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First Impression

The Yakuza's Guide to Babysitting is somewhat of a weird premise for me. Since my expectation of the show is quite a mix. Will I get cringed watching it or maybe it's a hidden gem? It felt like I gambling something for it. I expected it to be some kind of weird Wacky Yakuza Comedy Series involving the Yakuza Boss Daughter maybe going head over heels for his handsome babysitter and it didn’t help that the female lead is surrounded by handsome gangster boys in the promotional image.

I was actually planning to watch it in 2022 after I finish Made in the ... Abyss 2nd Season but the premise felt too off fitting to what I want to watch in an anime at the time. I didn’t pick up the anime until Feb 2023 when I started to give it try. Somewhat of a surprise, it’s not an intensive heavy comedy show as I expected it to be but rather a very serious emotional slice of drama surrounding family values that made me got intrigued after watching the first episode.

The show offers a serious and mature tone when it comes to understanding a child's emotion and how to approach it, that kind of hooks me a bit. Eventually, I started to watch the entire half in one sitting and realize it’s a very solid slice-of-life drama series with some pinch of subtle creative comedy sprinkled on top.


Positive Remarks

Characters don’t seem interesting at first like Kirishima and Yaeka who are the main protagonist of the story. It screams stereotypical yakuza gangster and a silent little girl in my ears that doesn’t hold my interest. But As time goes on, the character's relationship seems to grow on you, as the relationship improves over time especially Kirishima and Yaeka's relationship as a family alongside other side characters along the way. It built up an essence of a comfortable family atmosphere that isn’t contracted by blood. Thought I can argue not all characters get the same treatment. Potentially there are a lot of characters that might be interesting enough to get fleshed out as a bonus side story but were never given an opportunity to do so.

The show takes its cast seriously and there is a good balance of slice-of-life, drama, and comedy. I think the comedy in this show is pretty good, not stomach-cracking funny, but the comedy makes sense. It's quite funny that the joke is pretty clever and realistic in the sense that that humorous scenario happens in real life. For example, in episode 4 the boss convinces them to make a Youtube Channel to make money. The idea alone sounds funny to me and the execution was pretty spot on while at the same time putting some significance to the characters built up.

The character interactions are pretty engaging to watch. It's interesting the show manages to have that fuzzy, adorable, and wholesome atmosphere. So far, I think the show is pretty good at what it is aiming for. A slice-of-life take on a Yakuza Family.

I like the idea that a family is not always defined by blood but by a closed bonded relationship of each individual built upon exchanging life experiences with one another over time. Learning from each other’s strengths and weaknesses. I like as characters slowly coming out of their cold shell. Mutual trust is being formed. The drive of trying to become a better person and setting aside the fear that has been holding them back to move forward is being set in motion. Because they believe they have someone to support their back if something went wrong in the process. Thus building up the confidence to engage in life with a positive approach. I can that real character development and clever writing, that been properly executed in representing what a family is all about.

A good family is there for you every step of the way, even if you fall back, you are assured someone will catch your back. A person's character development and value always start with the family they are a part of I always say.

For the Visuals, I could say pretty standard for 2022 anime releases. Nothing Bad or Ultra Good to Say About it. It does remind me of some anime I watch in the past that got release not too long ago. Overall the visuals are fine.

Speaking of Music and Background Sounds. I think the opening song "Mirai no Hero Tachi e is ok, it grows on me a bit as I watch more episodes because slowly the opening song comes from being meh quirky to somewhat nostalgic and a bit of a fuzzy feeling as I progress into the series.

Kaerimichi no Iro by Shibuya HAL however might be the new favorite ED for me when it comes to Happy Slice of Life Ending from, the Year 2022 release. I like the vibes of it and it gets stronger and stronger once you get to know the characters more.


Spoiler Territory, Feel free to go to the Final Thought Section if you haven’t watched the series yet

Negative Remarks

Now for some negative gripes, I have with the show that blocks its potential as must watch and a highly recommended anime for Slice of Life and Feel Good Family Anime Vibe. First, I don’t think this anime has a plot. When I mean the plot is that I don’t see any importance of the all-Yakuza Conflict, it felt kind of random and serve as a themed-flavored slice of life rather than a plot of its own. Moving to that, the show has a sort of antagonist. The problem however the antagonist is so vague and the purpose he serves is more like triggering unnecessary conflict and drama, just because he can. He's too bland as a character himself and serves as the final stretch to challenge our main character's ideals. He felt like a plot device to easily show the audience how much the protagonist has changed after He realizes the important things in life. The issue with this is that the audience has already seen the progression naturally as they watch more slice-of-life moments in the show.

"In My Opinion" if they want an engaging antagonist that will challenge Kirishima's character growth there should be personal conflict connected between the 2 characters which will make a conflict an organic part of the story than being there to trigger emotional damage to the viewers and the characters.

Final Thoughts

The Yakuza's Guide to Babysitting is a good time passer when it comes to the slice-of-life drama that centers around what a wholesome family atmosphere is all about which the show didn’t fail to portray. However, having some dark themes about yakuza conflict that demands a congruent plot felt more like flavoring, its poorly explored, and ultimately overshadowed by the slice-of-life vibes of the show as a whole.

Will I recommend it? Yes, but I will recommend it specifically to anime fans who are interested in slice-of-life drama with wholesome family values. It's not highly recommended or a must-watch in my opinion. But I enjoy it regardless because I am indeed a fan of the wholesome story that circles around the values of family.

And that’s all I can say about the show as a whole. Will I rewatch it in the Future? I don’t think I will be rewatching it soon but maybe in 5 or 10 years, I might pick it up again. But I do have an interest in reading the source material soon.


As Always Thank You for Reading

For People Checking the Score in Every Category

(Story/Plot/Writing) (6/10: Good)
>The Balance of Slice of Life, Drama, and Comedy is Solid but the Dark Side of the Yakuza Conflict kinda Drags the Story Back.

(Characters/ Main & Supporting) (7/10: Solid)
>Ignoring the show's sorry excuse of an Antagonist. It cannot be denied character interaction and development is pretty solid in this show.

(Technical Stuff) (Art & Animation 7/10)
>Pretty Standard Animation & Art Style

( Music and Sound Design 7/10)
>Ok Opening Song, and Solid ED song, and some memorable background tracks

(Enjoyment/ Bias Personal Opinion) (7/10 Good and Memorable )
>If I am watching it for the slice of life and wholesome vibes alone its a solid 8/10 but the Yakuza Story is might the weakest in the show which made me drag it down to 7/10


(Overall 6.7/10)
>A Show Worth Recommending to a Few

Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend might as well be the most ridiculously fictional and realistic-themed anime I ever watched for the Winter 2015. It is a boringly well-grounded everyday slice of life school rom-com series but at the same time very fictional set-up. Obviously, because it’s another harem anime where all the girls like the single relevant male on the show. And it’s a rule that the male needs to be an otaku to be very relatable.

But all the girl doesn’t matter because there will be only one main heroine and this is what the show take advantage of to become somehow ... unique? It did a successful job of showing the audience that it is different from other Isekai harems or general harem at the time. By simply adding Megumin Katou, an ordinary girl existing to make other female archetypes looks too alienating to watch. Sadly it felt short live as we further explore the show the magic disappeared.

Usually, when I start my main review body, I go first talking about the show's main story premise and core themes. But I decided for this review I will try to pinpoint the very obvious thing that kind of baffles me when I start watching it.

Fetish Fuel Camera Angels
This show cut transition is pretty pervy since it zooms on girls' lower bodies or skirts most of the time when changing scene sequences. OP already hinted me that. This is the reason why the show has an ecchi tag even though it lacks the traditional aspect of an ecchi anime.

Character Design and Overall Theme of the Art Style
Drives to the factor of very cute and a little mince of sexy naughtiness to it. This might as well be the only thing that stands out when it comes to the visuals. There isn’t any interesting motion movement but it is alright because it doesn’t need to be flashy. There is however some change of visual colors to portray certain emotions but there aren’t that many. Also, some small tidbits show used a mix of real-world photos of objects on otaku merchandise like anime figurines and to some extend anime posters to create a realistic atmosphere of otaku culture.

