The World Only God Knows: Season One

Home Theatre
The World Only God Knows: Season One
By Chris Zimmerman
January 31, 2012 - 14:39

ISBN: 978-1-6161-5139-3
$59.98 US
Starring: Chris Patton, Luci Christian, Brittney Karbowski
Directed by: Steven Foster
Produced by: Manglobe
Running Time: 300 minutes
Release Date: Januaru 24, 2012
Distributors: Sentai Filmworks

Take Light Yagami of Death Note fame and drop him in a sim dating game and the result will be the World Only God Knows. The series plays with audience expectations, recalling familiar tropes while offering its own bit of commentary on the ridiculous premise of harem shows and the like. While it does indulge in some of the genres more notorious aspects (fan-service), most of the series’ efforts are devoted to constructing funny stories to showcase its quirky cast of anime archetypes.

Keima is the main protagonist of the show, and his character is a perfect construct of what Light Yagami would be like if he were obsessed with dating games. Not only does he refer to himself as a God, he has the intelligence and delusion that characterized Light, though not in excess. His ideas of what the world should be make him the perfect foil for the preposterous events that spring up around him. His obsession with playing sim games snowballs into a greater calling when a cute hell-spawn named Elsie appears before him with a task: help her capture renegade souls hiding inside the hearts of teenage girls or lose his head.

After watching the first episode, it’s impossible to deny the show’s appeal. The premise is laid out quite well, and done so in a self-contained episode that could very easily pass as a shot feature if it were to end right there. Naturally though, this is just a sample of things to come, as Keima’s woes only grow from having a spiritual collar around his neck. After that the story expands, introducing new characters and scenarios to test Keima.

Manglobe handled the animation chores and as expected of the studio behind Samurai Champloo, the final product is pure quality. The visuals give the series its own distinct flair. Bright colors pop off the screen during daytime sequences while those in the afternoon reflect a somber tone. The animation displays an unexpected fluidity that remains consistent throughout despite the character designs reflecting the “typical anime look”.

Sentai Filmworks supplies the release with the minimum bonus features that have become the norm for anime releases. Clean opening and closing credits along with a promotional music video are all that is available here.

For what it is, the World God Only Knows is an enjoyable piece of fluff that recognizes what it is; a spoof on dating sims and harem themed anime that doesn’t go overboard in its attack. Keima is a fun protagonist that goes against the norms of the genre, and the rest of the cast is equally entertaining. By all accounts, the show should have been a critical and artistic failure, if not for its reverential humor, slick visuals, humor, and wit. Consider this a pleasant surprise that truly breaks the mold.

A-