Non Non Biyori

Hotaru Ichijou's lifestyle completely changes when she leaves Tokyo and moves with her family to the isolated Asahigaoka village. Her new school has only five students including herself, all sharing a single classroom regardless of grade level. There are no convenience stores in the area, and it can take up to two hours for a bus to arrive.

Nevertheless, Hotaru finds herself captivated by the countryside's charm thanks to her four unique schoolmates with whom she quickly forms a genuine bond. The most colorful of them is Renge Miyauchi, a first-grader who is often perceptive despite her age. However, no less intriguing are the three Koshigaya siblings: the quiet oldest brother Suguru, the petite older sister Komari, and the prankish youngest sister Natsumi.

Having someone from the city join their cheerful little group enlivens the ordinary days in Asahigaoka. Not only does Hotaru bring firsthand knowledge from the alluring outside world, but her fresh outlook on life welcomes a blossom of change to their usual routine.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Background

Episode 1 was previewed at a screening in Tokyo on September 1, 2013. Regular broadcasting began on October 8, 2013.

Non Non Biyori placed first in the 2013 Fall Anime Satisfaction Ranking conducted by Akiba Research Institute. In the same year, the anime ranked third in the men's division of the Anime!Anime! survey "What Fall 2013 Anime Are You Watching?" Renge Miyauchi's greeting "Nyanpasu!" became so popular that it won the grand prize at the 2013 Anime Buzzword Award.

The series was released on Blu-ray and DVD by Sentai Filmworks on January 6, 2015.

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Related Anime

Adaptation:	Non Non Biyori
Side story:	Non Non Biyori: Okinawa e Ikukoto ni Natta
Sequel:	Non Non Biyori Repeat

More characters

Characters & Voice Actors

Miyauchi, Renge

Main

Koiwai, Kotori
Japanese

Koshigaya, Komari

Main

Asumi, Kana
Japanese

Ichijou, Hotaru

Main

Murakawa, Rie
Japanese

Koshigaya, Natsumi

Main

Sakura, Ayane
Japanese

Kagayama, Kaede

Supporting

Satou, Rina
Japanese

Koshigaya, Suguru

Supporting

Miyauchi, Hikage

Supporting

Fukuen, Misato
Japanese

Miyauchi, Kazuho

Supporting

Nazuka, Kaori
Japanese

Fujimiya, Konomi

Supporting

Shintani, Ryouko
Japanese

Ishikawa, Honoka

Supporting

Takagaki, Ayahi
Japanese

More staff

Staff

Gou, Fumiyuki

Producer

Kisara, Youhei

Producer

Nakagawa, Jirou

Producer

Kawatsura, Shinya

Director

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Opening Theme

"Nanairo Biyori (なないろびより)" by nano.RIPE

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Ending Theme

"Non Non Biyori (のんのん日和)" by Renge Miyauchi (Kotori Koiwai), Hotaru Ichijou (Rie Murakawa), Natsumi Koshigaya (Ayane Sakura), Komari Koshigaya (Kana Asumi)

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Reviews

Nov 23, 2013

kuuderes_shadow

Recommended

This anime is a panacea of the heart and mind.

Life too stressful? Worried or anxious about something? Just sit down in front of the screen and put this anime on, and all your concerns will dissolve away - probably within seconds. Everything - setting, plot, sound, music, art, humour - all of it is perfectly crafted at maximising this effect. And what an effect it is.

The story itself is a simple one. It follows the daily lives of four girls of various ages who all live in the same rural village and are in the same class at school. Almost everything that happens is following ... their daily lives, with events that are both realistic and completely believable. As far as overarching story goes, that's about it - this isn't an anime you should be watching if you only care for a tense plot full of twists and turns. It is predominantly episodic in nature, although characters and settings are gradually built up over time so there's no lack of progress. Each episode contains one or two stories, every single one of which is a joy to watch and will melt your heart. The humour is lighthearted in tone, and is aimed at adding to this heart-melting effect, rather than at making you laugh out loud, although there are a few moments that could do this as well. There are also a few moments that will invoke other emotions, all very effectively and very naturally.