When it comes to other visuals, the majority are bland and uninspired in my opinion. But even all that said I think it's above average at best. There could be some good cinematic that can be taken advantage of, but a lot of it is used for ecchi purposes.

Moving to characters. I would like to highlight Megumi Kato being critical for the show to actually work. Without her, personally, the show would be another extremely forgettable dry-out otaku harem out there and this show might get 4/10 instead of a generous 6/10 for me.

Let’s dissect Kato’s role and impact on the show.

1.) She is Very Kind and Understanding. The way She can tolerate Tomoya’s chuuni thoughts that can be very disrespectful to other people. Describes what kind of person she is.

2.) She is cute for being simple and down to earth. She doesn’t feel like a force archetype. You like her from the actions and behavior she gives towards other characters. Which is a plus in my book.

3.) Her interaction with Tomoya might as well be the most interesting and realistically funny to watch. Since I have a first-hand experience where an ordinary friend of mine who doesn’t have much knowledge on anime, manga, book,s or gaming tries to understand the culture. And I feel like explaining rocket sciences in front of him.

4.) She pretty much presents how an ordinary individual will react to niche culture. Providing subtle criticism on the otaku culture and exploitation of its stupidity in a very chill but not offensive way.

5.) She is mostly involved in the majority of the best slice life moment of the show.

6.) Kato's appeal might be is that she is an open canvas that is free to be painted by the painter. She is open to trying out new things and will give an effort to do so. To me, as a simple guy, if a girl took an interest to take the time to explore my hobbies, I would be happy too.

7.) But She Isn’t perfect. There is some moment on the show that makes me question how much of a saint She is. It sorts of destroys the realism of Her character. Best Example. Kato staying all night at a guy’s house. Either her parents are super chill about it or the anime just don’t care. It’s a minor detail but this is also a reason why I am convinced that I am watching a light fictional anime aimed at a young audience. And not seriously heavy mature one for people who thinks. And that’s my fault.

Base on all the details above. The title didn’t lie. It's basically all above Megumi Kato all along. But what about the supporting cast? This is when I started to sound a little bit harsh. But please take my word with a grain of salt on how I describe the supporting cast and the remaining element of the show.

The Other Heroines are Meh
Eriri and Utaha, your basic archetypical dere characters, I look up their names in MAL at the time of writing this review because I don’t clearly remember their names at all. The interactions they made are boring to watch, forgettable, and uninteresting. I know the show highlights them as main characters but to me, they are more as filler girl bait to confuse the main protagonist's feelings and extend the story. Like most harem shows. But they still serve a straight-out technical purpose on the show narrative. Their main purpose is to make creating a complex video game somehow possible. Surely a protagonist that has no technical expertise will not be able to make a game let alone hire people for the job.

So the cheapest alternative in making a game is taking advantage of people who secretly liked you and making full use of their skill sets. For the labor cost lower than any 3rd World Minimum Wage Jobs. In a job profession where the expertise demands high pay.

There is also a time when they introduce another guy in the show, they made him appear an unlikable douchebag indicating an antagonist exists but a few episodes later. He literally doesn’t do anything. Killing his purpose. You can cut him out of the show and no significant changes will take place.

I would like to talk about what I like about Michiru Hyoudou but I realize I would be just repeating what I talk about Kato before. I see her more on the ecchi side and she kinda came out late in the show. So, I wouldn’t bother to avoid major spoilers.

Characters do get fleshed out but barely any of them develops. Characters get highlighted but it feels like fan service instead of establishing them as humane characters. Because their motivation and backstory are seemingly shallow and feel like episode filler.

Painfully enough in the later episode, Kato becomes a shadow that made it the worst experience for me since the show did shift focus to the archetypical characters that I barely have any intrigue whatsoever.

Conclusion

Overall it's not a bad show. At best it's Average to Above Average for me. The reason why I considered it to be a little different from another slice of life harems is that it has a clever way to criticize and challenge the cliché of harem by introducing out-of-place normal characters to the mix. But they never dedicated to the idea and when full mediocrity in the last few episodes that kind of piss me off. My opinion is only limited to the first season. Who knows, something may change in the following sequels and my opinion might change in the future. For now, this is my overall view of the show in general. Good Idea but wasn’t executed consistently in the end.

Final Verdict

Characters Role and Development (6/10)

Kato being a normal girl what keeps me going

Plot/Story/Setting (5/10)

Nothing worth noting. Its Ok idea with meh Execution

Music/Audio Effects/ Soundtracks/OP & ED (6/10)

Cute Flowery Opening and ED Song, and some greatly timed BGM

Art Style/ Animation/ Cinematic Style/ Setting Design (7/10)

Character Design and Setting is Polish and Clean, Typical Well Budget 12-episode Anime

Personal Bias/ Enjoyment (6/10)

I still have fun watching this anime and I enjoy seeing Kato interact with Anime Characters

Overall Score (5.8/10 or 6/10) Above Average

Potentially this show can be scored high only if it dedicates to the idea it establishes. But no it revert back to a typical harem anime that made it lose its magic.

If you guys want to watch another anime with similar themes about making a game, criticizing obscure culture, and having a girl similar to Kato's personality.

I Highly Recommend Checking Out

Welcome to the NHK!

(Introduction)

Yuri on Ice is something of a debate on what it is. Some say it’s a solid sports anime, others say it’s a compelling romance anime about people of the same sex while others say it’s an anime that has some confusing direction on what it wanted to be. For me, I choose the former and I see it as solid sports anime that has some spicy side dishes.

Let’s explore what Yuri on Ice is all about. And along the way, you might have an idea if this anime is for you or not?

Plot/Story/Setting (7/10) (Good but I think it could be Better) (Spoiler ... Free)

This might be the longest section in my review. I have three topics to discuss in this Section.

Story, Setting & Theme, and Overall Plot Direction.

(Story)
It mainly focuses on the underdog story perspective of Yuuri Katsuki's struggles on the hardship of professional skating. The show starts with a very melodramatic atmosphere instead of inspiring the audience about the fun and excitement of the sport which I find interesting. You expect this is gonna be a slow underdog story but it isn’t. A lot of things are happening within a few minutes of the show. The story progress fasts each episode which I don’t mind.

But one thing that I see annoying with the style of its quick pace exposition is that it often summarizes critical information in a comical and anticlimactic way. Starting each episode on quick spoon-feed information. It feels like the show is skipping some critical exposition in favor of showing the audience the climax scene of skating right away. Not saying it destroy the experience I had in the show but for me, they could do it better but if they do. They need to extend the show duration to properly flesh out the narrative.

(Theme & Setting)

Yuri on Ice is definitely a modern theme anime that a lot of people can be attracted to. That phrase might sound weird since Ices skating is not the defacto sport for everyone but let me explain.

Yuri On Ice's theme defines the current lifestyle of people during this time, and that is the rampant speed of information. More specifically how social media affects every person who has access to it. The story takes advantage of this narrative in forwarding the plot. Nothing beats how fast the internet process and shares information in all parts of the world. People are more connected more than ever before. This opens to live global competition to be even possible.

Yuri on Ice Setting is not limited to one setting or country. Competitions extend to other countries around the world on a global scale that added a flavor of tension to the competition. And that’s what your ordinary audiences want to see. Different countries battling to become the top. This is why a lot of people cared for the Olympics even though they aren’t fanning of the sport itself. If they know their country is participating, they have a sense of they are part of the team competing in the sport.

Yuri On Ice can potentially hook a lot of people and it impacts more if their country is representing as a competitor in the anime. Sadly, I won’t be seeing any Pilipino Ice Skater representing the Philippines soon.

(Overall Direction)

Base on what I see the anime present. It's genuinely a sports anime at its score. It explores the anxiety and doubts of athletes in high stake competitions. Winning is everything at the professional level. People are participating to win, bring honor to their country and make a name for themselves. This weight of tension is presented throughout many parts of the story. It's no longer your low stake petty high school or college-level sports competition. And the frustration of losing in this level of competition is borderline destructive for the weak-hearted.

This makes Yuuri's “Little Piggy becoming a Prince” a more satisfying sight in the underdog story. And that’s what this anime is purely aiming at the beginning. The Beauty and Hardship of Competitive Skating.

