I couldn't agree more with your analysis on "beating" the Laughing Salesman. If he appears to you with a deal it's already too late. He chooses his victims carefully, you can see him walking around, drinking, and interacting with other people to a limited extent, but the people he offers his "services" to are clearly targeted, often for their vices. If you were the type who wouldn't accept the Salesman's offer, congratulations, you'd never see him.
You might be able to survive by obeying his rules and occasionally a punishment can be light. One guy got a tree as he couldn't own a pet, a neighbor destroys it and Moguro revives the tree and punishes the owner. Another, one guy fell in love with a trans woman.
Kinda sounds like Truth from FMAB. Helps you be a more responsible person. I just saw Daydream and Making a Budget and Stick to it. Already I knew these people were making bad decisions especially being pressured into it.
I think it's almost poetically ironic that the cultural resting place of The Laughing Salesman is a Pachinko Parlor where he'll face hundreds of gambling addicts a day, likely some of the people he would have "helped".
Here you go a good luck charm, BUT you must only play 1 game per day you mustn’t break that rule, you don’t want to know what will happen if you break that rule
@@theonlyshinyumbreon 5 seconds. Gambling addiction seems like a meme until someone you love is violently resisting your attempts to stop them from putting down their home because "They WILL win the casino this time and you WILL NOT stop them"
live-action Moguro-San was always, to my mind, going to be constrained by both the innate degree of difficulty that an actor faces in portraying a truly non-human psyche and the inherent limitations of the format (b/c even the most accomplished actor probably can't do the thing where he's using his mouth but only his teeth are actually moving, for example) also the dude definitely looks more like your lovable scamp of an uncle than an eldritch being that toys with human lives for its amusement
@@user-zm3tc6yy8p Sure, but if someone did make a successful investment into something as dumb as that, then I don't care what they think; it's pretty rad.
Part of the reason I think why the rebooted version didn't succeed is because The laughing salesman feels a lot mellowed out. He still gives wicked punishments to those who break the deal, but more often he just gives them a slight tap on the wrist. in the old version if you messes up you gets absolutely smited, and sometimes even when you don't mess up he still comes after you. That's the main appeal of The laughing salesman. His punishments were unpredictable. He was simply a force of nature. He gave zero crap about whether his customers deserve the punishments. In the new version he seems to follow strict moral code to punish bad people and reward good people, which in itself isn't a terrible idea, but it kinda deprives the omnipotence and unworldliness eminated from the character.
"In the old days, I was a real salesman. Now, I'm not sure about that: internet took all those who would be interested in my products. And the only thing that I can sell is pachinko machines." "Horrible times to live." 😭
Fun fact: people might have recognised it from the character artwork. But the original creator of “Laughing Salesman” was the same creator as “Doremon”. Whew talk about genre switch.....
that sort of reminds me of franken fran. she's kind of a supernatural being? but if you ask her for a quick fix she might just ruin you or reduce you to a clump of cancer cells. fun stuff
That wouldnt be hard with todays tropes. Most of the high school shonen stuff is always a loser gets all girls lusting for him. Seeing a harem tag on any manga/anime is pretty much guaranteed that it will be some generic shit tough.
I used to watch this when I lived in Japan in the late 80s. Loved it since it was so different from the usual primetime dramas and anime fare. Also loved another anime from the same time called Oishimbo, about a reporter who was always doing stories on Japanese food. Always made me so hungry.
The Laughing Salesman: A modern yokai. No rhyme or reason, no lesson to be learned. Just a normal, every-day, magical, metaphysical being that messes with people for its own goals.
The fact that this anime was made by the same people who did Doraemon, Ninja Hattori, Perman, Chimpui, Ultra B etc. makes this golden. It's like the adult version of all the childhood shows I watched as a kid that I always needed but never got... till I discovered it this year.
