Space Dandy (2014) User Reviews

Wantanabe doesn't disappoint. Very funny.

[simpsonDDS · 8/10 · 7 January 2014]

Hilarious and highly original animation. It's basically a parody of all those old, campy western cartoons, but with literally no restrictions on the content. In the first episode alone you'll see giant space battles, utterly absurd and colossal alien wars, supernovas, planets getting blown up... and huge floating boobies with also happen to be space stations. I was amazed at how much things escalated on the first episode - seriously the most trippy episode i've seen in any animation.

Lots of references to great western sci-fi's (especially in the excellent English dub), lots of silly humor, and some golden dialogue to pair up with the great character designs. I can tell this will be a fan favorite for many anime watchers.

One minor downside I was slightly disappointed in was the quality of the animation. It's not bad, but in certain scenes it gets extremely choppy. I am unsure if this was intentional or not, but for 2014, i'd expect smoother animations.

Overall, 8/10 - must watch.

Not Continuous Plot Based as I Expected, But FUNNY!

[envia-mensaje1 · 9/10 · 9 March 2014]

I thought this anime was going to be like Cowboy Bebop, or similar action based shows with a continuous beginning and ending plot, instead, and so far for the first 10 episodes I've seen it has been mostly single story based, kind of like watching The Simpsons Tree House of Horror within The Simpsons show.

The characters are funny, the plots are interesting. What I don't get yet is the antagonist characters chasing Dandy, Why? Maybe there's a hint this series might have a continuous plot after all instead of individual plots in future episodes, who knows.

I like this show, it's not tedious to watch like most stuff on TV is now a days.

I hope new episodes come out soon, 10 episodes is not enough!!.

.

Amazing anime

[mrswhichgal · 9/10 · 21 February 2014]

First off I want to start off by saying that there is not a base story structure.. especially if the characters die at the end of every episode haha, but this doesn't mean it is not good. The different stories they make for each episode are hilarious as it's a comedy.

The art is so beautiful and being an artist myself I truly admire their work. They must of had fun making the concept art as there are many aliens and it's based in SPACE! AMAZING!!!

And now I want to say is this… I read from another review here that it's degrading to women… well then explain to me why I love it? And I love all the boobs shown? And I'm not a lesbian? People need to realize that when people make something for television they aren't going to make it so that EVERYONE likes it. It's in Adult Swim for a reason and if you don't like it then why watch it? And why spend the time to write about how much you hate it? Waste of your own individual time to let the whole world know your hateful "opinion" and not review (your whole review was all nothing but questions). And on top of that these people must not watch anime at all if they aren't used to boobs. Even Naruto has boobs and strong sexual material at times and I LOVE IT!

So great you hate boobs and are a feminist. Please give a real review next time. Thanks!

9/10 only because I wish that they gave a constructive story line.

Space Dandy is awesome

[EpsilonX · 10/10 · 2 March 2014]

Space Dandy is simply awesome. It manages to stand out by focusing more on being entertaining than anything else. Most anime these days focus each episode on continuing an ever-evolving story that spans the whole series. Space Dandy, however, spends each episode telling a self- contained, stand alone story. The basic premise, which is explained in the pilot episode, is that Space Dandy is searching the universe for new aliens to register and earn a reward. Each following episode just shows the crew's encounters with different aliens and situations. Like I said, there isn't much episode-to-episode continuity, but each episode is meant to be extremely enjoyable, and it succeeds there.

As of this writing, the series still isn't over. If anything drastically changes throughout the course of the series, i'll update this review.

This show is extremely mind blowing

[leviponce-29066 · 10/10 · 21 March 2015]

I don't even know where to start with this show. People may complain about the sexualism and the plot that seems non-existent but i can confirm that Space Dandy as a whole is incredible. most of the low scoring reviews haven't even watched through the 1st season, as the shows goes on there is development with the female characters and Adele in ep 5 is a great female character. I don't want to give any spoilers out because that would ruin the awesome ending, but at 1st i didn't really know what to think of this show at first but as the show goes on it only gets better with a very satisfying climax and end. I would also recommend the English version i personally feel that the actor for dandy is better and i prefer the narrator in the English version. In the end the show is very Dandy with a beautifully vibrant art style, amazing story, and great characters i highly recommend watching this show all the way through it will be an Dandy adventure.

Funny

[guy-schellens-41-715308 · 26 January 2014]

Because I loved Cowboy Bebop so much, I was really anxious about Space Dandy. I 've now seen 5 episodes.

