My first completed anime ever on a subject that I totally don’t care. Well not the case anymore, I guess.
Runway de Waratte, Smile down the Runway or That Time Kamado Tanjiro got reincarnated as a Fashion Designer was a blessing to have this season.
To you that may have already seen it, I hope my review will do justice to your feelings towards this anime and for those who are hesitating or just don’t want to watch this “weird, cringe, girly, wtf is fashion design” show, I will try my best to convince you to at least TRY to get in the hype-feel train that is this beautiful piece of Japanese animation.
When you see the “shounen” tag for this anime you might think : “where the f is the link between fashion mode and shounen” but BOY are you not THRILLED when Ikuto starts to sew, stitch, broach, and think of the cloth-design using probably 150% brain capacity with the hyped background music that make you moves forward to the edge of your seat.
Seriously, it gave me similar vibes as some of the best shounen out there. Mark my words: you just CANNOT stop yourself after seeing the end some early episode.
The cliff-hangers are super well-done, once you’re in it, you are in until the end my friend.
Runway de Waratte is so much more than a simple story that follows the everyday lives of a fashion designer and a model.
It’s a story about fighting against your own destiny, fulfilling your most desired dreams against all odds, overcome the obstacles, going beyond your limits, PLUS ULTRAA as the folks at UA would say.
This anime depicts perfectly the concept of getting back up when you are punched deep down into the ground.
Furthermore, the story is full of twists and turns that you won’t expect so easily, trust me. The whole thematic of fashion design is so well approached. You can feel that extensive researches have been made.
With this anime that opened the eyes of the spectator on an unknown world (at least for most of us), can someone dare to say that the fashion world isn’t interesting once you know what it’s made of.
The two main characters Chiyuki Fukito and Ikuto Tsumura. Such a great duo. Both with amazing talents but hindered by one big problem. For one it’s her chibby-like height, and for the other it’s the poverty of his family. Two things that are nearly impossible to change.
Both are such strong characters. Ikuto whose mother is in hospital must take care of his three sisters as the sole and only man in the house while Chiyuki, despite getting permanently reminded of her weaknesses, repeatedly told that she will NEVER accomplish her dreams, even through the betrayal of her OWN father; they will keep fighting for what they aspire. Every. Fucking. Day. There is not a single one that goes by without them thinking how they will realise their dream and working on to do so.
The animations are great. It’s beautiful. The whole process of making clothes plus the clothes themselves are so well-animated. It feels real. You almost want to touch the thing just to see how the fabric feels like.
Besides, the faces of the cast show so much emotions during all the steps of their journey. Their tremendous struggles, their saddest moments, and eventually their joyful and happy times. It’s just a delight to watch.
Moreover, the expressions of Chiyuki are GOLD, it’s impressive how they designed her character. Such a pretty figure that can do so much funny faces, props to Ezolà Studios (Happy Sugar Life, Sounan Desu ka). Their third anime is a banger.
Sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking, you laugh and you cry throughout the adventures of our beloved characters as they thrive to succeed at all costs.
At the end of the day, knowing how much suffering they have been through, all the work they’ve done, finally seeing them put on the purest smile you’ve witnessed as the drops of sweat runs down their forehead and cheeks is more than priceless.
The opening and the ending. Just go listen to them. I don’t know what to tell at this point. They are perfect for this anime. The opening song is catchy and hype and the whole background describes perfectly the pace and the vibe of this show.
The ending song is chill and emotional, just as it should be. When the episode was deep and touching, it extends and accentuates the emotional vibe you get for 1min30 longer. And, man, what a great way to wrap up 22min of something that seemed to be only 5 minutes.
If you didn’t understand yet, Runway de Waratte is a must-watch for this season. I enjoyed it so much, it pained me that it was only twelve episodes. But that’s what made the show good, short time to delivers all the story and feels so not a minute is wasted on useless things.
Well I should conclude this review. I hope that I made it interesting to read.
Now for the last words of this essay, even if I don’t know you, If I perhaps couldn’t even imagine the pain or challenges you are going through, gone through or will go through, I just hope dear readers that, like Chiyuki smiled down the runway with her brightest smile, you will also Smile Down the Runway of your life 😊
~Walpurgies
