Aired during the Summer and Fall 2016 seasons, Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan is (hopefully just for now) a hidden gem in comedy anime that I can't recommend enough to watch.
The protagonist in this story, Saiki, is a boy that was born with psychic powers in a normal world. He can read minds, he can teleport from one place to another, he can restore things (people included) to their previous state in the past… and these three are just a few examples of all that he can do. Saiki is so powerful that, if he wanted to, he could singlehandedly take control of the Earth in ... a few days, is that his intention? Hell no! He just wants to live a quiet life, and I can already tell you that he isn't even close to have one.
From his family, to his classmates, to seemingly anyone he meets, everyone is a weirdo, and they are all hilarious and awesome in their own way and won't let Saiki alone for a second. There is Shun, the chuunibyou that believes in the existence of Dark Reunion, an evil organization that only he can defeat (even if in reality he is a complete weakling), Nendou, a character that is so empty-headed that Saiki is not able to read his mind, Teruhashi, a girl that is considered perfect by everyone (especially herself), and so, so many other awesome characters that will grow up on you and make you laugh so much.
Saiki itself is a fantastic and unique character, he's a straight man (and the only sane person around) that doesn't fully act like one, instead of shouting like it's the usual, he stays silent for the other characters, and we can listen to him internally complaining in his normal tone, there is something so funny about seeing him wondering what the hell is wrong with everyone, all while keeping his trademark deadpan face, that rarely changes outside of when near his biggest weakness: coffee jello, he absolutely loves it and he will do anything for them.
The variety that having psychic powers provides to the story makes this anime so great, every episode feels very different to the others thanks to the multiple uses that they have. The humor itself is quite fast paced, and manages to be constantly funny, you will be laughing all the time while watching this anime. All the side characters get the right amount of screen time to become memorable, yet never feel like they are overused. The 4th wall breaks are fantastic, and I really have to mention the parodies, that are mostly from other popular games and series that everyone knows about, so one is not left with a “well, I don't get it” reaction everytime they happen.
The art style and animation of this anime is honestly pretty average, it doesn't look bad, but it's definitively not a high budget work at all, I personally don't give much value to that since the main objective in this type of stories is to make us laugh, and actually, if used properly, that can work pretty well in their favour, this can be especially be seen in scenes featuring Nendou, where the intention is to make him look as derp as possible and that helps making it even better.
In the sound department, as most of the time with comedies, the songs are quite forgettable and mostly there to simply go along with the events that happen, there is one big exception though, and it's the “JUDGEMENT KNIGHTS OF” song that follows some Shun scenes and makes them so much better. Both two opening and ending themes are pretty good, especially “Ψ desu I LIKE YOU”, the first ending theme (or the opening one if you watch the shorts), that is a very catchy song.
This next and final point is meaningless for the new watcher now that this anime finished, but I really need to still mention it, Saiki Kusuo aired as both a series of shorts (4 minutes episode per weekday, being 5 episodes in total each week) and one episode each Sunday, that was all of the shorts from that week together, this format was simply fantastic and I want it so much to become more popular in the future. In my timezone it meant that each weekday, when I woke up, I had one new episode available, there is simply no better way to start the day than with a good laugh, and I appreaciated it so much.
In conclussion, Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan is a very original and hilarious comedy, full of lovable characters that will make you laugh from start to end. If you're a fan of comedy anime, make sure to watch this one, and if you aren't, I still heavily recommend you to give it a try, because it's probable that it will greatly surprise you!
