Beyond the Cliché
Comics, television series, and films featuring ordinary people with superhuman abilities are drawn to stories examining the fine line between authority and accountability; they highlight how the line is important for maintaining a character’s humanity in the face of life’s turmoil. The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. by Shūichi Asō explores the theme area to some degree. However, it also shows a keen understanding of what a cliché device the story is.
The main character, Kusuo Saiki, has much stronger telepathic powers than popular characters such as Professor X and Eternity due to his incredible control over them. Saiki began demonstrating his extraordinary abilities at a young age, leaving behind ordinary human parents to adjust to the difficult job of raising a child who can teleport across space, enter people’s minds with ease, and change reality with just a flash of his consciousness.
The Unlikely Introvert
Saiki is a very calm person despite his extraordinary strength; all he wants is peace and a chance to enjoy his favorite coffee-flavored jelly treat. He kept his extraordinary talent a secret from most people outside his immediate family, considering himself to be the only psychic person in the world. The more he tries to keep his distance from people, the more he becomes entangled in their lives and the closer he gets to having his hidden secrets revealed.
Saiki is renowned for his calm demeanor; even amidst the most chaotic situations, he always maintained the posture. With a sardonic and dry sense of humor, he can’t help but make witty comments about the oddities he encounters in everyday life. As the series progresses, Saiki befriends many of his classmates, each presenting unique challenges in his quest to be normal. Although he is often reluctant to participate in their problems, he secretly likes his friends and sincerely wishes to see them happy.
Throughout the series, Saiki experiences a profound metamorphosis marked by his growing understanding of the value of true human relationships and the need to accept his own identity, including his psychic powers. Initially, he longed for a routine life. But as time goes by, he begins to see how his abilities can be a great force for good, realizing that his abilities can make others happy and help those around him.
A God Among Mortals
The story remains grounded even though Saiki is actually a god because, despite having godlike abilities, Saiki is essentially selfless and has no desire to rule the universe. In circumstances where he might use his skills to save a car accident or revive a child’s belief in Santa Claus, he offers his help voluntarily, showing a constant desire to help others. Although he prefers to keep his friends close to his heart, he secretly knows they are beneficial to him and he would be better off without them.
Throughout the anime and manga inspiringly, Saiki becomes acquainted with a number of his classmates, forcibly, growing to love him due to his surreptitious use of his abilities to help them or avoid their company entirely. The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. explores the idea that Saiki’s greatest challenge is not his abilities but rather his keen insight into human behavior, a perspective that makes him very disinterested in the predictable nature of human interactions, as Saiki’s interactions with his friends develop.
The Burden of Mind Reading
People usually don’t say what’s really on their mind. Therefore, Saiki is always aware of what is on his mind and rarely has real meaningful conversations. The most popular girl in school, Kokomi Teruhashi, presents herself as sympathetic and caring. But underneath, there is a selfish and arrogant personality. Shun Kaido, on the other hand, is a recluse absorbed in his vivid imagination. Instead of actively engaging with reality, he is often immersed in complex conspiracy theories and fantasies of having superhuman skills.
Everyone around Saiki is navigating a complicated maze in their own minds, which is all well and good. However, all Saiki wanted was to stay away from him. Time and time again, he was sucked into it. There is a deliberate distance that keeps us from fully identifying with Saiki as he repeatedly breaks the fourth wall and recounts details of his life. Gently, Saiki takes on the role of omniscient guide to the world he has changed to make life better for everyone. This means that we as viewers just watch. When Saiki saves someone from a confusing situation, we can feel his annoyance and his desire to observe separately or, better yet, not get involved at all.
Laughter is the Cure
As a joke anime, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. provides a light viewing experience without dark, serious topics or overly dramatic plots. It gives us a much-needed break from the intensity of gore and angst found in other anime. Japanese puns and cultural allusions are often used in gag animations, targeting Japanese audiences. The elements may be difficult for non-Japanese viewers to understand without detailed explanations. On the other hand, it stands out for its humor that is generally approachable and understandable to all audiences, making it a fun anime for people of all ages around the world. The series’ approach tended towards slapstick and over-the-top features, which added to the show’s popularity as a source of wild fun.
We’ll quickly notice that the anime moves at a much faster clip than most other anime, which may take some getting used to but still fits the humorous tone of the show. Each 20-minute episode is further broken down into five separate sub-episodes so that all the storylines can be wrapped up in one part that returns the universe to its original state. Longer story arcs rarely span two sub-episodes where season three is one example where that is not always the case. Because of the format, even those unfamiliar with the series don’t need a recap because each episode is easy to watch. The rewatch value of the anime is enhanced by its simple storyline, especially for those looking for light entertainment after a tiring work day. It is also a great choice for casual viewing due to its concise and interesting sub-episodes, which are great for keeping visitors entertained without having to watch long episodes.
It’s the portrayal of the protagonist’s introversion that truly sets The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. from previous stories about prodigies with extraordinary abilities. Saiki just likes interacting with the outside world in his own way, not that he doesn’t find it interesting or aware of its wonders. However, his tendency to be independent is what makes him very popular with most people.
Bibliography
- Gupta, S. D. (2024). Kusuo Saiki from The Disastrous Life of Saiki K – A Character Analysis of Saiki’s Powers and Personality. Tale of the Town.
- Pulliam-Moore, C. (2019). The Disastrous Life of Saiki K Perfectly Captures the Agony of Wanting to Be Left Alone. Gizmodo.
- Yin. (2019). Anime Review: Saiki Kusuo no Psi Nan (The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.). MILKCANANIME.