This is why the other characters look extremely similar to the characters from the Doraemon and Ninja Hatori. I am pretty suprised that almost no one commented on this topic 😅
I'm sorry you'll lacking some historical lore behind the series. This was a work done by Fujiko A Fujio, he's the long time partner of Fujiko F Fujio, the creator of doraemon. Now let's get into this. Side note I'll refer to Fujiko A Fujio as his real name Abiko and and Fujiko F Fujio as Fujimoto from here on out. Now if you like anime or things that are japanese, especially if you are from outside of USA, then you probably would recognize Doraemon. The extremely iconic blue cat deus ex machina that is Doraemon, saving his friend Nobita with from the daily grind of life being horrible at it. Fujimoto was extremely well read in multiple fields, from history to science and politics to history, and he had the knack to be able to provide these topics to a younger audience so that they can easily digest it. I mean the man wrote stories catered to each school grade from 1st to 6th, changing up manner of presentation of said topic to suit the age group. So Fujimoto excelled in stories for kids and juveniles. So where does that leave Abiko? He's also started off creating manga for kids, because thats the demographic that was reading manga around the time Fujiko Fujio pair was starting up around in the mid to late 50's. I wouldn't exactly say his works were bad, actually the opposite. He found a niche that his partner Fujimoto didn't fill. While Doraemon was really taking off and seeing that Fujimot always keeps his innocent side to be able to produce doraemon, Abiko starts to consider a different option to his career as a manga author "Can I keep making manga for kids?", "Should I just become a manager to Fujimoto?". Around this time, the anthology magazine catered to a much older and adult demographic "Big Comics" was starting to get published and the publication head came to Abiko asking him "Wanna make something for it?". So Abiko considers his option for a manga catered to adults and he comes to this genre "Black Comedy". He himself was inclined for that genre, enjoying the works of Stanley Ellin and Roald Dahl. So he thought "Wouldn't this be something really interesting"and thus the formerly the "Black Salesman" now known as the "Laughing Salesman" was born. This was his turning point, previously he has worked on pure and innocent stories but always had a sense black comedy with in him, so this was IT for him. Which kicked off his career into the recently formed Seinen demographic and a fork in the road of what can be done within this medium. His partner, Fujimoto, diligently creating for the younger audience to the point of losing his own life at his work desk, finishing up a poster for a feature length movie for his magnum opus, Doraemon. While Abiko still alive and well. But their legacy still lives on of a duo who started their career at the legendary Tokiwa So. and a story of the tokiwa so should be left for another random comment of mine. Source. mantan-web.jp/article/20171224dog00m200032000c.html
@@doyalbaba6379 I wouldn't exactly say that, though people who aren't familiar with Doraemon nor the by the duo might consider it so. Because the two share similar styles or more so they acquired a style that are similar through their partnership, people may not be able to tell the difference between their works. But honestly consider it as a "fujiko fujio" style, though their works do usually share an universe, having characters from one story make an cameo in another.
the shows message is: You cheated not only the game, but yourself. You didn't grow. You didn't improve. You took a shortcut and gained nothing. You experienced a hollow victory. Nothing was risked and nothing was gained. It's sad that you don't know the difference.
I remember seeing this salesman as a toy in gacha toy machines in a Japanese restaurant in a mall next to my house and it creeped me out so much I ran away screaming internally.
You'd think that episodic series would be more popular now rather than big, overarching plots in that it requires less concentration and investment and it's something easy to just dip in and out of, especially when you're busy. This looks cool as well.
For Western viewers, Anime was probably their first introduction to serialized story telling that a lot of kids shows lacked at the time so that’s probably one reason
For me, the lack of long plots and basically being free from consequences episode to episode generally puts me off from most shows like this because it's harder to care and get invested in the characters. Cowboy Bebop is one of the few shows that does this very well, where you still get characters being introduced or leaving and have their backstories expanded on in subsequent episodes. Contrast it with something like Space Dandy, where the characters repeatedly die throughout the show and come back next episode like nothing happened.
@@faceless2302 Um, that's the thing. "Invested in the characters" is one of things that modern generations think too much about >< I don't need to be invested in characters to get invested in the story. I just love to see a fun creative unusual story.
@@KeyleeTamirian Characters are the primary way the story interacts with the viewer, I should at least like (or dislike) them through their personality and experiences, and it's a lot easier to show that through a series with some sort of real continuity and character growth. If I don't feel anything for the characters, why would I watch the show? Upotte!! comes to mind as one of my least enjoyed anime, despite me liking the premise. It's one of those kind of comedy slice of life but with a twist shows that has very little consequences episode to episode and just kind of meanders along with daily hijinks for most of it's runtime. After thinking about it more, you realize that none of the characters actually go through much of anything or have any meaningful interactions or developments except for the side character L85 learning to overcome her disability by the end (she's the best character in the show too). As much as I like the core ideas of the story, it falls flat for me because I just can't give a damn if FNC and the other girls succeed or not.
@@faceless2302 I personally prefer if characters are either likeable, or just... there. It's difficult for me to watch something when i dislike the characters. When i'm indifferent to characters, however, it means i can focus on other things. "If I don't feel anything for the characters, why would I watch the show?" So... feelings towards characters are the ONLY, 100% only reason to watch any show? There's no other reason to watch the show, it means? Like, Art Style, Art Direction, Atmosphere, Aesthethic, Music, Sound Design, Lore, Scenery... all those things don't matter by that reasoning? Oh wait, they apparently do matter, but the Characters are the most important... i don't like this inequality and Character dominance above other things in shows. When i want to watch the show, it's because i either like art style, character design, specific character design, atmosphere, aesthetic... Character's personality can be whatever. I just love to look at the character. Modern anime don't appeal to me because i don't like they art styles. Old anime appeal to me more. In fact, over half of 90's Anime appeal to me visually just by taking look at the cover art. Even if story would be about nothing, i just love to look at it. When i were a teen i cared about the story the most, but now i realized that i made myself think that i care about the story. I realized that once i started analyzing the story of a game that i praised for a story... and i realized... well, story is actually good, but i also realized that i did not understand the story back when i was a fanatic of it. I praised it's story... becuase everyone praised it! Now i praise it's story because it's actually good. But that's not why the game appeals to me now - it's visual aesthethic, atmosphere and music. The story is not important to me in it, even though everyone praises it for the story.
