The past couple years haven't been so great for KyoAni. It's hard to deny that they've lost the influence and momentum they had back in the mid-to-late 2000's, and their work as of late has largely ranged from mediocrity to the flat-out bad (yes, I'm looking at Kyoukai no Kanata). Most of these issues can be attributed to their weakness in writing drama, which, thankfully, is nearly non-existent in their most recent series, Amaburi.
Amaburi (officially "Amagi Brilliant Park", which doesn't roll off the tongue nearly as well) sticks instead to KyoAni's strengths. While it's lacking in drama and shirtless bishounens, as a light-hearted slice-of-life
...
about a group of idiots managing an amusement park, it's well worth a watch. It also has Isuzu, who is maybe, just maybe, one of the most attractive heroines in anime, if hot anime ladies is your sort of thing.
That said, anyone potentially interested in the show should be warned that the first episode is by far the worst. In it, the busty heroine (Isuzu) drags the cynical protagonist (Kanie) to the dilapidated amusement park that she manages, in the hopes that the former child actor, who, by the way, has absolutely zero experience in business management, will save the park from ruin. He begrudgingly accepts the offer, of course, and vows to meet the 500,000-visitors-in-four-months deadline so that the park will not be closed. At the end of the episode, Kanie also receives an abrupt kiss and a random superpower (which is not shown or mentioned again until several episodes later), because, uh, reasons?
Tell me if this sounds at all familiar, because I've seen hundreds of anime which have started off in the exact same way. I almost dropped Amaburi right there, and I'm glad I didn't, as it quickly shows it has little interest in being a serious story. Instead, it treats alcoholic, talking animals and magical powers as being completely ordinary. There's even a group of pirate walruses and a bloody dragon. Amaburi fully embraces its silly fantasy setting and cares not for realism.
But a cost of this silliness is that the show spends more time on the animals and park mascots than it does the human characters. And the mascots (who wear their costumes so frequently that they must be fused to their body) are nowhere near as interesting as Kanie or Isuzu, considering that many of them are based on a single trope. There's an otaku masquerading as some sort of squirrel-thing, an easily-angered shark who turns into a hell-demon when doused in water, a sheep who acts like a street thug, and so on and so forth. Sure, these characters add a great deal of energy to the show and make the park feel more alive, but after their second or third appearance, it's not likely you will appreciate their presence all too much. A few of them even show up dozens of times, and by that point it feels like the show is stretching its jokes way too thin. Granted, though, the commercial scene in the final episode is pretty damn hilarious.
Moffle is perhaps the one mascot who is treated as an actual character and not a running gag. He is introduced as some sort of asshole who punches his own customers when they throw a few bad words his way, and really, he's just an unlikeable jerk towards Kanie until the two start to accept each other's existence. But the reason he is a jerk makes sense: he doesn't want ruffians and other undesirables bringing danger to the park's princess, Latifa, so he plays the role of the jerk in order to protect her. It's hard not to warm up to the little guy by the end of the series.
As for Latifa, she just sort of... exists. Latifa and the park are the two main focuses of the story, except she's absent in everything that occurs in the park and is only ever relevant in the first and final episodes. She's there solely as a catalyst for drama, which means her scenes are, unsurprisingly, the weakest in the show. At least she stands there and looks pretty sometimes, I guess?
Kanie and Isuzu are far more interesting. On the surface, they're both very typical KyoAni characters (the Kyon-like protagonist who sighs and reluctantly does everything, and the big-breasted kuudere prone to hurting things), but there is at least a little bit of depth to their character. Kanie's reasons for quitting his role as a child actor is explained in one short scene, and so too is Isuzu's reason for constantly shooting people with her musket (though why a minor can legally carry a gun to school remains a mystery). The scene where their past is explained is actually handled with a surprising amount of maturity: there's no screaming and crying, no childhood trauma-- the two just accept it and move on with their lives as people normally would.