To be honest, I didn't know what to think after viewing the first episode. No dark, tormented characters like Spike or Faye here. Expect over the top characters who are constantly in a sugar rush. Don't look for an arc or character development either, as the main characters usually don't make it to the end of the episode :-) The episodes are pure escapism, full of slapstick, and with numerous references to other Science Fiction works. You can just see everybody loved working on this series.

I read from some comments here, people didn't like the amount of boobs and other sexual references. It didn't bother me since it's quite obvious a parody on Space monsters material from the 50ies and 60ies.

The things it has in common with Cowboy Bebop are the highly dysfunctional crew, the beautiful artwork and animation and the fact the show grows on you every episode.

I really hope Space Dandy will also end with a "bang".

A trippy, surprisingly refreshing take on overused concepts and tropes

[gearfour · 10/10 · 17 January 2014]

I'll be honest, the show has remained largely episodic so far. But that isn't a bad thing. I'll make this short:

Art: The art in this show is absolutely incredible. Colors are trippy, vibrant, and stand out. Character designs are flawless and a treat to look at.

Sound: Equally interesting techno/jazz soundtrack that in no way takes away from the experience. Watanabe continues the trend of top-notch soundtracks for his works.

Story: As psychedelic, funny, and nonchalant as it's main character, Space Dandy. Stories don't go too deep, but are usually jam packed with crazy, sometimes logic-defying stories that combine humor with a bit of gold old Bebop-style action and some self-ridiculing satiric "fanservice" that says a lot more about the industry of fanservice itself (on purpose) that the overall quality of the show itself.

Overall:

Hilarious (the English version is even funnier, more culturally aware, and better flowing than the Japanese version), beautiful to look at and listen to, and a real ride from start to finish. No direction or overarching story overtly detectable so far, but honestly, none is needed.

One of the Funniest Shows Ever Made

[JMSchmidtty · 10/10 · 6 July 2014]

Before you watch this show, I should warn you this: Literally anything can happen on this show. If you think the plot is going to go in a certain direction, it's not. This is the genius of this show.

The show is the funniest anime that I've ever seen, and easily in my top five for funniest shows of all time. All I'll tell you about the plot is that it concerns Dandy, a lazy, moronic alien hunter, his vacuum cleaner/robot QT, incredibly useful but outdated, and Meow (real name unpronounceable), an alien who resembles a cat, and their surreal adventures. And I'll leave it there because I do not want to spoil ANY of the weird things that go on in the show.

Curiously enough, the thing I often compare it to in my mind is not Cowboy Bebop (who shares a creator), or any other anime for that matter, but The Big Lebowski. Think about it: the characters don't change all that much, the villains seem to exist only to be villains, and all sorts of weird things and characters are encountered.

That being said, I highly recommend this series. Enjoy.

Flawless

[gabrielkeelty · 10/10 · 26 July 2019]

Enjoyed it never got bored and found myself laughing out loud which is a rare occasion that I laugh at tv alone but the show had me giggling again and again.

My all time favorite series.

[wereallsick · 9/10 · 16 November 2018]

Space Dandy is a ride from start to finish. Crazy things happen in nearly every episode but don't let that fool you. Hiding underneath the one off episodes is a building sub-plot that you will only come to understand near the end. Beautifully animated (at times) it really feels like an interesting new world that you are as lost in as the main characters. It's really exemplified by the performance of Ian Sinclair as Dandy in the English dubb. The jokes are self aware and often but very clever. Not to say that it is funny all the time. Some moments are genuinely ment to be beautiful and manage to be actually moving. A talking fish in one episode comes to mind. Overall, the mixture of all these elements creates a one of a kind experience that can only be described as Space Dandy. I would not recommend it to everyone though. Some jokes might go over some heads and it does have plenty of fan service (even it it is played for laughs). Other than that, it is a must watch at least once.

Good enough to watch but women genitalia jokes can be too overpowering..

[Irishchatter · 7/10 · 4 August 2018]

Not all of the jokes were women gentialia related but it does happen in a continual basis and yeah sometimes a cartoon targeted for adults do have sex jokes in them. However it can get pretty boring like we heard it all before. As well as women jokes, I wanna point out that Dandy is a rip off version of JP in "Redline", both may not be the same person but like c'mon, why copy another characters looks from another anime?! Seriously the writers and drawers creativity minds, might as well had gone out the window. In modern anime, it seems like Space Dandy isn't the only one ripping off character looks or may be the story itself!

