Shoushimin Series

I was never planning to write a review for this series, and at the very least not until it had finished. I don't understand the critism being thrown at Shoushimin Series; it's unique, has fantastic characters and can convey exactly what it needs to in the span of an episode.

I write this at episode 3, with the fourth being delayed by a week. As of now, I can confidently say that the 2 main characters are good. I think they are a pleasure to watch with their quirky character dynamic and almost an underlying feeling of "something about this is strange". Kobato and Osanai strive ... to be "ordinary" which in itself leaves a mystery right there... why are they not already? They're not robots with no ability to make interesting conversation, or even a lack of personality. To the people I speak about this show with, we all find them genuinely interesting with obviously plenty to unravel about their character in the future.

The second main "problem" I see complaints about is the simple mysteries themselves. It's entirely subjective whether what is presented each episode interests you or not. However it's important to understand that this show currently does not strive to plot out a mystery to see who's going to blow up earth, but instead simple dilemmas that allow us to have a extremely fun way of seeing character dynamics and personalities with no speaking at all. Just because a whole episode was a mystery on how Kengo made his hot chocolate, does not make it worthless. We saw the thought process of each one allowing them to interact, and it showed the viewer that even such a stupid outcome as Kengo just being an idiot: you don't need a complicated murder story or straight out telling me what a character is like to have me understand what I need to understand, I can just be shown through fantastic story telling.

Are these stupid problems a good setup for a central theme and conflict? Well... yes. Who the fuck cares if you wanted the next Sherlock Holmes, that isn't the story we're telling. Shoushimin Series has just put out a 3rd episode and you're telling me this is objectively bad because well uhh... I said so. If you hate dialouge, move on. The likes of Monogatari have shown us that lengthty dialouge sequences like this can be fantastic story telling. There is life in this show and it's being thrown straight at you - you just can't read!

Most of all, if you already dislike the show you could atleast try to stop bashing what it's gone above and beyond on. A unique choice to go with a 21:9 ratio that pairs fantastically with the mood and atmosphere the show creates. Not just a great OP but an incredible ED, everything that just screams potentital is right here. So do me a favour, let it air. Give your opinion later.

The score below is not the one I would like to give just yet, but I have to until the show finishes airing and I can delete this review.

Shoshimin is one of several pleasant surprises I got this season. As someone who hasn’t seen Hyouka(crazy, I know), I wasn’t familiar with the author’s writing style or how his series are structured so I went into this blind and from episode 1 I was immediately hooked. Despite it being an extremely dialogue heavy story and slow paced detective style story, these episodes went by in the blink of an eye and were consistently engaging. It was almost like we were playing a game alongside the two leads in terms of solving the cases and more often than not I found myself thoroughly surprised by ... the twists the author includes. This is a must watch for any mystery fan or if you just want a new cute waifu, because Osanai was definitely one of the best this season.

After watching the first episode I kept thinking to myself how similar this felt to another detective mystery series from recently that I loved, undead girl murder farce. The character interactions, the way mundane episodes passed by in a blink because of the direction.. and wouldn’t you know it, it’s the same studio. Loved every single minute of this one. Whether it’s a kidnapping or found out who ate a desert(yes that’s a real case, in fact multiple), there’s not a dull moment in this series. The cases are actually very interesting and it’s easy to get lost in them trying to figure out who the culprit is or how something happened. What’s more is that they are genuinely surprising. Just like Undead Girl, this show has a tendency of throwing you for a loop and misdirecting you before coming up with a twist at the end. Often times the answer is right in front of you, but the way the author reveals it is so satisfying.

In addition to the mystery cases, the other big draw here is the relationship between Kobato and Osanai. They have such a fun and muted dynamic. The characters talk relatively realistically, their banter is fun and I love seeing Kobato get roped into Osanai’s absurd desert eating schemes or just missions around town. They’re truly a blast to watch. There’s definitely romantic undertones between them, but the show doesn’t go too far in that direction. You can feel that they like each other but they’re not swooning after one another like your average high school anime. I think this being a novel series rather than a light novel series adds a degree of maturity and depth to the story that light novels frankly tend to lack. It feels like it was aimed at a more mature audience who don’t need everything spelled out for them or fanservice to keep their attention and I love that. To bring another comparison to undead girl murder farce, undead girl is also a novel and had a lot of those same themes, so I’m starting to just see that as a connection among novel adaptations as opposed to light novels which are marketed towards young adults.

