The Chuuni Corner

Anime reviews, Chuunibyou, and other writings

Tag: KonoSuba: God’s Blessing On This Wonderful World!

Review/discussion about: KonoSuba

KonoSuba / Episode 8 / Aqua, Kazuma, Megumin, and Darkness arriving at the mansion in need of exorcising

The opposite of useless

That night, as I started to drift off to sleep, my brain spoke to me. You forgot to brush your teeth. Gross, dude. I got up, half-groggy, and started to make my way to the bathroom. I was unfamiliar with the room’s layout, and it was dark, so I fumbled and felt for the door.

Once inside, I turned on the lights and began to brush my teeth. My eyes weren’t open, and I was barely conscious. Both of which made the sound of a door opening behind me that much more nerve-racking.

When I looked in the mirror, I saw my father sitting on the toilet in the bathroom closet. I stared at him, dumbfounded, wondering what in the world he was doing.

My father only said a single word: “Hellooooo!”

I laughed so hard, toothpaste sprayed across the counter. My father started to laugh uncontrollably, too. Our combined laughter woke up my mother and my two siblings. Upon seeing me foaming at the mouth and leaning over the sink, and John squatting on the john, they couldn’t help but laugh as well. It was a happy beginning to a truly happy vacation.

I don’t fully know what prompted my father to push open his door and say hi, but his ridiculous decision led to comedy genius. Thankfully for KonoSuba, it likewise made the right decisions.

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KonoSuba and Comedy Through Theory

Konosuba / Episode 3 / Kazuma, Aqua, Megumin, and Darkness sitting down for dinner following the mass-cabbage attack

What makes something comedic?

What do you call a Japanese upperclassman who is good at math?

Sen-pi.

That’s a variation of a joke I found on a discussion thread where people provided anime-related funnies. I like the joke. It’s short, contains wordplay, and uses a vital mathematical concept. But for others, the joke falls as flat as a circle.

Why is that? What makes one person grin at a joke or a pie to the face while the next person barely reacts at all?

Take another example: KonoSuba. Hilarious characters and silly situations turn it into a really funny anime. At least, to many of those that have watched the show, including myself.

The question still lingers: why? What makes KonoSuba so gosh darn funny? And for others, what makes KonoSuba not so funny?

The following essay will, with KonoSuba‘s help, investigate comedy — where it came from, why it works, and how it gets applied. Hopefully, by the end of this piece, you will not only have a better appreciation of comedy but also a better appreciation of KonoSuba overall.

Without further ado, let’s get started!

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