This anime is for anyone who is interested in seeing otaku culture in Japan, specifically centered around the doujinshi scene.
At first it seems like a typical low-budget gag anime from the early 2000s , it's actually a serious take on the journey of a doujinshi (fan comic) artist. The anime acts as a guide of do's and don'ts to making doujin and it's super informative. If you like informational anime that deep-dive into unique topics this is a must-watch.
Plot overview:
The anime starts with the characters in their senior year of high school and thinking of life after high school. Our main protagonist, Kazuki, is someone who has never thought much about what to do career wise and also has no specific interests but, has some talent for drawing that he's only utilized sparingly at school.
Kazuki's otaku friend Taishi, convinces him and their mutual friend Mizuki to go with him to a Comiket, a big convention (think comic con if artist alley took 75% of the space). While the experience is exhausting Kazuki is exposed to the world of making and selling doujinshi and with a little push from Taishi he feels inspired to make his own. Mizuki however, is against this as she feels that otaku-culture goes against societal norms and doesn't want Kazuki to become an outcast.
Even though Kazuki meets many women throughout the series they are all friends-only and all seem to respect that Mizuki is basically Kazuki's girlfriend. The main conflicts center around Mizuki accepting Kazuki's new passion and Kazuki's journey as an artist.
Some of the things I really love about this anime is that Kazuki's artist journey is very relatable as an artist myself. And also that making art is hard work and you can't cut corners.
(8/10)
