Papuwa

###Papuwa

Genres: comedy
Objectionable content: Significant
Number of episodes: 26
Vintage 2003-09-30 to 2004-03-30

Plot Summary: In this sequel series, events continue four years after they left off in the first series. Papuwa-kun is a mysterious boy who lives on a new tropical island full of the same crazy creatures. Along with his maid, Liquid, and his new amnestic friend, “Rotarou”, they lead nonsensical adventures as they try to evade and confuse the Ganma Army, Special Corps, and even the Shinsengumi from discovering Rotarou’s real secret and taking him away.

####Papuwa info on ANN
####Buy Papuwa

Papuwa of the South Seas / Nangoku Shounen Papuwa-kun (TV) Vintage: 1992-10-10 to 1993-10-02

I actually avoided this series, just from the icon alone, but a few days ago, I decided to take a chance on it.
And you know what, it actually turned out to be fairly good, I was rather impressed.

It is definitely a really off-the-wall and a WTF kind of anime, however, at it’s core, it actually does have a touching (though slightly twisted) theme to it.
Friends and friendship… no matter what has happened in the past.

After what you told me yesterday I can’t wait to watch this. I saw a few episodes of it before and it was kinda eh, but a few of the jokes and the ADV dub and adaptation made me laugh a lot.

I have to wonder if JP forced this title on them as part of a bundle or if ADV felt they could market this title as an Adult Swim type goofy home made show. In retrospect probably one of the bigger mistakes they made financially in the last few years. But that’s business I guess - can’t gain without risk, who would have predicted years ago some of AS’s home brewed crap would do well.

Well on the plus side of things, I doubt this could have cost them very much. So taking a hit on this couldn’t have been that bad for them. It’s not even close to some of the terrible decisions Geneon made. They paid high for shows that wouldn’t sell, at least when ADV got some poor sellers, the licenses couldn’t have been too high on them.

As for the show, I liked the first episode. But this is WEIRD. And kind of shallow and empty. Like there’s no reason to watch anymore, I get what it’s about, and that’s enough. I’m more of a fan of “Ninja Nonsense” or “Pani Poni Dash” type of comedies, then the comedies like this. But it’s not a bad show. I really liked some of the jokes. But it’s the dub that makes this a winner. Paul Sidello as that snail thing…priceless!

I think ANN said it best

I agree with that 100%. It’s funny, but kind of a empy shell. There’s nothing to it but the jokes. And the jokes are good, but I’ve heard better. I like the transvestite fish though. Verry funny and odd.

I wouldn’t know as I have not heard anything specific in this case - I mean back in the 2004 days license prices were still quite high. One could hope they got it cheap or free lol. But even the dub production costs alone, I would be very surprised if Papuwa even sold enough to recoup that alone.

There’s no doubt in my mind that they lost money on this one lol. But I don’t think they paid high on the license. Sure licenes were high when they got this, but I doubt this title was sold for a lot. They probally got it cheap, or with another title. So even if it was free, I still think they lost money on it because of the dub, like you said.

But it’s not as bad as some of Geneon’s screw ups. Buying licenses for insane prices, and then stuff not selling anywhere near what they’d need to brake even. So even though ADV may have lost money on this one, it’s nothing compared to the downward spiral of hell Geneon went though. What ADV lost on this was a drop in the bucket. Although one must wonder why they even bothered with sucha show. It doesn’t seem like it would sell very much. It doesn’t seem like the brightest move they’ve made, but it couldn’t have hurt them very much.


So, I started re-watching this today on DVD.
I forgot how funny and off the wall this seires is.
Though I doubt it’ll ever come to fruition, I kinda hope Sentai or Maiden Japan rescues this since the ADV license is probably expired by now.

Or at the very least, TAN licenses this for streaming again, so others that missed it can enjoy it.

[quote=“TheCoffeeGod”]

So, I started re-watching this today on DVD.
I forgot how funny and off the wall this seires is.
Though I doubt it’ll ever come to fruition, I kinda hope Sentai or Maiden Japan rescues this since the ADV license is probably expired by now.

Or at the very least, TAN licenses this for streaming again, so others that missed it can enjoy it.[/quote]
I loved this show myself. Perhaps I’ll pop in my DVD and watch it again.
Slick

[quote=“TheCoffeeGod”]

So, I started re-watching this today on DVD.
I forgot how funny and off the wall this seires is.
Though I doubt it’ll ever come to fruition, I kinda hope Sentai or Maiden Japan rescues this since the ADV license is probably expired by now.

Or at the very least, TAN licenses this for streaming again, so others that missed it can enjoy it.[/quote]

I missed this back when I had a chance to buy it, writing it off as a Shin-chan/Sgt. Frog (David Wald…what could have been) like show that wouldn’t hold my interest. Considering the show’s voice cast for the dub & ADV’s history with pulling off zany dubs (of which I’m now aware) this almost has to be awesome. I blame Funimation for this lapse.

I’m actually surprised that it isn’t on TAN.

[quote=“celestial_being”]
I’m actually surprised that it isn’t on TAN.[/quote]

It was on TAN for quite some time, but it was removed quite awhile ago.
Which make me think the ADV license has expired.

Though, since Colorful is making a return next month to TAN after being gone for 3+ years, I guess there’s always a chance Papuwa haven’t truely expired yet.
However, I wouldn’t hold my breath for it to return.

Well I’ll keep a bit of hope alive for it. While I’m pretty much current with all the Sentai stuff there’s still a sizeable backlog of old ADV stuff that I’m finding that I should have seen but did not and now doing so is somewhat difficult (which is, in part, why I’m maintaining my “currency” with the Sentai stuff).

As long as it hasn’t been given the Ghost Stories treatment there’s still hope.

…come to think, I might actually have a dvd of this from a convention grab bag. Maybe.

[size=16]The Mike Toole Show: Hip to Be Square[/size]
by Mike Toole, Nov 29th 2015
Mike contemplates exactly how the bizarre comedy Papuwa landed on Western shores.