Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei - Episode 7

Is there such a thing as too much Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei? After that long drought, followed by three episodes in close proximity, I can categorically say - No.

Aside from a couple of segments that were in keeping with the general scheme of Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, taking in those annoying 'jokes' that people have heard a million times (in particular, I had to laugh out loud at the mention of Winning Eleven 11... you have to wonder if it'll happen) and seeing Nozomu Itoshiki find himself with an addiction to qualifications in an effort to become a permanent examinee and thus get an easier passage through life.

Away from that more traditional role, episode seven of the series went down the route that it seems no comedy anime can resist - The pardoy. Thus, Zetsubou Sensei got the magical girl treatment, with 'Zetsubou' channel also bringing us some hilarious takes on children's TV and cooking programmes, amongst other things.

For some reason, the final 'examinee' section of the episode also decided to take in as many animation styles as possible, some of which were truly rubbish to the point of amusement, while somehow appealing to my artistic sensibilities. You've got to hand it to the team behind this anime, they've managed to take randomness to some whole new levels, and to be honest I could have watched some of those parody skits all day. Brilliant stuff, and recent episodes seem to have seen a real return to form after the series stuttered a little for an episode or two earlier in its run.