While playing Super Mario Galaxy 2, I had to put on something pleasant and fun to watch and enjoy and reduce my anger levels from the point of being really tempted to shove the Wiimote through my TV whilst I played, and I settled on watching the Yo-kai Watch anime. I wasn't expecting to see an episode where a bunch of kids were trying to access porn on the TV, but here you go.
The anime follows the adventures of the male protagonist from the Yo-kai Watch games, going by the name Nate, as he is whisked into the wonderful world of youkai, which are basically spirits, spooks, and mythical beings in Japanese mythology. Nate, one day, happens upon a stone gachapon machine in the depths of the local forest, and decides to pop a coin in and is bequeathed the ghostly butler Whisper and the mysterious Yo-kai Watch, a tool that can detect and reveal hidden youkai in the world.
Each episode is broken up into two real parts, one focuses on Nate and whatever manner of creature that is causing minor annoyance this particular day, ranging from making people have to use the toilet, to trying to erase events from time in order to further their desires for conquest of both humans and youkai alike. You know, nothing big. The other part of episodes focuses on one of the supporting cast youkai, typically Manjimutt, a man-faced dog, or Komasan, a mythical tiger-dog country bumpkin bewildered by the amazing sights in the big city. Manjimutt's stuff is typically silly, whereas Komasan's is typically heartfelt.
The show is overall silly and enjoyable, even if you know nothing of the games. It sometimes doesn't even remotely take itself seriously, even breaking the fourth wall shamelessly. However, there is one sin the translation of the anime commits: Comic Sans.
Season 1 is available for watching on Netflix, so feel free to give this show a look if you want. I'm curious as to why Season 2 and 3 haven't been unleashed on digital platforms, as I'd be willing to watch more. (Season 2 has been broadcast on cable.) It's not an overly original anime, being a tad generic, but it's on the positive side of generic, being an enjoyable time, and sometimes cracking a good pun or pulling off a silly enough joke to get a chuckle. And sometimes, them dang komasan parts really tugs on yer heartstrings.
As per usual, though, I don't really recommend running off and getting a Netflix account just to watch.
Also, a note on the two versions of the show intros, I much prefer the first version. It's a strange mix of fun music, and then there's a part in the middle that's more dramatic that really fits the tones of the show. That being that it's a happy fun world, but there are dramatic dark undertones.
The other one is... eh. It's not bad, it's catchy, but not as good.
