Based off a popular manga of the same name Anima yell is a comedy, sports and school genre based anime that gives us the opportunity to see what will happen if a girl who loves to be helpful and caring towards others were to come across an activity and sport that would not just allow her to improve the way in which she can help and support others but also do so in the company of like-minded individuals who share her passion for wanting to help and motivate others through their actions as cheerleaders. The subject matter of cheerleading has always been a rather curious topic in my eyes as while I understand the core concepts behind it, I always thought that the effects that it will have on the ones being cheered on were only marginal due largely to the fact that its restricted to sports which relies more on the skill of the player more than anything. However, the insight into the kind of motivation that cheerleaders have for entering that sport as well as the kind of training that it requires to be good at it really helped change my mind. The first episode of the series I felt left a pretty good impression on me as it not only did well in introducing the main characters of Kohane and Arima but also of the kind of motivations that one can develop for wanting to enter the sport of cheerleading. While certainly impressing me, I have to say that one of the core reasons for me deciding to watch this series to the end was my curiosity of whether Kohane’s carefree personality will be able to endure the harsh training that comes from being a cheerleader.
Taking place in a fictional town in modern day Japan the overall story of Anima yell follows the adventures of Kohane Hatoya a 14-year-old middle school student who despite her young age has already developed a reputation for wanting to be helpful and caring towards all that she encounters as she walks the path that is called life. In the past Kohane had a chance encounter with a middle school cheerleading squad whose performance and the effects that it had on the morale of the audience have left such a vivid impression on Kohane that it awakened within her a determined attempt to introduce the activity of cheer to not just her friends but to everyone that she meets as well. After entering middle school Kohane becomes determined to promote the activity of cheer to others but is dismayed to find that such a club does not exist in the school. Though disappointed at this Kohane doesn’t lose heart and after a chance encounter with the person that motivated her to take this path Kohane soon managed to fulfill her earnest desire of creating a cheer club and began her training to become a cheerleader aiming to bring joy and motivation to all that she meets. Though the training will be hard and the performances tiring to Kohane being able to bring joy to others and help motivate them in their actions is all the motivation that she needs to go about her duty. But Kohane will not be alone in this endeavor for joining her will be a host of characters whose reason for joining the club may be varied but all have a genuine desire to not just improve themselves but also through their hard work hope to bring joy to others and help bring light to their life. These include the quiet and curious Kotetsu, the kind but determined Arima, the perceptive and understanding Uki and the confident and proud Kana. Together these girls must not only learn to overcome their differences but also learn to bond with and forge friendships with each other as they try their utmost to use the skills and techniques that they have learned in their hard training to bring joy to others by giving off fantastic performances.
Kohane
Kohane Hatoya portrayed by new seiyuu Yuka Ozaki is one of the main characters of the series and is the main protagonist of the series. A 15-year-old middle school student Kohane on initial appearance can be seen to be a positive, cheerful and highly energetic girl who tries hard to be helpful to everyone that she meets in her daily life. A kind, caring and friendly person by nature Kohane while determined to help people can also be seen as being rather innocent with her actions as she in her quest to help those in need has a habit of reacting without thinking about the larger issues that may be in play. However, while it can be seen as a disadvantage, in this case, it can also be seen as a strength as well as Kohane thanks to her overactive nature can be relied upon to take up any job no matter how difficult it seems to be. This when combined with her determined nature allowed the members of the cheer association to garner up a solid reputation within weeks of their forming. This determination to fulfill the requests that are made upon the association by their clients is best seen in the myriad number of performances that Kohane and friends give in the course of the series. While Kohane may be prone to misunderstand instructions that often lead to accidents in practice I felt that this aspect of her actually made her more endearing as it showed that despite the complexity involved in training Kohane is still trying hard to take it all in and become an effective cheerleader.
