Dokkoida!, Vol. 1: Ultra Diaper Man (2003)
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Based upon the comic by Taro Achi and Yu Yagami
Directed by Takuya Nonaka

Features:

• Clean opening and closing
  
• Promotional spot
  

Dindrane's Anime Warnings:

• Mega-cleavage
• Hero in diapers
• Silliness that will make you laugh
• The Universe in Mortal Peril^TM

Released by: Geneon
Region: 1
Rating: 13+
Anamorphic: N/A; appears in its original 1.33:1 format.

My Advice: At least rent it; buy it if you like parodies

Dokkoida! is a super-hero tale with a twist: the Galaxy Federation Police (GFP) minimally maintains universal order using pilots with mecha-style Power Suits. Unfortunately, they're having problems finding pilots to fight the many Class A criminals attacking various planets. Meanwhile, nineteen-year-old Suzuo has left the family farm to find fame and fortune in the big city; too bad he can't seem to find a job. Tampopo of the Toys of the World company (civilian contractors for the GFP) spots Suzuo and decides that she can solve her company's problems and Suzuo's problems in one fell stroke. But is Suzuo really cut out to be a hero? Especially when he thought the mecha suit was a fake, just meant for mall promos? Especially when his transformation puts him in diapers? Suzuo even has a rival hero with a powersuit of her own: the overly buxom Neruloid Girl from the Emerald Company.

Certain aspects of the show are rather meta. At one point, Suzuo reflects upon Tampopo's green hair as "cheap attempt to popularize the company with youngsters." The entire idea of a toy company making real mecha to fight space criminals so that they can sell toys is a wry commentary on the merchandising of most anime shows, especially the granddaddy of them all, Hello Kitty. Suzuo's initial failures to find a job is also an interesting comment on the current bankruptcy issues in Japan and much of Asia.

The video quality is very good. The colors are all true to shade and vibrant, without being oversaturated or circusy. The character designs are nicely done and match the character's supposed personality rather well. A note on the menus: they are cleverly designed as a comic book page, but they are rather hard to see and use. The audio quality is similarly strong, probably because the originals are so new and the dubs were recorded with the state-of-the-art dubbing equipment. The audio is also good; I particularly appreciate how balanced the sound is. You won't have to keep adjusting the volume up after super-loud battle scenes to hear whispered dialogue the way you have to do for many shows. Both English and Japanese casts are great, especially the two actors who play Suzuo, our poor, confused, would-be hero.

The DVD features are slim, but decent enough. We get a clean opening and closing for fans of the show's animation and character designs, and we also get a brief "promotional clip" that is basically an extended trailer sort of thing. It would be fun to have gotten a copy of the Dokkoika trading card that Suzuo gets in the show, but you can't have everything. The DVD insert doubles as a small poster, and the case cover is reversible and printed on one side with a couple short comic strips starring Dokkoida and friends. That's a nice touch, if a small thing.

In short, Dokkoida is surprisingly funny and oddly clever in a few moments. If you want something irreverent, with a hero who wants to "turn things around for the good of humanity and rent money," then this show is for you. The show is very self-aware and a parody of animated hero shows, but it's not annoyingly self-aware in an angsty, post-modern sort of way. Instead, it pokes fun at itself as well and clearly, it kids because it loves. It's unusual, genuinely funny in places, and just plain fun.