Sonny Boy

Thirty-six students find themselves and their school building suddenly adrift in a void-like dimension. When supernatural powers awaken in some of them, a sense of detachment begins to divide the group. Despite the student council's attempts to impose order, they clash with the students possessing special abilities, who rebel against their strict control.

This conflict leads them to discover that this world has its own set of rules—and following them is necessary for survival. After one of the students decides to take a leap of faith, the school switches dimensions once again. While they deal with the unique challenges and circumstances that each world presents, the students must unravel the mysterious phenomenon and find a way back home.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Mizuho Main

Yuuki, Aoi Japanese

Nagara Main

Ichikawa, Aoi Japanese

Nozomi Main

Oonishi, Saori Japanese

Asakaze Main

Kobayashi, Chiaki Japanese

Rajdhani Supporting

Gotou, Hiroki Japanese

Yamabiko Supporting

Tsuda, Kenjirou Japanese

Hoshi Supporting

Naitou, Ami Japanese

Kodama Supporting

Taketatsu, Ayana Japanese

Cap Supporting

Ueda, Youji Japanese

War Supporting

Yusa, Kouji Japanese

Watanabe, Shinichirou Producer

Cook, Justin Producer

Fukushi, Yuuichirou Producer

Matsui, Yuuko Producer

Reviews

Jul 17, 2024

savv2

Recommended

Personally, I love this show, and it ranks in my top three favorites. I'm not going to pretend that I understand everything about it, but that's part of its charm for me. Every day, I find myself thinking about a scene I didn't quite grasp before, and when it suddenly clicks, I get a sense of joy from finally understanding what it meant. The plot does an excellent job of maintaining a shroud of mystery that dangles tantalizingly in front of me, keeping me captivated and always wanting more.

The characters are incredibly intriguing and well-developed, each with their unique personalities that shine through. Mizuho and ... her cats add a whimsical touch, while Nagaza's personal struggles provide depth and relatability. My personal favorite, Nozomi, being the compass at the end, really stuck with me. Her role as a guiding force adds a layer of symbolism that resonates deeply.

What I particularly appreciate about the show is how it balances complexity with emotional depth. It's not just about piecing together the plot; it's also about connecting with the characters on a personal level. Mizuho's interactions with her cats aren't just cute moments—they reflect her nurturing nature and desire for companionship. Nagaza's battles with his personal issues aren't just plot points; they highlight his resilience and vulnerability, making him a character I root for despite his flaws.

Nozomi, as the compass, symbolizes direction and purpose, which adds a profound layer to the narrative. Her character arc is not just about her own journey but also about how she influences and guides those around her. The fact that she becomes this symbol at the end encapsulates her growth and the impact she's had on the story and the other characters.

The show's ability to weave these intricate character arcs with a plot full of suspense and mystery is what makes it truly remarkable. It's a series that challenges you to think and feel deeply, rewarding you with moments of clarity and emotional resonance. Each viewing brings new insights and appreciation, making it a show that continues to grow on you over time.

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Jun 17, 2024

CaptainKenshiro

Mixed Feelings

Sonny Boy was a relatively hyped up anime from 2021 of which I did not care much when it came out but eventually decided to check out in my hunt of the titles that plot wise stood out the most in recent years.

The premise is mildly interesting more for the combination of elements it presents and for the time it came out, rather than being anything really innovative on its own. There were already isekai of whole classrooms before (Hyoryu Kyoshitsu, Arifureta, Kumo Desu Ga Nani ka?, for examples) and there were shows of people being transported to different worlds across different episodes (Abenobashi Mahou ... Shoutengai, Akane Sasu Shoujo, Flip Flappers, Yami to Boushi, for examples). It’s the combination of both of them, in a time where most series in the genre are generic RPG-like fantasy worlds with self-insert gary stu protagonists, that made it stand out in a civilized Lord of the Flies meets Lost kind of way.

The series itself holds up more for its concepts and ideas than plot and characters by themselves. At first glance, it is just an episodic isekai with very slow plot progression and a focus on a different character on each episode. As the series move forward, you notice that finding out how every world worked was slowly hinting at the core of the situation the characters are in, and how their powers made it all begin in the first place.

At the same time, on a conceptual level, the series is about the characters introspecting about something within themselves that they have to resolve in order for then be on good terms with the others and help finding a solution to the situation they are in. In a way, it is also anti-escapism, since some of the worlds were manifestations of the ideal worlds of some characters.

