Attack of the Killer Dating Sim (a Gravity Falls review)

For a series chock full of secrets, it's no secret at all that I enjoy Gravity Falls.

Besides a great excuse to watch Disney Channel and Disney XD (not laughing), I have to admit, this animated romp from the mind of Alex Hirsch is a modern masterpiece. The show focuses on the adventures of twins Dipper and Mabel Pines, who spend the summer at their great uncle (Grunkle) Stan's tourist trap in the eponymous, mysterious town. From the first few minutes onward, it's clear something strange is going on here, and each episode is a different dive into the supernatural for Dipper and his sister.

So far, the series has been pretty spectacular. However, despite Disney's invention and mastery of the ink and paint style, the second season has been kinda slow, but enjoyable nonetheless. And that brings me to the latest episode of Season 2, "Soos and the Real Girl."

[Spoilers!]

Instead of just the twins this time, the plot of the episode focuses on Soos, one of the hired hands at Stan's Mystery Shack, as he tries to get a girlfriend before his cousin gets married. Following many failed attempts with the ladies, Soos opts for the quick and lazy path and buys a Japanese dating simulator featuring a cute anime girl named Giffany (voiced by the Flame Princess herself, Jessica DiCicco). At first, he's hooked and can't stop thinking about her, but after asking out a real flesh-and-blood woman named Melody, things get complicated for Soos when Giffany reveals an obsessive-possessive side to herself and he has to make a tough decision between real love and the alternative.

Without giving the rest away (pop culture references included), I absolutely enjoyed this episode as much as the ones before it. To be honest, though, it felt like they were drifting into South Park territory by poking fun at something wrong with society to an outlandish degree (in this case, obsession with dating simulators and videogames in general). Even so, I still found it fun to watch. The story's engaging, the characters memorable, the animation is fluid, and every scene is beautifully colored and detailed. I'm not sure how they recreated the classic 8-bit style for the episode's villain (a homicidal parody of Japanese dating sims), but give 'em points for effort.

Not sure when the next one is coming out, but I'll be waiting patiently. In the meantime, if you like mystery, adventure, and humor on the side, then Gravity Falls is one show I recommend checking out...