Sora no Manimani

One of my pet gripes about anime and manga is the over-abundance of school settings used throughout both mediums. Over the last few years there has been an increase in the number of stories that are based in or around a school, and while the majority of them are nothing more than mediocre offerings, some of them turn out to be rather good.

It's unfortunate then that, of the good ones, many don't get the recognition they deserve.

Sora no Manimani (lit. Sport of the Air, not "At the Mercy of the Sky"), is based on the manga by Kashiwabara Mami that began in November 2005 ... and, at first glance, seems like just another school based comedy in the style of School Rumble, GA, Azumangah Daioh, etc. The story follows a "year" in the life of Ooyagi Saku, a freshmen student at Souei High School, located in the town he and his family lived in 7 years ago. Because of his love for books and reading, he is eager to join the school's famous Literature club, however he is somehow roped into joining the school's newly formed Astronomy club by a girl he hasn't seen for a long time.

As far as stories go, this is a surprisingly simple and straightforward affair. While the concept of childhood friends has been used innumerable times in countless variations, Sora no Manimani is unusual in that the scenario doesn't follow the stereotypical conventions. There is no sudden blossoming of romance, no harem (even though some of the girls in the show are clearly interested in Saku), and mostly importantly, matters are allowed to progress slowly. Unlike many other shows of this type, the honesty of the plot, coupled with a healthy dose of comic relief and pacing that allows a degree of introspection amongst the characters, gives the show the same kind of feel that the original To Heart has.

That's not to say that the plot is perfect though. The series adopts a quasi-educational stance with regards to astronomy, and explanations abound throughout the show. That said, those who have any kind of interest in astronomy or outer space will find these tidbits rather pleasing, and the fact that they are presented in a manner that maintains the flow of the story allows the viewer to absorb the information without disturbing their enjoyment of the show.

Sora no Manimani is a bit of a dichotomy in terms of it's looks. Generally the series adopts a style of presentation and animation that isn't really any different from most other school based shows. The characters are all fairly plain in terms of design (although I did chuckle at the reference to Saku's "Ghibli hairstyle"), and the series makes good use of various comic styles to enhance the viewer's amusement. The backgrounds and backdrops are nicely presented, and are surprisingly detailed in a number of scenes. CG is also well incorporated, and while it's sometimes easy to spot those moments, this doesn't impinge on one's enjoyment of the series.

I will mention one thing that separates Sora no Manimani from the herd though, and that is the numerous, varying, and highly detailed skies that appear throughout the show. Given that there is a heavy emphasis on astronomy, it's to be expected that the sky would appear several times in any one episode. It's to the credit of Studio Comet then, that they have produced some of the best skies to appear in anime over the last few years. They're so good in fact, that the viewer may find themselves wondering if the real thing is just as good, such is the detail and sophistication of their presentation.

One of the things that I liked about this show is that it's easy on the ears. The OP, "Super Noisy Nova" by Sphere, is a nicely choreographed J-Pop track with an upbeat feel. The ED, "Hoshikuzu no Surround" by CooRie, is also pure J-Pop, but has a much more melodic style. Both tracks, surprisingly, maintain the spirit of the show very well, and while I'm not a huge fan of pop in any form, I found that these two tracks worked well with the series proper.

Generally the show doesn't really place great emphasis on the use of mood music, with much of the series having no background accompaniment. That said, the tracks that are present are well used, and lend to the atmosphere of the scene.

In terms of acting, the cast provide a repsectable portrayal of their respective characters, however there are no Oscar winners here. While the cast is able to emote rather well, the type of story, as well as the scripting, precludes the need for any stellar performances.

That said, I have to admit that I did like the characters.

Since the advent of Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu there has been a glut of school based slice-of-life comedies involving a selection of odd characters from the annals of anime - Lucky Star, K-On, Seitokai no Ichizon, Geijustuka Art Design Class, Hyakko, etc. The one thing that each of these shows has in common is that character development doesn't really play a big part and the jokes are set to rapid fire. Sora no Manimani bears a striking resemblance to all of these shows in that there is a lot of humour, however this is tempered by some degree of development, especially where Saku is concerned.

While the development of the other characters is sporadic at best, the show does present events in a fairly realistic manner, and although there is some predictability with regards to how the story will go, the show makes good use of what it has. In this respect the characters, while mainly being funny, are also more easily accepted by the viewer, especially when events take a more serious turn.

That said, the characters are generally one dimensional, and while this isn't necessarily abad thing in a comedy, it does sometimes impact on how the viewer perceives any development that occurs.

