The Fall 2021 Preview Guide

Muteking the Dancing Hero

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In the cheerful seaside city of Neo San Francisco lives the kind-hearted Muteki, who, after meeting a self-proclaimed DJ, transforms into the dancing hero Muteking. Muteking and DJ sing and dance to save the city from invading monsters.

Muteking the Dancing Hero is a reboot television anime series of Tatsunoko Production's Tondemo Senshi Muteking hero gag anime and streams on Funimation on Saturdays.

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Rebecca Silverman
Rating:

Do you Dazzler, the disco-themed member of the X-Men created in 1978 as a collaboration between Casablanca Records and Marvel Comics? You know, the one who converted “sound vibrations” into light and energy like a human disco ball? Well, I feel like whatever energy was put into creating that character was definitely present in the room when Muteking the Dancing Hero was born and it's very clearly still around in this modern reboot. I mean, sure I'm saying that in part because there are roller skates and disco balls and boomboxes that play cassettes, but it's more than that – the vibe, if you will.

The story feels a bit more like a magical boy series than a mecha or sentai show, which works with the futuristic 80s mood of the episode. Muteki moves to Neo San Francisco from some unnamed country town to live with his grandmother, the super swingin' Sarah. Before he ever gets to her house, though, he manages to save an electric blue mouse from Funny Pizza Guy (seriously, it's on his shirt) and an old woman from getting rundown by a streetcar. Somehow this gets the attention of DJ a.k.a. DJ, an enthusiastic guy with a boombox and hair that looks like it was made from pink playdoh noodles. Muteki does his best to avoid the man, but somehow can't shake him off, which turns out to be a good thing when pop star Aurora's concert at a local festival turns everyone into tarry black goo. Suddenly DJ enables Muteki to turn into the roller skating knock-off power ranger Muteking, who dances away the bad guy and turns everyone human again. Oh, and DJ may be Sarah's boyfriend/lover. Huh.

To say that this is weird may be to understate. The first three-quarters of the episode spend most of their time leaning into the wackiness, which can make it feel like a bit of a trial to get through; in fact, I was going to give this a 2 until Muteki's transformation because it felt too much like the episode was working too hard to be zany. Evil corporate overlord Theo Eight, owner of OctinQ, which you can see as analogous to the evil tech corporation of your choice, would be twirling his mustaches if he had them, the colors are Playmobil-bright, and everything is just a little too much. It does all come together once the main action gets going, though, and this could turn out to be a lot of fun if it can maybe dial the setting and DJ down a little. (And if we never see waitress Aida again, I'll be very happy.) It's definitely worth giving a chance, because I really do think this is going to be one of those shows that either tickles your funny bone or sends you screaming out of the room with few people falling in the middle.

And if Marvel's paying attention, let's see a Dazzler/Muteking crossover. I'll be waiting.