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[This review was also published in my Anime Planet account]

Hiromasa Yonebayashi is an interesting case to follow. This literal nobody who just directed his first feature film in Studio Ghibli ended up being the closest the studio has ever been to an answer for its future. In Karigurashi no Arrietty there is a lot of Miyazaki... in fact, one could say that it is a Miyazaki movie in disguise, and wouldn't be far off seeing his work in its writing and supervision.

Coming from somebody who absolutely adores the work of Hayao Miyazaki, Yonebayashi's debut feature took me by surprise as something that could not only ... hold up to its clear predecessor, but also, surprisingly, a movie that demonstrates a level of understanding about how this style works that is absolutely stunning for a newbie.

The story of Karigurashi no Arrietty is one of conflicting worldviews. It is of utmost importance that this contrast is enhanced properly by every layer of the narrative and the way it succeeds at doing so is perhaps its single greatest achievement. There is a constant sense of scale to its visual presentation and sound. Particularly for the first, there is a whole exercise in reimagination of the mundane from the perspective of the borrowers that I'm quite sure it would be the most appealing element of the novels and that this movie captures beautifully, showing an entirely different environment contained in a larger, more familiar setting. For the second, the use of sound effects to better capture the contrast in points of view between the humans and the borrowers is something astounding, specially with how it magnifies and reverberates them to create oddly tense and thrilling atmospheres. This is true specially for one of, or perhaps the best sequence of a Ghibli movie in the present decade. I'm talking about the first incursion, whose merits in aesthetic presentation for narrative contrast and escalation of the resulting conflict can't be emphasized enough.

But it's not like the aesthetic merits of this film should be reduced to its constant awareness of the scale. This movie also understands with surprising accuracy the principles of visual narrative that every Miyazaki movie holds. Particularly outstanding is the level of character acting in every instance. From the reckless enthusiasm of Arrietty, a fair mix of self-confidence and naïvety that perfectly comes to life in an early mirror sequence and later on we see shattered, to the tranquil gestures of Shou that show how his delicate health has left him sedated and weak. From the stoic but accessible look of Pod that Arrietty admires, to the pure nervousness that Homily is. Even the character I have most issues with, Haru, is a delight to see when the movie just focuses on observing her energetic and enthusiastic, at times oddly infantile, gestures that in a way also add a sense of scale in the conflict she generates. Another thing that screams Miyazaki from every angle is the attention to detail when animating certain sequences with filler moments, like the first misstep trying to scare away a raven or the inconsequential struggle of opening a deteriorated window. This "waste" of animation effort is something that I enjoy a lot because it makes a lot of Ghibli movies look more immediate and less scripted than the usual for this medium.

The scenery, as well, is worth the mention. I like two details in special: the scales of green color used for the vegetation of the garden and the use of weather to further emphasize overall feelings and create different nuances to the same environment. The soundtrack by Cécile Corbel, which combines instrumental and lyrical songs, has some slight issues at times due to aesthetic dissonance, but most of the time it works and adds to the mood, and is absolutely delightful to listen either way.

My main issue with this film is the storyline, and to be more specific, the last thirty minutes. Then again, the first time I watched it my answer was, I think, more negative than it is now, perhaps because I have been able to better identify the single major issue I have with this. It's not like there is a problem with having some action and tension, the problem is how abrupt the transition from slow and observational slice-of-life to this single-focused action feels. On the other hand, Haru is a character I have grown to like but I still can comprehend and empathize with less than others, and I think part of the reason for that is because she walks a thin line between enthusiastic and jerky, and the movie doesn't properly choose one over the other. She is a clear antagonist, but at times she feels like a proper villain and at times just innocently childish. It's a strange combination of traits and I'm not sure if they work well together.

That aside, I absolutely adore every other aspect of its narrative. The conflicting viewpoints of Shou and Arrietty, their growing relationship and the character development of Arrietty, and above all, the observational tone it sets for most of this narrative, taking its time to develop latent personal conflicts and filling it with routine sequences that help make the introspective journey fittingly slow-paced and methodical.

Overall, Karigurashi no Arrietty is a movie that I can't help but love due to how much it clicks with those aspects of Ghibli, and Miyazaki's filmography in specific, I am a big fan of. This is not entirely positive, on the other hand, and after all Yonebayashi's problems to develop a style of his own are still present in his filmography. But as an imitation, you don't get better than this one. And a great Miyazaki movie is always welcome, no matter who directs it.

Yuru Camp was a strange phenomenon to witness. An anime produced by a newish studio and an inexperienced staff, with a premise that looked about as basic and niche as it could, adapting a fairly unknown manga. Very few people looked forward to this show, and I was certainly not one of them as it didn't look particularly appealing at first.

And yet, it remains as the third highest-rated non-sequel show of its season, only behind two series that rely on more visceral and spectacular storytelling (Sora yori mo tooi basho and Violet Evergarden), with heavier themes and mood shifts. It is one of the best-selling ... shows of the season as well, increasing manga sales, selling a lot of merchandise and, as of today, tripling the amount of visitors to the campsites located at the Yamanashi Prefecture the series focuses on.

The thing is, Yuru Camp is a show about camping. And not even about camping as a side element or room for more potentially exciting character quirks. About camping in itself as an experience, with a cast of characters that develop an interest and are always looking forward to, and grow, and set their focus on the activity. For twelve episodes. With no tension, no character drama, no external elements getting in the way and certainly not a sense of danger or heavy uncertainty. It is strict in what it covers and straightforward in what it wants to evoke.

In a way, that was an advantage to the show. Week after week, this was a safe choice with a clear attached mood that people could get into knowing what they'd expect and the exact kind of reaction they'd get from it. Some people probably didn't like it, but they weren't vocal: it's not the kind of show that can lead to visceral hate. Not having any element that could generate controversy, it was only natural that the series grew through the season with very little negativity around it. The scenario for this backfiring was also clear: after all, what kind of appeal does this harmless fun provide compared with the more spectacular and memorable narratives of emotional struggle in its season?

It is hard to answer, and yet, it becomes so clear when you are watching it. Selling Yuru Camp is difficult, as one would need to rely on vague statements about its mood. It's quiet, it's soothing, watch it whenever you need to chill. That's it. I could end my review here and it would be the most straightforward recommendation because that is what this show is about: pure and unadulterated calmness and peace of mind. No more no less.

But that would be too easy and misleading. Because it's not the simplicity and straightforwardness what makes this series work, but an execution that depends on a careful combination of directorial, cast, music and writing choices that shouldn't be dismissed just because the aim of the show is humble and simplistic. It is masterfully crafted in each of these elements and almost nothing in it feels random or inappropriate for the overall mood.

Let's talk first about the visual aspects of the show. A lot of things have been said about the sheer beauty and detail of the backgrounds, the use of a subdued color palette that makes everything look more relaxed and soothing, the clever use of lighting and so on. Each episode provides a good amount of wallpaper material and they do a great work at enhancing the beauty of the landscapes. But I would like to focus on something this series really excels at and makes everything work even better from a visually evocative point of view: framing. Yuru Camp is a series about outdoor activities and one of the things it does better at representing their appeal is reflecting with its visual language how vast and surrounding its scenarios are, in comparison with, say, confined rooms. Even more difficult if you take into account that it has to convey these feelings through characters that are part, and are reacting to that environment at that same time. By placing the characters at the right spot of the frame and by showing an astonishing sense of space and depth of field, the series manages to effectively transmit to the viewer a feeling of belonging there, and observing the environment along with, and not separately from the characters. It doesn't feature any particularly elaborate or flashy cinematographic trick but it does everything well in a way that I think very few have. A zoom-out that reveals a wonderful night view, a panoramic shot with the character surrounded by the immense beauty of her environment, a character moving towards the camera to properly reflect the depth of field. It is consistently clever and efficient at this and increases exponentially the appeal of its scenarios.

The character designs leave more room for nitpicking. They have rather simple features, some kind of... questionable ones (what is up with those extra thin necks?) and overall they are designs that appeal to a fitting yet standard cutesy style. Past that level of simplicity, the thing is that they are actually very spot on in pretty much everything. They wear mundane and appropriate clothes, and the show has a surprising variety of outfits and styles for each of them. Particularly noteworthy is the big amount of aesthetic choices thrown around the character of Rin throughout the series, that make her quite visually dynamic and even leads to some running jokes with her hairstyles. Either way, I would not like to oversell the complexity of these character designs, since I think part of their appeal and also a very relevant fraction in the visual comedy of the show lie precisely in their simple and recognizable traits.