I think Shoshimin is one of the best shows of the season and I’ve been high on it since episode 1, even including it in my new anime to watch for Summer video. Two months later and it’s not fallen in my standings. Brilliant show with a great cast of characters, some cool mystery cases and a grounded storytelling and directorial method. Very good watch that I can’t recommend enough! Here’s to hoping the author sits down and writes some more.

Shoshimin gets 9, out of 10.

Pretty sleepy. Lots of sitting and talking and eating. Slow for a 10-episode series. The episodic mysteries are low-stakes.

Looks pretty good for a novel adaptation, even for one sold by a pretty-girl character. The animation is not as innovative as Hyouka and without the studio brand name, but it is much more consistent in tone with the story and subject matter.

The biggest mysteries are the characters, and the main characters in particular. Why Jogoro and Osanai want to be "Shoushimin"/Petit Bourgeousie/Civilians is only implied or teased for almost the entire season. Rather than main character Jogoro or even deuteragonist Osanai being the only one or ... two genius detective characters with a clue about what's going on, the cast is much more broadly competent, which opens up the possibilities for the story and solutions, and the story is more fun to follow along with even in the drier episodes.

Yonezawa's writing has a way of lulling the audience to sleep, and then surprising with a gentle twist ending that colors the characters and relationships from the rising action. The most satisfying part of his writing is that the twist usually leans *into* what is more realistic or practical for the setting than *away* from it. The ep 10 falling-action "twist" away from genre convention and toward development of the main characters is one of the best examples of this I've ever seen. I would even count the nature of the rising-action mystery in the final arc as a "twist" given the mood of most of the stories up to that point.

If you're bored to tears after ep 1, you could skip ahead to 6, but this is probably not worth your time. If you're still interested at all after you realize what you're getting into end of the painful "Hot Chocolate Mystery" ep 2, this season will probably reward your attention more than you would expect.

Ah yes hyouka the anime that came like a breeze and left a scar in our chest for ending midway ah yes that's the nostalgia i'm getting from this. i woud'nt say it's up there yet but Shoushimin Series is good we are have way through the story.

and people say these mysteries aren't great it's just normal i mean i agree. but i didn't come here to watch Sherlock Holmes or the raven. i here for the fun little mysteries and for having a good time. i mean that's what hyouka was all about isn't it? A FUN LITTLE MYSTERIES.

so i hope nothing but ... greatness from this seires! have to read the light novel for sure. and also don't mind the negatives reviews just give this anime a go!!

have a great day mates

Shoshimin: How to Become Ordinary is quite a curious title. With it being a mystery anime, even just its title leads me to question things. “Shoshimin”, is translated as the "petite bourgeoisie", which refers to someone in the lower middle class. So indeed, that might be what constitutes an “ordinary person” in a financial sense. Who or what is trying to be ordinary though? The characters? The whole plot itself?

A likely reason why you (and myself) might be interested in this series is that it was written by the same author, Honobu Yonezawa, who wrote another mystery series in Hyouka. I can definitely see the ... similarities in these two series, with both tackling mysteries that are grounded in the sense of ordinary, mundane life. Shoshimin takes it one step further though, and in my opinion, brings it to an even more “ordinary” sense, with little mysteries in daily life that seem even trivial to most people. For most of this season, the show revolved around simple daily tasks, like buying sweets, solving a mystery of who ate the missing sweet, things that we might take for granted through our lives, but through all these experiences, they coalesce into a larger mystery, which is one of the things I appreciated most about this series.

