Nami yo Kiitekure

In keeping with this show’s ranting, alcohol-fueled radio show motif, I thought I’d get drunk, record myself reviewing this show verbally, and then transcribe it into a MAL review unedited, so enjoy seeing just how much of a hack I am without the extensive editing I usually put into my writing. I censored names and stuff which I wouldn’t typically put in my reviews, but otherwise the following is raw and unscripted.

In advance, thank you for reading.

———

So you’ll always expect a show which, either, is very esoteric and appeals to a small number of people and/or a show which is super high-minded and “deep” about ... stuff—you’ll always expect those shows to have a much lower score than they deserve…assuming they deserve a high score. Because, again, they’re just so niche that, to the average viewer, you’re not going to—it’ll just miss the mark entirely.

I’m always accused of hating anime because I’ve seen so much, yet my mean score is grossly low. And everyone looks at that and is like, “Uwah god! Why do you even watch anime? You obviously just hate it. Why do you have to hate so much? Uuuuuuwaaah you’re such a contrarian.” And I explained it to one person, one person only, because explaining it to them and seeing how easy it was to explain to them after how hard they came at me, I figured, if I can explain it to this person, then I can explain it to anyone else and don’t feel the need to because it’s a waste of my time—and I’m too busy anyway. So I explained it to this one person, and I was satisfied for life, and haven’t bothered with the asinine comment since. What I said to them was, how often do you go see a movie? And they’re like, I don’t know, every month, every other month, a normal amount. To which I said, okay, well why do you go see the movies you go see? And they said, well, because they look like they interest me, so I go see it as I’m pretty sure I’m going to like it. And I said, okay, cool. Now imagine you see every single movie, period. Like, you go out—every single movie that’s showing in theaters, you go, and you see it. Do you think your score, your average score for movies, would be as high as it is now? And they go, well, no, because—oh, okay, I get it. And that’s how I explained it to them; that’s why my mean score is so low. I fucking love anime. Like, it’s the same thing with…everything else, you know? I like eating. I like food. We all like food, right? But there’s a lot of food that we would hate. Granted, I guess this isn’t really a good example considering most people probably like most food, but if you’re a picky eater, you don’t like most food, but you still like food! Anyway, I’m talking about myself too much and **** will probably take this review down for being irrelevant or something.

But the point is, it’s a niche show. Like, it is a josei slice of life show, so if you wanna categorize it, that’s the category to put it in, but the way it goes about executing that formula is…not very formulaic and will inevitably fall outside the bounds of most people’s strike zones. It’s a show about Minare Koda who is just a normal ass person, she’s just getting by as a part-timer, not trying to get rich quick but also not about to let herself stagnate completely. She’s implied to have no higher education, but if she was to find any more success then she had at the start of the story, which is to say, no success at all, then it wouldn’t be through a high-paying, white-collar job either way. Just, you know, maintaining as a waitress for the time being, and she has this bad break-up—and it’s amazing because the show starts with a monologue. As the title of the show suggests, or at least as the Japanese title of the show suggests, it’s about radio and about being a talk show host, which she becomes over the course of the show. So it starts with her monologue and she’s like, you know, I like to think I can get over any tragedy in five days, but I’m always the biggest mess on the fifth day, and then for the remaining twelve episodes she proceeds to be a total mess, and it’s…relatable, um…

*nervous laughter*

If you’re young—I’m not trying to be condescending or talk down to anyone, but if you are a young viewer, if you’re a college kid and you haven’t really gone out in the world yet, or if you’re even younger—if you’re like a teenager or something and still in highschool—you probably don’t want to watch this show. The characters are dumb people. They make a lot of dumb decisions, dumb uninformed decisions, and they’re probably going to annoy you. A lot of young people like to think of themselves as really smart just because they haven’t—how do I say this. A lot of young people are, like, really arrogant—and not in a bad kind of way! Or, yes, in a bad way, but not in an intentionally mean-spirited way. They’re not trying to be like, oh, I’m this genius motherfucker, I’m this prodigy—some of them are, but a lot of them aren’t. A lot of them are just subtly arrogant, and they kind of just look at adults as these weird, illogical creatures who make crazy decisions even though they have all the responsibility and everything to lose. You know, adults are always, always, constantly talking down to kids—parents are always telling their children, you don’t know what in the hell you’re talking about, you haven’t lived life, I have, I make the decisions, I know what’s right for you. And then the kids hear that, and they look at their parents and they see these adults just break themselves down: like going through substance abuse issues, going through affairs, breaking families, breaking the law, being hypocrites. All these stereotypically self-destructive decisions are stereotypical because they happen to a lot of people. And kids look at this and go, well, adults clearly aren’t that smart because how are they pulling all this shit? And…if you’re young, you will look at this show and you will see that. You will see a lot of people making overemotional decisions because, you know, they’re adults now, and everything’s on them, and it’s stressful, and they’re just out in society doing their thing, and they’re also fucking stupid.

And it’s relatable—again, if you are of age, and you’ve had your share of real decisions to make, if you’ve been on your own terms and made your own decisions, many of which you likely regret, then this show will be incredibly relatable and poignant to you. Now, this show is also really funny, despite, um, what I just said. Something that adults are great at is being unempathetic, and laughing at other people even though they’re more than likely looking in some sort of mirror. The great woes of teenagerdom—and I extent that into being a college kid, like, from ages twelve to twenty six, you are very concerned with what other people think of you…which is fine. I mean, it can hurt a lot of people permanently, trust me of all people, I know, but generally, it’s not a dangerously unhealthy practice, because the fact that’s all you have to worry about is a good thing which should be a reassurance. The only thing you really have on your shoulders at the time is who you want to look like, so when you fail at that and gain a toxic social status, you feel as if you’ve failed as a person. Whereas when you’re an adult, though, all that shit is kind of diluted by the gravity of everything else on your plate, so you’re a lot more detached about what bothers you on a societal level. As a kid, you’ll watch, like, The Big Bang Theory, or The Office, or Friends and laugh at these…human, but transparently fictitious situations and personalities, but if you were to have seen something like…The Howard Stern Show, then you’d see these freaks he brings on and just be put-off by them because you’ll get to a point where you just have to sit back and accept the reality these people are not screen-written. These are just weird bastards who are just out there doing their thing, and like, THAT is real cringe radio. Obviously, no one in this show is on that level, but they’re stupid and they make bad decisions, so when you watch it and they overreact to certain things and they have all these boisterous conversations you’re—it’s like the self-deprecating laugh, it’s like, you’re an idiot, but, boy, have I been there before? And if you’re young, you probably haven’t had the chance to fuck up badly enough to have actually been there yourself, so everyone will probably just come across as a totally unbelievable character.

