The slyly entertaining and wry premise of this hit paranormal classroom comedy is that the lead character who has near-godlike psychic powers finds it all a burden, which makes him a 16-year-old curmudgeon, not a superhero. Saiki Kusuo can hear peoples’ thoughts (which are annoying), is clairvoyant (so nothing surprises him), and can perform teleportation, shape-shifting, telekinesis, and all the rest (so his feckless dad constantly tries to exploit him for an easier life). Narrating nonstop in sarcastic style, Saiki—who has game-controller-like antennae in his head—tries to avoid attention, shuns heroic acts, and discourages sycophants at school. But he still winds up with plenty of all three in episodes that are sometimes more like collections of skits, frequently riffing on Japanese culture, including nudges at Shonen Jump, the hugely popular manga magazine in which Saiki first appeared, and a bit with Saiki dissecting the demerits of a video game. Since prudish (or just bored) Saiki foils male students from peeping at unclad co-eds, the dirty-joke elements here are minimal. Presenting the first 12 episodes from 2016 in a DVD/Blu-ray Combo set, rated TV-14, extras include an episode commentary. Highly recommended. [Note: The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.: Season One, Part 2 is also newly available.] (C. Cassady)
The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.: Season One, Part 1
(2016) 4 discs. 300 min. Blu-ray/DVD Combo: $64.98. Funimation (avail. from most distributors). Volume 33, Issue 4
The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.: Season One, Part 1
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