A big mystery, is why Jougorou’s agreement with Yuki, which was to be “ordinary” together, exists. Why do these two want to be ordinary, and stay out of people’s lives? What were their pasts like? Bit by bit, by watching the two main characters and their lives, and how such twisted individuals have such trouble with being ordinary, one being drawn to being a detective, and the other having sharp insight and the ability to act quickly, we get to know just a tiny bit about the characters. Though, we have to ask, what does “being ordinary” actually mean? Does it mean that you go with the flow like everyone else, or act like everyone else does? Jougorou’s definition of being ordinary seems to revolve around not butting in to other people’s problems, or in other words, keeping the status quo, but by trying so hard to keep that status quo, it seems more deviant than ordinary, in trying to quell every one of life’s swells.

The biggest issue that people might find with this show is that there’s no real hook. It’s more of a “feeling-out process” then something with an immediate pay-off. Through its overall gorgeous visuals, it can hook you into the most “boring” and mundane of mysteries, or entrap you in its depiction of delicious sweets that have you frothing at the mouth. If you’re not into that, then this show is not for you, but the show certainly invites you to try it out, with its initial slow pacing. It’s easy to feel that it’s average or boring, but I think that is what the show is going for, because in showcasing what it means to be ordinary, the show must feel like that as well. In that sense, I think the show did that extremely well.

As a second season is indeed on the way, I say, we let them keep cooking. If the food looked that good, whoever was in the kitchen knew what they were doing, that’s for sure. Overall, the show did its job well in allowing the viewer to find intrigue and beauty in the mundane. It slows down to the pace of an iyashikei sometimes, yet swells up with tension ever so slightly to keep you interested. It’s not an approach to a show I have seen much at all, and that’s all the more reason why I ended up enjoying it as much as I did. The only thing that I’m questioning is the direction that the story is going in, and what the main point of the show is, but since there is still more to adapt, there’s time to rectify that issue.

With so many questions left unanswered, one can only say, “I’m curious!”

This year I rewatched the anime hyoka. Since the original Shoshimin is by the same author, I was interested to see how the studio would adapt his style.
I would categorise Shoshimin under the genre ‘solving everyday mysteries’.
Kobato and Osanai actually just want to become ordinary citizens and both have their reasons for this common goal.
Main question here: what kind of relationship do they have and does it help them in their goal to become ordinary citizens? And why do they even want to become ordinary citizens, aren't they already?🤔

However, both are confronted with mysteries during their high school years, which Kobato in particular ... usually solves in the presence of Osanai. Kobato is also introduced to new cases by his old friend Doujima, because he helps solve other people's problems. This becomes important in the interaction between the two, which is well portrayed. Because they help each other.
Most important, however, are Osanai and Kobato. Both characters are really characterised in great detail by the studio, so that even the smallest behaviours and emotions remain credible for the plot.
Solving the mysteries is the biggest highlight. The studio makes use of fantastic-looking scenery changes. And animate the supposed steps of the person being analysed as if Kobato or Osanai were really acting out their supposed steps.
Conclusion:
-Expect a really breathtaking opening (Eve) and a creative ending that fits very well. (*^▽^*)
-Very clean and really nice animations with very detailed backgrounds ╰(*°▽°*)╯
-Interesting everyday and maybe not so everyday mysteries (⊙ˍ⊙)

Shoshimin: How to Become Ordinary - What does it take to teach someone about being ordinary, when the people or things around us are unordinary to begin with?

Mystery shows...I'm betting that all you can think of is just "no shit Sherlock" Holmes, and to be fair, putting all media together seems to do the one-trick pony that the genre itself is nothing without the classic titular character. However, in the AniManga space, that trend has been progressing since the turn of the millennium (especially the mid-2010s), and it all has to do with one word: Hyouka. Yes, you heard me right: one of KyoAni's masterpiece ... shows that got unleashed all the way back in 2012, based off of the Koten-bu a.k.a Classic Literature Club series of novels written by famed novelist Honobu Yonezawa, was both a tour de force of the original source materal, made elevated by KyoAni's anime which is both well-produced and still respected to this very day.

So why did I mention Honobu Yonezawa and his famed series, other than the fact that I have not gotten around to watching the 22-episode anime, in such high regard? Because 12 years later, we get yet another anime based off of a brand new novel of his series: Shoshimin - How to Become Ordinary, continuing the dessert trend by adapting the first 2 volumes of the novels (Spring Limited-Edition Strawberry Tart & Summer Limited-Edition Tropical Parfait) whilst giving it a more in-depth look at the human society in general...a case study on Marxism for the specifics.