Although it’s not a comedy—that’s another thing. MAL is misguided in tagging it as such and giving viewers the wrong idea as to what they should be expecting. It’s funny, but it is not a comedy, and that’s a very important distinction to make there. It’s just a drama starring these losers which just happens to have the ability to make you puke from laughter. The humor in this show is very Japanese, and I know that’s a buzzword people use to excuse why they found a show unfunny, because for some reason, people in the anime community don’t find Japanese comedy that funny. Which I get, kind of, because the whole idea behind the phrase is just to say, we don’t understand why this group of people finds these kinds of jokes funny. So let me explain it to you if you think that way. Comedy is based on the society in which the joke is being made, right? So if you live in a country like America where—and this isn’t about comedy, just a difference in social order—like America, which is all about liberty and freedom of expression and speech, saying what you want to say, and being an asshole because, yeah, I’m an American, and I can do what I want. If you live in a country like that, watch anime, and you see like—how all these anime portray sibling relationships as being abnormally aware of one another, like the whole siblings meme of a brother or sister being way too obsessed with their sister or brother’s perception of them. In Japan, that is more of a real thing, because they are actually beholden to their family members in that country. In America, if you have a falling out with a sibling or even your parents, you’ll just have a big fight, say fuck off, and leave the house and you’ll make it on your own. That’s how it works in America. In Japan, the idea of “disowning your child,” something we in the West reserve for hyper-religious families, you know—like you’ll hear gay people go, yeah, when I came out to my parents, they “disowned” me, and you’re like, wow, you’re parents are…really into that God shit, huh? Well, in Japan, that’s a common thing for non-religious reasons. Like, normal families will quote unquote disown their children for—you know the whole Asian stereotype of bringing dishonor to the family? I’ve said it once, I’ll say it a million times: generalizations and stereotypes exist because enough people whom it regards have fit that descriptor at some point. I’m not saying they’re all true. I’m just saying they came about because someone had something physical to point at at one time. Comedy works the exact same way.

If you live in a country like America, you can be a loud boisterous asshole because that’s just life, or if you see someone else being a loud boisterous asshole you’ll be like, well, that guy’s just a fucker, I guess I’ll just ignore him, this person’s annoying. In Japan, you’re a lot more considerate socially. If someone’s being a loud boisterous asshole, that’s not just a daily nuisance, that’s, like, an event. So when you notice how much slapstick style comedy there is in anime, that’s not, the Japanese are unfunny, that’s, the Japanese have a totally different idea of what “funny” is. Their humor relies on physical comedy—which isn’t that amusing to us, because in America, we are always physical! We are always up in your face, so seeing that is just like, oh, that’s annoying, and I see this everyday. In Japan, people are a lot more orderly, so when you see someone in anime or TV being disorderly, that’s a rarity. So if you refuse to see humor the way those of foreign upbringings do, then the comedy in this show will just fall on deaf ears. The main character is expertly fit to be a radio host because she is that type of person. This person is loud, and high-pitched, and unafraid to speak, you know, she…acts like an American! I mean, I don’t think it’s a coincidence she is the one female character in the show with blonde, dyed hair, and all else are natural Japanese brunettes, you know? She acts like an American i.e. she’s loud, she talks about her problems that no one else wants to talk about, she’s totally unabashed, she has very little shame, again, she acts like an American, and that’s why she’s the perfect fit for this line of work. But what that translates to for the average viewer is, this is just another loud annoying bitch I don’t want to listen to, and I can see a lot of guys—a lot of men—who will watch this show and probably just think she’s obnoxious. You know, this is a very honest show, it’s extremely realistic, a lot of people in the anime community will probably just think she’s a slut, and that’s a perfect segue into my final topic of just how real this show is.

A lot of quote unquote “josei” anime and manga—when I get into them, I can only think: this is just shoujo. Nana, Paradise Kiss, Jellyfish Princess, like, all the classics, they’re all fundamentally immature. Like, I hope you understand that, dear reader. When you watch those shows, and you see these kinds of people being portrayed the way they’re being portrayed, and you can walk away from those works thinking they were written for adult women as a sort of—I don’t know—like, a Fifty Shades of Grey esque, blast from the past, smut thing which reminds of the good ol’ days where you could just go out for the night and not worry, no kids, that kind of thing? Sure. But if you can watch those shows and think they’re meant for adult women as serious, meaningful drama? Then either a) you know a lot of stupid adult women or b)…you’re…wrong. Because they’re just about the same old teen drama at their core. Sure, they are about slightly older people doing slightly more mature things—LIKE FUCKING—but that doesn’t make the themes portrayed or the ideas explored any less childish. In Nami yo Kiitekure, it is actually portrayed like real life made for consumption by an adult audience. There was this one episode with a kanji pun about debt collection, and I was just like, damn, no wonder this show has a seven point one on MAL. My point is when you think of what a josei anime is, that’s not what I think of. This…is what I think of. And on that note, it’s probably the best josei anime I’ve ever seen just because it is actually realistic. And it is fucking good.

But it’s only on paper, mind you, because the show is…ugly? I don’t know. It’s a Sunrise show, and if the credits don’t lie it was made in-house, by Sunrise staff, so I guess it was a passion project or something? It’s interesting more prestigious studios are doing this now. Production IG recently—they released this show called Kabukichou Sherlock, and the entire staff was comprised of newcomers, or at least newcomers to their respective positions—for those of you who don’t know IG has a training program because they’re this powerhouse studio, they are the best studio, so like Kyoto Animation—I don’t know if Kyoto Animation has this anymore after what happened but—they have a very rigorous training program they put newcomers though…so maybe this was the result of something like that? My point is, it looked fine, but it didn’t really look like an IG show, and it was made by a lot of young people. And this, I don’t know, because the blu-rays aren’t out yet, so you don’t know the full credits list yet, but I feel like it was the fruits of something like that. I feel like this was a passion project greenlit by a veteran of the industry who is now becoming a director or something and doesn’t mind giving the young people the debut most producers would be too hesitant to.

If I can compare it to something, it reminds me of Haibane Renmei, because that show is ugly as sin, but is also obviously inspired. You know, you watch Haibane Renmei and you’re like—I don’t think it’s as good as most people do, but when you watch it you know it’s a meaningful show. It’s a show with a lot of heart, it’s a show with a lot of meaning to it, even though—talk about immaturity—it is a very childish story, there is tons of melodrama in that show, but the ideas behind it are very heartfelt and valuable. But it is ugly, so when you watch it you’re like, okay, this was obviously made by a lot of impassioned people who found a young visionary among their ranks, got behind him as a director who had a smart idea and a powerful message to send, and thought, I want to be a part of this project and I want to help send that message. And so they made it, and it wasn’t the best looking thing in the world because they weren’t the most talented people in the world, but God damn it, they gave it their all, and what we got is what we got. Nami yo Kiitekure applies to all the same technical criticism, and also has an equal amount of things to say…about society, and people, and relationships, and just the modern doomer human condition—it just…it has a lot to say and is very genuine and cathartic to watch…and, um, even though it might not be the most beautiful show in the world, it was obviously made by people who didn’t care if it was or not…and just wanted to say what they wanted to say, though the medium they love most, which is anime.

Someone wake me up from this weird dream because I feel like I entered the Twilight Zone. Watching Nami yo Kittekure (Wave, Listen to Me!) is perhaps one of the most bizarre yet exhilarating experiences I’ve had this year.