The reason for the new show's failure is really complex. Though I think the main problem is it came from a completely different era of entertainment and way of living.
Yeah. As someone pointed out in another comment, unfair deals between a powerful entity, specially true for businessmen, and people down in their luck just feels too harsh and hits too close to home. Personally, if I wanted to see a businessman screw over people who need help, I'd just watch the news.
I think Everyone should understand the correlation between the salesman and the devil although these days....yeeesh. The dumbing down of our world is scary.
@@kennylauderdale_en I recognized the animation style. Turns out not only are both series drawn by the same animation studio, but they were created by the same manga artist duo- like it was meant to be!
I recall a chapter of Doraemon where a gadget of his resembles the laughing salesman, which might have been a reference. However, it's hard to find it among the countless other chapters I read.
The moral felt like, "Sometimes having a wish forefilled or a minor problem instantly solved could turn out to be the WORST thing that can happen to you" Get that girl to notice you until to find out she's insufferable, etc etc.
The Major It isnt, its a bad 80s horror flick trying to be a seinen with a moral story. Newsflash: said "moral story" never works when your entire country operates on zombie economy and your workers have barely livable wages while being pushed around by fat cats in suits and suffer from price inflation
@@bon7029 @Bon Joker tricked a 5th dimensional being in order to steal his powers. He might outsmart the Laughing Salesman or get tricked himself, but he definitely would not be afraid. It's an interesting matchup.
I've watched a ton of episodes on this anime and the only reason why I can find people not liking it is that there is never a happy ending, just a disturbing reality check.
Some episodes do have happy endings, but that's not the appeal of this series. The appeal is watching evil doraemon screwing people over by exploiting their vices.
Sounds a bit like Michiko and Hatchin. Great show, but man, does it give you character whammies that make the drollness of Cowboy Bebop quite tame at times.
It looks like something that could have beed succesiful on american TV if it was aired on Adult Swin back in the day. It certainly fits well with Adult Swin...
I mean, look at the success of Black Mirror recently if you need any more proof of it. The only thing that would really hold it back is people's preconceived notions of anime, and that the Black Mirror and anime audiences may not have a huge overlap, but if something like Netflix pushed it hard enough it would probably be successful.
To be entirely honest, I absolutely loved this anime. It carries the theme of having to deal with things yourself and trudge through life’s challenges, and demonstrates how you really shouldn’t take shortcuts or make someone do certain things for you. Moguro Fukuzou deserves a salute for being so bold with his work as a salesman! He shows people what life really is supposed to be on its own, and I honestly hope that his customers learned their lesson.
I just discovered the show and I binged the whole series in a day. Loved it. Its like a Japanese twilight zone. I disagree him being the devil. More like an entity, he gives them the rules, it's the person's greed that is their demise Hooooo! Ho ho ho🕵️♂️
I think the younger generation thinks it looks and is old. They might remember their parents or something liking the show, since it was 30 years between the shows. I think it worked back then because the 80s and 90s were more business-minded, especially in Japan. The new audience might have a harder time connecting with the show, and might not like how short the episodes are and that it’s not a continuing anime story. The old anime of it is something my 60 year old dad would definitely enjoy if I showed it to him, not too long of an episode and watch an episode every now and then instead of binging it.
It's definitely old but I like it because of that, that 80's-90's bubble Japan vibe is very distinct from modern anime and Japanese society. Hell, people loved Yakuza 0 and I'd wager the setting (1989, year this anime started airing) was one of the biggest reasons for it.
I remember one character keeping his promise for almost the duration of the episode. The salesman didn't think he would succeed that long, so he had to sabotage the poor guy into messing up.
I don't think it's a matter of age demographic or story structure, it's a matter of self-insertion like you said. You can see modern anime like Dragon Maid being clearly targeted toward Japanese salarymen with a somewhat episodic structure as well, but with much more wholesome and nourishing content. In the early 90s, entertainment was all anyone was looking for from an anime, even if it was about the show's mascot stabbing them in the back, but today what people really want are entertaining stories with a mascot that helps them get out of bed in the morning, and that is decidedly not what the Laughing Salesman does.
Dragon Maid was mostly made for young adults like most shows oriented at adults nowadays. I think the laughing salesman is oriented to a public that for anime mostly doesn't exist anymore. wich is actual adults, probably around 30
No, I think the age demographic & story structure are at fault here. Dragon Maid was NOT a good example to use. A lot of anime consumers today aren't used to these old older story structures pre-2000s, which is why I think Kenny RIGHTLY pointed out all the stupid questions these kids start asking; rather than just enjoying the show for what it is. If it's not Isekai or some generic battle Shonen, adaptable for Netflix, ripe for porn, or allows for self-insertion; then it wont sell well Today.
Ooh, I like this idea- maybe it turns out that The Laughing Salesman is a title given from person to person- and Moguro Fukuzou is the latest in a long line of salesmen.