As the series goes on and Kohane’s personality is expanded upon Kohane’s personality gradually starts to change. In the beginning of the series while noted to be a positive, cheerful and energetic person by both her fellow classmates and her fellow club members Kohane was also noted for her rather short attention span which when combined with her clumsy nature served to make most of them doubt her commitment to the cause of becoming an effective cheerleader. As the series progresses it can be seen that Kohane while certainly clumsy and not having much focus actually tries hard to not just master all of the techniques and knowledge that is needed to be an effective cheerleader but also endeavor to overcome one of the main weaknesses that she has that prevents her from being one. This determination to master both the techniques and knowledge that she needs to be an effective cheerleader as well as to master her inner fear I felt was well done and contributed greatly to changing not just the opinions of others towards her and the club but also in proving to herself that she too is capable of providing motivation to others by acting out her dream role of being a cheerleader. While Kohane’s determination to become a cheerleader may have sounded like a temporary goal for her in the beginning I thought that Kohane’s gradual development from a fangirl that only knew the basics about the main roles that they have to actually becoming a cheerleader after not just seeing but also experiencing all the training that they have to go through was done really well within the series and I really enjoyed seeing Kohane put all of this knowledge into practice in her attempts to fulfill the requests that were made on the club. The character of Kohane I felt was an interesting character that demonstrated well that if you have a strong enough reason to motivate you no task and role is beyond you. I felt that her seiyuu Yuka Ozaki did an excellent job portraying the character of Kohane.
Kotetsu Tatejima
Kotetsu Tatejima portrayed by Tomori Kusunoki of Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale online fame is one of the main characters of the series and is one of the members of the cheer club. A 15-year-old girl and a classmate of Kohane Kotetsu on initial appearances can be seen to be a quiet, curious but nervous person by nature that tried hard to not stand out from the crowd. As a result of this quiet and nervous nature of hers, Kotetsu was also noted to have very low self-esteem and had great trouble in making her own views known to others as well as take the initiative on matters that genuinely interest her. This latter part is shown well in her struggle to both talk with Kohane and the members of the cheer club and her attempts to avoid them. Despite her unwillingness to stand out from the crowd it’s surprising to note that Kotetsu possesses quite the talent for playing the piano and if she had overcome her nerves then such was her skill that she would have been able to make a career out of it. But alas this talent also proves to be a double-edged sword for her.
As the series goes on and Kotetsu’s personality is expanded upon it can be seen that Kotetsu’s nervousness and low self-esteem is a side effect of the skills that she had developed in playing the piano. As a result of this Kotetsu while proud of her skills at playing the piano also possesses a deep fear within her and is fearfully afraid that if she reaches out to others and tries to bond with them these would all someday vanish. However, after seeing the kind of activities and training that the cheer club takes part in and seeing the effects that this has on the audience these doubts of hers gradually starts to vanish and Kotetsu while still hesitant to some degree begins to slowly move out of her shell and try to bond with Kohane and the others. While still easily flustered and constantly worried about her performance Kotetsu as the series goes on gradually starts to change as a result of seeing the hard work that the other members of the club show as they not just perform for their clients but also train hard to prepare for them. While still quiet to some degree Kotetsu gradually begins to take a more active role within the club trying hard to contribute to not just the meetings that the members attend but also work hard during both practice and during the actual performances. While still nervous at performing in front of people to a degree Kotetsu rather than shrink back in fear as she would have done previously instead finds strength from her friendships with the members of the club and tries hard to not let them down. The character of Kotetsu I felt was an interesting one that did well in showing the kind of struggles that schoolgirls her age may encounter as they come to grips with society. In particular, I feel that Kotetsu’s core struggle which was her problems with her nerves and self-esteem and her journey to overcome this by learning to not just bond with others but also develop her confidence of being able to perform on stage was used really well here. Seeing Kotetsu gradually develop in confidence as she deepens the bonds that she has with her friends and improve the self-confidence that she had lacked at the beginning I thought was nice to see especially the realization that she isn’t alone in this endeavor and that her friends are standing beside her. I felt that her seiyuu Tomori Kusunoki did an excellent job at portraying the character of Kotetsu.
Kana
Kana Ushiku portrayed by Haruka Shiraishi of Aico incarnation fame is one of the main characters of the series and is one of the members of the cheer club. A 15-year-old middle school student and one of Arima’s classmates Kana on initial appearances can be seen to be a confident, perceptive and proud person by nature. However, while proud Kana at the beginning of the series was also noted to somewhat haughty in her attitude especially in the manner of which she interacted with Kohane and the members of the cheer club. This stems largely from the admiration and respect that she has towards Arima that comes from the shared past that existed between them in the past. As a result of this Kana’s relationship with Kohane and the members of the cheer, club was frosty at best. However, while her attitude can make it difficult to interact with her at times it can be seen that Kana is also someone that has a strong sense of responsibility and would not shirk from taking it when needed. This is best shown when she took Uki’s place during a performance to make up for her mistake.
