Delusional Monthly Magazine Anime Review: Why This Original Series Fal

Delusional Monthly Magazine

Every new anime season brings a handful of titles that exist solely for the sake of having fun, pushing personal projects, or, my favorite, trying something new. Now, trying something new in anime often means going in without being an adaptation of a manga, light novel, or game, i.e., taking a risk. While having an established fan base can facilitate the transition, the absence of one can significantly impact interest, particularly during a busy season. However, this isn't always the case. Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, Samurai Champloo, and anime darlings Neon Genesis Evangelion and Kill La Kill beat the odds and set unmatched standards. The latter put Studio Trigger on the map. So, how does Gekkan Mousou Kagaku, also known as Delusional Monthly Magazine, fit into this category?

Delusional Monthly Magazine does what many Hollywood films have done over the years: attach its project to a popular name, in this case, Chizuru Miyawaki. Chizuru Miyawaki is an acclaimed anime director and animator who has built a distinguished career in the animation industry, particularly known for her work on the popular Gintama franchise. The franchise, which aired from 2006 to 2021, is set in an alternate history of the late Edo period, where Earth has been invaded and conquered by aliens called Amanto (天人, "Sky People"). The series masterfully blends comedy, action, and profound themes to create one of anime's most beloved and enduring franchises.

Now I need you to follow along with me. There is a reason why I'm providing you with this much information, despite my inclination to do so. The real reason is that I want you to understand why this particular anime, Delusional Monthly Magazine, is panned on MAL and rates somewhere between 5.4 and 5.6. It shares many similarities with the aforementioned Gintama. What it doesn't share is an “adaptation,” as this is an anime original if you haven't figured that out. Let's start by addressing some details, including production information and a brief overview of the anime's content, and then we'll dive in. Keep reading.

Studio OLM's Team Yoshioka, under the direction of Chizuru Miyawaki, known for her work on Raven of the Inner Palace, brought this original concept to life. The series composition was handled by Hiroko Kanasugi (Drug Store in Another World), while Akane Hirota (Komi Can't Communicate) served as character designer. The musical score was composed by Akiyuki Tateyama, whose previous work includes the beloved Yuru Camp series. This experienced team brought together expertise from slice-of-life, workplace comedy, and fantasy genres, creating an ambitious fusion that aired on Crunchyroll from January to March 2024. The anime is based on an original story concept by Ichigo Umatani, about whom I could find little information.

Set in the fictional Most City, the series centers around a struggling publishing company that produces Monthly Moso Science, a magazine specializing in paranormal phenomena and supernatural events that mainstream science dismisses. In case you were wondering, Okarun reads this magazine. Monthly Moso Science’s small editorial team consists of Taro J. Suzuki, a 28-year-old editor whose life goal is to become a househusband; Jiro Tanaka, a grounded young assistant; his dog Saburo; and their editor-in-chief, Catherine Sue. They spend most of their days drinking coffee or loafing in the downstairs coffee shop called "Rock," which probably explains the magazine's low sales. This changes when Goro Sato visits the paper, wishing to publish a story.

Now, Goro isn’t the beacon of common sense, as seen when he arrives at the location; there is a sign on the door that tells visitors looking for editorial to come to the downstairs cafe, table six. Despite the sign's instructions, he continues to go upstairs, nearly toppling a stack of books. His introduction leaves much to be desired; being a researcher from Science Laboratories, I guess, gives him a pompous opinion of himself, which is why, upon finding the correct location, he insults Jiro, assuming he’s merely a child. It doesn't help that in his first run-in with Taro, Taro, who is spiritually aware, can see an apparition attached to Goro. Jiro's mention of the corns on Goro's feet ultimately brings Lofty Goro down to earth.

Nevertheless, Goro is on to something; he has been researching the MO Continent, the home of the Motarians, a people whose land and whereabouts have long been unknown. Overnight, the entire city sank into the sea, despite the Motarians' legendary power and guidance for humanity. Goro’s search for leads yields few clues, leaving him to speculate that someone wants the continent to remain hidden. Goro, like many, believed the story was a fable—that is, until he discovered a MOPart. He, like Daniel from the movie Stargate, sought to prove his findings to the board, only to be rejected once he made the connection.

