Kemono Friends

Kemono Friends is such a refreshing show amidst an industry saturated with harems and love triangles and fanservice. It proves that you don’t need to sexualize the characters, you don’t need melodramatic teenage romance angst bullshit, you don’t need pretentious “symbolism”, you don’t need gory edgefests, and you don’t need to pander to the viewers self-insertion fantasies, in order to create an engaging story with lovable characters. The interaction and dynamics between the two leads stand out in particular for being really heartwarming and endearing.

If you want 25 minutes of fun and laughter to forget your problems, you got it. If you are the type ... that likes to analyze things, you got it too. The show doesn’t shove how “deep” it is in your face, it doesn’t shove it’s world-building in your face, it doesn’t shove cheap melodrama in your face for emotional moments. Everything is much more subtle and naturally done. Why you feel for the characters, when you cry with them, it’s not because it was forced, but rather because you deeply care about the characters. It never gets preachy at any point, but yet manages to offer fantastic lessons about self-worth and friendship and sacrifice.

Kaban-chan is one of the most memorable heroes of any recent series. Most anime heroes either have some sort of special power (for example shounen) or have some kind of special equipment (for example mecha). However, Kaban’s just an ordinary, if rather intelligent, human, without any extraordinary abilities to set herself apart from others, other than for her incredible love and compassion for her friends. Her development from the first episode to the last is breathtaking, and the show manages to pull that off without any stereotypical internal monologues or existential crises.

To top it off the OP and ED are absolutely amazing; the OP is energetic and infectious and I cannot get the song out of my head. The ED is more somber and overlaid over a background of real-life abandoned amusement parks, creating a melancholic bittersweet feeling.

Don’t let the rather poor animation turn you away. You have to understand that this was done on a budget and staff that was vastly smaller than other major studios. The animation never becomes a big enough issue to take away from the writing and plot. Rather, it gives a sort of authentic, genuine feel that a more polished product would not have. Too often, studios splash the cash on breathtaking visual quality, but at the core the project is soulless. Here, while the animation certainly could be better, the charm and the heart that has gone into the show is clearly evident. I was hooked within the first minute of the first episode.

Kemono Friends is one of those rare series that show what the medium of anime is truly capable of. Not only one of the most unique and underrated shows in recent memory, Kemono Friends is also the anime of the season. Truly a joy to experience; I don’t think there will be anything quite like it again.

[Warning: minor spoilers. If you don’t care, please proceed]
Kemono Friends has been dubbed by some as this past season’s “sleeper hit” and articles and photos have been circulating around the net raving about the show’s quality, though not as apparent when compared to the likes of Miss Kobayashi and Gabriel Dropout. “How can this series fly under your radar,” you ask? Well no need to check if you’ve been magically transported under a rock because its popularity can only be really felt if you’re in the Land of the Rising Sun. Which begs the question: is the show legitimately good or have the Japs been ... played for a sucker by an obscure novelty?

Well, yes and no. Part of its appeal may be because of the genetically “moe-fied” animals, but the show’s pièce de résistance is, believe it or not, the story. Behind Kaban and Serval’s whimsical adventure throughout Japari Park lies the history of the park itself. And the genius of it is how they reveal it.

Each episode drops hint about the underlying story, starting at the very first. From there the amount is only miniscule but enough to give nudges and winks to your brain that something’s up. As the story progresses, the pace of how they reveal it is never really rushed. It’s not like in the middle there are episodes dedicated to explaining all of it; that only happens near the end. Every episode gives an equal amount of attention to the progression─ and by “equal,” I mean a steady ascent. It won’t surprise you, but it will slowly draw you in.

And when met with this bizarre development, the mood never really bends into something more serious. They keep the benign atmosphere but how the story unfolds is affected.
Serval: Wow Boss, all this time you can actually talk!
*proceeds to be fine with it minutes later*

On the flipside, the content that’s presented between those reveals, the conversations and jokes between the “Friends” they encounter on their journey, is basic but has a purpose. If you’re gonna watch this without the premonition that it’s going for a childlike and innocent vibe then you’re really not gonna enjoy this. And once the idea that “this is a show for kids” starts settling in, you’re more forgiving about the show’s many inconsistencies and even the subpar animation. Japari Park’s story as backdrop makes up for the show’s shortcomings while giving it a multi-layered edge─ which is more than I can say for some of its characters.

Save for Kaban, the characters are based from actual behaviors of the real-life animals. They even put a small description about them whenever it cuts for a commercial (which I love, by the way.) I like to think of them as heroines in a visual novel, and the center of that harem would be Kaban (yeah, eat your heart out Kobayashi!)

Joking aside, there’s not much outside of that─ which again you forgive and actually fits into the whole “kid stuff” mindset. But then on episode 8, you get the “PPP”; which is an idol group comprised of “moe-fied” species of penguins, which I instantly detested. Nothing’s worse than a throw-away episode on a semi-episodic series. I put the designs for most of the “Friends” into the category of “ridiculous”, PPP’s falls more on the “seductive category”; there’s too much skin. And this might be an unpopular opinion, but I don’t think idols this racy fits anywhere on a children’s show─ magical girls, probably, but not idols. I don’t know. This might be a nitpick since from the start there have been upskirt shots (e.g. Prairie Dog’s), but it never really bothered me because they always cover it up.

All in all, Kemono Friends is a show for the young and the young at heart. Don’t expect a very deep and intricate story to be the show's forefront when you hear somewhere about it being a mystery. I would like to talk about more of its soundtracks and this one that I liked but I can’t find it anywhere. If you’re fine with a 3D slice of life anime that has a slow but interesting story, then stick some feathers on your safari hat and catch the Japari Bus!

I make it sure, who wants to read through half a book in order to get a review.

Kemono Friends is, in my mind, for sure a series worth watching, at least Season 1.
The animation may be a be rough around the edges but otherwise it is a more than solid anime with fun characters to meet, an interesting story and even some fun information to lean about the different animals shown during the show.

Above that, if this had been longer or they up'ed the animation a bit in Season 1 already, this would be an easy 10/10 for me.

Watch it, enjoy it as you ... will, Kemono Friends sure left me impressed and happy.

Out of 100 Nobles watching...
5 are impressed enough to go on Pixiv and look at fan art
95 left and went to watch something less prone to T-posing

I sat down to give Kemono Friends an honest chance. I had heard many good things about it and it's fan base seemed to really enjoy it, but I was not even 5 minutes in before the words "oh lord" audibly came out of my mouth.

Beast Wars: Transformers was an entirely animated Television series from 1996. It was one of my favorite shows at the time and critically it was actually pretty okay. Kemono friends immediately struck me as ... it had worse clipping, model rigging, and modeling than my favorite show from the pre-2000's.

I give very little credence to the fact that a show is made by a small studio and despise when it is used as an excuse for it's shortcomings. Under no circumstances should a show seem more dated than something that predates it by over 20 years. This is coming from someone who tolerated RWBY for 3 Seasons and watches a lot of western animation.

I am one of the most tolerant people I know for appreciating old anime for the time period it came from and am willing to critically access something compared to the peers of its time, but nothing from 2017 should have looked this bad. If visuals are important to you. Stay away.

ごめんなさい、あの。。。サーバルちゃんはかわいいですよねー

If I was told I'd bother to write a review for Kemono Friends a few months ago, I'd laugh it off. But here I am.

First off, Kemono Friends is a kids' show. It is not something with deep meanings hidden behind the scenes as some claim. Yes, there are a few hints at a post-apocalyptic setting, but they are merely hints - or easter eggs would be a more accurate definition. So, if you are considering to watch this show for these hints, be aware that those are very minimal and take up very little screen time, not even 10 minutes in the whole show.

But ... what I found amazing about this show is its production approach. Kemono Friends was originally a mobile game that offered nothing ground-breaking, and failed due to that. It was shut down before the anime started airing, but after the production started.

