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Nov 19, 2014
Uchouten Kazoku is a bizarre show. In fact, as you watch the show, you realize that the shape shifting Tanuki (originating from Japanese folklore) is the least bizarre aspect of the show. However, note that I’m using the word ‘bizarre’ as a compliment. In fact, the bizarreness is the true allure of the show.
Adapted from a novel by Tomihiko Morimi’s (the guy who blessed us with The Tatami Galaxy), the foundations of the unconventional plot is laid by the setting itself. Humans, tanuki and tengu all residing in the bustling city of Kyoto is a pretty intriguing setting, not least the tanuki being the main
...
protagonists.
What this show excels at, is assimilating the supernatural aspect into the everyday life of the city residents. In doing so, it also imparts hints of allusion to the real world. For example, the fact that the humans are at the top of the food chain even though both the tengu and the tanuki (with their shape-shifting ability) are seemingly more powerful than them or the fact that they are oblivious to the antics of the other two groups. At first glance, these may look like plot holes but if we shift the context for these facts to our world, they make sense. Because, seriously, do we humans (especially in the city) generally keep track of what the stray animals are up to? No, we have better things to do. Maybe, the writer wanted to avoid turning this into a complete fantasy world (something akin to the alternate world in No Game No Life with 3 races instead of the 12 there). So, at most they could be considered as plot convenience although I strongly believe that the world that these facts help create, makes the show much better.
So, yes it doesn’t explain some supernatural aspects such as a human girl learning to fly like a tengu, but truth be told it doesn’t need to. Unlike shows that require you to turn off your brain to enjoy, here these nitpicks don’t really have any negative impact on your enjoyment as they are easily acceptable and also seem to be intentionally left out for the sake of conciseness and getting its message across.
And it does so with aplomb.
One of the two main messages has to do with the institution that we call family. The Shimogamo family is the eccentric tanuki family. The plot of the show revolves around them with the main focus being on the third of four brothers, Yasaburou. The first 4-5 episodes are sort of like a slice-of-life with Yasaburou at the center and serves to introduce the viewers to the world and the characters. There is a chance that the show may fail to hold the attention/interest of the viewer in these episodes because they are odd (or really interesting whichever way you look at it. Riding whales and mid-air firework battles easily qualify as such) and the plot may seem to be not going anywhere. So, one could lose interest and then make the mistake of dropping the show. That would be a mistake because the show really makes good use of the build-up and levels up in the subsequent episodes.
The latter parts of the first half and the whole of the second half shifts its attention to three key plot points: the death of the head of the Shimogamo family and all the tanuki of Kyoto, Souichirou, the animosity between the Shimogamo and the Ebisugawa family and last but not least the annual tanuki eating tradition of a group of humans called the “Friday Fellows”. Of course, all this has already been foreshadowed in the episodes gone by and thus the show lets go of the slice-of-life vibes and goes into a thrilling drama mode incorporating all three points into a coherent singular plot.
It uses flashbacks to good effect so much so that even lengthy flashbacks don’t feel like a drag and are just as exciting. The drama is done really well, all the while retaining the overall light feel of the show. This brings us to an important point: this show is laid-back. However, the catch is that it deals with a serious issue of death.
As such, the viewer may feel slightly uneasy about how easily the tanuki accept the inevitability of death and don’t seem to hold a grudge-filled detestation towards the ones who in a sense murdered their close ones. In fact, I felt so too. But it vanished when I realized that it was the tanuki way of living: “Live an interesting life such that when death comes, as it surely will, you can accept it and move on without any regrets”. And so, the way they view their kin being murdered is actually a mixture of the way we view murder and the way we view a natural death, inclined more towards the latter. Well, at least that is my interpretation.
The comedy is also a bit different from the norm. Here, most of the comedy is presented through unusual spectacles such as a tengu refusing to give up his bottle of beer, a tanuki warming up his butt, etc. And being a show about family bonds and such, it doesn’t fail to pull on the emotional strings of your heart.