As the series goes on and Kana’s personality is expanded upon it can be seen that beneath her proud nature Kana is someone that is caring by nature and does try to look out for others when she can. While her initial attitude towards Kohane and the rest of the club was harsh it can be seen that this was borne out of the respect and admiration that she has for Arima. As the series goes on and Kana begins to see the genuine fun and sense of happiness that Arima displays as she interacts with the members of the cheer club this antagonist attitude towards them gradually starts to soften. While still retaining the strong pride that defines her character Kana also starts to take steps to mend relations between her and the members of the club by joining them and showing them the skills that she managed to achieve in the past. While realizing that she cannot keep Arima to herself Kana also becomes determined to stand by her side and help bring the wishes of her into reality. As a character, I felt that Kana was an interesting one that did well to not only contrast the members of the club but also represent a link between Arima and the past and doing well to expand on her backstory. The gradual change of Kana’s attitude from a prideful and somewhat rude girl who was sure that she knew everything about her to one where she realized how little she knew as well as her attempts to mend relations between her and the members of the cheer club was something that I thought was done well with her character as it represented a significant shift in her personality as a result of the revelation that she experienced.
Uki
Uki Sawatari portrayed by Mikako Izawa is one of the main characters of the series and is one of the members of the cheer club. A 15-year-old middle school student and a classmate of Kohane Uki on initial appearances is seen to be an intelligent, kind and perceptive person by nature that acts somewhat as a foil for Kohane and trying hard to rein in some of her more over the top decisions. A childhood friend and the guardian of Kohane Uki, unlike her esteemed charge, was seen to be an understanding, caring and rational person that despite the trouble that she causes her is shown to care deeply about her well being which is indicative of the deep bonds that exist between them.
As the series goes on and Uki’s personality is expanded upon it can be seen that Uki also has struggles of her own that she tries hard to keep from her friends. At the beginning of the series, Uki was shown to have a deep fear of being seen as cute which I felt was rather amusing. Unlike Kohane and Arima at the beginning of the series, Uki was shown to not have much interest in cheerleading and indeed seemed rather averse to it. However, as the series goes on and Uki begins to see the kind of fun that Kohane and Arima have in both training and in actual performances this aspect of hers gradually starts to change. While initially hesitant about taking up the role due to the fact that she doesn’t want to be seen as cute and also because of how embarrassed the outfits are this aversion gradually vanishes as she comes to understand not just how much hard work goes into being a cheerleader but also how much of an effect it can have for those that are being cheered on. The character of Uki I felt was an interesting one that served well as one of the more rational members of the club and functioned well as a counterweight to Kohane’s mischief. In particular, I felt that her level-headed, and confident attitude contrasted rather well with her inner fear of being seen as cute by others.
Hizume Arima
Hizume Arima portrayed by new seiyuu Yuina Yamada is one of the main characters of the series and is one of the members of the cheer club. A 15-year-old middle school student Hizume on initial appearances is seen to be a quiet, kind and calm person who seemingly prefers to remain apart from her classmates. While an intelligent, level-headed and composed person that would no doubt be able to be popular if she made the attempt at the beginning of the series as a result of her wall Hizume was seen to be rather aloof for a mid-school girl and can be seen to be someone that trusts slowly and views others with something approaching wariness. As a result of this Hizume at the start was widely seen as being difficult to approach and as a result, had few if any friends within school until she met Kohane. While initially treating Kohane with an element of distrust thanks largely to Kohane’s persistent nature and her determined attempts to befriend her and learn about the sport of cheerleading this relationship gradually transformed into that of friendship something that had been utterly alien to Arima since her transfer. In the interactions that she has with Kohane, it can be seen that Hizume while a quiet person by nature was someone that was fast thinking, considerate and stoic and treated everything with utmost seriousness. This latter point is clearly shown in the training that she puts Kohane and the members of the cheer club through as here we can clearly see the care that she puts in as she carefully teaches them all the knowledge that they need to be effective cheerleaders. Despite her calm and composed nature, it can be surprising to see that Hizume can also get angry at times as well something that Kohane had the misfortune of encountering within the series.
