P.A. Works creating a good manga adaptation? The world must be ending!
No seriously, this show is fucking amazing.
Paripi Koumei is without doubt a little absurd, insane, and chaotic – and it is entertaining as fuck. Unlike what it appears on the surface, it is not just a brainless comedy that solely intends to make its audience laugh at its ridiculousness; as satirical as this may sound, there is legitimate quality and substance to be found behind all the seemingly pointless madness and irrationality.
Paripi Koumei radiates promise from one of the very first scenes, showing a decrepit Zhuge Liang Kongming on his deathbed. It is then that Kongming makes his one final wish: to reincarnate in an era without any war and conflict, one where he could live peacefully. Fast forward two millenniums, and we suddenly see Kongming in a nightclub of Shibuya supposedly reborn in his younger body. Initially bewildered, he is shortly mesmerized by the voice of a young singer, later introduced as Eiko Tsukimi. Eiko is facing problems of her own, struggling to find success in the world of music despite her firm, yet slightly wavering determination. She is startled when the oddly dressed Kongming proclaims his love for her voice, but nonetheless delighted that someone has finally taken notice of her music.
The next morning, Eiko stumbles upon an intoxicated Kongming on the street and brings him home out of sympathy. There, Kongming learns about the modern world and its technology from Eiko, and subsequently becomes interested in contemporary music. In an odd turn of events, Kongming becomes Eiko's music manager aka "tactician", with the immovable resolve to make the world recognize her name and singing prowess.
It goes without saying that Kongming himself is what makes Paripi Koumei; you definitely will not enjoy the show if you aren't fond of his crazy antics, because that's pretty much the driving force of the story. As Kongming devises grand strategies for Eiko to help her accomplish her dream, the plot simultaneously expands in scope and moves forward in a surprisingly steady pace and manner, with almost no stumbles or hiccups along the way. In case you are wondering what a Chinese military strategist is doing in what seems like a wacky music anime (told you this show was absurd), it's... hard to explain.
The thing is, while there is admittedly zero rationale to how certain things play out at the beginning, the series is completely honest about it. Why and how Kongming is reincarnated in Japan and can read and talk in perfectly fluent Japanese – this is all just because the plot demands it, and there's no other reason. This rarely holds back the show however, since the author luckily utilizes the most of Kongming's inclusion in the story. Moreover, the anime does not try to indulge in monotonous self-parody to replace actual comedy; though there are clever self-jabs from time to time, it fully understands that dull and repetitive self-parody is far from any proper entertainment. As a result, what we have here is an anime with genuinely a lot of thought put into the material.
Stated briefly, the idea sounds and is ridiculous, but the execution is anything but that.
Kongming is most certainly a weirdo, but at the same time, there are few who can even dream to be as nearly charismatic as him. There's a certain charm to him that I have yet to find in any other anime character, and that charm is not limited to him being "a Chinese historical character in a Japanese anime, lol". Kongming's charm in fact comes from his whole character: his intelligent yet amusingly quirky nature, witty and playful remarks, clever and intriguing tactics, flashy appearance, and spectacular voice acting. Kongming is not simply a stereotypical male Mary Sue programmed to do "all according to keikaku" stuff; there is far more to him than meets the eye.
With that being said, if you came to the show looking for cleverly constructed strategies, you surely wouldn't be disappointed, because it does have plenty of that to offer.
Kongming's so-called stratagems are always a delight to watch, even if one or two can be considered as blatant ass-pull(s). The second episode, in particular, almost entirely detaches itself from any kind of realism – instead relying on plot contrivances and semi-convoluted logic to progress the story. On the flip side however, there are many more occasions where the tactics Kongming comes up with are surprisingly really clever and creative. Although they seem irrational and "totally batshit crazy" at first, in hindsight, you realize that they are actually brilliantly thought-out, albeit still totally batshit crazy.
The stratagems Kongming uses in the show reference historical events, and excluding a few errors and glorification here and there, the depictions are consistently precise. The original stratagems and Kongming's own versions of them are obviously vastly different, but they are always built on the same fundamental concepts. At the start of a new episode, a short recap is played of what happened prior; but unlike the sleep-inducing recaps you see in most shounen, a narrator aptly connects the referenced events with the previous episode and provides historical context. While this seems comparatively insignificant, it does, as a matter of fact, add more depth to the story and makes the stratagems even more interesting.
Back to our boy Kongming though, remember that I said his charm comes from his whole character? Although that holds true, it's specifically his demeanor and inner personality which makes him so loveable in my opinion. As cunning and eccentric as he is, Kongming is also incredibly soft, affectionate, knowledgeable, and unassuming. He is equal parts wise and hilarious; there will never be a time his words will fail to move you, and his jests and idiosyncrasies fail to make you smile. Even just him appearing on the screen will be enough to keep you entertained. In internet lingo, Kongming is a certified gigachad, one who belongs in a category of his own. I know I sound like an overly obsessive fan idealizing his favorite idol, and I probably *am* obsessive, but I mean it when I say Kongming is wonderful, because he is.