Aside from the spoon-feed information at the start of each episode. The focus is on “More Show than Tell”. Yuri on Ice is not too overly detailed in explaining the terminologies and mechanics of the sport. It’s not only a sport but an extension of explaining the character's struggles and back story. Giving the audience an idea on who they are. Without resolving to the full-on word of mouth long explanation.

Fast Pace, skipping any long episode of training arc and go straight to the tournament arc and didn’t overstay its welcome.

Characters Role/Development/Exposition (6/10 Above Average, Yuri, and Victor is not enough) (With some Minor Spoilers/Skippable Section)

I think the characters section might be the weakest aspect of the show. Sure, we got to know Yuuri Katsuki as a person but the problem is that majority of the characters didn’t get the same treatment as him.

It would be fun to know more about Victor's past, and more details about the other contestant. Sadly the backstory and exposition were still too thin for me considered memorable. Yes, there is still a backstory and it was narrated in a good manner, but few minutes or few seconds of exposition is not enough for the supporting cast to be considered solid. Matches are on a personal level so you better have an option on which characters to cheer on aside from Yuuri Katsuki himself. Yuri on Ice has a big character roster to explore. There isn’t much dedication invested in them that makes the matches truly a competition. I dislike when a new competitor is introduced later in the show got shoved aside. They cut their skating scene, indicating, his or she is irrelevant in the long run.

My point is if they manage to flesh out and develop Yuri Katsuki. I don’t see any hardship in doing it on a few more characters but then again that will extend the duration of the story which may either damage or benefit the show.

(Music/Audio Effects/ Soundtracks/OP & ED)

(Art Style/ Animation/ Cinematic Style/ Setting Design)

(Both Department is Very Solid Good an 8/10) (Spoiler Free)

Possibly the ‘’Opening’’ alone can give enough positive impression and idea on what the show is all about. It gives an essence to the beauty of ice skating and what kind of animation the audience will see. The opening doesn’t betray and might be one of the biggest strengths of the show.

Both OP and ED are very solid on their purposes. While OP is captivating to do ice skating. The ending has a very modernly relaxing vibe on it. I really like the ED more than OP song.

Aside from the 2 good musical pieces. The show also has a good variety of Music Choreography inserted on each skating match. I still remember the agape and eros theme totally gives the skating vibes at its max potential. I like almost all characters have their own special themes that are uniquely different from one another which is another bonus point for me.

(Personal Bias/ Enjoyment) (7/10 A Short but Fun and Enjoyable Time Passer)

(Minor Spoiler/ Can Skip to Final Thought)

On a personal level. I see Yuri on Ice just run-of-a-mill popcorn entertainment. I don’t watch it for the deep themes of the so-called romance that I don’t find any solid putting aside from a curious afterthought. Simply I see the romance as a side dish rather than the full course meal of the show because it isn’t the focus. Sure, it motivated Yuuri to be a better person but we see more skating matches than the relationship. Thought Yuri on Ice romance might turn off some people but I think it's fine and tamed. Unlike other shows that are aggressively offensive on the homo romance.

Watching the Ice Skating alone already entertains me since we don’t get sports anime like this every season.

(Final Thoughts) (Final Score 6.9/10 Good, Recommend to a Few)

To Summarize, the show did a good job in the direction it wanted it to be. Introducing and promoting ice skating as a fun, intense, and entertaining sport. An event where people gather around the world to compete and have a good time. Where contestant challenges their limits. Some will Win and Some will Fall. But that’s the nature of the most competitive sport.

When it comes to the characters, they are all alright, the issue is that the supporting cast deserves more exposition than the main protagonist to make it far more memorable.

Animation and Sound Design are the show's biggest strengths that make the experience all the better. MAPPA outdid itself on this and truly deserves the praise.

If you are looking for an ice skating anime and don’t mind the extremely mild and tame romance of the same sex. Then I highly recommend you try the anime out.

Also, good watching with a group of friends since the anime is short, a duration of 4 hours or 2 movies length at best.

(Introduction)

A show about rich high school student, stupidly gambling there lives away for kicks but everything changes a little bit when compulsive Psycho Gambler with Red-Eyes Black Hair Jabami Yumeko enter the scene. To literally give the student council, who doesn’t do anything but sit around all day, an intense facial workout. Get ready to be amazed by Studio MAPPA's artistry, for almost every single character in this show have the ability to make ridiculously funny faces that will give Reddit some temporary memes to play with.

Get mind-blown to the intensely good animated atmosphere of Kakegurui Gambling, which are the few things I found ... respecting in this show. And If you ever get lost what the heck is going on during the middle of the gameplay, don’t worry, after every match, Jabami and the gang will explain everything in front of your face. So sit back and relax, don't think much. Which is kind of a shame because some games in the anime look original enough in my eyes that they seem like a very fun party game to crush your friends with.

(Story/Plot/Writing) (4/10 Mediocre) (W/ Light Spoiler)

When I read the anime synopsis for the first time, I found it kind of fresh. I barely see any high school anime that heavily focus on gambling and then after I finish it. I found it no different from any “Cliché Highschool” Tropes and I see it more stupid than your average high school anime. The show's main story in summary is about a new student that will rebel against the antagonistic “’ Student Council Hierarchy”. Our insanely daring protagonist will cross obstacles to reach the top to have a chance to rival the Big Fish of the school, this is not Kill La Kill Right?

While actual School stuff is non-existent in this show. The majority of the time I only see students gambling around the school. And why would they even bother to study or do sport that will benefit their future if the school has a shitty ranking system that will only measure student performance base on their gambling skills? The school being a setting has lost its meaning. You can replace the school with a casino or a gambling den that requires its attendees to wear high school uniforms and you will not find any difference.

The thing I found this anime stupid is the school is too dumb to exist. On all accounts, it’s a facility that raises scammers than potential elites that will benefit the country or the world. Yeah, you heard me right! 100 percent of the student who wins their gambling games cheat their way to win, just like in real life. A school that makes rich people lose their hard earn fortune because of their dumb spoil rich brats gambling away their money. Is that Legal? It's ridiculously funny and unreal. It made me remember an incident related to kids spending on their parents’ credit cards on microtransaction on videogames then eventually incurring massive debts in the process. This is literally what this pea brain student currently doing in the school. Lots of students get a quick buck sure but a lot of them lose a lot of money that they didn’t even own or earn by themselves.

To me, if these students came from influential families or rich corporate bodies. Then in one way or another, the school gambling shenanigans can actually affect the economy. Imagine a large company supplying products, services, and jobs suddenly got bankrupt not because of natural economics but because their child accidentally bet 90 to 100 percent of the company stocks because why not! That will be hilarious to see.

It also feels like a shounen anime where the protagonist gets friends along the way by savagely beating them up first. But in this anime instead of using brute force as a normal person will do to get what they want. Every conflict in this show is resolved by gambling. I can also say it’s similar to Yugioh but instead of stakes is getting vanish in the shadow realm when you lose. The person loses their dignity and tons of money. And sometimes block their freedom to choose what they want to do with their lives.

If you are watching this show to learn how gambling works or to educate yourself on the pro and cons. Hoping to get the edge you needed to win big in your local casino or make a fortune in Las Vegas. I am sorry to tell you that’s not going to happen. The games they used in the gambling itself are not that even smart or impressively complex either in my opinion. I didn’t learn anything in this show because the game itself is so lazily written. The show has the balls to explain everything at the last minute just to say they didn’t magically win because the author showed them the script. I find it dull, boring, and uninteresting for the most part.

(Characters Only Main to Talk About) (5/10 Average but Entertaining) (W/ Light Spoiler)

Honestly, I don’t like any single character in this show. The only thing I find joy watching them, aside from the funny faces they make. Is the lunacy when they discover they did a lot of dumb things or realize they are incompetent people tend to: Overestimate their own skill levels, bunch idiots. A lot of people here have serious cases of the Dunner-Krueger Effect except for Jabami Yumeko, she is a mary sue in this show. She is never been wrong even though her behavior and motives are questionable on many levels.

