'Hanada Shounen-shi'

I hadn't watched a funny anime for a while. Some of them have funny bits and scenes, but this is 90% funny. Hanada Shounen-shi is about Hanada Ichiro, who is a regular pest in the village where he lives. He terrifies neighbours, their pets and even wilderness animals. Whenever there's trouble, the surrounding folk always goes to the Hanada house first because they're sure, one way or another, Ichiro is involved. One day, while running away from a scolding from his mother, Ichiro is hit by a car, and as such gets nine stitches on the back of his head. Having nine stitches at age nine is seemingly a bad omen, and Ichiro suddenly gains the power to see ghosts. The downside of this is, first, Ichiro is dead scared of ghosts, and second, they all start coming to him to take care of their unfinished business. The first (and sole) season is 25 episodes long, and it's a nice mix between slice of life, comedy and the paranormal. While it gets mellow at times, the funny bits largely compensate for it. And since Ichiro is a regular pest, there are plenty of opportunities to. And this little guy gets in the strangest situations! There's a ghost who likes boobies so much he won't cross to the other side without rubbing his face in them at least once! And of course, Ichiro can't say no, or he'll be haunted.

Directed by Kojima Masayuki, also responsible for Monster, the style is classical 70's anime, eventhough it was released in 2002. The soundtrack is heavily borrowed from other places (including the opening and ending, which sadly were borrowed from Backstreet Boys. Seriously, why? I'm sure there were far better songs in the market to use here than Drowning and The One), but mostly very fitting. I also loved the dubbing very much: whoever watched Card Captor Sakura (and why have you?) will recognize Ichiro's voice from the character Shaoran Li. that's Motoko Kumai, also responsible for the voice of the Baseball Boy in Paranoia Agent and a few minor rolls in both Yakitate!! Japan and the Ninja Scroll series. Mika Kanai, who dubbed Alice for several Bloody Roar games and a shitload of anime series (she was in two Doraemon movies, a few H series including Elven Bride, Pokemon, you name it) does Rinko in this (though you'll probably only notice in the later episodes, since it's not a main character, but one of utmost importance).

You know, it always baffles me how these japanese "Dennis the Menace" kids speak to their parents. If I called my mother "old hag" at any given moment in my childhood, I'm convinced she'd break both my arms and I wouldn't dare to do it again. Sure, nowadays it happens at times we call each other names, but it's different and we're only kidding about. I also love the way that seemingly japanese children at this point were lectured and beat up by parents, teachers and even complete strangers when they're doing something they shouldn't. I mean, it's portrayed in a series of anime series, I don't know exactly how accurate it is... but believe me, it's a riot. When I was a kid and we sometimes met my teachers at the supermarket, my Mum would learn all the dirt firsthand, sure, but from there to them lecturing me over something in her presence... I don't think she'd allow that. Why I used to have a teacher in grade school who pulled the ears from kids who refused to obey her, and my Mum was the first to say that if it ever happened to me, she'd run the teacher over with the car...

At any rate, I'm not really going to spoil anything for you, other than there's an episode in this which is really effin sad (there are several, but this was the one that actually got to me... possibly because of the cat), so have a tissue ready, both to blow your nose and clean the tears from laughter you're gonna get watching Hanada Shounen-shi.