EPTThe first anime that I ever finished in its entirety was Cowboy Bebop, which hooked me more into the genre. Since then, I've been a fan of most of director Shinichiro Watanabe's television works, such as Samurai Champloo and Kids on the Slope. However, one work which seems to fly below the radar compared to his most legendary works is his show Space Dandy. Anecdotally, I've had a couple friends who just couldn't get into the show, instead stopping somewhere in the first season. However, I enjoyed the show immensely on its first airing, and just got off a rewatch a few days ago.
On one hand, I can understand some of the criticisms. Space Dandy is VERY episodic, to a point where some episodes are clear at the end about not giving a shit about continuity. This is a criticism that I see leveraged against other shows like Little Witch Acadamia and even Cowboy Bebop. If you absolutely must have serialized episodes spanning large story arcs, then Space Dandy definitely isn't for you, and that's ok. However, the episodic nature lets the show go into some bizarre, fun directions that the show just wouldn't have time with if it was serialized with a better sense of continuity. In fact, the second season actually gives a compelling in-universe reason for breaking continuity, and it really ties the entire show together in ways that surprise all but the most diehard of conspiracy theorists.
This brings me to another point: the show can feel inconsistent in between episodes as a result of its episodic nature, but it never feels inconsistent within an episode though. It may not consistently achieve the same highs as Cowboy Bebop or Samurai Champloo, but when it does, I think those episodes are right up there with them. The show is a lot of things. It can be weird and abstract. It can be wild and lewdly comedic. It can be heartfelt and introspective and nostalgic. It can be a homage to legendary classics across many genres, and it can be bizarrely experimental.
This experimental inconsistency is both a boon and, for some, a hindrance. It's unfortunate that many may have dropped the show before getting through the second season, perhaps even dropping the show within the first few episodes. While there are some episodes that are more niche for enjoyment, I thought there were many episodes, especially in the second season, that were absolutely breathtaking and creatively unique examples of the genre that are definitely worth giving the show a shot.
Here, I will try to give personal reviews and guides to episodes that I think are essential for those trying this show, as well as recommendations for episodes that I think are more optional than others for those who may not have the patience to sit through the weaker episodes.
Episode 1 "Live with the Flow, Baby": This is definitely a must-watch, obviously. The universe and all the characters get established. The producers focused a lot of attention to the visuals in this episode. They gave instructions to many individual artists to create the most bizarre alien designs possible, and you can see the fruits of their labor throughout this episode and in later episodes. The second half was especially exciting and fun when Dandy and crew are beamed aboard a planet full of giant, aggressive aliens.
Episode 2 "The Search for the Phantom Space Ramen, Baby": I very hesitantly say that this is arguably an optional episode, especially since it's just the second episode. I enjoyed it and thought it was fun, but I can understand why some would feel that the plot isn't terribly compelling. Out of the more pedestrian Space Dandy episodes, this one isn't bad but not too necessary either if you're strapped for time.
Episode 3 "Occasionally Even the Deceiver Is Deceived, Baby": I'd say this is optional. It has its fun moments, like the introduction of Dandy's ship's mech. It kinda feels like the typical stereotype of a Space Dandy episode (if one could say there is one), so it's worth a watch if you adored the first two episodes and most of the later episodes.
Episode 4 "Sometimes You Can't Live with Dying, Baby": I recommend watching this episode. It's a zombie episode, so you get a lot of cool action in the first half. The second half does subvert many tropes of the zombie genre, and there are plenty of homages to the genre such as to Romero and his Dawn of the Dead series. Continuity does get fucked, but it's all for the better since this episode couldn't be as entertaining otherwise.
Episode 5 "A Merry Companion Is a Wagon in Space, Baby": This is one of my favorite episodes in the series, and one of my favorite in the genre. Dandy helps out a little orphan girl who is supposed to be his target. It's very heartfelt, and not only does it feel like its taking a lot of queues from similar episodes in Watanabe's other works, but consequently I feel that it stands among them.
Episode 6 "The War of the Undies and Vests, Baby": I say optional. Not gonna lie, I thought most of this episode felt pretty weak. However, the ending was beautiful.
Episode 7 "A Race in Space Is Dangerous, Baby": I'd say this is an arguable watch. I liked how fun it was, and there's surprise buttsex and pure nirvana. A race episode is always appreciated.
Episode 8 "The Lonely Pooch Planet, Baby": This episode has a cute doggo. Watch it, especially if you have a heart and love dogs. There's also a fun Cowboy Bebop homage.
Episode 9 "Plants Are Living Things, Too, Baby": Now, this episode is WEIRD. Space Dandy does do several of these experimental, artsy episodes that push the boundaries of the genre. This is one of them. It's a neat episode, but mainly if you can enjoy its abstract visuals and atmosphere as well as its lighter sense of storytelling. If not, it's an optional episode.
Episode 10 "There's Always Tomorrow, Baby": I'd say this felt like a solid watch. It's a quaint, nostalgic episode that gives the character Meow some interesting background. It has plenty of fun moments sprinkled in too, but it can feel grounded and homely at the same time, with plenty of heart.
Episode 11 "I'm Never Remembering You, Baby": This is another weird, artsy episode. The color palette and art style becomes increasingly greywashed and sketchy charcoal-style as the episode progresses. It was visually very unique and interesting that way, but there wasn't much going on with the plot. It was likely purposeful with that, but in the end it felt like an optional episode.
