New Game!

Since childhood, Aoba Suzukaze has loved the Fairies Story game series, particularly the character designs. So when she graduates from high school, it is no surprise that she applies to work at Eagle Jump, the company responsible for making her favorite video game. On her first day, she is excited to learn that she will be working on a new installment to the series: Fairies Story 3—and even more so under Kou Yagami, the lead character designer.

In their department are people who share the same passion for games. There is Yun Iijima, whose specialty is designing monsters; the shy Hifumi Takimoto, who prefers to communicate through instant messaging; Hajime Shinoda, an animation team member with an impressive figurine collection; Rin Tooyama, the orderly art director; Shizuku Hazuki, the game director who brings her cat to work; and Umiko Ahagon, the short-tempered head programmer.

New Game! follows Aoba and the others on their adventure through the ups and downs of game making, from making the perfect character design to fixing all the errors that will inevitably accumulate in the process.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Suzukaze, Aoba Main

Takada, Yuuki Japanese

Yagami, Kou Main

Hikasa, Youko Japanese

Takimoto, Hifumi Supporting

Yamaguchi, Megumi Japanese

Ahagon, Umiko Supporting

Morinaga, Chitose Japanese

Sakura, Nene Supporting

Asahina, Madoka Japanese

Iijima, Yun Supporting

Takeo, Ayumi Japanese

Shinoda, Hajime Supporting

Toda, Megumi Japanese

Tooyama, Rin Supporting

Kayano, Ai Japanese

Hazuki, Shizuku Supporting

Kitamura, Eri Japanese

Yamada Supporting

Fujita, Saki Japanese

Cook, Justin Producer

Kananiwa, Kozue Producer

Tanaka, Shou Producer

Kamata, Hajime Producer

Reviews

Sep 25, 2016

Veronin

Recommended

New Game is a joy to watch, medicine for the mind, the perfect cure after a long day of work. It doesn't do anything too notable, but at the same time, never really needed to in the first place.

Where most slice-of-life anime fumble and stumble in an effort to figure out what they want to be, New Game knows from the very start what it is. It is a cutesy tale of the mundane, a cross of sorts between Shirobako's look into the world of production, and K-ON's more fluffy elements. It is heart-warming when it decides to take ... a more meaningful turn, and never ventures into the realm of melodrama. Even if it may not contain the same depth and insight into the industry as Shirobako did, it very much succeeds in being simple, yet well-crafted entertainment.

Cute slice-of-life anime are a dime a dozen, but ones like New Game are noticeably rarer. We do not often get anime with exclusively adult characters. It is something the industry needs more of, too, as high school and middle school club activities are inherently less interesting than those of a working adult. Rather than focusing on the video game industry from the eyes of a bunch of kids who play Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy after school, it takes an insider's perspective as a result of the setting, a glimpse into the art of game production. It just never really develops beyond that glimpse, with the vast majority of the anime focusing on Aoba and friends' daily adventures rather than their actual job as game developers. More often you'll see the girls fight over pudding or air conditioning rather than, y'know, developin'. It would have been nice to see New Game do something more substantial with the setting, as it can sometimes feel more like a stage than a real place. Even as incompetent as they all are, they still end up producing an excellent, finished product by the end. If New Game were an accurate representation of game development, their game would have gotten delayed so hard it would give The Last Guardian competition.

If there is one issue with regards to the characters, it is that they never truly behave like adults. Heck, most of them could even pass for primary schoolers, a fact that New Game does not hide away from, what with most of the cast dressing as kindergarteners in the ending sequence. If lolis are your thing, hey, enjoy! But if you are expecting ladies in their early-to-mid twenties to have an interest in the opposite sex and actually behave their age, you may find yourself a bit disappointed. I think, to some extent, it is justified, as the worries and the activities of the average adult are at odds with the light-hearted, relaxing nature of the genre. To ask for change would be to ask for change entirely. And I don't think New Game needs change.

I say this because New Game is more than just pudding fights and lolis-who-also-happen-to-be-adults. There are some honestly beautiful moments throughout the show - frequent enough to be notable, but never incessant to the point that it feels like it is beating you over the head with themes of friendship and healing, as some (many) slice-of-life anime do. What is there in New Game is subtle: in one early episode, Aoba is speaking to her friend about her recent experiences with game development, and the movements and crossing of her legs suggest that she is actually very excited about what's been going on, despite her casual tone over the phone. It doesn't sound like a whole lot, but subtle moments like these are effective and heart-warming all the less. It demonstrates a great deal of talent and effort on the animators' part, and makes the case for why the quiet often rings louder than the dramatic. You don't need crying and arguing and death and angst to make us care for the characters-- you only need to show that they are human beings like us. As idealised as New Game's characters are, they feel more human than the vast majority of anime characters today, even if they may all be lacking a wee bit in the brain cell department.

