Kemono Friends takes place on the island of Japari Park, which is subdivided into various areas based on geographic features such as the Savannah and Jungle for example. Our main characters Kaban-chan (a human to us, but a mysterious creature to the animals of Japari Park) and Serval-chan (a humanoid serval) travel through Japari Park in search of what kind of animal Kaban-chan is. On their journey, they encounter various anthropomorphic representations of animals in their respective habitats.
The anime is episodic in nature, with slice-of-life and comedic elements as well. I've had many memorable laughs throughout the show. It seems to possess its own charm that is difficult for me to put into words. One who is briefly inspecting this anime upon curiosity may make the fool-hardy judgement of labeling it as just "a kids' anime;" however, that is not entirely the case. Throughout the series, their is an underlying post-apocalyptic/human abandonment theme that can be seen through the abandoned buildings, structures, and vehicles throughout Japari Park. It's clear that Japari Park was inhabited and maintained by humans for quite some time before being abandoned after a disaster of some sort years before the anime takes place. It's quite an impactful thought to keep in mind. Another subtle theme present in this anime is how Kaban-chan's journey represents human evolution in terms of geographical diffusion and human technology. Kemono Friends begins in the Savannah, which represents the cradle of civilization - the birth place of mankind. Kaban then travels through the jungle, mountains, desert, and onwards, as we can similarly trace through the diffusive movements of ancient humans from Africa outwards. As for technology, Kaban-chan highlights the various technologies that eventually lead to civilization, such as construction, use of tools, fire, and writing. This is all done in a very meaningful manner.
In terms of music, the bgm and sound effects are cute and fitting, but nothing that really stands out too much. The most memorable one for me was some sick trap beat from the snow episode. The opening is extremely catch though (please approach with caution, seek rehabilitation if the addiction affects your daily life). The ending theme is great, yet not as addicting as the opening. What makes it superb is how it resonates with the underlying post-apocalyptic theme I mentioned earlier, through the visuals of an abandoned theme park. I've also heard the lyrics support this as well, but don't quote me on it.
And now, let's talk about animation. It's pretty BAD (this is quite a lenient euphemism to describe it). I can, however, be a little forgiving considering the show was made by 10 people at an amateur studio with a piss-poor budget. If I had to anything positive to say in this regard, it's that such poor animation can only leave room for improvement.
Another consideration to keep in mind: Art doesn't carry a story or one's enjoyment of it. That isn't to say its an element to be discarded when reviewing an anime, but it's something that shouldn't be weighted equally with aspects such as character development or plot.
But overall, the juxtaposition of such terrible animation and production value with a simple, yet fulfilling story that possesses meaningful layers of depth to it actually swelled my enjoyment for this anime. I would say it lent the anime a bit of charm that makes it feel unique.
7.5/10
