Kakushigoto

Kakushi Gotou is a somewhat popular manga artist whose works are known for inappropriate content. Because of this raunchiness, when his daughter Hime was born, he vowed to keep his profession hidden from her, believing that she will be disillusioned if she finds out.

This paranoia-induced belief leads Kakushi into hectic situations. Despite being a single father, he does his best and often resorts to extreme ends just to protect his secret, such as guising as a salaryman every day or holding emergency drills in case Hime somehow finds her way to his workplace.

Kakushigoto tells the story of a father and daughter living side by side, maintaining their peaceful existence as the father attempts to preserve the status quo. However, there is a saying: "there are no secrets that time cannot reveal." In time, Hime must learn the reality behind the things she took for granted as she grew up.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Gotou, Kakushi Main

Kamiya, Hiroshi Japanese

Gotou, Hime Main

Takahashi, Rie Japanese

Tomaruin, Satsuki Supporting

Hanae, Natsuki Japanese

Nadila Supporting

Katou, Emiri Japanese

Kakei, Ami Supporting

Sakura, Ayane Japanese

Sumita, Rasuna Supporting

Yasuno, Kiyono Japanese

Rokujou, Ichiko Supporting

Uchida, Maaya Japanese

Senda, Naru Supporting

Aida, Rikako Japanese

Keshi, Kakeru Supporting

Murase, Ayumu Japanese

Ishikawa, Nantokaemon Supporting

Uchiyama, Kouki Japanese

Cook, Justin Producer

Maruyama, Hajime Producer

Yamaoka, Yuuki Producer

Iizumi, Tomokazu Producer

Reviews

Jun 18, 2020

KANLen09

Recommended

"What is your secret?" The Pandora's Box that awaits its eventual reveal, to a side of a parent no child wants to discover: the life of a vulgar or dirty mangaka. Such as in the case of this show: "Dad's kakushigoto, kaku shigoto desu ka."

To understand this show in a literal sense, this one word resembles two things: hidden things (or secrets), or split the words apart (kaku shigoto) and it takes on another meaning: drawing for livelihood. In the realm of father-daughter relationships in anime, I'd say that this show really beats the others that came before it (Sweetness & Lightning, Usagi Drop), and ... the plotlines rather easy but simple to follow and understand, and the expectations building around shifting from times past and present to recognize how parents' secrets go way deeper than just revealing bits and pieces like the uncouth of such simple actions.

Based on the manga of the same name from the mangaka that brought us "Sayonara, Zetsubou-sensei" Kouji Kumeta, Kakushigoto is a rather simple story that tells of the Goto father and daughter family, father Kakushi and daughter Hime, in their growing up stages without the ever-so-illusive mother figure. But to quote manga readers though: this simple story has a caveat - another Kakushigoto, in the form of black and crude humor that teaches manga readers (and now anime watchers) about the things present in the manga industry (heck, even Kumeta-sensei admits that this story is from his accounts of experiences being a mangaka), so that side of the story is really intriguing, yet is a good learning lesson as well.

You may think that just the simple premise of Kakushi fighting every step of the way to save Hime from "dirty evil" will become boring over time, but nope, it actually builds upon the experience of Hime as she slowly learns to take things one at a time, whilst Kakushi tries all sorts of ways to not let his daughter's innocent eyes be paralyzed for the fact that the treatment of mangakas (in general) have lots of kakushigotos that can be ascertained as "plain bad". Even at times where the comedy sticks and stales, it grows on you quick and elevates the experience overall.

The supporting characters of Kakushi's circle, I must really give them props for handling comedy interactions quite well. From his artist circle G-PRO (Shiji, Ami, Rasuna, Kakeru and even ol' Joker-cum-editor Tomaruin) to the unconscious harem that he made (from that one episode which was just insanely hilarious all the way through), adding housemaid Nadila, every single one of them contributes to Kakushi's well-being of trying their best to evade Hime from ANY signs of "trouble" that brews from time to time. Heck, I'd even go as far as to say that Tomaruin, as much as he's a sicko for wanting to threaten Kakushi's position to Hime, he is my favourite character for being a plain ditz and misunderstanding situations that are put in peril. This man meant no harm, but he always brings unwarranted attention to the door, and I always have a great time laughing at his mistakes SO HARD he can be a troll at times.

Unfortunately, with this season marking the start of the COVID season of delays, meant that quality can be inconsistent at times (due to shortage of manpower), and this show kinda suffers a bit in the visuals department (that Ajia-do Animation Works has to outsource to get things done). Only a bit, but this experience fortunately (and luckily) didn't supersede into delays, and I really respect the production staff for getting this done without delays (which is the case for most anime in 2020, and going forward). Despite the crunch though, the artwork is somewhat simplistic, yet being able to show off some vibrancy in the visuals and create watchable content altogether, same as to a double comparison with the manga.