What would an average studio do in such a situation, where a promotional series loses the object they are supposed to promote? Probably go full-fanservice as a nature of the antromorph genre. But Kemono Friends completely ditched the connections with the game, and instead wrote a screenworthy story just set in the same universe.

This story is a rather lighthearted and childish one, but still rather consistent in itself and potentially interesting for a kid. While not appealing to my tastes directly, I still could appreciate what the anime has to offer. The characters are diverse and far from boring, pretty fun even. The most amazing part with the plot for me was again, how the studio took their approach and actually tried to make something interesting from a rather uninteresting source material. I truly wish the Kancolle anime had this courage of deviating from the source material and creating a true adaptation.

The art is interesting. By techincal standards, it has pretty crappy CG. But for some reason, the CG in this anime bothered me less than it ever did (excluding cases where it was done so well to the point of being indistinguishable, there are a few rare cases).
One reason for that is, the models' movements are minimal probably due to budget issues. I always felt like the CG in other anime was "overanimated", 3d models are easier to animate and that's sorta the point for using CG. But, it sticks out from the 2d animation, as in anime, generally only essential movement is drawn. The minimal CG in Kemono Friends felt closer to this.
The second reason is, the CG didn't feel like it was trying to imtate or compete with 2d animation. It almost acknowledged its inferiority and stopped caring. As a result, neither did I. That's not to say I wouldn't enjoy a properly, 2d animated K.F. But, I would probably pick this over an "overanimated" CG version.

At the end of the day, would I ever watch this again, from the beginning? Probably not. Would I recommend it to my friends? Well, probably not. Did I enjoy it myself? Heck yes, and I have become a follower and fan. But I seriously doubt anyone oblivious to the production story or uninterested in background facts could appreciate this show as much.

TLDR;

This is a kids show, and a good one, but it is a kids' show. Keep that in mind when deciding and judging.

Story - 7/10 Fun enough to keep watching.
Characters - 8/10 Enjoyable characters for anybody including non-kids, but not character driven.
Art - 5/10 The designs are good, the execution not so much, but as long as CG in anime is concerned I found it humble and somehow more friendly than other CG.
Sound - 7/10 Some cool tracks, voice acting is okay/good.

(This review has been adapted from my blog/reddit thread. Spoilers ahead!)

Kemono Friends reminds me of one of my most favorite films of all time: Toy Story.

The CG style, the presentation aimed at a younger audience, and the fact that the premises align to an extent (non-human entities become “human”) are the first comparisons that come to mind. The biggest factor, though, is an extremely famous song from the Pixar movie that became an instant Disney classic that’s still hummed and whistled by people today: “You’ve Got A Friend In Me.”

This two-minute track exemplifies the heartfelt feelings behind friendship with its measured, easygoing pace and lines ... like “There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you.” If nothing else, the over 44,000,000 plays on Spotify should indicate well enough this song’s immense popularity.

Now, truth be told, Kemono Friends does not contain a musical phenomenon let alone holds a candle to such a pioneering project of cinema. But, when this anime similarly focuses on friends and crafts something strangely magical, it makes it tough to not appreciate such a thoughtful outing.

STORY

Kemono Friends begins on a normal day like any other in the Savanna area of the Japari Park. There, Serval the serval lazes about as the sun shines bright overhead. However, she notices another creature moving through the underbrush, so she gives chase, only to find an animal she has never seen before. This animal, unsure of who she is herself, is given the name Kaban (on account of the bag she carries), and the two decide to go on a park-wide trek to discover Kaban’s mysterious origins.

It’s quite easy to dismiss Kemono Friends before giving it a shot. Considering the age demographic of most anime enthusiasts, this show technically lands far outside of their range with its PG (or “parental guidance”) rating. Combined with words from passersby and the promotional posters, the first words that come to mind for some take a similar form: “Why would I want to watch something so childish?”

These naysayers technically aren’t wrong in their assumptions. Many of the jokes take on a super-simplistic nature, like when Otter shows Kaban and Serval how to play with rocks as Jaguar paddles on by behind them with the makeshift raft. Or how, for the most part save the final two episodes, the anime doesn’t strive for too much intensity beyond a few cyclops blobs. Or that the educational dialogue from Boss doesn’t exactly serve the plot but rather acts as a method to teach the audience something relatively unimportant yet definitely interesting. That is, at its core, Kemono Friends is no doubt a kidlike show.

However, if one embraces this characteristic, a very pleasant, very interesting experience awaits.

A lot of that is thanks to the anime’s innate sense of charm, for it’s something the show focuses on constantly throughout its run on many different levels. From the biological introductions that detail the order, family, and genus of a given species, to the literal real-life phone conversations with zookeepers the world over, the anime’s charm is almost something that has to be seen to be believed. Even something as simple as calling the characters “Friends,” as if the audience has been buddies with these creatures for a long time, demonstrates well enough just how charming Kemono Friends can be.

The episodic nature of the narrative also does a lot for the anime. Kaban and Serval go on this “global” journey, visiting environments from all corners of the Earth. Savannas. Jungles. Deserts. Forests. Mountains. Plains. As they traverse Japari Park’s multiple settings, the audience as well find themselves engrossed in their trek, taking in the interesting locales and the diverse scenery.

Kemono Friends understands that that is not enough, so, to combat some of the kidlike feeling, it chooses to incorporate an apocalyptic subtext that serves as a glue to hold the whole project together. While nothing outstanding, the weathered signs, the rundown lifts, and the forgotten mazes underpin this tale with a twinge of darkness that adds a new layer to the show for the audience to think about. It doesn’t outright outline the doom, and the gloom doesn’t take over the mood itself, but, without the post-apocalypse content, the show would be missing a key feature that ultimately contextualizes Kaban’s origin-learning adventure.

And while the jokes are rather simple, the show deserves credit where credit is due. In episode six, Kaban and Chameleon “fight” each other, but not before they exchange polite words and bows. In episode nine, the classic hot-springs scene plays out slightly differently in that the show takes advantage of the premise when Kaban shocks the others about an invention known as “clothes.” And Kaban’s running gag of “Please don’t eat me!” makes for a silly contrast when considering the nice, welcoming personalities of the Friends.

This anime also targets a thematic presence, for (true to a children’s television show) Kemono Friends keeps itself as wholesome as possible with a focus on togetherness. With each passing episode, this sentiment becomes ever clearer. The Friends collaborate to fix a strange contraption called a “bus.” They support one another when pairing up unlikely duos and keeping an idol group from losing their important fifth member. They protect each other from evil Ceruleans. Whatever little bits of comedy, action, and drama that Kemono Friends depicts eventually leads back to this togetherness, continuing the camaraderie which describes the characters’ collective title.

In doing so, the show captures that nostalgic time when one didn’t have to worry about anything besides what mom and dad were cooking for tonight’s dinner. For, per usual, these elements are not anything profound or inspiring. However, the anime’s sincere, almost gentle approach to these topics allows for this story to maintain that wholesome feeling the whole way though.

Nowhere does this feeling strike hardest than in one of the anime’s strongest writing moments. In episode twelve, Kaban saves Serval from the giant Cerulean that then eats her in turn. As the situation becomes dire, all the Friends that Kaban met and helped throughout the entire season arrive to reciprocate her kindness. Seeing them there, working paw-in-hoof to save their newfound companion, not only reinforces that general sense of togetherness but also acts as a meaningful conclusion to the episodic structure overall. The sweet shot of the whole cast with the title of the anime floating overhead is simply icing on this nice-writing cake.

The story here is by no means perfect. Choosing to reveal Kaban’s human origin halfway into the season as opposed to prolonging it until the finale somewhat defeats the purpose of constructing the narrative around this goal to begin with.

But the anime does more elsewhere. A small world-building detail in the Japari Buns explains how the hunter-prey dynamic no longer applies. And the extra subplot which revolves around Raccoon not only revisits the aftermath of Kaban’s various exploits but also provides context to her existence in the first place.

