Irodoku: The world in Colors

Irodoku is a slice of life, shojo anime with one short season of thirteen episodes. It's a sweet and cute show that isn't very plot intensive, but rather focuses on the sentiment behind its story progression. Watching Irodoku feels like staring at a cuddly teddy bear- it's attractive to look at, and makes you feel warm for a second, but you'll get bored if you keep looking. While I still do recommend giving it a watch, don't let it become your primary anime, it works better as something to fall back on when you need a break from everything else. 

The story of Irodoku follows a high school girl called Hitomi and is set in Japan 2078. It's well known that the world has rare individuals who are able to perform magic, Hitomi's family is full of such mages. Hitomi is colorblind and very introverted, she does not try to make friends and has some deep rooted abandonment issues because of her childhood. Determined to broaden Hitomis' perspective, her grandmother, Kohaku casts a spell on her and sends her 60 years into the past. In the past, Hitomi meets teenage Kohaku and now attends school with her as a transfer student, whilst trying to figure out how to return to the future. The story then explores how this extremely closed of girl manages to join an arts and photography club and makes genuine friends. She opens her heart to new experiences also falls in love for the first time. It's also interesting to see how she initially hates magic, but now begins to enjoy using it because it gives her a chance to see colors and make others happy. But as reality catches up, we must ask, what happens when she returns to the future?     

What I dislike about Irodoku, apart from its snails pace on story progression, is that it completely disregards any laws of time travel. There are no consequences or paradoxes that should be created by her actions in the past, which I find really illogical. They also have a great start to building characters, but don't really pull through in making them interesting enough to support the plot. In the end, just watch this anime for its 'feel good' factor, it does not have much else going for it. 

      

My personal ratings are:

Story: 2/5
Character Development: 3/5
Dialogue: 2/5
Music: 3/5 
Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall recommendation: A Monochromatic Photograph 

Irodoku is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.  

Violet Evergarden

Violet Evergarden is well renowned Netflix original series that won the award for best animation in the 2019 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. This anime is a beautiful coming of age story that will definitely pull on your heart strings and make you feel for its characters. I really struggle with thinking of any criticism for Violet Evergarden, it has outstanding visuals, a complex plot, intriguing characters and makes you feel connected to its world. I think this is a prime example of new age anime pushing the conventions of vibrant story telling. Please be warned however, Violet Evergarden is like an onion: It has many delicious layers, but as you cut through them, you are likely to find yourself brought to tears. 

I love a good period anime, this one is set in a time just post the war (which war? doesn't matter). People are starting to move on from the scars left behind by the war and new businesses are booming, despite the worlds limited technology. Violet Evergarden wakes up to this unprecedented peace after a traumatic accident in which she lost her arms, only to realize she has no idea how to live in a society devoid of the battlefield. She was orphaned in the war and taken in by a kind army major who taught her how to fight and survive. She attaches herself to this major and becomes a war weapon, to be used at his disposal. Now with the war over and her beloved general missing, she has no idea how to move on with her life. Violet gets automated metal arms to replace her torn off ones (full metal violet?) and sets off to become an 'auto memory doll'. This profession requires understanding the feelings of your client and then writing a letter on their behalf to support their lack of ability to express themselves well. These letters can be between lovers, friends, businessmen or even politicians and convey the sentiment of the sender. The journey of Violet going from not being able to comprehend basic human emotions to being able to emote for others is astoundingly wonderful. You begin to root for her as she navigates society and learns how to interact with people, how to make friends. You'll stay with her on her search to understand, what does it mean to say "I love you". 

I'm not going to lie, This anime has actually made me cry, it gets you so emotionally invested and deals with the most sensitive of human feelings that you won't help getting teary eyed occasionally. Because of this, watching it can be emotionally taxing if you aren't mentally prepared. Other than this, I find no basic faults with Violet Evergarden. It stays true to its style and is a great blend of action, drama and romance.   



My personal ratings are:

Story: 4/5
Character Development: 5/5
Dialogue: 4/5
Music: 4/5
Enjoyment: 5/5 

Overall Recommendation: One perfectly written letter 

This is a Netflix original and should be available there in all regions. 

My Teen Romantic Comedy Snafu

Also called 'My Youth Romantic Comedy is Wrong, As I Expected' and Yahari Ore no Seinshun... you know what, this one has too many long names, we shall refer to this as 'Oregairu' (as most people do online). This show is a three season slice of life, teenage love story that's different from the usual anime rom-com. Oregairu is focused on realism and tries to portray an actual representation of how people think and feel in high school. This means you can't expect cliche and silly rom-com lovie dovey moments, but instead we get brilliant dialogue, stimulating sub plots and witness genuine human interactions. Coupled with its amazing animation style and complex character development, this one makes a great weekend binge!