However, the fact that the two are high school kids and yet somehow able to run a massive multi-million dollar business on their own is inexcusable nonsense. I'm sorry, but 16-year-olds are nowhere near experienced enough to tackle such a huge responsibility. This is especially evident when Kanie makes asinine decisions like charging only 30yen (equivalent to 30 cents) for park admission, with all the rides being free of charge, as if this wouldn't immediately drive the park to ruin with an insurmountable amount of debt. Isuzu also occasionally shows up wearing an office lady outfit, and I couldn't help but groan every single time. If you want to write adult characters then, please, just bloody write them. It's not like it's particularly difficult to make the characters a few years older-- say, 19 or 20-- rather than forcing them to be high school students when it makes absolutely zero sense in the context of the story. It's like KyoAni is deathly afraid of writing characters past the age of seventeen (perhaps they think their fans will set fire to their studio if they dare try). I'm getting very tired of it. The world does exist outside the confines of high school.
The art is about what you would expect from any KyoAni anime, which is to say that it looks great. The sound is much more noteworthy as it is what gives the show the majority of its energy. There's a ton of classy jazz music playing in the background, and the OP is the sort of thing that will get stuck in your brain immediately after hearing it for the first time. I spent a few of my college classes with "MAGIC HEART" screaming in my head and it was both delightful and horrifying.
It's hard to get rid of the feeling that Amaburi is one long prologue to what will probably be a second season. There's subtle hints of romance between Kanie and Isuzu-- the kind that KyoAni loves to expand upon-- and the story abruptly ends with a light-hearted episode that would normally have been stuck in as an OVA. There's a lot of potential for the second season to be superior to the first, and if KyoAni doesn't create one I would be very surprised. And perhaps a little disappointed.
Amaburi is best approached with minimal expectations. If you're expecting another big hit from KyoAni, then Amaburi is certainly not going to be that. If you're OK with just having a few laughs at silly nonsense (and if you're a guy, a few erections from Isuzu's scenes), then you'll probably enjoy your time with the show. It's not a great anime, perhaps not even a good one, but there's more than enough enjoyable content in here to warrant a watch. If nothing else, at least it's not Kyoukai no Kanata.
Alternative Titles
Synonyms: Amaburi
Japanese: 甘城ブリリアントパーク
More titlesInformation
Type:
TV
Episodes:
13
Status:
Finished Airing
Aired:
Oct 7, 2014 to Dec 26, 2014
Premiered:
Fall 2014
Broadcast:
Fridays at 02:16 (JST)
Licensors:
Sentai Filmworks
Studios:
Kyoto Animation
Source:
Light novel
Theme:
Workplace
Duration:
24 min. per ep.
Rating:
PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
Statistics
Ranked:
#20212
2
based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity:
#315
Members:
657,377
Favorites:
2,688
Available AtResourcesStreaming Platforms | Reviews
Filtered Results: 134 / 139
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Your Feelings Categories Jan 17, 2015
The past couple years haven't been so great for KyoAni. It's hard to deny that they've lost the influence and momentum they had back in the mid-to-late 2000's, and their work as of late has largely ranged from mediocrity to the flat-out bad (yes, I'm looking at Kyoukai no Kanata). Most of these issues can be attributed to their weakness in writing drama, which, thankfully, is nearly non-existent in their most recent series, Amaburi.
Amaburi (officially "Amagi Brilliant Park", which doesn't roll off the tongue nearly as well) sticks instead to KyoAni's strengths. While it's lacking in drama and shirtless bishounens, as a light-hearted slice-of-life ... Dec 31, 2014
Amagi Brilliant Park has been making waves in the anime community this season, and it's easy to see why. An intriguingly goofy premise coupled with the fact that it's a Kyoto Animation production sets up rather high expectations. And I have to say, Amagi Brilliant Park exceeded my expectations in nearly every way.
To say that Amaburi is absurd would be an understatement. Kanie Seiya, a high school student, is tasked with reviving a failing amusement park and has three months to reach its yearly quota of 500,000 guests or the park will shut down. Also, this park is inhabited by magical beings from a different ... Dec 29, 2014
LOOK AT THE SKY IT'S MAGIC HOUR.
Actually, it's half an hour in one episode, but you'll get the joke soon. Amagi Brilliant Park is just spectacular. Some of the audience loved it, and I think it's a chance that Kyoto Animation (KyoAni) has actually redeemed themselves over the troubles they had over the past year. Watching the first episode got me hooked since it has an interesting setting to look forward. You surely have seen amusement parks in a lot of anime, but that's just depicting the characters' enjoyment. But, I'm sure you have yet to see behind the scenes of the park's operation. The story starts ... Dec 31, 2014
Once every season, Kyoto Animation shows up and grabs the immediate attention of the entire otaku populous after announcing whatever they've been up to the past few months. Being one of the biggest and most successful animation companies in Japan, people tend to automatically just chalk down whatever they license and eagerly await it, expecting something great. But does KyoAni succeed with their latest addition, Amagi Brilliant Park? Can they truly amount to more than just their wonderfully crafted artwork?