These general aspects aside, the show itself has a number of little issues in its visuals that depending on the person and the focus may look more or less serious. The animation in particular. It is clean, fluid and average or above average, always serviceable enough; but there's not much focus on movement and the series can look quite static at times. It has some surprisingly complex and detailed animation but it is not consistent with that and specially in its latter half it abuses montages of static and frozen panning shots instead. The CG animation of the vehicles feels kind of off-putting, even with the attempts of the series to make up for it by focusing on the depth of field of the shot; thankfully none of these moments last very long. However the biggest issue comes with episode 8. It is pretty much universally agreed that this episode is an aesthetic low in the series with clumsy animation and characters going off model way too often throughout.

Luckily, at least in my case, the flaws feel so irrelevant compared to all the great visual choices it makes that this aspect of the show remains impressive overall, with only a few occasional nitpicks here and there. What I'd like to emphasize the most here is that the visual language in this series is crucial and it is effectively conveyed with clever decisions and execution. The series manages to nail the cathartic and the mundane equally and is one of the most purely aesthetic anime experiences I've seen. And if you think that my views on the art are too positive, wait for the next section.

The sound. Oh, how do I even start with this. It's absolute brilliance from start to finish. The soundtrack is quiet and fluffy, even at its most playful it's just plain laid-back. Entirely instrumental except for the opening and ending, it constantly evokes the atmosphere of relax and uneventful fun that permeates through the entire series. However what truly makes this series stand out in this department is not in the tracks themselves, but in their use in context. It understands the music not as an accompaniment, but as an essential element of its aesthetics and narrative. And this is specially relevant in a season that, overall, did not stand out much in this aspect and took a lot of my nitpicks for otherwise great shows.

What Yuru Camp understands so well is that, yes, the music is fitting and sets a mood, but that shouldn't stop you from playing and being active and dynamic with it. You can't expect to play a beautiful song in the background, stop caring, and proceed to focus on the visual narrative and the dialogue, because no matter how good it sounds, it will end up creating an aesthetic dissonance. This series takes its effort to match the images, the frames and the timing of the narration with the soundtrack. It quite often makes use of sudden and accurately timed interruptions for comedic effect, it saves the most emphasized parts of the track for the single moments of catharsis and it perfectly captures the mundane. It knows when to stop and it knows when to start again, what track to use for each moment and how to make proper and emotionally (or comedically) effective transitions. If all of this sounds basic, imagine my frustration while watching other shows in its same season failing to understand this fundamental approach.

And damn if it's effective. The love and care put in this aspect of the show is astounding. Heck, if it even went through the trouble of creating a separate and fitting soundtrack for each of the campsite locations. That's some level of dedication out there. Seriously, the music in this show is something else. Even for its generally excellent delivery this is an easy standout.

The rest of the aspects of its sound design are also spot on. I love the effects, particularly those used to create atmosphere like the little ambient sounds, the wind breezing... that make the experience more immediate and relatable. As for the voice acting, the series has a very solid cast with a clear standout in Yumiri Hanamori's Nadeshiko. The way she nails the voice of her character, her sounds and her overall performance is essential to make Nadeshiko the cinnamon roll of unadulterated cuteness she is, and to do it with a character that was so easy to drive wrong has a lot of merit. Almost equal in merit and execution is Nao Touyama's Rin, a quiet type that is still perfectly empathic and entertaining to listen to, and knows how to add relatable nuances of emotion to a character that acts cold and restrained towards the rest. The rest of the cast all have fitting voices and add to the overall mood and the comedic effect of the characters, with another favorite of mine being Rie Takahashi's laid-back and playful role as Saitou. The energy of Chiaki and the soothing nature of Aoi are nailed as well and perfectly add to their style of humor. My only nitpick aside from some minor characters having more meh voices is with some little moments of Aki Toyosaki's Aoi. The character seems to have more creative freedom than the rest of the cast when it comes to the way she sounds, and at some points, episode 10 in special, that sort of rubbed me the wrong way.

With the visual and sound aspects covered, we can move on to the writing. And since this is just cute girls doing cute camping things for twelve episodes this should be fast, right?

Right?

You know it won't. I'm afraid you have to stay for a little while yet.

One of my biggest pet peeves with anime criticism is the, in my opinion, excessive reliance on themes. When it comes to a story focused on the mundane, that uses observational and incidental narrative and doesn't focus in a central point, prioritizing in your speech the talk about transcendence and depth of themes is artificial and uncalled for. And I have even seen it with this show. It's not like Yuru Camp doesn't offer valuable insight on certain topics, I'll get there a bit later, but to make it the main point of appeal of the series is, to me, missing the point and applying standards it doesn't aim for. And the solution is not to dismiss the efforts of this show based on the simple immediacy of its premise either, specially if such immediacy is carried through an observant perspective that has its inherent difficulty.

Why am I bringing this up? Because the writing of Yuru Camp is excellent. It is a definitive standout in its genre, and it is easily the most solid I could find in its season. The way it understands and applies character interactions through its entire run is nothing short of brilliant in its apparent simplicity and naturality.

The first element I'd like to tackle is the storyline. What I am about to say may sound surprising, but compared to other slice of life shows, I think the pure story aspect in this series is actually quite sophisticated, or perhaps I should say tightly structured. Contrarily to what one could think in a show that lives up to its premise of cute girls camping and having harmless fun, it has a clear narrative with perfect continuity throughout. All the characters undergo some sort of development regarding their interest on camping; some become more profficient, some start to contemplate other alternatives... The point I want to make with this is that in this show the narration is, above all, consequential. It constantly refers to previous events or circumstances, the attachment of the characters grows throughout and this development is kept as a basis for future interactions, both in the bigger picture and in slight and seemingly irrelevant details. This is true for all of them but particularly, as it's the main narrative focus, for the dynamics of Rin and Nadeshiko. Both learn from each other and we see how they gradually form an increasingly close relationship with some relevant transitions that have their emphasis in the narrative.

The main focus of the show is the experience of camping and the attachment to what it has to offer. Some people have said, not without reason, that the characters and the events are way too focused on camping, and that it is difficult to obtain a bigger picture of them when their lives and conversations are so conveniently reduced to their hobby. This never bothered me personally because I think the running theme of camping is more than enough to create a significant introspection to the characters, particularly because the very nature of this activity leads to a lot of quiet observation and naturalistic depiction, but I can understand this being an issue, particularly if you want to observe the characters in other situations or frames of mind, or if you get bored by the lack of variety of focus.

Speaking of its camping themes and focus, it also seems that a common issue among people who either disliked or don't share the enthusiasm for this show lies in the presence of a voiceover narrator who tells things to the viewer, serving as a tutorial for camping and giving advice. This is something I myself feel conflicted about, not because it bothers me personally, but because I honestly don't know how to draw the line and why do I find it acceptable and perfectly fine while other people feel completely unattached when it appears. To me I guess it has to do with how soothing the voice itself is, how it's strategically placed in the narration to avoid unnecessary interference with the natural interactions of the characters, or how at times it plays along with the characters and their mood.

Through its running theme of camping the show talks as well about friendship and opening up to new experiences. And where it excels at is not so much the inherent complexity of its themes, but the execution and particularly in the amount of right narrative decisions taken throughout to build a conclusion that is constructive and inspiring. One of the greatest merits of the writing in this series is how it never puts the characters in a situation where they are stated to be in the wrong or need to be fixed, despite the obvious contrast in their personalities and approaches. This is specially true for Rin, who is introduced as an introvert and loves camping alone at the beginning, and through the series she develops a liking for camping with people. But the loner Rin is still there for the entire series. And her introversion is not fixed either: it is an essential character trait of her and the other characters respect her boundaries. A good deal of the laid-back atmosphere in this show is achieved through the mutual respect the girls feel for each other. Nadeshiko, the initially hyperactive and potentially invasive personality that would force Rin to change, quickly understands that pressuring her is wrong, and lets her grow at her own pace. At the same time, she learns from Rin too, while not changing a bit of her outgoing and enthusiastic personality. It is very refreshing to see this sort of development, and it speaks volumes not only to the mutual understanding and empathy displayed by the characters, but to the narrative focus itself and the respect the writing shows for their agency and individuality.

Speaking of the characters, they could be defined by basic personality archetypes. As said, Rin is the loner introvert and Nadeshiko the outgoing enthusiast. This is also true for the rest of the characters who all have a set personality and defined traits. While some people have mentioned this as a negative, I don't think Yuru Camp suffers from having characters that meet an archetype or *sigh* "can be defined in a single phrase". This is mostly because the writing stays refreshing and keeps finding new ways to explore the set traits of the characters throughout. And above all, it puts a lot of care in their interactions and chemistry together and with the surrounding environment.

