Centered around the flamboyant Doctor Ichirou Irabu and his psychotic approach to psychological treatment, Kuuchuu Buranko is an abstract look at common mental disorders and their treatments. Appearing as a green bear mascot character, an androgynous young man, and a precocious little girl, the good doctor endeavors to help his patients by forcing them to face their fears. Every episode of Kuuchuu Buranko sees Dr. Irabu helping a different patient, utilizing his odd methods that always include a distressingly large “vitamin shot” (which gives them animal heads for some reason) and an extensive home visit from the doctor himself. What started out as a psychedelic romp finished as a deep look at the human psyche that surprised me in more ways than one.
While the stories in the beginning of the series tend to lean towards the sillier side, the episodes get deeper and more heartfelt as the series goes on. A lot of them even hit particularly close to home and had me really feeling for the patients. As it progresses, Kuuchuu Buranko becomes less about a whacky doctor treating his patients and more of a look at how the way a persons state of mind can severely affect their lives and the lives of those around them.
The animation in Kuuchuu Buranko is nothing spectacular, but it is interesting. Actually, everything about how the series looks intrigues me in some way. From the odd character designs to the psychedelic background design filled with polka dots, everything works together in order to keep the viewer interested at all times. The designs of Dr. Irabu’s different incarnations were especially eye-catching.
I went into Kuuchuu Buranko expecting a fairly strange, somewhat funny series with good aesthetics that I would enjoy. What a got was a very strange, but great anime series that was funny, emotionally stimulating, and totally memorable. Even though every episode followed the same formula, I never found myself getting bored. If what I’ve written above doesn’t tell you how much I enjoyed this series then here you go: Kuuchuu Buranko is a great series that shouldn’t be missed.
Overall Score: 4/5
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