Hybrid shows are always a problem, in that they want to be all things to all people, but they are not always capable of fulfilling the promise. Such is what you get with ”Dame×Prince Anime Caravan” (also known as “Damepuri”). It wants to be both dramatic and comedic, but it just doesn’t know the best way to pull it off.

Let us go to an alternate universe. Do you have your passport? Good. We have travelled to the minor nation of Inaco. Ani Inaco (that little red riding….cape in the center) has been sent by Ma and Pa (ahem, that would be King Ou Inaco and Queen Ouhi Inaco to you commoners!) to the signing ceremony in the nation of Selenfalen. This is designed to bring peace between Selenfalen, a powerful theocracy and Milidonia, an imposing military country. Yeah, it’s a bit much to take in all at once, as she is there to help steer things along.

Our maiden encounters the prince of Selenfalen, the incredibly beautiful Ruze Selen el Phiriazar (lower right corner). That’s a guy. Not a gal, but the glamour is blinding. However long he is on looks, he got shorted in the brains department. Plus, his ever-depressing NEET brother, Mare Selen el Phiriazar (upper left-hand corner, on his head), who normally is peering around corners and talking to his doll, but avoiding things like sunshine and fresh air.

If that wasn’t enough, we then have the grand entrance of Mr. Egotistical himself, Narek Ishru de Mildonia (lower left), along with his equally womanizing buddy, Vino von Ronzado (towards the right with the veggie basket) and the Captain of the Guard, Riot Volte (just above Ani). The series contends itself with court intrigue, duplicity, deception and a caliber of road trip with these elements of royalty. Here where things go astray.

The princes are a total grouping of losers in one form or another, but nothing much is done with their ‘abilities’. They aren’t goofy enough to be likable and they aren’t mysterious enough to be dangerous. Much like leaves on a river, they float along. And Ani is reduced to being a caliber of foil, as she tries to shepherd these misfits into understanding what true royalty is. But she doesn’t fail grandly enough to make it hysterical; more like a fizzle, a weak fizzle.

And when she gets kidnapped later (oh, like you didn’t see that coming?) it comes off more as a bother, as if rescuing her will make us late for a very important date or I have to go out in the sunshine. Where is the Royal Sunblock? However, they finally coalesce into a more aware force and decide to make things right…..more or less.

There was just so much more that could have been done with this, as they would hope we would laugh at how things go awry and the almost magical powers they have (when Ruze turns on the charm it literally comes on like a blinding light) rather than working towards that goal. There are certainly the court machinations, of pulling strings behind the scenes to make this country or that country the Most Powerful in the World and we need a stooge or a patsy or a figurehead to distract from what we wish and desire. But again, it’s paste-on villains doing paste-on efforts for paste-on results.

If you want a show that grooves on the visuals, you could do far worse. If you want a story with a tad more bite, you could do far better.

I am mixed on the binging. It just might be a bit much to try and take in and since the show is uncertain as to how to approach things, a lot of the catch phrases and actions might come off as boring and repetitive, unless that is a hidden asset that they were going after. Take your chances with that.

On a scale of 1 to 10:

Artwork           8 (Flamboyant)
Plot                  7 (Underutilized)
Pacing              7 (Can feel forced)
Effectiveness   7 (Too many secrets)
Conclusion      5 (It reaches a ‘coupler point’, but hasn’t ended)
Fan Service     2 (A similar show would be “Okamisan”)
Bingeability    5 (Don’t feel the need to do so)

Overall            7 (It needed to be one or the other)

And remember, it’s first run until you’ve seen it. Aren’t I magnificent?