I will admit that I do like astronomy and comedy, so watching Sora no Manimani was an enjoyable experience for me. Whilst the humour is a tad juvenile at times, there is enough variety in the gags to keep the viewer interested, and the surprisingly detailed explanations of astronomy make a nice counterpoint to all the humour. Also, the characters, especially Mihoshi, radiate an excitement for the subject matter that made me remember what I was like as a kid first looking up at the stars.

All in all, Sora no Manimani is a surprisingly enjoyable series that, while having it's flaws, displays a passion for it's related subject matter that many other shows lack. It's this passion that makes the show far more enjoyable than it would normally be, and while the series may not be to everyone's tastes, the honesty in which the series is presented allows the viewer to relate more with the characters.

After all, sometimes it's nice to watch something that's just.... nice.

I’m quite surprised that there have been only a few reviews for this well-made, yet somewhat-underrated series.

If you like astronomy and want to learn more about some stargazing basics, this series “inspires” and is perhaps an anime of choice. (At least for me, I started stargazing using the techniques I learned from the show.) On the other hand, if you are not that into the subject, you may not enjoy it at all.

Story:
Sora no Manimani is a romance comedy, slice-of-life anime with an astronomy theme. The story involves a bookworm (Saku Ooyagi) who really hates outdoor activities, but was coerced into follow ... his hyperactive, childhood friend (Mihoshi Akeno) into the high school astronomy club. At that time, the club was desperately recruiting new members otherwise they will be suspended. Of course, they eventually could manage to find total of 5 members, and the story goes from there.

The main focus and the most enjoyable scene of each episode are the stargazing scene. The series goes over several important patterns and constellations of the northern hemisphere night sky of every season. They cover the basics of how to stargaze with naked eyes, binoculars, and telescopes. You can learn a lot of useful tricks on how to find some important stars as well.

Comedy is another good part of this anime. The humor is generally decent. The series made me laugh out loud several times. The show is overall refreshing to watch, and at least will keep you smile while going over it.

There are also some stories about romantic relationship between each anime characters, especially the love triangle (or perhaps, quadrangle) between club members (Saku, Mihoshi, and Hime). However, in my opinion, the romance part is probably not the strength of this series, and if you are looking into anime with this kind of plot, I would rather recommend other ones.

Art:
The character designs are generally adorable. Studio Comet did a nice job with the animation. The animation style is appropriate for this type of series, i.e., pretty easy to digest and simple on the eyes. The animation quality is pretty high.

Interestingly, the details of the night sky (e.g., the position of the stars and constellations) in this anime are quite accurate even in some very minor scenes. I am sure the production team has done a lot of research on this. I can even practice stargazing using some random starry night shots from the anime.

Sound:
The OP & ED songs are okay. Nothing really stands out, but I think it they fit the genre of the anime well. The background music is good in general. Voice acting is nicely done.

Character:
All characters are likable, and most of them are adorable. The interactions between the characters provide several enjoyable comedies and are fun to watch. A few of the characters are quite well-developed especially the main ones, but most of them just come and go. A lot of characters were introduced quite late in the season, so there was not enough time to explore them. The studio claims that there will release some OVA or DVD specials later, which hopefully will focus more on the backgrounds of these people (e.g., the past stories of the President of the Astronomy Club).

Enjoyment:
Sora no Manimani is one of the most enjoyable series that I have seen. Thanks to lovable characters, nice comedy, great voice acting roles, good quality animation, and most importantly, the astronomy theme.

Overall:
I would recommend Sora no Manimani to anyone who is interested in a romance comedy, slice-of-life anime with an astronomy theme. It is probably the best series about stargazing that I have seen in the market so far.

I love love this new series. You'll laugh out loud 12:00am in the morning watching this, disturbing your sleeping roomates.. well at least i did hahha!!! Very well drawn characters and I look forward to the story line. It's slightly like 'It started with a kiss' told in the guy version, only he is not as mean; with a humor like 'honey to clover' and it's just refreshing watch slice of life story.. I love the main characters they are soooooo funny! You JUST HAVE to watch this!!

Ok. 1st I shall review this anime as an anime lover. I have one word to describe this anime. Underrated. Some people don’t even give a second glance when they hear it is about astronomy. What’s so nice about looking at stars? Boring… However, that is not the case. You DO NOT have to know anything about astronomy or possess any interest about astronomy to enjoy watching Sora no Manimani. (You may just watch it for the comedy).

However, do consider this question. If right now, in the night, there is a telescope placed directly in front of you, pointing towards the moon, would you be ... interested to take a look through it? If your answer is yes, then chances are you do possess some interest towards astronomy.

