Desert Punk, ep. 12: “A Change of Heart” (2006, FUNimation)
Desert Punk is an odd show. A crass and profane take on the action comedy, the plot gets heavier in the second half and it takes some harsh directions with its lead character. But it’s worthwhile if one finds the sexual and scatological humor amusing. And what may help with that is the dub, which, after not quite buying into the innuendo at the beginning (an effort in the first couple episodes to keep the script cleaner), quickly gets into the swing of things on the back (and dirty mouth) of Eric Vale as Kanta/Desert Punk and a delightfully cynical and crass Luci Christian as Kanta’s young sidekick, Kosuna.
One of your typical Die Hard-style action pieces, of clandestine maneuvering (or attempts to, anyway) and sudden bursts of action, but it also has an art and direction style different from the rest of the series. It’s also pretty darn funny. It features, in my mind, some of the better line reads of Christian’s Kosuna, some nicely-delivered inner monologues by Vale, and is also helped along by one Monica Rial in a strong guest appearance as an obnoxious little kidnapped rich girl. (She steals the show, of course.)
– bctaris
shsway, in response: While this one wasn’t a laugh-fest for me, there was a lot to grin about. Like the way that Luci Christian, as Kosuna, puts the emphasis on her “Sir”s and “Master”s, when she addresses Kanta. Or when the punk himself goes on about “Fat, Shweaty, skanked out” kidnappers, or tells this demanding little girl to shut her “sloppy piehole”. There isn’t anything too, too questionable here, but just enough to throw me a little as a viewer, ya know?
I also liked the ad-libs that the henchmen seemed to pull, like the walla over the base’s radio. And that bit about Kanta blowing out their “night goggle things”.