At the heart the show is about a woman named Minare Koda, who is dealing with a breakup with her ex-boyfriend. After an incident with an older man from a drunken night, her voice becomes an icon and she enters a world she’s never began to imagine before. Welcome to a world where voices expressionism is an icon and sensation. That being said, Nami yo Kittekure translates ... into a comedy-drama story with windows for romance and unorthodox storytelling. I say this it’s unorthodox because this show blends a variety of genres together that makes it very special.

Let’s face some facts first. The art of radio talking isn’t something most of us are interested in, or at least, at a mainstream level. Sure, there are podcasts that offers consistent content and radio shows that achieves fames on occasions. However, it has never really reached an overwhelming popularity that it became an international sensation. That being said, Minare Koda is an amateur at her job without much experience. To make matters worse, she’s still dealing with a bad breakup and isn’t something easy to just over. Now that she’s in profession of unknown territory, the risks increase tenfold as her voice is broadcasted for the world to hear. What’s actually intriguing is how she managed to make her circumstances into a blessing in disguise or at the very least, a chance to turn her life around. And as the main female protagonist, Minare carries the story with a passionate personality combined with a degree of stubbornness. She wants to prove herself and be a better person although there are many obstacles in her way. In a sense, I see this anime as her own personal journey of redemption.

As an anime with adult characters, it’s quite refreshing to see the diversity of the cast. Matou, the chief director and person that Minare bumped into after her drunken night, is the guy to look for when you need help. Being a laid back individual, he has a keen eye for talent. The result is how Minare ends up as a radio talk host at MRS. And at MRS, she encounters other individuals who she must to adapt with in order to survive such as assistant director Mizuho Nanba and mixer Ryusuke Komoto. What’s fascinating about Minare’s life at this point is how unpredictable it is, with everyday being a seemingly new challenge for her to overcome. Plus, let’s not also forget about the people she used to work with including Chuuya Nakahara, Makie Tachibana, and Yoshiki Takarada. What sells to me most is just how expressive Minare is when interacting with these characters. The amount of emotions she delivers is astonishing, sometimes a bit over the line but always grabs your attention. At its best, Minare’s character enables us to see the struggles of a young woman fighting in a world that’s stacked against her.

I’ve said it before but watching the variety of genres mixed together in this anime works successfully. One of the additional genre is romance, something that isn’t too keen on developing but cleverly woven into the show. We have to remember that the series takes place in an adult working world so high school drama is tossed out the window. These characters are adults now and is part of the working society. Relationships goes beyond the teenage romance with levels of age gaps between certain characters. Minare also seems to be hesitant to fall in love especially after a bad breakup. Let’s face it, is she even ready with all the pressure stacked on top of her? With characters like Nakahara, you’d have to see for herself for how unpredictable the story is. Then again, this anime is so hyper energetic that sometimes, you forget the romance or plot is there. It could be a double edged sword that occasionally makes fun of itself too much. In fact, there’s an immense amount of comedy that goes well beyond how characters behave. We follow Minare’s life journey as she now has a purpose, a goal that the viewers wants to see how much she can achieve. If you remember that along with the amount of humor, then Nami yo Kittekure will be a real treat.

Studio Sunrise is known for some of its involvement in some outlandish projects. Nami yo Kittekure is no exception as we examine the bizarre world of radio. At the center of it all is Minare, with a voice of charisma and passion. Adapting her character to life is no simple task especially with her overwhelming character expressions. It’s a selling point in the show that makes the best to make her character look alive. That’s also say, Minare personality shines the best when dealing with her daily life problems such as her new job and ex-boyfriend, Mitsuo Suga. But with everything said, Minare’s voice is an icon for this show, a testament that she earned her place in the radio world. Riho Sugiyama, the voice actress, did an outstanding job at bringing her character to life. Each episode, the audience will be glowed to the screen to see how she behaves with others. If there’s a voice acting award to be given this year, she’s got my vote.

It’s not a dream. It’s a reality, a world where Minare wakes up and realizes how different it is now that she’s part of the radio broadcasting experience. Let it be that her journey will be an experience like no other. This is the type of anime that you don’t find too often these days as it manages its themes and genres together so well. And honestly, I want this reality to continue.

Quoting a comment I read somewhere recently

“Reality is sometimes boring, and they make excessive use of real life problems with actual real life treatment, which makes it seem boring. However thats what makes it so good for me, you can simply feel with the protagonist..”

In what is considered to be a massive genre shift from the mangaka’s previous work (Muugen no Juunin: Immortal) Nami Yo Kiitekure or Wave, Listen to Me by Hiroaki Samura is a seinen work place comedy featuring Minare Koda, who one night after a drunken rambling lands a job at radio station and is going through her mid-20s crisis.

Now to the ... real part. This is one of the most extremely well done series by Sunrise. Production quality screams $$$ from start to end. The studio has faithfully adapted each and every chapter while making sure the nuances aren’t missed when delivering the punchlines.

Music- one of the best part of this series is the OP and ED. Not only the music but the scenes accompanying them flow very well.

Voice acting- easily 10/10. Riho Sugiyama isn’t a well known seiyuu but she owns Minare Koda’s character like a boss. From her brash attitude to super frank nature, Riho Sugiyama has captured it perfectly.

My only complaint with this series right now is the licensor skimping out on references and Japanese popculture meta which haven’t been mentioned. Though it won’t be detrimental on your way to enjoy the series, it just happens to be one pet peeve of mine.

Overall, do not skip this show just because it happens to be an adult workplace comedy. I will be watching it. You should too because you will fall in love with the character that is Minare Koda.

This kind of series is target for a very specific adult audience.
The main protagonist's dumb antics are painfully relatable only if you have experienced them before.

Koda Minare. Our MC is basically the main attraction of this show.
Rather, she is the show itself.

We follow her daily life.
Feisty, strong personality, drunkard, a little bit of a dork.
The life of an adult, that struggles, that get's drunk quite often because she has bad luck in men and has a massive hungover and still needs to be on time at work, and after she spent all her money on drinks the night before, she realizes that she does not ... have enough money to pay for rent.
It's clear that her life is not in order by any means.
Does that ring any bells? I think we all have been there.

Suffice to say this series is not for everyone.
Hence the low scores.
Which is sad, since I honestly believe that this is one of those hidden gems that appear every season.
It has, what it could be among the Top 10 or Top 20 OP & ED of the whole year. Despite still being quite early to say but i doubt that it could fall from those ratings.
Yes, that good. If you don't believe it, go ahead and listen to it.

I do hope that more people watch this show...
At least, give it a chance.
If the first 5 minutes of the show don't get your attention, don't waste your time and drop it, since this might not be for your taste.

Should you watch Nami yo, Kiitekure?
How can I give you a proper review without giving a massive spoiler for the series?
I will give you a comparison instead.
If you are a sommelier, a connoisseur if I may add, and by that I mean a full on weeb that has watched a fair share of anime then it will be pretty easy for you to understand the reference and what I am trying to say.

Do you remember Hayami Saori's role of Hatoko in Inou-Battle?
Do you remember the "I don't understand" scene?
That 2:50 of one of the greatest voice acting masterful performances, ever.
That. Exactly, that.
Think along those lines.

Sugiyama Riho is attempting to emulate or recreate what Hatoko's VA did and provide something similar in Koda Minare's (MC) performance throughout the whole show.