To explain all about the Shoushimin series, is to expand on its literal meaning: The term, translated to Small Citizen or Petite/Petty (meaning small) bourgeoisie, refers to a social class composed of semi-autonomous peasants and small-scale merchants. They are named as such because their political economic ideological stance in times of stability is reflective of the proper haute bourgeoisie (high bourgeoisie or upper class), who regularly seek to identify themselves with said group, whose bourgeois morality, conduct, and lifestyle they aspire to and strive to imitate. The term, going as far back as the Revolutionary period in France (if not earlier), is politico-economic and addresses historical materialism, in what was once originally denoted a sub-stratum of the middle classes in the 18th and early-19th centuries of western Europe, until German economist Karl Marx and other Marxist theorists used the term petite bourgeoisie to academically identify the socio-economic stratum of the bourgeoisie that consists of small shopkeepers and self-employed artisans in the mid-19th century.

Putting the above context back into the series, Shoshimin stars the dumb-downed versions of the mystery "power couple" Hotaro Oreki and Eru Chitanda, as both Jogoro Kobaro and Yuki Osanai wander around their school with only one question in mind: what does it take for one to become ordinary? Such a simple question like that, bogs the both of them into a spiral of the "Series of Unforuntate Events," solving mysteries that are also pretty much dumb-downed versions of Hyouka, but still compelling cases to boot, even if they start off being dessert-like with its sweetness, to only then come feeding off the back of the mouths' palates with the savoury sourness coming from the complexity of the cases as a result. Because you see, the human race is made up of many social classes hidden to the naked eye...it really depends on where that crowd is to define who're the peasants and the merchants.

Going deeper into characterization, and the entire Shoshimin hidden meaning makes more sense. Yes, Yuki Osanai is not Eru Chitanda, but you can't discount that her petite and innocent nature hides a mysterious facade that's hard to crack, much like trying to be the haute bourgeoisie, which is the average Joe. The mysteries she deals with are twofold: she first outlines the different layers of the cake with the know-how of the case at hand, as simple as starting from missing desserts being eaten to create one fine case, to a plot to rid of an old enemy with deep, intricate levels of complexity as fine as possible, then goes to the different icings where every layer bonds each other, adding weight towards the overall analyses where each plot pointer leads to the exquisite composition of the case at hand, and every question has an answer to finish the intricate garnish to be presented as one fine heft of a cake. Yuki's smart, but also cunning to a scary degree with her monotonous personality.

Shifting the plate onto the guy in question, Jogoro Kobato has clearly the brains of a developed Hotaro Oreki (after Chitanda trains him enough), and he's every bit of the haute bourgeoisie that she wants to imitate and achieve, aside from his analytical mind to solve the cases alongside Yuki. Together with his good friend Kengo Dojima, Kobato is kind-natured, but also does his own deep analyses, trying to cover each and every corner, thus not leaving any stone unturned. As much as he's always accompanying Yuki and her various dessert antics, Kobato may come off as an expressionless person being the Watson alongside his Sherlock Holmes of the opposite sex, but the constant barrage of desserts just keeps him in focus that the cases, while not sweet but sour, are defintely a test of his abilities in question of what it means to be ordinary, and by the grace of the sweet girl, his sourness gets coats of sugar, and the genuine friendship circles around the two in delicious harmony, even if they have differences at times. Dojima, on the other hand, is already at the haute bourgeoisie level, but he too feels like a pinch of salt getting kneaded under both Yuki and Kobato's hands, his strength and conviction only sully him when he's needed the most.

Even in the mundane moments, studio Lapin Track goes the extra mile to make the show look cinematic, almost as if you’re watching a feature work that was intended to be made that way. Thanks to the input from the rather small studio, as well as the massive blunder of The Promised Neverland's adaptation with veteran director Mamoru Kanbe (even though The Promised Neverland was a one-off massive blunder) and series composer Toshiya Ono (though he only did Season 1, which was a far better job), this show is more than just a treat for the eyes from start to finish with the cinematic 21:9 movie aspect used proper to showcase both sweet and savoury dishes on small, clean platters.

