sothis]

awesome read! only two minor callouts this time:

1. big big amount of 'show' - changing it up a bit would be nice :)
2. Growing on the viewer like Chouji’s chest hair and making them laugh like a retarded Waji; I’m surprised there are not more people championing the shows’ universal appeal.

^this doesn't work with a semicolon as what's before and after should be a full sentence - the beginning part is not. instead of starting with an ing clause followed by an eventual subject, perhaps 'As Guu grows on you like Chouji's chest hair and makes you laugh like a retarded Waji, I'm surprised there are not more people championing the series' universal appeal' (i switched out the 'show' instance there too ^^)

[KiraRin]

Thanks for that soth, completely blanked the over use of "show" throughout >.<

H.

[ThePatches]

Originally Posted by KiraRin

If you had the misfortune of seeing this show dubbed, please give it a second chance with the original soundtrack.
H.

Heh. I guess I will. Overall good read. I MIGHT be able to give this one a closer look this evening, if you'd like.

[KiraRin]

Originally Posted by ThePatches

Heh. I guess I will. Overall good read. I MIGHT be able to give this one a closer look this evening, if you'd like.

If you're offering to help massage it, I would gladly accept ;P

H.

[ThePatches]

Because I hate SQL...

Originally Posted by KiraRin

Probably be the last one from me for a while, unless I watch something completely standout... <-- Does this mean we get a Bobobo review? XD I hope all of these footnotes are teaching people some new Britishisms ;P

Story 9/10
As an anime reviewer, it turns out I have critics of my own. Apparently they think I am a harsh connoisseur who loves to bash popular anime. So, as a one fingered salute to all those people, I decided to re-watch one of my all-time favourite shows, Jungle wa Itsumo Halé Nochi Guu, and prove I am not just a venomous one trick pony.

Guy lives in jungle. Guy meets girl who can swallow anything and let it live in her stomach. Girl causes no-end of misfortune for said guy. With a crazy overall plot, there is so much more uncharacteristic depth to this bizarre comedy. The underlying story of Halé’s (the guy) relationship with his lovable booze-hound mother, Weda, and their whole reason for living in the jungle is actually quite touching; especially with the introduction of an unlikely father-figure. Like a new parent in a family, this relationship is handled with kid gloves and disguised with numerous laughs. However, there is a carefully presented moral tale that permeates, regardless of the slapstick surrounding it.

Much of the humour relies on Halé’s worrisome monologues that apparently only Guu can hear; her subsequent dead-pan reactions which go to make his situation even worse are just icing on an already tasty cake. <-- Confusing. Interestingly, I understand completely what you're trying to say based on my knowledge of the show. Maybe "her subsequent dead-pan reactions further worsen the situation and apply delicious comedy icing to the tasty situational humour case." or something of the sort. "go to make his" just seems AWKWARD. With pretense of naivety, there is a hint of mischief that gives the impression that she knows exactly what she’s doing. <-- Hmm... The misplaced subject makes this sentence a little strange for me. I'd open with "Despite her pretense of..." instead. This dark comedy pervades every episode of the series, never failing to make the viewer laugh out loud – from Guu’s acquisition of the village chief’s chest rug to make an afro wig, to her consumption and subsequent regurgitation of the entire class, sarcasm drips from Halé and Guu like jam from a freshly squeezed Manda.

It’s difficult to review the story part of an episodic show, where any semblance of plot is constantly changing and evolving. <-- This sentence seems to contradict what came before. I'd move the "episodic" comment farther up so make it clear that the earlier paragraphs describe the overarching plot. All I can say is this presentation suits the story down to the ground. It gives the feel of a day by day roundup of “the life of Halé”, giving more reason to empathise with a pathetic main protagonist. The ability to pick up Halé and Guu one episode at a time makes for extremely easy watching, although the addictive humour means you run the risk of an obsessive marathon.

Animation 7/10
The weakest point of the show is also one of its strengths – the bold simplicity of the artwork does nothing to detract from the non-stop humour being fed to the viewer intravenously. The artists are able to take great liberties with the characters expressions and give them highly amusing caricatures to fit the current joke. For example, one scene sees Waji teaching Guu to laugh and the insane girls’ head vibrates on static shoulders with her distinctive frown still engrained in place. The transition from the example feels a little strange. --> Making full use of the colour spectrum, vivid oranges and reds are splashed over a leafy green backdrop and questionable costumes are drenched in striking yellows and pinks. Although not the best looking visuals by any stretch, it fits the show perfectly – giving a cutesy child-like feel to a show with some dark adult humour. <-- One of the strange things about this show, and you've hit it on the head.

