Punchline: Cute but Deceptive
Noirit Mustapha
One brief look at Punchline would probably deter most people off. It was animated by Studio Mappa, one of the best new studios in recent times, yet still looks like one of the extremely clich fanservice-based anime in the industry these days. However, a deeper look would reveal that its head writer is Kotaro Uchikoshi, someone famous in Japan for making some of the most insane twists in visual novel narratives ever. After a rather slow start, Punchline certainly continues the trend.
Our protagonist Yuuta happens upon a very random and sudden incidence that forces his soul outside his body. So now, while someone is walking around in his physical body, his ethereal form must navigate through his small apartment complex and find the book that will help him get his body back. The additional catch is that whenever Yuuta, as a ghost, happens on something risqu, he will get a nosebleed and the world will be destroyed. It certainly sounds outlandish, and for the most part it is, but for the purposes of best being able to enjoy the plot, the true details must really be kept secret until someone is done watching it.
Punchline at the very least looks quite appealing, and even with the crazy story, it actually manages to be hilarious when it tries to be. Of course, once Uchikoshis true writing trend kicks in, the twists enter with loads of drama and tension. Never once does any of it feel completely forced however; in fact the imminent threat of the world being destroyed hammers home just how urgent such a situation is, instead of playing it for laughs all the time. Near the end of the show, the climax starts building up with some amazing fight scenes, and a slightly touching, yet bittersweet finale. Punchline as a whole might leave a lot of viewers confused, but hopefully it is one anime that will at least leave the viewers satisfied by the end.
