Basquash! - Episode 26 (Completed)

So, at long last, Basquash! comes to its end, leaving us with a finale where the future of both Earthdash and Mooneyes hangs in the balance as supposed legend-to-be Dan gets his game on it.

But is it going to be enough? Despite all of Team Basquash's efforts, and indeed those of Slash on the opposing side, time appears to be running out as Yan launches his "Legend Bullet" in an attempt to destroy Mooneyes and at least save his own planet. This leaves Slash making his final act to deflect said "bullet" from hitting the moon, while Dan finally apears to have achieved his legend-confirming dunk...


...or not. Despite all of his efforts, both worlds continue to collapse, and it appears that all hope is lost. Of course, despite some moments of self-doubt, Dan isn't the type to give up easily, and thus Iceman Hotty's call to him to carry on playing doesn't fall on deaf ears. Indeed, Dan's determination is the catalyst for all and sundry to carry on regardless, showing bravery and spirit which itself turns out to be the true legend of this story. To skip to the end, both planets are saved, and everybody lives happily ever after. Awww.

Perhaps it's a little unfair of me, but I think my major problem with Basquash! is that I painted it with my own dreams of what I wanted it to be. Those early episodes of the series were a wonderful (and fantastically animated and designed) care-free depiction of anarchy, and personally I never got over its shift away from that towards a more generic "let's save the world" plot, particularly given that it always had that feeling of being a bit of a Macross wannabe with its connotations surrounding the important of music (and basketball of course). It also took rather a long time to reach its end goal - Like so many full twenty-six episode series of late, I found myself wondering if thirteen instalments would have been enough, as we went through some story arcs that were either dull or perilously close to jumping the shark.

Indeed, that particular point could even be levelled at this final episode, which brought back a character who we'd assumed to be dead in rather nonsensical fashion, while avoiding killing off others for no particular reason other than to placate its audience. This simly added to the nagging lack of satisfaction come the end of it all; the feeling that the day had been won without anything being lost in a saccharine haze of happiness and Nike trainers. For a series that originally looked to be so brave in a way, it all ended up being rather generic, although at least the stunning backdrops and visual beauty of the series returned to send us off with something aesthetically memorable at least.