The concept of the radio exists in the story.
My opinion of it is that the radio was not the whole point.
Just a mean to an end.
What the author might had envision is something different.
Let's take it as a metaphore, since it's only the medium for your words to be heard.
Nowadays, nobody speaks their minds.
We follow protocols. We have become accostumed to a living, to a pattern, to what is the norm in society.
But there is always something that we have thought. "If I said that before, will things have been different?"
So what would happen if we have someone who does not force herself to follow said rules and is not bound to them either?
The ability to convey powerful and impactful emotions through the use of your words.

So, the main question is, why does her words echo in others?
That is the power.
To make people to listen to you. To become the voice of what is in the minds of others, afraid of saying those same things outloud...

Radio's quite an old technology, and as a mere human who's probably still hatching into adulthood I'd say that radios aren't really my type of thing. I rarely listen to them and when I do it's mostly from stupid reasons such as my father opening it inside his car or when there's somehow a radio lying about near my present designation. Still, does disliking radio really affect my perspective towards an anime which is essentially, ultimately about radio broadcasting? The answer is, of course, totally obvious, a straight "No".

Heck, I actually laughed a lot whilst watching Wave, Listen to me. The concept of making ... a radio broadcast an anime already piqued my interest ever since I set my eyes on it. I despise radios, but at the same time I also enjoy watching the adult industrial anime kind of stuff. Shirobako, Sakura Quest, Genshiken, you name it. Now that that's clarified. Let me just spit out the pros and cons of this show and go straight to the final blow ( conclusion ) so this review won't be too long.

( PRO ) Strong, Realistic, Female protagonist.

Even her character design, especially her eyes look too fucking realistic it's creepy. In a good way. Her personality's also quite realistic and not like some anime where the female protagonist goes "Ayayaya" or "K-k-kyou-kun..?". No overreacts and exaggerates and just straight-up "Yo, homie.". Pretty good. I love the female protagonist and she's probably the main reason why I enjoyed watching this show so much.

( PRO ) Comical and Chill

If you're the type of watcher like me who sometimes just want to enjoy something chill to watch where you could simply place your laptop, ipad somewhere or hold your phone and skydive into your bed and prepare to have a good, relaxing time where you just laugh about occasionally then this show might just be perfect for you. The comedies are on-point. Not too funny, but funny enough to lighten me up. It's also pretty chill. Not too chill as to not make it boring. A pretty good chill and intense ratio.

( CON ) Too Short, felt a bit lacking

About half of the entire series is all about our female protagonist's life and how she became a radio broadcaster. I mean, of course development is necessary. But what I'm trying to say is the other half where she finally does her job as a radio broadcaster felt a bit lacking. Too less man. I'd say this needs at least 3-4 more episodes where she just does her radio broadcast like the first episode. Which was actually another reason why I continued watching the show. To see if there's more to what I saw on the first episode. And as sad as it may sound, after finishing the show I think I didn't really get what I wanted fully. It kind of just felt half-hearted.

Season 2 pls.

Overall Wave, Listen to Me! was outstanding and I'd say regardless of its lack in some points the story was perfect and I really liked the characters. Oh, forgot to mention the sound but that's perfect as well. Voice acting were 10/10. Actually felt like listening to a radio. Anyways. This anime was very good and in a matter of fact possibly a hidden gem of Spring 2020. I recommend this to everybody. It's very good.

Nami yo Kiitekure, which I’ll be calling “Wave” for short, is quite the sleeper in my books. If it weren’t for such unprecedented times and the resultant cancellation of shows from Spring 2020’s catalog, Wave could have quite easily fallen by the wayside, hovering under a MAL score of 7 for its first few episodes. And what a sad scenario that would have been, as Wave has been a refreshing experience through and through. Here’s my (mostly) spoiler-free thoughts on Wave and why I think this show is most certainly worth your time.

Wave is told from the perspective of the fast-talking Minare Koda, a cynical ... woman struggling to make ends meet. She works at a curry shop in town with a gay* manager who’s clearly only keeping her around for cheap labor, has a hard time keeping her apartment’s landlord happy, and recently sunk in a considerable amount of money into a scumbag boyfriend who promptly took off with the cash. A shitty boss, money problems, a bad breakup – all these problems led her to the right bar on the right night with the right man to rant to… or so it seems. As it turns out, the man she met was Kanetsugu Matou, a director of a local radio station in Sapporo. He was so impressed with her stutter-less delivery and abrasive takes on men that he recorded her epic rant that night and broadcasted it all over Hokkaido, to Minare’s shock. Matou-san then offers to sign our stunned amateur on to the station, offering her the opportunity to hone her craft the recording booth. Because she has virtually no name recognition and thus has no backing by sponsors, Minare is roped into improvising experimental sketches in the dead of night, allowing Matou to see how far he can push the limits of traditional radio programming. Alongside this new endeavor Wave continues to put Minare’s experiences front-and-center, showcasing her plights with her day job and zany life experiences. If you’re still unsure of what to expect, I would say Wave is decidedly an adult comedy, full of pop culture references and absurdist humor with some crude material in the mix.

The approach Wave takes is a welcome change of pace from your typical slapstick or slice-of-life that you’ve probably grown accustomed to. Wave packs in a ton of jokes and references with influences from both Japan and the West. Yes, the localized gags involving stuff like Japanese pop singers and such went over my head, but there’s still plenty of solid material here. I, for one, enjoy comedies that come at you with everything, and Wave does just that by also throwing in some unexpected absurdist sketches that had me laughing my socks off. The radio sketches are a fun opportunity for the series to explore strange concepts and creative laughs, and there’s a sense that the writers are passionate for their love for radio and popular tropes. However, jokes can only carry a show so far, so it’s a good thing that Wave has the perfect vehicle for them. Minare Koda owns this show in every scene she’s in with her raw energy and great timing. This success is in large part due to her voice actor; relative newcomer** Riho Sugiyama’s energetic line delivery easily puts her alongside the heavy-hitters from Kaguya-Sama S2 in terms of the best VA performances this season. The jaded Minare jumps to conclusions left-and-right, and her hyperactive monologues invite us into that erratic thought process. Be it in the recording booth or out, a bulk of my enjoyment with Wave comes by watching her sweeping changes in intensity and how they elevate the observational humor in every episode. With her relentless overconfidence, sheepish embarrassment and animated commentary, Minare keeps me coming back to Wave week by week.