Alternative Titles Synonyms: Saiki Kusuo no Psi Nan, Saiki Kusuo no Sainan Japanese: 斉木楠雄のΨ難 Information Type: TV Episodes: 120 Status: Finished Airing Aired: Jul 4, 2016 to Dec 26, 2016 Premiered: Summer 2016 Broadcast: Not scheduled once per week Producers: TV Tokyo, Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Pony Canyon, Nippon Columbia, KlockWorx, Asmik Ace, Bandai Namco Entertainment, Shueisha, Toy's Factory, Dear Stage inc. Licensors: Funimation Source: Manga Demographic: Shounen Duration: 5 min. per ep. Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older Statistics Score: 8.411 (scored by 619,838 users) 1 indicates a . Ranked: #1832 2 based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded. Popularity: #136 Members: 1,106,157 Favorites: 29,717 Available AtResources | ReviewsDec 25, 2016 Aired during the Summer and Fall 2016 seasons, Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan is (hopefully just for now) a hidden gem in comedy anime that I can't recommend enough to watch. The protagonist in this story, Saiki, is a boy that was born with psychic powers in a normal world. He can read minds, he can teleport from one place to another, he can restore things (people included) to their previous state in the past… and these three are just a few examples of all that he can do. Saiki is so powerful that, if he wanted to, he could singlehandedly take control of the Earth in ... Jul 15, 2016 REVIEW REUPLOAD OLD REVIEW WAS DELETED SINCE IT WAS POSTED TO SOON -SPOILER FREE- Saiki Kusuo no Ψ nan is a comedy slice-of-life story about Saiki Kusuo who has special powers that allow him to do pretty much anything. The Episodes are not very long with around 4-5 min per episode but the episodes are coming out almost daily right now. Story: 8/10 There is no core story as there is always another core in each episode, but the main story (that is that Saiki Kusuo has special powers) still affects all episodes. ... Jan 1, 2017 You're in a crowd of people and trying to hide from a really creepy dude that you know from school or work. Luckily, he hasn't noticed you yet. You probably want to do the best you can to get out of his line of sight... right? So you've finally managed to make it behind him, but then, just as you think that you're safe, the creepy dude stays facing forward, but SWIFTLY does a horrifying 180-degree HEAD-ONLY turn. He then, with a derp face, looks SOLELY at you out of everybody in the crowd. In a shocking development, you've somehow been spotted! That "wtf moment" that ... Jul 26, 2016 I personally think that this is the best physic anime your probably ever going to watch. It has great comedy and this serious attitude of the character just makes it more hilarious. Of coarse this is my opinion you don't have to agree with it. It also has a certain comedy that probably only a few like. I don't like the fact that it's only 5 mins last time the made a anime out of it they only had one episode I'm not sure if the other adaption was a OVA or not. But I definite recommend this show I just hope it does ... Oct 28, 2016 With the abundance of short four minute episode anime becoming increasingly more common every anime season, Saiki-kun felt like a breath of fresh air from the same boring and tiring formula that has been used ever so frequently. One thing that works in favour of the show above others of the same format is that Saiki-kun lasted for many more episodes while also airing a new episode everyday. My main problem with these types of shows is the weekly formula as they're airing; once the episode stops and the next one begins the following week its hard to keep track of what has happened and the ... Aug 4, 2016 This incredible show can redefine how you view anime. My initial reaction, mentally, was to fault it for the continuous expositional dialogue from the protagonist. In visual media and in general in creative works, it's often a crutch substituting a good character introduction and development, but in Saiki Kusuo the stream-of-consciousness style grows on you as innovative and postmodern and eventually it plays on essential role to the themes of the anime. It's a really interesting narrative style that adds a lot to the characters. The art style stands out as distinct but at the same time seems very natural. Something that stood out to me ... Jun 12, 2020 Saiki K is an hilarious low-energy gag comedy. It uses the power of 5 min attention span and high speed incantation dialogues to deliver a climax and a cliff hanger at once. Jare jare…. The cover art and the synopsis may be off putting, but believe me, this is worth your time. I binged this whole anime in just 2 days. What makes it so watchable is it non-cliché jokes and low-energy main character. ÒꙍÓ ART ÒꙍÓ The animation style of Saiki K is simple and pleasing. The emphasis lays on it’s dialogue rather than an impressive background or action showdown. The animation for Saiki’s powers are well ... Feb 4, 2017 An anime that is so easily dismissed and left out was easily my favorite anime of not only the season but also for the entire year. Last year I felt there was no shortage of good anime. From seasoned veterans like JoJo to new shows like Mob Psycho, there was no dearth of anime I enjoyed. But between good shows there was another one which for me was great and arguably the greatest of them all. As this is a review for Saiki Kusuo (too long a name to write in full), there would be no prize for guessing the best of the lot. 5 ... Aug 6, 2016 Saiki Kusuo no Psi Nan is one of those comedies that is actually funny and not Japanese-funny. One of its strong points is that it uses a short chapter format with fast paced comedy, so there is rarely a dull filler moment. Most characters, while interesting, are "stereotypes with a twist", which might make some punchlines predictable. The humor of many chapters comes from the not-informed-by-the-narration fact that, although the main character appears serious and presents himself as a sort of voice of reason, he's actually kind of an idiot and does unexpected and ridiculous things with his powers. Has some nice world building that ... Dec 26, 2016 Anime, as a medium, does not leave me all that satisfied when it comes to the comedy genre. I can count around 4-5 comedy series that managed to get some enjoyment out of me. Two examples would be Cromartie High