Even better is the sound department. The VAs really give a great account to the temperament to the characters, especially Hiroshi Kamiya and to-be-expected Rie Takahashi playing both the Father and Daughter role respectively. And once again, props to veteran VA Natsuki Hanae for voicing for Tomaruin, how he handled this lame-ass, disingenuous character is one of profound surprises. Not to be outdone, is the opening and ending theme songs. Flumpool's OP was a song that was just magnificent for entering the stage of this show, literally taking flight of this show's growing popularity overtime. What I was most surprised about is the ED, done by the deceased Eiichi Ohtaki based on his 1981 song, and it's very unconventional for anime to re-use old, lost-in-time properties, so much so that the song is another great folk-tune-ish classic.

All in all, Kakushigoto is a show that other than the main focus of the gripping of the family saga that's filled with sweetness and lightning (the secrets hanging in the balance), is a nice change of comedy to add into the slice-of-life genre. A heartwarming, yet sad masterpiece of a show not to be missed, and one of the underrated greats this season has to offer. Try it, you won't be disappointed.

"What's your secret?" My not-so-secret is that I can say that I've finished this show with a smile of happiness on my face.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Jun 19, 2020

SanaeK10

Mixed Feelings

Kakushigoto is the Hitou Nami of anime. By that which I mean it is a completely fine and serviceable anime, but otherwise incredibly average and normal. If I had never watched any of the author's previous manga-to-anime adaptations, I may have been more lenient with it. However, in an ironic culture counter-current moment, I was introduced to Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei through this show, which heavily influenced my expectations of this show moving forward, in both style and substance.

Unlike his previous works, Kakushigoto contains quite possibly the most positive (or least negative) self-depiction of Kumeta himself. No longer is he some loser whose eternally bitter about ... his assistant's successes or other works outselling him, Kakushigoto is instead a more wholesome or less cynical take on the manga industry through the eyes of a doting father. While this less cynical (I use the term because in no way is this work entirely wholesome or positive) work is somewhat refreshing, the fact of the matter is that it ultimately leads to an at best above average slice of life comedy that is somewhat forgettable by its conclusion.

A central motive to the show is nostalgia. Present day scenes are beautifully animated with a different style to the past scenes, and, the ED especially nails the tone to a T. I've also felt some nostalgia watching this throughout the past 3 months or so since I was constantly reminded of Shaft's SZS, that elusive golden past that is long gone, one way or another. The majority of the show with its slice-of-life comedy is not enough of a hook to draw me in unfortunately. There are some nice moments here and there , some good jokes or observations occasionally, but without the usual cynical or pessimistic worldview or even satire. It's just so normal. The only thing I could recall with any bit of clarity is that one bit in Episode 11 where it just turned to SZS for about 10 minutes. It's hilarious yet so out of place at the same time.

The fact that I've struggled to write out any more of this review without referencing SZS in any fashion speaks volumes, even the show itself can't escape being in the shadow of SZS given how many references both direct and indirect it has to it. Kakushigoto is just okay, even above average in a few instances, but I've come to expect so much more given the author's previous works and style. And no, even if you have gotten Golden Age Era Shaft to animate this, it wouldn't have been any better.

5/10

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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Oct 21, 2022

kirazerorequiem

Not Recommended

It was a very bland show. Just barely watchable at most times. The jokes were always stale to the point of being bad. They relied too much on the shows premise in a bad way, it really isn't that interesting how everything unfolds.

The show feels like a bad rip-off of sayounara zetsubou sensei, especially the main character, just with a more positive vibe, which didn't work out at all for it. There were times I wanted to give it an average rating (5) but then they remind me why I choose not to right after.

The characters were average at best, most times it felt ... like a group consciousness thing, instead of them being individual characters. The main, his editor, and the kid are probably the most eccentric and interesting to watch due to the situations it provides. However, even they are not great. The main just constantly overexaggerates on his anxiety which I found didn't connect into proper comedy scenes usually. Just ridiculous delusions. Meanwhile, the girl is only there to provide cute interactions and emotional investment, oh and for the main joke, which isn't funny, not just because it doesn't really matter, but with the way they handle it. The editor is probably the best when he's not being too complacent or mixed in the fray of the group consciousness.

The ending I found to be a very forced situation, the fact he couldn't recognize her after what, a few years? Didn't even see the similarities? Must've loved her so much... This whole situation put the score down to 3 and like they said in the episode, "it's a cliché that wouldn't work even in a manga" (unless done well) which was not the case here. The fact they referenced it like that felt like they were trying to just push off any seriousness of the situation to make it acceptable. I would not recommend this show. Unless, your here just for the relationship between father and daughter, there should be some enjoyment there if you can put up with the rest of the elements.

Reviewer’s Rating: 3

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