From the world of “Rick and Morty,” Rick relaxes in a pseudo-world between multiverses, Summer helps Space Beth fight the evil Galactic Federation, and Morty falls in love with a mysterious girl who happens to be an atemporal being.
The show is beloved for its critical take-down of famous sci-fi movies and TV tropes, while somehow leaning into deep characterizations and existential philosophy. What makes the original stand out is its willingness to laugh both at itself and at other properties, and promptly turn around to deliver something open-hearted. The anime version of this show finds nuggets of humor within a high-energy framework typical of traditional Japanese anime.
The whole idea began as a series of shorts airing on Adult Swim in between seasons of the show. The Japanese dub voice actors got in on several shorts following the exploits of the famous “Rick and Morty” characters within the realm of Japanese stories, such as Lone Wolf & Cub, as well as many monster classics. The shorts themselves are pretty chaotic, as they must convey a complete story in under six minutes. The visuals are extravagant and err on the psychedelic side. The show version of all this, naturally, picks up where the shorts left off by going all in on the manic, psychedelic version of anime.
There are plenty of conceits to take a laugh at in this version. The show puts front and center the sci-fi mechanics fans already know: the multiverse, antimatter bombs, an entire VR world, and split timelines. The way the show maintains its continuity across all ten episodes marks its departure from its predecessor. This running story begins confusingly and quickly alienates the viewer. The only way to process the show is to finish all ten episodes. Only from the end does the very beginning make sense.
The show can be frustrating, but it’s clear that Adult Swim is open to experimentation with even its most beloved properties. The way this version of things developed organically feels creatively novel if not entirely coherent. Instead, the anime feels more aligned with Adult Swim itself than the show “Rick and Morty.” Naturally, fans might be upset to think this show doesn’t pander to them, but if those late-night television cruisers want to discover yet another “What is this?” show for them to appreciate, then this anime version just might be the one. Perhaps removing the brand recognition from it would be the right move to improve the show. As it stands, it’s one of the stranger adaptations of “Rick and Morty” yet.
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