Excel Saga: IMPerfect Collection

Anime rarely gets funnier than this hilariously warped series, which turns the genre on its ear through an endless skein of brilliant sight gags and delightfully nihilist snarkiness. Our heroine is Excel, a spunky incompetent who works for ACROSS, an organization under the megalomaniacal leadership of Lord Ilpalazzo that is bent on world domination (which it could probably achieve if Excel weren't such a dismal worker). Running concurrent with this major theme are a series of bizarre subplots featuring Pedro, who is killed in an accident thanks to Excel and whose ghost is stuck crossing paths with her; Excel's neighbors, a bickering trio who work for a mysterious government agency; and an afro-sporting dude, allegedly the “director” of the series. Throughout the 26 episodes are parodies of classic anime series, surreal sight gags, and a constant shattering of the proverbial fourth wall to invite viewers into the madness. Featuring the controversial final episode (a crude and vulgar half-hour that easily warrants the 17-up rating for the series), Excel Saga is presented in a six-disc dual-language boxed set, with DVD extras including a pop-up cultural notes viewing option, music spots, games, recipes, and more. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (P. Hall)