All in all, the anime accomplishes a lot with its story without ever shying away from its kid-friendly foundation.

ART & ANIMATION

Arguably speaking, Kemono Friends’s artistic direction stands as its most contentious aspect. One has to look no further than Serval’s opening chase of Kaban. The janky camera perspective and the stilted movements as they run certainly do not give the best first impression possible.

This roughness continues in other areas of the art as well. Most notably, the CG style of the characters’ designs stand out from the two-dimensional environments. Action scenes almost always use a speed background to simulate intensity. The locations depicted, while able to define the setting well enough, lack much in the way of higher detail. Often, the anime will reuse walk cycles as opposed to creating them from scratch. Errors can and do appear, like asynchronous mouths during speaking segments or how, all the way over in episode eleven, the artists forgot to maintain the texture of the tree that Kaban climbs from one shot to the next.

In most shows, so many problems easily and adversely affect the overall presentation. Yet, for Kemono Friends, such roughness surprisingly works quite well.

A large reason as to why it works derives from the visuals following in the footsteps of the content it portrays. Such simplistic artistry matches the story in that the jokes and the plot and the ideas likewise form their own sense of simplicity.

In having the art hold hands with said story, what could have potentially been a huge distraction instead turns out to be a sensible, intriguing artistic endeavor. It takes a little bit of time for the look and feel of the anime to grow on the audience, but, once it does, its charming style and slight hiccups maintain the notion that it completely understands what it is and what it can be.

That’s not to say that everything is forgiven. Indeed, it’s unfair to brush off all the noticeable issues as part of the charm since doing so would unfairly permit any mistakes as acceptable no matter how egregious.

Moreover, the anime demonstrates that it can include deliberate artistic choices which clearly benefit the show. For example, Serval and other catlike creatures will often scrunch their fingers into a half-balled fist as an homage to the claws they once had.

Then there’s the characters’ designs. Despite the less-than-ideal CG forms, every Friend seen takes inspiration from their past animal selves, incorporating lots of outfits, colors, and ideas that give them each a distinct look while staying true to their origins. For example, Shoebill’s long hair recreates her menacing stare and allows for her side ponytail to reference her big, yellow beak. Even Kaban’s design, while decidedly plain, goes for something a bit more androgynous so as to make it that much easier for the audience to relate to the main protagonist.

Episode two, though, showcases one of the best examples. Therein, Kaban looks around the jungle to find nearby Friends. To which the camera “pretends” to search for them as if in a nature documentary or taking part in a kids’ spot-the-animal game. A small moment, but one that reflects the thought and the charm put into the visuals of the show.

CHARACTERS

Within the realm of Kemono Friends, Japari Park houses species from everywhere imaginable. Hippos to elephants, giraffes to bears. The anime is more or less a zoo in anime form.

Granted, they aren’t really animals. Their ability to speak coherent languages and act as regular people backs up this notion easily enough. However, in their anthropomorphic state, the show builds these so-called “Friends” with their animal counterparts in mind.

For instance, in episode four, the anime introduces Sand Cat. A native of the desert, she can regulate her body temperature between hot and cold to combat the swift changes of the environment. So, as a Friend, she shows a “hot-and-cold” level of interest in the things around her, swiftly switching between very intrigued to wholly uncaring on the spot.

Given their low impact and low importance across the episodic events, these Friends technically and arguably don’t contribute much. Yet because Kemono Friends commits to this animalistic characterization for every Friend in the cast, the anime maintains a consistent motif that gives each one their in-the-moment spark. A spark which gives them just enough time to shine before moving on to the next animal.

Understandably, then, Kaban and Serval rightfully earn the spotlight for this tale.

Kaban is a young girl who wakes up in the middle of the savanna area of the Japari Park. She doesn’t know who she is, where she came from, or why she is there to begin with. A (seemingly) harsh case of amnesia. So harsh, in fact, that she cannot even explain to Serval the type of Friend she would consider herself as. Thus, at Serval’s suggestion, the two head for the library in the hopes of learning about Kaban’s mysterious background.

From the very beginning, Kaban’s limitations spring forth. She cannot climb down a hillside or jump across rocks with the same dexterity and agility as Serval, leaving her apologetic in her failure. And that’s just in episode one. Throughout the whole season, the anime highlights more of her inherent weaknesses. She cannot fly like Japanese Crested Ibis. She isn’t strong like Moose. She cannot endure the cold like Silver Fox.

However, true to human form, what Kaban lacks in physical prowess she makes up for in mental fortitude. Unlike the Friends who can mimic voices or swim in the water, Kaban instead uses her brain to solve the various problems that occur along the way. She creates a paper airplane to distract a Cerulean. She formulates how to build a bridge to cross a dangerous river. She connects the dots of the exit signs in the underground labyrinth. She invents a whole new game for the “warring” parties of the plains. She follows a recipe and cooks food to eat. She deduces the “ghost” of the hotel.

During Kaban’s adventure of self-discovery, Serval almost never leaves the young girl’s side. She’s the brawn to Kaban’s brains so to speak, clawing at what needs to be clawed and carrying what needs to be carried. The other Friends somewhat tease her, and Boss refuses to speak directly to her (which makes for a fun little scene near the finale of the season). Despite these putdowns, Serval remains the cheerful, optimistic feline no matter where they may be in the park.

And that’s arguably her most important characteristic. For, more than simply accompanying Kaban and befriending the kind girl, Serval serves as the confidence-boosting cheerleader that keeps Kaban’s spirits high. On more than one occasion, Serval will excitedly talk about Kaban’s amazing exploits, causing her to shyly smile and scratch the back of her head out of slight embarrassment. She puts it best all the way back in episode one: “Don’t worry about it. Different Friends are good at different things.” Serval is a Friend by definition and a friend by character, the perfect sidekick for the young human.

Interestingly, this dynamic, while not portrayed in exactly the same fashion, is found in almost every episode. Upon each new area, Kemono Friends includes or otherwise focuses on a pair or group of characters whose friendship bolsters the anime’s main message: that friends have each other’s backs.

One of the best examples of this idea comes from episode five. Beaver cannot seem to finish any of her wooden blueprints, and Prairie Dog cannot seem to envision an end goal. Thus, the two work together, benefitting from each other’s strengths. The unification of Beaver’s smart planning and Prairie Dog’s fast building not only allows them to create harmonious structures but also demonstrates the harmony in what their friendship provides (no matter how bizarre such a real-world pairing would be to see).

Kaban as well defends this sentiment on a personal level. During the final conflict of the season, and after the giant Cerulean consumes Serval, Kaban doesn’t back down. Instead, just as Serval was there for her, she is there for Serval. Concocting yet another intelligent solution, she channels her inner meow, leaps into the beast to rescue Serval, and leads the monster away with flame in hand to protect the serval outright. Her ability to stare death in the face for her dear friend means more than whatever physical or mental capabilities she may have at her disposal – because these actions come straight from the heart.

And, true to cheerleader form, Serval doesn’t let Kaban take her next journey beyond the shores of Japari Park alone. Just as that situation seems to be the case, Serval hops on a makeshift boat of her own and follows her friend in earnest. The two ready to tackle and experience whatever their new adventure has in store. Because, at the end of the day, these two close friends have one another to rely on no matter what.

That’s the extent of these characters. So, are Kaban, Serval, and the many other Friends noteworthy? No. Not really. Much like the story they find themselves in, they are a simple lot that do not strive for anything too extraordinary. But, in the context of Kemono Friends, how they all highlight the importance of friends and friendship in general, their characterizations and representations are no doubt meaningful.

MUSIC & SOUND

Two areas of the music stand above the rest in Kemono Friends: the opening theme and the various pieces from the original soundtrack.

