This series. This healing series is one that is perfect for the Summer. Taking place near an aquatic setting with fun, waters, and diving. Amanchu! is a show that I can safely recommend to just about anyone.
Adapted by the manga of the same name, you may find some similarities between this and Aria with its atmospheric setting. Also, it’s co-directed by Junichi Sato and his talent is easily recognizable in this series. Transforming a slice of life story into anime form isn’t always easy but he gets the job done with this anime. And I have to say, that is an achievement not to be
...
underestimated.
The series has a relatively small cast but is very colorful in establishing their personalities. Hikari Kohinata (nicknamed Pikari) is the most cheerful girl you’ll probably meet in recent years as she spends her days being happy and diving. On the other hand, her classmate Futaba Ooki (nicknamed Teko) is a bit more on the timid side. Unlike Pikari, she lacks self-confidence and doesn’t have many friends. However, she is a sincere girl with a gentle personality. And through her growing relationship with Pikari, Teko begins to show more confidence as a person while also making valuable memories.
In general, the show is pretty much a golden slice of life. What I mean by that is how the show is able to focus each episode like an episodic adventure of its own. It’s a series that doesn’t rely on complex storytelling but rather with its themes and characters. A major theme in the show is also friendship with Pikari and Teko’s relationship being the most prominent. The two are almost always seen together and they later join the school’s diving club. This opens up new possibilities for Teko as she learns about the mechanics of diving, as she didn’t even know how to swim prior to joining. Their teacher Mato Katori may be a strict person but she is also caring and really wants the club’s members to succeed. Furthermore, Teko meets new friends such as the Ninomiya siblings. In essence, Teko experiences new possibilities in her life that really makes a change in her character.
If you want to experience some laughs and fun, this is definitely a show for you. Its comedy is well timed by the character expressions, dialogues, and reactions. I can also safely say that Amanchu! never relies on cheesy lines that may throw the viewer off. It comes out rather naturally with how the characters express their thoughts. Even though Teko can be quite timid, her dialogues in the series also feels fitting for her character. Of course, there’s Pikari who is hyperactive so expect tons of eccentricity out of her. The Ninomiya siblings fits somewhere in between as Ai resembles more like Pikari while her brother resembles more of Teko. These four makes the core of the diving club and their adventures is the reason why this series can be so exciting.
In the meantime, the anime adaptation handles the show faithfully despite rearranging some chapters. I think the main point is that they are trying to construct the series to capture the important elements. The mechanics of diving, the relationship between Teko and Pikari, and making valuable memories are just a few to name. Background storytelling is kept at minimal although there is one episode that really gives the viewers an insight on Teko’s character. There’s also some subtle yuri vibes as the show likes to play around with Teko and Pikari's relationship. In retrospect, Amanchu! relies a lot more on its slice of life aspects that expresses excitement and fun.
Anyone familiar with Kozue Amano’s Aria will easily find that the character designs from this series are also similar. Indeed, character designs looks very fresh that accurately adapts them into the story. Hilarious and super deformed character expressions seems to pop up often that are infectiously amusing; especially Pikari. In the meantime, the backgrounds feels natural and rich that depicts the ocean and other aquatic features with realism. There’s very minimal fan service as the show doesn’t rely on skin to deliver what’s intended. To easily sum it up, Amanchu’s visual quality can be easily described as visual porn.
Character voice mannerism and soundtrack also deserves praise in the show. In particular, Pikari is like an energetic light bulb that never stops shining. Their teacher is also able to carry out her role with a mature voice that is very easy to understand and listen to. Soundtrack is quite atmospheric and smooth with a light touch for its OST. The OP and ED theme songs possesses a light voice tone that is exactly fitting for this series.
Honestly, this is one of those shows that can almost make anyone feel relaxed after a stressful day. I mean, even if you plan to watch it on a random occasion, it will still induce you with its feels and heals. Amanchu’s story may not always be so appealing or complex. However, each episode has a life of its own that is valuable. The characters are represented quite well that comes together to share their love of diving, school life, and the joys of living. It’s just like the tagline, “fun for all, all for fun”. And you’ll get a lot of that.
Alternative Titles
Japanese: あまんちゅ!
Information
Type:
TV
Episodes:
12
Status:
Finished Airing
Aired:
Jul 8, 2016 to Sep 23, 2016
Premiered:
Summer 2016
Broadcast:
Fridays at 23:00 (JST)
Licensors:
None found, add some
Studios:
J.C.Staff
Source:
Manga
Demographic:
Shounen
Duration:
23 min. per ep.
Rating:
PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
Statistics
Ranked:
#28492
2
based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity:
#2020
Members:
90,593
Favorites:
287
Available AtResourcesStreaming Platforms | Reviews
Sort
Your Feelings Categories Sep 23, 2016
This series. This healing series is one that is perfect for the Summer. Taking place near an aquatic setting with fun, waters, and diving. Amanchu! is a show that I can safely recommend to just about anyone.
