So, what's it about? A fedora-wearing salesman called Moguro Fukuzou walks around Japan, looking for individuals who lack fulfillment in their lives. He then, effectively, solves all of their life's issues, be it in a literal way or something more abstract. This is all completely free of charge, but there's always a catch: they must follow his directions when using his solution and not betray his trust. Normally, someone will either take credit for everything, betray his trust, break a condition, or fuck up in some other fantastic way once they "get comfortable" with their new life, exposing their avarice. Then, Moguro punishes that with something that I can only describe as fantastic, before he walks away with a life lesson.
This format never changes, but the creativity is astounding. Rarely is there ever an episode I can say is a "rehash" or "too basic". The way the "fall" segments play out is timed perfectly and subtly, but the core narrative is always well-explained and/or made clear, so you don't get completely lost or anything. For the time period and limitations it places on itself, it's just great. The comedy is done in a very Japanese way, but god it just hits perfectly.
If you ever watch this, I recommend going about it in short bursts, otherwise the show wears itself out. It wasn't built for on-demand streaming because, well, it was designed for airing on TBS's variety show in 1989. Ergo, you've gotta treat it that way, but if you do, it really shines. This isn't to say you can't binge all 103 episodes, as it is possible!
You may know of this series for "Warau Salesman NEW", a 2017 series that brought this old titan back to the present. It unfortunately received little fanfare, because, well...it used the exact repertoire from the traditional anime, down to the bone. With the point about its origins in mind, as you would expect, it does show its age and follows a very set formula, which makes it difficult to binge in a modern era. I personally loved it as an appreciator of the original, because, well, it plays to my sense of humour perfectly. If you do go through with this season, treat it like the '89 show, and it'll show what it's worth.
I think the main problem with this anime is that, well, it's different. Very, very different. It's nothing like anything you'll find on the modern market, so many an average anime binger will likely be taken aback by something like this. I also think there are times where it isn't "in-touch" with modern society: this was built as a commentary on Japan during a period of great change, so...yeah, sometimes it can be hard to "get it". Regardless, the people who watched it with me in my server adored the first 13 episodes of '89, so I hope it stays that way while I stream it. It's very unique and truly deserves more than it gets.
