There's a certain allure to a simple life. Going about one's everyday things without a care in the world, merely strolling along at a leisurely pace, not having to worry about the tragedies that exist. Waking up, enjoying what occurs, going to sleep, and repeat. It's a cycle that only contains the more trivial issues in retrospect. While normal people are unable to obtain such ease, the girls of Girlfriend BETA have. And their lives are no more difficult than a literal walk in the park.
STORY
Girlfriend BETA stars nearly forty (yes, 40) different girls who attend a local high school. Many are given the spotlight, some are merely looked at, but they all have one thing in common: their lives are steady.
As a slice-of-life show, BETA fits the genre perfectly. Almost too perfectly. The anime does nothing more than follow one or two groups of girls in an episodic manner, showing the audience a small issue that needs to be dealt with. Kokomi worrying about her weight, the student council running the cafeteria, and the music club trying to create a new song are as passive of problems as they come. The show isn't attempting to elicit massive drama, it isn't looking to be extremely funny, nor is it evoking strong emotional responses. It's nothing more than teenage girls hanging out, having fun, and smiling along the way.
One of BETA's presumed strong points is actually a weakness: the size of the cast. At approximately forty unique girls, there almost literally is "someone for everyone." And while that is fine to an extent, other, smaller concerns arise. With such a large number of people, it becomes nearly impossible to properly keep track of: who is in what class, which friends know one another, who is older, the names, who does what, etc. So, when the anime shifts from being about the occult club to the literature club, a dissonance due to the sudden transition from one group to the next is created. This causes the anime to be "difficult" to follow. Switching up the perspective in a show is fine, but the way in which BETA handles it -- assuming the viewer understands and associates with everyone exactly -- only hurts itself by becoming more confusing and subsequently uninteresting to watch. This is merely because one never has the chance to become attached to any particular character. As such, constantly switching the focus causes the events to feel standalone and disconnected, forcing upon itself a series of stories that one doesn't care for.
At the same time, each arc has some life lesson attributed to it in order to give the anime some deeper meaning. But another stigma is found, and it derives from a similar issue that the cast had. And that is the amount of themes the show attempts to explore. The spread-out nature of what the show tries to convey diminishes the overall impact of the many, many life lessons it throws out. Learning to never give up, balancing risk versus reward, relying on others when needed; these ideas are all well and fine. But when they are delivered on a per episode basis, instead of being given an appropriate amount of time to manifest the message or let it sink in, it's replaced by the next arc's motif. There just doesn't exist enough weight behind the individual themes themselves to make the overall package even close to purposeful.
ANIMATION
In terms of art and animation, BETA has (once again) a little something for everyone.
The art for the anime is somewhat better than it is first perceived as being. Much of what is found within is modern and generic in terms of camerawork and composition. Although, despite revolving around the school, the characters actually visit quite a few different locations, such as traditional Japanese homes, cafes, libraries, shrines, etc. While the amount of detail usually varies from minimal to adequate, lighting effects are incorporated, as are weather effects.
The character designs are rather hit or miss. Reiteration at this point, but the problem is that due to the overwhelming amount of girls, an entire spectrum is played with. From the Plain-Jane looking Kokomi to the half-and-half colored Hina, the designs range from simple to crazy. As such, some are appealing to look at while others will make one scratch their head at the decision.
The actual animation is rather weak, due to the sheer number of girls that are on screen at any given time. Characters usually only use mouth movements when speaking, and hardly ever use their bodies. This is mostly due to the slice-of-life nature, where nothing incredible is going down, but it's fair to say that the animation is simply uninspired.
CHARACTERS
There are just way too many characters in BETA to go through; all of their descriptions and what they represent could fill out its own article. Instead, the focus will be on the "main" five.
Akane is the school's announcer, making it her duty to bring news about events and the students to anyone who will listen. Her friend and co-host is Tomo Oshii, and her own beauty is unbeknownst to her. She loves to help out other people when she can, exemplifying a person whose voice and actions both speak volumes.
Fumio is the resident librarian. As such, her knowledge on topics and subjects is vast, often providing insight or corrections to others when needed. Feeling insecure about her ability to express herself, Fumio's best friend Erena gave her the push she needed to have the self-esteem she's always wanted. She personifies a princess, calm in demeanor and proper in etiquette.
