English Dub Review: Thunder 3 “Small Three”
Overview
Based on the Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yuki Ikeda. The story follows three ordinary schoolboys who come into possession of a DVD that supposedly opens a gateway to a parallel universe, but when their backs are turned, Pyontarou’s little sister, Futaba, passes through and gets kidnapped by the aliens that have overrun that version of Earth! Discovering that their cartoonish bodies give them unknown powers in the hyper-realistic parallel universe, the boys set out to rescue Futaba.
Our Take
In terms of setup, the first half presents itself as a goofy slice-of-life comedy centered around Pyontaro and the Small 3, with plenty of ridiculous humor (sometimes borderline adult, as Pyontaro is into dirty magazines for a middle schooler) and charming character interactions. However, the episode eventually shifts into a much larger sci-fi adventure involving another world, aliens, and a rescue mission that completely changes the direction of the story. While many questions remain about this new world and the characters’ strange abilities, the setup creates a lot of intriguing possibilities for where the story could go.
The biggest standout is easily the series’ unique presentation and cel-shaded art style, which gives it the feeling of stepping into a stylized video game, especially with comparisons to titles like Jet Set Radio and Viewtiful Joe. The contrast becomes even more noticeable when the story introduces its version of the “real world,” where the characters and environments feature a much more hyper-detailed visual style that sharply separates it from Pyontaro, Futaba, and the others. While the unusual presentation may take some time to adjust to, it gives the show a distinct identity and enhances the feeling that the characters have entered a completely different reality. Beneath the visuals, the strong character relationships, especially the bond between siblings Pyontaro and Futaba, provide an emotional anchor for the larger sci-fi story.
Overall, this was a fascinating and promising start that feels like a blend of classic Saturday morning cartoons, superhero adventures, and science fiction. The unique premise, creative world-building, and lovable cast make it one of the more interesting premieres of the season, even if the visual style may not immediately click with everyone. By hiding its true direction until later in the episode, the series delivers a surprisingly engaging introduction and sets itself up as a potential dark horse moving forward.