@@zorasmith4880 That would just kill the immortal, ineffable vibe of the Salesman though, which is the whole point. He's an unknowable, immortal, ageless and uncanny force of nature, and all we can do is try to avoid being his next customer.
what if Moguro himself actually starts off as a normal person originally but as it progresses it shows him becoming who he is now? like it would explain a certain episode, AND also would explain why his body has become essentially more of a vessel to what he carries with him
@@StargazerSkyscraper I figure it could still be played for laughs. Have Moguro just... _always have been there!_ from the dawn of human civilization, all the way back to when the first fish adapted to walk on land! Like he's never in any different form or whatever in these different time periods, he still looks the way he's always had!
The Laughing Salesman came two years before Stephan King's Needful Things. I have wondered if he knew about this anime. Likely not, the devil being a salesman is a great concept across many cultures.
Probably because almost everyone knows someone that had an impeccably dressed man sit before them out of nowhere and offer them everything they could ever want. It's like the 'lady in white' urban legend.
It’s a pretty old trope; there are multiple twilight zone episodes written with this type of story, and even older short stories with pretty much the exact premise and tone.
@@leejerrett8268 👍 when Kenny says "submitted for your approval" at the beginning of the video, he's quoting one of Rod Serling's opening lines to the Twilight Zone
gives me a petshop of horrors vibe. "gives you what you wish but there is a rule you must never break".Honestly, it sounds awesome, I wanna watch it now.
Pet shop of horrors? Is that a thing? Now that sure sounds derivative. Like, a ripoff of the title "Little Shop of Horrors" but a ripoff of the plot of Gremlins.
The sad thing about old anime VA's is that most of them are already gone by now. Ohira Toru passed away in 2016 and Isamu Tamonaka aka Medama-oyaji from Gegege no Kitaro passed away in 2010, he'll always be Medama-oyaji to me. May they rest in peace.
Recently I found out that there's an urban myth in the USA about the Smiling Man, related to the Mothman myth. It claims that a mysterious man with a kind, but unnerving smile approaches people randomly, exchanges some pleasantries, then disappears, and that shortly thereafter someone will sight the Mothman.
Pachinko machines have replaced anime for Japanese adults as an entertainment medium after work, which is pretty sad and reflective of Japanese society as a whole if you think about it.
The worst selling anime?...ironically after this it’ll develop into a strong cult following...never heard of it before but it sounds interesting...surprised it didn’t sell more
Another one I'd like to point out is a Japanese cgi kids show called Poppee the Clown that aired in 2001. The show has gained quite a following after the show ended with only one season. If anyone is interested, you can find the episodes on RU-vid. Fair warning, though. The show contains blood and other weird elements
This anime is best compared to "tapas". It was intended to be read by busy businessmen. Imagine Japanese businessmen on a crowded train with a comic magazine on one of his hands. You can enjoy a whole short episode without knowing the previous. Or you don't even have to have read any episode to enjoy any episode. It's a style opposite of JJBA, same as Golgo 13. As a middle aged Japanese man I couldn't help noticing that you never mentioned that the author was the one who drew Doraemon. When this comic was published it was surprising to me, and probably for many Fujiko Fujio fans. Laughing salesman was dark, cynical but intriguing pieces of comic that was quite opposite from Fujiko Fujio's usual kids comics.
@@towelgirl21 I think they would clash indefinitely and eternally until the residual magic energy around them is so much it turns into a big bang and the universe collapses.
The Laughing Salesman reminds me of PetShop of Horrors where it the stories are interesting to watch, each product has a rule, rules are always broken by customers, and we want someone to stop the saleman/count d but at the same time we love both characters. I never understood why both animes got the crap end of the sticks.
I actually found this series from the revival, and its premise hooked me from the summary. I think your idea that growing up with more horror-themed shows making us more accepting of Laughing Salesman's crueler tone is pretty accurate.
I watched the revival up until the halfway point until I simply stopped watching, not that I didn't like it, but it being an episodic show makes it hard to really commit to it, and I had a lot of other shows to catch up to then.
Ricky MyBoy Dont say that about Doraemon dude. It’s a great show for kids. It’s entertaining and teaches you lessons. The animation of the first seasons was really cute and cartoony. I loved it to death as a kid and I still find it enjoyable.
>Your fate is sealed Kenny, maybe you've seen the entire show but there are a few exceptions. "Night Train" episode where his client actually listened to Moguro's advice and did what's right, so Moguro appreciated that and helped him. "Wanio's Cooking" episode where Moguro himself actually broke the promise and as a result, that helped the client. "The Man Who Look Down" Not a perfect happy-ending, but the client definitely got much more confidence from Moguro's treatment... and some other episodes where client (or the entire family) get cursed by Moguro but actually having fun in that state. Also, about the live-action drama, try search "マンガニア" in niconico and you will find a full episode(three-sepate videos). It really drags because it's a 10 minutes anime watered down to 45 minutes, but one thing I'm sure is, Moguro's actor Shiro Ito did a fantastic job (He NEVER blinks during the show. what I heard is he looked at the original character design and thought "I think this guy does not blink whole life") .
gorijaimo Not only that, but he also doesn’t seem interested in hurting children, or at least anyone under the age of 20. He also helped healed a tree someone was taking care of back to life after their neighbor destroyed it, and he helps save a kid of a mother from being ran over by a car and decided to “punish” the mother by giving her the desire to become a idol despite her age and appearance, with the kid even cheering her on. Also, any more information on how Moguro broke the promise in “Wanio’s Cooking” and how the client followed his advice and got his help in “Night Train”? I tried to look them up but couldn’t find anything.