New Game has ample amounts of cuteness and sexiness, if that is your sorta thing. Occasionally there will be moments such as Aoba changing clothes in the bathroom, but rather than zoom in on butts and boobies to the point of blindness, it will focus on more tasteful (and less creepy) areas like the neck and the legs. The fanservice does not ever reach the point of feeling desperate, so I think, maybe, you can watch it without feeling too bad about yourself? Aoba is also, without a doubt in my mind, one of the cutest anime ladies my eyeballs have witnessed. Her adorable smile fills me with joy and sunshine. If it weren't for miss Yazawa Nico, well...

As I've gotten older and more experienced with anime, I've started to ask myself what it is I truly look for in an anime. There are some absolutely beautiful stories out there, and there are also fun little shows like New Game which provide a laugh and a smile after a long day. There are many anime fans who swear themselves to one or the other, or battle, much as I did, over which is more meaningful. I think the answer I've come to is a bit simpler: we need both in our lives.

Nay. I should rephrase that: I just need Aoba in my life.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Sep 19, 2016

HellLyter

Mixed Feelings

I hate to simply reiterate what others have been saying, but no other phrase fits this anime more perfectly than "cute girls doing cute things." Anime like New Game are usually classified as moe, a genre that is one of the most common out there, with multiple titles airing every anime season. While enjoyed by some, others have become exasperated over seeing what is essentially the same basic thing continuous done over and over again in these shows without much difference between them. So what did New Game's author do to add a little flair of originality to his work? He changed the setting.

That's ... right, instead of taking place in a high school, New Game takes place in the frightening world of adults, specifically at a game development facility. Now we all know that this hardly changes anything, just the motivation and goals of the characters. Oh, wait, since the girls are in their twenties (besides eighteen year old protagonist Aoba, who looks like an absolutely adorable thirteen year old) it does mean that the girls in this moe anime can legally get drunk, which they do often.

Now at this point it may seem like I'm disappointed with this anime because it isn't "different enough." However that is not the case. I didn't watch this anime to find something "new" and "innovative," and you shouldn't either. Instead, come in to this anime expecting a bunch of lighthearted entertainment. New Game does a great job of being what it was designed to be, and that's a show filled with adorable characters, well executed comedy, and fun situations.

Plot: 5/10

New Game follows protagonist Aoba as she experiences the benefits as well as hardships of life after school. She is very determined to succeed and enters work directly after high school (I'd personally wait until I received a college degree, but each to his own). After receiving a position at her dream job, Aoba assimilates herself into the work force. She is initially nervous about meeting her co-workers, but is relieved to find that they are all very kind, though incredibly quirky, people, who also happen to be all young attractive females. I'd love to have a work environment just like that when I eventually get a job. And by that I mean having friendly co-workers. I'm definitely not referring to the "quirky and attractive girls" bit. Essentially the anime follows the daily lives of Aoba and her friends as they work to produce video games. While this anime has many adorable moments, no significant plot details can be found, hence my mediocre scoring of the plot section. Of course, some "elitist" anime watchers may nod their heads in disgust at the simplicity of the story presented in this anime, and I agree that it is quite basic. But once again, I'll iterate that for shows like New Game, one shouldn't consider the plot to be as important in scoring as it is for more advanced anime such as Fate/Zero and Steins;Gate. Instead, simply sit back, relax, and enjoy the cuteness of this show.

Art and Animation: 9.5/10

The gorgeous visuals of New Game are the reason why I started watching it in the first place. The very beginning of the first episode was animated beautifully, and the quality of the animation remained strong throughout the entirety of the anime. The characters are designed with many vibrant colors that allow them to stand out against the fastidiously animated scenery. The girls are drawn in a lovely manor, and I particularly appreciate the detail on the eyes. When Aoba is occasionally shown walking outdoors while surrounded by cherry blossoms, the entire scene looks absolutely breathtaking due to the high quality of the art. The only reason why I can't give this category a perfect score is because there aren't many backgrounds in this show, with the most reoccurring one being the somewhat simplistically designed office room where the characters work at. While it doesn't look bad, the office room is rather plain, especially when compared to the outdoor scenery.

Sound: 5/10

New Game has a group of seiyuu who manage to make their characters sound as adorable as possible, especially Yuuki Takada, the voice actress of Aoba, who is only in her second anime role. Also the more experienced Yoko Hikasa, who voices Kou Yagami, does a great job as well. The soundtrack provides a lighthearted feel to the anime and the opening and ending themes, while musically basic, have a cute and upbeat vibe. The sound is all around fine, but nothing particularly stands out.

Characters: 6.5/10

It is quite apparent that many of the characters seem to possess the same qualities as characters from similar shows. However one must understand that there must be a reason that the same personalities are constantly reused (and I vehemently refuse to believe that it's just lazy writing). It's probably because these traits just work the best for the characters in these settings. Each girl in New Game has her own little quirks that are fun and cute to watch, and it just works. While they may not be anything special on their own, the girls in this show manage to keep the viewer entertained throughout the course of the anime, and I'd call that a success.

