Ranked #606

Kobato.

I'm not someone who can't live without shoujo. In fact, I usually hate everything of the genre with a passion. Kobato. seemed like a happy exception to the rule, but after a few episodes, it became apparent that old habits die hard for me (or rather "shoujo sucks" is still upheld).


==[Pros]==

- Visuals. Like most CLAMP works, Kobato. has great character designs and is an artistic triumph. I usually hate chibi, but the chibi here is well-placed, albeit done a bit frequently.

- Kobato. She is a great character, reminiscent of Yotsuba in her curiosity and innocence. Her easily earned smile and ability to talk straightforwardly are traits that give off a childlike feel and ultimately make for an intriguing main character and an equally interesting plot.

- All of the mysteries. Why exactly is Kobato here? What is she? Does she even change clothes? Great questions... if left unanswered.


==[Cons]==

- The mysteries look like they're going to be solved. Ioryogi meets figures from his past and Kobato is mentioned more than once in his speech. I don't want the show to focus on the mysteries surrounding Kobato. All I want to see is an innocent girl interacting with the world around her. Is that too much to ask?

- Non-episodic nature. The early episodes are slice-of-life and run smoothly, but when Kobato gets hired, the show gets bogged down. Add to this an overall story, and the original slice-of-life qualities that I found impressive in Kobato. have all but vanished.

- Focus becomes Kobato's airhead qualities instead of her innocence and naivety. I want to see the world through Kobato's eyes. I don't want to see Kobato's eyes flat on the floor.

- Ioryogi is (as of ep. 6) in the show for comic relief and as a gateway into Kobato's background. Both of these purposes aren't exactly beneficial: fire breathing and sudden outbursts become old by episode two and learning Kobato's background answers questions that don't need to be answered.

- Fujimoto sucks. I hate him. Nothing about his character is even remotely appealing.


==[Conclusion]==
Great start for a shoujo, but ends up shifting direction from an interesting story about an innocent girl to a boring story about a bumbling fool and her mascot's uninteresting past. read more