The cast is focused mainly on the four girls. Komari is the eldest of the four, although you wouldn't know it by looking. She is very self conscious of the fact that she is unusually small for her age and tries to make up for this by attempting (and largely failing) to act grown up. Hotaru, on the other hand, is unusually mature, at least on a physical level, for a fifth grader. She also quickly develops a crush on her cute chibi senpai, although none of the others ever seem to realise it. Natsumi is Komari's younger sister, and is a bit of a layabout. She's too lazy to work hard at anything and is always getting in trouble for one thing or another. And then there's Renge, called "Ren-chon" by Natsumi. I could honestly wax lyrical about Ren-chon all day, but I don't want to bore you any more than I already am, so I'll just say that she's the youngest of the cast, who knows a lot about things that you wouldn't expect a first grade student to know, but otherwise acts fairly normally for her age. Oh, she also has some brilliant facial expressions, and Koiwai Kotori's voice acting of her character is a definite candidate for being the best I've ever come across.
Every member of the supporting cast, just like the main characters, each have their own distinctive but realistic and believable personalities, and are every bit as likeable as the central four cast members.

The humour and characters may be brilliant, but what makes this series really stand out is the music and images. As someone who tends to focus very heavily on the characters of a series, I don't usually care much for these things - as long as they add to the immersement, enjoyment and feel of a series, just about anything's fine by me. But here even I can't help but be overwhelmed. The series starts with nothing but pictures, sound effects and music building up the scene and setting with pure imagery. It's almost 2.5 minutes before anything is actually said, yet by that time you will likely have already entered into a state of total bliss from the gorgeous artwork, more reminiscent of a high budget film or even something you might see in an art gallery than a TV series, and soothing background music and sound effects of what is being shown. And, while the effect may not be as intense in later scenes, the quality does not drop. Just about every background in this entire series is a work of art both literally and figuratively.

I've watched the first episode over and over again and every time the effect is the same. The entire anime is thoroughly rewatchable, and every episode provides the perfect relaxation whether on your first watch or your tenth. Even brilliantly written series that depend on plot twists and reveals often grow dull when watching through for the third time, but that is of no concern for an anime like this.

A lot of slower paced anime, however, require you to be in the right mood before watching them, but again that is of no concern here, as Non Non Biyori will put you in that right mood, no matter what your previous state of mind.

All in all, this is a series to be watched, loved and enjoyed over and over again. Everything is perfectly toned to add to this viewing pleasure as much as possible, and it is indeed a pure pleasure to watch.

If you want to know what nirvana feels like, watch this anime.

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Dec 27, 2013

theaveragemeans

Recommended

This is my first review, but I'll try my best to follow the guidelines.

Ah. Non Non Biyori.

To be honest, when I first saw the concept art and previews, I was not impressed. Frankly, I dismissed it as yet another slice of life show, a genre so regularly plagiarized that one can't help but wonder if the anime studios are running out of ideas, as each subsequent series seems to be a cut and paste of an earlier show. It was only with great encouragement from Youtube pianist Tehishter that I began watching the show with the lowest of expectations. I was pleasantly surprised at how ... wrong I was.

=Story 8/10=
The story is a simple one. Hotarun, a Tokyo-bred city girl, finds herself moving out of the hustle and bustle of a metropolitan life and into the middle of the countryside thanks to her father's job transfer. There, she enrolls into a school that has only 1 teacher and 5 students of varying grades. Gradually, she grows accustomed to the joys of friendship and a peaceful lifestyle. That is pretty much it, story wise. Arguably, that is all it needs to be.