Kongming's personality naturally shines the most when he is with Eiko, who helps bring out his most intimate sides. Eiko herself is an extraordinarily engaging and well-written character. It's easy to dismiss her as waifu-bait at first glimpse, but if you actually watch the anime, it should be obvious that she isn't. The show dedicates much time to focus on her growth both as a singer and a person, so it feels extremely gratifying whenever she succeeds in her goals. Keep in mind that while Kongming may be the mastermind behind her success, it is actually Eiko's own singing, her own efforts to improve herself, that ultimately makes everything work, or "does the magic" if you will.
Additionally, though only explored in brief sequences, Eiko's suicidal past adds a substantial layer of depth to her character. What's noteworthy is that suicide is tackled with a lot of subtlety and not oversensationalized at all, which makes the backstory all the more effective. Of course, the anime doesn't solely rely on this to flesh Eiko out; her relationship with Kongming is what plays the most important role in her characterization. Similar to how Eiko eased Kongming's heart, Kongming also helped Eiko regain confidence in herself, giving her the push to continuously do better – which brings me to the prime reason why I find their relationship to be so profound.
Almost any fan would attribute mainly Eiko and Kongming's interactions to why they enjoy the show, and I'm no exception. The arrangement is strange for sure, but their relationship is at heart incredibly wholesome and uplifting. Why? One of the key things to consider here is the wish that Kongming made before dying, which was to be reborn in a more peaceful era. But even though his wish was fulfilled, Kongming remained dejected since there was no familar face around, and later, it was Eiko who brightened him up and enchanted him with her music. Similarly, Kongming was the first person to genuinely praise Eiko's singing, someone she could call "a true fan", and that motivated her to strive for greater lengths.
These simple aspects pave the way for a dynamic, heartwarming relationship, what would have been regarded as utterly stupid and nonsensical otherwise.
Despite Eiko's name being a direct reference to Kongming's allegedly real wife, there's not any implication of romance between the two. Their feelings toward each other is portrayed as platonic more than anything, which is evident through the obvious parallels to Kongming and Liu Bei's relationship – and I would be lying if I said I wasn't relieved thanks to that. I believe the primary reason why their bond doesn't feel forced is because it is platonic, and any attempts at romance would make their relationship overly awkward and unnatural. The later chapters of the manga presumably don't contain any romance either, and I hope it stays that way until the end.
While I could never see this being even a remote possibility, if you think the anime will become stale and formulaic with only those two in spotlight – don't worry, the viewers are quickly introduced to more compelling characters: Kabetaijin, an average Joe with no remarkable qualities except his knack and devotion for rap, and Nanami, the vocalist of a girls' band stripped of their passion and ingenuity. As cliched as their origin stories might sound, they are nevertheless inspiring and should strike a chord with the audience, particularly those who have been in the music industry themselves. Kabe and Nanami's individual character arcs peak respectively in episodes 6 and 9, which solidify the two as staple characters of the series.
Most of the supporting characters are equally or almost equally endearing. "Owner" Kobayashi sort of serves as a loving father figure to Eiko, and his penchant for Three Kingdoms has never failed to at least put a smile on my face. Sekitoba is a worthy rival of Kabe and a rather compelling character even on his own, and the same goes for all the members of Jet Jacket and the other two girls of Azalea. In spite of his short appearance, Tsuyoshi Kendo immediately left a vivid impression with his unconventional accent, and so did Steve Kiddo with his unhealthy pudding obsession. Karasawa is a decent antagonist, albeit not very complex, but more than believable and interesting enough to get invested into.
Music has always played a vital role for me when it comes to the enjoyment of any piece of media, and Paripi Koumei has honestly been astounding in that regard. The music production of the anime is spectacular; I'm not using the word lightly at all. In fact, what really got me invested in the show was not the randomness, but the short guitar song Eiko plays for Kongming in the first episode – which unironically stole my heart immediately. 96neko's voice is mesmerizingly beautiful, even though she mostly sings in English, which is notable because Japan is notorious for producing awful Engrish songs. Lezel's singing is also excellent, and Shouya's rapping is more than up to the mark (for the most part). Other relatively "minor" artists aren't negligible either, and the background music is superb as well, especially the tracks that play during the emotional scenes.
Some people have complained about the fact that certain songs are frequently repeated throughout the anime, which didn't particularly irk me to be honest, because there's a fairly solid reason behind why this decision was taken. One of the major themes of the story revolves around growth, whether musical or inherently personal, and I think the continuous repetition of a song to highlight that growth has been executed very well. This would have been an entirely different case if the songs themselves had been subpar or ordinary, but when the performances at display are remarkably better than most of the stuff that come out these days, I don't really see much room for concern here.
