Title: Meganebu!
Director: Soubi Yamamoto
Author: Deco Akao
Studio: Studio Deen
U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23
U. S. Release Date: Oct. 14th, 2014
Format: DVD / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes
Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life, Absurity
Age Rating: TV 14
Overall Personal Grade: B+
Synopsis:
You don’t necessarily have to wear rose-colored glasses to get a better view of the world; you just have to wear glasses! At least, that’s the philosophy of Akira Souma, a high school student who breaks humanity into three kinds of people: those who wear glasses, those who don’t, and girls. Akira’s focus on eyewear has so framed his thoughts that he’s formed a Glasses Club at Himaraya Third Technical High School with the goal of creating X-ray glasses. Fortunately, his X-ray vision inspires all his glasses-wearing (and ridiculously good-looking) friends to join as well, even if it sometimes means making a huge spectacle.
Commentary:
It is not to often when a series is released that doesn’t have any ties to a manga or game. In the case of Meganebu! it just so happens to be one of those stand alone series. The other aspect to the series that adds to its uniqueness is the fact that it centers around a group of high school boys who happen to be somewhat nerdy. This is a testament to the realization in the anime market that more girls are fans and that it is time to produce series that might appeal to their fan base more so than the guys who want to see bouncy girls running across the screen.
The other part to this uniqueness is the focal point of the series. The fact that they all wear glasses and have a club leader who is somewhat of an Otaku about the spectacles proves a point that anime opens itself up to telling stories about almost anything. I just can’t imagine an series in the west that centers around a group of boys and their fascination with glasses. For me it adds to the comedic level of the series and helps me keep a positive attitude toward it.
As I was watching this odd little series I found myself jumping back to other strange absurd series like Arakawa Under the Bridge. The humor is light and easy to digest. There are a couple of things that tie the episodes together but they are mostly day to day trials and tribulations of these rather awkward young men and one want-to-be. Of course their exploits tends to make the school look rather foolish and the attempts of the student council to close them down sets up plenty of fun situations, but it is the daily contrivances that really makes the series fun.
The humor bodes well for the writing and concept of the series. The openness of the story allows for the series to explore plenty of crazy situations and at the same time stay coherent to the focus on the glasses club.
Overall Grade: B+
I can’t say that the series will blow everyone away, but it is a solid comedy. The animation is bright and beautiful to help enhance the easy view-ability of the story along with the relative simple and likable character development of each club member and the student council members that make up their adversaries.
Meganebu! is a wonderfully silly series that will either win you over in the first episode or lose you to wind. I can see that there are plenty of moments that are very contrived, but just the concept of the series is contrived.
If you want something that will make you laugh with making think too much then Meganebu! is for you.