The key word here is spontaneity. Everything in this series is built around this premise. The dialogues are filled with casual banter, they have some exposition here and there without feeling like infodumps, but the conversations feel perfectly down-to-earth and relatable, which is even more fascinating if one takes into account how quirky and differentiable their basic character types are. And as a result of this comes one of the greatest, and probably one of the most unsung, merits of this series.

Take the scene with Saitou drawing a "funny face" in Chikuwa's photo. Take the Outdoors Club girls' silly imitations of camping objects and activities. Take the Santa Clangers, the "intense" chats between Rin and Saitou, Chiaki the evil kidnapper, Nadeshiko the granny and so on and on and on. There is something relevant around all of these moments. They are funny, but they don't need to. You don't need to find these jokes amusing in order for them to make sense because the ones they need to make sense to are the characters themselves. This lack of pandering is one of the things that put this show above so many of its competitors, particularly in the portrayal of friendships that, like any relationship, have their own codes and only make perfect sense to those who share them. Understanding this and not trying to tell the viewer "hey, this is funny, that's why they are laughing" but ultimately transmitting that the characters laugh because they genuinely, and no matter what you think, find this funny, is something I can never praise enough in this show. This is true even for Rin alone and her solitary interactions with her environment, filled with genuine moments of silliness and fun that are presented in the most natural way possible.

A running theme with these girls and their relationships is the use of technology and this is another little aspect that I think deserves to be further emphasized. Where most other narratives either try to establish a contrast or never give enough importance to technology compared to "real", face-to-face interactions, Yuru Camp understands and applies both as a continuum of each other. They use their phones to communicate, to have fun together, to organize plans and etc. Rin and Saitou for instance understand each other extremely well, and yet, most of their interactions in the show happen through a phone chat. You don't need to see them together in a room to figure out how strong their friendship and mutual confidence is, and when it happens it only confirms what we already knew. Another example is in the relationship of Rin and Nadeshiko and how they connect deeply with each other even when they are hundreds of kilometers away, to the point that at one scene Nadeshiko literally wants to chat with Rin and serve as a remote travel guide to her solo camping adventure because that way she feels connected to Rin's journey.

Last but not least in this talk about characters and writing, going back to the importance of spontaneity, comes the comedy. Now, we all know the issue about comedy so it's not worth mentioning it again. What makes me laugh won't necessarily make you laugh and so on. But I can't deny that I laugh a lot with this series. Maybe even more than I could expect, considering how little it does to try to structure its jokes as, well, jokes. In fact, this may actually work in its advantage and it's absolutely worth mentioning the lack of a consistent straight man routine in this series. Whenever the characters do something silly, they seem to prefer playing along than reacting in disbelief or pointing out where the joke exactly is. As a result, a lot of these comedic moments feel spontaneous and lacking a separated structure, and above all, they don't overstay their welcome.

Ultimately however, what makes Yuru Camp work and what explains its appeal to me is the synergy of all the individual elements mentioned above. Visual emphasis, soundtrack, character writing and storytelling combine to form a single and inseparable entity, which could only be achieved by putting individual care on each of them but also factoring a clear overall vision. The perfect embodiment of this lies in its conclusion, one of the most solid and appropriate I have ever seen in the medium, and which I don't think could even be possible had the show not been as carefully planned and integrated as it was during its whole run.


Wow, this review went a long way. I had a lot of fun writing this, but think I owe you all an apology if you reached this point, specially considering that I haven't even used the word "comfy" yet in this review of Yuru Camp. Either way, thanks for taking your time to read this absurdly huge piece of enthusiastic rambling, if you have any feedback or commentary on what I wrote feel free to tell me.

This second season of Yama no Susume continues the story of Aoi and Hinata from the first one as they, along with their two friends, keep developing their interest on mountain climbing while reaffirming their friendship. This is overall a cute and positive show with endearing personalities and an inviting mood. And yet, it has to be one of the most perplexing experiences I've had watching anime, and for many reasons.

I admit it, I didn't like the first season. With a premise that should have hit all the right notes in my personal tastes, I found the delivery dull and lazy, filled with the most ... blatantly regurgitated trope iterations and overall giving me the impression that I wasn't watching something genuine and sincere.

This season is far longer, the episodes have more time to develop its ideas and not feel too schematic and/or contrived, so in theory it should be able to fix these issues. And it, indeed, went way better this time. Yet if I had to describe this season in a single word, that would be "erratic". Extremely, bewilderingly erratic.

First, let me say that the art and animation in this show deserve all the praise that I can't fully give in other departments. It is a show about outdoors and scenery and it delivers with great shots and embellished natural landscapes. It has a lot of active and energetic character interaction and it's delightfully executed in movement and framing to transmit that feeling of liveliness throughout. The visual delivery is absolutely on point and that is something I can't deny no matter how I feel about the series.

That said, I am very conflicted about the writing and characters, and perhaps the most blatant example of this inner conflict came in the very first episode. The vibes I was getting from it couldn't be worse; the same essential problems the first season had in execution, with a kind of moe and cutesy imagery that felt so lazy, tropey and lowest common denominator that I couldn't get invested in its mood at all. And yet, there was a scene right there, when the girls finally set up the tent and enjoy their time together. That scene. That conversation in the tent. It somehow felt properly restrained, natural, authentic. It was exactly what I want and expect a slice of life to be.

To a point, I wish the entire anime was a consistent stream of serviceable mediocrity, somehow like that first season was, because this is more difficult to handle. "Irregular" would be an understatement for this show. It is actually brilliant, genuinely great and inspired, in bits. Some of its little sequences can rightfully be placed among my favorite slice of life moments of all time, and the series gets some themes and tones surprisingly well. For instance, one of the things I was most surprised about is that, for a series this positive and idealistic... it handles the negatives and adversities incredibly well. It knows how to deal with tension and inner conflict. The negative effects of Aoi's acrophobia are perhaps my favorite plot point of the series and whenever it plays a role it doesn't feel sweetened or overdramatized, but heavy and uncomfortable, and creates some of the best and most heartfelt scenes in the show. I could mention some other moments that deal with an amount of tension and conflict, like the semi-frequent quarrels between Aoi and Hinata, or that scene with Aoi trying to convince her mother to let her climb Mt. Fuji... and they all, somehow, excel at executing their particularly heavier moods.

But for every great there's a downside in this show and in this case it's the amount of monologuing and characters wording their feelings and concerns. Aoi is particularly guilty of that and it can get truly grating. It is cheap, it is redundant and it disrupts the natural flow of events. I can't fully express how much I dislike the choice to use them as tools for character exposition, and how often they managed to break my immersion in otherwise very competent scenes and conflicts.

In fact, in general, I don't feel much for the characters of this series. For the two main ones, I like them more as concepts than as characters themselves. While sometimes, clearly more often than the rest of the cast, they move me and hit home in a particularly brilliant way, I can't bring myself to getting this kind of strong attachment to them that other series manage to create. And it's not due to lack of merits: the premise of their friendship is really beautiful and inspiring, and their relationship doesn't have anything essentially wrong, actually managing to capture the little instances of conflict that also conform a friendship. I think it's worth noting, and to a point daring for the show and the overall mood it intends to create, that it tries to put emphasis on their bickering instead of reducing their relationship to the beautiful and wholesome moments. But with that said, I can't get over character quirks of Aoi that I find irritating, like the above mentioned, and while Hinata is more solid, she isn't in any way memorable to me as a standalone. The rest of the cast is rather forgettable. Kaede is... just there. I don't hate her, I wouldn't say I like her, to a point I appreciate her viewpoint and I see nothing wrong with her presence but nothing else. Kokona is a weird and ambivalent case. She is sweet to the point of type 1 diabetes, which I somehow can handle due to my high sugar tolerance but even then I can't help but point her as a character that is pushed far beyond the limits. And yet, there is some naïve childhood charm in her that prevents this excess from backfiring or resulting in annoyance.

I truly don't know what to say or how to sum up my views of this show. It is genuinely brilliant but at the same time it's grating and mediocre. It has forgettable characters but intense and breathtaking character moments. It feels fake and pandering in its amount of regurgitated moe gimmicks that are uninspired and overdone in execution, yet it somehow is able to transmit down-to-earth feelings that few slice of life capture with such efficiency. The highs of this show seem to come from nowhere, but they exist, and they make the experience absolutely worthy. That is what I can conclude, I guess. It was worthy. Irregular, erratic and a huge mess of an experience, but one of a kind. And somehow, I find myself looking forward to the third season.

