The eleven episode series is a very unique sort of proposition. The psychiatrist Irabu Ichiro analyzes a variety of patients over the course of the series as they are drawn to his office. These range from a man with a permanent erection to a yakuza underboss afraid of sharp objects and an investigative reporter with OCD. One of the catches to the show though is that the entire show takes place over a 9 or 10 day period in December - and each episode covers roughly the same period of time...so starting from the first episode you also see some of the different characters crossing paths with one another - unaware of some of the issues being addressed or their interconnectedness. There's no overarching plot or conflict, just a series of characters addressing their issues - although the final episode does close things out a little more clearly.
Dr. Irabu himself is one of the most interesting characters of all however. Almost as an elemental figure, he assumes a variety of forms depending on the advice he dispenses (the pic above shows the three forms he regularly appears as) - even swapping looks from shot to shot as his mood shifts. Similarly, while the show is fairly accurate in depicting most of the conditions and methods to treating them, there is also a character - an actual doctor from Fuji TV apparently - Dr. Fukuichi who regularly inserts himself into the show to make an aside (literally - pausing the show, cutting a door into the picture and opening it to show his head/face - old-school South Park appearance) - and give a more traditional medical opinion/definition/explanation. Additionally Irabu is assisted by his nurse Mayumi-chan (who almost always appears as live-action actress Yumi Sugimoto) - who more than almost any other character appears to be the voice of common sense.
Really, from the shows I've seen...I think the closest comparison I can make (if it's necessary) is Satoshi Kon's "Paranoia Agent" - as far as seemingly disparate but interconnected plots and characters and a single central factor.
When you get down to it though - this is also a very unique-looking show. Visually the closest comparison would probably be something like the movie "Mind Game" - as far as jumping from artistic style from shot to shot. The entire series is a regular kaleidoscope of colors even with random polka dots covering the landscape. Some characters will appear with photo-realistic features one second immediately followed by flat cartoons. (Not to mention that all the patients also appear intermittently as animals representative of their maladies - ie. a racoon with OCD - constantly rubbing his hands, or a small frightened dog...or a pecking bird for a person with cellphone addiction). Many shots featuring bystanders will literally render them as blank cardboard cutouts barely moving around.
Now at the moment, the only subtitled version I'm aware of is Siren Visual's R4 Australian release. It's a pretty good package - 2 discs - Japanese Dolby 5.1 with optional subtitles. No English dub on this one - but the demand on it can't be all that wide. No extras other than some other trailers.
It's not action packed or non-stop hilarity....but it's a clever concept - more original than most shows I've come across before. Much more paced, it's a slow burn from one episode to another, peeling away layers of what makes folks tick - slowly exposing us to reality - even if we don't want to accept ourselves. Recommend it as a watch if you can find it - at least a rental...
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