Ranked #840

GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class

One of the problems with anime these days is the tendency for studios to stick to formulae, and to capitalise on what has gone before (also known as jumping on the bandwagon). It's unfortunate then that GA: Geijitsuka Art Design Class is a victim of this mindset, especially given the subject matter and the potential for experimentation.

Originally a yonkoma (4-koma), manga by Kiyuzuki Satoko, the anime adaptation is actually based on the 2005 serialisation that was published in "Manga Time Kirara Carat", and while the series is very much aimed at the moe market, it has benefitted from the directorial talents of Sakurai Hiroaki (Di-Gi-Charat, Sweet Valerian, Majokko Tsukune-chan), and the art direction of Kasuga Reiji.

The story follows the lives of five girls who attend a specialist design school, where they learn about various aspects of art and design, art history, and various other art related subjects.

And that's it. Seriously. That pretty much describes the entire show.

One of the biggest problems with GA is that the entire show has been done before, be it with Lucky ☆ Star and K-On, or with more relevant comparisons like Sketchbook ~full color'S~ and Hidamari Sketch. In truth, GA offers nothing new or different in terms of settings or characters.

What it does offer though, is information, and this is ultimately it's saving grace. Unlike most other school based slice of life shows, GA is far more informative about it's related subject matter, and much of the humour is actually derivative of this. The plot focuses far more on art and design than it does on the characters, and while this may be an anathema to some, it's actually a rather refreshing approach as the viewer doesn't then need to worry about things like plot or character development.

One way to describe GA would be to call it a moe documentary about art, and the show makes good use of the subject matter to produce some surprisingly well executed sequences and comedy scenes. In truth, the majority of events are designed to provide visual examples of whichever style of art is the current topic (Kisaragi's surrealist dream being a good example of this at work), while the rest of the show is more along the lines of a typical slice of life comedy.

Given that the show is about art and design, it would be fair to expect some great visuals and animation, and while GA is good in this department, it lacks a certain something...

Let me explain. Visually the show is a bit too "cutesy" to be taken seriously. The characters are designed to attract a specific audience (the moe marketor younger children), and the over-use of soft focus scenes reinforces this aspect. While there is nothing overtly wrong with this, it does mean that the show will only really appeal, at least in visual terms, to those who like shows like Lucky ☆ Star, or to those who simply don't care what the characters look like. That said, the series is colourful and cheery, and while the majority of the design falls on the side of cute, there are some superb moments when the designers really get experimental with the show.

As far as the animation goes, the series is actually pretty well executed. The characters move well, and while the general animation is of a good standard, it can't quite make up for the "too cute" feel of the show.

The voice acting is pretty decent for the most part, but here again the show adopts a more "cutesy" approach. While the seiyuu are able to deliver the humour fairly well, the show lacks a certain depth of character due to some wooden moments.

The OP is a fairly upbeat track called "Osaki ni Sil Vous Plait", which is sung by the female seiyuu who play the lead roles, and bears a surprising resemblance to the infamous "Happy Material" (Mahou Sensei Negima), in terms of it's composition. The opening sequence is very well choregraphed though, and while the track is a little on the boppy side, I found that I didn't actually get too bored of hearing it (unlike a certain other song I mentioned).

The ED is an altogether different story. The show actually has twelve different ending songs, and the artwork depicts the girls at three different stages of life prior to them entering their current school. What makes the ending sequences even more unusual is that each of the five main seiyuu take turns at singing the ending theme, and each time the song reflects a different aspect of the current episode. The final ED is a group effort, sung by all five main seiyuu, and shows all three stages of life in one sequence. Because of this, I never once found the ED to be boring as each song is highly reflective of it's respective character, and effectively adds to the charm of the series.

Aside from that, the show is reasonably well served in terms of it's sound and music. My main gripe though (although it is admittedly only a minor one), is that there is very little in the way of quiet time in the show as almost every minute involves some form of accompaniment.

The characters aren't that bad for the most part, however they are formulaic at best, and far too moe for their own good. Each of the five main girls represents one particular moe archetype, the clumsy, ditzy meganekko; the brash, monkey-like tomboy, to the cute-but-evil master of games; the normal girl who mothers everyone; and the wierd, quiet girl who has strange powers (like talking to chickens).

One of the problems that some may have with GA is that the characters lack anything resembling a personality, however this is due to the show being focused on art. Effectively, the characters are simply there as a point of reference, a means to better facilitate the viewers understanding of the various forms of art (basically they're tools for teaching, like a pencil or a calculator). However, even with this grandiose intent (to teach using anime), the director and writers should really have found a method to make the audience relate to the characters more, as this would have facilitated a better appreciation of the subject matter.

Think about it. If your teacher is fun and interesting, then you want to learn the lesson. If they're dull and boring, you want to do something else.

On the whole though, this isn't a bad show at all. While there will be direct comparisons made to Hidamari Sketch and Sketchbook ~full color'S~, as well as with shows like Lucky ☆ Star, Azumangah Daioh, K-On!, etc, GA is able to stand on it's own due to it's novel approach and focus. Where those other shows were very much about the daily lives of the characters, GA only uses this as a point of reference. Granted it is very firmly on the moe bandwagon, but the show never really pushes this aspect too much, which actually made it more pleasant as a series.

In this respect it more resembles Sketchbook, as the moe aspect is simply there, nothing more than that.

GA would appeal to fans of any of the shows mentioned above as it has a fair few things in common with each of them. Likewise, those who are interested in art and producing artwork, or are artists themselves, may find this as enjoyable as I did, as there are numerous moments when I found myself thinking "that happened to me as well" or "I did that too". Younger viewers may also find the series interesting, in particular for it's rather simplistic approach to "teaching".

That said, some may be disappointed if they go into this show expecting a moe-fest as, aside from the characters being cutely designed, there isn't any.

GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class may not be as experimental in terms of art and animation as I'd hoped, and it may be a little too tooth achingly cute at times, but behind that there is actually a pretty decent show that takes a completely different tack to almost every other anime in recent years. The series isn't really trying to tell a story, but is instead trying to impart knowledge - something that is always laudable, and is remarkably absent from anime as a medium. While the show does have it's flaws, the intent and purpose should be appreciated and applauded.

You never know. We may end up seeing mahou shoujo wildlife documentaries in the future, or the news read by shounen icons like Goku, Luffy, Ichigo, etc, or even Yagami Light in a Judge Judy style reality show.

Now wouldn't that be something to see :) read more

*Note that this is my first review....
*Also note that I WILL update this as I watch more...

For someone who loves art, not just "anime" styled art like me, this anime was fairly enjoyable for my type. Sure, there are other animes about art, but this one caught my interest in particular.

There is no solid story to this anime, and simply, it tells the watchers about the activities that the GA, the Geijutsuka or Art Design Class experiences. The anime has five characters, each with their own distinct personalities. I have to admit that the character design and art was "interesting" to say the least for the anime.

The BGMs and OP and ED music were alright, but the anime probably will not be known for that.

Overall, I thought the concept of combining say your typical moe-chibi-girl-cute-etc anime and adding some traditional art styles such as painting, sketching, and various other types of mediums and add it to modern moe Japanese animation was quite interesting. I would say it is quite a good anime.

Of course, that is because I am an art nerd, for various other people, the opinion might be different. Nonetheless, if you love art or just watch cute-girls do various activities involving or not involving art, it would be recommended.


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