The cast is also wonderfully full of characters who feel weird and real at the same time. The Shimogamo family consists of the deceased godly Shimogamo Souichirou, the caring and lively mother and the four extremely likeable brothers each with their own special ‘trait’. Although they have their own way of going about their lives, the love they have for each other and the bond they share is easily palpable and admirable. Yasaburo as the main lead does a great job in carrying the show forward. You feel him staying true to his belief of just trying to live an interesting life.
The rest of the cast are even more varied and interesting. From a whining old tengu to the enigmatic Benten to the equally eccentric Ebisugawa family, the show offers a host of characters who you may love or hate but will surely find amusing. Even the one normal human who gets a fair amount of spotlight, Prof. Yodogawa, has weird tastes (figuratively and literally) and beliefs.
And as with any good show, the interactions between the characters is really well executed including the dialogue of course.
As for the art and animation, kudos to P.A work for a job well done. The backgrounds are a real treat to the eyes with a large variety of colors in use all of which fit perfectly to create the light-and-serious-at-the-same-time atmosphere of the show. Set in the city of Kyoto – people who have been there or live there might feel close to home, perhaps literally- some of the backgrounds seem to be based on real photographs. That must have been tedious work incorporating those sceneries. The animation is also fantastic and it had to be, for all those amazing shape-shifting sequences and wacky action scenes.
The character designs were admittedly a bit unusual: they seem to be very close to the norm of the industry but are actually far from it. The side views with the extra pointy facial structure and the minimalist ears were more of a miss than a hit for me. But overall, the simplistic designs managed to capture the essence of the characters they represented very well.
The audio department also contributed well to the unique ambience. The BGM, in my opinion, works very well in unison with the visuals to impart a very ghibli feel to the show. Case in point: the clock tower surrounded by water part near the end of episode 3. The opening couldn’t be any more perfect for the show with its peppy and vibrant nature and the ending is also very good. Most of the voice actors have done a great job especially in channeling the nature of their respective characters. You can really feel the dejected spirit of the frog in the well in his voice while you are equally perplexed as the other characters when Benten says something as you can only wonder what she truly means. That sort of compatibility between character and their voice is deserving of praise.
It seems that I’ve pointed out quite a number of ‘flaws’ of the show or at least that which may be interpreted by some as flaws. However, my intention was just to show that they are not really significant and so, believe me when I say that this show truly deserves to be watched and enjoyed. It stays true to the second message that it attempts to deliver: “You don’t need to live a grand life full of lofty ambitions, just lead an interesting life. That is enough”.
And so, without setting any lofty ambitions for itself, the show perfectly accomplishes what it set out to do which was just to be interesting.
At the end of it all, one cannot help but be fond of this way of life; the Tanuki way of life. Well, at least I am. But perhaps, that is just the manifestation of my idiot’s blood.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Oct 16, 2014
Watching Barakamon was like going to a birthday party or a picnic outdoors, chock full of excited children running all over the place, doing what they do best. As an adult (supposedly), you feel slightly out of place but the child in you just wants to jump up and down with them in frantic jubilation without a care in the world. There is a cake too: a black forest with strawberry toppings and as you immerse yourself in the jovial mood, you admit that the feeling of sharing a slice with everyone is sweeter than the cake itself.
And what a slice it was!
For a slice-of-life
...
to succeed, it needs to have a decent premise which sets it up and allows it to deliver a constant flow of quality… well slice-of-lives. For Barakamon, getting the socially inept and awkward “city-boy” Handa to live in a rural island where the residents are both normal and weird at the same time was the perfect set-up. You can already see it in the first episode. In fact, for me the show stepped up a level in the scene where Handa throws out Naru and she is rolling out going “gyaaaah!” in her lovable and unique accent.
