Morita-san wa Mukuchi is based on the 4koma, actually, IS the literal adaptation from the 4koma. With this in mind the purpose of these shorts are basically the same as the 4koma in newspapers: drop a quick funny or give a humorously warm ending. This is the point people are missing and it's understandable since we're used to watching anime like K-On!, Lucky Star, A-Channel, etc. in this genre. We're not used to this short short approach to anime, but once we do, we should keep this in mind in our reviews as it is what we ARE reviewing. Comparing this anime to said above slice-of-life giants is like comparing Robot Chicken to Family Guy or an orange to an apple. Morita-san wa Mukuchi and Lucky Star may be in the same genre, but are completely different in their goal in pleasing the audience. Where Lucky Star develops a "plot" around satirizing Japanese otaku culture, Morita-san wa Mukuchi focuses on quick humor, much like you see in newspaper comics in your local bagel shop. In this sense, Morita-san wa Mukuchi's plot IS the quick humor it induces on its audience. Anyway enough of my babbling and onward toward the review.
Story & Enjoyment (9): Again, Morita-san wa Mukuchi's plot IS the quick humor it induces on its audience. There are small events and occurrences that happen in the shorts that lead to a quick laugh. When I watch anime on the go, I've always had the problem of getting interrupted by errands and tasks at hand, which of course ruin the episode altogether. I liked the short length because I can get a laugh and brighten my day in a pinch before I have to attend to work. I watched this throughout the week when I during hallway time or free time before my classes, sports, and clubs. Afterward, I've always been in a better mood.
Art & Character (8): Simple, yet clever. Backdrops and setting is all simple, getting straight to the point of location and type of situation. Character art falls under the same praise as well. Morita's blank eyes that clearly express her level of deep thought. Miki's short hair and pink hair clips the radiate her energetic and cheerful persona. Hana's curly hair and wide eyes that give her this shy and self-conscience look. Basically character designs reflect their actual personalities. Along with the art, the characters were cleverly made. Deceptively simple, each character individually commanded no attention or any serious merit. However, when these simple characters are all put together, they created some extremely humorous scenes I enjoyed a lot.
Sound (7): No complaints. Upbeat intro to bring you prep you for the humor about to be induced. Simple background sound and music that compliment the situation and humor. The characters' had voices that fit, which is key to making any type of slice-of-life anime funny.
Overall (8): Again, since this is a series or short shorts that are meant to induce a bit of humor. Morita-san wa Mukuchi are for those busy anime fans who enjoy slice-of-life comedy, and want to feed their anime addiction throughout a busy work day. This is my primary reason why I enjoyed it: I could enjoy and laugh at anime at school without ruining anime with real life interruptions!