Side Characters on this show are more like archetypes in my eyes. They have personality but they don’t have any significant depth or identity of their own for me to care but they are entertaining to watch. Like for example, Jabami is the Marysue, Mary is a lesser Jabami, Ryouta is a walking mouthpiece, Midari is a bitch, Kirari is your typical Edgelord Student Council President, Runa is a Loli, Yume is a Pop Idol, Itsuki is a lesser bitch, and Kaede is your glasses guy. And to take account. What I said is not a pure spoiler by the way.

If you watch the Opening of the show "Deal with the devil" by Tia or the very first episode. This will be definitely your first impression of them and if it is, congratulation they remain like that for the duration of 12 episodes. Don’t expect significant character development or changes. We do get some itsy-bitsy background story but that is what you have for putting some levels of depth on your characters. And Personally, that is not enough to make them memorable or stand out. It exposed how poorly written they are.

(Technical Stuff) (Art & Animation 8/10 Very Good)( Music and Sound Design 6/10 It's Ok)

I am going to compress all my opinion on the technical stuff here. My final verdict for the animation and music on this show is that it's good and very good in fact for a TV series. I think MAPPA did a good job in making the atmosphere of the gambling more enjoyable to watch and bonus points for the funny faces too. OP song is fun to watch but definitely not the music I want to listen to or kept in my music files. ED song is fine, fun to watch for 1 to 3 episodes and after that, I no longer care. Background music is also good in adding substances to the gambling vibes. And that’s the only positive I can say in the show if only the characters and scriptwriting were the same quality then it will be truly an enjoyable experience.

(Enjoyment/ Bias Personal Opinion) (6/10 I still Enjoy even I have issues with it)

I think I said everything why I found it enjoyable and annoyingly bad

(Final Thoughts) (Overall 5.2/10 just an average flavor of the season type of show)

I like anime when the stakes are high and the risk is very outrageous. Especially it is batshit insane at times. But in this anime, I really don’t see any heavy risk involve. It loves to use BIG NUMBERS! To show the audience how extreme the situation is but the problem, it really doesn’t properly demonstrate that you will take the situation seriously. It gives the illusion that a simple game has BIG consequences but in reality, it's not. It tries hard to become serious by hyper exaggerating a lot of stuff which ended up becoming funny than grim.

Characters don’t serve as people in this world but are similar to crazy cartoon characters that are there to add aesthetic value to the show. Ever wonder why they look extremely slutty because that is their purpose in the first place. “Sex Appeal”.

Ever wonder how casinos bait people into gambling even though people know in nature they might lose?

Simple,” Money, Bright Light, and Colors and Sex”

That is more than enough to hook a Man to Gamble

In Kakegurui Case, that’s how it establishes its audience in the first place

One of the oldest tricks in the book.

And you got Scam!

Do you ever felt that you are getting tired of Romance Comedy Set in Highschool? When the troupe of this kind of slice of life romance comedies is starting to get boring? And as time passes, it starting to get very jarring to watch. When the idea is getting stale when nothing new is introduced on the table.

If you feel that way? You’re not the only one. Because I am also growing kind of tired of this kind of show as I hit my late 20’s. The problem I see with this kind of show is that we get an ample amount of it every ... season with little to no variety amongst them that sometimes make the experience no longer engaging enough for me to care. But to be super clear I still enjoy watching high school rom-com every now and then, especially the very old ones. It’s just becoming much harder for me to try out new ones especially if I expect I am not getting the pay-off. And by the way, a lot of rom-com doesn’t end in a very satisfying way which ends up either make me wanting more or felt depressed.

Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku is a show I consider, in my opinion, a breath of fresh air when it comes to the romance and slice of life genre. Sure, there are lots of anime featuring working young adults' love story while some are more solid because the couples are already married. But if you going to count the memorable ones that heavily focus on the idea I mention. I think I cannot count them more than my ten fingers.

In this Review, we are going to explore why I think this anime is good and fresh on what is presented in the year 2018.

(Story/Plot/Writing) (7/10: Good) (Spoiler Free)

The first thing that I found interesting in the anime is that the basic story is about characters living their normal young adult life with their hobbies co-existing with their current lifestyle. The catch in the formula however is that they also have to build and maintain upon an established romantic relationship with their partners.

For young audiences who haven’t been involved in this kind of stage of their life as a working adult will find it kind of boring and unrelatable. But for me currently as a young adult on the writing of this review found it very common around the office. People balancing work and relationships is a challenge by itself.

I find it fascinating that characters are realistically self-aware about the public mentality against otaku culture, they are not ignorant about it. Even though the approach is quite different for each character. There is a sense of realism about it.

Most of the time, on other anime I’ve seen but not all, heavily glorified “Otaku Culture’’ as some kind of magnificent way of life that society failed to understand. They victimized otakus as an undesirable group of people that society failed to understand. Giving the notion that Otakus are ”Special” and the “Real World”’ is a stupid place, only Isekai’s will understand them. The show is quite subtle in showcasing a sneak peek at how otakus enjoy their niche hobbies in a very down-to-earth way. No exaggeration or Hyperbole involve. Just regular people doing the things they love.

Ok, we cover why I found the core synopsis interesting, now let’s move on to the comedy aspect of the show. The show makes use of some really funny inside jokes about certain otaku habits. And I am surprised that the gag is only used in small amounts. Usually, in rom-com with otaku-related humor, we commonly get like 10 or more of the referential jokes each episode. But in Wotakoi's case, there are only lesser than anticipated per episode if I remember correctly. related to jokes that might be niche jokes that only certain groups of people will get the reference. Jokes that only otaku knows sort of things. The show relies on basic office humor and your typical slice of life rom-com humor that any non-otakus person can understand. I found this style pretty nice. Less is more. The more time I can breathe between jokes the better. I am not a fan of comedies that loves to bombards 10 to 20 random jokes within the span of 1 to 5 minutes. Looking at you Pani Poni Dash!

The humor is well-paced in the majority of each episode. It has a good transition from serious mood to light-hearted or awkward mood to relatable feel-good moments. Though emotional whiplash exists in this show, it is not too damaging enough to destroy the overall experience.

Now we are done with the core aspect of the show comedy. Let’s talk about the show main spice in the story, the romance. If I am going to rank the character's level of relationship on the scale of 1 to 10. I say they are between a 6 or 7, depending on how far you look at the depth of the romance. I say the character's mutual attraction to one another and how they behave is realistically normal. The romance of the show is more slice of life than heartwarming romantic.
It doesn’t shy away from the reality that a romantic relationship is not all about flowers and sex. Most of the time you will just see characters having a mundane conversation about each other’s lives, hanging around in each other’s houses, watching movies, and playing videos games. Doing dates that don’t seem to be super fun as other people romanticize it. And for me that’s Ok. A relationship is all about sharing life experiences and personal stories to their partners that they wouldn’t honestly talk about to other people.

It's all about being comfortable being yourself. Doing what you love around the person you love and you are proudly supported every step of the way. And to me, that’s pure romance at its core.

(Characters, Only Main to Talk About) (7/10 Good) (Spoiler-Free)

I usually talk about each individual character on their pro and cons when a show has a limited scope of less than 6 acting casts. But I decided just to highlights some very significant general traits to avoid giving up some major spoilers. That show doesn’t have an overarching plot. Most episodes can be very independent of one another. The enjoyment and the main content of Wotakoi can offer is the main character themselves. Just to give you guys the idea.

People should know that otakus are not set as a single stereotype. There is a multitude of different niche groups of otakus with varying interests and hobbies. Hirotaka, Narumi, Hanako, and Tarou present the message that not all otakus have an aligned set of interests. Even though Narumi and Hanako almost shared the same interest but they have different opinions and perspectives on specific topics like most individuals within a fandom. Not very stereotypical. This makes each character stand out in their own right and not getting overshadowed by another.

When it comes to conflict and relationship hurdles. The format is quite similar to Boy VS Girl squabbles. As I mentioned recently the show remains consistently light-hearted and never sway too much on more serious adult theme boundaries. And there is no antagonizing character either in this show so expect there will be no serious dispute will occur in this show.

I also found the small cast of characters very fun to watch since I like the relationship dynamics with a combination ok humor.