Amagi Brilliant Park (Or Amaburi for short) follows Kanie Seiya, a narcissistic and self-centered (Wait. Kanie...Kanye...I see what you did there, KyoAni) high school student and ... Dec 25, 2014
What exactly is Amagi Brilliant Park? On the basic surface, it isn’t exactly brilliant with its host of generic characters. However, taking a closer glance at the show might make you think differently once you’re on board with its ideas. Don’t get me wrong though. Amagi Brilliant Park isn’t exactly a show for everyone but it does launches itself into a realm of its own that has a unique ability to keep the audience at their seats.
Adapted by the light novel of the same name, this anime series covers the first book with a bit of expansion. There are also several interesting noteworthy attributes to ... Apr 13, 2015
Amagi Brilliant Park is a Fantasy, Romantic Comedy anime, where Seiya Kanie is asked to help the park from closing by attracting 250,000 visitors because the staff of the park are from a magical realm called Maple Land and the park is really a facility thats harvests a magical energy form visitors while they are having fun, so they can maintain their existence in the human realm. So as you can see just a normal anime plot, ok really it a really good concept and is very interesting, and i promise the story is really good as they face different situations each episode while trying
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Feb 26, 2015
Summary: Amagi Brilliant Park is a enjoyable anime if you would like to see the MC and his friend build up towards their goals. It has an alright style of conveying the characters emotions, although it has unfinished romance between some of the characters which i don't like happening in anime I watch.
Story: The plot for Amagi Brilliant Park is certainly original. I haven't seen any other anime with this plot and it makes for a good change. Although they do explain why they have to run the park, I would have liked more detail in that aspect. The originality makes up for it though. ... Jan 9, 2015
“Simply put, we need to go lewder. Miniskirts! Swimsuits! Low-Angle Shots! You need to put in as many of those as possible without breaking the law.”
-Amagi Brilliant Park, Episode 13 Another season, another project by KyoAni unfolded to the masses. However, it seems as though KyoAni’s latest attempt at trying to appeal to the anime demographic that loves cute and sexy girls is now back in full fashion. I want to think of Amagi Brilliant Park as their apology to all the people who were whining about the “gayness” that KyoAni was ostracizing with their recent hit, “Free!”. Hey, they can make whatever they please, and ... Apr 19, 2015
Amagi Brilliant Park is a high energy, fun comedy anime with a large amount of characters that all have their own unique personalities. There has been a lot of hype built around this anime, many people saying that this is a must watch, one of the best anime of the fall 2014 season, possibly one of the best of 2014.
I for one, did not receive any of said hype, and didn't watch while the show was still airing. I eventually started watching Amagi Brilliant Park a few months later, and boy did I miss out on something amazing! Summary: It begins by introducing our self absorbed ... Jul 23, 2015
When I heard of this anime I thought the concept sounded ridiculous. A highschool boy becomes the manager of a magical theme park in an attempt to save its workers from doom. To be honest, it is ridiculous. There's no way around that. Luckily, this anime is so fun and entertaining that it's easy to forget how stupid it should be.
The characters help this aspect a lot. All of the main characters get ample development, and a lot of the side characters as well. This helps pull the anime through some of its sillier scenes, and lends weight to what should be cheesy dramatic moments ... Feb 4, 2015
A carnival setting in anime, is new for me, so going into this show I didn't know what to expect, it looked colorful and bright and there was a huge cast so I had a feeling it was gonna be right up my ally. As I started my rollercoaster expecting something pretty good and maybe amazing, by the end of the rollercoaster, I just had a smile on my face, It wasn't the best ride of my life it was just good. I could sum up Amagi Brilliant Park in just that sentence itself. But this is a review! That would be too dumbwitted.
Story: 7/10 The ... Dec 27, 2014
To be honest, I only considered watching Amagi Brilliant Park because it's Kyoto Animation. But what kept me watching is my love for theme parks.
