Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei
Oct 6, 2010Hey, do you remember 'the tuna'?! Hahahahaha! High five!
Oh wait you don't? I suppose only I and a select few forum regulars might even remember that forum thread, let alone find it amusing. However, this does perfectly illustrate the kind of bafflement I experienced when watching SZS. It is the mother of all in-jokes. At least for the Japanese. Comprising nothing more than a spastic collection of high school sketches, nebulous subliminal messages on a blackboard, and a monkey running amok, it provoke at most a rictus grin of pain. Some people mistake random sequences and peculiar cultural references they don't understand for humour - I am a traditionalist who prefers actual punchlines. And as much as it pains me not to be a part of the otaku in-crowd who no doubt love this tripe, I nonetheless could push myself through no more than four of its punishing episodes.
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Those that understand Japanese culture, know that it's a joke by the Japanese, about the Japanese. Those that do not understand other cultures to that extent, won't get their jokes. But then, that's not beyond expectations.
This show is presented in episodic format. Each episode selects a theme to develop.
It's human bias at work here. Someone goes to a foreign country and thinks that what he hears is not a human language simply because he doesn't understand it, would be frowned upon by greater society. But it's a lot easier for someone to think there are no punchlines just because they lack an understanding of a different culture.
Just finished the episode 4, and I must admit I see your point. I will probably continue watching it anyway, but I really don't understand how this series can be so popular among people who are only starting with anime, but after having almost 3 months worth of anime in my list, I have considerable trouble getting even the half of the jokes, references and allusions.