(Technical Stuff) (Art & Animation 7/10)( Music and Sound Design 7/10)

I only gonna make this section a little short since there isn’t anything much to talk about. The Opening "Fiction by Sumika is enjoyable to watch every episode. Good OST Ambience on particular scenarios has some very relaxing vibes to it. And the Ending Music is Good too.

For a modern anime made in 2018, I would say the animation and art style is quite standard, nothing special. Not always being flashy nor super hyperbolic nonsense all the time. The style plays out very maturely most of the time. For Slice of Life Anime About Adults, I think the art style is good for the show in general. And for small details, the “Lighting” and “Shadowing” are quite good too.

(Enjoyment/ Bias Personal Opinion) (7/10 I have Fun Watching This Show) (W/Spoilers)

I’ve been telling a lot of positives about the show but I would like to discuss some of my little complaints about it in this section though they aren’t that many. This issue I found in the show might be not a negative to others.

Introducing some new character in mid-way is ok but in the last few episodes, I considered a foul play in regard to character introduction. And Wotakoi actually did this kind of tactic which I found kind of annoying since this anime didn’t get a season 2 to fix the sudden introduction of the character. Until now I don’t remember him/her very much because of lack of screen time.

The character "Fleshing Out'' is Good but there isn’t any deep development or change on the characters. But I would like to counterargument that each character does establish to know each other’s interest and dislike over the course of the series which still made them organic until the end. And can you blame them? There isn’t any major conflict in this show that will force them to change their ways. And that is fine for a slice of life Rom-Com. But it also filled me the void of wanting it more and I might check out the source material in the future.

(Final Thoughts) (Overall 7/10 A show worth recommending to specific niche)

The show did a good job of presenting a basic slice of life romance story of your modern office worker that has a niche interest. It didn’t go deep into any heavy themes and stay consistently light-hearted to the majority of the 11-episode run. I like the way this show doesn’t represent otakus as creepy pedophilic rapists or pathetic basement dwellers. The show presents them as normal human beings who live a healthy life. It doesn’t make you feel sorry for them or feel disgusted if a person has a distinct interest in anime, games, or stuff people will find disturbing.

I will also conclude that this show is not for everybody but I believe that people's preferences change over time depending on our age and our environment. So you might not appreciate this kind of show now but maybe someday you will.

Like the show once said. I used to be Pure. I wasn’t born as a boob guy.

Closing Remarks:

If I have the chance to describe the show overall using specific character dialogues this is what I choose.

Narumi Momose to Hirotoka Nifuji:

>My last boyfriend, and the one before that, and my first boyfriend were all the same.

>They all dumped me because I was an Otaku. It is always like that for me. It was always like that, so this feels easy for me now! I don’t have to hide the fact that I am a nerd.

>But Neither of us is the other’s ideal type. We are both otakus. I am sure we’re both making some compromises.

Hirotaka Nifuji Reply to Narumi Momose:

> Well you’re right, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t compromising on anything.

>I’m not with you just because you’re a nerd or just because it’s easy.

>I love seeing you do the things you like.

>Anyway that’s how I feel

End of Conversation


And Always Thanks for Reading Guys! Peace Out!

(Introduction)

Nadja was one of my early childhood anime back in the early ’00s but I don’t seem to remember how it ended or how the story progresses. What I remember is the main plot itself when it aired on my local television network. It's been more than a decade since I watch it, so I decided to finally pick it up and make a full series rewatch on it last year. I was happy that I did. Because I am surprised the anime gave me a sort of diamond of the ruff impression about it. A good TV series for what it is ... from start to finish. This review will discuss further why this show is a hidden gem of its time and what makes Nadja a good show.

(Story/Plot/Writing) (7/10: Good) (Spoiler Free)

Starting off the Review Ashita no Nadja or commonly known as Tomorrow's Nadja for international audiences, the story follows the Adventure of Nadja Applefield. Traveling around European Continent in search of clues of her mother’s whereabouts while meeting friends and learning different cultures along the way. Nadja plays out like your classic late-century adventure stories where the protagonist needs to travel to new places to progress the story. We have lots of story like that in animes based around western literature that is aired during the 80s and ’90s.

But sadly starting around the 2000s this type of story in the anime medium got a steady decline. In 2003 anime releases Nadja is the only show that uses the formula, thus making it very unique alongside the other series that was airing at the time. 2003 is flooded with a lot of shows with a variety of genres, with different target demographics ranging from adults, teenage and younger audiences. Nadja aims for much more younger viewers but it cannot compete with the more rule of cool focus shows that even younger kids want to watch. It's quite common that nobody actually remembers or talks about this show even today. This is where my review comes in.

For an Adventure Story, I shall confidently say it’s well written and good. It has a beginning and an ending. Everything feels connected and consistent until the end of the show. Usually, for a children-oriented series, a lot of shows will make a lot of unnecessary filler episodes, especially if the show is around 50+ episodes. But in Nadja, the writers took an effort in connecting each individual episode. It makes each episode important in Nadja’s journey.

The story has a rather slow exposition, pacing and each of the first episodes only give small fractions of information for the main plot. The main story doesn’t kick start until around episode 33. The initial episodes are all about establishing the characters and structured world-building by introducing various regions in Europe. The episodes focus on exploring the people in the region and cleverly describing people's lives. Nadja is also a very good example of a slice of life series. But for its credit, it gives us enough time to breathe and digests the characters and story overall.

The Setting is set to place between 19th and 20th Century Europe. It's lovely to see that this anime has a lot of educational content that feels natural for the plot. As Nadja learns new things as she explores new places, the audience learns from it by simply watching this show. Feels like a fun tour of 19th or 20th Century Europe. As if the Audience is also tagging along with Adventure. There is a sense of connection and pay-off. As Nadja travels around each country, new characters and new stories are introduced that complement the setting and the entire story feels layered in a way.

(Characters/ Main Supporting) (8/10: Very Good in My Opinion) (Contain Some Minor Spoiler)

When it comes to characters the show shines the best. Nadja is a dancer of the Dandelion Troupe, a Small Group of Circus Entertainers, which makes a living by moving town to town to provide entertainment for the locals in the area. Each Troupe member has their own unique personality and appealing side story to share. Some are ok while others have some really good back story to boot. Aside from Nadja and Her Troupe Family, there are also some supporting characters that have their own appeal, own story, and ambitions that shape the entire narrative. Some characters, for the most part, reappear in later episodes. Revealing their own character growth and development in the process made the show even more exciting as it continues.

There is some antagonist in the show that moves the story forward but there are some very despicable moments in the show that might ignite audience emotion into the wall. If you wondering how nasty are the so-called villains? I recommend you guys to check it out from start to finish to understand what I am talking about. This show knows how to give a really bad time experience for our main heroine.

Now moving to our main heroine, “Nadja AppleField”, for a classic late-century female protagonist, there isn’t much anything special to say about her. She is good for what she does in her role, serving as a mediator for the character's conflict, the voice of reasons, and the eyes and ears of the audience in exploring the world surrounding her. The only gripe I have for Nadja as a person is that she sorts of lacks an interesting personality. Sure, she got the looks of the main character, she is very beautiful, but she is very reactive in a lot of situations. There are moments in the show that her kind-hearted nature sometimes results in people taking advantage of her kindness. I consider this annoying. Luckily her flaws are corrected by supporting characters that compromise her weakness and save the day.

But Hey that’s what makes her likable in the first place. An innocent pure-hearted maiden that only wishes the best in a person. To me, I refer more proactive and dynamic heroines that plan ahead and knows when a person is taking advantage of her good intentions.

(Technical Stuff) (Art & Animation 7/10)( Music and Sound Design 7/10)

In the technical aspect of the show, for a 2003 anime, it's good and well polished. Given that this a 50 episode series where the art style and animation remain consistent. The aesthetic is pleasing though some character designs are rather dull. The only character that stands out, when it comes to design, is Nadja's design and the clothes she wears.

Fun Fact:
If you are wondering why it seems like the Key Art Style and Animation have heavy resemblances to some very cutesy style common in 2000’s magical girl series like example: Precure or Doremi look so similar. Then you are not wrong in making that assumption. Seeing in was made by Toei Animation Studio. Toei has a habit of making specialized departments to work on specific aspects of their other shows. In Nadja’s case, they used their magical shoujo division to create Nadja’s Design and other characters.

