Street Fighter, Darkstalkers, Final Fantasy, and Star Ocean. What do each of those titles have in common? They are anime series that got their start as popular video games that's what! The latest to join their rank is the cult fan-adored Nippon Ichi Software's Disgaea: Hour of Darkness. Originally a strategy role playing game for the PlayStation 2 system, Disgaea charmed gamers with a sarcastic whit, lively characters, and a fantastic musical score. Of course it didn't hurt that the game was a lot of fun to play as well.

Fans everywhere were thrilled when they heard an animated show was being released in Japan. In all honesty the plot, characters, and world seemed ripe for the picking for an endeavor like this. Twelve episodes were produced and after catching the first volume it was safe to say that the sense of humor and personality were available in spades.

The show revolved around Laharl's attempts at taking back his castle, throne, and inevitably the Netherworld. He had been slumbering for quite some time and with the death of his father; who choked while eating a meat bun, there's nobody who can stop him. An angel trainee named Flonne joins his side preaching the power of love and his vassal Etna accompanies him on his quest. Like in the game Etna has aspirations of her own though and they don't exactly jive with what Laharl wants.

In the first volume we were introduced to the zany world of demons, angels, and things that go bump in the night. As it turns out Flonne was actually sent down by Seraph to kill King Krichevskoy (Laharl's daddy) but since he's already dead she basically has nothing to do. When she starts bugging Laharl the 37th Defender of Earth, Captain Gordon, drops by with his large-breasted partner and a robot named Thursday. Several random things happened throughout the introductory volume as well such as Flonne and Etna swapping personalities and the introduction of Mid-Boss.

In the second installment the same haphazard method of storytelling prevails as Laharl and company stride toward his castle. With this being a traveling buddy anime and Disgaea being what Disgaea is, there is a lot of nonsensical stuff happening here. Each episode is almost entirely self-contained and for the most part it gives the series a harshly episodic feel. The final volume of this show comes together with a more cohesive plot but until then these episodes continue to drift along.

Laharl has a bounty put out on his head and demons come out of the woodwork to claim the prize. It's amusing to watch as random beasts lurk in the shadows to confront the would-be overlord but even more so to watch Etna work her magic. Laharl's "sister", Maharl also makes an appearance in this volume which helps to provide very amusing antics and a fun episode. To be quite honest though, the first three episodes here are kind of boring with the way nothing outstanding happens. It's not until the final episode when things get interesting.

The Prinnies all join forces (or try to at least) in order to take what is rightfully theirs and fight the good fight. It's hilarious to see these "dood" speaking penguins try to operate single-mindedly and if you ever loved the game you'll appreciate this episode the most. It's inspired from beginning to end and is probably the best episode of Disgaea from its entire run.

I found Disgaea to be ultimately disappointing because it just lacked substance that should have been there. Instead of working towards a particular point and showing the steps along the way we were presented with episodic content that, while charming, was entirely fluffy. The second volume offers four episodes with some funny moments though the final one here arguably takes the cake. If you were a fan of the game it's easy to recommend the show but newcomers may be left perplexed by what's going on.

Disgaea the anime was released in Japan only last year so the transfer we get for this DVD is piping hot and fresh. The 1.78:1 anamorphic image is incredibly vibrant and captures the very essence of the game's universe. Everything from the character designs to animation and surrounding world has a certain "Disgaea" feel to it. The picture quality is strong for the most part with a relatively reliable image. There were a few occasions where grain was noticeable and even more so where bouts of compression popped up. Overall it's not a bad looking image but it's certainly a transfer that could have been better.

Instead of opting for a 5.1 English presentation Geneon has provided 2.0 stereo tracks for English and Japanese. It's unfortunate that we didn't receive a more technically impressive and immersive language track but it's not necessary to enjoy the dubbings. Both tracks hold up surprisingly well with the English dub containing some of the original voice actors from Hour of Darkness. The sound quality for both selections was fine and I didn't encounter any problems with the audio.

Like the first volume the second one offers a segment where a Japanese voice actor handles questions in an interview. It's full of the typical discussion regarding voice actors but it's always nice to have one of the original Japanese extras included in an American release. Apart from that you'll find some textless animation and trailers to peruse. Overall it's slightly disappointing in the grand scheme of things but there's still more here than you'll find in other shows.

Over the course of its run Disgaea's quality and charm began to dwindle. This trend starts with the second volume and three out of the four episodes here simply coast along with the established formula. Don't misunderstand me though; this is a charming series with a great sense of humor. I simply wished for a story that was pieced together better and an experience that was more akin to the videogame. Still, if you're a fan of the PlayStation 2 titles you'll find something to love here. Recommended

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