Sgt. Frog: Season 1

Sgt. Frog (or Keroro Gunsou) is some of the best animated comedy out there in general, period, especially in English. It hits the same "nerve" shows like Adventure Time and Regular Show do, as all the people I've introduced it to (who, by the way, ALL love it-- yes, it's THAT endearing and infectious, even to those not all that into anime)/are already fans of this are also fans of at least one of those two. The humor is varied, rapid-fire (as in machine gun rapid; there are jokes you will probably miss on first viewing but catch in a rewatch), has references galore, whether visually or through dialogue, to anime from the mainstream to the obscure and from old to new (though refs to western pop culture and famous people are added in the FANTASTIC dub, really widening it's appeal) and best of all, it's appropriate for all ages, which means you can also sit the kids down in front of the TV and they'll also have a ball with it. It's honestly crazy this hasn't already hit the airwaves in the states, to be viewed by a mass audience, because this has the makings of a massive success!Anyhow, if you like this set of the first 26 episodes, and odds are you will, it'll be a no brainer for you to get the other 2 seasons currently out at the moment, because it only gets better and better.3/28/14 EDIT: Funimation has put their release of this awesome show on hiatus since about a year ago, but don't fear! Potential buyers, the only way we'll get more of this show-- episode 79-103 and onward-- sooner rather than later is by voting with your wallets (and of course, spreading the love/awareness is a great thing to do, too!)4/1/14 EDIT: One thing nobody has mentioned, not even the description, is that according to the back of the box, all DVD sets of this show are Regions 1, 2, and 4, meaning this is importable to those in the UK/Ireland, Australia/NZ, South Africa, and all other countries those areas cover.

My usual method with watching anime is to watch the English dub (if there is one) to familiarize myself with the show, then watch the Japanese version for nuance. I have found this a good way to enrich my enjoyment of a show.But that didn't work with Sgt. Frog. I watched the English version and liked it okay...and then I went to the Japanese, and it was a totally different anime...and a much better one. The narrator, although often befuddled, is much more polite (his attempts to "teach the kiddies" are hilarious), the jokes don't aim immediately for the cheap laugh, and the on-screen Japanese captions are translated correctly! Also, there are times when the English version seems determined to needlessly distort aspects of an episode, like in "Wet Hot Beaches" (the English titles are irritating, too!), when they say that the beach is polluted. (In Japanese, it is made clear that the beach is "out in the sticks" and that's why so few people go there.) And, honestly...what was so wrong with the name "Keroro Platoon"? The "unfortunate acronym" used in English is just plain cheap. It was also quite reassuring to discover that Giroro's "crush" on Natsumi is actually more innocent and gallant than the "creepy stalker" vibe implied by the English version.On the positive side, both versions of the show rely heavily on "breaking the fourth wall," or having the characters and the narrator interact with us in a way that deliberately blurs the line between fantasy and reality, so if you like that, then you can't miss.But for the rest...the Japanese version is better. Really. You just need to have a little patience.

I love this show, period. The frogs are endearing, the show is hilarious, the english voice cast does a wonderful job, and anybody who watches this show ends up loving it almost as much as I do. Yet somehow, due to slow DVD sales, Funimation may be dropping this series soon (along with D.Grayman)! That stinks!I know what you're thinking: "Anime is so expensive, I can't afford it!" I can tell you that it's a steal at $30, it really is, especially considering that a place like Best Buy or some mall outlet would easily charge you something like $55-$60 for it.So, here's what I'd like you to do: buy this box set, or if you're feeling really generous, buy the two half-seasons. You'll be helping to make sure that Funimation can continue licensing the series for all of us to enjoy! And I PROMISE that you'll be happy with your purchase too.If you yourself are not interested in a comedy gem like this, then Christmas is coming along and you have to know *someone*who would enjoy some froggy goodness. And hey, somebody has a birthday soon, right? Get one for them too! Get them the other two seasons as well if you wanna be an extra good friend ;)  Sgt. Frog: Season Two  and  Sgt. Frog: Season Three, Part One  & Sgt. Frog: Season Three, Part Two

My son adores SGT. Frog! When Netflix stopped offering the show he was so disappointed. Then Hulu picked it up but only had the subtitled version this frustrated my little 5 year old so much more because he isn't very good at reading yet. I had bought this for his 6th birthday last year and he was so happy to be able to watch it again. I will be purchasing the other two seasons for him probably for Christmas this year. Personally, I prefer watching my anime subtitled, but that is just me. If I recall correctly I believe this DVD gives you the option of watching it either way which is a very useful feature for those of us who are a little bit Otaku by nature.