Now, as enjoyable as Wave is, it does have a couple of criticisms that I’d like to share with you. First of all, Wave is very much the Minare Koda Show. That’s by no means a bad thing on its own, I think I’ve gushed over her enough so far. However, the rest of the cast don’t really stand out to me and it’s not for lack of trying. These side characters are present in the narrative but have their conflicts either relegated to the background or in service of Minare’s OTT reactions. While I had a blast watching Minare carry practically the entire show on her back, Wave’s supporting cast needs to be explored deeper should the story receive future installments. The other aspect worth noting is the overall tone and writing throughout the series. When it’s not busy doing radio bits with exes and/or extraterrestrials, Wave can seem unsure of the kind of comedy it wants to pull off in a given scene. Wave’s curious mix of observational humor and more surreal set-ups doesn’t gel as well as I hoped at times. It is possible to balance out the two elements in a satisfying way and render me LMAO for full minutes (which is does often). But the show has a bad habit of attempting to paint scenes in a realistic light when they would have worked better as comedic moments***. Likewise, there were points where Wave undercuts more grounded moments with anticlimactic, throwaway jokes. I feel that this balance of Wave’s two halves is skewed in favor of a more plausible perspective, leading to the show stumbling over itself and overexplaining certain scenes. I’d be glad if the show grows more consistent in working out this formula, ‘cause what we have is already so enjoyable. Before I wrap things up, here’s a lightning round covering all the other criteria I missed: the animation is serviceable, the art and presentation gets some good moments, I think the insight into the radio industry was digestible and fun (reminiscent of “Eizouken ni wa Te wo Dasu na!’s” many tidbits about animation), the songs and sound design fit the show nicely. I don’t intend to half-ass on these topics; they just didn’t factor into my viewing experience all that much.

Tl;DR: Nami yo Kiitekure is quite likely to have you in stitches. A simply stellar performance by Riho Sugiyama brings our lively lead to life. Minare nails every joke with an energetic, ballsy delivery that would make isekai protagonists quiver in their pants. Not all the comedy works, but the show’s fun take on observational & absurdist humor makes for a welcome change of scenery. Wave, Listen to me absolutely deserves to be heard. 7/10~

STRAY RAMBLINGS (SPOILERS):
- *The show sort of gay-bashes the manager, and it’s a recurring gag that never really works. I’m thinking it could be an issue of dated material, as the manga was first published back in 2014. Still, the homo stuff wasn’t made in good taste here, so have this mild trigger warning.
- **My jaw dropped to the floor when I caught Minare’s rap edit in Gigguk’s Spring 2020 video. Immediately added Wave to my watch list and found her profile on MAL. Said jaw then proceeded to fall further still when I learnt that she has less than ten VA roles to date! I’m definitely rooting for her to nail more parts in the years to come, fantastic effort.
- ***Let me share an example with you. My favorite joke in the entire show was that of the crazy coincidence in episode 5 where Minare was doing an improvised sketch from the POV of a woman who killed her partner. Meanwhile, it turned out that the exact same occurrence was taking place as Minare’s broadcast was aired, and the eerie parallels between the two scenarios and the reactions from the killer and hostage were funny as heck. The whole scene was insane but it functioned perfectly as a one-off joke that came and went, and I was happy to leave things at that. Unfortunately, it turns out that the scene is actually a major plot point, as it’s revealed that it was Mitsuo, Minare’s ex, who was tied up that night. The show tries to give a wonky explanation for all this, but it only highlights the contrivances necessary for this to have taken place and lessens the fantastic gag that came before it.
- Matou’s seeing Minare as a mirror image of Sissel Komei, a woman from his past, is a plotline that shows up every now and then. I just don’t think Wave really goes anywhere with this? It’s just sort of there, and I’m not sure how this thread plays into the show’s themes. Isn’t the story about Minare being her awesome self and bringing that personality to the airwaves? If so, what good is there in attempting to make her character more artificial by selling this idea that she’s a carbon copy of someone else? The only guess that comes to my mind is that she could show up later on in the canon, affecting Minare in some personal way. Oh well, I guess that might count as world-building, so I probably shouldn’t complain.
- BEST GIRL: Mizuho. Just this once, Minare has good taste in romantic interests ;)
- IN A NUTSHELL: Good Morning Vietnam meets Fleabag (If you’re a fan of Minare, I guarantee Phoebe Waller-Bridge will win you over in the same way).
- Lockdown does weird things to people, so I guess I blog now! Thanks so much for making it this far. If you happen to like my verbose over-analysis, come check out the other reviews I’m putting out this season. Also, feel free to leave any feedback for me; I’m still trying to figure a lot of this stuff out. Stay safe, see you in the next one, peace!

Well, we have only 4 episodes so far, but this series made a good job setting it's purpose and it's unique set of characters, so I think it might be worth watching it if you are already engaged with the story. I will make a brief analysis on the main aspects that have been shown in the three first chapters.

Story - 7
Story of this anime is nothing special until chapter 3, but it gives some hints of getting more serious from now on. Despite being originally written by the author of Blade of the Immortal, it has a totally different setting about our MC, Minare ... Koda, who suddenly is fired from her job but manages to find another work on the radio. The progression is pretty simple at the beggining, but as I said it might be getting more complex gradually while the side characters gain more depth, and it has potential to become something surprising.

Art - 9
Due to it's SoL/Comedy genre, it's not like Nami yo Kiitekure needs some outstanding sakuga; it has, tough. The staff in charge of this anime is pretty competent, and there are some action/comedy scenes that are pretty well animated and coreographed. It's even making a better job on being fluid than action shounens of this season such as ToG.

Sound - 9
The opening and ending are pretty good, and the soundtrack is at least fitting with every scene; even though, what needs to be highlighted when talking about this series is the completely outstanding work that Riho Sugiyama is doing by giving voice to our protagonist. Her voice is incredibly energetic and vibrant, it actually makes the deal on portraiting the personality of Minare Koda. Even though, prepare your sharingan to try to read the subtitles without going back sometimes, because this woman speaks absurdly fast.

Character - 8
The MC is pretty unique. Her personality is very strong while still manages to feel relatable, and really goes with the mechanic of the story. Also, the side characters stand out of being generic, even if none of them has been explored into depth until now, they have a lot of potential. We'll see how they're developed as the story keeps going.

Enjoyment - 7
The anime in general is very enjoyable, and it will be a good ride to watch it's twelve episodes. Even though, there are some jokes that are difficult to understand for foreigners, since they talk about specific personalities of Japan's radio, or sometimes about regional sterotypes. Also, the story is dynamic but not at the point of causing any hype, just maybe at the end of chapter 4, so you really need to be engaged to watch it

Overall - 8
A good show if you are in quarentine complaining about your life being a disaster and needing some urgent entertainment. It's not a must watch but I think it's a bit underrated too, since is very fun in general.

What really helps this show, us the strong lead character that is both energetic and entertaining. It really helps pull this show forward, along with great side main characters as well. It really gives off an entertaining vibe. Here is why!

As I said with the characters, our main lead is all that I listed. The other characters personally mesh well with her, which provides great results. It really pulls the story together, but also with an interesting premise such as radio. It makes you interested to see how far this radio goes forward.

The art is nice and great to look at. The sound is great ... too, perfect for an anime that is about radio. I really do like it.

The story really is quite fun, starting off with the most random thing, but it really ties into the story, and makes you wonder what else this show will come up with. I'd honestly give this a watch, it's really entertaining, and I bet it will get more so as it goes on.

I picked up this series because of so many cancellations this season. I heard that this show had a following who swore by how fun this show is.

"Man some woman wants to become an Radio jockey? Nah this is a skip for me." Was my statement 7 weeks ago. And my god was it a huge disservice to the show.
Granted the plot at first seems to be just an adult woman going through inconveniences in life, but soon it developed into something quite a lot more!