Let's begin with some backstory. I first watched Azumanga Daioh in 2009. Back then I was an anime newbie and this would be my first completed series, which needless to say, was an absolute success. I adored every bit of the show and became really invested in it. And this didn't end there because over the years it has only become more and more obvious how deeply it shaped my tastes and perhaps my entire attitude towards the medium.

Two conclusions should be inferred from the above paragraph. One, I'm a fanboy. Two, I came late to the party. When I discovered the show, it was ... already a product of another time. It had its rise of popularity once it aired and a while later, but what I found here and there were the remainders. Understandably so, but also kind of sad. After all the idea that Azumanga has to be observed in perspective has never been convincing to me.

Of course we could all agree about its position as a genre codifier and how it became the inspiration of a trend that has since then attained a lot of diversity. This has been talked about many times. Perhaps too many. I mean, historical perspective is fine to respect and praise a show, but that won't make me like it more. And this series deserves far more than being reduced to an anecdote in anime history. To say that it has passed the test of time with flying colors is an understatement. It never had the chance to grow stale. Simply, because it's really amazing at what it does. And in a way, it's also unique.

The main quality of Azumanga as a series is its comedy. We all know however about the problems to establish a universal appeal for this genre. What makes me laugh and what makes my neighbor laugh is different, it is not a reaction that can be forced or taught. And that's why people refer to comedy as the most subjective genre. A bullshit statement, actually, but one that illustrates the point and leads to the inevitable conclusion: Azumanga is not for everybody. It never was and it was never intended to be.

That point established, I think there is a lot to be said about the comedy of this show, which I find near flawless for a number of reasons. The style is reasonably varied. There is slapstick as well as wordplay, mundane with absurd and even some amounts of surreal. However in every single one of them it's the delivery what makes them work. Azumanga has some nice quotes here and there, but it's not an inherently quotable series like other comedies may be. A simple phrase without context tells you nothing about how far the joke reaches. There is a lot of care in the show to craft each of these jokes and make the most of them. Particularly, timing has been brought again and again as a key element that makes these jokes deliver. And it's not surprising. Even those who dislike it and find the scenes too slow or too dragged would easily agree that it does have a strong sense of timing, wrong and misguided as it may be. For me, it is by far the best I have found in a comedy. The way it uses silence and pauses is so far unmatched to me. There are entire jokes that consist on pure silent buildup and they work. The pauses between the dialogues and reactions match the characters and the context, and they add nuance and are by themselves hilarious. An issue I often find, not only in comedies but in many stories, is that the characters will answer each other in an unrealistically spontaneous way, like a battle of wits. In Azumanga Daioh, characters pause and take their time, which can vary from functional to very awkward, to process what they experience. There is a consistent effort to make these interactions really come to life.

In addition to this, the aesthetic accompaniment is always on point. Overall, the visual aspect is probably the least fascinating of this show, particularly in terms of animation being often reduced to an austere functionality. However by saying this one would probably think that the quality of the joke can be severely affected, and it is actually the contrary. Azumanga seems to be very aware of its limitations and uses them in its own advantage. One of the most hilarious visual jokes of the show involves several poorly drawn stick figures dancing spastically around the classroom. The reaction faces and expressions are also less visually striking than one would probably expect in a show that relies so much on them, but they are very effective nonetheless.

With the points stated so far about its visuals it may seem that there is nothing particularly elaborate in this aspect of the show. This, while true to an extent, is also an understatement. The issue here is that it can be elaborate, when it needs to be and when it adds. Some really interesting shots, perspectives and visual effects are thrown from time to time, showing that there is potential. And believe me that the attention to detail and continuity can be really mindblowing at times. But by far the most impressive aspect I found about the Azumanga visuals is the color palette. This is obviously not a Makoto Shinkai or a KyoAni level of sophistication, however it adds a lot of identity to each scenario and it knows, very well, how to transmit emotions through colors, that add a lot of warmth or liveliness when needed.

The character designs are simple, but recognizable. I believe the anime does a fine job improving the standards of the manga in this aspect and making some of the characters more clearly differentiable. With very ordinary hair colors and simple hairstyles -except for Chiyo- and face structures, the variety is found mostly through their body complexions, their gestures and, whenever they are not at school, their clothing, which becomes a key descriptive element of the characters by itself.

In short, what makes the art of Azumanga work is not its technical reach, which good enough as it is doesn't really seem very ambitious, but the expert crafting of the material it works with. It's not fascinating, it's not excessively eye-candy... it is efficient. Very efficient. And delivers perfectly in a style of comedy that relies a lot on visuals, and somehow doesn't need to do anything over-the-top with them to work.

But what about the sound? While I can certainly understand that the art of this show may lack enough appeal for many people, the same can't be said about the sound design. To me this is as close to perfection as it can be, and as its stands, definitely one of the most severely understated qualities of the series.

The opening and ending can't be more different, but they both fit perfectly the mood of the show in their own ways. The first is a quite catchy, pure sugar-induced madness with lyrics that make no sense; the second plays a quiet melody of trippy melancholy, and lyrics that are equally nonsensical. Out of these two, by far my favorite is the ending, which delivers a mellow mood that I find perfectly fitting to end every episode of this show.

Except for a few diegetic moments, the rest of the soundtrack is instrumental, with pieces that are short, simple and just plain catchy. There is a clear intent to evoke the easy-going atmosphere of high school nostalgia through these and they do really well at it. But again, what matters here is whether these compositions manage to mesh well with the content. Needless to say, they do. Many scenes are so deeply shaped by, and associated with their musical accompaniment, that it becomes near impossible to separate the two. Like everything else in this show, the music adds to the mood, reinforces the delivery of the jokes, and is part of what makes many of its sequences iconic and immediately recognizable. In addition to this I'd also like to put some emphasis on the sound effects. They are simple, sometimes weirdly creative (wait... a car horn?), but for some reason they work way too well on me.

The voice acting allows for very recognizable pitches and fits each of the characters like a glove. I only have a few minor issues. Specifically, Osaka in the first episode sounds a bit off, like her voice actress was still getting used and trying to find the right tone for her, and some isolated instances of Chiyo sound a little too high-pitched for my tastes. Luckily, this is not the norm as both characters have wonderful voices that work perfectly 99% of the time, such as Tomo's, Yomi's, Sakaki's and the rest, each in their own style. What makes all even more amazing is that their performances excel not only in the tone, but also in the pace. The case of Osaka stands out in particular, with a voice that is the embodiment of chill and drags the viewer into a dreamlike state every time she talks.

Moving on to talk about the characters. This is the central aspect of the show and likely the easiest to talk about, since there is a lot of stuff to mention. The reason is that Azumanga Daioh is strongly character-based. They drive every single aspect of the narrative, and therefore their presence is what gives cohesion to the series, what justifies every aesthetic and storytelling choice and what makes Azumanga ultimately what it is. The personalities fit comedic roles and tropes, and can be labeled easily in that surface level, but I think there's a lot more to each of them.

Chiyo is the closest this series has to a main protagonist. An impossibly cute ten-year-old who happens to be a child prodigy and skips five grades all of a sudden, becoming an endless source of cuteness and being admired and supported by her new classmates, who see her as some sort of mascot. However that is not all there is about her and for a character that is so implausible in her premise I find her realism very refreshing. Hanging out with people that are older, you can notice how difficult it is for her to understand certain things, and that childhood innocence is often an object of light teasing. She is booksmart, she can understand academic concepts and apply them, but she's also immature and childish, and it shows. When somebody makes fun of her favorite baseball team, she gets mad. When a typical teen conversation is brought, she feels completely lost. Her obsession with growing fast and catching up with her classmates is there, and also the increasing passive-aggressive tolerance she grows towards Tomo's antics. What makes Chiyo so great is that she systematically avoids a reductive approach to her character and comes off as way more multi-layered and dynamic than she initially seemed to be.

Sakaki is the shy and introverted girl who appears to have an intimidating presence. She is initially played as a character who seems difficult to approach by her classmates and by being accepted in a group of friends she gradually opens up. And bold "gradually" here. If there is something that truly resonates in this character to me is how, even when she has attained a stable group of friends, she still feels and behaves like the odd one. I'm not talking about individual quirks all the other characters have, I'm talking about the group not being able to understand her or her feelings (resulting in some instances of surprisingly abstract and non-sequitur comedy), her not engaging into conversations so often and being reserved even with them. You don't fix lack of self-confidence overnight and that is something the show understands brilliantly with her. Sakaki is the one who has the most consistent character arc, if not in terms of focus (though she at least comes close) at least in terms of linearity. I have a soft spot for her for personal reasons and I think it's a wonderful display of this character model.

