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REVIEW: The Grimm Variations Anime Series Review

I have a strong suspicion that Elves and the Shoemaker suffers from some differing cultural context around “cheating”. In Japan, cheating is considered just about the worst thing you can do (to the point that it’s been edited out as a subplot for certain shows to make heroic characters more palatable to Japanese audiences), and I wonder if the conceit of having a protagonist who basically had someone doing all the work for him without giving it a fair shake himself was just hewing too close to that idea to be anything but negativity perceived for that audience. Just a thought.

Interesting that you mention that because I recently saw this video that implies basically the opposite of your statement and at the time it was too hard to believe. I just assume it's fake now.

I think there's a lot to that theory - the Japanese variants of the tale type (ATU503) always have two main characters, one who is good and hardworking and one who is bad and lazy. Whereas the German variant features a poor, hardworking man who is rewarded for his kindness by the elves, who then leave when he and his wife are able to pay them back, and thus are in a better (financial) place, the Japanese versions take pains to show that you must be good or be punished. Unlike the Shoemaker, the guy in this show was emphatically NOT grateful and had no intention of rewarding his helper. You can read two Japanese variants in this book: https://archive.org/details/folktalesofjapan00seki/page/126/mode/2up

I did think of that series, but I actually had RWBY in mind, which has a prominent side character fake their entrance exam scores prior to the show proper. That whole subplot was cut for the initial broadcast since he would basically become a pariah in the Japanese fandom’s eyes if it were kept in. I’m not even sure if it was included in the home release versions or not.

I feel this show is greater than the sum of its parts. As an overall, package, it's a creatively varied anthology, individually few of them would stand upon their feet.

I think my favourite one, was "The Town Musicians of Bremen", a very solidly made weird western. I also think it did the "women get revenge on men" troupe better than EP2.

"Cinderella" might be my second favourite, the twist becomes obvious very early on, but it was well told. Next might be

"Hansel and Gretel", I wasn't big on the spoiler[Gretel was just Hansel's imagination twist], and it did feel a bit overlong, but it was still an excellent what if story.

"Little Red Riding Hood" might be next, though the snuff porn lost its shock value for me by the end. I did really like the beginning, where it was "Little Red Riding Hood in a VR version of the Moulin Rouge". I think the main issue was length, once they had established Grey as a character, they don't really do anything with him until he goes to the old lady.

"Pied Piper of Hamelin" has some interesting theming on the dangers of sexual repression and insulated communities. I just wish it had spent more time developing Maria as a character and less time focusing on the teacher.

"The Elves and the Shoemaker"... Yeah, that was just way overlong and really boring.

AverageAnimeFan wrote:

Interesting that you mention that because I recently saw this video that implies basically the opposite of your statement and at the time it was too hard to believe. I just assume it's fake now.

I should have clarified I meant “cheating” in the academic/achievement variety, not adultery. I’m pretty sure that video is shot in Kamurocho, an area (in)famous for its red-light district, so the answers are probably skewed very differently towards the consumer base inclined to frequent there.