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This was my first encounter with Kunihiko Ikuhara and I really didn’t know what I was getting into. I was expecting a cute little fantasy adventure with the importance of friendship being the central theme, so I was surprised to see this was a visually astonishing and emotionally affective portrayal of queer longing, self-sacrifice, the destructive power of capitalism, and friendship. The main characters of Sarazanmai, Enta, Toi, Kazuki, and even Reo, all devote themselves to a certain "connection" with someone in their lives; a sibling, an unrequited crush, a lover, etc. However, this devotion to their "connection" becomes the source of conflict for these characters as it often leads them to make sacrifices that hurt themselves/others and other regrettable decisions. Simultaneously, Ikuhara's portrayal of the exploitative nature of capitalism, which literally leads to the consumption of human lives, was a pleasant surprise! Reo is forced to work for a organization/system that takes human beings’ lives to turn them into zombies. The scenes that show Reo and Mubo, an explicitly gay couple, murdering people is presented through a catchy musical number with Reo and Mubo’s flashy performance juxtaposed with a backdrop of some sort of manufacturing process in an ominous factory. Reo and Mubo's entrapment in a cycle of violence for self-gain imposed on them by an omnipresent power is eventually explored later in the anime and a lot more can be said about it, but that would probably get too spoiler-y.
With that said, the trio of Enta, Toi, and Kazuki is so adorable and their chemistry is just heartwarming. Kazuki is who the audience is introduced to at first, and is a middle school boy who crossdresses as a popular idol in order to maintain a relationship with his younger brother. Toi is the rebel of the group who turns out to be the most emotionally mature of the three. And then there is Enta, who some people may dislike or feel is the most underdeveloped of the three, but I still really appreciate Enta's development and it is adorable how he is young gay panic personified. It was just beautiful to see their relationships with each other develop through the series and I am just in awe of Ikuhara's creativity and talent.