Anyways all the negativity aside, some of the jokes were pretty funny and I just loved QT & Makers realtionship. It is too bad they didn't appear more together instead of QT himself helping the lads. Also i wanna mention that it was always great hearing J. Michael Tatum as Dr Gel, he always can do anything that voice actor! Especially when it comes to the old man version of a bad guy, really blown away by that! Ian Sinclair was also good for voicing Dandy, he seemed like such a chill dude lol!

I'll give this series a 7/10....

amazing

[benpilley-56708 · 10/10 · 3 March 2020]

Yeah... it's a 10... the creator of cowboy Bebop always provides.

An unstable show that could've been just as good as Bebop

[kill-the-boxtrolls · 7/10 · 7 September 2014]

I had watched several Space Dandy episodes already and so far, there is little but complex plots in the episodes and no plot at all to move the series along. We had the first season, where Dandy talked about body parts when he sees women and there was an annoying woman who comes from a restaurant with its name taken from a private part. At first, I thought the series was extremely cool but as it gets further, you'll realize that Dandy is a pervert which makes us realize how disappointing he actually is.

Then, when I heard that there was going to be a 2nd season arguably titled "Space Dandy 2" or "Space Dandy 2nd Season", I didn't really like the ideas of giving them a new title, it REALLY should've been one big show with whatever combined episodes.

Pretty much each episode that I've seen have different writers and this was a bad thing if they're not careful enough to keep the show's brilliance.

After looking at more episodes of this show, I thought that it was made to be a related anime or even a follow-up to Bebop because almost everything about it (despite some parts of Space Dandy) reminded me very much of Bebop and I also was disappointed yet satisfied. The thing is, the show tried too hard to be overly unique to Bebop like Dandy's perverted personality, him kissing Scarlett and an annoying little girl with the generic and annoying anime voice for little girls which made me go "Wow...". Not to mention that the opening looked childish with techno music that gives you a weird feeling about the show. Indeed the music is less memorable than Cowboy Bebop's and so is the story, art, sound, and character of this show. The voices fit the characters.

The art and animation was excellent for the most part but in some parts of the show, they feel off compared to how they were intended for the series.

I found out that this show was directed by the same person that directed Bebop and I was like "How did he go downhill?" Because I've seen a lot of shows from him and I never seen one that I thought was just as disappointing to some extent. And Adelie is an annoying character and overrated character that ruins the episode. Shows like this need to capture the same feel of Bebop.

I don't know what anybody sees in this

[kzjd-938-513566 · 4/10 · 31 December 2020]

More often than not I find myself usually like shows more than most people, but this is certainly an exception. Ibgavr it more than a fair chance and watched the entire 1st season. Now I don't mind when a show doesn't have a continuing plot for the most part and you can watch the episodes in no particular order, it's not my favorite type of show usually. But this show can't even finish the plot of a single episode with the exception of like 1 or 2! You won't get any kind of conclusion, the show will just end. This annoys the hell out of me and it is just poor and ridiculously lazy writing. Maybe I could bear it if the episodes were really funny and made me forget what was even happening.....but suffice to say that didn't happen even once. So yeah, barely funny and uses the "main character is too stupid for his own good, except when he randomly isn't" cliche I also can't figure how anybody in their right mind could compare this to Cowboy Bebop. With the exception they are both bounty hunter in space, they aren't remotely similar. Not to mention the fact that Cowboy Bebop is actually GOOD (amazing actually, and why I happened to rewatch it again just a few weeks ago) If you don't like it after the first 2 episodes, then don't bothering continuing. Trust me, it doesn't get any better.

Getting to the Point

[saintbeacon · 16 September 2014]

I am seeing some reviews here that are not talking enough about the most notable thing about this series: The imagination and immersion.

Visuals: This is possibly the most visually arresting TV show I have ever seen.These are some of the only visuals that have ever satisfied me. They are colorful and psychedelic, but never confusing or hard to look at. The designs, in addition, are very well-thought- out. There is so much energy here. The characters have varying degrees of cartoonishness in their designs, taking full advantage of the wild future. The machines, aliens, and worlds are all really interesting. The show is worth watching just for its designs. There are times when the animators could take the cop-out direction and give us something cliché with their worlds and character designs, but they refuse to. When Dandy goes to a plant world, the plants look unique. When he meets his alternate selves, they all look completely different from him and are well-designed enough to be characters in their own shows. It's a spectacle. There are also occasional moments when the movement, for a few seconds, will look almost film-quality. Occasionally, I'll look at something in the show and as myself "how did they even put a design like that together?" It's certainly the some of best you'll see in an animated series.