While this might not sound like much, the writers did a fantastic job of painting a picturesque scene, albeit rather romanticized, of the differences between living in the countryside and living in the city. To roughly quote Ren-chon, "Don't you own a mountain in the city, Hotarun?". There is an interesting element of comedic relief to the show as well, which does a good job of creating a light hearted and heart-warming experience altogether. It is exactly because of the lack of intricacies and complications that make this anime such a joy to watch. :)

=Art 9/10=
Being a show that revolves around country lifestyle, the show does a superb job of vividly painting the landscapes and creating a nice environment that truly sucks the viewer in. I was rather absorbed into the many beautifully done landscapes and views. The show, indeed, was full of screenshot worthy moments. The characters are nicely done as well. I for one, was pleasantly surprised at the lack of fan-service and the way the creators managed to maintain a very innocent image of the characters.

=Sound 9/10=
Ah. The soundtrack. I often see reviewers claim that a soundtrack is plain, boring or not memorable. I would argue otherwise. The sole purpose of a soundtrack is to immerse the viewer into the atmosphere of the show, to deliberate the mood and 'flow' of the show. In this regard, the Non Non Biyori soundtrack does its job wonderfully. The subtle hints and ambient sounds that are played fit very well into the show. It suits the laidback and heartwarming theme of the show very well. As for the OP, it introduces the playful and childish mood of the overall show, which nano.ripe performs superbly. The ED is just adorable.

=Character 7/10=
The characters in the show are decent. I liked that the show did not introduce any stereotypes or overdo any of the characters. There's Hotaru, the classy but sweet city girl, the sisters Komari and Natsumi, and Renge, who make up the main cast of the show. They each have their varying quirks and personalities, all of which are interesting in their own ways. There is, surprisingly enough, some decent and well thought out character development, in particular, the relationship between 'sweet shop lady' and Renge. I have personally lost count at how many times I've let out an audible aww throughout this series.

=Enjoyment 10/10=
I love this show. No words can convey how I feel about this show, to be honest, but I'll try. Every week for the past 7 weeks, I looked forward to the airing of Non Non Biyori. Although I only got into the show halfway through the season, I was instantly hooked. I really enjoyed the laidback and calming experience that is Non Non Biyori. No matter how crappy or pissed off I felt at the time, I couldn't help but smile like an idiot after the show. Unlike other slice of life animes, Non Non Biyori is different in the sense that one truly feels at peace while watching the show. There is no drama or climax, no ante or distress. Watching the show was for me, pure bliss. 23 minutes of smiling like an idiot.

Overall, this anime does what it set out to do perfectly. Granted, some might not enjoy the lack of action or fan service, but let me say this. Give the show a try. If you've had a crappy day at school, a disastrous meeting at work or if you just wanted to relax for a bit, watch this show. It's not the best show of the year, or even of the season, but it is special in its own right.

9/10.

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Dec 24, 2013

tommy73

Recommended

Yes, I have a sweet spot for slice of life anime. I genuinely enjoyed the laid-back shows such as GJ-bu, Tamayura, Yuyushiki etcetera this year, but that doesn't stop me from saying that Non Non Biyori was one of the most conformist and loveliest experiences in the past few months. It's definitely great-tier in the slice of life section.

The simplistic story takes place in a rural area of the countryside. Eleven year old Hotaru Ichijou moves into the town from Tokyo with her parents, and transfers into a school consisting of only four more students; Renge, Natsumi and Komari (yes, it's a rather small ... school). It shows the ordinary lives of these children, as well as other residents in the town throughout the seasons of the year.

That is quite literally it.

And hence is one reason why I love this show dearly. The story knows exactly what its purpose is; relaxation and healing. The execution of the countryside is depicted very well: The writing isn't complicated in the least, rather very simplistic, but the pacing and direction takes a gentle slow approach, and especially a faithful one to its original setting (it's based on a real place after all). Everything content wise is pretty much laid back, whether it's the lack of vehicles to rivers streaming, or doors without locks to shops without its shopkeeper (you pay in the money box!). The nature environment and gentle flow keeps this show consistently soothing, and each episode has the magic to ease you from anxiety or worries.