Basically, Sora no Manimani is just a slice-of-life and comedy anime, but with an astronomy theme and some light-hearted high school romance. It begins with the quiet and reserved Saku Ooyagi returning to his hometown after many years, reuniting with his ever-energetic and enthusiastic childhood friend Mihoshi Akeno in High School (much to his dismay). There, she literally drags him into the astronomy club where his “misadventures” (in a good way) begins.

Sora no Manimani has the comedic feel of K-ON! and Azumanga Daioh. It’s hilarious and crazy at the same time. With the constant antics of hyper Mihoshi and the constant misunderstandings of her relationship with Saku, you find yourself laughing out loud at every episode.( though it gets lesser near the end).There’s also the Sunohara-alike Edogawa to bring out more laughter.

Romance in Sora no Manimani is light-hearted and forms most of the plot. We get to see some really interesting (and funny) relationships between the characters as the anime progress. Most of the time, the romance isn’t very deep though.

The animation quality is quite amazing. The stars appear blinking and The Milky way and the winter night sky have been drawn beautifully. They’re almost like the real thing outside. The constellation art looks original and grand too. The stars have also been depicted in their correct positions, they're not just randomly scattered across the sky. Just look at how many stars of different brightness there are in the winter night sky and you will know how much effort was put in. Kudos to Studio Comet.

Music is pretty good too. The opening and ending songs may sound quite average at the beginning but I’ve grown to like them. The background music is beautiful too especially in the stargazing scenes and some of the more moving scenes.

Now comes my review as a fellow “astronomer”. (DO NOT read this part if you haven't watched the anime or know little about astronomy.) I was in the astronomy club during my junior college(high school). If there was one thing I learnt from there was that astronomy was not all about stars. Where were the deep-sky objects??? (pardon my ranting). Nebulas? (huge interstellar clouds of gas where stars are born) Globular clusters? (Spherical collection of stars that can contain tens of thousands to millions of stars. It’s really beautiful to view in the telescope). Where were the galaxies? It wasn’t as if they didn’t get the chance to use the telescope. Heck they even had the whole observatory (the gigantic rotating ones) twice to themselves!!! They could have even viewed supernovas with that!! (At least they did show M52, an open cluster). The moon they viewed was also disappointing since it wasn’t the side with most of the craters.(guess that can’t be helped).

Putting those aside, Sora no Manimani is DEFINITELY still a joy to watch. I cannot help but smile and nod in agreement when characters share methods, tips and tricks about stargazing. The methods to identify neighbouring stars and constellations have also been explained very well too.

Let me end my review with a quote from the anime (subbed): “There aren’t very many people who’ll buy a telescope to stargaze even if they’re curious, but given the opportunity, they will choose to. And fortunately, we can create that opportunity. And because we can, we want to share it with everyone.”. I believe this has been the intention of the manga’s author from the start. Sora no Manimani wasn’t meant just for astronomy enthusiasts. It was catered more towards sharing the world of astronomy with an audience who did not know about astronomy or “seemed” uninterested about it. (Maybe that's why deep-sky objects were left out).

I’ve enjoyed watching Sora no Manimani. I’ll recommend this anime to anyone out there, regardless of his or her opinion about astronomy. After watching Sora no Manimani, perhaps you’ll find the “astronomer” in you. (Cheesy, I know). I’ll give Sora no Manimani an 8/10 (very good). Perhaps there’ll be more to watch and “see” if there’s a season 2.

Finally, when you’re out of your house at night, going out with your family or friends… don’t forget to gaze up at the night sky every now and then...

(My 1st review. Any comments/questions you have or wrong facts in my review do PM me!)

I watched this series becuase it was recommended to me. I'm so glad I watched it.

~Story 9/10~
The story was great. Watching stars with friends after coming back from a 5 year break. Nothing better than that. However, I was expecting and wanting more romance. But nothing I can do about that. :P

~Art 10/10~
The Art and Animation was superb. I can't believe that someone could portray the stars and the sky so beautfiully in an animation. I could swear that every star in our sky was in this anime. Like their goal was no star left behind.

~Sound 10/10~
With the beautiful star-lit sky, include the beauitful music ... and you have yourself some memorable moments in all of anime. I couldn't really believe I was watching something so great... but this moment doesn't only happen once, but serveral times through out this series. I wouldn't mind watching this show again to simply watch those moments.

~Character 9/10~
The characters had depth and detail.But a couple seem sketchy, and a main character wasn't fully developed in their history.
I would definately look forward to seeing these characters be developed more if another series is created and to see if any romance is injected into it.

