The Daichis: 
Earth Defense Family Vol 1-Dysfunctional Heroes
(Geneon Region 1 NTSC DVD)
(2004)
review by Big McLargehuge

Putting a humorous spin on the plots of countless classic anime, The Daichi’s, Earth Defense Family provides enough goofy fun for even the most jaded superhero team anime fan.

Do you remember Gatchaman (known in the US as Battle of the Planets) or any of the series contained in the old Force Five cartoon show, like Grandizer or Space Keteers? Do you remember how seriously those shows took their story arc? How dramatic the plight of a small group of Earth’s defenders sometime overshadowed the animation and dragged the show kicking and screaming into semi-adult drama? Well, if you do then prepare to get a good laugh, or several good laughs, from The Daichis.

A family on the verge of collapse (mom Seiko serves divorce papers to her obese husband Mamoru at the breakfast table) receives a mysterious fax reading only “Save the Earth” and are catapulted onto Earth’s front line against an alien invasion; this is the plot of The Daichis, Earth Defense Family.

In fact, this is the plot of the first two-part episode of the Earth Defense Family volume 1 DVD Dysfunctional Heroes. Once they slowly come to grips with their new responsibilities, and the ability to make a whole lot of money in their new positions, the family must learn to use their mysterious battle suits to prevent the conquest of Earth.

What makes The Daichis a little different than some of the other funny superhero anime like Mao Chan and Dokokoida is the inclusion of deep family strife in the background of the action set pieces. The Daichis doesn’t really open any new ground, but spends ample time paying homage to the classic titles from which its inspiration springs. The characters are all archetypes we’ve met before, Mamoru, the corpulent father, is a programmer in a dead-end job who is both stultified by his work and completely submissive to his wife’s increasingly shrill ranting. Seiku, the blonde mom, is a control freak of epic proportions and saddles their 13 year old daughter Nozome with the housework while constantly hounding her to succeed. Nozome wants to be left alone and can’t accept that the family is imploding and is ambivalent to the comedy supplied by her aloof younger brother Dai. Dai is too young and too rambunctious to understand why his parents can’t get along.

The super suits are specific to the wearer so Dai becomes the defacto hero while Nozome dons a suit suited for rescue, Seiko wears a suit that interfaces with her flying car, and Mamoru becomes the coordinator of the family.

The Daichi’s takes its visual cues from Gatchaman, though there is more super-cutesy chibi here than ever in that landmark series, with long transformation sequences, and plenty of giant monster meets human sized hero action. The animation by GroupTAC, know for such shows as er… The Fighting Foodons, and a host of other TV programs is as good as any high budget anime series title out there. The character design by Kazuaki Moori (of such series as Mister Ajikko, and the film Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation) straddles the line between anime realism and cartoony fun. The visual work is most like the recent series Mao Chan.

The score is fitting from the ludicrously hummable theme performed by Akino Arai to the rock-infused power chords emphasizing the action sequences.

The Daichis offered many laughs to the McLargehuge family, special mention goes to the naked Dai eye catch in the first episode that almost asphyxiated Mrs. McLargehuge; the family at war with itself dynamic helps ground the series, at least a little. While we can all cheer for the heroes of Earth facing off against danger, it’s much easier to identify with a dad slowly finding his voice and the desire to keep his family together. That little bit of humanity makes all the other stuff worthwhile.

The next DVD (Debt-Doomed) is due for release on March 1 st 2005.

Geneon offers The Daichis, Earth Defense Family: Volume 1 - Dysfunctional Heroes in original Japanese (5.1 surround), Englush dub (5.1 surround), English subs for dialogue or street signs only (which is nice), and a gaggle of trailers.