Director: Shin Oonuma
Starring: Hiro Shimono, Alexis Tipton, Hitomi Harada, Josh Grelle, Akio Ohtsuka, Anthony Bowling, Avana Taketatsu, Brina Palencia Emiri Kato,
Running Time: 325 minutes
Certificate: 15
Extras: Episode 13 commentary, textless opening & closing, music videos, Baka Test animated shorts, trailers
BAKA & TEST: SUMMON THE BEASTS sees a group of high school kids in a world where they are able to summon little avatars of themselves. These avatars are used to battle and settle disputes, and their strength is surmised by scores which represent how well they do in certain classes. But that in no way captures the show’s true essence. It is really just used as a fun little gimmick which is sometimes employed in order to add a bit of spice to the show. This is really a school based sitcom all about growing up.
If you’re arriving to the show for the first time, you may be caught off guard by the description of beasts and avatars, as they are noticeably absent from the first few episodes. Those episodes focus on a trip to the beach, where our hapless hero Yoshii is taking a trip with some friends. Immediately apparent is the show’s bizarre sexually charged comedy. There’s a lot of talk about breasts and chat up lines along the lines of “You have the figure of a porn star!”, not to mention the overbearing tones of incest (nothing graphic, just a sister’s jealousy of her brother’s female friends). This opens the second season up to a fun start that is very easy to quickly get lost in.
The characters are all very likable, and it’s nice to see the realm of the show explored through the eyes of the underachievers. The main protagonists are in Class F, and in this school the high achievers are rewarded with better equipment, classrooms and perks. For example, Class F has to make their own way to places as far as school trips are concerned. The guys are represented as a clueless bunch who will break into nosebleeds when their female classmates get a bit too sexy or mention the likes of panties. The girls are often defined by the likes of being obsessed over marriage, thinking they are too fat, or self conscious about their flat chests. This may sound sexist and even offensive, but it’s important to remember that these are all the misfits and each of them grows on their journey.
The best thing about the show is its witty charm, which includes genuine laugh out loud moments thanks to the awkward characters. It also helps that BAKA & TEST: SUMMON THE BEASTS has no formula to speak of. Some arcs expand over three episodes, some are quick but fun filler, and others are interesting character building flashbacks. This collection has some great arcs, including the raid on the girl’s bathing room, which soon turns into a mass campaign involving all the boys in the school joining forces, and the finale where Class F must enter a haunted house scenario.
As you may have noticed, the main sell of summoning avatars isn’t really touched upon in great detail, making this more about the comedy and the characters. I actually found this to be refreshing, as such a power would be so normal to these characters that they would hardly notice it themselves. It’s kind of like setting the show at Hogwarts, but all the kids are bored and used to the fact they are wizards. The animation is simple, but doesn’t exactly have to be complicated. Most of the time you’ll see some polka dots visible giving the impression of 60s pop art. There are also some humorous uses of the format, with the show turning into a charcoal sketch everytime somebody gives some “heartfelt” advice. BAKA & TEST: SUMMON THE BEASTS is a terrifically fun show that zips by in an instant.
BAKA & TEST: SUMMON THE BEASTS Season 2 is available on DVD from 11th February.
