Samurai Flamenco - Episode 18

Another layer of Samurai Flamenco's world has been peeled away thanks to his latest victory, only to reveal... Alien Flamenco!

Although the populace of Japan - or at least Mari - seems to be growing rather bored of the constant bombastic, booming pronouncements of doom and pending invasion, it's nonetheless up to Hazama to face this new threat as he and his comrades find themselves beamed into a virtual representation of this alien race's world.  Alien Flamenco, however, wants to speak to Samurai Flamenco alone, and it's here that their plan is revealed - they don't want to take over the Earth, but to assimilate humanity in the name of evolution and universal peace.

Tempting though that may sound (well, not really), Hazama is having none of it, and even though he can't explain why he's adamant that no such thing will happen on his watch.  Of course, this rather irritates Mr. Alien Flamenco, who turns into a giant and tried to stomp Samurai Flamenco.  Who then also turns into a giant.  And gets punched to the Moon.  After flinging Alien Flamenco into space, it's time for Hazama to learn the truth of the world - everything he has experienced is indeed real, albeit brought about to satisfy his lust for justice, and his choice is to continue fighting or return to a quiet reality, while his achievements will be chronicled as video entertainment for those in parallel universes to wonder at as though it was fiction.

Although I now have no idea how it's going to fill its final episodes, this week's Samurai Flamenco was another slice of comedy genius - utterly silly in so many ways, but played with its traditional straight bat and with the added frisson of explaining away how its adventures tie into all of the shows and genres its parodied over the past few months.  It's really the laundry list of great one-liners that make the show what it is much of the time, knowing just when to throw a ludicrous proclamation or monologue into the mix in a way which parrots the subjects of its loving piss-take while still showing a keen eye for comedy.  It's still divisive amongst those who yearn for its "realistic" early episodes, but I can't think of another series that's made me laugh so loud, so often in recent times.