School and Nichijou. The former, except of being a top-notch comedy series with many bizarre happenings and wacky moments, is also an excellent parody of immeasurable things, including capitalism, gangs, the toll that technology takes on us people, and many many more. The latter is more of an incredible comedy with its fair share of wacky moments on the one hand, exquisite art on the ... Aug 24, 2016 *** no spoilers *** Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan has short episodes, approximately four to five minutes, but this doesn't stop it from being a great comedy anime. Story, 9 out of 10: Since the episodes are about five minutes long, there isn't really any plot, except for main events, like a new character, new setting, etcetera. At several points in every episode, Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan always kept me laughing with it's sarcastic humor. Art, 9 out of 10: The art in Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan is animated very well, it suits the genres of the show, making Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan even better. Sound, 10 out of 10: ... Aug 17, 2016 "Here's a another gag anime about an all powerful character, I think we had Sakomoto last season already ?" - if you are having these same thoughts then... well you are missing out on a lot of fun and laughter that so many animes fail to achieve these days. Sakomoto wasn't bad, but I didn't find it much appealing either. But this show achieves what Sakomoto probably failed at ..... I m still laughing at the jokes and sarcasm thrown at me even after 30 episodes and (obviously) not yet bored by the mc. Man, I haven't had a good laugh watching anime in a long ... Jan 1, 2017 I remember on a forum thread somewhere, someone posted about how they wanted to see a anime based around someone being born with pink hair and tries to go through life day after day, narrowly avoiding being the main character in whatever anime cliche is thrown at them (ignore the person falling from the sky! ignore the popular girl/boy talking to you! im never late for school, my alarm always goes off in time!), and Saiki is as close to that anime dream as we will ever get. Saiki is born with ridiculously powerful psychic abilities, to the point that he has to restrain them ... Aug 24, 2016 -- This is my first review so please bear with me -- I have been thirsting for a comedy anime that's actually funny ever since the winter season of this year ended and Saiki Kusuo no Psi-nan fits the bill. I'm really upset that it isn't getting much attention cause this anime is gold. Story: 8 This anime doesn't really have a defined plot as it's just instances where Saiki's psychic powers make his life hard or where Saiki gets attention that he doesn't want. However, each episode in itself has its own (hilarious) mini plot (some of these plots span for multiple episodes) and it's not entirely ... Oct 11, 2016 MUST WATCH ANIME Hilarious! My #1 pick for this season. At first you may be wondering when you watch this "really?" "What the..." But this is comedy guys and just let yourself take the ride AND best part. Have your questions. Wonder, "how the heck did he...?" And be amazed. Because all of your questions, and I mean ALL of your questions will be answered. And start to wonder.... is SAIKI REALLY PSYCHIC!? IS HE WATCHING US WATCH HIM!? ... Jun 22, 2022 *No spoilers, TLDR at bottom* When I first learned about Saiki K, I was hesitant to give it a shot, but after getting it recommended to me time after time, I decided to try an episode out at the very least, and I'm so glad I did. It's quite difficult to write an objective review on this show because comedy is subjective, and I can't say that this show will be enjoyable for everybody to watch because not everybody likes the same type of humor. But, if you enjoy deadpan and gag humor, this show will definitely appease you. The best thing about this show is the ... Oct 29, 2016 This is easily the best shorts of all time for me. Whether you like serious anime or not, i would recommend you this comedy anime. It's a comedy/parody anime with a cynical and normal main character who spends his everyday life hanging out with extremely odd people. The story doesn't really have any purpose, heck i would even say that there isn't one. Instead this anime showcases the extremely weird everyday life of the main character and how he spends it which is what makes it so nice to watch. A very good thing is that the episodes do not end (almost always) randomly and ... Feb 20, 2017 Kusuo Saiki is a high school student who was born with all manner of psychic abilities, including telepathy, psychokinesis, teleportation, and more. Despite having all these powers, Saiki faces all kinds of hardships and tries to avoid attention as much as possible. The story follows Saiki as he attempts to secretly use his powers to live a normal high school life while dealing with his less than ordinary classmates at P.K. Academy. Story: NA There isn't really a main story, it's more episode-based. We are just watching this man deal with the problems that constantly arise and encircle him. Art: 10/10 Nothing much to say here, it's great! Sound: 10/10 Both ... Sep 28, 2017 One of the most underrated comedy anime in my opinion. No spoilers, I promise. Story- 9 Honestly there is no story, but that is the point and along with self aware jokes that does not drag and not being so repetitive and when you are linking this to the story which is the MC (Kusuo's everyday life with psychic powers) is expected of a comedy anime. Art: 8 Could be better for a 2016 anime, but does not ruin the overall experience, heck makes it funnier. ... Dec 31, 2016 Every year there are many good anime that many people miss out on. This may be because its synopsis seems uninteresting, or the key visuals seem bland, or maybe there were other anime from the same season that were more eye-catching. Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan suffers from the same problem as it basically went unnoticed. The key visuals don’t say much and it the episodes being short-length might’ve made people expect little from it. But Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan manages to be not only one of the most funniest anime of the year, but also simply one of the best anime of the year. ~{Story}~ The main ... |