Characters: The characters here are not as good as the ones in Watanabe's other anime. They could be a lot worse than they are, though, so I give them credit for that. I can't get particularly attached to anybody here. Most of the characters are pretty simple, reflecting the "fun" nature of this show. The cheesy sexual content is very grating at times. It's the show's main reoccurring problem. They hold the show back from being perfect, but few of them come across as annoying, and they all have good visual characterization and moments of humor.

Writing: This show is creative and spontaneous, often following what I call "Narrative logic". Nothing has to make much sense as long as it completes the story, and give us something cool to look at. This show is episodic, which I find very refreshing, as it forces the writers to tell a complete story in every episode and throw things at us with no reservations. They keep coming up with entertaining stuff, and a lot of it is actually very clever in a Douglas-Adams- ish sort of way. This show does not take itself seriously, so if you want that, go elsewhere.

Audio: The music here is very nice, and combines a few different elements. Influence comes from jazz, funk, techno, and others, and it fits the show pretty well. The soundtrack improves in season 2. The dub here is good. Nothing spectacular, but its functional and fits the show. There are some odd musical numbers that are dubbed from Japanese into English, and that is about as awkward as you might expect, but they can at least sing pretty well.

All in all, this is highly recommended for anyone who wants a spontaneous, wild, visually stunning experience. The show has some annoying fetishes with its characters and designs here and there, mainly due to Dandy and his frequent trips to a hooters-parody restaurant, so I'm warning anyone who wants to stay away from that right now, but anyone interested in animation should check this anime out. Especially if you're tired of watching slower-moving plots and want something fast-paced and non-continuous.

The most underrated Watanabe work.

[midorigreen-78616 · 9/10 · 22 October 2021]

This show shares the creator with masterpieces like Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo.

But is it as good, yeah it is.

Without spoiling this absolute treat, it is just as compelling as the previous titles, maybe even more so.

But it doesn't seem to receive the same praise, and that's a damn shame.

It's not Cowboy Bebop, and that's not a bad thing

[djudev777 · 9/10 · 28 July 2014]

If you go into Space Dandy expecting Cowboy Bebop you'll be disappointed by what you find. Rather then the action/drama/space thriller these writers blessed us with in the past you will instead get a colorful, humorous, and unique show that loves making jokes but can still take itself seriously every once in a while... and that's why I love it.

Sure there isn't a consistent story line, and every now and then an episode falls flat but when the show hits bulls-eyes it hits them with style. The beautiful, and highly detailed environments Dandy and his crew explore always tell a new story; some (most) of them tickle the funny bone, others tug on the heartstrings, and almost all of them involve an extra character that can range from quirky and bizarre to sweet and lovable.

The main complaint I've heard about the show is that it isn't Cowboy Bebop. I find that a bit ridiculous because the answer to this problem has been apparent since the very beginning; it wasn't meant to be. Space Dandy was, is, and will always be it's own thing, and it's unfair that a lot of people judge the show for this reason only. I can understand people not liking the show if they find it's lack of story, and almost constant humor off-putting; but when you complain about a show simply because it isn't like another show chances are you won't be taken seriously.

In conclusion I believe that Space Dandy is a fantastic show, but it won't appeal to everybody.

If you're into humor, eccentric characters, and don't mind a few crew members that come back from the dead, this show is right up your ally. If you're big into deep story lines/arcs, characters with back stories, or are easily offended by scantily clad waitresses it's probably best to skip this one.

A Rare Treat

[limbicshift · 8/10 · 19 April 2014]

Visually stimulating. Catchy opening sequence with an equally upbeat theme song...really puts you in the mood for an adventure. Very fun characters. Doesn't take itself too seriously, though at least two of the episodes I've seen were rather somber if not sad at times. You never know what you're going to get. Dandy is just a typical testosterone-laced, over-sexed but under-serviced young man. The cat guy seems to have about six ears...or maybe it's just his hat. The little robot has a girlish voice that squeaks; she is usually the voice of reason.

I've read a few people who bash this as a sub-par "Cowboy Bebop" ripoff. I wouldn't know, since I don't watch much anime.

But I do know if you're in the mood for something that's funny, visually energizing, and a bit thoughtful at times, there are worse things you could do with the 30 minutes you'll spend watching an episode.

Not sure how long it will last, but I am looking forward to more seasons.

Fingers crossed.

Funniest Quirkiest Whackiest Anime in a while

[mayapuncture-24499 · 10/10 · 3 April 2019]

I love anime. That said Space Dandy is something special. With a non linear story line each episode presents like a chapter from a collection of "best of sci fi". However there is genius behind it as you can expect each story to be as crazy or crazier as the one you just saw. I mean look at the main character, it screams "Elvis in Space" lol. Another classic from Wantanabe, does not disappoint. If you can't genuinely laugh a few times during each episode than your just dead inside.