It's not all slice of life though, as its comedic factor takes a big role too. In its environment, it's very light-hearted comedy, carried by its characters heavily, but largely comedy based nevertheless. I'd say it's a mix between Aria's slice of life aspect and Nichijou or Azumanga's comedic aspect, although more plausible than random. But the amount of laughing fit moments are high in its otherwise slow stretched content.

Non Non Biyori doesn't illustrate any life messages at the end of every episode, unlike Aria or Tamayura, and its story doesn't particularly end on a high note either (which is good though because second season is possible). However, a few episodes can cause need of replacement for heartstrings, as the dedicated episodes can really warm and break the heart if you're not careful (which can consist of moments we can relate to too). But generally, the story presents the interactions and lives of our cast, and to lay back, eat ice cream and relax in ease is the best way to approach a series like this.

In our cast we have the little grade 1, Renge, the two sisters Komari and Natsumi (grade 8 and 7) and Hotaru, grade 5. They all have pretty distinct personalities, although can be considered realistic. What makes watching them more interesting though is that they're all different ages and have different mindsets, so the interactions and chemistry between each of them together are often entertaining. Especially with Renge, because we're able to see a point of view of a child, not often expressed in anime, in which her childish mindset and logic can be quite ironic yet sweet. The characters pretty much drive the comedy factors forward, and you grow to care for them as the series gradually continues.

I guess the lack of pandering and 'sexual' fanservice is a strong trait of this show as well. The anime makes hardly any attempt to sexualize the characters (except the beach episode (which wasn't actually typical either (yes there's a beach in the countryside, deal with it))). The prohibition of panty and focus-on-body-parts shots makes them non-existent, and helps the faithfulness of this show to keep its soothing story from being ruined. It also ranges a better audience to non-anime fans (as the Japanese countryside people apparently like this show a lot!).

I adore the animation in this show a lot. A lot of long pauses in this show makes up various, delicious wallpapers to use; it's like an impressive painting exhibition at times, with distinct, bright colours of nature in land and sky. Rivers sometimes flow, looking beautiful with reflections and sparkles. It just seems so fun to draw and paint some spectacular scenery, and such exhibitions are a complete plus in these kinds of shows. The shadings and lightning are handled very carefully too, and are the notable strengths in the art department. And of course, the budget is pretty high but that's to be expected with a slice of life shows as they usually are (there's lots of money to spend with not many scenes).

Sound direction is done craftily great too. The soundtrack portrays a lazy yet calming mood for the show, sometimes being the center of the scene for a few times. The careful use of silence and sound effects suits the environment of the countryside, in which helps essence the lovely atmosphere this show has to offer at front. The voice actors deliver their lines well, whether it's a punchline or not. You'd probably recognize Joshiraku's Marii in this, and Renge's VA coins the child character with ace. The OP and ED are generally enjoyable to listen to as well, and not once I skipped it.

All in all, Non Non Biyori is definitely one of the better shows in its respective genre. It may look appealing to moe-inducers, but its environment and atmosphere is what sets itself apart from the typical slice of life anime with girls doing nothing. Its fun characters, lack of fanservice and soothing lazy pace helps the show in becoming a decent healing anime. And girls doing nothing it is, but as long as you have the right mindset and approach towards this show then it's highly enjoyable and comforting, especially when you're feeling down the dumps or blues. It's an anime that makes you smile; one that eases your tensity.

This is why I love the slice of life healing genre.

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Non Non Biyori

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Miyauchi, Renge

Koshigaya, Komari

Ichijou, Hotaru

Koshigaya, Natsumi

Kagayama, Kaede

Koshigaya, Suguru

Miyauchi, Hikage

Miyauchi, Kazuho

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Non Non Biyori

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