The comedic aspects are mostly derived at the expense of Kakushi Gotou, who’s expansive imagination usually leads to him arriving at the worst possible outcomes of any given scenario relating to his daughter. His anxiety-induced parental escapades are consistently humorous and, in hindsight, walking the fine line between sanity and absurdity. Nevertheless, the secretive mangaka’s feelings are adeptly portrayed and his almost neurotic tendencies lighten the entire mood of the plot and character interactions. Moreover, there is a consistent presence of puns and almost cynical commentary on the manga industry and society; Which also adds a different level of comedy if they are noticed fully.
The story is told beautifully and is delivered in a manner that leaves little-to-no no room for complaints to be made. The plot, as it is introduced in the first episode, is framed as a flashback and the viewers are simply reliving the events from that peaceful period in their lives. To end each episode, the time-line cuts back to the present, where the viewers slowly, learn a little bit more of the Gotou family’s current lifestyle and the many things the loving father did for his daughter over the years. It creates a great sense of foreshadowing and leaves viewers wanting to know more about the little family of two; Three, if you include the family dog, Roku. To say the very least, Kouji Kumeta’s masterful writing carried the anime to the prestige it has rightfully earned.
Speaking of Kouji Kumeta, his cutesy, pop-art manga style translated well into the anime, which fully-added to the storytelling, character designs, and overall distinguishability of the show and the original manga. Putting it flatly, the colorful art snuggly fit into the genre and the heartwarming storytelling.
The accompanying sound was also enjoyable and mixed the many aspects of the work together. The opening and endings fall into a more indie, pop-rock style, and they, in my opinion, can be frequently listened to without succumbing to discontent. That being said, the soundtrack was good, but nothing especially stood out. Diverging from the music quality, the voice acting was directed and produced spectacularly and it shows.
Some of the characters portrayed in Kakushigoto aren’t necessarily deep, but they are interesting to watch. Their identifiable by a cornerstone of their personality, which amusedly plays into some of the shows comedic aspects, but serves as a means to deflect most of the viewer’s attention towards the father-daughter duo. Essentially, the supporting cast does a masterful job at being the supporting cast; Nothing more, nothing less. As a result, the eccentric, doting Kakushi and the ever empathetic Hime are definitely a brilliant choice as main characters and stand out more because of the supporting cast.
As far as the enjoyment factor goes, I was fully taken in by the charming characters, attractive plot, and, of course, the vibrant father-daughter relationship. Kakushigoto withholds the splendid presence of a fairly straightforward plot, a good mix of supporting characters, and a magnificent display of the interpersonal workings of a father that wants nothing more than his daughter’s wellbeing and a daughter that is self-aware enough to pick up on her father’s struggles.
Overall, Kakushigoto is a lovable story following the comedic, but sometimes serious, workings of an idiosyncratic single-father and his young daughter. The comedy is generally entertaining and absurd, but the true selling point is the heartwarming interactions and just splendidly produced slice of life story. Without a doubt, I highly recommend Kakushigoto to any anime fan, even more so if you thrive on family-themed stories.