Even the OST itself is kind of unique in its execution, where the minimalistic approach is key as the recipes of the cases are followed step-by-step throughout the methodical approach. One thing's for sure, you're not going to hear a lot of BGM in this one because "silence is golden." Eve's OP and ammo's ED are just as juxtaposed in their use, not just between animation and reality, but of beauty as well, alongside rather fine songs that are just OK.

It's easy to get into the Shoushimin Series thinking that the nuances will be similar to those of Hyouka (especially for those who watched the anime or read the novels before), but I'd argue that that mindset actually does you more harm than good to set high expectations whilst experiencing something out of the ordinary, even if going by the dumbed-down case complexities that the former is now known for (if you've watched the show all the way through and made it this far to the review). Regardless, given its relatively smaller cast and the "easy" difficulty setting of the cases (which can feel boring at times, but it's not), I can still assure you that no matter how small the package, Honobu Yonezawa STILL manages to find a way to deliver stacked delicious desserts, delicate as they come, stock full with different layers of cake and icing that makes the Sherlock Holmes-esque cases, worth the run to be consumed and savoured.

Whatever it is, the Shoshimin Series is worth giving a try, even though it will never come close to the much superior and influential cult-classic series that is Hyouka.

Coming back home and watching it at night , it’s quite relaxing. Super interesting and creative, with so many plot twists. I understand some
watchers might not be interested I daresay bored even. This anime is best for watchers who like thinking, and calm style type anime (aka kinda like slice of life). Overall loved it. Btw the voice actors are so good, sometimes I feel like they are so natural at this the whispering and the calm tone are super amazing, it’s as if they are actually talking if you know what I mean.

(Art style 8/10 loved the Op and Ed)(Characters 9/10 amazing writing)(Realistic 7/10 ... other than the their thinking maybe if your super smart unlike me 😭)(Going to watch season 2 because of the plot in the last episode)

I'm one of those rare people who watched the Shoushimin Series without having watched Hyouka. So, I came into the Shoushimin Series not knowing what to expect, and I'm happy with how it turned out. In short, Shoushimin Series is a show about "ordinary people" spending their days trying to do ordinary things while solving the small mysteries in everyday life. While it may not be a thrill ride from start to finish, it offers something gentle and charming in its own way.

The Shoushimin Series excels in balancing light detective elements with slice-of-life moments. I personally found this perfect to watch when winding down after ... a long day or right before going to sleep. The mysteries may be small, but they add a nice layer of intrigue without being too intense. Heck, they had a full 10-minute breakdown of how a guy makes his hot chocolate. And they somehow managed to keep it engaging the whole way through.

The art style and animation are visually beautiful, and the character designs and settings are perfect. As I previously stated, I haven't watched Hyouka, but I've heard that the art in Hyouka was also one of its strong points, and the Shoushimin Series follows this. One thing that stood out to me was the random changes of settings mid-conversation, which seemed to happen often. While I don't know if there was any deeper meaning behind it, it made the scenes more dynamic and fun to watch.

Another highlight is the opening and ending themes. The stunning music and visuals complement the show's overall tone. I especially love how they blended anime characters with real-life scenes and backgrounds in the ending theme.

The series' final episodes shift from lighthearted mystery-solving to a more dramatic twist. This moment adds an unexpected layer of emotional complexity to the story, transforming it from a simple slice-of-life mystery to something with more weight.

The final episode of the Shoushimin Series left me with mixed feelings. Introducing two specific new characters left me a bit conflicted, although it was probably necessary for the main characters to develop. Although I am not entirely sold on this shift in tone, it definitely has me looking forward to season two, where I hope to see how these new dynamics unfold.

Overall, Shoushimin Series is a solid show that knows what it wants to do and does it well. While nothing blew me away or had me super hooked throughout the show, excluding the final episodes, it's an enjoyable watch that offers a nice mix of mystery, slice-of-life, and light drama. I can't justify giving it more than a 7/10 for these reasons, but I recommend it if you're looking for something relaxing yet engaging with a bit of unexpected drama.