Music I think it's good for what it is. But wouldn’t say it's worth saving in your MP3 song list. The OP and ED are good for what they supposed to function. When it comes to the background music and sound effects it's Ok. Nothing special but classical music always works on the show set in the late century so it’s a pass.


(Enjoyment/ Bias Personal Opinion)

(7/10 Good and Memorable, But Doesn’t Give a Hard-Hitting Impact for Me as Person)

This is the section I will say both my positive and negative personal comments about the show base on my own flawed reference. There are things that I found amazing in the show that I don’t see much on other shows and at the same time, there are some very boring and jarring moments in the show that I wish the show will continue giving me that magic. The show has some very cheesy cliché and a number of plot conveniences but I know myself that Nadja is a simple show that has its own strength and weaknesses. And to be fair there are more good moments in the show that far out weight the bad ones. And for an anime aim for kids. It far exceeded what I supposed to expect it to be.

Back then when I was a kid, Nadja was like another Saturday Morning Cartoon for me. Now as an adult I see it as one of the good series the 2003 era has to offer. It has far more meaningful moral content that can be applied in real life. I can appreciate the people who made this has some good intentions in mind. Personally, I think it’s a good show that worth recommending to everyone that shares the same interest as me.

(Final Thoughts) (Overall 7.4/10 A show worth recommending to a few)

In summary, the show is all about Nadja Apple Field's life story but magnificently built upon collective stories of unique individuals from distinct places, cultural traditions, and social standing. You are given a variety of viewpoints to create a moral ground of what is good or bad with an added heartbreaking plot twist I wouldn’t expect on a show for kids.

I like that the anime's main moral lesson teaching follows the Japanese tradition of teaching children “omoiyari” or showing empathy to others, the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. In short caring for others. Which by the way, mature adults in the show teach Nadja when she creates a one-sided opinion on a person.

In a simple line of dialogue.

“Not all people are 100 percent good or evil. Everybody has their reason”

This line really hit me hard. Because this idea remains steady throughout the entire show. Most kids teach the younger audiences what a good guy and a bad guy look like but in Nadja. It teaches you to think and understand a person's situation. It encourages people to not draw out selfish conclusions in defining what a person is. A lesson that is more relevant today because of the advent of social media spreading wildfire of conspiracy about groups and specific individuals.

I might add, I didn’t expect this show to have complicated romances, social class conspiracy theory, and critical commentary about 19th and 20th Century mentality that seemingly controversial if ever talk about or look upon during that era.

I like the charm of the show is a mixed bag of sharing meaningful moral content and unnecessarily wackily looney quirks. Huge respect for this anime-original where the studio is making an effort to write a complete story entertainment for people to enjoy.

I hope when people watch Tomorrow's Nadja, the Inner “Noblesse Oblige” will surface in their hearts.

“With great wealth comes the responsibility to give back to those who are less fortunate than oneself”

“But Noblesse Oblige is not always giving material wealth”

“Everyone can give back in different ways, on any shape or forms that will truly help people to stand up in life”

Thanks for Reading.

If I could be given a chance to describe Paniponi Dash! In one sentence, I would say it’s a very chaotic and experimental take on the slice-of-life school comedy genre of its time. It mercilessly bombards you with random referential humor. It doesn’t follow a distinct format in delivering its jokes. Whatever Shafts in the creator's minds on what they think is funny, they will insert it regardless if it makes sense to the overall theme of the show or not. In most cases, the show is not even identifiable as a school comedy but a jumble of genres instantly shifting themes from time to ... time.

This review might have some minor spoilers but Paniponi Dash! the story is not the main focus of the show so you won't be losing much on the experience.

First of all, we need to discuss the show's story. To summarize Paniponi Dash! It's all about Rebecca’s daily struggles in managing her main class while at the same time confronting bizarre forces lurking in the corner as the story goes on. The only twist the story has to offer to differentiate it from the rest of other slice-of-life school comedy is that Rebecca is an 11-year old genius that graduated top university in America. After Graduation, she flew to Japan to become a high school teacher. . In my opinion, she is better off doing things that might benefit the human race with her self-proclaimed superior intelligence, than doing a profession she literally has no passion for. That alone for me as an initial story doesn’t impress me or appeal to me even if it’s just a comedy show.

But wait! There’s more! Not being satisfied for being just a plain old-school comedy. The show also has the audacity to add some sci-fi and paranormal stuff in the mix. It is revealed in the first minute of the show intro that Rebecca's intellectual potential has caught the eyes of these weird-looking mushroom head aliens and decided to monitors her every action 24/7. Does this show bother to explore an interesting story as to why Rebecca is special or explore the origin story of why is a genius in the first place? The short answer is no. It was never mentioned again in the next 26 episodes and the aliens only serve as trouble makers to do more weird shenanigans to Rebecca Life thus feeding the show with random SciFi and paranormal humor. The show even bothers to show the alien daily lives in a comedic fashion that serves no real purpose aside from Gag Filler. And that’s what will you expect in Paniponi Dash Main Story. The spoiler ends here.

The main heart and blood of this series is comedy. I usually put the comedy in a separate section when I made reviews for school comedy. But for Paniponi Dash! case, I will be talking about both the comedic elements and the characters side by side to explain my points on what I found funny and not funny in this show.

Let’s start with the characters first. I have an issue when a show has far too many characters and not a single one stands out or makes an everlasting impression on me. In your standard school comedy you might get 3 to 5 characters sometimes more than 10 but Paniponi Dash! has like 20+ plus regular characters and some other extras along the way. And not a single one gets a fair amount of characterization, fails to retain their sparks in a few episodes, or worst a few minutes of screen time. Taking into account the show bother to highlight some of them but don’t have the dedication to make the audience feel invested in them.

For a school comedy, characters don’t really need to be complex or written with layers of personality but they need to have some additional identity aside from their core punchlines. If you are going to use them for more than 1 to 3 episodes at least add a little bit of character. The only character I see that changes a little bit is Rebecca's interaction with her students and that's about it. Characters in this show are defined by their surface-level traits, not personality but particular physical traits that define their one-liner joke. For example, there is a character defined as looking bland and boring, another one describes having a shiny forehead while there is a girl describe for her hairstyle, not joking. Kind of an offensive joke trait if you ask me. And sadly, they never improve upon the status the show gave them. And we spotted the first problem of the show, the characters feel irrelevant. The show never invents new gag to make the characters funny, they continue repeating the joke over and over again in every single episode. It gets boring really fast. Sure, the first 1 or 3 joke getting repeating is ok, but abusively repeating it from episode 1 is pretty overkill.

Another thing I want to highlight is referential humor. I really don’t think this show nailed what makes those references funny in the first place. Instead of making a creative satire of the source material, they just added it there without any meaningful context thus a cheap knock-off parodies. I can forgive if the reference is in small amounts since a lot of school comedy does the same tactic but in Paniponi Dash! it is a constant barrage minute by minute that even the most hardcore of hardcore otakus might find overwhelming. Referential Humor occupies the majority of its episode runs.

For Visual complaints, not so much except for CGI NPC's is just an uncanny valley for me. Sure it's intentional for comedic purposes and it was already done before by other shows. But for me, 2D NPC's has some charm on it on not alienating its setting and characters. And that’s sums up my negative gripe with the show comedy.

Now after bursting the weight in my chest, let's move on to the interesting and funny part of the show that made me believe it’s not a total dumpster fire.

When it comes to jokes and humor that are not related to any outside media source, the show is funny for me. Simple conversations about daily living and personal interests are very engaging to watch. Added with some very enjoyable soundtracks between the comedy and the relaxing moments, the show has a good ambiance in setting the mood. Too bad this good trait of the show is overshadowed by the creator’s ambitious nature in making the show as explosives and chaotic as possible.

When it comes to creativity and animation, I give this show a pass. I can appreciate the sure amount of passion and effort place in the visual presentation of this anime. Combining 2D animation with real-life still images with eye-pleasing color choices. Even on complicated sequences like SciFi machinery and fast-paced action, the animation is very fluent and consistent which some other referential comedies failed to replicate. Studio Shaft also improves upon the art style of the source material making an extra plus in my book.