Negatives -
-There is some animation cost cutting.(not nearly enough to ruin the experience)
-The licensor tends to pilferage some popular ... japanese pop culture references.

Positives-
And damn are there a few:
******Riho Sugiyama******
Riho just put out the best VA performance I have ever seen in animation. Take a bow my girl, damn. She embodies the character so perfectly that it's creepy. If not for anything else watch this for her performance.

-Music: This has some of the best music, both the OP and ED fit well and are so good. Chef's Kiss.

-How enjoyable is it?: Yes

Summary:
After watching the 5 and 6 episode this show got me to write my MAL review recommending people to watch it.
Watch this show! For the character that is Minare, stay for just how fun and relatable it is. One of the best shows this season. Potential to be the best.

Thinking back I would like to slap myself for the "Man some woman wants to become an Radio jockey? Nah this is a skip for me." remark.

It’s such a shame to see this series is not getting as much attention as it deserves for it’s a very solid adaptation of one of my current favorite on-going manga. People mainly know of Hiroaki Samura due to Blade of the Immortal and his penchant for ryona as seen in other works of his like the infamous Bradherley's Coach and his art book that’s not so subtly named The Love of the Brute. Wave, Listen to Me on the other hand, is a comedy about working in broadcasting (among other things) and is thus a major departure from his usual dark and twisted works. ...

As such, while Blade mostly showcased Samura’s skill as an artist, Wave is the work that showcased not only Samura’s skills as an artist but more importantly, also as a writer, what his sense of humor is like and what are the influences on his works.

In addition to the little details that go into the world of radio production, the charm of the series lies in its character interactions; Samura did well in crafting a gang of interesting characters as they muck around and generally just trying their best to do their job and lead their lives. In that regard, much of the humor in Wave is centered on a mix of mundane, everyday elements and absurdist scenarios like some of the hijinks the protagonist, Koda Minare gets into plus whacky ideas being used for the radio broadcasts - in particular people who have read Samura’s other more comedic works like Halcyon Lunch or Sister Generator would likely already have picked up that Samura does seem to like throwing in some surreal sci-fi themes.

However, the series is not all just silly shenanigans, as it also has some poignant moments such as addressing the role of radio even in the days of the abundance of multiple entertainment media being available and why it still remains important even right now. Which leads me to my next point; I've noticed that when people say 'mature/adult oriented' works, there's a tendency to refer to works with lots of violence, sex and/or raunchy jokes. Unfortunately, people end up ignoring that works can be mature without relying on sex and violence or that having said themes doesn't make for a mature work. And this is one of the reasons I like about this series; it is adult oriented in its very literal sense of the phrase. A lot of the themes, humor etc are much, much more relatable for an older audience - in particular, the little scenes between Mizuho and Kureko where the latter talks about being an aging creative still trying to, not only remain relevant in the industry, but is still fighting for his passion. And then there's the topics such as dealing with terrible exes, bad breakups and of course, the workplace.

Anyway, Studio Sunrise has always had a solid record with adaptations, especially when it comes to comedy, so this is no exception. To that end, the choice of VAs are perfect. it certainly is delightful to be watching and listening to Minare boisterously barging through things, ranting her head off and bantering with the other characters in the cast. She’s loud, brash and spontaneous, which often leads to her screwing up and get into trouble but that’s also what makes her so lovable and engaging. Sugiyama Riho absolutely nailed it in delivering Minare’s energy, while it’s always nice to hear Mamiko Noto as the soft spoken Tachibana Makie and Ohara Sayaka as Madoka Chishiro. Of course, one also cannot forget Fuji Shinshuu providing that smooth and chill voice to Matou. In addition to the stellar cast of VAs, the direction and delivery of the jokes, the music and the art are all on point, which all serves to amplify this little gem of a series.

In short, while Blade of the Immortal may be a good samurai series, Wave, Listen to Me is what I’ll call a great Samura work as it's the one that brings out more of the mangaka's personality and style.

As we get older, it becomes harder to relate to the generic high school romance series with characters getting embarrassed and squealing at every single remotely sexual or romantic thing that happens.

While I am a big fan of those types of stories, it’s nice to get something that adults and working people can relate to. Nami Yo Kiitekure is just that and is easily in my top 4 shows of Spring 2020. The series follows Minare, who is fresh off a break up and contemplating her next steps in life. After a series of events Minare begins working an early morning shift at a local ... radio station doing hilarious radio dramas. The show revolves around her growing into her position as a radio host as well as her realistic relationships with coworkers and friends.

What particularly resonates with me about the series is just how damn real everything feels. While there’s definitely some over the top drama at times, the large majority of the story feels like genuine interactions that we’ve all had. The issues that Minare and co go through feel like things we’ve all been through, whether it’s looking for a job, dealing with an ex, workplace crushes, etc. It all feels organic and makes for an extremely entertaining watch.

Another thing that is important for me, but potentially less for others is voice acting. The skill of a seiyuu can really make or break an experience for me. The job that Minare’s seiyuu does is absolutely top class and really brings her character to life. This goes for all of the main cast, helping to create a vibrant world full of life.

If you’re an older otaku/weeb who is tired of the generic high school love stories, isekai, etc. and want a story you can genuinely relate to, I highly suggest checking out Nami yo Kiitekure. You will not regret it at all. The art, voice acting and story are all amazing.

Nami Yo Kiitekure gets 9 mics out of 10.

Nami yo Kiitekure is a very unique anime. While most unothordox anime that focuses on a new aspect like working on trains or being an animator, this one has a very different feel to it. This isn't a show about becoming a radio host, it is a show about the struggles of an adult woman trying to live her life which just happens to be related to radio.


The characters in the anime are what really carried it for me. This is no philosophical story with very detailed characters as you are introduced to it mainly from the perspective of the main character but even ... then, you see how distinct the rest of the characters are. Minare being the main character does lead to us exploring how she feels and how this energetic, cute, self-developing and over the top character is and how great of a character she becomes with the show progressing forward. We are also introduced to the side characters and the deep relationships between them and their own unique characteristics. The anime was able to make a very untraditional idea into a very entertaining watch.

I mainly leave the praise for the voice actors at the end if I have any but I feel that this would be kinda rude not to do so now. The voice actors really brought life to this show. Minare's, the main character, voice actor has done a phenomenal job. I can understand how difficult it could be to voice for a hyper energetic but she really did a good job specially during the imagination segments. She was able to act amazingly and you really felt as if the voice actor herself was in the show as Minare. I mainly praise the voice actors for their ability to deliver the feelings of the characters but this was way above any voice acting I listened to recently. 10/10.


The sound directing is perfect. A show about radio work must be difficult as you would need to do a lot of work just to understand how everything works and prepare for it yet it seems like the anime was able to represent it in a very natural way. The sound directing specially was amazing it was able to blend in the amazing voice acting, the soundtracks and the sound effects in a very fitting way so great job on that one.


The art and the pacing of the anime were great as well as the overall directing.