@@kingvideogames Night Train... Ep99 Yakou Ressha(夜行列車) Wanio's Cooking... Ep72 Wanio no Kaiki Ryouri(ワニオの怪奇料理) The ending for Ep99 is one of the most beautifully directed anime episodes I've ever seen, honestly.
I love this anime and the Salesman just makes me smile. He's a merry little imp and a force of nature, as you said. He's not necessarily a villain: he just gives people the things they deserve due to their own actions.
Oh my god, when you talked about how people ask stupid questions about deeper lore, that really resonated with me. I really first started to notice that trend way back around 2010, when kids in my middle school started talking about that dumb theory where Muriel and Eustace "die" at the end of the first season of Courage the Cowardly Dog, and all the remaining episodes take place in Courage's mind. Completely misses the point. I don't know why this phenomenon of rejecting cartoon & fantasy logic in favor of supposed 'true meanings' began to sweep across the internet, but I believe it reflects some desire to prove one's intelligence. The internet has turned media at-large into a bizarre pool of frantic analysis and theory talks, and some of us forget that sometimes great entertainment doesn't always require these things. Cheers to you for making an effort to bring this awesome spooky series to the attention of the masses.
Well put. The theory stuff has really exploded. Some shows embrace it, but most of the time it harms the medium. The most ridiculous part about it is that it's bled into video games just as passionately. The Legend of Zelda community for example has even managed to peer pressured Nintendo to start keeping a comprehensive continuity for the LoZ series, and I can already see the potential obstacle this creates for the upcoming sequel.
It happened to Steven Universe too. Now people have every right to critique it because it has bad writing and pacing. But a key point people like to bring up as real critique is that “Steven’s powers don’t make any senseee!” When... yeah bro... it’s a cartoon for a kids channel. Yes it has adult themes and stuff but WHY are you calling the show bad for a lack of realism. Your overthinking it. Lol I wish more people would just relax about how cartoons work sometimes.
Japan is also better at simple ideas, especially for horror, if you consider Junji Ito. His monsters often weren't explained and the occurence is usually a fluke that just happens for a bit then stops and the main character is telling you, the reader. It's very goosebumps, very spooky campfire story, the unknown is what makes it scary
I wanted to thank you for this video and introducing this series to me. I had a feeling my parents would enjoy this, so we all watched a bunch of episodes together and had a wonderful time. I never thought I would ever get to enjoy an anime with my parents like that.
@@kennylauderdale_en the possibility of you joining the masteace gives me life. Also nobody brings them up in the Fujika Fandom which is surprisingly huge
@@kennylauderdale_en I had a hunch that was the case, I recognized the style immediately. Hell, one of the people in the video was straight up the bully from that show.
I'm really loving how you've made it a point to introduce people to obscure, overlooked titles in an animation genre that's considered popular and trendy by today's standards.
I think today, the Laughing Salesman concept is restrictive and doesn’t appeal to audiences anymore. The reason the Twilight Zone could come back is that it’s basically a playground for psychological horror. There’s no real rules or structure, other than “things didn’t go as planned”. The Laughing Salesman is a bit too restrictive to storylines. He sells things, consequences happen when rules are broken, but there isn’t much space to play around. Also, it’s just natural for people today to try to figure out the powers, how to beat it, how to game the system. And if the Laughing Salesman is impossible to beat, it leaves you feel like there’s no hope. After a new episode of the Twilight Zone airs, or a new season of Black Mirror goes up, there’s usually an influx of videos on how to beat the big bad in the story. It’s a key part of horror these days, the ability to beat whatever horrific thing is tormenting the Everyman. The Laughing Salesman has become too real, in a way. He’s unbeatable, omnipresent, reoccurring and represents the fear of consequences perfectly. With cameras and surveillance being commonplace, and his tactics being utilized by nearly every social media and self-help product, it is far too bleak to think about. Black Mirror and the Twilight Zone counterbalance their dark and realistic life comparisons with the main characters occasionally finding a way to at least have an self-satisfying ending. San Junipero, U.S.S. Callistar, Nosedive, Fifteen Million Merits, and Hang the DJ are all great examples of endings in which characters are at least content.