Shoushimin to your average watcher is a pretentious show with tedious monologue and unnecessary visual narratives. To your average watcher, the transitions that are depicted are to only flaunt the studios' art prowess. These notions are what you might be under the impression of if you are only perceiving this story on a surface level. Shoushimin delves deeper into the genre of mystery and interpersonal relationships more so than you might believe. The slow pacing and anti-climatic atmosphere of this show are what makes this anime so ordinary and so extraordinary at the same time. Emotions aren't dramatized and its characters are not one dimensional. ... There is something different about this anime and if it is going where I think it's going, we are in for a hell of a ride. I just hope that it doesn't become your typical will they won't they, slice of life kind of story as we have seen with a majority of school detective anime like Hyouka. Not degrading Hyouka in any way. I believe the author's intention for it was to appeal to a wider audience with its visuals and lovable characters whilst Shoushimin takes a twist to a Hyouka narrative.

Masterpiece. The story reminds me from the other from the same author, but it is not a copy, very unique. Every episode keeps me in my tip toes, even if they talking about sweets, which they do, which is a lot.

The art style is beautiful and is a blue-ray away from being cinema fitting. The music? Entrancing.

The main characters follow a Sherlock / Watson / Moriarty dynamic, perfectly in sync with each other. I just want to know their backstories, but they feel so good so far that I wouldn't care if it was revealed how they came to met in the end.

Yes, you will ... like it if you like mistery, psychological, humor and slice of life (also possible romance by how you see things so far). And it is no overly anime-y, so you can watch it with casual watchers too.

Shoushimin is pretty much in the same vein as Hyouka, so if you liked that series, you'll probably like this. Shoushimin is subtle in how it handles its characters and scenarios. Rather than having a major overarching driving plot that's obvious from the beginning, it takes an approach where each seemingly-disconnected mystery pushes things forward a little bit, telling us more about the characters, their circumstances, backstory, and where they're going from here. Hyouka does this too. What Shoushimin offers on the surface even if you're not really invested yet, is great sound, breathtaking cinematic visuals, and a relaxing pace that invites the viewer to ... be present in the moment and take it all in. Already, though, it's clear that there's more beneath the surface than what first appears, especially with regards to the main characters.

The biggest downside for me is that the main cast is much smaller, focusing almost entirely on the two main characters with very little development for the others so far, though that may change with time. The writing can also come off as a bit convoluted and heavy-handed sometimes, but in general I think it's alright.

So honestly, it makes no sense to me that this is getting so much hate. It's slow, yes, and I'd expect that the average anime viewer probably wouldn't be into this, it's just inherently a style that's not for everyone. But Hyouka was slow too, and took a good few episodes to feel like it was going anywhere meaningful, and Hyouka fans seem to be acting like this is somehow different. I'll join the other Shoushimin believers in saying give it time, currently we're only 5 episodes in and IMO it took around that long for Hyouka to click too. And I wouldn't be concerned about the fact that it's only 10 episodes, it adapts two novels so the pace is basically the same as Hyouka, and if it catches on, I imagine there's a chance the rest will be adapted in the future.

Based on the evidence, as of episode three , I am deducing that this will be my favourite anime of the season.
That the story revolves around solving mundane puzzles while a deep and compelling mystery builds around them is a good indicator of craftsmanship. Mix in characters whose motivations are themselves mysterious, who are clearly extremely talented detectives and yet so deliberately resisting their own genius and fighting the blatant call to adventure and I predict a solid story with rich pacing and delicious details throughout.
I love classic detective stories and loved Hyouka so ... I'm probably an ideal viewer but I highly recommend this to all lovers of subtle storytelling.

Shoshimin is a show that asks its audience for patience.
It's basically a series of mysteries that focus on small unimportant issues (or non-issues) and treats them like the usual murder case that we always see in the genre. Fortunately this anime can somehow turn those unimportant issues just as intetesting as those previously mentioned murders. Not only is that done because of the impeccably written dialogue, but also some of the BEST directorial work I have seen in sometime, this show looks like a movie .