And then, we follow the life of Seishuu Handa on a place very new and unfamiliar to him: doing some things for the first time, making new friends, enjoying the beauty of nature, picking fights with grade-school kids, catching beetles and going through a plethora of experiences on the island. All the while, he is searching for his own style of calligraphy. I admit that this was the only part of the show that was sort of a miss rather than a hit, for me at least. This stemmed from the fact that I found it impossible to discern the difference of the quality of the works and how Handa’s Calligraphy evolved as the show went on. However, having said that, it is clear that the island life has a profound impact on it: after all, no one can deny the fact that he is inspired by it.
One of the impressive aspect of the show is the way in which it integrates doses of comedy here and there. In fact, I would say that it is slightly more hilarious than the norm of the genre.
The pacing of the show is wonderful. It is laid-back in general but takes longer strides if need be without rushing itself.
The only rushing in the show is the little Naru rushing to Handa’s house both of whom are totally lovable characters. Handa is surprisingly childish and immature even though he doesn’t realize it which makes it easier for him to connect with the kids and the reactions brought on by his impulsive nature are priceless and hilarious. He is the only one who is significantly developed as the series progresses but that is understandable and okay.
Little Naru is one of the main allure of the show. She is full of energy and life probably more than a normal 7-year old. You could call her a bit pesky but you would be doing so with a loving smile because her peskiness really helps break down the wall around Handa. Her attachment to Handa is cute indeed and helps their friendship blossom leading to more fun and eventful days for both of them. The only qualm here is that she is not as much developed as a character, even as the show goes on. She, more or less remains the same which is not bad as she is great just the way she is but still one senses a lost potential there.
Without going into detail about the other characters, it is suffice to say that they are all sufficiently unique and lovable. From a fujoshi in denial to a lively tomboy to a group of cheerful kids, this show has a slightly large cast. Most importantly though, they are all easily likable even if they do suffer from a lack of development which again is understandable as most of the development is focused on Handa. The best part is their interactions which are top-notch and really help carry the show forward. For instance, seeing a grown man being enlightened by 7 year olds complete with his mortified reactions is quite charming and enjoyable.
Charming is the right word for the art as well. A good amount of light and vibrant colors have been used. The backgrounds are decently picturesque and the character designs have also been neatly done and are easily distinguishable. I liked how they made the faces of the children slightly chubbier to sort of contrast them to the more ‘pointed’ ones of the adults. The different facial expressions of the characters especially of the two mains are also impressive and enjoyable. And the animation is also up to par.
For the sound, the first tick goes to Naru’s seiyuu who is a kid as well. Actually, kudos to the production team for getting child actors for the roles of those cute kids. Plus, they incorporated a unique dialect for the inhabitants of the island which just adds to the atmosphere and overall feel of the show. The BGM were also decent and as for the opening and ending: although they are not really great, they are slightly better than average. The ending especially managed to stay on my playlist for quite some time and was perfect for the show.
Final Thoughts:
This show cannot be recommended enough for those seeking a simple slice-of-life full of smiles and laughs and heartwarming moments. After a long hard day, just get yourself a slice of this cake and enjoy the utter bliss that it is.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jul 24, 2014
(This review is 90% Spoiler free. The 10% isn't really significant. So... )
"Who cares where a 2.7 gram ball goes.."
Refreshing and wonderful.
First and foremost, it must be made clear that this show does not care much about the 2.7 gram ball. It is something more. It rises above it's name as well as the norm of the anime industry of today and manages to become something unorthodox yet beautiful.
STORY:
The story is one of coming-of-age. However, although the main focus is on the duo of Makoto Tsukimoto ("Smile") and Yutaka Hoshino( "Peco" ), the story encompasses a sort of coming-of-age for almost all the characters
...
involved. That is what sets it apart. You could call it a character driven story. But, it doesn't use one or two larger-than-life characters to achieve it. Instead, the story is more of a collection of stories of various characters and their lives. Ping pong merely acts as a common thread to glue them together. We usually jump from scenes involving one charcter(s) to another as they struggle with the challenges that their ping pong life has thrown at them. However, as incohorent as that sounds, it is not so. It's perfectly directed and paced. Whether it's a flashback in the middle of a game or a short scene showing a particular character's status quo, nothing is misplaced. It feels entirely natural and smooth and elegant.