I love Space Dandy

[mistercory · 10/10 · 5 November 2020]

This show is brilliant, I can't believe it only has 3,000 ratings

I Absolutely Loved It!!!

[jmirendez · 10/10 · 29 September 2014]

This show continues a genre of anime that we do not see enough of in todays TV. Similar and some of the same people as "Cowboy BeBop" and "Samurai Champloo", some of my other favorites.It also reminds me of Coyote Ragtime Show because of the "space" theme and comparable characters and comedy.

I think that this caliber of show is rarely seen today and sits on a level all on its own. To me, its like watching art. The scenery is so out of this world and detailed and the storyline may be goofy at times but it sucks you in and holds you like watching a good suspenseful movie. I think the comedy and storyline goes hand and hand in the setting because it's this totally futuristic universe with space ships, unimaginable aliens, and space travel, as you may have guessed from the title, and it's really just a funny play on what the future could be like with themes we all can relate too.

Overall, I loved it!, every single episode! "Space Dandy" is officially one of my favorite Animes of all time and I will probably start to watch all over again soon.

I am too smart for this show.

[hentaimakesmehappybtw · 6/10 · 21 October 2021]

Yes... yes yes yes... boobies i hear. This is not as middle of the road as courage the cowardly dog but still really not that special either. The love interest kinda sucks, there is only really like two episode of note, being the one with court cuz i like court shows and like the one with the plants cuz plantussy probably fire. I am so exhausted of rating things i really dont like that much so i am just gonna end it here.

He's a dandy guy, in space!

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 29 September 2014]

'Space Dandy' is the latest comedy anime from Shinichirô Watanabe; director of 'Cowboy Bebop' and Samurai Champloo'. It follows the adventures of the crew of the 'Aloha Oe'; Dandy, robot QT and the catlike Meow as they try to make a living finding rare alien species… usually unsuccessfully. When not looking for aliens Dandy likes to hang out at BooBies; a restaurant whose appeal is obvious… don't worry that doesn't mean it is a fan service heavy show. Unknown to Dandy he is being hunted himself; the leader of the Gogol Empire believes that Dandy is the key to controlling the universe!

For the most part each episode stands alone; Dandy and the crew head off to a strange world where they either don't capture the rare alien or the alien they capture turns out to be known about and worthless. It appears that continuity isn't considered important as characters sometimes die then return in the next episode… although this is explained in the final episode. The feel of each episode varies too with most being fairly comedic but others having a more serious feel. The aliens are all quite different as Watanabe had each designed by a different artist. There may not be the character development of Watanabe's earlier works but they are still likable. Overall I'd that while I suspect some viewers will find it a bit too random I think it was worth watching.

These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.

Degrading women doesn't make a good story line

[annaisclueless-901-975568 · 1/10 · 19 January 2014]

This is my first time watching this show tonight. It is January 18, 2014 11:55pm. The introduction of this cartoon started out very interesting, until the story line was all about womens breasts and sex. Sex sells for pigs indeed, but why enhance so much about womens breasts that mostly every scene is zoomed to either the womens behind or breast? Is there a point to zooming in on a 1D cartoon? Should humans be physically turned on by this cartoon? Its ridiculous how much sexual content is involved in every little story line. You can only take so much up until it is not funny at all anymore. I understand anime women are always portrayed as sexy and innocent with the angel voice and big breast and all but...why give a anime women shorts that are half way below her a$$ cheeks and leave her a thong hanging out while her shirt is shaped like boobs and use buttons as nipple enhancements? I just don't get it. Also what is up with today's little monsters? They obviously made it exactly like the women beaver. Who wants to see little black beavers with a long alien coming out of it? Its quite disturbing how people can imagine such things. This really ended my interest in this show. Disappointment.

4 Stars out of 5 Stars

[ajneeago96 · 8/10 · 15 January 2022]

Subbed: Filled to the brim with parodies of other anime IP's and sub genres as a whole, I found myself laughing quite a lot, which is something an anime up until now has never been able to do (albeit I haven't seen a ton of anime). S**t was hilarious, but what really hurts this show, and I realize it's the entire point, is that exchange student/high school musical episode.... I actually contemplated on skipping it. But I didn't. Can't say the episode was worth it but oh well. Other than that, I loved this wacky anime. All of the lore was fun, the animation was amazing; loved the use of different forms of animation styles, and I really enjoyed some of these characters, mostly Dandy himself. Definitely recommended for anime fans.