Oregairu, likes to throw social ideologies and scenarios at its viewers with the intention of making them actually think about it, and I find that fascinating. The story starts with Hachiman Hikigaya, also called Hikki (yes, I giggled too) who is a realist that is very blunt and has no care for what others think of him. He is fine being a social outcast and thinks he is smarter than most. He is forced to join the schools social service club by his teacher where he meets Yukinoshta, an intelligent girl who is narcissistic and is socially awkward because of her limited interactions with friends. Added to the club is Yuhigahama who is a very social, likable and has many friends. The clash between these three personalities which buds into friendship and then something more is very entertaining. The anime will explore complexities of love triangles, high school friendships and social groups within schools. Honestly what makes Oregairu great for me is Hikki's monologues and commentaries about life that are just masterfully written and extremely amusing. You'll start for the cute anime girls (guys too), and stay for the Hikigaya wisdom.   

My biggest issue with this anime is that it gets too convoluted the further to go along watching it. They rely heavily on subtext and circumstantial understanding of feelings which can make even simple plot points seem confusing. Oregairu is also ridiculously faced paced in terms of dialogue, one look away from the screen and you'll be lost, so you need to pay attention. 

                          

My personal ratings are:

Story: 3/5
Character Development: 5/5
Dialogue: 5/5
Music: 4/5
Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall Recommendation: Yahalloo!

Catch My Teen Romantic Comedy Snafu on Crunchyroll. Use a VPN if not in your region. 

Fruits Basket

 

If like me, you love slice of life anime or any show that allows you to kick back relax and forget your troubles while you watch, Fruits Basket has to be your next watch. Watching an episode is almost like meditation, it just soothes your soul with its calming and relaxing vibe. Fruits Basket was once animated in 2001 but has now gotten a remake in 2019 with a face-lift and boy was it worth it! The two new seasons of Fruits Basket have been beautifully animated and the story is evenly spread out for you to enjoy slowly. It's not exactly a tear jerker, but be ready to feel some emotions. 

The plot follows the life of seemingly ordinary college girl Tohru Honda who one day accidentally bumps into the Soma family while attempting to live in a tent on their property. She reveals that her parents have passed away and that she needed a place to stay without bothering anyone till her other relatives could renovate their house and take her in. Tohru is a bumbly girl who can be very clueless, but has a certain innocence or purity to her, this charms the two Soma cousins who agree to let her stay with them in exchange for some household chores. Straightforward right? But I forgot to mention that the Soma family is actually cursed by the Chinese zodiac signs and that 13 members of the family turn into a particular zodiac animal assigned to them at birth when they are hugged by someone of the opposite gender (I think you can see where this is going). Tohru accidentally hugs Yuki Soma who is also her classmate, and discovers their secret. The anime will take you on a journey about how she meets all the Somas' and how she accepts them when most people never could. There are dark elements that lurk in the background of Fruits Basket like the secret behind the curse, the horrible childhood each Soma endures and how they had given up on normal lives before realizing that all is not lost for them. But all cards on the table, it's a heart warming tale and easily narrates the intricate stories of many different characters without becoming slow or boring.  

No anime is perfect and Fruits Basket is not an exception, like many slice of life shows it does that annoying thing where there are ridiculously obvious plot points that need to be addressed and can be addressed easily but are instead stretched out over a long period of time. Also, and I don't know if this counts, but I know many people who find Tohru's voice annoying and it puts off the calming vibe the show normally has for them (not me Tohru, I support you a hundred percent). 

                     

My personal ratings are:

Story: 3/5
Character Development: 4/5
Dialogue: 3/5
Music: 3/5 
Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall Recommendation: 12 Zodiac Animals 

Fruits Basket is available in India on Netflix and outside India, Hulu.

Natsume's Book of Friends

                 

Natsume's Book of Friends or Natsume Yuujinchou has aired six seasons and a movie, with season seven on the way. This is a special anime for me because it has such an immense calming effect that you can't help but smile and de-stress as you watch. I watch an episode of Natsume Yuujinchou exclusively on days that I need a pick-me-up and I refuse to watch the last episode of season six till there are more, because I won't be able to handle not having more to look forward to. It's not just me, Natsume Yuujinchou has a massive fan following due to its chill vibe and peaceful motif. This is a must watch for those of you who have a lot going on and want a few minutes of real peace in a day. Just shut off your phone and watch a single episode, I guarantee you tranquility (otherwise you're just not human). 

