Many parents and teachers claim that school is a forum for thinking. School is the place to learn how to collaborate. In the real world, most projects require more than just one person. If one cannot work together, one loses many opportunities. Chefs have to work together with assistant chefs and waitresses to serve the best food; delays and a lowering of quality can happen if the employees are obtrusive and inexperienced. There are many cases that the teacher-student relationship blurs and this is why school is so great; namely, we all can learn from each other. There is no other place for learning many things besides a school.
Manabi Straight’s setting argues that the quality of education, the importance of school, and teamwork will degrade in the future -- it is set around 2035. Some viewers, interested in the field of education, may also argue that this is happening today. Colleges are becoming more expensive and it seems more practical to start in the workforce; my mathematics teacher said that an experienced plumber will earn about the same revenue as a doctor in a lifetime. In America and Britain, education systems are on the verge of a revamp. Japan’s student scores on science exams has steadily decreased, but the students feel less stress; this is quite unlike its neighbor, South Korea, which has problems with student suicides. What should the education systems do? What is the meaning of school today? These are great questions to ponder for politicians, people in the education field, students, and parents. Without a doubt, this is a fantastic setting that asks us to think about the future.
Manabi, a new student, has elected herself as the Student Council President and, inspired by the school anthem’s lyrics, has started creative projects to vitalize the school. If there is one reason to watch the show, it is to watch Yui Horie’s fantastic Kushieda Minorin-like performance. Her character personifies the idealistic view on the meaning of school. She is a genki girl that believes in the power of friendship; her humor and gregarious personality is admiring. A natural-born leader, Manabi manages to lead the student council despite her status as a newbie. Her struggle as a character is awe-inspiring and drives the story forward; if you are a college admission officer, you should immediately accept her into your college no matter how prestigious it is. If you did not feel any emotion from her singing the school anthem in the first episode, you have no soul. She is just that awesome.
Like Azumanga Daioh, the work also has a character people can relate to. Voiced by Haruhi, Mei personifies those students with a strong sense of responsibility. Everyone knows at least one Mei in our lives; we also have different opinions on people like her. She is a fantastic character because her archetype appears in other works. In Manabi Straight, we see her archetype through a sentimental lens. This is to provoke our minds into changing our perceptions of characters and people like Mei. Thus, Mei is the most realistic and human character in this whole series.
Takako, as well, deserves a mention. She should have been a main character. A mentor to Manabi, Takako is a bored student council president in a typical rich girl’s school. Until she meets Manabi, school is nothing more than a place before work. Her character becomes dynamic and more humane. Thus, her character is complimentary to Manabi’s. Both characters develop the themes together and their interactions are the most interesting ones in the show.
Sadly, this is the end of positive aspects of the show. Everything else is as stale as a live-action Disney show.
The story is hampered by the other characters: Mika, Momoha, and Mutsuki. Mika is the shy girl character and her path to adulthood is predictable and pointless. Momoha is one of those characters that is “unnecessary, but oh well, let’s add her because she is moe”. Mutsuki is genki and that’s about it; she is clearly Ritsu from K-On!. These three people slow down the story to a snail’s pace, using terrible jokes that people really don’t care about.
Thus, this brings up another point. What is the focus for this show exactly? Manabi Straight has an impressive setting and this work has the potential to be deep and thought-provoking. This reminds me of a work like Sora no Woto, a combination of K-On! visuals and antiwar environmental themes. Why can’t this work do that? Instead, it goes back and forward. Pacing is abysmal. Mika is not the main character; Manabi is. Why are we hearing her thoughts instead of Manabi’s? The story and theme feel underdeveloped thanks to teetering and its most dramatic moments succumb to it.
Art direction is generic and the lighting feels underexposed. This is probably a stylistic choice, but it makes it hard for viewers to see. Character designs are standard lolicon. It does not venture into more creative territories. There is nothing daring or expressive that ufotable did. It is just so bland that words can’t express it.
Any anime enthusiasts will figure out the clock tower’s bell. It is a commonly used sound effect, which also appears in the Umineko visual novel series; I assume the Golden Witch is rolling her head in her grave. Manabi’s OP and ED are standard forgettable j-pop songs. Sound, as a whole, is ordinary at the very best.
Sometimes, I think too deep into many things; Manabi Straight’s setting is one of them for sure. Thus, it is a pity to say that I am disappointed in such a promising setting. For a work with such a huge potential to be more than just moe, it feels lacking. A bore, most of the characters should have been cut out. It focuses on the wrong things at the wrong times and there is no limit to its genericness. Manabi Straight is just a slice-of-life show featuring lolicons doing cute things. It does not sit well with me.
