Netflix’s Gudetama present is meh (in a great way)

Of all the various Sanrio characters, none communicate to me fairly like Gudetama: a genderless, aimless egg that wishes nothing in addition to some soy sauce and to be left alone. Same. The character makes for lovable stickers and T-shirts, and now it’s being stretched out into its personal sequence on Netflix. It appears fully pointless, and it largely is — we don’t actually need to know any extra about Gudetama aside from its distinct lack of motivation. Even nonetheless, the present — dubbed Gudetama: An Eggcellent Adventure — manages to be simply charming sufficient to justify its temporary run. Whereas many TV reveals may be exhausting, Gudetama is as a substitute viewing for while you’re exhausted.

The premise is, naturally, fairly goofy: Gudetama and a child chick each one way or the other hatch from eggs in a carton inside a restaurant’s fridge. The chick then decides that they have to be siblings and turns into intensely centered on discovering their mom rooster. Gudetama, who isn’t all that thrilled at changing into sentient, doesn’t see the purpose. But the chick is sort of like that one pushy pal who’s at all times forcing you out of the home, and it manages to drag Gudetama into an journey regardless of its objections. The two make an excellent odd couple; the chick, perpetually upbeat, and Gudetama, who says “the future is bleak” when requested about its goals.

The sequence is brief. There are 10 episodes, however they’re all lower than quarter-hour lengthy, so the gag doesn’t have an opportunity to overstay its welcome. And to amplify the surreality of a listless, speaking egg, the present makes use of a mixture of animation and reside motion. So this goopy cartoon egg is hanging out in the true world, speaking to precise people. There’s a TV producer determined to get Gudetama on digicam and a main minister flagging within the polls who takes Gudetama’s clear-eyed view of the world as a supply of inspiration.

Perhaps essentially the most enjoyable factor concerning the sequence, although, is the entire meals jokes. Gudetama and chick are simply two elements of a surprisingly deep and secret culinary world, with eggs on the heart. On their journey, they meet aged tamago sushi rolls who impart knowledge; hardboiled eggs who’re, properly, hardboiled; and century eggs who’re shut-ins that hate the sunshine. At one level, Gudetama and the chick try and steal some desiccant packets with a view to preserve the egg from spoiling, and so they find yourself pulled right into a felony underworld led by a large omelette, a bit like if Jabba the Hutt was edible. It doesn’t make a lot sense, however it doesn’t must. It’s a narrative a few speaking egg.

As cute and foolish because the present is, although, there’s a powerful present of pessimism working by way of it. Gudetama isn’t simply lazy: it’s defeated. It seems to be at our world, with all of its many problems, and wonders what, actually, is the purpose. Better to do nothing or glide than cope with the headache. At one level, the egg even runs for prime minister with the platform “eight days off a week.” Now that’s one thing we will all get behind.

Much like Aggretsuko, the Gudetama present had the potential to be little greater than a one-note joke that doesn’t justify its existence. And whereas it’s largely disposable, its relatability additionally makes it a super diversion for the entire different lazy eggs on the market. Look, we’re midway by way of December already, and although the vacation break is shut, it nonetheless feels miles away as I sort this. We all want a bit of assist to recover from that hump. If that assist occurs to be a bit of yolk who likes to say “meh,” so be it.

Gudetama: An Eggcellent Adventure is streaming on Netflix now.