Back to KillerKip's Profile KillerKip's Profile

"It's best when there's nothing special."

That one line perfectly describes the entire series. Even if this show were just the first episode as an OVA, I wouldn't have hesitated to give it a 10. In fact, I added Barakamon to my all-time favorite anime list after the second episode. Somehow my gut was telling me that I would not be disappointed until the end. Unless you count the show ending as a disappointment in itself.

As in: "There are no more episodes ;_;", NOT "Wow, the ending sucked."

Story: 10;
The next sentence will sound very cheesy, so maybe grab some nachos. There is no story to speak ... of, because the story is life itself. The story can be summed up as "the struggle is real, but worth it in the end." From the synopsis, you wouldn't think you could relate to a "young, handsome, talented, narcissistic young man." Especially something as out-of-the-ordinary to a Westerner as a calligrapher of all things. I was half expecting Sei to be fairly unlikable and unrelatable as a character.

But really, you could be ANYONE and still find ways to relate to Sei's struggle as he finds his muse. This isn't just about an artist heading away from the loud city to find his inspiration in the countryside. It's about maturing as a person and learning to look around once in a while - you might find friends from all walks of life.

Art: 9;
The art wasn't anything outstanding, but everything was exactly as it should be. Character reactions were always funny when they were supposed to, and conveyed the proper melancholy all the same. What I really loved was the representation of rural Japan, especially in a few "inspiring" scenes.

Sound: 10;
The OP is catchy and the lyrics describe the show very well; didn't care much for the ED.

However, listening to the soundtrack while doing *anything* will give you the impression of flying in a hot-air balloon while wearing a particularly colorful party hat. And there is a parade of small forest animals all wearing very small party hats beneath you as you fly over them. (See "Kodomo no Kanchigai" and "Kodomo to no Kouryuu" from the OST to understand what I'm talking about.)

But then... the wind blows your party hat away and you feel strangely melancholic, and then nostalgic for a place you have never visited but is somehow present inside your soul.

The voice acting was spot-on for all of the characters (especially the main duo played by Daisuke Ono and Suzuko Hara). Finally, a child character played by an actual (talented) child instead of a grown woman with an annoying and squeaky voice!

Character: 9;
I'll be honest, aside from three or four characters, not all of them were memorable or anything. It was a shame, but some felt very underused. In fact, I even hated one of them. Even though I understand his role in the story was to give the main character some self-reflection material. He was plain annoying, and I can't stand his voice actor in anything but one role. Funnily enough, he tends to shut up in that role most of the time :^)

In any case, they shouldn't all be memorable. That's how life is. Think back to the most memorable days in your life, in any setting (not necessarily happy). Do you remember everyone in the room, outside, or wherever it was? Or even half of them? Unless those days were spent with just one or two people at all times, that's unlikely.

People are somehow just there at the right time to create the scene, and years after they fade away from memory.

ᴬˡˢᵒ ᴱᵐᶦ ᵇᵉˢᵗ ᵐᵒᵐ

Enjoyment: 10;
There would be moments where I couldn't get through 10 seconds of the episode without pausing to catch my breath. Some episodes would have me laughing my ass off in the first 20 seconds. Still, comedy is not the only thing Barakamon is good at.

I laughed, I cried, I laughed while crying, I cried while laughing. There was one scene towards the end where my mind was so conflicted about whether to do one or the other, I ended up doing neither. It was like seeing an old friend across the street, trying to yell their name, but as you open your mouth you hilariously choke on your words like in a slapstick comedy.

To me, making me go through such a range of emotions in quickfire succession is the mark of a good show.

Overall: 10;
If you haven't guessed already, I really liked the show. So much so that this will probably be my first and only review on this website. Don't get me wrong, I've had shows I loved just as much, if not more than Barakamon. I've had moments where I'd thought about reviewing Berserk 1997 (since I watched it 2 times in a row in the span of a week), or Welcome to the NHK. But even then I couldn't find enough words (or care enough) to properly convey my feelings towards them.

This show made me giggle like a little kid again. It made me wonder why I hadn't done so in a while too. After episode 11, I almost didn't want to watch the finale.

Then the show would never end.

ʳᶦᵍʰᵗˀ