Odd Taxi puts real people with understandable issues and struggles and comprehensible backstories on the screen and engulfs them with a perfect setting and thrilling story.
The show starts innocent and chilled until the main character Odokawa is dragged into a missing person case. As soon as local gangsters get involved the story becomes a modern mob scenario. Little by little the whole extent of things behind the missing girl becomes evident. As Odokawa is faced with a plethora of people and changing problems and struggles the viewer can slowly grasp the complex structure of the plot.
The different story parts all have a great tension curve and are exciting to follow.
Odd Taxi features an absolutely glorious character design. It didn't reinvent the wheel here by depicting humans and meta-human aspects through animal characters and characteristics. However, Odd Taxi is on another level when it comes to presenting human behavior, thoughts, feelings, habits and traits. The delivery of the aforementioned is more understandable and respectively more tangible with the use of Odd Taxis animal characters than any actual human character could achieve.
Every character feels so relatable. They face reproducible problems, have to deal with traceable struggles and eventually overcome those obstacles or go into ruin because of them. The situations presented are generally ones everyone understands and many could imagine themselves in. Some may have been in the exact same situation before.
Every character and their story is a fixed point in the plot. Everything that happens or what a character does is meaningful and essential in progressing the story and garnishing the narrative. Nothing happens without a reason. Nothing is the way it is just for the sake of it.
Odd Taxi is exceptional in building up different story elements and characters while these little elements form bigger plot points which eventually create the bigger picture. Everything is intertwined with each other. Every character is in some way connected with one another and every story element affects most characters even if they weren't a direct part of it.
The outstanding style of animation benefits the narrative and atmosphere the show delivers. Its oil-paint-like background style truly defines the world and how it is supposed to look in the viewer's eyes. The rich in contrast, cell shady designed characters stand out dragging the focus onto them. The use of lighting and shadows in combination with a harmonious direction makes it appealing to follow what's happening. Albeit, the level of execution is somewhat inconsistent and overall it's no visual blow away either.
In conclusion, the show features an incredible set of characters that take part in a well told and exciting story all embedded in a mysterious setting.
I can not stress enough how binge worthy this anime is.