and here we got another example of people overthinking for nothing _"if the Laughing Salesman is impossible to beat, it leaves you feel like there’s no hope"_ That's the point _"He’s unbeatable, omnipresent, reoccurring and represents the fear of consequences perfectly"_ You mean that he is an eldritch horror? You know like... Cthulhu? The idea of Laughing Salesman is about the devil that appears just to screw you, MANY comments already pointed this. If you find him, and accept his deal, you already screw it, you just sold your soul and the devil isn't going to just take it, he will have his fun first. This is a Horror series, there is just no escape to Laughing Salesman. Just like those horror stories told in the campfires, when you see the devil, pray he just ignore you or goes away, unless you want to die in a horrible and regretful way. If you need another example, try: Pet Shop of Horrors
Episodic animes are something we need more than ever. Most of shows are these epics continuing year after year and it becomes a burdensome to follow more than 3 plots n lores at the same time. You were still wrong about a one thing: since the episodes are so short, this is super fun series to watch few episodes at a time! Thx for the pitch 😁
Honestly, the concept of the Laughing Salesman reminds me a bit of Yugioh Season 0, with Yami running around playing Yami no Game with people; though to be fair, Yami isn't malicious so much as an agent of retribution, unlike the salesman
Carl Jensen Yeah, I actually really enjoyed Season 0. It’s very different from the Yugioh we got afterwards, but I‘d love this concept to be made into a full series.
Because when you binge them, the episodes start to feel samey. Same thing happened to me while watching CowBoy Bebop. I liked it, but I didn't love the show like most people. love a great story, it makes me want to watch another episode. Episodic doesn't do it for me.
@@thehistorynerd8537 Yeah that´s really a problem that most episodic shows tend to repeat their own formular. Like Samurai Champloo is episodic and really great in style, actions and characters. But every story feels kind of the same.The trio goes to some famous japanese City or sight to gain food and money (because no matter what they did last episode they end up being poor in the next) and either end up figthing each other or some hilariously skilled enemy. It´s kind of the Scooby Doo things were you know what happens every episode because they almost reset everything in this episode. Great example of episodic show that also have kind of a start/goal was gravity falls where every episode had either character development or had some plot reveals that became relevant for future episodes without necessarily needing you to watch the whole show because you can totally be fine watching one episode and be entertaint.
What is meant by "episodic"? Does it mean an ongoing series with many episodes, or anime where each episode is a standalone plot? I thought most anime was episodic
@@r4ndom7000 Episodic is shows where each episode is a standalone plot. A lot of newer shows are either one story or have small arcs. Shows like Cowboy BeBop is like Spongebob, where you can watch a random episode and not be lost in what is happening.
It's about how we consume them. Back in time the most common way to watch a series was through television, where following an episodic series is way easier than a continuous one, since you will still understand if you missed a certain episode or was watching it out of order. Nowadays we have streaming services, where watching every episode in order is very easy and binge-watching is very common, and because of this a continuous story is much more interesting than an episodic one, since it gets boring very fast.
I used to watch more episodic animes with my sister 2007-2011 time period. I really enjoyed the amount of story telling put into a singular episode. Now, a lot of anime feels so stretched out, almost like comparing a micro series on television to Wagner's entire ring cycle. I don't dislike all modern anime, but I miss the short story format. I still can't get my hands on some of the series I watched with my sister either...
6:12 This isn't just with anime - almost everything these days has to be more arc-based. Two things really - everyone wanting to be the next "Game of Thrones" or "Avatar", but most notably the rise of On Demand. Back then it was a little harder to sell things that had this really big metaplot told across a couple dozen story arcs, especially outside of Japan where a lot of shows would air in random order in syndication. I remember seeing Seinfeld episodes where one day, you see Elaine standing behind the counter because this was from the season where her actress was pregnant - then another where she's just recently introduced. Even the things these days that do seem to have some semblance of an "Anything goes" or "Episodic nature", there's always some kind of continuity.
I guess to alot of ppl, it's inherently satisfying to notice a small detail that actually becomes much more important in a season or 2 in a show. (Or just following one big story in general) Like you said even shows that are episodic, have that continous quality to them so a observant viewer will get a bigger dopamine rush. Their are pros and cons to each format. Episodic shows can run out of steam quick if you can't come up with completely new scenarios or stories every episode. After a while some episode can blend together rendering them redundant. Plus not having an ongoing plot where the story resets next episode can have some viewers thinking well it kinda didn't matter. For on-going plot shows its much harder to just even start watching especially when it's been around for years. Missing some episodes can leave you without proper context for certain plot points later ie, losing impact. Some can have massive amounts of lore that can be difficult to keep track of therefore putting a whole show on "stand-by" for seemingly forever as the situation gets worse.
An anime without waifus, lolis, or gorgeous guys? Has anything like that been even remotely successful since, I dunno... A couple years after Haruhi Suzumiya? Even Osomatsu-san had the fujoshi angle.
