In first episode we get introduced to Gan and Ai, 13-year-old mechanics who are fixing Gan’s father’s dog-like robot Yatter-Wan (this is robot homaged in the post-apocalypse episode of Excel Saga), assisted by the die-shaped robot Omotchama. Meanwhile across town the villains Doronjo, Boyacky and Tonzler (known collectively as the Dorombo Gang) plan to sell cut price dodgy sports cars. After they are successful with this scam, they are contacted by Dokurobey, the “God of All Thieves” who wants them to steal the 5 Dokuro rings that will grant any wish. Gan, Ai and Yatter-Wan try to stop them and the crime fighting team Yatterman is born!
This remake is a fun little show. I’m guessing it’s aiming at an audience of kids and adults old enough to the remember the original. For self-referential yucks, Boyacky appears to be the only character aware that this a remake, at one point bemoaning that there’s stuff they could get away with in the original that they can’t now.
The animation is competent all the way through, with Yoshitaka Amano’s original character designs updated but not losing their charm. There really isn’t much to wow you though in terms of animation. Notably Mitsuki Nakamura is the Art Director, they performed the same role on the recent BoBoBoBo anime and this show has similar visual cues to that show. In particular the shots of the dispatching of the “Surprise Mecha” could have come straight from BoBoBoBo.
Wait. I just rewatched it a little. There’s a shot of the Dorombo Gang’s mecha of the week exploding through their base that looks really nice.
What did look extremely nice straight off the bat was the opening animation.
The show is a nice casual watch, but there’s nothing there as yet to make it an essential watch.