The Irresponsible Captain Tylor

In this sitcom-like anime, 20-year-old slacker Justy Ueki Tylor joins the military under the assumption that he can land a cushy desk job that won't require much work. But an accidental act of bravery (involving the rescue of an admiral from a hostage situation) launches Tylor into a new role as captain of an intergalactic battleship. Dealing with the usual rogues' gallery of stock characters aboard his spacecraft—a drunken doctor, persnickety officers, and various knuckleheads—Tylor finds himself leading his troops into an unlikely confrontation with the Holy Raalgon Empire, ruled by the young Empress Golza. The series often feels like the bizarre union of Flash Gordon and The Office, with outlandish space battles commandeered by the world's worst manager. Although the fun isn't sustained over the entire series, The Irresponsible Captain Tylor still features plenty of humorous situations revolving around everyone's bafflement over Tylor's position of authority. Particularly amusing is the character of Lieutenant Makoto Yamamoto, who clearly sees Tylor's incompetence but is tied in emotional knots because his subordinate standing demands that he accept his superior's freewheeling style. This offbeat series collects all 26 episodes from 1994 on a dual-language five-disc boxed set, suitable for 15-up. Recommended. [Note: The Irresponsible Captain Tylor OVA is also newly available.] Aud: P. (P. Hall)