Monday, 18 October 2010

Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt - Episode 3

So, now I'm back from Scotland it's time for my catch-up process with this 'blog to begin in earnest - and what more disgraceful fashion to begin than episode three of Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt?

As per previous instalments, this episode is actually split into two individual stories, spoofing Fight Club and Pulp Fiction in their introductory cards respectively but having nothing to do with those particular movies otherwise.  The first sub-episode out of the gate sees Panty and Stocking at loggerheads as is so often the case with sisters, with a row about some pudding instigated by Stocking descending into a full-on falling out.  This becomes a major problem when the latest Ghost pops up, with Stocking going it alone and inevitably getting herself into trouble, requiring Panty to bail her out while their continued bickering almost puts them both in trouble.


Of course, all's well that ends well, pushing us over into the second half of the episode and probably the most ludicrous and deliberately crude plot so far.  After an admittedly quite amusing take on Saving Private Ryan which replaces the Allied forces with sperm and the enemy with tissues, we move to a story where Daten City is suffering a major tissue shortage, which of course causes all sorts of problems in its own right.  So, Panty and Stocking duly investigate, where they find the paper plant which produces said tissues.. err.... "gummed up", by a clutch of seminal Ghosts.  Cue lots of double entendres before a rapidly resolved storyline.

Even a couple of weeks back after the first episode, I was expressing concerns that Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt was looking like a bit of a one-trick pony, and I think this instalment confirms my fears - the series doesn't really know where to go before lots of sex jokes, bodily fluids and sex-based plays on words.  In fairness, this does work at times - that aformentioned Private Ryan spoof was actually quite funny, and there were a few other sharp one-liners, but when they come thick and fast with nothing to break things up it all ends up getting a bit boring eventually.  Come the end of the episode, even my enjoyment of the animation style and amusement at the show not caring what topics it brings up (I don't think I've ever heard phimosis mentioned in anime before, that's for sure) has been deadened with overuse - fair play to GAINAX for sticking their neck out and trying this, but it's really in need of a little more variety to keep it moving in my opinion.  At least the soundtrack is pretty awesome though.

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