Final Thoughts

It is obvious by this point Paniponi Dash! sole purpose is delivering a different approach to the ever-developing boom of the cute girls doing cute things sub-genre. It's quite an experimental series since this is the time when Shaft is still trying new things to spice up the visual experience. I admit because of this experimentation the anime visually made an identity for itself at the time. Thought because of this trial and error pace took a toll on the character writing and possible potential the show can produce.

To me, the show can be a potentially good slice of life series since it has the elements. A relatable setting, relaxing atmospheric soundtrack, and probable likable characters if they were flesh enough. But that’s just me wanting the show to be more than just a wacky flavor of the seasoned comedy.

I can’t really blame the show if it decided to focus on the comedy elements since the plot itself is a joke. But it also works against its since the gag is so random and trivial, it gets less impact as the show continues. If the series lasted long enough before the comedic magic grew stale, I would find this show memorable and recommendable but it's 26-episode series that repeats its joke. It gets less and less engaging over time for having a lack of direction to its characters. I’ve lost interest around episode 7 when nothing is actually changing. I found it bad because of that.

When it comes to referential comedy, it’s always a hit or miss to me. But when it does hit, it’s pretty enjoyable. I like when they pay tribute and homage to very classic anime like Gunbuster and other mecha shows but that is not enough to keep my attention.

The very thing that I acknowledge and happy that Ponopani Dash! anime existing is that it gave way for better adaptations of series Shaft created with similar style and cinematic approach. They improve upon the same concept with Hidamari Sketch which one of the best Slice of Life School Comedy the studio ever made and Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei that perfected the comedic formula. Especially the usage of the same visual style in the Monogatari franchise. Thus establishing Shaft Animation style as a whole.

Final Scoring:

Characters Mediocre (4/10) Comment: Characters define by 1 line jokes and appearance. Need fleshing out to become memorable.

Story Mediocre (4/10) Comment: There isn't any plot, what you read in the synopsis is basically what you get in the entire show. Comedy is a hit or miss.

Music Good (7/10) Comment: Have a very good set of soundtracks ranging from calm to wacky. In my opinion, OP 2 is the best song "Roulette☆Roulette by by Momotsuki Gakuen Ichinen C Gumi". Very fun to listen to from time to time.

Art Good (7/10) Comment: Experimental and Consistent. It's a pass.

Enjoyment (6/10) Above Average Comment: There are times the show is very fun. There are times it's very boring. Since this is a referential humor-heavy show that is also very dated now from the time I write this review this 2021. Not all folks will enjoy it. I am already familiar with the culture and seen quite a lot of old media references. because I have no problem with most references and get some giggles for it.

Overall (4.9 or 5/10) Ok or Meh School Comedy Series Comment: I am saying it now. The only thing that interests me to watch Paniponi Dash! that serves as a stepping stone in improving Shaft's later works. The premise and appeal alone of this show are not enough for me to actually continue finishing it. To me, I only recommend this anime if they are looking for a wacky comedy made in the early '00s. Other than that they are even better off watching newer comedy shows if they want referential humor they can relate to. To me, this anime is a relic of the past that nobody is obligated to or a must-watch. But if you want to travel back in time to see what is Shaft is all about in 2005, go ahead and try it.

And Always Thanks for Reading

In a medium where the music genre is scarce but dominated by Japanese Pop with a few classical and traditional Japanese music stories in between. We do get some black sheep like Beck everyone once in a while that indeed opens a window of fresh air.

The anime pretty much pays homage to music it’s dedicated too which is “Rock ‘n’ Roll” and Soft-Rock inspired for its music tracks. Consist of good guitar plays and rock music that enforces the anime strength when it comes to the sound and music department. The show previews a lot of references on historically known western rock bands like ... the Stones, Zeppelin, and Beatles, and others alike. It also has some English that is good enough that it sounds natural even if it’s not purely grammatically correct from time to time. The English Dub version does polish the language further for the western audience. But I am here to talk about beck as a whole, not by the discussion whether the original Japanese or the dub English version is a better pick-up.

Beck is a story of growth, dedication, adventure, and trials in life. To succeed in the hardship in life, one must have hard work, determination, and a little bit of luck. This message is fully illustrated to the audience by seeing the daily life of our main protagonist Yukio, Tanaka or well known by the nickname “Koyuki”. We are able to see his growth from being an aimless, weak-willed, and zero confidence teenager to a goal-oriented, dedicated, and well-respected character over the span of 26 episodes.

It introduces us to a couple of interesting characters like Maho and Ryuusuke that stirred up the plot dynamics and Koyuki's motivation in life. Each new character introduce serves as a narrative of change in Koyuki Life that made the show move forward. Some characters remain static and some forgotten entirely at some point in the show, but there are other characters that got a fair share of development. Though for me, the show would benefit more if we get to know more about the other band members of Beck's side of the story, especially Ryuusuke story that I found more interesting than Koyukis.

When it comes to artistic presentation. Beck is somewhat a contrast to other show's art style and color design that is airing at the time. While anime uses multi bright colors and flashy character design for audience appeal. Beck throws that out of the water and chooses the complete opposite. Starting with the color choices, the show is consistent with dimmed colors like grey and dull colors that emit a small amount of light that made the show seems dark even in broad daylight.

The character design is much more grounded, with only a few features that distinguish them from each other. People will point out that Beck has low production value, on so why it doesn’t look like an eye-candy show, but for me in understanding the creator's intention and given it made by MADHOUSE, a studio that excels in varying styles and cinematic composition over the years, in my viewpoint this is intentional in the melodramatic mood and atmosphere of the show.

In conclusion, the show is worth checking out if you’re interested in watching something different in the medium. It’s down to earth from its platonic romance and its simple humor. The story is progressively steady pace, even if the time-lapse per scene is consists of days up to weeks skip within just one episode. The show has a lot of good soundtracks and my favorite might be "Hit in the USA" by Beat Crusaders and “Moon on the Water" by Sowelu. If only the show has more episodes and a much more solid conclusion I would love it more. I do admit I did get bored in the show's lack of spice from time to time but it's part of the experience. Overall a good show of its genre that I wish it could offer more. Because 26 episodes are not enough to finish the journey.

A story about mediocre characters band together that aim for something big even with the flaws and insecurity. Once you get past the unconventionally common art style and color pallet, you will be rewarded with an anime with good characters and some memorable music to stick in your own playlist.

Sugar Sugar Rune at the surface it seems like a typical run-of-the-mill magical girl series that follows the traditional formula dating back to its predecessors. It has magical transformation sequences, stylish magical wands, and crazy magical items that will make Doraemon proud. The presentation and aesthetics are glamorous. Certainly aim for little girls for its simplicity and amusing appeal. But exploring further down the line, Sugar Sugar Rune rather go a different approach in its theme that even teens and young adults will find it enthralling for its “Shoujo Romance Element” and character exploration that added uniqueness among its competition at the time.

The title has ... a rather unique premise and story mechanics that further enforces the shoujo romance that affects our character's motivation and behavior.

To summarize the story it’s about the adventures of Chocola and Vanilla. They are queen candidate witches sent to the human world to collect heart crystals. Whoever acquires the most heart will become the next successor to the throne and rule the entire magical world. The premise looks simple enough to understand but once the actual heart crystal collecting takes place, this is where the show actually shines its bizarre style of romance.

Sugar Sugar Rune's heart mechanics are more complex but easily digestible. They need to gather the heart crystal opposite sex by making them fall in love with them. Heart crystal varies in color depending on how deep the person has fallen in love with them.

What interesting about heart capture mechanics is that it serves as the introduction of the shows world-building. From the perspective of Chocola and Vanilla will have basic knowledge between the interactions of the magical world and the human world.

The Deus Ex Machina makes sense. We know they will keep collecting hearts from the individual humans so this kind of soft reset in the relationship of our heroines is quite essential for them. Though it may look like the show is working as an episodic guy of the week formula but there are always a consistent build-up and change of pace from time to time. Our heroines are learning new things on each new encounter and there always new things happening in the show that will keep the audience interest.

