DETROIT METAL CITY: “THE JAPANESE EQUIVALENT OF DETHKLOK”
Thursday, December 24th, 2009 at 11:00am by Axl RosenbergOr so reader Edgar Garcia tells us; I’ve never heard of this animated show myself, but needless to say, Edgar’s e-mail got my attention. So I checked it out, annnnndddd…
It doesn’t seem nearly as good as Dethklok. I mean, even if I had a better understanding of the show, the music just doesn’t strike me as being as catchy (Although any “band” with a song called “Fuckingham Palace” can’t be all bad, right?). Also, it’s very Japanese, which is to say, it’s kinda weird and very funny, but I can’t tell if they’re being deliberately humorous, or I’m just a racist, or a little bit of both. For the sake of my liberal guilt, let’s say it’s a little bit of both.
Anyways, here’s the intro for Detroit Metal City, which pales in comparison to that of Metalocalypse but is worth a look, I suppose:
Check out a clip after the jump, which confirms, at least in my mind, that either something is being lost in translation, or this show just isn’t as funny as Metalocalypse.
-AR
I’ve read the manga, and I liked it (Ohgodwat?1!) but the show doesn’t look good even if it almost exactly like the manga. Maybe in motion is where it all falls apart, but eh. The music sucks too IMO
…the fuck?
some of my friends tried to tell me its the perfect show for me
but fuck, it’s japanese, so clearly not
japan is just not metal, least not modern japan
Tell that to the guys in Coffins…
Sigh, Boris, and Coffins. I don’t even have to say anything else.
let’s not forget Sabbat, Church of Misery and Intestine Baalism while we’re at it.
Metalucifer!
How could you guys forget Loudness?
japan is metal as fuck apparently your not familiar with takashi miike
not a fan. Looks like it’s trying too hard?
It has a basis with KISS. Gene Simmons has something to do with it I hear. And yeah there was a manga before the show. I haven’t read it though.
Simmons made a cameo in the movie adaptation of DMC, which was really popular in Japan a while ago but I doubt there’s an English version available, and it just wouldnt be as funny anyways.
looks like a bunch of japanese jugallos to me… pass.
The problem with animé is that you have to understand the context where the action is being held. You need to see that to understand the joke. The tokyo Tower is held by the japanese as one of their most distinctive monuments, and is a turistical place also. How do I know that? There was a time that I got interested in anime, but then it gets old since the music is so weird and most of the people that follows it is even weirder. An stoned apanese may find this funny. And what else can be weirder that an stoned japanese???
Metalokalypse is funnier because it gets the metal cliché from the occidental perspective.
Definitely a matter of context, when translated into any other language, Japanese utterances sound forced and semantically adorned.
And yet I laughed :D
But yeah; I totally do agree with you Miguel.
the tokyo tower squirted. what a slut.
Yeah, what he said pretty much is why most of us won’t find it funny.
It kind of is… considering they’re calling the Tokyo Tower a slut, when really, it looks like a giant penis…
That was weird. But that’s Japan. I’d rather watch crazy Japanese game shows:
http://www.weirdasianews.com/2009/12/21/japans-tantalizing-game-show-clips/
It’s just not for me I’ll just stick with Metalocalypse.
Guys, I think he’s a terrorist from hell.
Dethklok would kick there asses in a fight to the death or just summon a lake troll to squish them.
this made my head hurt, in a good way
It’s an awesome anime. I laughed my ass off throughout the whole thing.
I believe it’s worth watching.
I’m not much of a fan of anime, but that was pretty damn funny.
Metalocalypse if only funny if you’re a retard with shit taste. Not the most artfully constructed sentence but it applies.
Seriously. Kind of sad.
And what constitutes what is and what is not “shit taste”? You sound like an idiot just for trying to assume there are universal standards on what is funny, artistic, etc. You know, if that shit logic applied to everything in the world, metal wouldn’t exist you dumb shit.
Coooool,you guys must have a really slow news day to include an article I sent in.I should have elaborated on this show/manga and how it wasn`t as brutal as Metalocalype but I had a feeling it wasn`t going to be even looked at.
But yeah,it isn`t as brutal as Metalocalypse.Also,the manga states that the music DMC plays is Death Metal,but as I`ve come to notice the Japs have no real idea of Death Metal.
The manga is much funnier. Why? Because you can’t actually hear the music.
Metalocalypse’s music might not be great, but at least it’s decent melo death. This thing? Yuck.