Titled “Youkoso Japari Park e,” the OP opens with a signaling horn before giving way to animal noises, background laughter, and a moment of counting. Piano, drums, and the occasional bells form the base for the catchy beat, and the vocals, both in their individual and harmonized parts, invite a sense of silliness and sincerity to make the piece as happy as can be. The ending “la, la, la, la…” segment is not only fun to sing along with but also a cute way to finish off the song. Altogether, the OP kicks off each episode by putting a smile on the audience’s face to get them in the right state of mind for the wholesomeness ahead.

Not to be outdone, the OST includes many small yet strong tracks that support the aims of the show quite well. “Doukutsu no Oku” repeats high keys on the piano and brings in the eventual violin to invite a somewhat spooky atmosphere during mysterious times. “Cell Ria N” (most likely “Cerulean” given the context) goes completely galactic and techno when the occasional battle heats up. “Tenyawayan” is quick and silly and all over to mirror those similarly fun scenes. “Kawaii 2 Hiki” provides the everyday mood once events go back to normal.

But the crown jewel, and what could arguably be described as the main theme of the anime, is “Kaze wo Kanji te.” Its acoustic guitar, xylophones, wind instruments, and other sounds lift one’s spirits with a calming tone and a serene nature feel.

While the OP and the OST indeed stand strong, unfortunately the ending theme does not. Titled “Boku no Friend,” the piece lacks the same fun and creativity that permeates the other musical offerings. Moreover, the drums drown out the guitar too much, and the vocals don’t extend beyond their middling range. On its own, the ED ends up as a rather mediocre song.

Despite the weak ED, the voice acting performances get back to Kemono Friends’s strong side. In particular, Yuka Ozaki – in one of her first major roles – as Serval definitely sounds as if she is new to the field, but her amateurish delivery of her lines gives the sidekick her cheerful, heartfelt charm. Aya Uchida as Kaban also deserves a shout-out for her cute, childish way of speaking. And, in general, the multitude of different inflections, accents, and tones for the various Friends add to their personalities and their animal origins once again.

And the anime also includes a lot of extra sound-effects to round out the experience. Boss’s waddle. Serval’s swipes. The scene transitions. These tiny additions are probably expected to an extent, but they still support the show’s sound design in a positive manner.

ENJOYMENT

Admittedly, I didn’t originally pick up this anime back when I was making my choices for the season. I can only choose so many, so I must be careful. Its synopsis, key visual, and unknown status all contributed to me skipping over the project way back when. However, once a few of my friends and my readers wondered and asked about me writing on this show, I wanted to follow through on their suggestions.

And I’m very glad that I did.

I had a ton of fun watching the show from start to finish, and I obviously have my favorites. Japanese Crested Ibis in episode three had me chuckling hard with her “incredible” singing skills and soft-spoken manner. Tsuchinoko in episode four was making me smile when she couldn’t stop herself from getting super excited about the ruins and artifacts to the point that she ran and hid out of embarrassment. And both Beaver and Prairie Dog made episode five my favorite from the series. Beaver’s dejected, cute responses and Prairie Dog’s hyperactive behavior created in them an awesome duo that I liked a whole bunch.

And it perhaps goes without saying (writing?) that I am a fan of Kaban and Serval, too. Kaban’s “Please don’t eat me!” and Serval’s “Meow, meow, meow!” were enough to get me liking them right away. Yet it was Kaban trying her hardest to help the others, Serval remaining optimistic about their situations, and the two sharing a fun friendship that really got me liking them as a protagonist pair.

The rest of the show was entertaining, too. I learned a lot about various animals and their habitats. The charm throughout the whole ride inspired me to write about the show at length in another essay entirely. I even got slightly emotional when Serval and the other Friends presented Kaban with a new boat for her to use to cross the ocean in search of more of her kind.

Overall, this anime is simply something different than the norm. It has its drama and its comedy, sure, but those aren’t the mainstays. Instead, its ability to craft an experience that is childish yet worthwhile, simplistic yet intriguing, weird yet welcoming is what invokes a bit of uniqueness that gives this strange project such a lasting impression.

Kemono Friends understandably doesn’t appear all too enticing from an audience standpoint, but, once it is given its fair shot, that perspective swiftly changes. A charming story filled with themes on togetherness. Rough visuals that align with the content therein. A cast of characters who focus on friendship. Lots of interesting musical offerings. A large amount of entertaining scenes. There may not be any cowboys or spacemen, but the audience can still count on these Friends all the same.

SUMMARY

Story: Good, while not perfect, this childish, charming tale uses wholesomeness, an apocalyptic subtext, and several nice writing moments in its jokes and plot points to craft a neat narrative about anthropomorphic animals and togetherness

Art & Animation: Fine, despite the noticeable roughness, the visuals work well with the simplistic nature of the story, and the different, deliberate techniques employed prove that not everything lacks polish

Characters: Great, Kaban’s journey of self-discovery represents how people are both strong and weak in different ways, Serval is a kindhearted sidekick, the other Friends have their own sparking characteristics, and everyone involved connects back to the theme that friends have each other’s backs

Music & Sound: Good, a lively OP and a strong OST make up for a weak ED, the VA performances bring their own flavor, and extra sound-effects help to round out the experience

Enjoyment: Great, a downright fun adventure filled with a likable cast, a few interesting moments, and a slight difference from the norm

Final Score: 8/10

To begin with, if you have unfairly high expectations of anime and/or enjoyed Sword Art Online you probably won't like this. That aside, this anime is much better than the reviews make it out to be.

Story - The story is simplistic but it has huge degrees of charm which I can't really say for a lot of other anime of this type. Why is the story simplistic? Hugely because it was almost certainly made for children so reviewing it from an angry teenager's point of view isn't fair. Alas, the story involves animal personifications, known as friends by the show and a lost girl wandering ... Japari Park (A Zoo). They meet more friends and overcome small challenges on their way.

There isn't much more to it than that but where the beauty comes from is there is a lot you can speculate about the story which makes things appear a bit darker but you would need to watch for yourself to really get a feeling of that.

Art - The killer for 99.9% of people it seems. I'll admit off the bat, it's not perfect but it's not the worst. Kemono Friends is 3DCG and yes, some of the movements and what not are slightly awkward but when you get past this it almost gives a weird extra level of charm to certain characters? Take for example, the way Serval walks - she has what looks like an awkward swing to her arms when she moves but it almost becomes adorable when you are able to get past the "oh so unholy" art that people believe in.

Sound - The best part in my opinion. OP is great, character's voices are great, background noises are also great. Not much else I can really say about this.

Character - Just like the story, characters are simplistic but have a lot of charm. Each and every one is based around an animal (or a bag in Bag-Chan's case). This serves to teach about animals of the world to the point intermission scenes will show a certain character in their natural environment with a Zookeeper from real world zoos talking about the animal in question. This not only serves to educate you but also to a degree helps you understand the characters on a better level.

Enjoyment - Personally, I really enjoyed what is available to me at the time of writing (7/12). I'm very likely to watch it to the end as again, the charm really hits hard and I am incredibly curious about if the darker side that appears to be there will be touched on in the actual story.

Overall - Cute and simplistic 3DCG anime, definitely worth a watch if you're not expecting Sword Art Online Season 3 or something like that. It's strongest point is easily the amount of charm. Really recommend this.

I really hope that the change in attitude regarding this anime is due to its own merits, and not word getting around that "hey, it's actually good, we're allowed to like it now!" When this anime started airing most people, especially MAL, were pretty harsh on it. This was despite the fact that by the time episode four aired, Japan, and a certain section of the English-speaking anime community, were becoming absolutely obsessed with it. This may be a tale of a simple delayed reaction, or another example of people jumping on the bandwagon.