And as mentioned before, ping pong is never in focus. Heck, they don't even spill out the rules or go through detailed explanations on the various aspects of the game. For eg: the intro goes like this, "Makoto Tsukimoto (Smile): Right Shakehand Grip, Pips-In Rubber on Both Sides, Attacking Chopper". Shakehand Grip? Pips-In Rubber? Chopper? What do they mean? A character doesn't suddenly start saying,"The right shakehand grip is a popular grip where...". NO! The show just says: If you want to know, just google it and let us focus on the characters instead. And in my opinion, that is how it should be. We as a viewer are inclined more towards questions like: why doesn't Makoto smile? What is Koizumi-sensei's motivation? Yes, it would be helpful to know a bit about the sport but if the time is better utilized on things like that then so be it.
Also, the amount of realism is commendable. This is evident even in simple things like the draw of the tournaments. Significant characters face off in the third round or even the second round and not in the closing stages as is common in other sports anime. That feels more real to me.
However, having said that, the realism doesn't kill the entertainment. Watching the games is never "boring", not by a long shot.
ART:
Honestly, 10 seconds into the anime, I was shocked. The animation is so different from the norm. It is scruffy and ragged and feels runny and edgy at the same time.
And the character design seems to have been made to look ugly. In fact, before I got used to it, they reminded me of certain titans of a certain show.
However, after the first 10-15 minutes, I got used to it and I think most viewers will do too. It is clearly evident that the creators were not going for a "realistic" look which is the usual alternative to the normal art style. Instead, they chose this unique, artistic look. On retrospect, if the art style wasn't like this, the unorthodox feel of the show would have been almost completely lost. So, kudos to them.
Sometimes, the screen is divided into panels in a manga-like manner (especially around match-times) for extra dramatic effect and it achieves that goal as well.
Also worth mentioning is the surrealistic art that is employed from time to time which feel very -for a lack of better term- "artistic". Abstract art is also used to depict the tide of the match instead of doing so through the gameplay. For eg: The size of an imposing player may be bloated out of proportions to establish the atmosphere of dominance. Or the art may convey the emotions of the players instead.
All in all, it's a perfect fit for this show.
CHARACTERS:
Ok. This is where it gets epic.
Almost every character is properly handled. And again in only 11 episodes: Not only the two main characters, every freaking one of the side characters is very well developed by the end of the series. And this development is so very natural and smooth that you only realize it's significance when looking back after finishing the show.
At the beginning, you have the mundane, emotionless, unmotivated and overly-considerate 'Robot' Smile, his best friend but complete opposite: the cocky and flamboyant Peco. And then, there is the Chinese Kong Wenge who needs to prove himself to end his exile from his homeland, the strict and focused Kazama Ryuuichi, the hardworking yet untalented Sakuma Manabu and many more characters who are molded in a certain way due to circumstances. They live in their own little worlds. Ping-pong is what brings those worlds together and makes them collide. As they interact with each other, whether it be as rivals, friends or acquaintances, they begin to change: as one by one they find their true self and come to accept the reality in front of them.
The other thing which is especially well-done is the portrayal of the characters themselves. The character development of the many characters creates a variety of feelings in the viewers regarding them. There are no characters tailor-made to be liked. You end up loving/hating each character almost equally. And so, you find yourself facing a dilemma whenever two of those characters face off in matches. You are well informed of both of their background, their motivation, their will to win and the work that they put into it. So, it is not as easy as simply rooting for the M.C as in other sports anime out there. In fact, in the beginning, I was seriously
annoyed at Peco, and wanted him to lose to Kong when they first faced off.
Sometimes, the match-up is between hard-work and talent. That also got me thinking about the point of working hard for those without the talent. Is it pointless? Is passion and will not enough? But that is just a secondary thought.
SOUND:
It was also surprisingly good. The sounds of dozens of bouncing balls in practice sesssions, the background music in matches, or silent mode for some converstations, all of them were good. The seiyuus did a fine job portraying the characters with their defining traits.