Next comes fan favorite Osaka. Oh, what can I tell about her. My favorite character not in the group, not even in the series, but in the entire range of the anime medium. The point is, she does not have a dramatic character arc and she is quite static in the sense that she doesn't seem to grow significantly through the series or become any better or worse at anything. However what makes her stand out to me is her base personality, which is just that great, so much that it becomes an endless source of comedy. To know what I'm talking about: we have a girl who is the literal definition of quiet and mellow, and so easily distracted that she will get asleep in class in a regular basis or lose any train of thought as soon as it comes to her head. However that is not the only thing about her as her logic operates in a truly different wavelength, one that you can't either call genius or stupid, just so distinct and unique it stands out. Add more character traits out there: odd skills for puns and lateral thinking, rather creepy sense of humor, absolute lack of self-discipline and just plain laziness. The possibilites all of these offer for interaction are huge, and just her presence in an eight-second still frame letting me guess how her brain is operating and processing things that precise moment is enough to crack me up. Everything is slowed down around her, everything feels nicer and more pleasant when she is there. Osaka is not just a character. Osaka is a mood alone and by herself.

I can't help but start talking about Tomo and Yomi as a single entity, as their character dynamics are very tightly tied to each other, working as some sort of "odd couple". Their interactions match the typical boke-tsukkomi that is very common in Japanese comedy, with Tomo being the noisy idiot and Yomi being the straight man. Two polar opposites that somehow complement each other so well that their conflicting friendship is probably, by far, the most solid of the group. What I find most interesting about this beyond the comedic delivery is that there is an actual, tangible sense of mutual respect in both of them, that they would never admit but it's there. This is less obvious with Tomo, whose wildcat personality is not prone to self-reflection, but Yomi at points really seems like she enjoys and wants to indulge in the same view of life her friend does. Yomi herself has a quite interesting personality. She is a hard worker and projects some strong self-confidence that kind of hides but not completely her own quirks and insecurities, which Tomo knows better than anybody else, to her dismay. In the end she is probably the one who needs to get away from her own personal concerns the most, and there is something in there about the way she talks about and acts towards the group that truly resonates. Tomo on the other hand could be summed up as an eternal waste of energy who loves to poke fun at her friends and annoy them. The kind of personality you need a lot of time to tolerate, let alone hang out with and find amusing. However, if Yomi hides insecurities, Tomo's attitude seems to be the product of insecurity itself. She wants to be the center of attention all the time and has serious displays of envy when others perform better than her at this.

The final member of the sextet comes a bit late to the party. Kagura is, like the rest of the cast, a character I like a lot, however I would not call her exactly a personal favorite. That is partly a byproduct of something that could actually be seen as a positive compared to the others. The point is, her set personality is more ill-defined than the rest. Yeah, you could say she is the resident tomboy but it's not like that defines her spectrum in its entirety, not even a significant enough fraction. And similarly to her other traits. She is competitive, yes, but it doesn't affect her relationships that much. She is stupid, yes, but not in an obnoxious or particularly remarkable kind of way. She is also very kind and prone to help, but it doesn't play a specially crucial narrative role in the character. Her personality is more down-to-earth than the rest, less veering to extremes and more about reaching a common ground. Which is kind of weird in a series about, precisely, flashy and contrasting personalities, and makes her role in comedy sort of secondary even when she is an integral part of the group. For that reason I think she performs better at more serious or emotional instances, which sadly for a character with this potential, are not the most prevalent aspect of Azumanga Daioh.

Finally, in this set of main characters we have to count the teachers. Yukari and Nyamo become very prevalent in the narrative of this series and they represent the adult approach... sort of. Maturity is not really their most prevalent trait, and for the most time their interaction is filled with childish taunt and arguments due to their extremely conflicting personalities. You can think of them as grown-up versions of Tomo and Yomi, following very similar patterns. While this sounds like lazy writing and I certainly do see where people come from when they bring this up, the quite noticeable differences between this couple and Tomo & Yomi, particularly on the subject of their conversations, their reactions and the extremes they reach in their personalities, allow to add nuance and display some interesting commentary here and there. The main one is that they are adult characters in an adult environment, who are pressured to act according to social standards that are way stricter. In that sense, the consequences of their behaviour are obvious, and while under the same base personality Tomo appears as silly and ultimately harmless, Yukari is reckless and transgressive. In a series that presents adulthood as the inevitable conclusion, the presence of these two teachers stands as the remaining trace of a rebellious spirit. Nyamo is worried about her long-term future as she feels she gets old and hasn't fully conformed to the standards of her age; Yukari just doesn't care, as if she simply refused to grow up. With this I may be putting too much emotional package on what is otherwise a hilarious comedic duo that just happens to work like that most of the time, but this in particular is explicitly tackled in the show and the result is really satisfying, and it added a lot to the series in my opinion.

There are still other characters that play minor yet mildly significant roles. Kaorin, a classmate who develops a huge unrequited crush for Sakaki, is probably one of the very few frustrations I have with the series because I feel her being relegated to a -most of the time- side role took away a lot of what this character had to offer. Her personality would have been very interesting to explore more in depth and in more situations aside from her standard running gags. Other than that, she is just absurdly cute and the series uses her as an excuse to deliver a lot of great visual jokes through her reactions.

And finally, we get Kimura, who is often cited as the most controversial aspect of Azumanga. One of the very few male characters of the show and the one who has the most presence, he is a teacher who happens to be a creepy pedophile... except he's a genuinely great person and family man... except he's sick and disturbing... except... well, you get it. A duality that is played for laughs and has understandably bothered some people in an otherwise harmless show due to the seriousness of the topic it nonchalantly jokes about. Some have, on the other hand, claimed that he is meant to represent and parody the perverted trends of the viewers and therefore defend his presence on the show as some sort of satire. Understandable as they may be, I don't particularly share these interpretations, and the main reason why is that Kimura to me appears so surreal and outlandishly absurd that I can't take him seriously as a representation of anything.

I would go on describing each of these characters and how the show puts a lot of great emphasis on their individualities, but the truth is, in this kind of series you wouldn't go anywhere if there is not chemistry among them. Luckily, that is not the case because these otherwise hilarious and interesting personalities really shine when they are combined with each other. The amount of quirks, jokes and character exposition we get from these characters increase exponentially through their interactions, and the significance they manage to acquire can be mesmerizing. After all, this is a show about interaction, and this is where it is at its absolute finest. Particularly, what it understands exceptionally well is that the nature of relationships can be fundamentally different even in the same group, and there's a big enough difference in the way Chiyo for instance treats and approaches Tomo, Yomi, Sakaki,Osaka and Kagura. Expand that to each character in the relationships they grow through the series and you get a rather complex and very well thought out microcosm that brings a lot of nuance not just to the individual characters but to the whole group.

But in the end, what is the point of this? What is Azumanga Daioh about? Well, you may have heard that common expression that is always up there when a series of this sort is brought. "It is a show about nothing".

Please never bring this again. Please.

I'm joking of course, and it's obvious and understandable why one would state this. There is not an end goal to this story and characters don't face hardships. Due to the eventful nature of regular fiction, the absence of this is enough to label it as a fine and simple "nothing happens". The problem is, the "nothingness" of Azumanga is far richer and more expressive than this simplification may make it look, and while I don't have any problem with selling this show as a relaxing and laidback piece of simple fun in contrast with other more stressful and thrilling pieces of fiction, I feel that it diminishes a lot what this show has to say in the several relevant topics it deals with through its run.

I would probably reduce the storyline of this show to three main themes. The first one is obviously, as this is a slice of life, routine. Through its 26 episodes, we get a reasonably detailed view of how school life is, the events, the regular classes and the holidays, for three years. We observe the characters in several routinely environments and learn from them through this exposition, while understanding them as part of a dynamic narrative. One of the most defining traits of this show on this is how ideally happy and inconsequential it is. There are not big conflicts at school, the main characters never get into complicated romantic plots, and people in general are very nice to each other, leaving a comforting feel that helps to see this whole scenario as the evocative ideal it intends to be.

The second one is friendship. Azumanga after all is a story about the consolidation of a group of friends, observing their interactions and the subtle changes in the way they approach each other. I have covered this in a way when I talked about the characters and their growing and dynamic relationships, so I won't expand my thoughts too much on this one, but I'll just say that the final scene of this show works mainly as a reaffirmation of this theme, and it is one of my favorite anime conclusions of all time. This is a fine measure of how powerful and resonant it is to me.

