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Art is something to live for. In the world of Inio Asano, life is never-ending suffering, and the things we pursue are what make it worth living. This comes through during the concerts in Ozanari-kun, where music fans from all generations scream "I'm so happy to be alive!"

The characters in this story constantly face miseries, and yet it's their work that makes other people face their miseries. As small a thing as one's favorite band getting back together can justify an entire troubled existence.

Ozanari-kun is a rare manga that utilizes color. Not full color drawings, but tints akin to playing Pokemon Red on a Game ... Boy Color. This mixing of color and media in general (photographic backgrounds are used sometimes) makes the reader aware of the bigger world outside of the page, while giving the reader the impression that this is a manga. It's not coloring the objects in the story - it's coloring the way we receive them. Green does not mean that a thing is green - just that we see green. I don't mean that I see deeper meanings in the color choices of the story, just that they merely exist for our amusement and not as a descriptor of the world of the story.

Because Ozanari-kun is not a story with its own world to be explored and understood. Music, white-collar work, suicide, these things exist in real people's worlds and lives. It voices the real in the form of the mocked. It shows you the fake world of gag manga while constantly reminding you of the real one.

What I get out of this is a sharp depiction of the fleeting nature of our various emotions. The joy of music. The sadness of having your gift rejected. The fact you don't need to be happy to move on. With its sharp dialogue and remarkable aesthetic, the way Ozanari-kun communicates these ideas is truly iconic.

What will stay with me in this series is the characters. Not that Yabusaka or Ozanari are truly vivid people who will stick with me as inspirations throughout my life. Rather, what they represent, they do excellently. The burdens that the chief carries through his life are communicated with great gravity and respect. Ozanari's wackiness is a great asset, but so is his presence as the perpetually bitter kid who everyone inexplicably likes. The characters hold the dialogue, and are thus the gateway to this story's themes. As such, they're totally excellent.

My main criticisms would be the pacing and presentation. Chapters have no regular length, and priorities can vary. This is not a simple elegant sequence of events, but rather a fusion of gag manga and dramatic priorities. While the aesthetic is remarkable, this is by no means a dense work. In the beginning, that this manga exists at all is the main thing it has going for it - truly unique, but repetitive. But the final act Ozanari Extreme does elevate it.

If you like the works of Inio Asano, Ozanari-kun is a must-read. If you like experimental work, this may be the most experimental thing he has done. If you don't like FLCL, you probably won't like Ozanari-kun.

Re: Cutie Honey was good. That's all you need to know. Go watch it. What, that's not enough for you? You need to know things about it? Alright, time to get a review going.

Story (8/10)

The most impressive thing about this show's story is that all three episodes manage to be wildly different while still telling the same story.

The first episode is a regular Imaishi action comedy romp. The blueprints for Kill la Kill are very apparent, and while this series doesn't develop the great visual sense and character dynamics that later series did, it still hits a lot of the same excitement.

The second episode, ... on the other hand, is a regular superhero drama. It's the typical story of the hero who tries to do her best, but gets blamed for the trouble villains cause. While it's a really common story these days, it had a lot of hold considering the more carefree episode before it. Another huge thread in this episode was society's treatment of women. As funny as that sounds to talk about in an ecchi anime, the second episode did a lot to capture how Honey and her peers weren't being appreciated.

The third episode is the one that was directed by Hideaki Anno. The apocalyptic imagery and themes of isolation you'd expect are very much present. I thought the script was kind of iffy though, and would have liked it to have followed up on the themes in episode 2.

But what really strikes me about the story is that while I can go on about how the three episodes' scenarios are different, the characters have one united story. Natsuki and Honey's dynamic is always sharp and adorable, Seiji is always an amusing witty sidekick, and Kyoko always brings a smile to your face. And that's what the story was for me. These four people coming together to fight this enemy, and not the convoluted specifics of where this enemy came from.


Art (7/10)
It's Gainax, so of course it's gonna look good. The first episode in particular is a standout display of colors, as expected from Imaishi. The next two aren't as visually stunning, sadly, but the series stays good looking enough you won't especially miss it.


Sound (6/10)
The OP is excellent, and the slowed down instrumental version that plays throughout the show is especially my jam. I felt there were some places the soundtrack felt bland or repetitive, but it was a fair track.


Character (7/10)
Are the characters deep? No. Are the characters fun and relatable? Yes. Honey is a ray of sunshine, and the day to day troubles she faces make her quite sympathetic. Natsuki is an excellent foil for her: strict, independent, and confident. Seiji, as I said before, is great if you enjoy the "smug smartass" character type (see Ryoji Kaji, Aikuro Mikisugi). There's nothing profound or original about these characters' depths, but if you like them they easily make the show worthwhile on their own.


Enjoyment (9/10)
This was exactly the pick-me-up I needed. Short show with only three episodes. Great action, great music, great design, some interesting themes, and like I've made clear, adorable characters.

Not sure how to be "objective" about enjoyment, but if you're here to have fun and you love subtle yuri (we're talking a couple inches above the Euphonium level), give this show a try.



Overall (8/10)
This isn't the score I have on my list. That's because there's a lot of shows I think are "Outstanding" (10), but I don't think all "Outstanding" shows are equal. I don't think all "Great"(9) shows are equal either.

But even if it's not in my favorites, I do think Re:Cutie Honey is a really good show. It's easy to finish, it hits a perfect balance between variation and consistency, and it'll have you shipping Honey and Natsuki in a jiff.