English Dub Review: Pop Team Epic “SWGP 2018”

Go for Olympic gold. 

Overview (Spoilers Below)

SWGP 2018

Popuko is a first-time challenger in the bobsledding competition, SWGP. She is coached by Pipimi, and starts off the competition strong. In the middle of the race are a bunch of wacky contenders, as well as unexpected challenges on the track, like a passing family of baby penguins. Just when all hope is lost, Pipimi appears on the track to combine with Popuko and secure gold. As Popuko is about to be awarded the gold medal, she is taken off the podium under suspicion of doping. Instead, it’s revealed that Popuko is a robot, and she takes off.

While being extremely timely in coinciding with the Olympics, it’s a parody of sports anime in general. Popuko being inspired to get into sports by something seemingly small and insignificant is a key trope of sports anime. Of course, some of the competitors are very, very familiar. The . Popuko and Pipimi’s combination of Boost Power! is from F-Zero. And naturally, it ends with Top Gun.

Score

10/10

 

Kabedon

Popuko asks for Pipimi to kabedon her, and Pipimi agrees. The force of the kabedon destroys the building they’re on, sending them both into the track, through the Takeshobo offices, and finally, into a jungle where they start to jam out.

The force of the kabedon is too powerful. The initial dating sim sequence is based on Tokimeki Memorial.  The girls’ hatred for Takeshobo comes back again, and their final dance is very similar to Donkey Kong Country 2.

Score

8/10

 

Save Point:

Pipimi and Popuko are both in a dungeon. They spot a save point, and when Popuko peeks around the corner, she sees the final boss. The final boss, the demon king, starts an intimidating speech, but one of minions inform him that his throne is broken. The minion offers the demon king an ottoman instead, but the demon king is so comfortable that he doesn’t want to move. The minion is revealed to be Popuko in disguise, who says that the demon king has now been sealed.

The entire skit parodies JRPGs, which are notorious for having a lot of save points just before a major event. The little information card that discusses Pipimi’s stats is often something that comes up in JRPGs, especially during the loading screens.

Score

9/10

 

Let’s Pop Together:

Popuko and Pipimi star in their own trippy music video. 

The felt dolls are back! The entire music video is based on Earth, Wind & Fire’s Let’s Groove. As seen in the link, the images are nearly identical. Whoever thought that Earth, Wind & Fire would star in anime? The comments across the screen are just like the streaming service Nico Nico Douga, where the users’ timed comments often scroll across the screen. Then of course, Hell Southern Cross is an attack from Seiken Densetsu 3.

Score

10/10

 

Bob Epic Team (2):

Popuko realizes that an alien is taking up her cat’s bed, and she yells at him to leave. 

This segment of Bob Epic Team is slightly better animated, with more detail put into the alien. Unfortunately, the joke falls short.

Score

7/10

 

One Missed Call:

Popuko gets a mysterious call from ‘Mary’, who tells her that she’s right outside. Popuko, enraged, charges outside with a spiked bat to give Mary a good fight. Unfortunately, nobody is there. She gets another call from Mary, and demands to know where she is.

This is a horror movie parody if I’ve ever seen one. Instead of being frightened by the mysterious call, Popuko is more than ready to fight. She’ll be the one to survive a horror film, for sure.

Score

10/10

 

Other Skits:

Popuko and Pipimi gossip, and make fun of an older man that criticizes them. While trying to complete a hard level of a video game, Popuko warps to the end and accidentally causes a time paradox.

 

Best Sketch: SWGP 2018

Worst Sketch: Bob Epic Team (the second one)