Kemono Friends is animated and structured in a way that makes ... it different from most anime. Maybe because of the CG, or maybe for some other stylistic reason, space and movement are handled in a way that feels foreign. People who are used to watching traditionally made shows may find themselves having to get used to a different cadence, different perspective of the camera, etc., It's hard to put into words but Kemono Friends doesn't "move" or "feel" the way most anime does. This 'pulled-back' style works well for the kind of story Kemono Friends wants to tell. Not really focusing on any one character or idea, the camera, animation and pacing allow for the audiences' eyes to be open on the big picture. Allowing us to watch out for what's coming next, what new Friend will show up, rather than what has already happened.

We see this from the beginning as the first episode throws us into the adventure without any introduction. Kaban-chan is seemingly just as lost as we are. As we move through the first episode it becomes clear that the anime wants to reveal things to us as slowly and subtly as possible. Dropping hints that there is something about this world that the characters, and us, need to learn, and that they'll give us the tools to figure it out. The anime never really spells it out either, meaning that even after a pretty big story event happens, characters only talk about for a brief period, and even then not directly. It isn't at all difficult to figure out what's going on by the end, but you never feel as if the anime short-changed you by revealing the mystery. All of your guess-work is just as important as Kaban and the Friends'. It's a satisfying feeling.

In essence what we have here is an adventure in two parts: Kaban trying to figure out how her new world works and what she is, and the Friends learning a little bit more about the place they call home. In this way, there is a prevailing theme of working together to improve what you have, which is done through quite a bit of building projects, subterfuge and battle strategy for the purpose of conflict resolution and even helping out idols at a concert. As the adventure continues we learn that not all Friends are as in the dark as we think they are. In any case, by the time you get to the second episode's ending credits, a little bit of what has been revealed to you starts to become a bit more clear, giving you a certain expectation for the remainder of the anime. Even this is a little misleading though.

The anime tells its story in a pretty consistent way. Kaban and Serval wander around bumping into new Friends and learning and helping as they go along. There are plenty of Friends in each episode, some appearing for only a second, while some are more important to the story. Its pretty rare for an anime to tell a story like this, with so many varieties of character popping in and out. Most episodic adventure shows are self-contained stories with some kind of bigger story revealing itself at the end. Kemono Friends however feels like one long journey, with all of the detours and distractions not really being distractions at all. When Kaban and Serval wave goodbye to the Friends they meet it doesn't feel as if that story has come to a close, instead you get the sense that the adventure has just moved in a new direction.

Obviously friendship is pretty important to the story. Kaban and Serval become close of course, but everyone is a Friend. Even Boss, who you would think of as just one of many robo-guides, manages to become an important and indispensable friend. ("This isn't our Boss.")

Every technical aspect of the anime is amateurishly charming. From the CG to the voice acting. About the voice acting, it's incredibly cute, every girl has their own manner of speaking, it feels natural and comfy. You can tell the people behind this show were trying their best, and its success probably comes as a surprise to everyone involved. But that success is probably born from the passion that they put into it. This isn't the case of something getting popular for the wrong reasons. Tatsuki and Yoshizaki Mine knew what they were doing. It's through actual talent that a show most people would dismiss has become so popular.

Kemono Friends works because it tells a simple story in a simple yet engaging way. It knows what it wants to do and it doesn't bog itself down in unnecessary nonsense. This is what trendsetting anime feels like. Hopefully whatever comes next doesn't lose that refreshing feeling.

Kemono friends it´s pretty good, despite the bad animation the story is well driven whit funny character, great figth music, a catching opening and epic moments that reminds me LOTR battles...you know chapter 12 final figth whit the op.song....was just fantastic.
Is not a masterpiece, not a deep story whit a lot of philosophical or hardcore ciberpunk topics or the darkest one, but this anime is simple and great, is the best that the director and staff could do whit the low budget they got, this was going to be the end of the young franchise but it became the beginning of the phenomenon...it reminds ... me...FINAL FANTASY??
The creation of Kemono Friend's show us that we must never surrender even if everyone turns their backs on us we must continue with our projects and show the best of us and maybe one day this feelings touch the heartd of a single person and help him to be better, to improve each day. If everyone does their best every day, soon this will be a better place ... do not believe it?

Sorry for my bad English I'm not English speaker =_=¿? I just want to say

“Kemono Friends” is a TV show that had a tiny production budget and no marketing budget that should have been destined to fail. Instead it quickly rose to become the second highest viewed and most commented anime with more than 4m views on Niconico (Japan’s top video site, larger than YouTube in Japan) and created a big fan following. The show was so popular it even had a direct impact on number of people visiting the zoo in Japan (show is about zoo animals)!

Kemono Friends was an anime that should have been doomed to fail:
Show was targeted at young kids but aired at ... 1:30am local time because it was the most affordable TV slot (usually only viewers at that time are young adult audiences who are hardcore Otakus, which this show wasn’t targeted towards).
Production quality on the show was so bad that the first 5 minutes of the first episode was almost unwatchable. One of the most lenient anime critics claimed that “I had to close this show after watching 4 minutes because it was that bad”. Even proponents of CGI in anime called the show a reason people shouldn’t do CGI in anime.
After the first episode aired the show was released the review score on the English anime database site “myanimelist” (similar to IMDB/Rotten Tomatoes) was only 4.44 where the mean rating of all shows ever made is 6.90, making it in the bottom 20% of review scores at the time.
No name studio.
Only 10 staff member (most A tier anime have 100s of staff members listed in the ending credits).
Voiced by B list voice actors (mostly retired or lesser known voice actors)
Production delayed to last a total of 500 days (Average production time for an anime of similar length is ~90 days)
Production delayed so long that the mobile game the anime was designed to cross promote shut down permanently 1 month before the first episode aired.
Production budget so low the team couldn’t even animate the wheels on the bus in the opening song.
These wheels on the bus don’t turn because the team didn’t have the budget to animate them!

Yet, somehow, it became a blow away success. Sure, there were many production issues that made the show look bad, but the reason the show became popular wasn’t because the animation looked hilariously amateurish, but because behind the poor animation quality, there was a gem of a show that was truly relaxing and calming to watch, uplifting, and would bring a smile to your face after a long day at work. As the Japanese called it “Tanoshii!” (Fun!)

In summary, looking at what “Kemono Friends” is and not what it isn’t:
Genuine at conveying emotions (no melodrama, fan service, or forced tear jerking moments).
Great episodic story telling with each episode being its own contained plot with background, buildup, climax, and conclusion.
Goal of the story outlined in first episode, so viewers are very clear how far the characters have progressed in the meta story.
Great character design that is not cookie cutter or forced tropes. Each character had interesting personalities and backstories that viewers could relate to.
Intriguing post-apocalyptic plot setting that gives the viewer a sense of mystery that is gradually revealed throughout the story, but leaving enough to be desired to that each episode ends on a semi-cliffhanger
Excellent example of artistic use of negative space (show, don’t tell)
Cute animal facts and interviews with zoo keepers which gave it an Animal Planet kind of documentary feel

This lead to:
Genuine sense of pleasure while watching the show
Desire to meet the new characters that will undoubtedly show up in the next episode
Desire to unravel and learn more about the mysterious world and its meta story
Fans eager to draw their own fan art interpretations of the poorly animated characters that had unique personalities and back stories
Fan theories and discussion around the post-apocalyptic setting
Huge spread by word of mouth

This show would not have been possible without the perseverance and the love for their work that inspired each of the 10 staff members to be tell the most authentic story they could despite all the hardships they faced, including long delays, budget constraints, and an anime they thought would almost certainly be launched to a muted response. Many in their shoes chose to abandon their project or rushed it to completion halfheartedly, yet the Kemono Friends team created a good anime instead.

So.

"Kemono Friends".

Can you say the most pleasant surprise ever?

Seriously though, this is by far one of the biggest shocks not only in this year of anime, but in probably the last decade. Who would've expected this no-budget, minuscule production, CG show to become the most popular anime this season as well as one of the most liked? I sure as hell didn't, no one did! But low and behold, here we are, me recommending one of the most enjoyable shows I have ever watched.