"Be happy with your lot and don't wish for better. It could always be worse." It's a moral that may have resonated with the stereotypical Salaryman of the 1980s. Maybe some people found the idea comforting; after all, mundane problems and life aren't that bad - wising for better might be inviting trouble. But with a suicide rate that has become a meme outside of Japan and global unrest and uncertainty in daily life, it might not be something people find comforting anymore. If life is so bad that you start feeling really desperate, the mundane problems of the characters who meet the Salesman may seem trite. The punishments they receive may seem malicious to the extent that they are insulting to the viewer - how dare anyone want something better? It's not the escapist fantasy that people unsatisfied with their lives will enjoy. It's only something someone reasonably content can appreciate. So if there aren't enough content people, it's possible the show will fail. Just a guess.
But this series isn't about not wanting something, at the start of every episode they even say that everyone has something they desire. Moguro is a villain that preys on salaryman and their dreams, offering a quick solution to problems that comes with a trap. The series is about working for your dreams, and not be fooled by ruthless people that profits from your dreams. Moguro is not there to teach a lesson, he is the ultimate swindler and wants nothing more than a good laugh. (sorry if my english is poor, im not a native speaker).
Disagreed. You are going too complex about it, the answer is clear and everyone says the same In Japan, any show that isn't trendy, catchy. or that represent how the real world works will fail miserably and many studios have gone bankrupt because of that Gangsta is underrated, specially in Japan and the studio went bankrupt, simply because it involved drug/hookers/gang fights instead of a goth tiddy and a loli screaming Nico Nico Ni "insulting to the viewer" Onepiece is literally the most sold manga in the world, 80% of backstories are worse than anyone who is going through middle life crisis and that's what Oda is trying to show by making the backstories darker and darker. It insults the "my life is bad, i wish i had better" mindset, yet it is still selling a lot
@@mariama.f8314 I don't follow your logic at the end. The problems in One Piece may be grim, but they're almost entirely "fantastical" and not at all realistic. They wouldn't strike the same chord with most people than an (somewhat) down-to-earth show set in an urban setting with people with realistic problems. I can always relate to someone going through poverty and desiring some expensive commercial product than I can someone losing their entire family. I understand the latter is far more severe, but the former is something that I, and countless others, can understand.
It's comfortingly predictable too. It follows a format like the Simpsons does, so you know what to expect which makes it a great weekly show. Everything I like about it modern fans hate though.
Yeah, maybe I'm just old but I no longer binge watching anime anymore. There's a certain feel of savouring the show by watching one or two episodes a day (or a week just like when I watch Doraemon, Cyborg Neko Kuro-chan, Saint Seiya and other weekly shows) and talk about it rather than binge watching it and missing some small interesting points in that episode.
I've known about this series for 10 years. A friend in Japan recommended it to me. I was always kinda sad that it was virtually unknown outside of Japan. Thank you for letting more people know about this great series!
I watched this video when it came out, and now all of the episodes and specials have FINALLY been translated. I just finished watching the series. Thank you for making this video years ago and inspire me to follow the translation progress of this. I really enjoyed this show!
Top 10 Characters that Can Beat the Salesman: 1. The Laughing Salesman 2. The Laughing Salesman 3. The Laughing Salesman 4. The Laughing Salesman 5. The Laughing Salesman 6. The Laughing Salesman 7. The Laughing Salesman 8. The Laughing Salesman 9. The Laughing Salesman 10. The Laughing Salesman Edit: Honorable Mention- 11. Bobo Bobobo
I gotta say, the most impressive part of this is the textured layers under the linework cells. You didn't start seeing that become a thing until Japanese animators became familiar with digital animation in the late 2000s.
I won’t lie . After watching your video I took a look at the series and I’m quite disappointed I wasn’t aware of this prior . The laughing salesman is a perfect level of calm and charismatic in the chaotic anime world .
You were right on about the knuckleheads who kept asking questions about the Salesman's powers. People are so obsessed with lore. Can't have anything without lore nerds sapping the imagination out of a premise.
@@kennylauderdale_en I know right? There's no way Tweety should be able to fly. It must be telekinesis. I mean why else would a bird have that big of a head if not because of mind powers.
What annoys me even more are the people that watch old Ecchi comedies and then make comments whining that there is no deep story and that there isn't enough character development. Come on, why would you even expect such things out of a silly soft porn comedy? It's like modern anime fans have lost the ability to just relax and have fun. I honestly don't get it.
kenny lauderdale Granny was a commando for the OSS in WW2. I’m not joking. That’s an actual thing now since that short lived Looney Tunes show came out a few years back.
I'm sorry, Kenny.. You told me that I can't watch more than 1 episode per week.. But I can't help but binge this beautiful episodic series..! Please, don't curse me for this comfort that I just found..!
If you guys like this type of story, try reading Trafford's Trading Club. The same premise but instead of the boss being evil just because, he actually invests effort into helping his customers. And the people who visit the club aren't evil.
Laughing Salesman actually sounds like it has an amazing plot. A sort of obvious take on a Western Figure like Satan. Charming,whimsical little stories with an incredibly grim undertone.
If you are a Lynch fan I'd also recommend Gosenzo-sama Banbanzai!. It's kinda hard to explain, so I'll just describe it as if Lynch was Japanese and made a surealist slice of life family based comedy.