Mentioned briefly, Erena is a bundle of joy. As an avid photographer, she is constantly found trying to take snapshots of the girls on campus and elsewhere. Wanting to be friends with just about anyone, she never seems to let up or back down. At the same time, her hobby of visiting cos-play events is a secret known only to her. Her cheerfulness and affable personality make her a joy to have around, regardless of the situation.
Technically not Japanese, Chloe is a transfer student from Europe. Her long golden hair hides her rather hazy brain. She is always misinterpreting facts and misusing phrases, demonstrating just how out-of-touch she is with the culture she finds herself in. Her accent and smile make her loved by all, and she loves to explore everything that Japan has to offer. Due to both her status as a foreigner and her quirky behavior, she is perhaps the most unique among the girls, demonstrating that just because one is different doesn't mean that that person is forced to the wayside.
Last but certainly not least (and my personal favorite) is Kokomi. As a gymnast, her body and beauty are nearly unmatched. Quiet in speaking, mild in manners, and kind in actions, Kokomi is the perfect girl, woman, and daughter. Her troubles with gymnastics give her the opportunity to connect with the other girls, gaining wisdom and help from them that she could not have received otherwise. For her, she values the relationships she has around her, cherishing the friends she has been lucky to have.
A lot of these interpretations for the characters aren't verbose at all, and that's the point. The characters are as cookie-cutter as they come. They have to be, because, reiterating further, the large cast makes this an inevitability. Each girl has one simple trait: Miyoshi is a model, Isuzu loves flowers, Kise is a scientist, etc. The main characters see a bit more breadth, as described above, but even then it's almost nonexistent. Nobody within the cast is complex, deep, or even remotely memorable. They're all there to simply fill a one-dimensional role from time to time.
SOUND
The OP is weird. It's sort of cute with its trip-ups in the lyrics and the girls singing alongside and behind the main vocalist. The beginning and nearly-end are quick and fun, with the little "Ahh!" being easy to follow. It's not an amazing piece, but it fits nicely with the anime overall.
The ED slows down, becoming the smooth stroll that the anime exudes. The soft piano, whispering vocals, and calm violins make the arrangement very mellow. Once again, the lyrics are playful, making the song rather cute.
The soundtrack contains almost entirely mood pieces. Clapping-beats and whimsical chimes are found all over, making many of the tracks rather generic. However, there is one very catchy tune: the one-note piano with accompanying flute. The tempo it sets makes it extremely easy to bob one's head.
Voice-acting sees a wide range of actresses taking part in the show, with any and all voices to be heard. While there were no standout performances, just the massive amount of work behind the voice acting is commendable. A special shout-out goes to Satomi Sato as Kokomi Shiina.
ENJOYMENT
With show like this, one of its major facets is in being cute. Making the girls act adorable whether they are being scared in a dark room or eating a melon bun. And to this end, the anime succeeds somewhat. It's annoying to read at this point, but with so many girls, it allows for someone to find at least one girl they can get behind or support. The vast majority will be unappreciated, but as long as someone has anyone to watch, then it's fine. I personally enjoyed Kokomi and Kanatsu, mainly because of their looks and infectious happiness.
Besides the plethora of girls, there isn't much else. The show is never funny, and most of the cast is only seen once or twice, just enough to get their stereotype across. Sexualization of the characters is low, but many of them appear to be rather gifted when it comes to their measurements. Finally, there do exist some yuri undertones, but they are never explored or taken too seriously.
Girlfriend BETA is an anime filled to the brim with women, and not much else. While what goes on within is tame, its overabundance of cast members weighs itself down instead of keeping it afloat. As the name implies, it just doesn't feel like a final product.
SUMMARY
Story: Bad, super slice-of-life, wild focus, too many themes
Animation: Fine, okay art, varying character designs, bad actual animation
Characters: Bad, stereotypes galore
Sound: Fine, okay OP, okay ED, okay soundtrack, average VA work
Enjoyment: Bad, a few cute girls to be found
Final Score: 3/10
