On a conceptual level. Yes, there is only so much more Zetsubou Sensei can go before becoming entirely passe. But the fact that it has gotten this far and is still an overall enjoyable series is a testament in of itself. This might be a western view but, now if only more anime could get how to make their humor work.

I did actually watch until about halfway through Zoku until repetitivness finally took it’s toll. It’s odd that the part that made me drop the show was your favourite part.

@Scamp
I’m not going to force SZS down your throat, but I will mention that you dropped it just before it started picking up. The eps around ep 6 of the first season were a bit of a low point. As for Hare nochi Guu, I enjoyed the first season but, for me, it started to get a bit old by the time the second came round. I haven’t even seen the third.

@usagijen
Those are probably in the same basket as Doraemon. Can’t really say much about them, since I don’t have first hand experience with them. It goes without saying that they must be doing something right, since they’re well and truly established in the mainstream Japanese culture more than the types of shows we watch on fansubs, which remain niche.

As far as relatability goes, it definitely plays a part in staying power, but I don’t think it’s the whole story. Take Family Guy, for example (which I’ll admit isn’t a great example), which follows an obnoxious half-wit. This isn’t the sort of guy that’s sympathetic, but a lot of times, we’re laughing more “at” him than “with” him. Again, I wouldn’t say Family Guy is brilliant by any stretch of the imagination, but it does have more staying power than most anime, even ones with really relatable characters.

@kadian1364
I think anime typically agrees, which is why the lifespan of most anime comedies is one or two cours. I don’t know if it’s the consequence of widely held philosophies or whether this is just seen as a sufficient timespan to advertise your manga and minimize risks. It’s interesting how American comedies are, on average, better than Japanese comedies (I’m not going to dispute that, although it goes without saying that there are some really bad American comedies out there), but how a lot of people say British comedies are better than Japanese comedies. The British also seem to take the view that less is more, and their best sitcoms are notorious for having short runtimes. The American approach seems to be about getting your foot in the door and then controlling the airwaves for as long as possible. The British are more about making something short and memorable and leaving the audience wanting more. But all three nations seem to have subtly different ideas on comedy.

@zzeroparticle
I’m not less than enthralled, I just don’t think this season is as good as the previous ones. At this stage, I’d say the best jokes in Zan are about as good as the average ones in Zoku. To put it into context, I’d say the disparity in quality of humour between Zan and the first two series is much smaller than it is between the second season of Hayate and the first.

I think one of the other differences between Western and Japanese comedies are their approach to slapstick. Western comedy is more about dialogue and observations, but when it goes slapstick, it makes a point to be very crude (which can be a good thing, IMO). Japanese comedy is more about physical humour. There’s almost an odd resemblance between the Japanese sense of humour and The Three Stooges. It’s a bit like they’re stuck in a time slip (and I say that with the utmost respect, since I am a fan). This is why I kinda think that SZS resembles Western comedy more than any other anime. It’s very black. One doesn’t see black humour much in anime, but it’s par for the course in Western comedy.

I think a part of being able to enjoy that show comes from appreciating its unconventional approach to aspects of life that we take for granted. Being able to see something from a different angle is where the show manages to delight my sensibilities while hammering down the sarcasm and nailing the hyperbole perfectly.

Also, to agree with kadian1364′s thoughts, Western comedians are more enjoyable. From the Monty Python tradition (and one that I’m very fond of) to stuff like The Daily Show, what we see is that Western comedians are fairly irreverent and their willingness to tackle stuff that might even be regarded as taboo is what makes it worth watching.

My thought is that comedies have to be short (12-13 eps) or something else at the same time(e.g. s’life, romcom, parody) to be really enjoyable. That’s the way pure comedy is, quick-fire gags or punchlines to get that outburst of laughter or wry smirk from the audience. Very temporary and live-in-the-moment. Very few jokes, no matter how good, can be repeated endlessly and still get a positive reaction.

And let’s face it, American comedy writing >>>>> anime comedy writing. The difference in comedy culture is just huge. A random stand-up comedian on Comedy Central is way funnier than anything I’ve ever seen from across the Pacific. Which goes into my stance that anime comedy has to be a niche comedy or be more than just comedy to succeed, because for pure laughs, anime compares poorly to my standards, something I think a lot of westerners will agree on.

In Doraemon’s case, for example, I’m sure a lot of people found themselves relating to Nobita, the ‘quintessentially flawed protagonist’ who gains Doraemon as his friend (with a lot of benefits).

The more you can relate to something, the more it will become relevant to you and your interests (the more you’ll actually ‘get’ the jokes and laugh at/with it), and the more the show’s ‘comedy power’ will be sustained, even after X years. That’s most likely why the American animated sitcoms you’ve mentioned have remained timeless as they are.

For a comedy anime that doesn’t get stale, I’d say Gintama. Then again, I’ve only seen up to episode 70 and apparently it loses it’s appeal after episode 100, but that’s down to the director change.

I love anime comedy but the fact that they lack staying power is painfully true. Even my personal favourite, Hare+Guu, started to lose steam when it had reached the third season