Somewhere down the line, I found "Acchi Kocchi". I was somewhat reluctant due to my earlier experiences, but something about the cover image enticed me into at least giving it a shot. I've had pleasant experiences with romance tags, and this anime happened to have one also. "Just do it." as Nike would say.
And so I did. Somehow, I feel so undeserving to have enjoyed this anime because of my earlier doubts.
This anime made me question why "Clannad" or "Chuu2byou", albeit being quite enjoyable, had the slice of life tag. I mean, drama hidden or masked underneath a supposed regular life is still in essence a drama, right? Enter, "Acchi Kocchi". Absolutely no dramatic overhaul, yet still somehow a precious gem.
Allow me to explain.
Story/Content - 8
Ah, I don't know. "Story" seems like an unfair way to rank this anime, given it's not really the goal here. There's no drama or intense feeling for the characters. Plot twists are quite simply non-existent. However, it's completely made up for (perhaps even more so) with what the creators have given us instead. It's about a group of five high school friends (With one potential unrequited lover) going about their everyday lives. Of course, there are certain out-of-the-ordinary mishaps to make it interesting, but I don't believe that's what makes it stand out to me. What I really found interesting was the way the creators make out-of-the-ordinary ordinary (Read that over a couple times), in a way that I don't believe I've seen before. Basically, all the out of the strangeness is in the heads of the cast. Thinking and imagining is normal, right? Virtually all the blasphemy happens in the character's heads. The animators have so graciously animated their wild imaginations. Needless to say, HILARIOUS! The complete randomness and extravagance of their thoughts always left me crying of laughter. Most, if not all the jokes are fresh, and not reused very often other than I do realise this may fit under the "characters" section of my review, but alas, I felt as though the character's thoughts ARE the plot, and should be mentioned as so.The episodes are split into two ten minute segments highlighting a certain event of their lives. I can't say they're really quite linear even with slight references back to previous episodes, meaning you could start anywhere and still appreciate it. Some might be depreciative of the lack of originality in creating the story, so I'd give it an 8.
Art - 9
I'm a sucker for bright and colourful. The cute art style is part of what led me to watch this anime to begin with. I have to say, it's quite interesting and fresh. The overall tone is bright and colourful. Simple character designs perfectly suit character personalities. Scenery and such are usually brighter colours than they should be, and sometimes backgrounds are filled with bubbly patterns. I really want to mention the transition scenes though. Usually they're just simple movement animation over a single coloured background, but it's quite appealing. You'd have to see for yourself. Obviously, the art doesn't aim for realism. It aims to create and support a cheerful, relaxing atmosphere, and does that outstandingly. Animation isn't astounding, but rather doesn't stand out. Really, the art is just a pleasure to look at. Though, I guess it doesn't appeal to everyone, so I'll bump it down to a 9.
Sound - 8
The opening and ending songs are rather cute and catchy, though I must admit, I didn't really listen to them often. They do gain points for being in perfect correlation with the mood of the anime though. Perhaps it's not meant to be a needle in your heart that stays with you forever, but a relaxing, overly cheerful, pop tune. The bells and whistles (literally) during the transition scenes are very suiting, and emphasize certain things as they should. Voices perfectly suit their characters, making the atmosphere all the more real. Tsumiki's quiet, shy voice and Io's cool, sexy voice are things I'll never forget. I can't say I can really distinguish any of the OSTs from the anime, but they blend well. In a nutshell, all the sounds build perfectly towards the atmosphere, but aren't much standalone.
Character - 9
A very colourful cast we have here (Literally and figuratively). As mentioned before, these characters ARE the plot. Their wild imaginations and attitudes is what makes this show a show. I can't say that they have original personalities, but I can confidently say that their personalities are a new spin on an ageing old. Basically, take some of the most generic character personalities, and make them a little more relaxed and normal. BAM! You've just created the characters of this show. All characters are interesting, yet normal enough to even be your classmates in real life. Their flaws and strengths are fleshed out to the point that you really love and cherish the characters, yet mysterious enough for unexpectedness. All characters really compliment each other, as a group of friends should. More importantly, they're very entertaining together.
Io - The dense lady charmer.
Tsumiki - The short, tsundere cat-like girl in love with Io.
Hime - The cute, friendly klutz.
Sakaki - Laid-back prankster.
Mayoi - Technologically smart prankster.
The supporting cast is quite amazing too. Heck, they're personalities are deep enough to make them main characters if they were given more screen time. All the characters work together well while at the same time each having their own unique charm; as friends should. Do I really need to say more? IT'S A BIG GROUP OF FRIENDS! (9 because they're not as original as some might hope)
Enjoyment - 10
One of my favourites; period. I'll never forget it. I love it more than I can even express in words. When I'm bored, I go back and pick a random episode to re-watch and enjoy all over again. I'd recommend it to anyone and express my utter love for it if anyone would listen to boring-ol'-me. If you're looking to jump into the slice of life genre, or even in you're not for that matter, watch "Acchi Kocchi". You don't need to be an otaku and know a ton of references to fully enjoy it. You don't even need to think to enjoy it. Just relax and let this anime take you Place to Place.