And last but not least, transience. This may not be apparent at first, but trust me that it will permeate when the journey is over. It is implied in the structure of the show as it deals with a stage in life that is transitory and has clear boundaries, and the concept of time passing is everywhere in it. It is a story strictly about the three years of high school and doesn't go anywhere before and after that, and there is a linear narrative with a very clear progression towards the end of this journey. This clear delimitation of time and space serves a purpose that is at times directly mentioned, like in the victory parade scene or as the main theme of episode 19 (both of which are additions from the anime, by the way), where characters become aware that things are not going to be like that forever and need to face the eventual change. But above all it is something that is there in the background as a constant factor and ties everything to a major reflection on life and the way one should conceive it. It is certainly nostalgic, but it is in no way reactionary; since change is inevitable, better enjoy and make the most of what you are now.

In the end Azumanga is not about deep topics with complicated reflections. You will probably not find anything challenging or thought-provoking in here, and it's not its intention. However there is some artistic reach in its simplicity and the execution underlines its significance in ways that to me, personally, have permeated further than many other shows who were heavier in narrative content and theoretical implications. How much and how well this works is up to the viewer, so I am not going to pretend like this is a universal reaction when it's far from that. However I think that the content and narrative of this show deserves at the very least to be talked about, and hiding it behind a phrase like "nothing happens" or "it's about nothing" looks condescending to me and keeps on evoking the idea to future viewers that it really has nothing to say, which I do not and will never agree with.

The anime is based on a 4-koma manga, which for those who don't know is basically a collection of comic strips. Oddly enough, in terms of content it is very loyal to its source, despite some of the jokes not being adapted and them being displayed in a different order. In addition, the anime has some additional content like the above mentioned, but it's very well combined with the whole, and doesn't feel like filler at all. There are a few minor differences in tone, particularly on the way some jokes of the manga are adapted, that make the anime look more amiable and less cynical, and at the same time there is more emphasis on this nostalgic feeling and transience, however these are circumstantial and I believe they are a near-perfect representation of each other. I would recommend the anime if you liked the manga and vice versa because they are enjoyable in almost equal terms, though I lean towards the adaptation. There is something about the inherent difficulty of translating the rigid pacing of the comic strips to the continuity of an animated narrative that I admire a lot, and the way it manages to deliver the same jokes and concepts by having to reconceive their narrative structure in their entirety is one of my favorite things of the show. I said before that the timing was brilliant, and this is probably the most blatant testimony of this.

Overall, I can't recommend Azumanga Daioh enough. It is random, consistently hilarious and among the most rewatchable of all comedies I've seen. That alone would be enough to place it as a solid recommendation, but it is also a very tightly constructed show with a strong sense of identity and an execution that hits all the right chords and elevates its narrative simplicity and straightforward messages to a higher and more transcendental category than expected. And I insist on this: it is not a complicated show in theme and narrative, it is simple. But to make this simplicity work to the reach it gets in here you need mechanisms that are far more complex and deserve a lot more spotlight than they are usually given. If you want to extract a conclusion from this whole wall of text, let it be that this series is just exceptionally good at what it does. No more, no less. And that, simple as it is, requires a lot of work in the right direction.

Gintama is the perfect anime comedy. Everything about it is perfect, you can watch any episode at random and it will be the absolute best choice you make this day! Go watch it! Stop reading!
(long pause)
+THAT'S IT?? THIS DOESN'T EVEN QUALIFY FOR A REVIEW! THIS IS NOT EVEN YOUTUBE COMMENT TIER!!
You don't understand, dear Shinpachi. If I told something else my text would reveal too much about myself and people wouldn't like to watch the show.
+Now you are making dumb excuses, aren't you?
So this is the end of the review. And remember, watch Gintama! This is everything that matters.
+NO!! WE ARE DONE? WHAT ABOUT THE ... REASONING? AND WHY DO YOU SOUND LIKE YOU ARE BEING PAID BY SUNRISE?
Fine, fine. Then we'll make something else. I have a revolutionary idea. An interactive review!
+How does that work?
Easy! We only need to pick random phrases from previous reviewers and form a cohesive text. Like this!

The characters convey a sense of visual individuality that at times goes beyond that of other shounen anime, although this is tempered with a small degree of genericism that allows the humour to flourish. They're imaginative, memorable and varied creations, each unique and appealing in their own different way. The main characters present incredible amounts of enthusiasm and are the real driving force behind Gintama, but certain members of the unbelievably vast supporting cast are almost as integral in their own right. Most of them are used for one or two jokes and that’s pretty much it.
+HEY!! STOP IT! MAL IS GOING TO SUE US! AND YOUR PARAGRAPH DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE!
Fine, we'll try with another type of review. Ah, MAL loves nostalgia! Let's go with this!

I remember when I was just a little kid, playing with my toys, going to school and having fun all the time. Every evening I was the first to leave the classroom and go home, so I wouldn't miss a single episode from Gintama...
+What are you talking about? You were an edgy teen when Gintama first aired! These memories are fake!
But does it really matter if these memories are real or fake? The important thing is that they permeate with the viewers and help us manipulate them and take control of their poor souls.
+Psst, Jal, they can read us. And what is this evil scheme for a review anyway?
Okay, okay, I get it. Maybe it's time to bring the technical review.

The Amanto, aliens from outer space, have invaded Earth and taken over feudal Japan. As a result, a prohibition on swords has been established, and the samurai of Japan are treated with disregard as a consequence.

However one man, Gintoki Sakata, still possesses the heart of the samurai, although from his love of sweets and work as a yorozuya, one might not expect it. Accompanying him in his jack-of-all-trades line of work are Shinpachi Shimura, a boy with glasses and a strong heart, Kagura with her umbrella and seemingly bottomless stomach, as well as Sadaharu, their oversized pet dog. Of course, these odd jobs are not always simple, as they frequently have run-ins with the police, ragtag rebels, and assassins, oftentimes leading to humorous but unfortunate consequences.

Who said life as an errand boy was easy?
+THIS IS NOT A REVIEW! YOU JUST COPIED THE SYNOPSIS AND PASTED IT!
The perfect objective review.
+TAKE IT SERIOUSLY!
Oh my God, you are so difficult to please, Shinpachi. This is MAL! We should be able to get away with anything!
+DON'T SAY THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF A REVIEW!
What is your pick then? I'm so tired... Maybe we should stop being pressured to please everybody. You know, this text is meant to be personal.
+BUT NOBODY IS LIKING IT!
Jeez, this is exhausting. I'm taking a nap. You take care of the rest.
+HEY! WAKE UP, YOU ASSHOLE!
Alright, you know? Do it yourself. Bring your awesome idea and I'll join.
+Maybe we should start our review with a memorable quote from the series. Something that feels both epic and representative and convinces our readers to watch this show.
Fine, I'll go with your second-rate idea. Like this?

"My anus is bleeding!" - Kagura, episode 270
+NO! WHAT KIND OF QUOTE IS THIS? IT'S NOT EVEN IN THE SHOW! And what is supposed to be epic about this?
Well, it is quite accurate for the mood of the show...
+You have a point there, but what is so epic about this? It sounds like the catchphrase of some obscure rejected cartoon!
Agh, I get it, I get it! Let's do it your way!

""Listen… I don't care what you do somewhere else in the universe, but anywhere within reach of my sword, is my country!" - Gintoki Sakata, episode 13
+Finally! This sounds perfect!
Gintama is anime comedy in its ultimate form. A long-running collection of anecdotes, quirks and a playful narrative that mixes some serious with tons of crazy fun, the series has caught the attention of the viewers due to its creative and irreverent style of comedy and its flawless delivery. Over the years it has gained a well-deserved cult status and a growing dedicated fanbase that receives every following season with renewed enthusiasm. And the staff has answered properly by keeping a standard of quality that is unmatched in such a long run, with clear and crisp visuals and an animation that captures both the choreographied movements of its fascinating fight sequences and the awkward quirks and gestures of its routine comedy, and a soundtrack that after so many years keeps adding pieces that resonate and become the perfect accompaniment for any mood the show intends to create.

But we all know that the aesthetic presentation is not the only thing that matters, and in the case of Gintama, it may be subsidiary. So, what is the secret of its success? Is it worth investing this huge amount of time?

The Gintama Review Show will be back after these messages.
+OOOOOOOII!! WHY ARE YOU INSERTING A CLIFFHANGER AND A COMMERCIAL BREAK IN A REVIEW?
Our readers need time to assimilate the information we provide.
+You haven't said that much. Do you really trust our readers? Besides, they can just scroll down and ignore this filler nonsense.
We are back to The Gintama Review Show. In the previous episode...
+WHY ARE WE DOING RECAPS NOW? THIS ISN'T EVEN A SERIALIZED PROGRAM! JUST GO ON WITH THE REVIEW!
Jeez, you must be so fun at parties, Shinpachi. Okay, let's continue where we left it.

