Oct 7, 2017
I decided to watch this after rewatching Chihayafuru (both seasons). So, unfortunately, I can't help but compare the two? Why?
Both MCs are obsessed with a Japanese art form that is difficult for most to understand and dedicate themselves to. It is about them trying to start a club and recruit members for people to partake in the art form. Kind of. Competitive karuta, which is what Chihayafuru is about, isn't an art per se, but it's based on Japanese poetry.
I preferred Chihayafuru much more. Here are the reasons:
STORY (7/10): Well, the synopsis and my comparison covered that.
ART (7/10): Clamp isn't known for pretty.
...
Which is fine because xxxHolic is one of my favorite anime. Chihayafuru is josei so...
SOUND (7/10): There's only three tracks in Kabukibu: the opening, the ending, and this one instrumental piece. All of them are great, but only three?! Okay, there was this one scene where a different piano piece was playing, but it wasn't outstanding. It's only getting a seven because and op and ed were so catchy and the one instrumental piece that was being repeated was quite moving.
CHARACTER (5/10): To continue with anime comparisons, the MC's best friend is like a mix between Kyouya and Mori-senpai from Ouran HSHC. He's taciturn, intelligent, diplomatic, and tech-savvy. I think my word count is higher than his in the anime. Two members are basically Mikorin and Kashima from Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun. The one like Mikorin is a feminine male. The one like Kashima is also a female mistaken for a beautiful male and is also in Drama Club, has a fan club, and is the lead for most of the Drama Club's productions. The reluctant and arrogant character kind of reminds me of the Queen in Chihayafuru, like how she sticks her nose up at team tournaments, he believes that a kabuki club run by amateurs is insulting since he comes from a kabuki family. Overall, the supporting characters weren't too memorable. Also, it lacked a balanced focus on the characters.
THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THE MC. He's so dull! Yes, Chihaya was obsessed with karuta, and Daddy Bear, but she had character. She was an airhead in addition to being a karuta nut. Throughout the seasons, she encounters opponents who are basically her teachers. They help her grow. This MC though, I don't remember his name tbh, just cares about kabuki. He's not even good at kabuki. What the hell?
ENJOYMENT (6/10): Despite my biggest complaint, it was still interesting to learn about kabuki. The music was decent. The anime wasn't comedic so that was a let down because my favorite genre is comedy and this could have easily weaved it in.
OVERALL (6/10): To be fair, Chihayafuru had 25 eps per season so it had the chance to be fleshed out. This only had 12 episodes. Give this one a try if you're interested in kabuki. But afterward, totally watch Chihayafuru for some actual conflict and character development and a variety of good music.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
