Sket Dance, a slice-of-life comedy manga by Shinohara Kenta, received an anime adaptation in 2011 by Tatsunoko Production, the studio known for Kyatto Ninden Teyandee and C: The Money of Soul and Possibility Control. Spanning nearly eighty episodes over a year, the anime concluded in late 2012. Often likened to Gintama, the question arises: does Sket Dance live up to the comparison, and more importantly, is it an anime worth investing your time in? Let’s delve into a detailed review to find out.
Story and Humor: The Hit-and-Miss Comedy of Sket Dance
The narrative of Sket Dance revolves around the SKET Dan, a student support club at Kaimei High School. This quirky trio – Himeko, Bossun, and Switch – dedicate themselves to solving problems and assisting fellow students and clubs, leading to a series of episodic misadventures with a colorful cast of characters. While there’s a loose overarching progression, most episodes function independently, focusing on the daily escapades of the SKET Dan. The central element of Sket Dance is undoubtedly its comedy, and this is where opinions often diverge.
Realistic vs. Absurdist Humor
The humor in Sket Dance is notably inconsistent. Moments of genuine comedic brilliance are interspersed with jokes that simply miss the mark. The points of failure often stem from attempts at outlandish, random humor. These instances, relying heavily on sheer randomness and characters resorting to shouting for comedic effect, tend to fall flat. Examples include bizarre science experiments conducted by teachers or convoluted, nonsensical obsessions. Even the crossover episode with Gintama, a series known for its absurdism, feels somewhat strained within the Sket Dance universe. This type of humor feels forced and uninspired.
The Comedy That Works and What Doesn’t
Conversely, Sket Dance shines when it employs humor rooted in exaggerated realism. Situations that are relatable, albeit amplified for comedic effect, are where the series truly finds its stride. Unlike series like Galaxy Angel, which thrives on complete absurdity within a fantastical setting, Sket Dance is grounded in the everyday high school experience. When it veers too far into the completely absurd, it clashes with the established tone. The series attempts to blend slice-of-life school comedy with zany, over-the-top humor, but its strength lies primarily in the former. The fusion often feels uneven, preventing the comedy from consistently landing.
Romance: A Weak Point in Sket Dance
Beyond its comedic inconsistencies, Sket Dance struggles significantly with romance. Every attempt to introduce romantic subplots, whether it’s high school crushes or forced chemistry between characters, feels awkward and poorly executed. These romantic elements come across as banal and underdeveloped, almost as if they were haphazardly inserted from a generic romantic comedy script simply to add character development, lacking any genuine organic growth. This weak romantic aspect is a notable drawback for viewers who appreciate romance within their anime.
Drama and Serious Moments: Sket Dance’s Strengths
Despite its shortcomings in comedy and romance, Sket Dance deserves credit for its surprisingly solid serious scenes. There are numerous instances where the anime shifts focus to character-driven narratives, shedding the clumsy romantic angles and exploring themes of tragedy, drama, and heartwarming moments, often blending these elements effectively. These scenes are generally well-crafted and genuinely impactful, showcasing the deeper emotional potential of the series. In fact, the success of these serious moments highlights the incongruity of the more absurd comedic elements. The stark contrast between a ridiculous plotline, such as Himeko and Bossun switching bodies, and a poignant backstory, like Himeko’s traumatic past, is jarring. In this sense, it echoes Gintama, but with a key difference. In Gintama, the dramatic attempts sometimes felt out of sync with the prevailing absurdity, whereas in Sket Dance, the absurd moments feel more out of place against the backdrop of well-executed drama.
Characters: Quirky but Varied
The character ensemble in Sket Dance is a mixed bag. The main trio and a few recurring characters are well-developed, possessing depth beyond mere comedic quirks. They undergo personal growth and have backstories that add layers to their personalities. However, the secondary and side characters often fall into the trap of being defined solely by their comedic traits. While some are given two or more running gags, making them slightly more nuanced than one-joke characters, their comedic shtick can become repetitive and predictable over the long run. Furthermore, the character dynamics, particularly those intended to be romantic, are problematic. The aforementioned failure of romance extends to the inconsistent portrayal of relationships, where characters might exhibit a functional friendship dynamic but lack any convincing romantic chemistry.
The Main Cast
Bossun, Himeko, and Switch each have distinct personalities and backstories that are gradually revealed throughout the series. Bossun’s determination and hidden talents, Himeko’s tough exterior and past trauma, and Switch’s mysterious persona and communication style all contribute to a compelling core trio that viewers can become invested in.
Supporting Characters
While many supporting characters are relegated to comedic relief, some, like Roman Saotome and Yuuki Reiko, have recurring roles and develop beyond their initial archetypes. However, a significant portion of the supporting cast remains largely static and exists primarily to facilitate comedic scenarios.
Art and Sound: Decent but Inconsistent
The artwork in Sket Dance is generally competent. However, during the more chaotic and absurd comedic sequences, the visuals can become cluttered and difficult to follow. On the positive side, the series incorporates effective visual gags that enhance the comedic timing. Beyond these moments, the art style is standard for anime of its time, neither particularly striking nor detracting.
The voice acting is similarly inconsistent, though overall adequate. The main voice actors – Yoshino Hiroyuki (Bossun), Sugita Tomokazu (Switch), and Shiraishi Ryoko (Himeko) – deliver strong performances, showcasing a good range of emotions. However, many of the voice actors for side characters are tasked with portraying only one or two comedic traits, requiring less range. Despite this, performances are generally acceptable, and anime enthusiasts might recognize the voice of Gackt in a supporting role. Nevertheless, some performances, particularly during over-the-top comedic moments, can become gratingly exaggerated.
Gintama Comparisons and Final Verdict
The comparisons to Gintama are understandable, extending beyond the crossover episode. Both series attempt to balance absurd comedy with more grounded humor and dramatic elements and feature large casts with recurring jokes. Sket Dance arguably manages this balancing act more effectively than Gintama did. However, this doesn’t necessarily equate to resounding success. If Sket Dance had minimized the outlandish elements and completely avoided teenage romance tropes, it might have been significantly better. Ultimately, the highly absurd comedic moments are the anime’s biggest weakness – they are often unfunny, lack cleverness, and feel tonally misplaced.
In conclusion, Sket Dance is an anime that is ultimately just okay. It has its moments, particularly in its dramatic scenes and character development of the main cast. However, the inconsistent humor and weak romantic elements prevent it from reaching its full potential. For fans of slice-of-life comedy with forgiving expectations, Sket Dance might offer some entertainment. However, those seeking consistently hilarious comedy or compelling romance may find themselves wanting more. My final rating for Sket Dance is a 6/10. It’s watchable, but not particularly memorable.