Adapted by the manga of the same name, you may find some similarities between this and Aria with its atmospheric setting. Also, it’s co-directed by Junichi Sato and his talent is easily recognizable in this series. Transforming a slice of life story into anime form isn’t always easy but he gets the job done with this anime. And I have to say, that is an achievement not to be ... Sep 23, 2016
Can you make something interesting about the mundane aspects of life? This series tries to be relaxing and soothing which is typical for any anime that follows the Iyashikei format. There is no actual progression in this show making it a genuine timewaster. If you’re the type to enjoy a common prosaic structure, then this may be the show for you.
The starting point of this show is very banal, here we follow the journey of Ooki Futaba (aka Teko) moving to a coastal location in Japan presumably due to her parents being transferred or something. It is known that she has moved from the busy ... Sep 23, 2016
200+ reaction faces by Episode 2 and over 3500+ Reaction faces towards the final episode. (This includes groups, background characters & teachers.) I excluded previews for the next episodes along with flashbacks. 38 seconds is the longest time a character spent holding a reaction face. The title of most reaction faces and time spent making time is... Hikari, or “Pikari.” With all that nerdy stuff out the way, let’s get to my review.
Story 6/10 Perhaps one of the most underrated shows this season, Amanchu is a chill slice of life anime. The story focuses mainly on character Hikari and Futaba’s high school life, and their love ... Sep 23, 2016
Iyashikei is a sub-genre of slice of life that I've started being aware of after reading the critically acclaimed manga series named "Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou", one that I still love and consider not only one of the best additions into the respective sub-genre, but of the slice of life genre itself in general. A great female character, a really interesting take on the future landscape of Japan and AIs, episodic stories that are no less than charming and a very powerful ending make it one of the most fascinating experiences that come to mind when it comes to this industry. Following that, I had the
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Sep 23, 2016
“I realized that the ocean reaches far and wide. Perhaps this vast ocean might have something may have something my significant self doesn’t. I might be able to find my true self” –Teko
Every season, there will always be that one show that gets overlooked by a lot of viewers due to various reason. Amanchu is one of them. First of all, it is a slice of life anime, that alone is enough reason for a lot of people to overlook this show. It seems that a lot of slice of life anime nowadays are just about high school girls and drinking tea. Another reason is ... Sep 25, 2016
First of all i haven't read the manga that Amanchu is based off so as a result the first time that i seen the story, characters and setting was in the anime itself.
So then lets get started The story for Amanchu revolves around the character of Futaba Ooki who i call Teko and her move from the metropolis of Tokyo to a new oceanside town and her attempts to get used to her new surroundings and make new friends. Part of this process is going to a entirely new school and joining the schools diving club. Teko's character as a result of her personality ... Sep 23, 2016
Amanchu! is what the Summer 2016 slice of life anime as to what flying witch was for Spring 2016.
Amanchu! may be a show about "diving" but it shows us more about friendship and youth in a more subtle way, it's a slice of life anime, it's too be expected these kind of these will show up and even the atmosphere of the anime knows it. This is two for two for JC Staff making a great slice of life anime isn't it? Amanchu!'s characters are slightly unique for the most part from the hyper eccentric Hikari "Pikari" Kohinata voiced by Eri Suzuki a soon to be friend ... Sep 23, 2016
Simple yet beautiful, that is how I would describe Amanchu. There are a ton of slice of life shows out there and many of them fail to differentiate themselves from the rest. However despite this huge obstacle, Amanchu does successfully manage to differentiate itself from most by being something simple yet beautiful.
Amanchu takes place in a rural town that is close to the ocean where the main character, Teko (Ooki Futaba) has recently moved to. Very soon after, she meets a strange girl, Pikari (Kohinata Hikari), who gets her to join the scuba diving club at school. From there, more characters are introduced (who are ... Sep 23, 2016
Amanchu!
Art/Characters: The art style of this show is quite nice to look at, and some of the scenes are so beautiful and so all-encompassing that it really makes one feel special. The look of the water and the and the style of each of the characters really make the show come to life. Each character has their own unique look to them (save for the twins) and have a unique personality. The one downside to this would be the faces that the characters occasionally make. For example, Pikari, when she gets really excited she goes extremely simple and kind of ridiculous and has a completely ... Oct 22, 2016
Amanchu!