The production here is absolute 5 stars: animation, direction, music, cinematography, editing, no notes.

The character work Shosimin presents is ... subtle, grounded and very realistic. The characters dont scream or have over-the-top expressions. And while that's fine with most anime I think ditching that characteristic of the medium does absolute wonders for this show. The characters feel real when they talk, and that's way harder to pull off successfully in anime than it seems.

This show is great for fans that just wants to be taken to a ride. The plot is rather unique, in a sense that for a show set in high school, it doesn't include student council. It's a slow-paced show, with low stakes, relatively few conflicts, and is cute and beautiful most times. Most of the times while watching I would pause the show just to admire the art style. The set pieces are great, and the scoring is very on point.

The show also has interesting characters, subverting tropes and the subtle nuances of their characters leak every episode.

10/10 would recommend

So the idea was becoming ordinary, but did they even try? :D

Osanai and Kobato are two highschool students that want to become ordinary due to an event that happened in their past. These two really like to solve mysteries, especially together. But this aspect of them actually made harm for theirselves or others many times in their past so they want to get rid of it. Mysteries they solve are pretty hard to accomplish to be honest. I've seen some other people that really want them to be couple (including myself), but I think, mysteries were more interesting than that. There's always events happening ... and they pretty much everytime try to solve it so there's no time to be thinking that...

Next, drawings and colouring. I found the drawing style pretty unique especially the eyes. The drawings were desprate and the colouring was really relaxing, this contrast is pretty hard to accomplish..

I want to add a paragraph to explain something different because it really caught my attention. When these to start to thinking, like weighing their opinions, getting the pieces together, we see a separate universe at the background. These backgrounds had no people in it, filled with silence or natural sounds so there was nothing to distract from thinking them. I suppose, this might be a symbolism. Because these two had a habit of solving mysteries since they were at middle school so they're used to thinking. These backgrounds may symbolise their minds. They think together and they don't get distracted from anything which means emptiness and silence no matter where they are.

Lastly, the characters. I wasn't expecting depth in characters but last episode did include some of their pasts which gave Osanai and Kobato a meaning, they were not shallow.

Overall is 8.4/10. I would really like to give a score higher than 9 but the idea is not that peculiar, just solving mysteries so this is what i gave instead. I think some people might think the anime is monotone, but I enjoyed it.

Just like Hyouka, another work by the same author, the work has a calmer vibe and is about mysteries. However, I would say that the characters have less personality and the work is less bright, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, because I really liked it, especially Osanai, who is very cute.

Good animation, I got several beautiful wallpapers with Osanai, the animation fit very well with the vibe of the anime.

A good story, I felt a little lack of development and a bit of making us attach to the characters, even though they are kind of "emotionless" it would still be possible for something ... like that, but that's okay.

In general, it's a good work, the scenes where they discuss things go beyond the environment they are in, the way they explain not only the problems but also their solutions is also good, in general it's very enjoyable to watch.

Now about the ending, STAY AWAY FROM OSANAI

I really came in blind with this one, the title being the reason I decided to watch the first episode till the tenth and final one for this season before the second. I had the impression that it was going to be about two students living a sort of "normal" slice of life fays and hanging out with friends and engaging with new ones. I was half-right. What I got were two more than ordinary students trying to be ordinary making simple days in an episode engaging, engaging being using your brain to try and figure it all out during a few or more episodes, ... and curious for what the next episode or two will be about.

For an episode about one plot to an arc that may take two, three, or more episodes, I believe the anime does it well with managing them within the 25 min runtimes for each of them. The ones where it's just one "regular" day to an afternoon for them make it feel short, and that's not a bad thing. You're so into what is happening the episode(s) that time passes fast before you know it. Setting is everyday life as high school students that becomes something more with the two main characters and others around them driving the story forward in unexpected ways that haven't gotten me invested since Insomniacs After School.

