Every so often, a series manages to rise above all expectations to deliver an unexpectedly pleasant surprise. At first glance, Dokkoida?! appears to be one of the types of shows that offers an experience that can appeal to almost anyone, despite the somewhat odd predisposition. Be it through the biting jab at sentai and superheroes, or the over-the-top wackiness of the entire situation, Dokkoida?! is already shaping up to be a comedic classic.

Suzuo Sakurazaki picked the wrong day to return to town. Not only has the business he was working for undergone an economic collapse, but a maniacal marauder is readying to maim the residents of the city. By a strange stroke of luck, Suzuo is given the opportunity to alleviate both problems. Tanpopo,a girl from the Otankonasu Toy Corporation, offers the hapless lad a job as a guinea pig for the company's new powered suit. Upon putting on the patented "transformation belt," Suzuo becomes the super-powered, diapered warrior Dokkoida. Suzuo quickly learns that being a superhero is not as cushy as it seems, though. On top of dealing with "world-class" space criminals, Suzuo must also thwart Otankonasu's competitor's model, Neruloid Girl. To top everything off, none of the people involved can reveal their identities to each other, lest the test become a failure. This is harder than it seems, as, due to budget restrictions, everybody be it hero or villain ends up living in the same apartment complex. What's a fledgling hero to do?

Despite this reviewer's initial caution toward the title, Dokkoida manages to be a pleasant surprise that exceeded admittedly low expectations. The series itself is an odd blend of parodies from superhero comic books to sentai shows. As dull as this may sound to the average viewer, the situation quickly changes when the show nails in the fact that absolutely nothing is exempt from mockery. Everything from long-winded introductions, to quirky villains, and even the main character's background music becomes a ground for humorous ribbing. However, everything seems to hit the fan when the characters step out of their tights and into their more comfortable everyday-wear. The idea that every major character, be it human or villain, is grouped into the house to save on the Galaxy Federation's expenses is humorous enough. Add to this fact the notion that the characters are not to learn each others' identities, and everything begins to take on a Three's Company atmosphere.

Meet Dokkoida: Earth's next super- merchandiseable hero	Yes, that's an S&M Queen. No, you don't want to know why she's so giddy.

Since it is a 2003 series, Dokkoida suffers very little in its translation to DVD. The show's vibrant colors and sharp lines translate with no signs of cross-coloration, grain, artifacting. or other visual defects. For its animation, Dokkoida makes use of a variety of styles. The opening credits and main show are done in cel animation (accompanied by light CG), but the title cards and ending credits are made with CG that resembles claymation and stop-motion paper cutout animation respectively. The result is an insanity that fits the overall absurd nature of the series. The main portion of the show is animated well, with fluid movement from the characters and their surroundings.

Sadly, Dokkoida's music fails to make a lasting impact. The music itself is comprised of tunes that are suited for the zany situations the show throws at the characters. On the flip side, the three vocal songs presented on the disc prove to be quite entertaining. The opening theme "Always on my Hand" is a melancholy, yet still hopeful piece that sums up Suzuo's attitude in a nutshell. The ending theme, "Earth Merry Go Round," is a more upbeat, inquisitive song that asks viewers what the world would be if people looked at everything without boundaries. The third and final vocal piece on the disc is the Dokkoida Theme Song. This piece is the typical superhero song, in the fact that it is more meant to be used to get emotions flowing. However, the rousing tempo combined with the somewhat absurd lyrics create an amusing song on the whole. The series' acting, however, could hover between excellent and terrible,depending on language choice and preference. The Japanese track is stellar, with excellent chemistry between the actors. On the flip side, the English adaptation is borderline mediocre. Several of the voices seem forced, and unfit for the role the actor is cast in. Furthermore, the English script sees quite a few changes in the overall meaning of several lines. On the technical level, the sound is clear, with no signs of dropout of distortion on either track.

For a lower-profile series, Dokkoida appears to be receiving an unusual amount of attention. The disc itself comes packaged in a slick clear keepcase with a reversable cover. The front of the first cover has an image of Dokkoida, Neruloid Girl, and Tanpopo striking a pose in front of a "Sunrise" background. The back of the packaging contains a brief description of the disc's contents, an episode list, and three images from the show set in front of another pose shot: this time of Dokkoida and the pint-sized golem mistress, Edelweiss. The front of the second cover features the same shot of Dokkoida and Edelweiss from the back of the first cover, but sets the two mystery characters' human forms in the foreground of the picture. The back of the second cover is a bit more of a surprise, as it contains two 4-panel Dokkoida comic strips. The front of the insert contains chapter listings for the four episodes on the disc, as well as a montage of shots from the show. The insert folds out to reveal a miniature poster of a space scene with all of the major players from the show. The menu for the show is a gorgeous example of how even the chapter selections can become a joy to look through. Taking the style of a comic book, each page contains an array of shots from the show. The speech bubbles serve as holders for the selections. When a selection is made, the menu literally flips through the pages to the menu that was chosen. The result is an overall slick package that captures the spirit of the series. The extras are fairly minimal, consisting solely of the now-staple textless opening and closing, and a promotional clip for the show.

From the very beginning, Dokkoida is off to a great start. The show's enjoyable atmosphere and infectious humor is sure to please all but the most fickle of anime fans. This reviewer is very hopeful that the series will be able to keep up the blistering pace it's started at to create a series that will truly shine among this year's "must have" titles.

Distributor: Geneon
Creator: Taro Achi / UFOTable
Released: 2004

Video Quality: A-
Audio Quality: A-
Presentation: A
Content: A-
Overall: A-