As for the opening and ending songs, they were perfect for this show. The opening gets you really pumped up for the show while the ending is also pretty decent. They also slot in perfectly with the art style.
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FINAL THOUGHTS
The creators must be commended for taking a relatively old and decent manga and doing such a fine job of creating a great work which ticks all the right boxes in all departments.
Highly recommended for anyone looking for something different/unique.
Finally, a part of the lyrics of the o/p:
"Maybe there's no job I'm the only man for, but
Will I fade away without doing anything?
Will I fade away without doing anything?
Like hell will I fade away without doing anything."
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(Feedbacks and comments (both +ve and -ve) would be highly appreciated.)
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Mar 6, 2014
(Spoiler free. Refer to the final thoughts section for a quick summary)
My second Makoto Shinkai movie after "5 cm per second".
And my thought on both of them is the same. Just like 5 cps, it is a masterpiece IF you can relate to how life treats the characters in the movie
(the early days of romance, the seperation, the heartbreak, the unrequited love, the bittersweet resolution).
Otherwise, you end up hating it, getting annoyed or at most appreciating it but nothing more.
Story:
The artist carefully puts brush on canvas: the touches are soft, delicate and subtle. It looks as though a very good work of art is
...
going to be created.
A 15 year old high schooler mature beyond his age: his hesitance in pursuing his dream and acknowledgement of the uncertain future; traits that exhibit his mature school of thought :: a 27 year old young woman who has found it hard in the adult world and probably pines for her younger days when life wasn't so complicated. So, even though they differ in age, they are at an almost equivalent footing. We see a subtle relationship develop out of the two's need of companionship. Slowly, but surely, it becomes apparent that they crave for each other's company to somehow bear the uncertainty and harshness of life. And thus an out-of-the-norm romance is born. Their transition from strangers to someone familiar-yet-still-a-stranger is fluid and not forced at all. It occurs naturally.
But then, the strokes lose their subtleness. Maybe the artist has gotten distracted, maybe he has lost the final image that was in his head when he first started the painting.
And so, what follows in the second half of the movie is unnecessary melodrama and plot twists which is pretty darn dissapointing. Again, it is not 'bad' but simply 'dissapointing' because the promise of the first half for something bittersweet yet smooth and elegant is broken in favour of crying, screaming and all that .. whatever that is. I felt '5 cps' handled this part better by letting the events slowly peter out towards the end because that is how relationships usually end: nothing dramatic, just a slow erosion.
Characters:
Of course there is no significant character development. It's only forty minutes or so!! The development is more focused on the relationship between the two main characters.
As I mentioned earlier, Takao is quite mature for a high schooler. He seems to be in search of a judgement for his dream of becoming a shoemaker: is the dream justified? Is he justified in having the dream? All is it all for nought has he sometimes feels. He wants answers to these questions. Maybe soomeone not directly involved in his life can answer the question?
As for Yukino, she feels like someone who has lost her sense of purpose and direction. She is trying her best to handle the trials of becoming an adult and joining the working community, but it is difficult. In Takao, she finds someone with a passion, something she lost on the way to adulthood. Maybe she wants to reinvigorate her will to fight, maybe she just wants to spend time with someone outside the realms of the adult world.
Art:
Simply: Mind-boggling.
Garden of words has to be the anime with one of the most beautiful art if not THE most beautiful art. Every frame is worth a place in some art museum. From the get-go, you are immersed in the admiration of the art, and then you start to think; "Well, this is a Shinkai movie. What was I expecting apart from utter perfection."
The animation depicting the rain (which forms an integral part of the story as well) is also fluid, elegant and awe-inspiring. And the garden is so beautiful that even images of real-life gardens would pale in comparison.
The art of GoW has now become my secret weapon for all those people who are uninterested in animes "because it's unrealistic and 'cartoonish' ". Even they can't help but be awe-struck by the art.
Sound:
The sound is a perfect fit for the movie. The music does it's part in creating the atmosphere and feel that the movie wanted to create.