Regardless of what you think about their writing quality, it's difficult to deny that P.A. Works' productions have always looked visually impressive, and I feel like they have even stepped their game up a notch with Paripi Koumei. The animation in the show is strikingly good, boasting completely fluid character movement and vivid background art. The concerts in particular are splendidly animated, and the atmosphere is exceptionally unique. In a period where lifeless and mediocre anime are commonplace, this show feels and looks incredibly refreshing. Without any hint of exaggeration, it legitimately seems like the staff handled the series with immense care and love, with the genuine intent to make something of actual value – which I have yet to see in any of P.A. Works' other works besides Shirobako.
When you compare the anime to the manga, this intent becomes even more palpable. The manga of Paripi Koumei is not bad by any measure; it's actually amazing, but it doesn't exactly equal the anime. Music is obviously a big factor in this (manga doesn't have any sound, duh), especially when the level of quality is this outstanding, but to merely pass it off as that will be a great disservice to all the people who contributed to the project. You see, the art of the manga is frankly uninspiring; most of the panels are rather colorless and generic, and several are completely barren of any proper background. The characters are drawn very simplistically, with little emphasis on accentuating their expressions, for which they somewhat lack the emotional impact of the anime.
The writing of the anime also differs from the manga in many directions, which may seem trivial at a cursory glance, but are much more significant if you sit down and compare the two. I think one of the most prominent examples of this is how Eiko tends to subconsciously belittle herself by saying "watashi nanka" (translated to little ol' me), something Kongming notes immediately and tells her to stop using. This is a subtle way to add nuance to the characters, hinting at Eiko's modest persona and Kongming's thoughtful nature concerning her. A lot of their conversations are also expanded upon, consisting of more heartfelt and substantial dialogues, amplifying the effectiveness of the said scenes.
To further emphasize my point, there's an additional 3-minutes-long sequence in episode 9 of the anime, which presents a flashback of Azalea in their high school years, discussing what name they should pick for their band. The following scene shows Azalea performing in their debut concert, and subsequently, the three girls promise to keep making music together. What's merely touched upon in a single panel in the manga, has been expounded substantially and turned into an immensely meaningful backstory. Modifications like this have been made throughout the entire storyboard to enhance the experience, including the dramatic sequences as well as the comedic bits.
One of the few minor drawbacks of the show in my opinion is the unnecessary fanservice, which – despite just being few and far between – does leave a little bit of a bad taste. This occasional fanservice includes showing relatively risque scenes of Eiko taking a shower, changing her clothes, bathing with Nanami, etc. The anime is slightly less guilty of this compared to the manga though, which generally contains more lewder shots of Eiko doing the aforementioned things. However, this is simply an insignificant issue I personally found with the series and shouldn't affect your enjoyment that much, if at all; these scenes only appear occasionally after all.
Although everyone already knows about it, I just have to talk about the opening of the show, which I can't stress enough about how groovy it is. Fun fact, the original version of the opening is a Hungarian pop song released 9 years ago, and while it's not bad, the Japanese version completely overshadows it. The ending is also a cover of an old Japanese song called "Kibun Joujou", and again, the newer version is exceptionally better. I actually think the opening and the endings are more or less equally good, and the ending played in episodes 5 to 7 is probably the catchiest, particularly because of 96neko and Shouya's solo performances.
To say Paripi Koumei has a bit of something for everyone is misleading, because it clearly has elements that not everyone will enjoy. Does that mean I'm gonna stop anyone from watching the show? No, of course not. There's a reason why this is irrefutably the dark horse of this season, and I will go as far as to say it is easily the best anime of the year so far – and potentially even more. Well, the third season of Kaguya-sama *could* be better, but I haven't started watching that yet, so yeah. The point is, do certainly give Paripi Koumei a try, even if it doesn't seem like something that's up your alley. I was thoroughly surprised myself, and chances are you will be too.
Although I ended up using over two thousand words to write this review, I still don't feel like I have done Paripi Koumei any justice. I may never be able to fully convey how much I actually love the show; I think it is simply that good. This is all the more impressive when you consider the clusterfuck of ideas this anime works with, which should have been an easy recipe for a disastrous failure, not something as extraordinary as this. To reiterate myself, even if it sounds overly cliched, all this has been possible because of the tremendous effort put in by the creators – starting from the manga's author to everyone involved with the series' production. Paripi Koumei is in a word P.A. Works' newest passion project, and I can't wait to see more of it in the future.
It would be a gross understatement to say I will just miss this show, as it is not often you come across something truly special, and Paripi Koumei absolutely is special.