Episode 12 "Nobody Knows the Chameleon Alien, Baby": I'm torn between this being a watch and optional. It's funny and entertaining, but ultimately a more typical episode.
Episode 13 "Even Vacuum Cleaners Fall in Love, Baby": This is a watch, especially since it's the season finale. There is a lot of heart in this episode as the robot QT falls in love with a coffee maker robot. The cute romance does give way to tragedy, but this leads up to an action-packed kaiju-inspired finale. I definitely got feels in this episode.
Season 2:
Episode 14/1 "I Can't Be the Only One, Baby": A definite must-watch. For anyone who stayed with the show up until now, this season opener felt immensely rewarding. Dandy encounters versions of himself from wildly different dimensions, many of which are hilarious parodies of various other anime. There's even a Michael Jackson impression in the English dub that practically makes it the definitive version of the show. The jokes were spot on in this episode, and the concept of multiple dimensions will become an important theme in this season.
Episode 15/2 "There's Music in the Darkness, Baby": This episode felt optional to me. I personally didn't feel there was much in this episode that felt especially remarkable compared to other episodes, though the ending sequence in the time-river was pretty entertaining.
Episode 16/3 "Slow and Steady Wins the Race, Baby": An artsy, optional episode for me. The visuals are artsy and unique compared to the show's usual look, but not quite as much as the plant episode last season. If you can get through the first half, the second half is tragic and makes you feel bad for the guest character.
Episode 17/4 "The Transfer Student Is Dandy, Baby": I personally felt this was an optional episode for me, but that may not be necessarily true for everyone. It is a big homage to high school musical shows and movies like High School Musical and Glee, and the English dub even does name drop them as dialogue easter eggs. I personally didn't like the English lyrics to the various songs in the episode, though I haven't watched the Japanese dub so I don't know if it's more bearable for me there. However, the dancing animation is very well-done.
Episode 18/5 "The Big Fish Is Huge, Baby": Another artsy episode, and personally felt optional for me. Some of the visuals feel very much inspired by Studio Ghibli, but the plot felt very light for me.
Episode 19/6 "Gallant Space Gentleman, Baby": This episode is worth a watch, especially since it gives nice background and development for the recurring character Honey, who previously was just a waitress at the breastaurant Boobies. The character Scarlet also gets some character development, which becomes relevant for a couple episodes later on. Otherwise, it feels like a more typical episode.
Episode 20/7 "Rock 'n' Roll Dandy, Baby": A definite must-watch for me. Dandy and friends form a band, and the episode feels like it parodies other documentaries about bands. The visuals can get pretty cool in this episode, and overall it feels very fun.
Episode 21/8 "A World with No Sadness, Baby": This is a MUST-WATCH for anyone. Even though it's an artsy episode, it's still an absolute masterpiece in this genre, and I feel like I'm hardly exaggerating about that. Dandy gets trapped in limbo, and the episode gets very philosophical and cathartic about the nature of death. The visuals are gorgeous and stunning, and the music complement that very well too. If you replaced all references to Dandy in this episode and presented it as a standalone OVA, it would still feel like a masterpiece. With Dandy's inclusion, it even gives you a slight hint about the true nature of Dandy's existence at the end of the episode. This episode and the last episode show for me how incredible of a range this show can achieve.
Episode 22/9 "We're All Fools, So Let's All Dance, Baby": Arguably was worth a watch for me, but I could go either way depending on my mood. The art style is a little different from your typical episode, but it's still pretty neat. The ending got kinda bonkers too, and it can still be an entertaining episode.
Episode 23/10 "Lovers Are Trendy, Baby": A must-watch for the feels and tragic romance. Scarlet gets a lot of character development, and there were a good number of cute and comedic moments throughout.
Episode 24/11 "An Other-Dimensional Tale, Baby": A must-watch because it answers why the show can be so episodic and not give a crap about continuity. It's a pretty cool explanation, and there are fun action sequences too.
Episode 25/12 "Dandy's Day in Court, Baby": A must-watch episode even though it's not as action-packed as the other episodes. The producers saved money on background and animation for this episode, which was well worth it being all splurged on the next episode. It's a court episode, but it does give important hints on Dandy's importance in the universe. Unlike the other episodes, it directly leads into the next episode, and since that's the finale, it makes this penultimate episode worth a watch.
Episode 26/13 "Never-ending Dandy, Baby": For anyone who stuck with the show this long, this episode a perfect cap to this show. It's an absolutely grandiose episode with wonderfully animated action sequences, of which there are plenty throughout with big fleet and mecha battles. The episode even gets surprisingly melodramatic at times, with plenty of surprises throughout. Honey and Scarlet make an appearance for the entire cast to give a full-ensemble send-off, villains included. Overall, it's an incredibly epic finale with an ending that ties up the show in a hilarious way.
I hope this can be a good guide to getting into this show, even for those who didn't give it a full chance. I personally find it to be one of my favorite anime for what it can successfully attempt, even if it can be arguably faulty at other times, but because it is so episodic, hopefully you can still get around to giving those gems a try in between those episodes that aren't as universally appealing.
I also watched this show with English dubs, which I felt were solid enough to arguably be the definitive way to watch the show, especially since the English dubbed episodes even premiered before the Japanese dub. However, a few things do get changed up in the translations, so it could go either way for you depending on your usual preferences.