As the series goes on and Hizume’s personality is expanded upon it can be seen beneath her quiet and aloof personality Hizume is actually a kind and gentle person by nature that will help those that are in need when needed. While initially wary of Kohane as the series goes on it can be seen that Hizume gradually grows to respect her a great deal because unlike her, she is able to stay positive and cheerful at all times and indeed she began to believe that she’s a natural at being a cheerleader. As a result of this high opinion towards her Hizume as the series goes on develops something of a soft spot for her and while still training her carefully and taking great care to make sure she actually understands the topics she also tries to balance it out by regulating the tension that comes from training by telling jokes a side to her that I felt was cute. As the series goes on however it can be seen that this strong bond that she enjoys with Kohane also has a flip side as well as it can be seen that despite her composed nature Hizume is surprisingly vulnerable to being alone as a result of the incidents that took place in the past and when placed in a situation in which she believes she will be left alone she will enter a depressed state something that I felt was amusing but at the same time indicative of the importance of the bond that exists between Hizume and Kohane. The character of Hizume I felt was an interesting character that was both well designed and developed. Her gradual evolution from a quiet, stoic and confident girl who pushed everyone away to someone that was not just kind, caring and attentive but more open with her feelings I thought was done really well. Seeing Hizume gradually overcome the trauma that she suffered in the past and learn to not just forge friendships with her classmates and members of the cheer club but also rediscover the joy that being a cheerleader can bring to her and to the people around her through their performances was something that I really enjoyed seeing. I felt that her seiyuu Yuina Yamada really did an excellent job portraying the character of Hizume.
AMV
Animation wise I felt that the series made great use of bright and clear animation that did well in showing the types of locations that the cast visit. At the same time, I also thought that this also did well in enhancing the various performances that the cast gives over the course of the series. The character designs for the girls as well as the designs for the uniforms in which they wear both in terms of school uniforms as well as the cheerleader uniforms I thought were really well done with the character designs doing a great job of differentiating the girls from each other and the cheerleader outfits showing the unity of the club. The various performances that the cheer club gives over the course of the series I thought were done well and were helped greatly by the varied types of stunts that were added in.
In terms of music, the series made use of one opening and ending theme which was Jump Up Yell and One for All which was both sung by Kaminoki Koukou Cheering Bu a unit that consists of the series main seiyuu’s of Yuka Ozaki, Yuina Yamada, Mikako Izawa, Tomori Kusunoki and Haruka Shiraishi. Both of these songs I felt were pretty catchy ones and resonated well with the series main premise of bringing cheer to others. In terms of voice acting, I felt that each of the voice cast did an excellent job at portraying their assigned characters whether they were main ones or support ones. In particular, I feel that Yuka Ozaki, Mikako Izawa, Yuina Yamada, Tomori Kusunoki, and Haruka Shiraishi deserve special praise as I feel that they all did a fantastic job portraying the characters of Kohane, Uki, Hizume, Kotetsu, and Kana respectively.
Overall conclusion
Overall Anima yell was an anime that I really enjoyed watching with its main strengths, in my opinion being its interesting premise, story, well designed and developed characters, a great fusion of comedy and learning experiences and excellent chemistry between the main characters.
The overall premise of the show I felt was an interesting one as cheerleading as a subject matter has not been featured in anime before and as a result, this opportunity to see the kind of challenges and training that potential cheerleaders have to go through and the motivations that fuel them was an interesting experience. While the act of learning how to become a cheerleader served as one of the main themes for the premise that wasn’t all as the series also skillfully paired it with the development of each of the main characters and the many struggles that each girl struggles with as they take up the mantle of being a cheerleader. The overall story that makes use of such an interesting premise I felt was also a highlight of the series and I felt that it did a great job at showing not just the kind of developments that each girl goes through as they not only see the kind of things that cheerleaders have to learn as part of their duties but also see how such experiences aid in helping each of the girls overcome the personal struggles that each was struggling with. This last part was helped greatly by the requests that the cheer team undertakes over the course of the series all of which was well thought out and featured a surprising variety among them. Seeing the girls not just work hard to bring joy to their audiences in the performances but also in the process seeing the kind of effects that it has on the girls themselves I thought demonstrated this concept well.
Overall Anima yell was an impressive anime that made great use of a unique premise, a great story that skillfully paired the main theme with the development of the main cast and a great blend of comedy and drama elements that’s backed by solid and cute animation and a relatively new but talented voice cast. In terms of final score, I would say that Anima Yell deserves a final score of 8/10.