The sound of rain is also flawless and manages to form it's own charm. I liked the ending theme "Rain", a pleasant listen.
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FINAL THOUGHTS
Cons:
-The unnecessary misplaced drama and twists of the second half.
-harder to relate to the characters (more so than 5cps)
Pros:
++Beatiful art. A visual masterpiece.
+An out of the ordinary relationship which develops smoothly i.e not forced
Scores:
Entertainment: 5.5
Everything else: 7
Overall: 6.25 = 6
Recommended for those who like bittersweet romance with some melodrama, anime viewers and non-viewers alike.
The art itself is something everyone should experience once.
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(Feedbacks and comments (both +ve and -ve) would be highly appreciated.)
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Feb 26, 2014
(This review is 98% SPOILER FREE. The 2% is negligible. Also, for a quick summary, refer to the FINAL THOUGHTS section)
A demon lord working at MgRonalds!!
What pops up in your mind? (i.e:Apart from Ronald reagan..)
Hilarious situational comedy? Eccentric characters?
Well, that is what you expect when starting this show and for the most parts that is what you get.
Story:
The main core of the story as well as it's direction is quite predictable once you've read the synopsis.
5 minutes into the first episode and you can already see where it is going but that is not a bad thing at all.
An all-conquering, all-powerful demon lord
...
has been forced to flee from his world called Ente Isla to modern day Japan along with his demon general.
But, (and it's a big but necessary 'but') they have lost most of their powers and so are left to fend for themselves which leads us to the main point in the story where the demon lord (now with the adopted name of Maou Sadao) is forced to work at the local outlet of MgRonalds to earn a living for the two of them.
Being from a foreign world, it is easy to see that they are gonna have problems settling down in this newfound environment. But, slowly but surely they are able to do so. Add in the female 'hero' who defeated the demon lord in Ente Isla + a human girl in love with the now quite humanly demon lord + other characters from the other world and what we get is lots of laughs.
What I most liked about this setting was that it didn't involve the word 'school'! That was a bit refreshing to me after watching lots of high-school based SoLs and romcoms. This setting was made for the comedy aspect and does very well for the series. The characters' attempts at making ends meet and adapt produces lots of laughs.
The only problem I had with the plot was that the 'demon-lord' along with his army supposedly committed lots of heinous crimes on their attempt at conquering the world. However, in the modern-day-Japan setting where most of the story takes place, I started to feel that that dark-history was a bit misplaced for this comedic and light show.
Characters:
The characters are not that unique. Or a better statement would be that they are how you'd guess them to be. But that doesn't stop the viewer from loving them.
Maou Sadao: The main protagonist Maou Sadao/Demon Lord is a little bit more eccentric and rash than the average male protagonist. He has a fair amount of leadership qualities, is thankfully not dumb and not (too) dense. But of course, he is kind and such. His main objective has shifted to 'world domination' by climbing the coorporate ladder at MgRonalds. He starts to become more and more attached to this new-found world of burgers and fries and it slowly becomes clear that he doesn't intend to try to go back to his world any time soon.
He is especially cool when he gets back his powers and demonic form through people's negative emotions. In that form, his power knows no bounds!!
Ashiya Shirou: The devoted and loyal demon general of the demon lord who is now in more of a 'housewife' role. A constant source of LOLs is his attempt at trying to help Maou in any way he can including making sure they don't spend more than they can afford!! An enjoyable character.
Yusa Emi: The 'hero' is your typical tsunderish girl. She followed Maou and Ashiya into Japan and is now working at a call centre. She is independent, rather capricious and is not so keen on holding back her fists and sword. She has a tragic past caused mostly due to the demon lord and his minions. So, it is hard for her to accept the fact that Maou is now a harmless (i.e in his long term plans) bum who finds delight in becoming the shift manager at a fast food outlet. Her dilemma at how to come to terms with this sudden transformation in the demon lord is shown in the right amounts: just enough to make us remember/acknowledge the events of Ente Isla but not overly present so as to add too much unnecessary drama.