Now let's see why shall we?

... ~~

.: Story :.

"Kemono Friends" is set in the monolithic animal park known as Japari Park. Here in Japari Park, instead of regular ol' animals that you learned about in school, every creature here has been transformed into anthropomorphized girls, known as "Friends", due to a mysterious substance called "sandstar". One of these Friends is Serval, a serval cat who happens to stumble upon a girl with no memory of who she is or even what she is. Together with Serval's help, they set out to reach the Library, where hopefully they can learn what animal this mystery girl is.

Now on the outset, this seems like it's a very simple premise, and on the surface, it is. However, this adventure that our two leads take is nowhere near as simple as it comes across. Color me shocked when it turned out that there was a lot more depth to what was happened then I had been led to believe.

What's really incredible about this all is that the entire show is based on a canceled mobile game, one that had such a low playerbase that the company behind it shut the game down before the show even began airing. What this meant for the team was that they now had free reign to create whatever they wanted with it. The result of this is something that I feel is incredibly special; a show that despite so many odds against it, strove on in all its might because the team cared enough about it to want to make a quality product.

It kills me to not say anymore about it either, but I implore anyone to watch this, because it's a much deeper show then what it comes across as.

.: Art :.

Of course, story wasn't what this series originally became infamous for. If you've even heard of "Kemono Friends", it's likely because you've heard about its very poor animation. This show was panned heavily in the beginning almost solely because of the animation quality, which was incredibly floaty and stiff looking. Viewers were quick to write it off within a few minutes of watching because of this.

Now while it is fair to say that the animation is terrible on an objective level, I feel that its low quality is entirely understandable. As mention in the beginning, this show was made on pretty much no-budget, with a team of about ten people. Traditional hand-drawn animation was completely out of the question, so CG was their best bet here. And you know what, while it's certainly not very good animation, I'll be damned if they didn't try their hardest with what they had. You can see them getting better over time, the animation improving in subtle ways, and even trying some daring things with it, like dance sequences and even fight scenes. There's a charm to it all, and I even found myself enjoying the animation as it went on. And hey, if anything, they can only improve from here with it.

Now on the flipside of this is the art itself, which is actually quite good. Backgrounds are vast and colorful, and quite detailed. I also was very fond of the artstyle overall, finding it appealing on the eyes.

.: Sound :.

Overall, I found the music and voice acting to be pretty good. Now of course I don't know Japanese myself, but I feel that having watched enough anime at this point, I can at least distinguish good and bad sounding voice acting, and thankfully it's good here. All the characters sound like they're having fun in their roles, and each seems to fit their animal character about right.

As of this review, there is no dub, so no comment.

Music is quite enjoyable as well. The theme song "Youkoso Japari Park" is incredibly catchy, and I've even found myself humming it on occasion. The general background music is fairly unremarkable overall. The one piece of music I will comment on however is the song they use in fight scenes. Surprisingly, it's an EDM song of all things, and although jarring the first time you hear it, you get used to it. Finally, there's the ED song, "Boku no Friend". It's a beautiful piece that fits the show perfectly, and was pretty unexpected to me to have such a high quality song like this.

.: Characters :.

Besides the story, this was probably the biggest surprise of the show to me. For what may seem like a simple cash-grab on the moe market, these girls are actually very well developed for what they are.

For one, them being animals isn't just simple job of applying animal ears and tails to them. They all act like their animal counterparts to a T, with the traits that make each unique. Another interesting note is that they know that they aren't normal animals as well, and are completely aware of their transformations; the show even makes mention of how different their lives are now they have these new bodies and abilities. I really appreciated the effort that went into making sure that each Friend acted just like the animal it's designed after. We even get to learn lessons about the different animals as well, as instead of just a simple transition bumper, the halfway break actually has little interviews with various animal researchers who talk about the animals featured in the episode.

Beyond their animal aspects, the characters themselves are also very interesting as well. As we go on, we start to see the history behind their relationships, who our mystery girl is, and what connection she has with Serval. I became totally invested in what they were going through, and their is legitimate emotional moments as well.

Again, this show surprises me.

.: Enjoyment :.

You know what's really amazing to me? The fact that I had heard about how good this show turned out to be, and yet it still blew away all my expectations.

This show. This show that started with literally nothing and became a beloved classic. I'm serious when I say this, "Kemono Friends" is brilliant, absolutely brilliant, and I hold no irony in saying that. It has become one of the best anime I have ever seen.

.: Overall :.

There are certain reasons why my review scores will often differ from my personal score on my profile page. On my reviews, I have to hold to some objective scoring, one that sorts of takes all the ratings into account to equal out a score for it. My personal score however, that's entirely subjective, and based totally on my personal attachment to an anime.

And on that personal level, "Kemono Friends" is a definitive 10. That is all.

When I first saw this floating around in a few Instagram memes, I thought it looked pretty interesting. It took me a little while to find it, but I eventually did. I was actually pretty impressed once I finished it.

Story: 10

It may seem cutesy, and trust me, it is for the most part. It's also pretty dark at times. It balances it pretty well. I'll try to keep this spoiler-free, but the ending was pretty outstanding and sad. My favorite kind of endings!

Animation: 7

The art style in this one is something I don't see very often: 3D animation. The only time I've seen this style ... was RWBY (although I've never seen it, I know it's in 3D). It seems a little wonky at first, but I eventually ignored it and got used to it and didn't really notice it in the later episodes.

Sound: 10

For the sound, I think it's really good as well. I really like the music, especially the more intense soundtracks. It fits scenes really well and blends in with the emotion.

Character: 10

There are many characters being introduced throughout the series, and they all seem really likable. They're all flawed in some way in the beginning, which is perfect for any character.

Enjoyment: 10

Despite the animation being a bit wonky, I enjoyed it for the most part. The ending was intense, the light-hearted scenes were nice, and I became attached to some of the characters.

Overall: 8

The only thing that knocked it down to an 8 was the art style. Overall, this anime is really good, and I suggest it to any animal lover out there!

Kemono Friends started off poorly for me. The 3D animation is jarring and unnatural looking, distracting from the rest of the show. By the 2nd or 3rd episode though it is no longer really noticeable. The sounds and music are solid, but it has one of my pet peeves where the character "Boss" makes squeaking noises every time he takes a step.
The story is actually quite good and fulfilling, if predictable. There are some deep or tense moments, but nothing to really tear up over. It really is just about building an interesting world full of interesting animal friends. It's also rather educational about how ... animals behave and where they live.
Pretty solid anime that apparently was paired with a game no one played.

The anime Kemono friends was quite a shock to be frank. I did not expect the show to take off like it did, but I was surprised to find that myself included loved every bit of this show. The animation quality was... off, but it had a goofy charm that grew on me honestly. It wouldn't feel right if the quality suddenly went up to a Triple A standard out of nowhere. There is something about the show that speaks to me in a very innocent light, it was very refreshing to view such a happy casual show like this again. It's not an overly ... serious show and the character themselves aren't VERY animalistic or deep as characters, but that doesn't take away from the fact you will probably fall in love with every one of them.
Watching Serval and Bag chan interact throughout the show with the other animals was really sweet and funny at times. I was really surprised to find by the end that I was actually emotionally invested with these characters and I couldn't bare to let them go. I absolutely enjoyed this show and I hope it won't be the last I see of it.

The negatives must be mentioned as the people obsessed in only the best animations with strong plots and deep character will ultimately dismiss and hate this show. I can not truly describe why the show worked for me, but I don't believe the quality of any animation ultimately defines what is a good show. It's the same as saying how you don't need a dark deep plot with complex characters to make a good story. I really wish people who take a look at this show and laugh at it's below average animation that they will look past that shallow mindset and just give it a go. If you give this show 3 episodes tops, I promise that some of you will open you hearts to this lovely show.