Entertainment: 6/10

This was a fun show to watch. I smiled and sometimes even let out a little chuckle during a few of the scenes. Each episode was filled with the adorable cast getting themselves into funny and cute situations as they proceed with their daily lives. Each episode is structured in a similar way, so, depending on the individual, watching this show can get boring as it progresses. However I personally feel like each episode provided fresh comedic material and new and interesting situations, so I remained entertained throughout the majority of the anime.

Overall: 6/10

By now you should realize that New Game and shows like it don't have any deep and significant plot elements and don't boast characters with ample portions of development and depth. However that's not their point. They're made to provide tons of lighthearted comedy and entertainment and showcase adorable and lovable characters doing, well, cute things. New Game is a nice show all around, and while it did not bring anything "awesome" or "epic" to the table, it was still enjoyable to watch.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Dec 13, 2016

Zaku88

Not Recommended

A few seasons back I watched a rather subpar show about a group of high schoolers making a game. So I guess someone decided it was about time to do another such show, but utilizing pros this time. What results is propaganda so ridiculously fake that you might as well be convincing someone that cheesecake is in fact ice cream cake. New Game! depicts the not-so-realistic game studio Eagle Jump, which apparently has a reverse-discriminatory hiring practice as not a single guy shows up in the entire show. It follows recent high school graduate Aoba as she learns about office life from her sempai. It ... feels very much along the same vein as shows such as Working! and Sore ga Seiyuu! Know that despite the 4-koma tag, these episodes are actually full length.

If you want to laugh at a show as it attempts to sell you on the fun of staying up all night doing work, dig in. Likewise, those who enjoyed girls' club shows such as K-On, Tari Tari, or the like may also enjoy this. If you're like me and tired of the same moe format being applied to every conceivable setting, then you'll probably want to skip this one.

Animation:
The animation is standard fare moe material, most of which takes place in a relatively bright and happy office. Expect pretty good detailing in the studio, the narrow building entrance and certain details definitely feel fitting based on my time in Tokyo. I mentioned Shokomeza earlier, and honestly, despite the characters here being supposedly older these characters act and behave even more childish. There you have it, a show with middle-school aged characters working in a supposedly professional gaming studio. The animation highlights of this show for me include the cute yet obviously uninterested hedgehog Sojiro and Hifumi's true smile - about as moe as you can get, ok fine they got me on that one.

Sound:
The show opens with a playful song by the VAs that somehow reminds me of Working!, and no it's not because of the exclamation point. The ED is a likewise cheerful piece though it isn't as catchy, and the first part is pretty low in pitch (sounds like it's out of the comfort zone for some of the VAs). The BGM is mostly unobtrusive though also rather fittingly upbeat.

Aoba and her cubicle mates are all voiced by relatively junior VAs. Their performance is fine though Megumi Yamaguchi stands out more because of her character than her performance. However, the managerial level is full of veterans including Eri Kitamura, Ai Kayano, and Youko Hikasa; the latter two deliver very strong performances. Overall, expect a very light and cute sound package throughout.

Story:
The show follows Aoba as she learns how to design and create 3D models for a game, which happens to be a sequel to the game that she first fell in love with as a child. The plot is pretty simple and follows the company as the workers seek to master up. In addition to getting us closer to the looming deadline, each episode has a particular focus, be it Aoba's first nomikai (drinking party), or her first paycheck. It's trivially easy to figure out what the episode is going to be about, just check the episode title. The show builds to a natural and predictable climax and resolution. There is a tiny bit of tension right at the climax but really, this isn't a particularly exciting show. Overall, I got a handful of laughs along the way, but honestly speaking this is not a show that you'll want to chain.

Character:
If all you need from a show are cute girls interacting, then this is pure bliss. If you're more interested in dynamic characters reacting to changing situations or romance, then this is probably going to be a waste of your time. My main complaint here is, again, how immature everyone acts. I get that things are typically overstated in anime, but seriously, these characters are in the wrong setting; the management are more like babysitters than company leaders. That said the character chemistry isn't bad. Aoba is an inexperienced but hard-working newbie. Hajime is your brash, playful otaku who spends all her money on figurines. Yun is your Kansai-accented, goth loli who is uber-sensitive about having flabby arms. And Hifumi is, ironically, a shy, secret cosplayer. They really put thought into giving the characters a bit of depth and not spamming the viewer with a ton of supporting characters, both points that are greatly appreciated. The show really could do without Nene though, maybe I'm still recovering from Flora from Asterisk but loud, childishly-whiny kids really rub me the wrong way.

Value:
Honestly, this is a fair watch but probably the first show of the year that I will forget; there's just nothing significant that happens. On top of that, the plot isn't particularly exciting and the setting is even more far removed from the reality of the workplace than the Working! series. I really have no idea how this is considered seinin but regardless, there are other shows that are much more worthy of your time.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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