The answers to these questions lie obviously on the writing department. After all these years the jokes of Gintama haven't grown stale despite being based on predictable quirks and outcomes. How is that? Simply, because the characters form one of the most well-rounded casts an anime series has ever displayed. Each with their own individual personality traits, that complement each other and offer hundreds of possibilities for interaction. The fact that Gintama is such a vast and open world helps as well by keeping the series fresh. Almost anything is possible in the realm of this show, from dirty to complex fourth wall jokes, from hilarious slice-of-life to far-fetched premises. And this huge variety of scenarios forms a cohesive whole thanks to a large bunch of characters that remain solid and recognizable through any of them. The voice acting for each of them is spot on and makes sure that the quality of the delivery is at its highest every time, and in the end, even in the least amusing bits, you can't help but enjoy the little interactions between characters and quirks you have grown so fond of.

In spite of the above stated, Gintama is a series that is doomed to be divisive. Comedy as a genre almost guarantees irregular reception from the viewers and this is no exception. On the other hand, such a long run is an investment and people may feel pressured by the insane amount of episodes they have to go through. It is commonly agreed as well that it starts very slow, and the huge variety of "Gintama gets good after the first X episodes" newcomers get from fans can be exhausting. On that matter, I suggest to just try and establish your own pace. One of the advantages of this series is that you can leave it and go back to it any time you want. It is structured in either episodic stories or short standalone arcs, making it an ideal anime to watch under this routine. And if you eventually get tired, feel free to leave! Nothing is less recommendable than struggling through a show that is supposed to be laid-back fun 80% of the time.

In the end, this is a show I am very fond of and I will very happy to see people trying, no matter if they end up liking it or not. I don't know you, and you don't know me, but if you ask me "Is Gintama worth it?" I will always be glad to answer something like [url=https://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=1353749#msg38178609]this[/url].
+Pssst, Jal! BBCode is disabled for reviews!
And why didn't you tell anything? Now my conclusion sounds stupid as hell! Nobody is going to like this! Nobody will find it helpful!
+We can fix it! Just focus a little more on it! You were doing well before!
Shinpachi...
+What?
Time's up.

"Porco Rosso" is a striking rarity in the Miyazaki career, and one that will probably require a bigger effort from the fans to understand. It plays with different themes than his other works; for instance, there is not an interest on developing an enviromental message, or at depicting a major conflict involving humanity and nature. The story is closer to the coming-of-age intimism of "Spirited away", "My neighbor Totoro" or -his script- "Whisper of the heart", yet it takes a radically different focus. In fact, if I had to point a similarity among his films, the one that fits better to me is "Lupin III: ... The castle of Cagliostro".

On the other hand it is unique because of the world it builds around. Any fans of classic Hollywood will be pleased at the amount of homages that are spread through the story, both in individual scenes and in tone. This movie holds many similarities in its more dramatic part, both aesthetical and story-based, with "Casablanca"; and the slapstick comedy that is there through the whole storyline, softening the conflicts and relationships of the characters, resembles "The quiet man".

This polarity between a heavy character drama and a dreamy comedy may be a double-edged sword, in the sense that many people will probably find this movie inconsistant in terms of its mood, but I think "Porco Rosso" does a really fine work at balancing both aspects of its storyline. The comedy never disallows the viewer from appreciating the gravity of Porco as a character, and the serious and intimist sequences don't deny the zaniness of his daily life. The best thing about this is that it allows to create a full dramatic portrayal of the main character, while bringing some kind of fabulistic charm to his lifestyle, which gives nostalgic vibes to the story. This ends up being relevant as well in the romantic view that Miyazaki brings to describe one of his childhood passions, flight engineery. In this movie it becomes completely obvious through the careful visual depiction and the spectacularity of the flying scenes.

The storyline is completely focused on Porco and the universe around him. He is definitely a complex character that goes way beyond his main defining trait. In fact, his aspect in the context of the daily relationships it's the least relevant. We are told that he is a human turned into a pig by some sort of mysterious spell, but those around him still recognize Porco as a human. Even Gina, the one that he's most closely related with, treats him as if he was the same as always. The appearances in this movie are brought for a much less superficial purpose, as this transformation is used as a metaphor for the deep wound Porco carries with humanity in general, and with himself. His bitterness, however, is contrasted in the movie. That is, instead of being exaggerated, and giving rise to an overly cynical character, the story also emphasizes on his caring side. He is shown to have friends, understand their emotions and care for them; his scenes with Gina make clear that they love and respect each other. This side of him is emphasized later with the presence of Fio and the clear effect she has in his growth as a character.

The rest of the characters, while not being as fleshed out as Porco, still hold their own charm. I am specially fascinated with Gina. She doesn't even appear too often in the story but her elegance and intimist approach increase the emotional effect of every scene she's in, and the hints on her own past are so suggestive and enveloping that, despite the lack of physical presence in the plot, she manages to create a very strong emotional involvement around her. She is there in some of the most moving moments of the story and I'm specially fond of one where a flashback of her past with Porco is shown.

Fio, on the other hand, plays the counterpart of Porco as a quick-witted and joyful girl. This simple purpose is actually conveyed in the form of a very strong and charismatic character. Her chemistry with Porco through their scenes is amazing, and another one of the key points of this story. In fact my favorite scene of the movie involves them both; with Porco narrating a defining experience of his past -in his very own way, though- and Fio hearing this whole story completely captivated, understanding, finally, the dimension of his personal conflict as a whole.

Donald Curtis and the pirates, despite being technically the antagonists of the main story, are actually quite light and charming. The arrogance of Curtis is contextualized in a way that emphasizes on his innocence rather than on an actual malice. And similarly, the pirates never come off as evil and their hate towards Porco is never treated seriously.

On the artistic level, this is a great effort overall, though probably not as satisfying as other Miyazaki movies. For example, it suffers from a lack of shading in many scenes, and the designs of the background characters don't look very inspired. However, it still keeps a lot of strength in the visual depiction of the scenarios, and places like Porco's lonely island or Gina's bar are given a distinct atmosphere that becomes very effective. The design for the main characters is simple, yet very effective, with Porco being the obvious choice as the most outstanding. The aesthetics, as said, are very closely tied to the imagery of classic films, which sort of fit very well with the Italian environment of the late 20s this movie is located at.

Similarly, the soundtrack is quite outstanding overall but not as consistantly mesmerizing as in other works of the author. Then again, this is not a very relevant issue, and I guess it has to do with the huge variety of music pieces; as this variety leading to some irregularity seems unavoidable. Anyway, if I have to choose one, it would be Tokiko Kato's version of the French Revolutionary song "Le temps des cérises", that serves to introduce Gina. Her song in the ending credits is equally beautiful.

All in all, and while it's not my favorite, it is still a Ghibli and Miyazaki movie I am very fond of. It is a little tricky to recommend here, though, because its style and themes will probably not fit the tastes of an anime fan if they are mainly interested on exploring the imagery and philosophy that are associated with the Japanese culture; in fact, I think that "Porco Rosso" is a better recommendation for movie-goers than for anime fans, in general. That doesn't mean it will be necessarily less enjoyable, but it's more likely for people with a grown interest on Western filmmaking to find points in common with this movie.

I love the Studio Ghibli films. So far I think it is safe to say that Miyazaki is my favourite anime author, and I doubt anyone will ever take his place because I have grown so attached to the work of this man and his ideals reflected on the way he conceives animation, that I can't think of a deeper connection with one's style in any way.

That is the reason why "Howl's moving castle" was, at my first viewing, a serious disappointment. It was the first time a movie by Miyazaki didn't transport me to the world and imagery it showed. Almost two years later, ... however, and trying to bring another perspective about this film, I have watched it again, and while this has worked with some other works, it seems "Howl" is still my thorn in Miyazaki's filmography and will always be.

Of course the world introduced here is amazing. This is probably the most gorgeous and visually powerful film Miyazaki has ever done, just watch the scenery, the many traces of impressive imagery, and of course Joe Hisaishi with another solid performance. It's a pleasure for the senses, such a beautiful experience to look at and hear that surely makes it worth viewing.

But that is not an excuse for the many plot holes and sudden changes in character behaviour. That is, in the same way we have a really eye-candy experience given only by the -already known- technical skills of Miyazaki and his group of animators, the story is always lacking.