And since the worlds are manifestations of a character’s subconscious or state of mind, that means that everyone is looked into on a basic level, exploring their backdrops, which range from typical to inexplicably weird for a mundane setting, and some development and catharsis for the main ones about facing life head on.

The main problem with the plot is how some of the episodes didn’t seem to add much to the whole, did we really need the one where they play baseball with some monkeys? Or a whole episode about the backdrop of the dog? Maybe they were needed on a conceptual or symbolic way, the show is full of stuff that could lead to different interpretations, without pretentious seemingly random imagery or quotes, mind you (a fine detail for me), but that is something that could only be appreciated on a second watch, not the first.

And the issue with the characters is that they are atypically normal, they are very low energy and although that makes them stand out in the sea of overpowered hyperactive stereotypes in the genre and currently the medium as a whole, it also makes them quite boring to watch for both a slice of life and an adventure fan.

Some other issues are how lots of the students wanted to get out at first but then seemingly accept staying at some point out of screen, or how nobody lost their mind once they found out about their identity midway through the series. Compare that to the reaction of the characters in Abenobashi, The Amazing Digital Circus, or Deca-Dence, those are way more believable in that regard.

The antagonists also work only on a conceptual level and not as characters themselves at all, that teacher was just antagonizing for the sake of conflict since nobody in the whole classroom snaps even when it looked like they would. She first wanted for the students to get out and was blaming the protagonist, then was the one convincing them to accept staying on some of the worlds in the series, what’s up with that? Then there is the God which just serves a purpose as an antagonistic force that the characters have to go against in order to move on in life, and because what kind of isekai would it be if there wasn’t any kind of divine figure? By himself, he is barely just there.

In regards of visuals, they are very solid. Good artwork, very well made backgrounds and interesting to look at because of how they change at every episode, and there are interesting perspectives and transitions used when the characters jump through worlds, or even cool visual effects when their powers affect the setting itself. The issues come from the series not having much motion, let alone good, how plain the characters look, and how at times some don’t have faces. At points, there is a narrative or a mood sense for that, at others it just happens.

A thing that stands out is that, even if there is a lot of dialogue to explain the logics of the worlds that the characters are in, lots of details are actually shown instead of told, for the audience to figure out by themselves. That’s always a sign of good directing and storytelling that always stand out as a positive for me.

The atmosphere is also very solid, although that can also alienate a lot of people. The series doesn’t have an opening song, only an ending, and for the first half of the show it doesn’t have a single theme or song as background music, thus enhancing the impact of the sound effects and the voice acting, which is also atypical in a way that’s hard to appreciate or enjoy. It is different from the usual voice acting, but not quite as serious or mature as the best within the medium, and it is also not as natural as the ones from some movies or series that specifically went for a cast with very little experience, or even people that weren’t voice actors at all.

As a whole I do think it is a worth watching show on a basic level, especially for coming out in 2021, a year which in my opinion was very poor in level of quality in the medium. It definitely could benefit from a second watch once you know how events play out and can pay attention to a lot more details, and notice how lots of different little things are slowly making a solid whole. But that is hard to do because of its style and atmosphere, which personally I don’t feel like going through again because I was bored out of my mind with the series as a whole.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Jan 18, 2024

Dragonacht

Not Recommended

This anime was highly praised so I eventually got around to watching it, but it was profoundly disappointing. There are only one of two conclusions that can be reached: Either the author failed to convey anything meaningful or it was completely pointless to begin with. Why is this the case? Every episode starts with a mystery that is never solved and ends with a conclusion that has no meaning, and what happens in the middle doesn't matter. At best there are random scenes one may resonate with, and in parts there are interesting ideas, but as a whole there is just nothing there.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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	Poll: Sonny Boy Episode 4 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 ) Stark700 - Aug 5, 2021	163 replies	by LightNoragami1 »» Jul 22, 4:19 PM
	Poll: Sonny Boy Episode 3 Discussion ( 1 2 3 ) Stark700 - Jul 29, 2021	146 replies	by LightNoragami1 »» Jul 22, 12:33 PM
	Poll: Sonny Boy Episode 2 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 ) Stark700 - Jul 22, 2021	160 replies	by LightNoragami1 »» Jul 22, 10:40 AM
	Poll: Sonny Boy Episode 12 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Stark700 - Sep 30, 2021	299 replies	by escarabajo »» Jul 19, 6:45 PM
	Poll: Sonny Boy Episode 8 Discussion ( 1 2 3 ) Stark700 - Sep 2, 2021	129 replies	by escarabajo »» Jul 18, 8:04 PM