Dhruv Sharma
For the most part of it, ‘Crayon Shin-chan’ is the kind of anime that a lot of people would call “stupid’ and honestly, it is kind of stupid. But it’s this stupidity that makes it so enjoyable and once you’re hooked on to it, there is literally no going back. Now it has been here for a very long time, so it’s not possible for you to watch it all the way from the beginning. But that’s the beauty of these Japanese family fun anime shows — you don’t really have to watch the entire thing to understand what’s going on. Just pick it up at any point of time and have fun. ‘Shin-chan’ can often get very repetitive with its humor, absurdity and the flanderizations of the main character; but then what more can you expect from a comedy anime that has been here since the past three decades?
One look at it and you’ll probably assume that it’s nothing more than a kids show and I can totally understand why someone would jump to that conclusion. From its animation style, to its characters, to its overall innocence, everything suggests that it has nothing for grown-ups. But only when you stick around for a while you realize that many of its jokes are actually targeted towards adults. There are other aspects that will remind you of your own childhood; so it is for all age groups. Apart from being funny, the anime also has a few tear-jerking moments that contribute to its overarching plot. But to truly connect with these moments, you’ll have to be an avid viewer of the show.
If I could use one word to describe ‘Shin-chan’, I would just call it “weird” because it is unlike any other anime show out there. The characters are not at all perfect and you can make a long list of all of their flaws just by watching a few episodes. But what makes this anime special is its grounded nature. Despite being flawed and eccentric, the characters are human and all the nonsensical antics that they pull off are not only hilarious but also relatable in some ways. It is a long-running series with no fixed underlying story and that’s one big reason why it has a mixed bag of episodes. But if you’re patient enough to watch at least 50 episodes, you’ll be able to see a better side of it that might get you hooked on to it. It may not be for everyone because of how ridiculous it can get sometimes, but if you enjoy watching comedy anime, then you should definitely give this one a try.
Crayon Shin-chan Release Date:
‘Crayon Shin-chan’ premiered on April 13, 1992 and is still airing. It has aired more than 1000 episodes to date and it seems to be one of those endless anime franchises that keeps coming out with new seasons, movies and even spin-offs.
Crayon Shin-chan English Dub:
Unfortunately, ‘Crayon Shin-chan’ is not available on any well-known anime streaming platforms and was recently removed from Funimation as well. You can still purchase the original DVDs of the anime if you really want to watch it.
Crayon Shin-chan Plot:
Shin-chan is a little boy whose life is full of funny moments. These moments are usually a consequence of his rude behavior and use of profane language. He enjoys every moment of his life by doing the silliest of things and somehow manages to keep himself out of trouble. One of his crudest gags is known as the “elephant” gag which never gets old and can put a smile on anyone’s face. With a very dysfunctional family and an eccentric group of friends, Shin-chan will deal with every single problem that comes in his way and while he does this, he’ll make sure that he remains true to himself, even if it makes him the laughing stock of his town.
Crayon Shin-chan Review:
Starting off with the story of the show, it has a strange charm to it that will slowly make you fall in love with it. Being a long-running show with more than 1000 episodes, the story starts off somewhere and later leads to something entirely different. There are times when the anime also brings in fantasy elements to its story and even this part of it is quite enjoyable. Almost all of its humor revolves around the main character’s lingual disabilities, his infamously lewd butt dance and the childish acts that often get him into trouble. It can be sort of a “cultural-heavy show” but can still be enjoyed by pretty much anyone.
The characters are all very unique and explored really well. As mentioned earlier, the protagonists might be flanderized a little but even then, they manage to shine because of how natural they appear to be. Each episode seems to be divided into 2-3 different segments that are probably written by three different members of its cast. This actually gives it a more lively variety and also keeps its content quite refreshing.
The art and animation have never been great, but over the years, its technical aspects have improved substantially. There are still some noticeable inconsistencies in its animation, but for the most part of it, it’s watchable. Sound effects include those typical old school slice-of-life sounds that have been excessively used in many other shows. And occasionally, some memorable songs are also thrown in the background to compliment certain scenes.
Overall, ‘Crayon Shin-chan’ is one of these cringy comedies that can be strangely enjoyable. Even if silly humor is not exactly your thing, just try giving this one a shot as it might just change your mind. On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give it a weak 7 and nothing more than that. The reason why I’m not giving it a high rating is because of its numerous evident imperfections and simply for the fact that it just isn’t for everyone.
Read More in Anime Review: Forest of Piano Season 2 | Attack on Titan Season 3