I don't understand the appeal of hopelessly overpowered villains. I don't mind seeing the hero lose, but typically I like seeing a power struggle between the protaginst and the antagonist before the final results are revealed. This is the reason I also have trouble getting into cosmic horror stories with stuff like C'thulu because typically those monsters are supposed to inspire extisential dread through their sheer power over humanity. I never feel dread with these types of stories, only boredom because struggling is typically pointless in these situations.
Wow, this is basically the opposite case of Osomatsu San. Osomatsu San was a spin-off of which people didn't really have faith because it changed a lot on the story. Also there are already some faithful remakes of either Osomatsu and Bakabon, so they could just make more of those if the show failed. Also there's a Osomatsu Kun museum and most profit was from collectibles. They even made jabs at other anime or at the audience like when they made the sextuplets ikemen at the beginning and the changed them. The first episode had too much parody than it was banned for copyright. Then the show became really popular between girls that watched it because it had their favorite voice actors (that obviously took the show as a big joke where they could be relaxed and use their actual speaking voices instead of making a cartoon voice). People liked the new humor and girls fell in love and sexualized the characters even if they were drawn intentionally ugly or bland (they look like muppets, or old anime). The DVD'S sold a lot and the anime became as popular as it was in the 60's
To be honest I got into Osomatsu-san because it looked different than most modern anime. I got intrigued, watched a few episodes and ended up loving it.
@@sb.spaceboy I watched Osomatsu Kun years ago for the same reason. It was like 2006 and everyone loved Naruto and Death Note. I looked for animes that were different. I felt weird when my friends didn't like the comedy anime I recommend because they tought of anime like the serious and "deep" cartoon counterpart that was better because it had a continuing story and edgy characters, so random comedy anime seemed unlikely. Meanwhile I loved Spanish animated shows that had random comedy. One day someone it those forums recommended the Osomatsu Kun spanish dub, that was staring to air there. I watched the show in small parts of RU-vid and I loved it.
Yeah, well, no. Warau Salesman NEW is faithful to the original. Osomatsu-san is not. Actually, OsoSan kind of destroys OsoKun canon (don't let me start giving examples, I love 1988 Osomatsu-san to death). And, since you mentioned it, here's a seiyuu fun fact: the titular Salesman shares his 1989 voice with 1988 Osomatsu-kun Dekapan. What is more, 1988 Iyami's voice actor was in Warau Salesman (it was the golf guy episode if anyone remembers)
The salesman itself reminds me of an old Twilight Zone episode where a salesman always seems to have what people need and at the end watches a guy die because of slick shoes. The laughing part made me think of the Joker because he also smiled like that and is a force of nature. So in all, I imagine it as a Japanese Joker holding down a job.
Speaking of which, I remember an episode where Death comes to take an old salesman's soul. The salesman tries to weasel his way out of it by saying he can't die until he gave his greatest pitch, but then tries to run away instead. As a result, an innocent girl gets hit by a car and gets hospitalized, where she will die by midnight. An hour before then, the salesman manages to distract Death by convincing him to buy all of his goods past midnight. Since Death missed his time, the girl lives, and the salesman accepts his death, knowing that he achieved his greatest pitch.
He reminds me of Nyarlathotep. The Crawling Chaos from Lovecraft. He takes the form of a man in black and gives people impossible machines in exchange for even more impossible deals, and enjoys watching you struggle just to fail. He enjoys us, unlike other Lovecraft monsters he thinks about and “cares” about humans. He thinks we are fascinating but…still enjoys watching us go mad.
The funny thing about wanting a show to tell a larger story is that many animes don't finish. They get one season, and that's it. I enjoy larger stories, but every time I begin a new anime, I have to wonder if I will get to see the entire story. With something episodic, at least I can have that closure.
A lot of modern anime start cutting content in order to finish the story in one or at least two or three seasons. For example, Ushio to Tora, Manga had more story arcs than Anime. After the arc where Ushio and Tora fought against entire forest of Yokai, they have skipped several story arcs that followed so they could get to the story arc with Ushio's Rivals. And it was kinda sad, because the arcs they have skipped had funny duo of idiots which followed Ushio and Tora, and also there was an epic arc with a yokai that was eating bus, and it had one of the most touching story about ex-biker. From what i heard Karakuri Circus also condenced around over 30 volumes of Manga... into 39 Episodes. Even JoJo Stone ocean, to get proper (By modern standarts) pacing, had to cut a lot of content to do entire story not in 39, but in 38 episodes. (And people justify it by saying "Eh, that wasn't anything important"...) In comparison, old Ushi to Tora OVA was unfinished, but episodes felt more interesting.
Oh hey i found this video randomly and decided to check this show. It’s very weirdely entertaining. I was kinda mad he ruined some peoples lives for seemingly no reason but I just kept pressing next episode. It also has this quirkiness only old anime has. Thank you for promoting it I wouldn’t have ever known this series if it weren’t for this video!