~Enjoyment 10/10~
I fully enjoyed this Anime series and there are parts that I will never forget.
The thing that I enjoyed so much was the parts when they would escaped the lights and go watch the stars. With those beautiful stars and the epic music put with it... I simply can't explain or describe what it's like... you'll have to see and experience it yourself. The series always seemed to push forward and I always wanted to go with it. There isn't anything I can complain about... and I'm glad I can finally say that about an anime.

Overall 10/10 (My opinion)

This is the International Year of Astronomy 2009, and what better way to get to know about astronomy than watching some anime about it. XD

I was a bit reluctant about watching this anime, but I think I did the right choice. It's a funny story and you spend your time laughing and at the same time learning something new.

For people who like comedy, romance and slice of life anime this should be probably on your "plan to watch" list.

This anime have very nice story and characters.The story is a little bit a cliche.I already watch 4th episode and i am a little confused.I can't understand why Ooyagi returns to his hometown after seven years study in one of the biggest city in Japan.What's the point!?!?Why he do that?!WHY!!??After all,at the first school day he is in the middle of the school yard and he is standing on over 400m from Mihoshi and he whisper her name and she heard him!?What the hell!?No way...I can't understand....i will watch next episodes and i will share my opinion.
... Thanks for reading.King Of The Dark

Do you love stars? if yes, then this anime is for you...Just finished re-watching this anime, my mp3 player played the OP song "super Noisy Nova" by Sphere that's why i decided to re-watch it. I love the songs of the group Sphere, good OP songs can sometimes attract viewers, well that always happen to me :D
Story
This is about Ooyagi Saku, a boy who's re-united with his childhood friend who loves stargazing named Akeno Mihoshi. This anime focus around the activities of the astronomy club where Ooyagi was forced to join because of its low member count. There's a little comedy and school romance too, ... to add to the fun of watching this anime.
At first, i was wondering what this anime can offer me since I'm not into stargazing, but seeing the smile in their faces while stargazing somewhat gives me joy in my heart. When they are doing their club activities, how I wish I was there too or I want to experience stargazing like they do *sigh* ... This anime manage to deliver the excitement and the joy of stargazing, thatfs why when I finished watching it, I go outside the house at night and look up in the sky to see if Ifm gonna find some constellation that was shown in the anime ( can't see it... damn light pollution).
This is a good anime to watch and its educational too, too bad it's only twelve episode.This anime can change the way you look in the sky at night.

I never expected to like this.

Okay, judging by the ratings that I put in the list above (story 7, art 7, sound 6, characters 6) you'd think "meh, this wasn't great, a bt so so". BUT my anime-loving brethern, you'd be wrong.

I might be a little biased as I am also a stargazer (nothing beats seeing certain sights in the night sky, which the characters agreed with me) but this anime has a great feel good factor. It just made me feel "aww" over the whole thing. The story is pretty basic, art wasn't as good as it could have ... been, sound was tad generic, certain characters a little annoying but likeable enough. Really enjoyed it though! A few laughs, pretty skies (done exceptionally well actually, impressed with the art for the constellations). A bit annoying that it was school based but what to do - expect the usual school activites you've seen a thousand times before. However, if you like astronomy, or school club animes with a bit of comedy chucked in, you'll enjoy this. I did find myself chuckling a fair bit.

8/10.

Sora No Manimani an anime that gives an insight into stargazing, the show itself is relaxing and doesn't really stand out from the other anime in this field.

For an anime that is stated to have romance, its not straight in your face and you have to look for it, its simple to follow and you learn a lot from it i.e all the star constellations.

I personally found it to be an enjoyable, relaxing and easy going anime, that will make you smile and potentially make you wonder about the greater universe.

The music and art make up for character development which i found lacked in ... a few characters.

overall this show was a great watch and perfect for passing the time, i highly recommend you watch this one.

Well...it's all about the star. Great romantic and comedy story for who love stars since childhood. Lot of useful astronomy information could be gathered and should be continue in season 2 as well. The storyboard are good, eventhough its just like a normal anime but the stars make it unique. Thus, it is a great anime as well.

Sora no manimani was very relaxing. It didn't have the best comedy I've seen but it was still pretty funny.

The plot isn't something unrealistic. Anybody could be the main character of this story so it isn't extraordinary but I never got bored. I kept wanting to see more of their activities.

The dialogue could be hilarious at times and the voice acting was better than most anime.
Everything was drawn pretty well and light and dark were simulated perfectly (which is important because a lot of scenes were at night). They also used some special effects for the stars and the constellations.

The best proof I have to ... convince others of how captivating sora no manimani is, is the fact that it actually made me look up star charts to go look at the stars, a week after I finished watching.