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Title:
  Desert Punk vol 1 - Enter The Desert

UK Distributor:  MVM

BBFC Certificate:  15

Suggested Retail Price (SRP):  £15.99

Episodes:  1 - 4 (of 24)

Audio Options:  English 5.1, Japanese 2.0

Subtitles:  English

Reviewer:  Tom (Webmaster)

 

The post-apocalyptic world will be a meek place according to most anime series, as one might expect.  Gangs, hoodlums and dictators will cause chaos in the control for diminishing natural resources and normal people will be reduced to virtual slavery.  Unsurprisingly there aren't may comedies about life after a nuclear war, the only real exceptions being the comedic elements of Trigun and, in an ironic sense, HighlanderDesert Punk however, promises to be true post-apocalyptical comedy, irreverent and supposedly filled with sarcastic put-downs and plenty of lechery and lewdness.  This series could be one-of-a-kind. 
 

 The slapstick live-action opening titles are a good start, with a fun song combined with shots of tomfoolery and playful lechery.  We are then introduced to the Desert Punk, who saves a weak family from a small gang of goons.  The main character is quickly established as a cocky, sarcastic mercenary who, despite being a shortass, is rock hard with an array of mysterious abilities.  Upon saving the family he quickly relieves them of their cash, advising it is in return for saving their lives.  So he is a standard likeable rogue, it would seem. 


Desert Punk then meets Junko, a big-buxom fit girl whom he instantly letches over.  Junko tells him that she is trying to escape from her boss, the Makoto who runs a clan.  Desert Punk agrees to help and successfully defeats Makoto and his hordes in an excellent - and very funny - action sequence.  Junko then shows her true nature by taking a necklace of the defeated Makoto (on which there is a bounty) and telling Desert Punk that she'll do anything for cash.  So the clichéd strong and greedy, but very hot, female is also in it. 
 

Despite an opening episode full of clichés, this is by no means a bad show as it is hugely entertaining.  The comedy never lets up throughout this volume and always remains the primary focus.  More colourful characters show up throughout the volume, including the excellent Rain Spider, who's more evil nature really plays off of Desert Punk slightly (only slightly though) more placid one, resulting in one of the funniest fights I've seen.  As the volume continues it just gets better, with a great group fight which brilliant action and great comedy. 

Overall, Desert Punk is not quite the one-of-a-  

kind show I was expecting but it is a damn good one.  Although there are several comedy series out there, I found the comedy of Desert Punk to a little different to the rest.  The comedy relies more on dialogue, rather then visuals like many other series do.  Also the English dub is better then the original Japanese one, as it adds a little bit of extra of dialogue here and there which actually improves the comedy.  I don't often comment on the dubs in reviews, since the English dub is usually a straight translation (so the choice between Japanese & English would be a personal preference) but for this show it really is watching it in English.  Its still funny in Japanese, but funnier in English. 

Although by no means original, Desert Punk is hugely entertaining and my favourite release of the year so far.  This volume does end in a way which means subsequent volumes could succumb to a clichéd formula, but I'm eager to see the next volume nonetheless.  As the whole of the first volume was very funny, here's hoping the rest of the series should be. 

Extras:

An interesting selection, including the first episode edited for TV, English casting auditions, an interview with the singer of the Japanese opening & closing themes, making of the live-action opening sequence and trailers for other MVM releases.  They are all worth a watch, particularly the making of and cast auditioning which are both good fun. 

Ratings

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