A little disclaimer at first: This will be my first Anime review, so I know not everything will be that refined. Also English is not my native tongue so there will be some grammatical mistakes I think. Why I want to Review this Anime ? The reason I want to review this Anime in particular is that I think, it is one of the more overlooked Anime of this season. For a reference you can just look at the amount of Members it has compared to other shows. This and my second reason ( which you will find later on in my review) are what leads me ... Sep 27, 2016
"The folly of youth, you see, is that you sometimes convince yourself that your world is confined to a familiar object the size of your palm. But it's all right. Look up and see. There's an endless world of fun starin' ya right in the face." -Kohinata Kino
(SPOILERS BELOW NOT REALLY MAJOR THO BC IT'S SOL) It only took 7 minutes for me to realize I was going to love Amanchu!, these 7 minutes gave one of the strongest first impressions I've seen in a long time for sure. The relaxing, nostalgic background music, the quiet humming of a motorcycle and the gorgeous background art assured ... Sep 23, 2016
New experiences are both great and terrifying. They're a chance to go out of one's comfort zone, but at the same time, throw people into situations that they would otherwise see as dangerous or unfamiliar, and would therefore avoid them. Some people like new experiences and cherish the ability to expand their horizons whilst others prefer to stay with what's comfortable with them without venturing out into the unknown to see what's known. And so we have Amanchu, a story adapted from the original manga from Amano Kozue, telling the story of a girl in a town filled with new things to
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Oct 13, 2016
Looking for an anime about a group of girls (and one boy) going through school and club life with cartoonish facial expressions tossed in and a pinch of yuri subtext? This one is for you. Looking for anime about scuba-diving, along with all its splendor and trials? You may want to look elsewhere.
Amanchu is a very laid back and easygoing show. The series will really show off it's well detailed scenery along with soft music to really set a relaxing atmosphere. The story focuses on protagonist Futaba Ooki and her companion Hikari Koihinata, along with their sempai a pair of ... Sep 24, 2016
Upyo! From the team who made Aria comes another yashiki with water theme. This time it’s about diving.
Our main character Futaba joins a high school on a seemingly distant region of Japan. At first she’s lost and sad because she had to move from big city and she lost all of her friends that she made. But then she meets funny energetic girl Hikari also known as Pikari and she discovers a brand new world of fun while also coming in terms with herself, her situation and her live outlook. It’s a fairly simple but quite enjoyable story. It presents lots of metaphors for anxiety ... Oct 5, 2016
If you want to relax and enjoy a nice story involving the summer, then this easy-going anime "Amanchu!" is for you.
Why do I bother to write a review about not something so special? Because in its own way it stands out. I first didn't know what to expect of this. Is it some kind of slow burning romance between girls, a summer romance, an adventure, a diving quest, ... Nope just a nice summer story about a girl who finds herself in a new town and finding new friends and experiences along the way. Does is sound boring? Maybe at first? But the scenery, ... Feb 19, 2018
(This review has been adapted from my blog/reddit thread. Spoilers ahead!)
Our “diving” in the Jamaican waters was worse than we expected. The shanty was rusted and beat up. The snorkel masks we used looked like they hadn’t been washed in weeks. The spot chosen did not let us see anything interesting let alone memorable. Wanting only to get back on the cruise ship, we headed back its way. There, still sitting near the end of the dock, was the lady from before, continuing her chant as though it was her God-given destiny. “Watah one dolla’. Two bucks for da big one!” That’s all she said in her ... May 16, 2017
***THIS IS A VERY LIGHT SPOILER REVIEW***
I vividly remember watching a series called Aria in my earlier anime watching days. It had me mesmerized with its amazing visuals, music, and character interactions. It told the story of 3 young women working on getting better at their craft. For 3 seasons it developed into an amazing series that I wish we had more of. Amanchu is written by the same author that did Aria and while it does do a great job of hitting most of the marks laid by Aria, I feel that it missed its stride in a few instances. Story: 3.5/10 What made Aria ... Sep 7, 2018
Amanchu! is the story of a teenager called Futaba. She looks like a supermodel but she suffers from social anxiety. Futaba recently moved to a seaside town and there, she quickly befriends an apparently mentally handicapped girl who goes by the nickname of Pikari who, throughout the series, teaches the protagonist that the secret to a happy life is to stop stressing about stuff and enjoy the little everyday things.
The series clearly wants to get the message across that regardless of the fact that someone might look utterly braindead to you, you still might be able to learn quite a bit from that person and ... May 18, 2017
I try my best not to make comparisons of shows before I even watch them, but a certain show couldn't help but immediately spring to mind when I first saw Amanchu!.
This is far from J.C.Staff's first ride with a slice-of-life series. However, in just the previous season, J.C.Staff had done another slice-of-life series featuring primarily cute girls entitled Flying Witch. This show was widely praised by anime fans as being everything a slice-of-life should be (a consensus I agreed with), while Amanchu! seemed to fall under the radar. Maybe it's because Amanchu!'s premise doesn't seem immediately as inviting as Flying Witch's did. An anime about witches ... Sep 30, 2017
-- sorry for bad english --
Watching Amanchu was a weird experiment, and after watching Aria, from the same author, i understand more where the creations of the author are a problem with me. In both case the art and music was gorgeous, and in both case the character are a great creations. We encounter the same type of character but well, they are very good. All have been said about this in others review and i am 100% OK with this so i don't write more about this. The main problem of this anime (and other creations of the same author) are that the autjhor just ... |