When it comes to the story the 2 main heroines, Vanilla, and Chocolate style of interaction provided very interesting dynamics. Chocala and Vanilla's personality and behavior are completely polar opposite from each other. Chocola is brave, daring, stubborn, naive, and outgoing while Vanilla is shy, frail, wimpy, level-headed, and strategic. But even with the huge differences Chocola and Vanilla friendship is solid until the end of the series. Even if they are technically rivals, their relationship doesn't falter.

In contrast in the magical girl series that has a lot of magical battles, Sugar Sugar Rune has less of it. Its magical battles are the show weak points for not being animation magic. Instead of focusing on making extravagant magical battles or transformation where the magical girl series are well known for. Sugar Sugar Rune is more like a “Slice of Life Isekai” where it’s about the daily lives of Chocola and Vanilla in the human world, where they learn the complexity of human emotions. Experiencing firsthand the sweet joy and bitter sadness of life that influence their motivations and character development while at the same time fleshing out some side characters among the way that makes each episode enjoyable. There is always a moral lesson to learn and feels a good moment in the show that made it a good slice of life.

The character art style is a combination of vampiric goth design and sweet girlish fashion. This also extends to the Magical World Design of being a Halloween town and Candy Land at the same time which blends creatively well. For me, Sugar Sugar Rune aesthetic is quite unique and the updated anime design from the manga is an improvement.

The OP and ED song has quite a charm for it and the soundtrack has some good moments and timing when it comes to the critical scene. Overall everything in the sound and music department is good.

And for added bonus, the magic incantation is not even random gibberish. If Sugar Sugar Rune doesn’t look European enough, it also sounds one for using a lot of French Word in its magic incantations. Like “Agrandissment” mean “expansion” in French. Expanding further consistently to the names of the character from the magical world like Meilleure, Chocola where “Meilleure” indicates expensive gourmet chocolate in French. And up to places in the magical world like Le Royaume means “Kingdom” in French. There is definitely a huge amount of research is dedicated to it.

Exploring the World Building Further (Minor Spoiler in this Paragraph)

Collecting hearts in the human world is pretty much essential for the magical world for it serves as currency. For example how the magical world economy work is that “Heart Crystals” value can range from “Crimson Heart” which means “Passionate Love” has the highest value amounting to 5000 ecure while a color “Pee Color Heart” is worth 5 ecure. This ecure value can be used as a commodity to purchase magical items in the shop. This item can further help chocola and vanilla in getting more hearts. These items can range from make-up kits that can make you prettier or up to special items that can make people attracted head over heels at you. This does make our girl's morality questionable for playing on other people's hearts. But in the magical world, this is just a daily job routine essential in the magical world. This also differentiates the magical world from the human world. The ecure currency also serves as a metric in measuring the 2 witch candidate’s progression.

Witches and wizards are forbidden to fall in love with humans. It will spell death or punishment for whoever defiles the rules. Wizards and witches have only one heart while humans can produce an unlimited amount which makes absolute sense.

Exploring the Franchise Further (Contains some Major Spoiler) (Go to the “Final Thoughts” if you don’t want to get spoiled)

Anime VS Manga

I don’t usually talk about the source material of an anime unless it’s absolutely necessary if I feel the show is incomplete or the ending is unsatisfying but Sugar Sugar ending just makes me feel I want to know more. The anime has left me with a lot of unanswered questions that made me unsatisfied. After I finish reading the manga this where I discovered the anime has some technical flaws and essential differences. First off is that the manga dig more into details about technical stuff that the anime just summarize and skip which is to be fair it’s doesn’t affect the core narrative but you are surely going to skip a lot of interesting details. Another thing is the complete diverge of story direction, but there is a reason for this. The sugar sugar rune anime ended in 2006 while the manga ended in 2007. From the start to the middle the anime and manga share a similar story narrative with little technical changes but a major separation in the story was made midway. Meaning the anime ending is an anime original. To me, the manga has a superior story pacing and lore that make every loose piece of the puzzle connected. But even with some shortcomings that the anime has it still a good standalone show even if you don’t have any knowledge of the source material. It just the manga become an essential read after finishing the anime for it will fill up the void of unanswered questions.

Final Thoughts

Sugar Sugar Rune nowadays is not for everybody because its art style, animation, and episode duration are not appealing to try out for modern audiences. But if you don’t mind the gothic cute art style and episode count while the same time looking for simple magical girl series without any too much elaborate magical battles. Sugar Sugar Rune is certainly a good magical girl series to try out. It has good humor, likable characters, an easily digestible story, and some good slice of life moments that is worth checking it out.

And if you still end up wanting more? I recommend reading the manga for the deep story lore.

"I'm gonna knock you out!" if you don’t read the manga!

An experimental take on the slice of life genre that manages to create an artistically relaxing piece of art soothing for the soul.

Hidamari Sketch is a simple slice of life anime circling around the highschool lives of Yamabuki Arts High School freshmen, Yuno and Miyako. As they adjust to the new life as living independently in the Hidamari Apartment, they are guided by their 2 seniors Hiro and Sae which also living in the Hidamari Apartment and attends the same school.

From the get got Hidamari Sketch story at its core is “Cute Girls Doing Cute Things” set in high school type of narrative which ... is now becoming a typical staple nowadays. But Hidamari Sketch was very unique and innovative for the time it was released in 2007. Back then the number of anime about "Cute Girls Doing Cute Things” is very limited. Most of the time the story follows the same pattern as Azumanga Daioh formula it predecessor in the anime medium.

What is unique about Hidamari is the way it executes its themes and concept. It created an identity for itself, more specifically on the visual art direction. The Art style visuals are a combination of cute hand-drawn animation with a mix of real-world photos of objects. Its seems kind of weird there is two contrasting art style but it doesn’t feel out sync with the 2D visuals. On the contrary, the two styles blend well with each other. It looks natural in the sense. It also has a very inventive way of illustrating certain scenarios that work with the show's overall artistic theme. It uses colors and symbolism to demonstrate that a person is deeply sick but sometimes it also features also dementia-like visuals. Sometimes I forget I am actually watching a slice of life comedy and not a queer psychological anime.

Hidamari Sketch uses warm and calming colors heavily on its visual design. This range to pink, blue, orange, grey, green, yellow for a comforting and cozy atmosphere. And with a combination of white and light color for a sense of purity, cleanliness, and peacefulness. It uses these color combinations to express the show's good nature of being laid back and easy going.

The soundtrack does an amazing job of complementing the show's overall mood. The music used is a rather unwind tone that has a soothing flow. The OST gives relaxing vibes that get better over time. Mebae Drive by marble is a good example of a relaxing ending song that delivers a soft conclusion in every episode closing. The "Sketch Switch" by Kana Asumi, Kaori Mizuhashi, Ryoko Shintani & Yuko Goto however is the opposite. The Op is quite a cheerful and energetic upbeat which is pretty fun to listen to at the start of every episode.

As for character dynamics, Himdari Sketch has a lovable set of main characters. Their interactions and everyday conversation are quite entertaining to watch every episode while side characters are also while compelling supporting character's roles.The short second gags are very funny on many occasions. You will also learn some Japanese culture along the way because some gag is based around it and might be harder to comprehend. Miyako is my favorite girl in the series for being energetic, outgoing, playful and purely care about her friends though she is a bit clumsy at times. Nonetheless a good comedy anime for its genre.

Final Thoughts

Hidamari Sketch lacks a linear plot on its episodes. The show is pretty episodic in a format where its first episode starts in January last days then skip to August then revert back in June in the same year. You can actually watch in any order want except for Ep 1 and Ep 12 which the intro and the finale of the first season. But even it lacks and plot or direction it manages to deliver its message around. Hidamari Sketch is primarily an anime you watch to sit down and relax on a hard day of work. The characters did well in reminding the audience about simple but good things in life.

Hidamari Sketch reminds me of Azumanga Daioh highschool comedy while at the same time the relaxing slice of life aspect makes of Aria the Animation Series.

If you are feeling like a yawning metapod with that want to watch something simple and relaxing. I highly recommend Hidamari Sketch's warm and comforting aesthetic display and elegant audio tone.