English Dub Review: Pop Team Epic “The Kingdom of Nature”

Pop Team Epic really does showcase some phenomenal god damn animation. The opening sketch shows what would happen if an anime production company would do if they had a cg budget like Pixar. The detail that went into Pipimi and Popuko was insane, especially when the camera starts zooming into Pipimi’s hand over and over. Pixar can learn a lot from Japanese CG animators.

“Bob Epic Team” is still just weird. These sketches try to be ultra detailed in some scenes, like with the title screens to The Head or The Maxx from the old school MTV days, but it doesn’t follow through. The “Bob Epic Team” sketches always devolve into a mess, and that’s where we’re at this week. Essentially, this is about the judge making Popuko the box step and hokey pokey. It was not for me.

The main sketch is “The Kingdom of Nature,” where it’s an animated spoof on a National Geographic nature documentary where they release apex predators into the savannah. These carnivores are forming packs and mating. However, Popuko, Cthulo and Nyarlahotep play the comedic roles of being in a game show. This was a miss.

The very next sketch surprises me with how well it’s animated. The art style with the kid, his mom, and the birds look awesome. It reminds me of late 90’s, early 2000’s slice of life anime, akin to Goldenboy…just with a lot less sex. The matte look looks amazing. It’s a strikingly different look. Plus, those birds on the perch is a laser cannon to take out a meteor. What’s not to love?

Next up, Pipimi’s coffee shop is an EDM fan’s wet dream. The coffee shop offers EDM dancing, as well as Pipimi going off the wall, hyping up her shop with her mic, the music, and the background Pipimis dancing. It’s so stupid, it’s hilarious in a good way.

This week’s Square Enix looks like Popuko and Pipimi are in Final Fantasy XIV, with an anime rendition of an MMORPG that looks like a CG anime coat of paint over World of Warcraft. Listen, if Final Fantasy XIV looked like this, I would play this in a second. Unfortunately, we get anime WoW. Anyway, we go into the finer details of the MMO, like playing the FFXIV version of Mahjong.

There were a handful of shorter sketches, like Popuko goes Super Saiyan while hand shaking with an otter, There was a nostalgic sketch with Popuko and Minimaru in a Tom and Jerry-esque sketch where Popuko gets shot in the head, as well as getting her hand burnt by a cigarette. Next, Popuko takes steroids/energy pills, followed by Popuko being in a drug fuel romp, and Pipimi asking if she’s on drugs. Later, there was a skit where Pipimi wins an “I knew” chain with Popuko. Finally, FPS PTE takes on Apex Legends.

This week is a certain drop off from the last few weeks of episodes from Pop Team Epic. I was not feeling this much at all outside of the Square Enix sketch, which has been surprising. The animation quality was there. The writing just wasn’t there this week. “Bob Epic Team” dragged the episode as well. I think it’s just that I don’t get it.

The second half of the episode, with the alternate audio make this more enjoyable. “The Kingdom of Nature” was actually enjoyable with Popuko and Pipimi providing commentary during the “documentary.” The first two sketches with the otter and Minimaru were awesome with the alternate track. The regular dub just lacked. This is the first episode where the rerun made the entire episode more enjoyable.