Yare Yare, as that overmuscled 17 year old would say, this is going to be difficult to explain.

Kemono Friends is bad. It has just about the lowest production values (think RWBY season 1, where it was literally one guy doing the whole show on one computer on his free time), it's a kids show through and through, and it lacks any form of quality in any points: music is minimal (three tracks), characters are extremely kid-friendly IE simple and barely ever subtle (with the exception of the protagonist), story is for the bigger part a Pokemon like show where each new episode meets a new ... Friend and you live a new adventure before the disconnected next episode.

Pitiful as the production values are, when I watched this, I suddenly recalled a certain phrase from the cunt who does Zero Punctuation (on the Metal Gear Revengeance video): "It is good to see something auteur driven in this psychotically commercial industry, for better and worse".

Kemono...is carried. Carried is the word alright. It's carried by someone who sat down on his desk and created his own thing with it, and you can feel that very, very strongly. Kemono in hindsight comes off as a story created by a man with no budget, no company support, and almost certainly no appreciation whatsoever for what the final product would be, and instead of droning through his work like so many anime studios do nowadays, repeating trope after trope and adding another layer of reused archetypes and situations, he sat at his work and did his best to exploit the material given to him entirely.

Strangely enough, Kemono Friends made me think of Avatar the Last Airbender (yeah, hell of a huge show to compare it to). Kemono and Avatar share one incredibly important quality, that is the ability to tell sad and serious things to children in ways they would understand. That quality is coupled with the very auteur driven style this show has: while obviously based on a very small and simple idea of a "friendly" Animal Park where everyone is an animal-girl and nobody is really harmful, the show transcends both its childish target audience and its generic pokemon premise by giving serious problems for the heroines to contend with, for one, and by giving serious resolutions to these problems. Most children's shows are boring because children are dumb and dumb solutions are given to dumb or obvious problems in them. Shows that appeal mainly to kids and yet manage to show them intelligent behavior while remaining simple enough are very rare, and again if I'm thinking of those, only two names come up, Avatar and Kemono Friends.

To give a not really spoilery example, Kemono has one episode where two creatures each have a severe problem and each other can fix the other's problem. With any kid's show, the protagonist would just say "Hey I have a great idea, why don't you work together?" to the numerous OOOOOOHs and AAAAAAHs of the other characters, obviously shocked by basic common freaking sense. In here, The protagonist asks if cooperation is possible. Then she suggests how each has a flaw and how the other can fix it. Then they experiment, they learn from each other, and they slowly complete the task and go beyond and everyone is happy.

This is where you can tell that the show is "carried". A basic show would have a dumb, unexplored resolution to an obvious problem, and the makers would go home and drink their beer thinking "it's fine anyway, kids are dumb". Kemono manages to raise itself higher than almost any kids show because of the effort it brings in showing kids not an instant resolution, but a string of efforts and attempts and misunderstandings before you get to the real result. There is a sense of work, of actual cleverness on part of the protagonist, which is far more enriching for children and keeps the show afloat for adults. I'd have dropped a show like that in 10 minutes anytime, but even though I started it out of peer pressure, I kept at it because the effort was sensible everywhere.

Kemono also goes to great lengths around its last episodes to raise the stakes and provide an actual sense of friendship and combined effort, to the point that I felt genuinely touched at some moments and actions. There is self sacrifice, sense of duty, arduous fighting, clever thinking, and all sorts of great elements that again would feel extremely fake in kids shows, but here feels genuine because it's well thought out and worked upon.

Now to put it to rest: Kemono is by no means the show to revolutionize anything, it's a simple show for 5-10 year olds in my opinion, but it was done with heart, competence and a serious intent to show difficult things to children in ways they'd understand it without pandering to them by dumbing it down. I don't think it deserves anything above an 8, and 7 or even maybe 6 is more of a fair note, but it is an interesting experience to see both what a show without budget but with willpower is, and what a genuine good kids show is. It's no Avatar, but I dare say it's the same kind of people who made both shows.

Well, i finished the rewatchs marathon with the first season of a work that i loved. It is the clear example that with a small budget you can create a successful and unexpected product, so much so that it was an explosive phenomenon of popularity in Japan.
Unfortunately for the franchise, things didn't go so well, but the influence on the industry is undeniable.
In simple terms, it is a funny anime with well-developed characters and a great story that is more than meets the eye.
I highly recommend Kemono Friends

En español: Bueno, terminé el maratón de rewatchs con la primera temporada de una obra que me encantó.
Es ... el claro ejemplo de que aún con un presupuesto ínfimo se puede crear un producto exitoso e inesperado.
Tanto así que se convirtió en un fenómeno explosivo de popularidad en Japón.
Lamentablemente para la franquicia las cosas no resultaron tan bien, pero la influencia de kemono friends en la industria es innegable.
En términos simples, una obra divertida, con lindos personajes y una historia bien llevada que es más de lo que a simple vista aparenta.
Recomiendo mucho kemono friends.

Yes, the art is bad,

and the episode plots are simplistic,

and the characters aren't especially multidimensional,

but it has so much *charm*!


Nah, but seriously, it's pretty boring. It's ugly, the jokes aren't funny, the music's lame and annoying, and the intrigue is delivered via IV drip. It's got no energy, but it's also not comfy, since the characters don't stick around long enough to get comfortable.
...
I guess maybe if you have a compulsion to have something playing on the other monitor, Kemono Friends will satisfy that impulse while being so unengaging that you'll be able to get a lot of work done without getting distracted. Let's call it a 2 over a 1 then.

You might wonder why badly-rendered CGI anime like this got a 4 score at first then almost 8 later. In MAL scoring system, you need to, at least, watch 4 episodes of the 12 episodes anime for the score to be weighted. Unfortunately many dropped the entire series after first few minutes of the first episodes, so their score isn't counted. While the anime as a whole is best described after watching 4 episodes. Because that's when the anime is getting much enjoyable and revealed its true nature

Unlike most anime, which amaze you at first and disappoint latter. Kemono Friends is an anime that ... disappoint you at first then amaze you later. Kemono Friends didn't try to make itself pretentious or interesting at the beginning. Like "You are going to be a hero" or making a really funny jokes or such. It even didn't try to hide as a children show. It makes itself awkwardly cheesy and innocent at the first episodes. It wasn't a Manga Kirari adaptation(the likes of K-On or School-Live!) which always guaranteed hit nor it is a slice of life comedy or drama in itself.

Kemono Friends stand out among any other anime this season because it brings something very different, yet very familiar. Behind the awkwardly-made CGI graphics and cringe childish conversation lies a nostalgia induced adventure. From the wide savanna to tropical jungle to American forest, the plot of Kemono Friends is a journey reminiscent of a slightly grander version of Dora the Explorer.

Plot (8/10)
The premise of Kemono Friends is surprisingly simple. A girl is on the way to find her species name while helping and being helped with various "Friend". Animals turned human caused by contact with a mysterious mineral seen at the mountain in the first episode. Each episodes, we are introduced to new "Friends" (along with their zoological educational info) while the mysterious species girl nicknamed "Kaban" (literally means "Bag") help or being helped by friends of the week while uncovering piece of her identity and the plot as a whole. The plot isn't new either, it's presented in a subtle way. Despite the dark implication of the plot, there are no "deconstruction" formula. In fact, it didn't have an established modern anime formula to made. No harem, no reincarnation to become a hero, no high school. It is, in a core, a very innocent adventure. Because of these simplicity Kemono Friends is easy enjoyable despite being very different compared to other anime.

Art(5/10) & Sound (8/10)
The animation movement is very awkward and sometimes silly, caused by none other than only 10 staff created it from practically no budget and more than a year duration. Fortunately the badly rendered CGI graphics is compensated with stunning character design by none other than the one that made Sgt. Frog manga. The thing that is interesting is that despite the CGI graphics is not something to be proud of, some scenes in the series contained gorgeous scenery of each of friends biome. These combined with appropriate use of sound effect and background music, make the atmosphere of Kemono Friends produce something that is both mysterious and curiously familiar. The voice actress aren't bad nor mediocre(The one who play Kaban is Kotori from Love Live among any other people), but they act like that to fit the show as a whole.

