Space Battleship Tiramisu: Season 1 + OVAs

An adaptation of a comic book, this is a high-speed (two episodes per each 15-minute installment), mock-solemn spoof of space-based Japanese sci-fi cartoonery. Hero Subaru Ichinose is a sinewy, tormented 19-year-old serving unhappily with the crew of the Tiramisu, supposedly defending against Earth renegades in deep space. The overly dramatic Subaru (self-conscious about his nipples, among other things) seeks solace mostly in food—furtively cooking and eating in the cockpit of his giant mecha. Characterizations and situations riff absurdly on such venerable franchises as Space Battleship Yamamoto and Gundam Wing, although familiarity with these beloved series is not required to appreciate the silly MAD magazine ‘tude as Subaru deals with the machinations of his long-lost brother Isuzu, grapples with manhood issues when he pilots girl-shaped giant-robo armor, adopts a space dog named Chibi ("Cute") that grows to Godzilla size, and forms a friendship with a pubic hair of his that has somehow developed sentience. Additional raunchy stuff in this likely cult item for otaku includes homoerotic horseplay and a female supporting character with astronomical exposed cleavage Presenting all 13 episodes from 2018 in a dual-language Blu-ray edition, rated TV-14, extras include three bonus OVA episodes. Recommended. [Note: Space Battleship Tiramisu: Season 2 + OVAs is also newly available.] (C. Cassady)