I wouldn’t compare it to Metalocalypse, but I watched all of Detroit Metal City and I really enjoyed it.
i liked the series, funny as hell. i recommend it. if you get weirded out easily.. maybe not?? the thing is maybe metalocalypse is stupid/weird to the japanese, you have to see it kinda outside the standard western world view to enjoy it.
Metalocalypse > Detroit Metal City
In that particular scene at least, it feels like it’s parodying anime more than it’s parodying metal.
its a pretty funny anime, just not as good as metalocalypse
Going by this and their porns, the Japanese sure like their rape, don’t they?
One thing DMC has over Dethklok: granny gimp.
Lol. I do kinda think that this show is funny but I wouldn’t compare Metalocalypse with DMC.
Also, you kinda need to know the basic premise of the show. Yeah, their metal heads playing music and do stupid shit, but the guys that do this are “normal” Japanese guys, meaning they are timid and follow preexisting social norms and don’t deviate or call attention to themselves. Feeling oppressed by this marginal society, they turn to metal music to let out their inner devils and individuality where they normally wouldn’t be able to. Besides the crude and contextual humor, there is also humor derived from the stark contrast of the double life lived by the band members and how they balance each out.
So yeah. It’s interesting. But of course, I wouldn’t expect people to be in to this. Either the sheer fact that it is a Japanese creation or that the language spoken is Japanese is enough to alienate some people. But whatever. It’s fun for those who take it lightly and I suppose for people who have an affinity for Japanese animation and storytelling.
any show that uses the word rape so many times in the span of 2 minutes is awesome.
Three words: Sonic. Grudge. Fucking.
Genius. I’m off to increase my raping pace.
That was WAY random. Which is why it’s awesome! Fucked-up shit like this is why I started watching Adult Swim in the first place. I think it’s funnier OUT of context with the rest of the “story”, which if I remember my gag anime correctly, is completely inconsequential.
It definitely has a bit of that Excel Saga flavor to it.
when did it become metal to rape your mother, want to fuck your dad in the ass, and dry hump buildings? Incest does not = metal. The only part i found funny was the crowd in the intro. What Japanese metal concert is that crazy? Japanese fans cheer a bit in the song, then clap after its done…then wait for the next song. Ever hear the Bodom live in Tokyo disk? Brutal crowd energy. Now, a crowd at any North American metal show is crazy. Let Killadelphia be an example. Chanting, yelling, huge circle pits and the wall of death. Now that’s fucking metal.
I’m gonna start a band called Irapedtokyotoweronce. We will be absolutely terrible and yet still be showered with praise by certain metal-themed websites which shall remain nameless.
You can’t really compare it to Metalocalypse. Dethklok is supposed to be ironic, while this is clearly supposed to be deadly serious but comes off as total cheese. It’s more like the Japanese equivalent of Marylin Manson than anything remotely entertaining. Plus this sounds like nu-metal.
LAME
let’s just all agree that cartoons about metal bands are gay.
I’m betting there’s a translation issue. A cartoon centered around rape just isn’t that funny.
First sign it sucks. It’s Anime/manga/japped out.
sounds like they based off their perception of metal off of slipknot
Show looks like shit, but I always find humor in the belligerent tone that anime characters always scream in. Now that I think about it, I guess I just think the sound of asians yelling is funny.
…wow, I guess everyone is a little bit racist sometimes.
I actually went to look this up, because I didn’t believe it could be at all tongue in cheek…at all. It seemed like it took itself too seriously.
Is this really supposed to be a comedy? But, fuck, some of that stuff just seemed too hilarious not to be.
e.g. “In stage costume he is Johannes Krauser II, rumored to be a terrorist demon from hell, to have killed and raped his parents, to wield his giant death penis with abandon, etc. etc.”
Really?
….
I still don’t understand why some of my comments are awaiting moderation o_O I don’t troll here, that I know of.
I’m Japanese and don’t like DMC. The Author don’t like Metal, DMC is funny, but false metal.
Someone wrote that “Japan is not metal” but I say strong “no” to him.
Japan has nice metal bands.
Black Metal :Arkha Sva, Cataplexy, Magane, SSORC, KANASHIMI, Hakuja, Fenrisulf, Abigail, SIGH
Deathmetal: Disconformity, Gorevent, Defiled.
Thrash Metal: Terror Squad, United, Outrage, Grimforce, Jurassic Jade, Mononofu
Melodic Death Metal: Shadow, Serpent, Blood Stain Child
Metalcore: Crystal Lake, Crossfaith, Edge Of Spirit
Japan is not bad for Metal
The manga is kind of funny, even if the author clearly dislikes metal, but the anime is kind of dull, and has lame music. There’s also a live action film, but it’s incredibly bad.