Sound 9.5/10
An amigo, whose dazzling posture,
Is mucho dangerous to children

Echoing the childish charm of the show, the music is catchy and the lyrics nonsensically puerile – in a good way of course. Verging on a perfect score for the audio, the opening and ending tracks for every season of Halé and Guu is are outstanding, not just the forerunner. <-- Huh? I have lost count of the number of times I have been yelled at for humming the various soul permeating jingles and bogling* along without even realising it. Also, listen out for the theme for Guu’s high jinks – just hearing a few notes of the bizarre tune had me giggling at some highly inopportune moments.

The Japanese seiyuu are superb. From the sexy tones of the MILF Weda, to Guu’s robotic and complex mannerisms, the native tongue fits the personalities perfectly. If only the same could be said for FUNimation’s bastardisation of the characters’ vocal spirit. Halé is turned into a whiny brat, and his mother transforms from an alcoholic babe into a nasal-sounding fruitcake. If you had the misfortune of seeing this show dubbed, please give it a second chance with the original soundtrack. <-- You have no idea how many people will thank you for this inclusion.

Characters 9.5/10
Most of the standout comedy moments come from the pan-faced Guu and her torment of the naive Halé. Her dark humour is what makes the series so attractive; a constant barrage of new and inventive ways to terrorise her poor victim is frequently laugh-out-loud funny. <-- The portion after the semicolon sounds a little weak to me. I'd restructure that half to get rid of the "is". Although the origins of this bizarre pink haired girl remain a mystery, this also adds to the love/hate charm of the character. Is she an alien? A freakish science experiment? And what is going on in her stomach? Frequently playing naive and innocent, she certainly understands a lot more than she lets on, much to the chagrin of Halé and definitely to the <-- Tut, tut. What would Vivi say? delight of the viewer.

Luckily, around 90% of the episodes focus on the main protagonists, whilst the supporting cast are exactly that – occasionally used to prop up the main comedy storyline. Extremely diverse, each face adds his or her own dimension to the off-the-wall humour. From Dr. Clive’s dry perversion, to the romantic implications between the innocent Mari (until she is transformed into a buxom babe by Guu) and Halé; each character is given enough screen time to shine before they become stagnant and boring. <-- A small internal contradiction here. I think you meant "each character is given enough screen time to shine and then fades into the background before he or she can become stagnant and boring." Also, consider restructuring to remove the passive "is given."

Overall 9.5/10
Close to animated perfection for me, I quite simply adore Halé and Guu. It’s stupid, it’s silly and it’s fun. Victims of my recommendations have also agreed with this one, sharing the jokes and numerous screenshots with anyone who would look or listen. As Guu grows on you like Chouji's chest hair and makes you laugh like a retarded Waji, I'm surprised there are not more people championing the series' universal appeal.


*A very special dance reserved only for the musical legend Aswad – urbandictionary.com

H.

I had something to say here when I started, but totally forgot it by the end of the Vivisection.

[KiraRin]

Thanks for that Patchy, all taken on board and re-jigged. I hope this means you will try re-watching the show, as it is definitely one of the best comedies out there :)

H.

[Funkgun]

Not sure why I would deserve this. Do I get a middle finger? is this a grudge from over a month ago?

You know I have enjoyed your reviews and was one of the first to comment on the first one you had up on here Ulysess 31. I have commented positively on Midori, the first review I found very helpful in not watching an anime, and obvioulsy I enjoyed the Brigadoon a bit or I would not have linked it for Chilliwinter to see. I also enjoyed your Pani poni one didn't I? (Side story)Just for the record I did not like the show that much. It was OK.Never said I did. what did I give it 2.5 out of 5 maybe 3? What I was, was a bit perturbed that someone used my quote of reverse plagiarism and never tell me about it. You looked to have dropped watching the show, I do not always read the review section.
I dont mind people dropping a show, but if they did not, did a review, and then use something I said, and never tell me, I felt a little shafted. Also you did watch the rest of it, but did not have enough time to drop a line? I would be fine with, i am still not liking this.

So I know I did not say venoumous but I did say One Trick Pony after you said you looked through shows that were poop. I thought you were saying that is all you were looking though.
You told me instead that was not your intention. I believed you and I even apologized here in a PM for any misunderstanding I had

Since then I have realized I may be a hinderence and have not commented since. I do read some if I think to check here and put a link to your review in ChilliWinter's thread about Brigadoon. I figured he might miss it. And I thought he would enjoy it, I would not have linked it if I did not like it.

I just try to be a friendly joe, I hardly fight with people on here. I drop issues, and try to be mostly positive. I always try to guide people to this site from other forums; especially for the Anime Buddy thing. I will watch anything with anyone especially with those who finish and talk about it, bad or good.
If you wish me to go, I shall.
=(
I could pack my things after I watch the Count of Montie Cristo. Might as well finish this one.

[sothis]

err, i have no idea what's going on here but funkgun, i'd hope that you wouldnt leave the site because of your feelings with a single person o_O especially after having fun at the AP party and such.