Kobato and Osanai are the main characters of the story, the former being a student with excellent detective skills, the latter being a sweets-loving student with sharp insight and the ability to act, who try and help each other become "ordinary" following their own personal incidents that brough them to depend on each other. Their personalities may look neutral for most of the episodes but how they express them makes up for it and makes them one of the many anime characters I can relate to and like. As for supporting, Doujima is the one supporting character you'll immediately grow to enjoy having around. The rest of the supporting cast don't have as much presence as Doujima suiince they appear in at least an 1-3 episodes but that's a given with the focus being on Kobato and Osanai, but I believe that may change with Season 2 after the tenth episode.

Overall, this anime about two students trying to become ordinary is worth a try if you want something to watch outside of the "normal" animes you watch.

Started watching this after I seen some clips of it on Twitter after the first episode aired, the cinematic style of it really caught my eye so I added it to my anime for this season. Can't really say I was disappointed. For the cinematic aspect it definitely continued delivering, lots of really cool and unique shots you wont see in a lot of anime. I could see a lot of people finding this anime to be a boring watch, it comprises of mostly episodic mysteries of small little things, an example for context, how someone made 3 cups of hot chocolate without dirtying any ... dishes. It all small trivial matters like that but it manages to make it really interesting to watch. The overarching story is not anything crazy but its enough to keep me interested in the characters and their development. I really am hoping this gets a second season because its such a nice change of pace in anime as a whole.

SHOUSHIMIN completed 8.62/10

"we r just arrogant high schoolers"

P U R E - P E R F E C T I O N


I was originally gonna start this review with this (when I started ep 9)

"I am gonna first talk about the thing I HATE ABOUT THIS SHOW, is that it's suppose to be ordinary, and how many people hated the 'filler' eps those were my best eps, as that is what it's suppose to symbolize and not this whole ass hard core criminal storyline, cuz this then just turns into child detetvie trope, detection q, conan, kindaichi etc"
...
But after completing ep 9, my heart went steady again, and I was proved wrong, that NO, THEIR IS NOT A SINGLE THING WRONG WITH THIS ANIME, not ONE

With the quote above(start of the review) , it made it clear that the show is, was and will be ABOUT CHASING THE ORDINARY as stated in the title



I was hoping for something hyouka esque


I got something diff completely which just shows yonesawa's writing capabilities, his these two works r WORLDS APART

Coming to the world

So. Much filling and vibrance in a world which is exactly empty,

I have seen shows, post covid prods which visibly become empty, desolate, this show, literally. At most u can see two characters for most of ep, but still it's so filled in rich, lived in world, the rusty pavements, the cocao milk marks in cup,

In the ep6 where kobato and waw-toh-sawn were sitting in the ramen shop, it was literally them and still assets

But
The giggles, the counter remarks, the sound, te chatter, the speaker whistle, cooking sounds and no music mind u, literally made it fkin LIVED IN


And this is the diff between rdr2 and gta v, and why I always prefer rdr2 as best games every created, and gta not even in the barrel

This anime gave a vibe of ONE OF A KIND Jdrama and a great kdrama, IT FELT REAL but animated at same time


I got mislead into thinking by people, that it was actually not that good, by Mal reviews and people in this group, but Damm oh Damm what a complete 360 turn of events FOR ME SUBJECTIVELY

I still dont understabd the 7.31 score, I can't justify it


Here people want DIFFERENT ANIME, than just generic predictable brain rots


This was literally diff, this is their ages x their GENERATION'S

Sagrada reset, zaregoto, monogatari, bunny senpai, SUBETE f, kakshigoto

And they treat like this

Coming to characters

Just wanna talk about one

Dojima = watson banter ( a play on classic CASE BRINGING CHARACTERS)

He was meant to be watson
(waw-aww-toh-sawn), without doubt, not the observer but the one who brings the cases

Regarding the "mysterjes", if we can quantify it like that

I could connect to the mystery at a much more personal lvl, cuz that's literally what I do and used to do, posisbilites IN "HOW CAN I SUBVERT THIS situation" , how would I respond, how can i eat the extra shit without anybody suspecting or feeling doubtful, how can i successfully copy notes without them knowing or understanding even if they can see me doing it



S2 IS ANNOUNCED, and the world is STILL okay, everything still hasn't gone to shit


IT OUTDID ON ALL PARAMETERS, this is anime, this is what we stand on


GREAT FUCKING SHIT