Fune wo Amu (The Great Passage)

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Alternative Titles

Japanese: 舟を編む

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Information

Type: TV

Episodes: 11

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Oct 14, 2016 to Dec 23, 2016

Premiered: Fall 2016

Broadcast: Fridays at 00:55 (JST)

Producers: Aniplex, Dentsu, Fuji TV, Kyoraku Industrial Holdings, Kansai Telecasting, Kobunsha

Licensors: Discotek Media

Studios: Zexcs

Source: Novel

Genres: Award Winning, Drama, Romance

Themes: Adult Cast, Workplace

Duration: 22 min. per ep.

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Statistics

Score: 7.62¹ (scored by 40,209 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #1338²

² based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #1732

Members: 116,268

Favorites: 473

Available At

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Synopsis

Kouhei Araki, a veteran editor of the dictionary editorial division at Genbu Publishing, plans to retire in order to better care for his ailing wife. However, before retiring, he must find a replacement to complete his latest project: a new dictionary called The Great Passage. But no matter where he looks, he cannot find anyone suitable, as making a dictionary requires a wealth of patience, time, and dedication.

Mitsuya Majime works in Genbu Publishing's sales division, yet he has poor social skills and an inability to read the mood in most situations. In spite of this, he excels at having an enthusiasm for words thanks to his love of reading and careful personality. It is these skills that draw Araki to him and prompt him to offer Majime a position in the dictionary editorial department. As Majime accepts his new position, he finds himself unsure of his abilities and questioning whether he will fit in with his new co-workers. Yet amid the vast sea of words, The Great Passage will bring them together.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Background

Winner of the New Face Award on the 21st Japan Media Arts Festival.

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Related Anime

Adaptation:	Fune wo Amu
Other:	Fune wo Amu Yokoku

More characters

Characters & Voice Actors

Majime, Mitsuya

Main

Sakurai, Takahiro
Japanese

Nishioka, Masashi

Main

Kamiya, Hiroshi
Japanese

Hayashi, Kaguya

Supporting

Sakamoto, Maaya
Japanese

Araki, Kouhei

Supporting

Kanao, Tetsuo
Japanese

Take

Supporting

Tani, Ikuko
Japanese

Matsumoto, Tomosuke

Supporting

Mugihito
Japanese

Professor Oda

Supporting

Tobita, Nobuo
Japanese

Sasaki, Kaoru

Supporting

Sakakibara, Yoshiko
Japanese

Kai

Supporting

Shibuya, Azuki
Japanese

Miyoshi, Remi

Supporting

Saitou, Chiwa
Japanese

More staff

Staff

Mori, Akitoshi

Producer

Kuroyanagi, Toshimasa

Director, Script

Nagasaki, Yukio

Sound Director

Kouta, Fumiaki

Episode Director

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Opening Theme

"Shiokaze (潮風)" by Taiiku Okazaki (岡崎体育)

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Ending Theme

"I & I" by Leola

More reviews

Reviews

Dec 24, 2016

ZephSilver

Mixed Feelings

As a reviewer, there have been numerous occasions when I struggle to find the right words to convey my thoughts. This isn't to say that I didn't know what I wanted to express to others, but rather, I wanted my message to be as clear and concise as possible. The right words can often make all the difference in how a reader interprets what you have to say. Words are capable of setting the mood, giving off tone, and in some cases, changing the very temperament of those on the receiving end. They're vehicles used to communicate feelings, painting a picture for the reader, and ...

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Dec 23, 2016

weebna

Recommended

Fune wo Amu is without a doubt a hidden gem. I'm the first person to say that when I first decided to watch this show I wasn't very excited about it and I thought I would eventually stop watching it, little did I know how amazing this was. Definitely one of the best animes of this season.

First of all, there aren't any anime similar to this one, at least not that I know off and according to what I hear about it from other people. The greatest thing about the whole show is the reality behind it. The whole story and plot makes sense ...

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Dec 26, 2016

BlueKite

Recommended

When someone opens a dictionary, what does usually come to mind first? Depending on who you ask, the answer varies from looking for definitions on unfamiliar words to just simply enjoy seeing how words are given meaning in so many unique ways. Words are very powerful, they can dictate how the world moves. They are needed by leaders, innovators, educators, and even by ordinary people in their daily activities. Without it, humanity can’t progress and evolve. Forming and stringing words are basic human skills but we often find times when we can’t clearly express our thoughts, making us seek a solution to that problem. Dictionaries ... serve that purpose. Even as I am writing this review, I constantly try to formulate sentences and choose words carefully. I ask myself questions, do these words clearly reflect what I’m trying to say? Will my point get through the reader despite my limited vocabulary? Words can be a double-edged sword, they can also detach people out of misunderstanding. Down to its core, words are ultimately building blocks for a person’s capacity to share ideas.

It’s such a delight that a show like Fune wo Amu tries to show an enthusiasm for dictionaries and words in general that most people usually take for granted. I like how it presents a metaphor of a sea of words with a dictionary that symbolizes as the ship that sails across it which really fits in the narrative well. Several obstacles are encountered along the way in making a dictionary. It looks mundane and time-consuming, not to mention it takes years for a dictionary to make, but it’s really rewarding for people who have the passion for it. The stakes are not that high and intense as everyone can just quit when they had enough but that’s not a concerning issue because the story tries to focus more on how the cast maintains that glowing light of dedication, not to succumb to the external pressures dumped on them.

The characters in the show are mostly simple but not to the point that they feel unnecessary and bland. All of them have roles in the story and they carry it out well. The only character that gets enough development is Majime who’s the main character. There is Nishioka as well, he gains considerable character development after he works with Majime for a while, but he ends up static after a few episodes later. Depth is not of immediate importance character-wise as it has become evident later that the show attempts to be more plot-oriented more than anything else. Even Majime’s romance subplot was only breezed by to make way for the story’s main objective, the completion of The Great Passage, in which his involvement is of the greatest. I like to see the cast as a part of something bigger, giving less emphasis on their individuality but remaining interesting and relevant.

On the more technical aspects, I love the character designs. I looked up the person behind the character designs and found out that it’s the same person behind Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu which is another fantastic show. The animation can get derpy at times but overall, it’s not very distracting. The soundtrack matches the atmospheric mood the show it tries to emulate. Imagery of scenes are wonderful especially at presenting metaphors and symbolisms.

Overall, Fune wo Amu is a show recommended to those who are interested with words, meaning, context, the overall semantics. It’s also a show recommended to those who likes seeing stories revolving around passion and dedication for something great and noble and seeing it get fulfilled in the end. It’s a shame that some viewers overlooked this hidden gem at the season’s lineup as I personally think it’s one of the best shows to have come out this year. Just remember the next time you pick up a dictionary that it’s the fruit of hard work and dedication, a culmination of human’s curiosity for meaning.

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Majime, Mitsuya

Nishioka, Masashi

Hayashi, Kaguya

Araki, Kouhei

Take

Matsumoto, Tomosuke

Professor Oda

Sasaki, Kaoru

Kai

Miyoshi, Remi

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Fune wo Amu

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