Sasaki Chiho: A high-schooler who has fallen head over heels for the demon lord. Forbidden love?? Don't know. But fortunately for us: unforbidden hilarity. Her attempts at making Maou realize her feelings and her subsequent reactions/expressions when they fail are to die for.
The other characters are mostly from Ente Isla. They include Angels, demons and priests along with the humans of course. What is interesting to see is how each of them adopt a different lifestyle and slowly but surely blend into the Japanese community along with the main set of characters.
Art:
The art was pretty decent. Nothing unusual about it. What did strike the right cord are all the varied facial expressions. I thought they were really well done ( a possible treasure trove for memes and trolls). The fight scenes were also animated well along with the transformations of the characters from their human forms to the supernatural forms. So, basically average in this department.
Sound:
The voice acting was also average. No annoyingly voiced characters as far as I'm concerned.
The sound tracks were not worth remembering.
Although at first I found the opening 'Zero' to be better, as the series went on I started to prefer the endings by nano.RIPE .
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FINAL THOUGHTS
Cons:
-The plot is not engaging enough. Although in all sincerity, it is probably not meant to be.
-The dark story from Ente-Isla and the light-hearted comedic one that unfolds in Tokyo seem to belong to different shows altogether.
Pros:
++The comedy. The LOLs.
+the out-of-the-norm setting
+Interesting transformations: Demon Lord-> Part-timer , Former angel/demon general -> a NEET!!
+slight romance but no forced dramas.
Scores:
Entertainment: 8.5
Everything-else: 6
Overall: 7.25 = 7
Recommended for those searching for a series with lots of laughs, light hearted theme and no mind-benders.
Enjoyable.
Side-note: A second season would be nice. Something with the same amount of comedy, a bit more romance and tying up of the unresolved plot. The LN is ongoing, so hoping for it.
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(Feedbacks and comments (both +ve and -ve) would be highly appreciated.)
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jan 24, 2014
"They say that if you change yourself, you'll change the world, but that's a complete lie. When people judge somebody, it becomes a fixed idea and an impression that lasts. A loner is forced to stay a loner. If you do your best at something and stand out, that'll only get used as fodder for criticism. Those are the rotten rules of the Kingdom of Children.
Question: The world will not change, but you can change yourself. So then, how will you change?
Answer: You become the god of a new world."
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(Note: This review is SPOILER FREE. Also, for a quick summary refer to the FINAL THOUGHTS
...
section at the end.)
Society. Social beings. Human beings.
We are social creatures. We are supposed to interact, we are supposed to communicate, we are supposed to be -for a serious lack of a better term- "social". We are supposed to hold back things we want to say even if it is the truth; heck, we even have to lie if that is what society expects of us and if that is what's necessary to maintain the status quo. However, it is hard to do that and more harder to keep it up (which I'm sure all of us can attest).
It is harder for those who have been labeled by society with a particular tag; who are forced to behave as society expects them to. A loner is forced to stay a loner. A "weirdo" is expected (thus forced) to be a weirdo. A "stupid" person is expected to say something stupid, and even if he says something sensible, he is still jeered. The funny thing is: the other guys are also expected/(slightly forced) to jeer him. Quicksand is what comes to mind to describe this tag; the more you struggle to get out, the more you are dragged in. Is that how human relations are ? It seems as though, they are not formed as we want them to, they are formed and maintained as they are expected to. Is that how society works? Through expectations?
Expectations: This word is more dangerous than I thought.
As a testament to it's power, let me make it clear that I didn't EXPECT a "romcom" like Oregairu to provoke thoughts such as the aforementioned ones to creep into my little mind. Well, I guess it is important for unexpected things to happen, how else are we gonna escape from the quicksand!!
STORY:
High school. The perfect model of the overall human society. In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the high school experience of our adolescent years are what prepares us for the complex and intricate world we call society.