Character (7/10)
We first introduced to Serval Cat who is very-very cheerful and curious. Kaban who really like to apologize and didn't have a talent unlike any other friends. Then we get a large number of many other Friends with over-the-top characteristics. The characterization of Kemono Friends isn't really made to be complex, but later Kaban (most of the times) helped other friends reach character development in one episode. Kaban herself undergoes a subtle yet noticeable character development later in the series from a helpless girl who screams "Dont eat me please!" into a very dependable girl.

Enjoyment (9/10)
Kemono Friends is a new weather in storm of many other anime. It is unique yet simple. It is the only winter anime that I truly enjoy. Kemono Friends though is not for everyone, especially those who really didn't like children show. Most of the time it contained a very childish dialogue that is love it or hate it. It have little to no action. It has a very bad CGI graphics that turns most people off. It is a pure and simple adventure series

In all honesty, I have mixed feelings about this anime. I didn't mind the CGI since I started watching it for the furries. There are only a few good things and one bad thing that I find about this anime that won't be considered spoilers.
The one bad thing was the timing in the animations. It was very noticeable in the first episode and after that was becoming less and less pronounced. The pause-for-effect, dialogue moments were poorly timed and were too long.
The good things would be it's also slightly educational and the amount of attention the character's story by the creators. Sorta educational anime so ... good for kids I guess. It was really surprising to see how much of the character's backstory was developed and was implied throughout the anime. I'm honestly surprised at how (Not spoiling here cause it's in the last sentence of the synopsis) dark their backstories could be considering this is labeled under comedy.
The beginning of the series may turn you away but if you give it a chance it turns out to be quite an enjoyable anime so give it a chance.

Now, just from looking at the premise, Kemono Friends doesn't really look like anything special: A girl with amnesia wakes up in a zoo-like park full of anthropomorphized animal girls who are all friendly and nice, and she goes on a journey with one of them, a Serval girl, simply named Serval, to find out who she is and where she comes from. Combined with the low budget CGI, the fact that the original mobile game it was based on performed so badly that it was cancelled a month before the anime premiered, the sudden popularity of isekai anime and light novels, and many other ... factors going against it, everyone thought Kemono Friends was doomed to fail from the very beginning. Even the company that sponsored it, Kadokawa, deemed it a failure and told the producers to do whatever they wanted with it. The anime itself got off to a rather slow start, with many dismissing it as a yawnfest...and yet, somehow, it became one of the most popular anime of the winter 2017 season. I didn't start watching it until this year, namely because I had attempted to watch Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War, but it kept irritating me with every episode, so I decided to watch this to see what all the hubbub was all about.

And I probably can't begin discussion of the show without talking about the most obvious thing about it: the low budget CGI animation. Personally, I don't think its as bad as people say, as I've seen far worse animation, and the character designs are pretty creative in that they try to blend the humanoid and animal aspects of the Friends, such as tails and ears, and melding fur markings into their hair, or other things, like how the penguin characters' beaks are streaks in their hair instead of being actual beaks. Plus, the animation itself is fairly consistent, even if the movements are about as rigid as a rusty robot. It's about on par with, say, The Dragon Prince in terms of its actual animation and frame rate. But I wouldn't necessarily say the bad animation is the show's fault, as there is a reason why the show looks the way it is. Since the mobile game that inspired it tanked, Kadokawa gave the production team basically no money to speak of. It didn't help that the production team itself consisted of only ten people, the director Tatsuki included, and they worked on the show over a period of 500 days. In fact, the budget was so miniscule that not only could they not hire the voice actors from the game to reprise their roles and had to make do with inexperienced newcomers in the cast (Though that somehow didn't stop them from casting veterans such as Mikoi Sasaki and Tomoko Kaneda), the lip flaps don't always match the dialogue (Even in the Japanese version), and at first, they couldn't animate wheels spinning on a bus in the opening! This last part did get fixed for the DVD release, though. At that point, the franchise was considered a complete failure, and in a way, it was a miracle the show got greenlit.

Just from all that history, you'd probably think that because of all this, the anime itself was absolutely awful in every other way, right? Surprisingly, no. Tatsuki, the director who worked on the first season of Kemono Friends, decided having no animation budget wasn't an excuse to cut corners in the writing, characters, and story department. He probably figured that if KF was going to die, he'd rather have it end on a good note. Considering the rating I gave it, I don't think he entirely succeeded, as I've seen the character archetypes depicted here done better in other shows, but I'll give him points for effort. There isn't much of a story here, as it's just Kaban and Serval traveling through the various areas of Japari Park and meeting new Friends along the way. The real meat of the show is Kaban and Serval's interactions, and while the two of them are rather one note individually, they have great chemistry, and the way their friendship grows and develops is genuinely sweet and meaningful. I enjoyed watching these two bounce off each other, and the series makes optimal use of its twelve episodes to fully develop the bond these two share. The rest of the characters...they mostly appear in one or two episodes with only one or two personality traits and not much else, so they're all kinda bland. They're not bad, but not much to write home about, and many of them feel like they're just there to move the story forward than anything in their own right (Raccoon and Fennec Fox). Don't come into this expecting huge amounts of character development for the side characters.

On the other hand, the music is pretty nice and upbeat, with soft tunes that add to the setting and accenuate the atmosphere, to the brooding dubstep that plays when the Ceruleans, the primary antagonists of the series, appear. The opening theme is another typical moe fest with cute girls singing in high pitched voices, though the ending theme is pretty cool, with an upbeat song set against photos of abandoned amusement parks (Apparently this was a deliberate choice) for great use of contrast and to accenuate that Japari Park isn't the peaceful place it seems to be on the surface.

The series is very episodic in nature, with only very small plot threads here and there that don't get fully revealed until the final two episodes, and is very slow paced. I personally had no problem with this, but others who aren't so patient may not like it, which is understandable. It can be easy to just dismiss Kemono Friends as a cute edutainment show for little kids, and there's nothing in the way of fanservice, save for some characters' skimpy outfits and very, very slight panty shots, but even those don't go beyond the level of, say, 90s Sailor Moon. Of course, some episodes are better than others. I loved episode 3 for its atmosphere and the clever way the characters used their talents to help someone in need, but I wasn't fond of episode 6 because of some characters behaving really stupidly for no reason other than because the writers wanted them to be such. That episode had several characters trying to break into another's fortress fifty times in an attempt to fight someone, but not because the latter is genuinely stronger than them, no. It's because the opposite territory utterly SUCKS at fighting and basic strategy, as they do nothing but charge in blindly. It just infuriates me that these characters not even ONCE think, "Hey, maybe we should change our strategy and use more defense and stealth instead of charging blindly?" after fifty straight losses! Kaban basically has to teach this to them even though they could have easily figured this out themselves. I just find that really idiotic, and an example of bad writing in general. It really says something when the English dub blooper reel points out just how stupid this is.

Even so, I found myself genuinely enjoying this show. Yeah, it's not the masterpiece that people are making it out to be, but even with its flaws, it's still better than most shows in recent times. I won't be watching the second season, as from what I've heard, it's not only really bad but was the result of a LOT of poor decision making by Kadokawa and other creators and one producer displaying a lot of unprofessional behavior towards the fanbase and Tatsuki about his (The producer) decisions for said season. But Kemono Friends proved to be the ultimate underdog, and it doesn't try to be anything but what it is: Just a cute, fun show about animal girls. So if you want a sweet anime to show to your kids, let it be this one. Oh, and watch the English dub, too. It's great, and the blooper reel is an absolute laugh riot!