There are shows that are absolutely hilarious, and then there are shows that have a chunk of worthwhile laughter. There are shows with realistic fiction, and then there are shows with farce and deadpan humor. If you’re looking for something to watch that contains the former of the previous sentences, then “Gudetama: An Eggcellent Adventure” is the one for you. The show tells a pessimistic yet relatable tale of living a life in the modern world through the eyes of a raw egg named Gudetama. Gudetama is based on the character Gudetama from the Sanrio company, which is home to popular characters like Hello Kitty. The show, which is streaming on Netflix, is just ten episodes long, with less than 15 minutes of runtime per episode. The Japanese-language deadpan humor show is a perfect watch for those who want to watch something relatable on a rather late work day or perhaps just a bad day in general. The egg’s “meh” approach to everything, especially life, might just tickle a funny bone or two.
The series revolves around a genderless, mostly formless raw egg named Gudetama and a newly hatched chick named Shakipiyo. Shakipiyo is on a quest to find its mother. It thinks that Gudetama is its sibling since they fell from the same tray. The two then embark on an adventure to find their mother. Shakipiyo is a cute, innocent, and upbeat chick, very much in contrast to Gudetama’s lazy and pessimistic outlook. As the two go ahead on their (mainly Shakipiyo’s, Gudetama is just along for a ride) quest they come across a plethora of egg characters. There is a slate eggroll which is like an elderly person giving advice. There are hard-boiled eggs, which are hard and sturdy in their approach, much akin to their name. Then there are century-old eggs that like to stay away from light, and then there is also a giant omelet which is the boss of the egg underworld and threatens to eat the eggs if its orders are not followed. There are humans involved in the story as well. Gudetama, as a talking egg, is only visible to certain humans. When one curious human comes across Gudetama, the human, who is a media person, decides to make an entertainment show starring Gudetama. His idea is quickly rejected because the board members only see a raw egg on a plate and not the moving and pessimist-talking egg Gudetama.
The current Prime Minister of the country is worried about losing points in the popularity poll. Gudetama ends up giving him advice instead. One thing leads to another, and Gudetama ends up becoming the Prime Minister of the country as well. People eat up the surprising news of a raw egg ruling the country. The uproar is a lot, and it also hints at the bandwagon attitude of people. Any sensational news is stirred up in minutes, and the consumers lap it up like hotcakes. Gudetama then finally resigned from the post, citing a false reason for stress due to the work pressure. The former Prime Minister finds new meaning in his work and assumes the post again. As Gudetama and Shakipiyo grow closer to finding their mother, Gudetama begins to show signs of rotting. Shakipiyo, who is clearly worried, wants Gudetama to live a long life. They find out about some medicine that can reverse the decay. Thus begins another adventure in finding that medicine for Gudetama. The duo comes across the egg underworld, which sells medicines. After a series of unfortunate events and discoveries, the medicine is revealed to be fake. When the duo finally reaches the farm where their mother is kept, they meet an elderly woman. She takes them to the coop, and it turns out that they don’t share the same mother. They do end up finding Gudetama’s mother, though. Gudetama finally decides what it wants to do in its life. It ends up becoming a raw egg on a bowl of steaming rice. The elderly woman who helped Gudetama is the one who eats it. Shakipiyo embarks on a new adventure of its own to find its birth mother.
Gudetama is a pessimistic raw egg. From the very beginning, the raw egg has shown zero enthusiasm toward life. When asked about its dreams, Gudetama often replies that the future is bleak. The egg has no urge to live or be happy about things around it. Shakipiyo, the newly hatched chick, is full of life. It wonders at the ways of the world, is scared of the dangers, and yet it wants to add meaning to its existence by looking for its birth mother. The series overall is decent and enjoyable to watch. The lethargic life of Gudetama might just be something that many of us aspire to live at the moment—maybe because of the hectic work schedule or the trials and tribulations of daily life in the modern world. The tone in which Gudetama speaks can get a little grating to hear, but it is important for the tone to be monotonous, for it reflects Gudetama’s depressing approach towards anything and everything. It just wants to drink soy sauce and lie down. Don’t we all sometimes want to just lie down and do absolutely nothing? Although Gudetama finally reached the pinnacle of its existence, Shakipiyo is yet to fulfill its quest. It embarks on a solo adventure to find its mother. The goal is the sole driving force for Shakipiyo to beat all odds and survive to see the next day. Perhaps Shakipiyo does get successful in its endeavor and meets its mother. Perhaps Shakipiyo met a fate similar to other chicks and was picked up to become food for humans. But whatever it may be, Shakipiyo must have had an adventure of a lifetime, just like it did with Gudetama.
“Gudetama: An Eggcellent Adventure” is a 2022 Comedy series directed by Motonori Sakakibara and based on characters created by Amy Nagashima.
