Spotlight Anime: Barakamon

(...)

It tells the story of a young man that dedicates to calligraphy contests, making of this his job (how is it called? Calligraphist?). After a wronge attitude towards a superior, he gets refuge in a fishing village. There, he makes new friends and learns to live in society. These new friends are a set of children and young people, very cheerful, that is always ready to make some kind of wrongdoing. The result is quite funny, sometimes, but - in general - the anime has some fails that turn it average.

As we know, a slice of life anime - to work - has to base its strenghts in the correct, coherent and strong development of its characters. Unfortunately, here this does not happen. The secondary characters do not contribute to the development oif the main character and appear to be there just to create comedy moments that, even though they are achieved several times, are not enough to turn Barakamon in an exemplary anime. The main character has a lot to learn and absorb from the people that surround him. There is some evolution in his abilities to deal with other people, esse3ntially forced by the siiuations in which he puts himself through his own inaptitude. Many times, they are unrealistic situations and too exagerated to be taken seriously, more than as a comical gat. On the other hand, the young man took refuge in this isolated island to be able to develop his calligraphy. This happens, but there is not in the narrative any reference to the evolution of his talents. This is, in some episodes he makes an acceptable work by the parameters of people who don't know anythintg about calligraphy; right next, he does exemplary works that are recognized by his peers. In this aspect, I would like that there had been more emphasis given to his job and in a more gradual way.

The art would be very beautiful if we were not in 2014. Having in account the production year, there is nothing spectacular about it: the shine, the fluidity, the colours, this is the normal parameter of "now". There are some scenes that try to show to the spectator the beauty of the scenery but, unfortunately, they end up losing intensity due to the normality of the art.

Musically, we have OP and ED that, cheerful, could have had more to do with the series. In the parenchima, many light and funny songs to give as a feeling of calmness, but that not distinguish themselves from other animes of the genre.

This, it's just another slice of life and, having in account the saturation of the genre, in a few years nobody will remember it.

Svante said:
Shows like Barakamon is very enjoyable to watch, but it just.... too safe. It didn't add something new to the slice of life genre and we already have Usagi Drop for kids and Adult relationship, there are better titles out there and my vote will remains a No regardless what people say here.