A storm is coming…
What They Say:
Piccolino is the annual children event held by the Family, Pace, Debito, and Luca discuss growing up together.
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
With the series having opened with the promise of a duel, it has been surprising that the show didn’t just leap right into it. That was my expectation based on how that first episode ended, which was going to have me interested but also disappointed. So when it instead shifted to spending the two months in-show time dealing with the characters going through their lives, it felt kind of odd at first. The main thrust of the show is to showcase the characters, their interactions and the way of life on the island where they protect things. It’s something that’s certainly fun to watch based on the male heavy crew that Felicita has surrounding her and the way they’re all so pleasantly deferential to her.
With this episode, things focus a little bit on an event that’s coming up called the Piccolino, something that the Family hosts and has fun with that’s mean for the children. It’s an event that has gone on for some time which is why we’re able to get some back minor back story put into it where three of those currently involve, Pace, Debit and Luca, talking about what it was like to grow up in this environment. This is made heartwarming as we see how they are in the present, their competitive natures all still there when it comes to things like soccer, and it helps to soften all of the men in a way, especially as Felicita looks on and watches it all unfold between them. Particularly so when you have someone like Debito and his general appearance and demeanor.
The episode also deals with a group of younger kids that are looking forward to the event and some of what they’re going through, which leads to most of them all getting together during a storm to weather it all. There’s a child like nature to the adults that are involved, like Liberta, and that in itself has a charm. But his nature as he is now is also something that comes from his past pain, which we get some snippets of as well. The show does some cute stuff with the guys, including a bit after the end credits, which helps to make them all a bit more likable.
In Summary:
While I know my expectations were different based on what the first episode was like and where it seemed to be going, I am still having a hard time wrapping my head around where the series is going now. It’s certainly not what I expected but it’s still cute and fun while showing off some great looking backgrounds and locales, something that’s a big part of the appeal for me. Especially with all of the guys in suits. I’m still not connecting well with the characters and wish there was something a little more substantial about it that I can’t quite pin down yet. The show has a certain fun about it with what it’s doing and as it introduces us to the characters, but it’s meandering in a way that doesn’t really grab you and demand you come back.
Grade: B-
Streamed By: Crunchyroll
Review Equipment:
Sony KDS-R70XBR2 70″ LCoS 1080P HDTV, Dell 10.1 Netbook via HDMI set to 1080p, Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver and Panasonic SB-TP20S Multi-Channel Speaker System With 100-Watt Subwoofer.
