Mayonaka Punch

[SPOILER FREE REVIEW]

Looks like I will be the first one here to review 'Mayonaka Punch' (2024). Since this anime only has 3 episodes out, this review is subject to updates as more of the show gets released. First, I will talk about what I enjoy about the show.

I am particularly fond of the distinct and cute character designs, energetic voice acting, bright saturated colours, and the high octane opening. The animation is surprisingly good, as the characters look expressive and fluid as they move. The background art is all nicely detailed as well, making it all the more immersive. The chemistry between the cast are ... great, and dialogue seems well written and realistic. The main character is unique in personality as well, they don't feel like a blank slate or self-insert at all, rather a fully fleshed out character. The basic premise is well done and the show carries a sense of realism about both internet comments and the process of going viral. The whole show is very stylish and feels high budget. It does a good job at feeding you new information slowly rather than dumping it all with boring exposition, something I appreciate. A few good jokes. And there is a good level of tension and stakes established, making the plot more engaging. Now, what did I dislike?

The first episode is a little confusing, as they don't explain the Harikiri Sisters and their relationship well before jumping right into (without spoiling) their conflict, the starting motive of which we are still left in the dark about 3 episodes in. While they expand on this relationship later, I do wish they took a few minutes establishing that relationship first and showing what led to this conflict to make the show flow better.
I am not big on the ED, which is unique but too dragged out pace wise for my liking, which is a very very minor point and doesn't factor into my rating since this preference is so subjective.
The biggest flaw is that the show lacks in humour, so while it lands a decent joke or two, you have gaps where nothing funny or important occurs. This is likely what holds the show back from getting a higher rating. Since I don't wish to spoil, I'll just say that activities characters do have much room for jokes to be inserted that are beyond the most basic character archetype jokes. More creative humour and more humorous scenarios would make this go a long way. Entrances of characters are done so casually and boringly that they don't feel special - definitely could have done more with those to give them weight.

Overall, I do enjoy this show so far. It has lots of potential in character exploration and development, and it may pick up in plot as the episodes continue. I expect there to be memorable emotional scenes down the line. While the first episode could have been done smoother in setting up the story, and humour more tight, 'Mayonaka Punch' has an undeniable sense of style and high energy with their amusing characters. I will recommend this anime, with the addendum that with only 3 episodes out so far it more or may not deliver on its potential. Thank you for reading, please feel free to comment your thoughts or reach out to discuss.

7/10

(Spoiler free)

This show came as a surprise, showing lots of potential from the jump. I expected it to be a silly show about some girls making videos with a supernatural twist, and it is that, but there are flashes of something deeper early on, and by episode 4 it shows that it could really be something special. Frankly, for a show with a premise like this to be so unafraid to make people cry and wear its heart on its sleeve, it takes courage. A comedy is one thing, but a comedy that can make you feel can hold a place in your heart.

The characters ... also come with a lot of potential and room to grow. The main girl is just honestly not a great person, but not in a way that makes the show hard to watch. Rather it gives the viewer something to root for, knowing that for her to achieve her goals we'll have to see some growth out of her. As the show progresses, ideally she'll learn to be less callous and self serving and more open to admitting her mistakes. The flaws she comes in with make her feel more like a real person. The antagonist is pretty weak writing-wise so far admittedly. The other girls start off as mostly one dimensional too, but it becomes clear that it's building towards more for each of them. It reminds me somewhat of the first few episodes of Community, though that's not an anime.

I will say it's a little hard to categorize this show(especially halfway through the season) when the emotional moments are a bit more consistently impactful and memorable than the humor. The jokes could frankly be better and more numerous instead of relying on vibes to carry a scene. I don't keep watching it at this point necessarily because it's a good comedy, but because it's so fun and cute and visually striking and touches on some real stuff surprisingly often. The dialogue feels organic enough, but isn't really laugh out loud funny as often as it could be, though that's subjective of course. It's more the characters' actions and some sight gags that have me laughing more often. But even when the show doesn't make me laugh, it often makes me smile.

The music and art are great, no real complaints there. I love the OP, especially the little tiktok dance they made up for it, and I love the ED even more. Between the two you get a sense of the balance of upbeat and downbeat moments this show throws at you. The art in the ED is seriously gorgeous. But the most important thing artwise of course is the show itself, and it doesn't disappoint in that regard. It's very stylish and colorful, the character designs and fashion are eye catching, and the choices they make in the animation are really inspired at times.

I talked a lot about potential over being immediately amazing here, but I really think this show is worth giving a chance. It's not perfect, but it's massively underrated right now, and it just needs a bit of time to cook. It's hard to give an accurate rating halfway through the season in this circumstance, but I want more people to check it out before it's too late.

8/10

My review is mainly about the main character, Masaki. Contains spoilers for ep 4.

For starters, this character is flawed. The show begins with the premise that Masaki gets kicked out of her original group, and we soon get a glimpse of why does that happen through her personality. Borderline, she is an attention seeker that is not self conscious of her actions and those around her. Currently we don't know what happened in her old group for the situation to deteriorate that much, but her nasty personality definitely played a part.

In her new group, she begins by treating the members as mere tools to ... gather views. This fact in itself is not outrageous, if you think that she will have to essentially die at her goal. But the only one standing to benefit are Masaki and Live, the other members are kinda dragged along (only the original members). In episode 4, she truly begins to show her selfish and nosy side. First, she goes into somebody's room uninvited (not the first time it happened) and begin looking around, with no sense of privacy whatsoever. Then when she grabbed onto something that could bring in the views, she deadass demanded Fu to sing for her, even after several rejections. Finally, with no regards whatsoever to what might have happened to Fu in the past, she begins to dig around behind Fu's back and further invades the privacy of Fu. If Fu didn't notice her scheming, I will bet it would have been one of those scenes where the daughter is suddenly reunited with her purposely estranged mother, who she did not want to see. Just so happens that in the show their interests were somehow aligned, but my basic principles were touched watching this show in several occasions. When I put myself in Fu's shoes, I would most definitely be bothered by these actions.

Everything else:
Pretty great. Really loved the song at the end of episode 4. The animation is unique and lively as well.