I would seriously like to be able to fill my review with interpretations and theories about this fascinating world, but quite honestly, didn't find any thread to follow or to keep my interest on. I just can't sit through what in my opinion are clear character and story inconsistencies sucking the emotion or the involvement in whatever the movie is trying to tell me. I won't go with specific scenes to avoid spoiling anyone, but will just say that I find it really disappointing to find that Sophie, the girl who is supposed to introduce me to the story and let me see the events from her eyes, looks so incoherent and variable in her interaction with many of the elements, say the Witch of the Waste or the reactions at some magic events happening around her.

The construction of the storyline is pretty poor, and that is fully shown at an ending scene that feels rushed and ridiculous, where there is not any hint to follow why some characters make some relevant decisions, and looks just plain lazy writing. Really, really lazy, and unsatisfactory. I don't know the original source, but I know Miyazaki far enough to be sure that the fact the novel may or may not be good shouldn't affect the quality of the movie, as in his adaptations he chooses to change stuff freely in order to adjust it to his own subjects and concerns.

It has been said that in this case the plotline is secondary, and it should be seen as a fascinating travel around a world full of magic, where the logic is not needed and if it appears it doesn't make any effect in the enjoyment of the movie. I couldn't disagree more with that statement. During my experience in Miyazaki's works, I have found often this recurrent idea about him, seeing his films as powerful visuals with messed up plots, and as far as I can tell I have never conceived them in that way. Even -and specially- at his least linear and most complex narrative, "Spirited away", every event tries to follow an internal logic, therefore the plot is here and is unavoidable. It also should happen with "Howl"; the fact that it's filled with fantastic and strange elements isn't a valid excuse to make the storytelling lackluster and inconsistent, and of course doesn't change the fact it is needed. More so when it's so clearly intended to be.

In conclusion, and while I can say this work is extremely powerful and memorable at the artistic aspects, I still see it as an unsuccessful attempt that becomes evident at the many plot holes and lack of competent character writing. As entertaining as it could be, it is my biggest disappointment with the otherwise excellent work of this director and the only one that has never fulfilled my expectations.

This is my first review in MyAnimeList, so I apologize in advance if you find the ideas I'll put forward here badly-written, explained or structured.

I am going to talk about Spirited Away (yeah, obvious). It's been quite a long time since I watched it for the last time, more than a year in fact; but I became a really fascinating and influential piece for me at that time, far enough to define my current love for Miyazaki's works, the Studio Ghibli and animation in general as an art and a strong way of expression. Today it's still one of my favorite animated features of any ... sort, and not because of its lack of flaws than its amazing blend of concepts.

The first thing that appeals the audience in this movie is its art and animation. I, as unexperienced and poor in technical knowledge about the subject, think it's utter fascinating, it manages to create a whole world out of nothing, and the use of lights and shades, the forms and colours make the overall experience a visual joy. And in addition to that I find the characters' gestures and movements extremely plastic and realistic, some other scenes have been mentioned in that aspect by other reviewers but I was particularly fond of that one where Chihiro is walking with her parents and she gradually moves away, only to come back to her position with a little run-up. These things don't happen, usually, in animation. In so far as they are unnecessary, easily ignorable and feel like a waste of resources, we hardly see characters making these little movements which in the end result in nothing relevant. Ghibli, however, animates them, and does it with such a mastery, a love for detail and a goddamn naturalism that I can't help but feel amazed.

As if the visual aspect wasn't good enough, the movie is also a pleasure for our ears and has what I consider the best track of my heavily worshipped Joe Hisaishi, one of the best (if not the best) film composers I have ever heard. Spirited Away is exceptionally good at that aspect; I'd say it's one of the very few cases in which there is, at some scenes, such a strong fusion between story and music, that I can't conceive nor think of one without the other.

But despite all of these beautiful qualities about its setting, the real substance of this movie is at its story. I apologize in advance, again, because as I'm going to develop some points I will give some free spoilers. If you haven't seen the movie I'd recommend to stop reading at this point.

It has been said many times by critics that Spirited Away felt like a senseless blend of magic elements, just a simple story filled with many things the author introduced undiscriminatingly to drag out the experience. Well, I have a quite different point of view for that device. I just can't conceive that the animation, for example, is taken to such a high level of detail and, on the other hand, that doesn't happen with the story. And by rewatching it repeatedly in a short amount of time (once every two months, more or less), I began to develop some theories about the nature of the world that is depicted here.

What must be considered at first is that all this magical world, with strange creatures and spells, is just an allegory for the always difficult transiton between childhood and the first steps of adulthood. It's the age you start dealing with responsibility, when you realize your acts have consequences and you have to make decisions that will affect your future; you define yourself and the course of your life. Miyazaki puts these simple concepts by transforming the need of finding an identity into a way to escape the wonderful yet cruel world where Chihiro is suddenly trapped. Its hostility imitates quite well the drama of the process, as it reinforces the need of an additional effort every one of us have to make at some point and reset our lives and our positions.

Does this mean that Yubaba's world is an undeveloped blend of magic, hostile things that only serve as a situation that Chihiro has to overcome at some point? Well, I don't think so, as it seems to have a clear structure and hierarchy. One of the stories I see compared more often with this one is Alice in Wonderland. However, I would define that as a blend of unrelated events, a story whose main charm lies in its anarchic, nearly nightmarish, narrative. Spirited Away is not like that in any way. In fact I think there is an effort to transmit a strong sense of logic throughout, it tries to delimit the causes and consequences of every single case.

The key character to understand how Yubaba's tyranny works is, in my opinion, Lin. She just happens to be the link between Chihiro and the rest of the magical creatures, just like somebody that is in some sort of intermediate level. Her physical appearance looks slightly transformed, but not as much as the rest. She is aware of the existence of another world outside of that one, the importance of remembering her name, her "identity"; and knowing that, she helps Chihiro and takes the role of a mother. I have the theory that every one of the creatures that live in Yubaba's world were once human, maybe little boys and girls like Chihiro who couldn't find the way to escape, or other people; and they ended up forgetting who they were, losing their "humanity" and becoming mere pieces of this world. Lin is a special case because it seems she's not lost her identity yet, at least not at all, but forgot at one point her name, the key to come back home, and knows her situation is irreversible. She maybe observed this in some of her companions when she arrived, and Chihiro reminds herself of that. Maybe because of that, because she knows and appreciates what she's doomed to lose, she decides to help her in an altruistic way.

And what about Kamaji? Another key character in Chihiro's development in there; he seems to be quite aware of his situation too. I'd say he is a bit like the "sacrificed" individual, who Yubaba used to start his project and maybe the only one that didn't lose his identity at all. He's a slave in this world, he knows it but can't help it.

So yes, I have a more "adult" and crude view of the overall concept. This definition of the magical public baths as a place were people are doomed to end up losing what makes them "special" is quite harsh and melancholic for a -as targeted and admitted by Miyazaki- kid's movie, and it might feel even weird, but that's how I interpreted it and I think it makes some sense.

Does this mean Yubaba is a villain? Well, define villain. Somebody whose only objective in life is to harm people? That's hardly what Yubaba is. She, for better or for worse, created a world, and made it work. She imposed some rules. We could even say she created her own utopia (and that doesn't mean she is naturally "bad"), why not? And, most important, she has a strong sense of honor, she dictates and also OBEYS her rules. One of the (maybe) main reasons why she loses her battle against Chihiro, in fact, is that her weakness is shown eventually (giant baby); and reveals a hypocritical attitude, as she is protecting her lovely child from any influence while she's always preaching the exact contrary. As she knows it, it's a shameful thing to admit and maybe here is where her image of forcefulness starts to teeter.

All in all, these examples just show that the real strength of this story lies in the characters, as they are always depicted in a detailed way. Yubaba not being the typical villain, or not even being a "villain" at all; Haku, the hero and the "positive" one here has also an overambitious side and is for the most part guilty of his situation... and Chihiro, of course. She is a spoiled brat who learns to appreciate some things, but in no way overreacting at these points, as she sounds real and relatable at every damn scene. It's quite easy to understand her, she's not made to be likeable but her portrayal is solid enough to make us join her development through the story.

I could spend hours and hours talking about this precious anime and its many details, the enigmatic role of No Face, the negative influence of the parents in Chihiro's behaviour, and so much more... I love it. It breathes mastery at (almost) every one of its points, and I can enjoy it in many levels. My only grip would be the way things are resolved, which I have always found too rushed; reading Miyazaki's opinion on that ending I've come to understand the intention behind, but still I'd say the metaphor is made too subtle for the audience, and maybe the execution is also somewhat clumsy. But aside from this minor flaw, I can't help but admire this fascinating, eye-captivating piece of art, my second favorite anime behind Grave Of The Fireflies.