The story is that of a boy called Natsume (duh), who unlike most humans could see ghosts and spirits since he was a child. He also lost his parents at a young age and understandably had it really rough moving from one home to another and never finding any real friends. Thankfully Natsume finally gets taken in by an understanding and loving couple, and gets a stable school life with friends who find his behavior strange at first but eventually begin to understand him. The story really picks up when he inherits his grandmother's 'book of friends' which has entrapped the names and powers of several spirits and can be used to control them. Instead of looking for more power, the mild mannered Natsume decides to return each spirit's freedom to them and in the process meets Nyanko sensei, a cute cat like creature who can turn into a powerful dragon at will. Nyanko has never met anyone like Natsume and decides to help him and keep him out of danger as his 'pet cat'. Natsume who wants no trouble out of life is constantly pulled into various extraordinary situations and eventually learns how to rely on others to get through them. The rest of the story is an astonishingly good blend of making us see the world through his eyes and how others perceive him. In no time you'll find yourself invested in finding out what happens next. 

While Natsume Yuujinchou has the makings of a show that is full of exciting battles and riveting plot twists, it just isn't that. There are several powerful beings and potential mayhem causing plot points but the anime refuses to indulge in much action or trepidation that will harm its chill vibe. While I don't see this is a fault, turn away if you want to see any of these things or if you're looking for a fast paced show. 
                                                

My personal ratings are:

Story: 4/5
Character Development: 4/5
Dialogue: 3/5 
Music: 4/5

Overall Recommendation: One of Nyanko Sensei's Jelly Sweets 

Unfortunately options to watch Natsume's Book of Friends are limited in India. You'll have to find a streaming service online, but if you like what you see try to support the creators by buying the manga as well: https://www.amazon.in/Natsumes-Book-Friends-Vol-1/dp/1421532433/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=natsume&qid=1596127228&sr=8-2 

Your Name

          Your name or 'Kimi No Na Wa' is an iconic anime movie. Not only is it the world's highest grossing anime film with box office earnings just under 358 million dollars (hot damn!), but also has won more awards than I can list here. Why is it so good you ask? Well for starters it's because the creator of Your Name, Makoto Shinkai, is an artistic and creative genius. The visuals and animation style are in a league of their own. In fact every image is so vibrant that you'll be watching with a guaranteed glimmer in your eyes and you might even shed a tear just because of its beauty. Strange thing is, if you ask me to categorize this movie in just one genre, I simply can't. Your Name has everything in it, it's the very definition of a multi-layered plot. But more than that, this one movie encapsulates everything good about anime as a medium, not because of what qualities it has, but because of how it makes you feel.

I don't want to give away much here, but I'll describe he basics of its story. We follow the lives of Taki and Mitsuha who are starkly different people. Mitsuha lives in a rural town and wants nothing but to get out of there and live a fast paced city life. Inversely, Taki lives in Tokyo and is a student struggling to find a corporate job while working part time as a waiter. They one day realize that they're connected somehow and switch bodies from time to time, just for a short period. The story continues to explore the reason for this phenomenon and how the two begin to understand each other, without really meeting. Now I know you'll think this is a sappy and overdone body switching plot, but trust me this doesn't even scratch the surface, there's so much more to it that I can't talk about without spoilers. I'll say it again, the story is genius and unexpected, just go watch it (all hail Makoto-san). Now the cherry on the top here is an absolutely amazing soundtrack done by a band called The Radwimps. They even redid all their songs in English to go with the English dub of the movie which is just some sheer dedication. I genuinely listen to at least one long from this soundtrack everyday. 

I have no criticism for Your Name. I think it has everything a great anime needs and anyone who finds faults here is just reaching for something that isn't there. I actually think I just wrote this post as an excuse to re watch the movie despite having seen it eleven times before. Just go watch it, bring your non anime watching friends along and you might convert them too (I've used Your name to convert many a person into anime lovers).
        My personal ratings are:

Story: 5/5
Character Development: 5/5
Dialogue: 4/5
Music: 5/5 

Overall Recommendation: One Casual Introduction 

You can rent or buy your name on Amazon or Google Playstore for under five dollars. If you need to stream it illegally then at least try and buy its DVD in the future when you have the money.