4/5 Quite intriguing!
  by Dennis A. Amith (kndy) (California)
In a very surprising move by ADV Films, the popular OH! Mikey shown on the Tokyo TV's Vermillion Pleasure Night (known for the surreal works by Ishibashi Yoshimasa) will be coming out in the US as THE FUCCONS on December 20th with an introduction DVD and on February 22nd as a first full release (52 minutes).

It all about a mannequin family that moves from the U.S. to Japan. The series is absolutely crazy, it's fun!

The series has generated a fan following in Japan, a fan blog and even OH! Mikey merchandise.).

The episodes are about 2-3 minutes long but it's quite surreal to see a show like this. Wow! Try it! It's unbelievably funny!



4/5 Something is lost in the translation
  by Rod Allison (Detroit)
The humor in this series is subtle, to say the least, and probably does not work in the English translation. The show ridicules Americans and makes them look really dense. In fact, the characters are literally mannequins of Westerners (hakujin) with a Japanese voice over, which really creates the dense effect. The dialogues are superficial, and they always end with insipid laughter from all the characters. The only humor I can see comes from the ridicule.

For students of Japanese language, however, there is a benefit to this series. The dialogue in the Japanese language version is simple. It is a little fast with no pauses, but there is a lot that even a beginning to intermediate level Japanese speaker can understand. You may also find some of it funny. I laughed out loud on many occasions even though I'm not sure why. If you can appreciate humor where you're the butt of the joke, it can be funny, although its right on the border between off-the-wall funny and just plain stupid. It can go either way.

Buy this lower priced Volume 0 to see what you think.



4/5 Fuccons Pt. 0 is a good buy
  by Rube Goldfinger (savannah, GA)
I picked this up for like $5 somewhere, maybe less. There are a number of very short episodes that I find very funny. It's ridiculous and definately not funny to the average American. But the surreality and the simplicity of the humor is great and fresh. Recommended if you find Aqua Teens or anything like that funny

1/5 This Japanese TV series is the shi.............................take mushrooms!
  by Mondo Vendo (Detroit, Michigan USA)
Ha Ha! I met the Fockers. Now I have met the Fuccons! Fuccon hilarious! Not really. And their name happens to be the funniest thing about this series.

This is done with mannequins. Mannequins that don't move whatsoever. If you thought South Park and He-Man were the bottom of animation techniques, you haven't seen this Fuccon series. It is a bunch of changing angles of overly happy mannequins with voiceovers. The lips don't move. Nothing moves.

I thought good animated Japanese satire of American culture would be interesting. Nothing is funny here. Not really much satire either.

I could only sit through 2 episodes and various fast forwards of other ones.

Here's some examples of the content. (not exact quotes)

Mikey: What should I do today?
Father: You should go to school. It very important
Mother: School is very important. You need to get ready. Ha. Ha. Ha
Mikey: But it's Sunday. I don't think it's open today.
Father: But its very important so you should go anyway.
Mikey: Yes daddy. School is very important

later that day.

Father: What did you learn at school today, Mikey?
Mikey: Nothing, they weren't open today. No one else was there.
Father: That's because it's Sunday.
Father, Mother, Mikey: Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Later in the same episode. Mannequins are standing in yard. Mother is holding a hose which is spraying near Mikey as they talk.

Mother: How are you enjoying your Sunday?
Mikey: It's fine but I am getting wet.
Mother: That's because you are standing where I am watering the lawn.
Mikey: Is that what Sunday is for doing? Is Sunday the day meant for you to spray me with water?
Mother: No Mikey, there is no direct connection with today being Sunday and me spraying you with water. It's just a coincidence that today is Sunday and that you happen to be standing where I am watering.
Everybody: Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

If this was funny to you, get this Fuccon dvd. If not, just avoid this Fuccon family.

I did watch some previews of later episodes and they will actually have the mannequins be pushed over or drop other items.

I just don't see how other people enjoy the above type dialogue done with shots of totally stationary mannequins.



1/5 Bad Dub?
  by Charles M. Lord
Okay, I've seen a few episodes, and...

Well, I can't say anything good about this whatsoever. I know other DVDs mention that the Japanese is actually good, but I didn't see it and it might be a good idea if they mentioned if the subtitles were more accurate...or funny.

Anyway, the dub does not do good whatsoever. Quite simply, the jokes are not funny. It's not even jokes, exactly. It's just still mannequins saying crazy stuff. The only line I can actually remember is the Mother standing there, waterring the garden, while the kid was hit with the water hose. Then she said that she lied about him going to school in the previous skit.

The kid says that he wished his mom wouldn't water him, and his mom asks him to not stand where she's watering. It is not delivered well, it is not funny.