I’m not joking here when I say that, with some variation, this anime will feel familiar. It's not something new or original; we've seen its premise in many anime, a Saturday morning cartoon in the West, in the occasional movie, the earlier-mentioned Stargate, the Indiana Jones series, and, if you're old enough to remember, the King Solomon’s Mine series. The story follows a straightforward path. The trio receives a tip from Catherine, the editor-in-chief. The coffee shop gets a visitor or visitors who have a mysterious issue. Someone puts a coin into the fortune-telling device sitting at the table, which gives us an episode clue, and off we go. Lastly, of course, there are villains and transformations because, as we discover, if you hit a lovesick, hopeful househusband hard enough in the head with a MOPart, they’ll transform into a Motarian. And that summarizes our journey as we seek to uncover the mystery of the prize.

The prize would be a payoff only if there were four solid cast members to accompany it, making even a mediocre story more palatable. Unfortunately, first impressions are everything, and I'm sure many fans dropped this series before it reached episode four, where we at least get to some substance and the characters begin to gel. Honestly, while watching this series, I initially felt that the mix of elements didn’t click. Goro felt out of place, not because of the ugly green suit he wore or his catchphrase, “over scientific,” but because he was placed amid an established core of characters. Each of whom he managed to rub the wrong way, so when he comes on board, being fired from his government job, it takes some time for him to settle in, especially with characters set in their ways.

It doesn’t help that they keep him at a fatigue-inducing level of positivity, and it does little to promote his development. Goro shows some growth, albeit minimal. My man is a scientist through and through, so that even his possible death, be it a scientific moment, is seen as "over scientific." It was nice to get away from his catchphrase for a bit, but in the grand finale, it returned.

Taro and Jiro are introduced, with Taro being our wannabe househusband who spends most of his time loafing about and visiting Nancy the matchmaker, who regularly laughs him out of her office because of some of his beliefs. Despite his constant complaints, Taro, who is somewhat of a hopeless romantic, demonstrates this when he encounters Yasuko, the apparition of a young woman who died after meeting Nessie (referred to as Nussie in the anime). In an episode that seemed designed to tug at the heartstrings, Taro, who had shown signs of growth, reverts to his imitative self, only to be almost seduced by Anri, an agent of the antagonist, in a later episode. Taro is fortunately saved by Jiro, who shares some commonality with Penny from Inspector Gadget. Yes, Saboro is Brain. It's for these reasons that I stayed with this anime, which, again, evokes the feel of a Saturday morning cartoon that doesn't take itself too seriously. If you were wondering what it shares with Gintama, that's about it. The last thing I said, not the rest of it.

That role even falls to the antagonist known as the White Pegasus Company, i.e., the knockoff Team Rocket. The twins, who don’t resemble identical twins, attempt to thwart the main characters and steal their MOParts (which are found in increasing numbers as the show progresses). If I haven't mentioned it yet, the significance of these MOParts is that individuals of Motarian origin can transform upon coming into contact with one of them. This anime is enjoyable because each MOPart transforms its holder into a different animal, which is one of its few redeeming qualities. I honestly liked the transformation scenes, with Taro’s tiger-man transformation being the best.

OLM handled animation duties, and while far from technically impressive, the animation stands out for its distinctive style: it's bright and vibrant. Garish and gloomy is how these anime usually work, and admittedly, something more in line with the later releases, such as Dan Da Dan or my personal favorites, Zombie Loan or Psychic Detective Yakumo, would have better represented the promise. I would have even taken Pretty Boy Detective Club. Pretty Boy Detective Club is worth a watch if you haven't seen it.

Despite its lukewarm MAL reception, Delusional Monthly wasn’t the worst anime I’ve seen. The chemistry of the characters voiced by Kazutomi Yamamoto, Takahide Ishii, Rie Kugimiya, and Tomokazu Sugita (Jiro, Taro, Catherine/Fore Tune, and Edward) is a standout. It has its charm and its funny moments. An example of this is when the boss of the White Pegasus Company tries to pickpocket Taro. Edward Chi fails to seize every opportunity as he attempts to acquire another MOPart. His motivations align with the mysterious Fore Tune, who seeks to obtain the six MOParts necessary for elevating the MO Continent. Unfortunately, the payoff doesn't begin until episode 8, leading to that Saturday morning feeling of “arr, foiled again." It's a payoff that, for the regular viewer, isn't worth it, even if there are furries.

The series is, ultimately, a curiosity. It’s not a terrible anime, but neither is it one that stands out amid the current landscape. It has a clear identity, a coherent proposal within its weirdness, and moments of satirical clarity that manage to elicit a chuckle or even provoke some thought. However, it suffers from poor pacing, repetitive structure, and characters who don’t fully develop. This isn’t a show I’d recommend to just anyone, not even to fans of brilliant comedies or light science fiction. Its aggressive visual style, erratic humor, and fragmented structure make it easier to admire for what it tries to do than to enjoy for what it offers.