Reviews

Dec 24, 2017
It makes sense that if anime characters in an anime start talking about anime in their anime club then something strange has to happen on a (meta?)-physical level within their own story. Animegataris is a school-club comedy anime that sets itself up on a self-aware journey that (kind of) explores why anime otaku appreciate anime so much. And the best way to do that is through its own medium (of course).

There is a lot of anime in this anime. They talk about anime, they make an anime, they become an 'anime.' if this anime is going to be known for anything as this season peters out and some late-comers decide to give it a try, is the stylistic and plot-break down 'twist.' However, it isn't much of a twist if the anime literally becomes stranger every episode. What could have been a last ditch effort to make something fun as the series winds down, ends up being a completely sensible conclusion, that if anyone was paying attention, they'd probably see coming. It's ridiculous, purposefully so, and that's what makes it so fun.

The references are usually oblique or universal enough, that the series doesn't get bogged down with 'hey we all watched that' kind of humor. Animegataris doesn't latch on to any one niche or franchise to parody or make reference to. Instead we get a a cornucopia of verbal and sometimes visual references, which considering the show is about anime otaku, seems par for the course. But obviously, nobody is going to watch this show for stuff like "Dirlish Number (or whatever the fuck they called it) was good." It's the self-aware, tongue-in-cheek, 'we're winking at you' humor and sensibility which makes Animegataris so fun, and funny.

The comedy works. That is, if you've seen enough anime to appreciate a cliche for its own sake.There's some genuinely funny stuff here: flubbed lines in some shitty anime short, odd attention to detail, 'the aspect ratio is closing in.' Fan-service sports girls hardly has any lines, yet she gets her own OP, definitely the most ingenious thing I've seen this season. (Ironically enough, even though she is hardly a character, fan-service girl still has her cameo in the anime within the anime). There is a sense of 'we can get away with whatever, so deal with it' as the anime moves along, but you actually excuse the staff, because instead of being over the top and obnoxious, it comes across as smart and tastefully done as is possible for a show like this.

For something more recent to compare it to, this reminds me of Akiba's Trip. But for the most part, this series really reminds me of, and has the sensibility of otaku oriented parody OVAs. A much less cynical Otaku no Video or Puni Puni Poemii, or maybe a more genre specific one like Nurse Witch Komugi-chan, or maybe Ribbon-chan and (though TV and not a parody), Going-Home Club (KKK), for both of those have an all too aware, budget conscious 'the staff knows it's going to fail'' kind of humor. Other recommendations: Comic Party, Animation Runner Kuromi

There are plenty of anime fans who would appreciate something like this, but too many are going to ignore it for dumb reasons. It's worth a watch if you want your anime to be a little too much like anime.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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