One thing I can't make up my mind on was the relationships of the characters. The anime introduces alot of issues between characters yet it never really seemed to go anywhere or flourish. It made me think "Why was this even introduced" as the anime never addresses them. I get this may be an artistic way of introducing the story from Minare's perspective so it would seem that just like in real life, you don't know everything that's going on between other characters but I can't help but wonder what happened. This is the only point I can recall right now that I feel conflicted about.


Overall, I would give the anime an 8/10. I really enjoyed it and I hope to see a continuation of it soon.
Would recommend it to anyone looking for a unqiue unothordox anime.

This anime for me is the hidden gem of the season, and I think it deserves a lot more attention. The premise is simple enough, with your brash and noisy, but lovable main character Minare and how she tries to make it in the radio business. At first, I was expecting this show to progress like your typical shounen anime about how she struggles and improves, and finally make a name for herself in the radio business, but I was dead wrong.

Instead, this is a comedy anime that has very weird and silly comical skits, some of which I have never seen in other ... animes in the same genre. The comedy is dialogue-heavy but is supported by visual scenes that help to contextualize the cleverly crafted jokes. Moreover, there are quite interesting subplots for character development behind the usual comedy that creates real-life situational drama. These high tension situations are interesting because aside from getting to know the characters, they create situations where the comedy can shine even further by suddenly popping-up and quelling whatever dilemma the characters may be in.

Overall, I've been enjoying this series to a very large degree and anticipate the release of every new episode. If you're interested in real-life situational comedy with a very abundant dash of ridiculousness, then you might enjoy this anime as much as myself.

The show is still currently airing, so my review might change a bit.

This is one of the only anime that I have updated during the time it aired.

I like the concept and idea of a show about a woman that works as a radio host and gets into some funny situations. Some of the plot twists were actually unexpected for me, so that made this even better.

Character design was beautiful and the background and scenery fit in well.

Clear audio gives no issues from me. Gotta love clear audio. The chosen VA fit the characters wonderfully.

The characters were nice, although I wish they focused a bit ... more on some things.

I love this show, and I can't wait to see more episodes.

STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND READ THIS REVIEW AAAAAAHAHAIRYCAMOMRGMASRGMOIWRGMLMASFMTEJA
Sorry, after seeing Minare scream into a microphone I wanted to try it for myself. I don't know if I have the same stage presence as her but hopefully I caught your attention XD

So this anime is pretty great. I'm going to jump right into what is so good about it. I absolutely love the concept. It's so wacky and strange and bizarre but is executed so effortlessly that it makes for an awesome anime. There aren't too many emotional moments which I think works for this anime. It makes for less of an anime that tugs ... at your heartstrings and more of an anime that just takes your breath away. I think another huge part of what makes Nami yo Kiitekure so great is the characters. Nobody falls into clichés or stereotypes and everyone interacts so naturally. Minare is a fantastic protagonist and even though we get why other people criticize her, her faults are exactly what make her so fantastic. I also think that the textures and art are really stunning and that the character design is on point. The OP and ED are really good and the soundtrack is just awesome in general. The actors also nail the voices. A lot of positive things going on.

I have a few significant problems with this anime. The story is kind of all over the place and there's a lack of connection between the different episodes. Sometimes the situations the characters find themselves in are a bit far-fetched which makes it less enjoyable. The animation is also a bit strange. They don't really move all that much, and when they do it can be unnatural. These problems are just big enough for me to hold it back from a ten, but not enough to lower it to an eight.

In the end this anime really is the highlight of spring 2020 for me. I haven't seen BNA and I dropped Gleipnir, so I don't know about those two. But I can't imagine any of them topping Nami yo Kiitekure (except for maybe Sing Yesterday to me). It's so wacky but oddly intriguing in so many ways. I highly recommend it for anybody, there's a lot to enjoy and take away from this one!

THIS IS THE END OF MY REVIEW, PRESS THE "IT WAS HELPFUL" OR WHATEVER IT'S CALLED BUTTON, AND GO WATCH THIS ANIMEMEMEMEMEMADUFHOMWUANRFMAOEFMG
SIGNING OFF UNTIL THE NEXT REVIEW
-Kallocarina

Nami yo Kiitekure or Wave, Listen to Me! another very unique anime adapted from the manga whose original creator, Samura, Hiroaki has conceptualize it from his twisted mind, that is if you had observes some of his works . As spring 2020 ends and summer 2020 begins, you could say that this is one of the best anime for this season given that studio "Sunrise" has chosen this to be giving an anime adaptation, especially when we're present with something good on the table. so how do I rate this:

Story- Good 8: I did said that "we're presented with something good on the ... table", well, having a woman be this hard knock radio DJ who talks about anything under the sun was something else, when it involves a woman like Minare who basically was you typical loud mouth kind of woman that you would have to have 2nd thoughts of marrying her, cu'z basically she represents as how the world of being in a radio program works....only in Japan of course since MRS the radio studio doesn't represent the whole radio broadcasting industry as a worldwide, all we know was just like any Television broadcasting industry livelihood depends on sponsor , the story also show as to how creativity in a radio broadcasting industry is more challenging than TV. Though, the story may revolve around Minare, lets not forget that it also shows that being a DJ in a radio broadcasting industry doesn't pay much unless you make it big.


Art- Good 7: Ok, if you're gonna be wanting some fanservice, there was only a one time Minare panty flash, and that's it , uncensored shower scene, onsen and beach scene they don't exist here. Artwise the illustrations were superb and the Minare's sense of fashion were up to date...........Other female characters????? Well, most of them dresses up like grannies.

Sound- Good 7: Cu'z as Minare who has to have a matured voice her seiyuu , Sugiyama, Riho doesn't have to pretend to be this teen age girl, cu'z here we get to hear her voice in her purest form,same goes to the male cast. This is probably the only anime were the seiyuus don't have to pretend to be young. BTW , I simply have no love of both the opening and ending theme.

Character-fair 6: Ok we have Minare, a girl with a jerkily and Hyde work attitude, where she is this sweet and friend girl when she is working at Voyager as a waitress/cashier/Blogger at one point and being this potty mouth , brash bokuko at next, in fact she probably one girl that you might regret marrying, cu'z she has that potential of giving you a 24/7 lecture if you piss her off, also she one girl that no guy would wanna get involve since she can kill you in an instant the moment you've wrong her...…but, one thing that I dislike about her was being this very indecisive cu'z at one point she not lesbian and yet she makes a move on Mizuho, also she has indication that she likes Chuuya and yet she keeps dissing him to the point that she doesn't seem to assert her likes for him. So the big question here is does she have any feelings for her manager Kanetsugu??? Now on to Chuuya Nakahara, ok, he seems to like Minare, and it was good that he still tries despite of getting dissed maybe if he keeps on it Minare might give in if there wasn't that interloper Tachibana Makie who some how got into his life and as much as I hate it Chuuya might be stuck with her. Nanba Mizuho, ok she may or may not be Minare's love interest , but one thing about her was sure, she seems to have an affinity towards older men, and I do mean very older men as in as old as her daddy, Now what about Kanetsugu Matou, ok he one conniving man that wouldn't hesitated to take advantage of any loop hole he can find just to get what he wants and quite frankly he's a prefect match for Minare's bad attitude cu'z while Minare is bad , he's evil....Now there is another female character, Chishiro, Madoka IMAO her character here was a complete waste, where she could've have fill the void of being this bitchy employee of MRS where she wont make things easy for Minare. Tcahibana Makie, humm I kinda hate that she competition for Minare relationship for Chuuya's affection and she's winning cu'z Minare ain't making any headway to get close to Chuuya or doesn't have nay intention after being tricked by her ex , Mistuo. Takarada, Yoshiki the homo manger of Voyager , man who put him there????