I really thought Amaburi would be an exposition, showing its viewers true-to-life behind the scenes and nitty-gritty aspects of a particular object (in this case, a theme park) - something like Shirobako with anime making - plus an added fantasy in the side. I suppose it is that kind of anime in its own way. Only, most of the elements you encounter are improbable. It's a fantasy anime, no doubt about it. Amaburi's art is its most dazzling feat. It's nothing less ... Dec 27, 2014
Ah, amusement parks. Disney world, Six Flags, Oceanworld, Japan's DisneySea, we all have wonderful, wonderful memories in them with our families and friends. But have you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes? (Probably not) But thankfully, Amagi Brilliant Park gives us this answer in a very nicely done comedic sense.
Story (7.33/10): Held against a wall against his will, Kanie Seiya is threatened with his life by a girl at his school by the name of Isuzu Sento, who is holding him by gunpoint. After being asked (more like forced) to go on a date with her to an ... Apr 3, 2015
I started watching Amagi Brilliant Park, with a mindset "I am gonna drop this after a few episodes." A killer start and a hilarious graduation of sit-com, throughout the series, got me hooked and now I am craving for more.
The first two episodes builds up the goal of the story. After that, it switches to a slice of life and comedy style of story telling, where this goal is still present, but in a background in a unintrusive form. I think it helps to enjoy the characters and the fantasy elements even more. The anime adapts the light novels in a non-chronological order and changes a ... May 14, 2015
TL;DR - Fun for all ages
Watching Amagi Brilliant Park is refreshing. You are not watching some kids trying to save the world, or some evil zombie feast, or even (un)popular-guy-loved-by-every-girl-he-talks-to. Aamgi Brilliant Park is brilliant, entertaining and never fails to amaze. (MOSTLY) GOOD - Story The series quickly established the premise: the run-down Amagi Brilliant Park, owned by a princess from a land of magic, is in dire situation. Unless it reaches the yearly quota of half a million visitors in the next three months, it faces foreclosure. The only saviour is in the form of Kanie Seiya, a narcissistic high school student ... Feb 18, 2015
tl dr; no spoilerino animingo - it sounds lame as fuck but its actually not bad hey.
This cartoon jumps straight into the action and doesnt mess about. The story was well set up and introduced with easy to recognise and interesting characters. the first 4/5 episodes are related to the over-arching story of needing guests with a few "character helping" episodes in between before finishing the main story. i normally hate this format as it means my fat 300lb ass has to sit through more aneemay and spend less time shaking hands with my man downstairs but it was very enjoyable, each episode had its ... Jun 30, 2015
I'm really glad I watched Amagi Brilliant Park, one reason being it stems away from the generic storyline of anime its kind. ABP is best described as having a "slice of business" vibe with a magic orientated twist, making the comedy aspect a lot smoother and unique throughout the show. What's not unique or amusing about a bunch of drunk, lewd-minded mascots running around a magical decrepit amusement park?
I honestly thought every aspect of this anime was really well balanced. Not too many jokes, the jokes they did have were actually funny since the character development was decent and the romance didn't flood the ... Jan 13, 2015
Need something to make you rolling on the floor? Well then, You found it.
This series are full of comedy, each episode are episodic, just a random problem solving, and every little things is very funny. You'll find a few chara design not well fitted with their personalites, I mean who supposed to be cute and all, but the creators makes they to act differently. Even so I think that's the good idea and I supposed to say that's makes it the most funniest point in this anime. The art style are good and fit in with the magical theme. Eventhought the main story base are so-so, but overall ... Mar 8, 2016
How could a perfect, prior child actor, mythical princess, rage-stricken mouse and a perverted pink pomeranian (alliteration much?) recover a slumbering theme park from to its old days of glory? I'll admit, I literally had no idea how the hell that was going to happen before I tuned into Amagi Brilliant Park. This is one of those shows that grabbed my goldfish attention span with a sticky glove and refused to let me get to my ever-growing backlog. I was in the mood for a lighthearted series with lots of laughs and colorful pizzazz, nothing more. What Amagi delivered ended up
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Jan 5, 2015
why 10? im graduate at college and now im starting my job, on that time i start thinking, should i watch school type anime? because my mind is not on school anymore but in the the field of work right now. I saw amaburi on internet and i start watching it, at first its just a plain anime, and i planned to drop it, but instead of dropping, i just hold it and wait for the several episode to released.
story 10: story is outstanding because while im watching this anime, im starting to have a confident on my self because the story is about how to ... |