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Expressing yourself can be difficult. There is the chance that nobody will notice your expressions or the chance that somebody might be irritated by them. Everybody has a different experience, but these moments of self-expression allow one's creativity to come through. Even if you are inspired by others, the end product is something that is unique to you. In Urahara, the idea of creativity is explored through three girls in Harajuku.

The anime starts off with an episodic format where the PARK girls encounter Scoopers and then proceed to take them out by using the amatsumara – items that are the physical embodiment of imagination. In ... the beginning half of the anime, there is a slow buildup of the plot. There is no set direction as to where the story will go from here, and the audience is stuck with cute girls fighting cute aliens for the time being. It comes off as repetitive and uninspired. However, as the second half of the anime comes in, we are given glimpses into the true nature of the mysterious Misa and the Scoopers. A new threat is revealed and explained, and the girls must try and fight against it. This half of the anime also provides more insight into the characters; it gives them more characterization by showing their flaws, troubles, and backstories. Although the latter half of the anime offers a more concrete threat and other important issues, there are moments here that are prolonged and seem to drag on. The girls' reactions can especially test one's patience – which can be annoying at times.

The PARK girls each have their own trope and assigned roles that they fill in for their group. Mari is the “ojou” of the group and works on designing clothes. Kotoko is the “cute nerd” of the group and works with the logistics. Rito is the calm “stoic” in the group and works with the drawings. In battle, Rito focuses on attacking, Kotoko provides support, and Mari deals the finishing blows. In general, the presentation of the characters leaves something to be desired. They come off as trite tropes. The characters are cute, but they are mainly flat and have tedious dialogue exchanges. The dialogue proves to be a challenge to get through at times when the characters keep an uninteresting conversation going and prolonging the duration of that specific moment. Moments where Kotoko was going on and explaining the situation in detail and when the characters were reacting to certain parts were not the most entertaining. Despite those faults, there is still some characterization to be had in the latter half of the anime. The girls' insecurities are explored, and you get a sense of understanding of where each character comes from. Mari has a desire to be popular and gain many followers, Rito wants her art to be recognized and liked, and Kotoko wants others to accept her quirky and inquisitive self. Each character goes through a moment of self-reflection, and they work on overcoming their flaws. Even Misa grows and learns something through the power of friendship and creativity. Yet, even with the characters getting explored more, you are still left with the same clichéd characters from the beginning.

The visuals are the most memorable part of Urahara as they maintain the creative element of the anime. A more stylistic approach is taken with colorful and vibrant designs mixed with sketchy drawings. Despite how rough and incomplete some of the designs look, it gives the show a unique quality to it that adds to its quaintness. Everything is cute, and the backgrounds are detailed with all sorts of adorable decorative features. One major gripe with the art would be the animation of it. The panels used in the animation may be considered lazy, but they could be considered as aiding in providing a different mode of storytelling – adding to Urahara's distinct style. There are also moments when the characters turn into chibis, and that adds to the cuteness appeal of the show. Despite these different techniques, the animation is lacking, leaving a desolate sort of feeling. This is apparent in the last major fight of the anime, and it comes off as disappointing and dull to have such a lackluster ending.

The sounds of the anime are nothing too special – the voice actors do a good job portraying the different characters, but some of the voices can get annoying if you are not into the "cutesy" types like Kotoko and Misa. The music itself is not remarkable. The use of orchestral music is prevalent and there are lots of whimsical sounding pieces throughout.

Overall, despite the flaws of the anime, the story is able to present its themes and ideas decently enough. The creative process is a daunting journey. Throughout Urahara, the characters go through trials and self-doubts of their own creativity. As seen in Urahara, expressing yourself can be troublesome due to insecurities, art thieves, and other obstacles. However, in the end, the characters overcome their obstacles and work toward their dream of working together in creating various unique pieces. If you are looking for a cute and simple anime with cute girls and visuals, this is the anime for you.