Enjoyment- Very Good: Cu'z of this series' uniqueness, of having a woman be the main character who happens to be this bad bokuko was well worth the watch.

Overall-Good 7: Good as this series may be, IMAO, this simply has to end here cu'z a season 2 may not be worth it, lets face it, this simply qualifies as a one hit wonder where everything else should be left in the manga.

This is me , signing off...…

Nami yo Kiitekure, or Wave, Listen to Me! Come on guys, listen to her, she's pretty good.


Spoiler warning, of course.


Alright, let's kick this review off by saying I love this, I love this show so much. First off, my first impression of this show wasn't too high if I'm going, to be honest. I knew it was about radios and DJ stuff but I wasn't expecting to get so much more from just that. Of course, it's not just that it's the characters and writing as well that really just compliments the main concept of 'radio DJ'. I heard about this Radio drama when I ... actually went to Japan myself but I never knew that this was a big thing in Japan. I am intrigued and interested at the same time. Of course, hearing that this show is something out of the norm of anime, I had to check this one out and the results? I am pleased.

From the first scene, we get this 'Tokyo Drift' inspired driving with the car. This I can total dig but once we start to get to know the Beast that is Minare, the show took off from there. She alone is such a breeze to hear and watch. The way she acts, talks and thinks is hilarious and unironically relatable in some ways. She truly is what a good solid main character should look like and I can't get over the fact of how good she was made. Not just her but the supporting characters are all sealed tight and amazing. While I'll admit not all the characters are deeply explored and touch on, I feel that all the supporting characters are there to make the world of 'Wave, Listen to Me!'. From those minor characters like Makie's brother or Shinji the blood dripping ceiling resident. All of these characters just get propelled further with Minare's incredible behaviour.

In terms of story-wise, it isn't groundbreaking but it's certainly enjoyable. We have Minare, semi-unemployed, having close to a mid-life crisis and it's just her against the world. Many times I straight up laugh from her actions or her thought process as well as jokes. I must say the writing is very impressive, the script is fantastic and well written. But you know what's better? The voice actor of Minare,
Sugiyama, Riho. Can you believe it? She's only starting in voice acting? Are you kidding me? The way she delivers Minare's script and presents her voice is unbelievable. It's like, and yes, she was a DJ star. I am honestly still shock by how natural the delivery of voice lines that the characters give like it's not scripted at all and the voice actors are just in a room talking like how they would. It's seriously mind-boggling and that is one amazing thing this show does.

I swear if we don't get a season 2 of this I am gonna be deeply saddened. Like it has to right? You've seen the ending for those who watch. Please, please be because not only is this Radio drama concept really intriguing, it's the characters that the show brings to the table.

I also want to point out how great of a job the show does to promote or present women in the workforce. As you know most of the stars are female in the show, Minare, Mizuho, Makie and so on. But it's not a very 'in your face' kind of way. The show does it right in representing strong solid female characters and that really speaks volume. Not to bring shame on the male characters, no of course, they are great as well. This show really makes being an adult scary but brings out the fun of being an adult as well, in a way.


-SCORES-

Characters- 10/10: I don't love all of them, certainly some characters mourn the day they get more spotlight on them. But I feel as of now, with Minare's interacting with them and all sort of matters, I don't feel any is out of place. Even if one or two might seem in a weird position (Mizuho and Ryuusuke relationship) I feel Minare's personality alone overshadows all the flaws. While Minare is truly awesome, I do have to shout out to Mizuho as well, gosh I really want to see more of her as well. This is how characters should be done. Cool, natural and so damn relatable.

Art- 8/10: It's unique and distinctive in its own way. Yes, their nose is long but not many other animes have characters eyes small and face long. This might not be Sunrise's biggest show, I at least felt they put in effort in the visuals. Thank God for that.

Writing- 8/10: What can I say as to it's great. I know at times scenes can get a little too dramatic or a little unrealistic, but come on, they have only Radio drama as the theme of the show. They have to make some things slightly emphasis to keep the momentum going. In terms of Slice of Life, even though the show wasn't categorised as that, I feel it's a beautifully relatable show that really touches with viewers. That is impressive.

Sound- 9/10: I CAN HEAR MINARE'S VOICE ALL DAY SHE IS FIRE. OST is decent and the intro and outro are great on its own as well.

Overall, what can I say as to how impress I am with this show. I feel this show also has an innovative factor as well, on how something that is 'Radio drama' or DJ star might sound boring can actually be such an enjoyable watch with amazing characters, writing and execution. I better get my season 2 or I will riot.

Strong 8 to a Light 9

This is a story of confidence, self-worth and learning to love your life again.

It also was the complete opposite of what I was expecting.

The characters blend elegantly into one another's lives, with complex relationships and emotions between them, and the protagonist's growth in particular is wonderful to watch.

Using radio in an anime is a wonderful idea, and showing the brilliance of radio dramas is what Wave, Listen to Me! does so well. The series perfectly intertwines reality and fiction, leaving the viewer to interpret the true meaning, while also showing appreciation to those working behind the scenes, in areas such as sound design ... and mixing.

A worthwhile series, I'd recommend this to anyone looking for something a little bit different to add to their watchlist.

This anime is like every shade of bizarre and it's so my vibe. It goes from hilarious references from pop culture to full-blown horror and suspenseful thriller out of the blue while maintaining a roughly reasonable sequence of events. To make things even better, the plot is very mature and calls out quite relatable romantic and career problems.

The very first thing that caught my attention, besides distinctive and aesthetically pleasing animation, is the main character. I can not stop telling you how real-life believable I find her. She is far from acute, wise, and pure traditional representation of women in anime. Minade Koda ... is a headstrong, lively, smart, and brave young woman, but also sometimes insensitive, obnoxious, and too quick to conclusions. All this makes her believable human which growth keeps me invested.

Yet, nothing is perfect. Although dynamic and intriguing, the story sometimes is all over the place and wacky. Lucky, that only made me more curious were anime will choose to go next. Yet I can see someone getting too confused and disengaged after watching for some time.

No-Spoiler Short Review: Pros and Cons.

- Pros (+): Can I just say that this is amazing? It's so weird but the author leads you into thinking very badly about any kind of circunstance that you may encounter in this series. The main could be annoying but you can't help loving her because she's so spontaneous and that's what makes her interesting as a DJ. There isn't a doppelganger effect with the character's designs, each one has a distinct personality and marking features in their physical appearance, voices, clothing, etc. It may be silly but it shows the dedication it was given. A proper anime for ... adults.

- Cons (-): It didn't have an amazing OST to back this up and it was too ephemeral. Too short, guys! Only 12 episodes and the manga isn't even finished.