Himawari!

I had originally heard some bad things about this series and was actually recommended not to watch it, however, I'm glad I did.

Let me start of by warning you, this series is full of clichéd, over-used gags, a plot and storyline that is completely ridiculous and personalities and themes that we have all seen before. I'll start by mentioning everything that I didn't like about it, even though there weren't that many things actually...

First of all, like Naruto, the characters in this show aspire to become ninjas, however, to me, ninjas are dark-clothed assassins and spies who operate during the night, they don't skip and ... run around in colorful outfits, being loud and noisy or using modern-time weapons such as machineguns and/or bazookas. Secondly, one of the characters called Yusura, who is utterly adorable and cute in every way, quickly uses up her endurability by always having an incompetent and unrelated animal-reference to nearly every event that occurs. Also, the Team Rocket-wannabees (though enjoyable) feel somewhat like a cheap rip-off.

Things I'm indifferent to is the artwork and the music, yes, it's got nice animation and sometimes they shift it to the less serious style, but it's good enough to pass your standards like most shows. The music? Nothing special or particularly catchy, but nothing annoying or ear-numbing either.

Moving on to the good things now.

I'll be the first to admit, I truly and honestly enjoy shameless comedic gaggery, and this show has a lot it, and I mean a lot. Also, I've never before seen a show that made such a brilliant joke out of the phrase "Oh My God!". Secondly, the characters, sure they're stupid, cliché and in every aspect unoriginal, but this is what makes the show fun, because you know they're all these things and can just sit back and enjoy the idiocy. Also, a plus on this show is that even though it has a romantic element, it doesn't overplay and shift from comedy to romance/drama like many other shows, which is probably why I liked it so much. Some gags are perhaps used a bit too often and yes, it's a cheerful and sorrowless anime, but it works well despite this.

So, how to summarise this? Well, the plot is weak and unoriginal, it feels like you're watching a very much improved and distant cousin to Naruto and it's full of clichés and overused jokes. However, it also contains moments of (in my experience) high comedic quality and if you start watching it I'll guarantee one pair of my own boxers that you'll be hooked, laugh and watch it through 'til the end. It's a fun, easy-going show, good for a few laughs and only up-tight blockheads with "sophisticated" humor would be able to not crack a smile at this series.

In any case, I liked Himawari! and anyone who wants a cheap laugh should probably have a look at it aswell, and if you don't find it funny then feel free to come on over to my house and beat the living snot out of me with a trout!

Considering it's quite old and my enjoyment value, I award this anime a 6/10. Without those considerations, giving it a 5/10 is the most I could ever give it, maybe even a 4/10 if I am to be more stringent. Does this mean it's not good enough to watch or that it sucks? Nah, not really, it's actually fairly enjoyable.

The thing I'm most disappointed about is that the mc isn't a ninja and hasn't got any real combat prowess whatsoever, especially since he's got that ninja symbol for his family line or clan or whatever on his neck, seems the only thing he inherited was ... a good physique(for a normal person, although he's untrained and out of shape) and a good throwing arm, not that he ever trained in any way in his life. I never did like the whole "weak mc in a ruthless/power/skill oriented world" where they don't even try to get stronger even if they should do so for their own safety, resulting in them being pushed around or being all talk and no action, being incapable of even defending themselves. Rock or whatever his name was from black lagoon is similar, yet another character I kind of dislike because they don't fit in and never attempt to even do so. It would've been a better anime if the mc was actually the super skilled ninja that showed up at the start of episode 1 and that he had just, for some reason, abandoned his past yet got pulled back into it while teaching there, maybe he could've lost his memories but his body remembers the skills or something, that'd be cool. Then he could show off his OP skills now and then or whatever instead of being the only person there that can't even do the ninja teleport thing where they seemingly move faster than the eye can register as they disappear into thin air which even any of the students can do. I guess this partly has to do with me liking to put myself into the position of the mc and it's frustrating when they're weak fools that can't even pull their own weight around, leave mcs like that for romccoms or slice of life comedies that are set in the real world.

Well, whatever, this is a good story to waste some time with if you have nothing better to watch. I didn't feel that bored while watching and although it feels outdated and is extremely shallow with little to no plot and a weird story overall, it's not too bad. At least there's no big, glaring flaws that pisses you off and makes you want to drop it. The comedy is subpar and old, but it does have its moments now and then when it manages to take you by surprise. For a seemingly original anime without a manga, novel or game source, it's not that bad. I've seen far worse.