The story itself is rather basic, as are most slice of life shows. It follows a group of four young ladies (aged 7, 10, 13, and 14 approximately) and their lives in the Japanese countryside. Away from the life in the big city of Tokyo, Hotaru Ichijo (age 10) must adapt to a more simpler way of life and assimilate into the community. The episode titles are quite vague and the series follows a more episodic sequence complete with shorts within an episode. Even as it jumps along, the story is easy to understand, and more importantly, to enjoy.
My favorite part of Non Non Biyori is the art style. Being set in the Japanese countryside, a lot of detail rests within the landscape. The background settings are lush with vibrant greens, blues, and pinks. It's a beautiful setting. Within this setting are homes with a dull brown colors (aside from Hotaru's higher end home which is a nice white with colored accents). The school is a run-down shack that is made completely of wood. The character designs are succinct and well executed. The colors of Komari and Natsumi Koshigaya's school uniforms are a very bland scheme of tan and dark blue. The very colorful backgrounds couple with the dull houses and clothing creates a very stark color contrast which is easy on the eyes. The show is beautiful and pleasing to look at. Viewers receive an added bonus during the end cards where a photo of the real-life Japanese countryside are shown. It is a part of Japan life and culture not commonly conveyed in anime.
The music, sound effects, and voice cast is also well done. Right from the get-go you get a reoccurring OST along with Renge Miyauchi (age 7) providing an off tune accompaniment on recorder. It's a rather basic melody and sets the tone for the entire show. The openings and endings have a playful feel. The background effects provide a comforting feel. They display a serene and peaceful environment that is very different than shows set in the city or in large schools. Where I am most impressed is the ability of grown adult women being able to provide voices to children and do it effectively. Renge's voice is the most impressive. Being 7 years old, her voice actor is able to capture a very juvenile tone. The show loses points for not having Nii-chan, Sugaru Koshigaya, speak once (just kidding).
The characters are well done and they all have very distinguishable traits. Starting from the oldest, Komari Koshigaya is a 14 year old girl who is just starting to enter womanhood. However, she is very short and has stunted development which causes her grief. Natsumi Koshigaya is a 13 year old girl who is Komari's little sister. However, she is already taller than her sister which irritates Komari. She is tomboyish and athletic, but not very good at school and is always getting into trouble. Hotaru Ichijo is the main protagonist and is a 10 year old transfer from Tokyo. She is rather wealthy and is well developed for someone her age. She looks up to Komari, her senpai, and admires her in an almost obsessive way. Renge Miyauchi is an eccentric 7 year old who has an understandably childish outlook. She provides a lot of the show's comedy with her mannerisms and preferences. Despite her age, she melds well with the older girls. The supporting cast provides a nice community effect and rounds out the show in a nice way.
What sets this show apart from other shows is its simplicity. It's easy to follow because there is no complex plot or unanswered questions. What you see is what you get, which is extremely refreshing. There is a warm friendship among the four main characters that is very uplifting. As an adult male, I was not sure how I would relate to a show focused on elementary and middle school girls, but the show resonated with me because their daily lives were so realistic that it draws you into the show. Where this show fails, is it's tendency to drift into the mainstream anime scene, most notably the unnecessary fan-service. I feel like that has no place in this show, especially with a group of characters aged so young. Even so, what little fan-service was present in this show did not detract from the enjoyment of Non Non Biyori. I highly recommend it as a departure from the norm that exists in today's anime.
