Mr. Stain on Junk Alley
A dialogue-free surreal comedy set in a junk-filled alley.
Ga-Ra-Ku-Ta: Mr. Stain on Junk Alley is a Japanese animated series created by Ryuji Masuda. Produced by Shunsuke Koga and featuring character designs by Wakako Masuda, it first aired on December 31, 2002. The show has no dialogue, using only grunts and visuals to tell stories. Episodes run about seven minutes and often begin with Mr. Stain finding an object. It aired on Kids Station in Japan and later on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim in Brazil and Latin America.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Surreal comedy
Facts from the source article.
Characters
Mr. Stain lives in a junk-filled alley and finds objects that initially appear ordinary but soon cause awkward situations. He befriends a large feline named Palvan, who often disagrees with Stain on how to use a found item, leading to violent arguments that end well. Both characters are selfish yet show a tender side. Mr. Stain appears in every episode; Palvan is absent from episodes four and ten. Other characters appear occasionally in important roles but can be seen in other episodes. The cast includes Eaten, a fish that is consumed; Rings, a lizard wearing rings as neck accessories; Pylon, a crab using a pylon as headgear; and Policeman, an officer who patrols the alley. Minor characters such as Squeezed dog and Masked monkey inhabit Junk Alley. Lost kitten and Stephanie, a young girl, accidentally enter and are helped to leave. An abandoned baby and a pianist named Lifa appear; Stain falls in love with Lifa and must fight his alter-ego, Handsome Stain from the mirror world, for her affection.
Synopsis
Mr. Stain is a street-dwelling vagabond who uncovers the mysterious world of Junk Alley, where objects have magically come to life. He makes friends and has adventures, with episodes typically beginning when he finds an odd object. The episodes are comedic with thought-provoking scenes. In Heavenly Bird, Stain discovers a caged bird he wants to eat; after a chase, he realizes the bird is dying and only wants to see its tropical homeland. Stain builds a cardboard model of the homeland, and the bird, thinking it is home, dies. In Toy Robot, a remote-controlled toy decides it no longer wants to be a servant and wishes to fly; Stain's attempts to make it fly have comically tragic results. The last episode, a half-hour epilogue, involves Stain seeing a woman in a high-rise apartment and falling in love. After failed attempts to reach her, he accidentally switches places with Handsome Stain from his mirror, who seduces the woman.
DVD release
The DVDs of Mr. Stain were originally released in Region 2 from March 3, 2003, to May 28, 2004, and in Region 1 on March 26, 2006. The Japanese release comprises three separate volumes and an extra Epilogue DVD, while the American release is a two-disc set in a standard amaray case with a paper insert listing other Funimation releases. All DVDs include nearly two hours of bonus material beyond the fourteen episodes. A picture book was released in 2007.
Reception
The series received a positive response from reviewers, who generally felt it could be watched by any viewer and praised the infectious, foot-tapping music of the end credits. John Sinnott of DVDtalk compared it to Charlie Chaplin, calling it very funny with well-thought-out slapstick and a touching show, though he found the fourteenth episode somewhat dragging. Jeremy Mullin from IGN called the show weird but appealing, likening its style to Looney Tunes and noting that it provides laughs with occasional dramatic, thought-provoking moments. Michael Bartholow of Advanced Media Networks described it as wacky, bizarre, and humorous with touching moments, also comparing it to Looney Tunes and praising its visual orientation. Advanced Media Network gave it a 9.1 out of 10, and IGN gave it a 7.0 out of 10. The series received the Excellent Animation Award in the Cultural Affair Agencies' Media Art Festival and was specially invited to the Pusan International Film Festival in Korea, as well as officially invited to the Melbourne International Film Festival in Australia in 2004.
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