Are you ready for a bromance so strong, you’ll feel friendship tingles down the shaft of your peen? For romance elements so complex, they are no longer love triangles--but instead, terrifying, ever-growing love polygons of doom? For jam sessions so boppin’ they could make the late, great, Sun Ra tap his foot in his grave? Then my friend, you are prepared for Kids on the Slope.
At a glance Kids on the Slope is nothing more than a high school drama, akin to the hundreds which flood contemporary media. While I’ll admit that I do enjoy a show that makes me feel my proverbial ovaries rubbing
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against each other (it’s a guilty pleasure of sorts that I’ve acquired over the years) as well as the occasional bitch-tear from some of the more well put together dramas/slice-of-lifes that catch my eye, I often find the angst ridden filth which is commonly regarded as ‘adolescence in a nutshell’ to be utterly vexatious.
While easily misinterpreted as complaining, I do understand that I’m not a member of the target demographic for at least 90% of the series’ mentioned above and as a result of this I just tend to walk past that hypothetical garden of pubescent depression as opposed to trampling upon it and it’s eternally cherished flowers, despite people’s affection towards them being baffling to a man such as myself. With that being said, I’m also not a part of the target demographic for Kids on the Slope but that does not mean that I was unable to enjoy the fuck out of it. To put it bluntly, this is, at the moment, my favourite slice-of-life anime of all time.
And how could it not be? Set in the quiescent period of 1960s Japan, with a serene art-style and ataractic soundtrack, I often found myself lost in a sense of euphoria. While the pacing at first may seem quite slow, I believe that this is part of the series’ charm and works well to accentuate the insouciant nature of both the series and the era in which it’s set.
Accompanying its unmatched poise is the maturity (I’m sorry guys, but this translates to no prolonged gratuitous ass/panty/cleavage shots, unfortunately) in which the story is presented and a great set of characters. Not only could I compare almost every character to someone I’ve met in in the course of my life, I was also able to relate certain elements of each character’s personality to myself. Similarly, no character was your average cardboard cutout. Instead, each and every character had a very human feeling associated with them. Over the course of this journey, we’ll observe each of the main character’s flaws, attributes and eventual evolution into adulthood.
The premise for this slice-of-life drama was also quite refreshing, in the sense that the relationship which receives the most limelight is that of two males as opposed to a primarily romantic relationship. This unlikely bond between Sentarou and Richie will oftentimes amaze me when I think that this is the first bro-drama of it’s kind to cross my path. While for the most part, their friendship does reflect that of a lot of close friends; do expect some moments which gracefully tread the thin line between bromance and romance.
The animation in this series really is admirable, and this is most evident during the jam sessions. While concert performances and the like are no new occurrence in anime (especially as of late), in Kids on the Slope every drum hit, every piano note, every pluck of the upright double bass happens in time with the music and looks magnificent. The accurate animation of the instruments really helps bring home the notion that the musically orientated segments of this anime are not a gimmick but rather, help bring the characters together as a group while at the same time aids the characters in growing as individuals--as I daresay music does in everyone’s lives.
For those of you who feel as if you’re the paragon of masculinity but may want to try a slice-of-life, then look no further (there are multiple physical altercations in this anime, which is why I believe it’s a great starting point for those new to the genre). Similarly, those who merely enjoy jazz but find the genre a bit too intimidating to delve into will find some great artists and songs to add to your essential private shower performance repertoire. All in all, this anime is heartwarming, bitch-tear inducing and a must watch for any and all anime fans.
TL;DR? This may be a josei. However, it is a bro-tastic josei which can be enjoyed by anyone. I give this anime a 10/10 and while this is a highly subjective score, this anime objectifies everything I'm seeking when I make the infrequent trip to tear-jerker town. Its stylish aesthetic coupled with its awe-inspiring soundtrack serve to create arguably one of the best slice-of-life experiences I could imagine.
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Nov 8, 2013
Sakamichi no Apollon
(Anime)
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Are you ready for a bromance so strong, you’ll feel friendship tingles down the shaft of your peen? For romance elements so complex, they are no longer love triangles--but instead, terrifying, ever-growing love polygons of doom? For jam sessions so boppin’ they could make the late, great, Sun Ra tap his foot in his grave? Then my friend, you are prepared for Kids on the Slope.
At a glance Kids on the Slope is nothing more than a high school drama, akin to the hundreds which flood contemporary media. While I’ll admit that I do enjoy a show that makes me feel my proverbial ovaries rubbing ... |