Enter Hikigaya Hachiman, a high school student whose existence doesn't matter to this model society. He has tried and failed in his attempts to become a "normal" part of society. So now he is a loner-by-choice without any friends at all. Certain circumstances (mostly his teacher), forces him to join the "volunteers" club which exists to help people to solve their problems. However, the catch is that the club happens to currently have as a sole member -> the most popular (and rightly so) girl in school: Yukinoshita Yukino. Add to that the sweet and exuberant Yuigahama Yui to complete the club and what you get is 100% enjoyment.
The plot (on a general note) thus consists of this club helping different people with various problems on request.
ART:
It was fine. Yes, some episodes had drops in the quality, but it wasn't bad enough to be a distraction. In fact, as I'm not the fastidious type, I only barely noticed.
SOUND:
Average here too. Liked the opening as well as the ending. Certainly not great ones but still enjoyable.
CHARACTERS:
Simply awesome.
The male lead: Hachiman/"Hikki" has to be one of the most badass character without a gun, or superpowers or magical powers.... ec cetera. He probably couldn't take out one young man, forget a gang of villains.... but still he is awesome.
His antisocial lifestyle combined with a pessimistic view has created in him, an ability to understand our society, world and hence our life which is intriguing, almost creepy. He is able to do so only because he is an observer: he is not really a part of society. Being outside it's realm permits him a unique viewpoint that others lack. Truly an admirable character.
"You say you admire me. I think what you probably admire is how I speak out things as I see them and not care about others, and how I'm unaffected by the people around me. But isn't that because you can emphasize with me, a loner? In that sense, we are the same. That means you are a loner like me. However, your admiration leads me to believe that you are still trying to fit in: you are still affected by other people's views about you. And the cruel fact is you hate yourself for it. Isn't that so?"
That is probably how he would respond to my last statement and the creepy thing is that, despite the twisted nature of his views, he is usually spot on.
The way he handles the problems is also fun to watch as he uses his twisted ideologies to think of unorthodox solutions which are usually quite cruel and in-your-face but effective nontheless.
The first of the female lead Yukino: She is smart and witty and is not afraid to speak her mind. She is similar to Hikki in that sense. Plus, she is also a loner. However, in her case, it is not by choice. Her perfection (and probably the cold demeanour) is the cause for her circumstances.
The second of the female leads Yui: She is probably a stereotype of the "cheerful and bubbly" type of character, but still her presence is quite important. Without her, the club and probably the anime wouldn't be the same.
The rest of the characters are also important in the sense that they represent the normal views of normal humans. So, they serve to emphasize the contrast between Hachiman's view and that of his peers.
What makes this show tick..
1. Hachiman: his views, monologues and staight-to-the-point methods. In fact, one could make an hour long video with his monologues alone and it would still be highly enjoyable.
2. The interactions between the characters. This is also the highlight of the show. The interactions between the main three characters is top notch. These interactions seemed to develop along with the characters themselves which was great as well. Especially, the conversations between Hachiman and Yukino are highly enjoyable and of course funny as well.
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SO,
The FINAL THOUGHTS
cons:
*Cannot really think of anything significant. The setting is a normal high school, nothing fancy; that might be a turn off for those inclined to fantasy/supernatural settings.
*Maybe the art/animation? for the really observant ones.
Pros:
Oregairu stands out from the rest of the romcoms because of...
*The male lead: Usually, the male lead is "kind", sweet and (for god's sake!) dense too. Here, he is Hikigaya Hachiman. Period.
*The melodrama(i.e the lack of it): Also something I liked. Had it in as small amounts as possible. So, the plot and setting seemed almost able to occur in real life.
*The monologues: Seriously. I recommend printing them and sticking them on the bedroom walls or something. Pure gold.
Score:
Entertainment: 9.5
Everything else: 8
So, OVERALL: 8.75 = 9
Capable of changing how we perceive the society and human nature in general. But hilarious at the same time.
Highly recommended to any anime viewer. Especially recommended for the ones who love romcoms (because they are the most likely to be pleasantly surprised ).
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{P.S; This is my very first review. So, feedbacks and comments (both +ve and -ve) would be highly appreciated.}
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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