Back to Volunteer's Profile Volunteer's Profile

Beastars is probably not quite what you're expecting. The premise and promotional posters may lead you to believe it's going to be a quirky rom-com, but I think it's best that one stifles any expectations they may have and just watch it with as little information as possible. If your curiosity gets the better of you, then maybe I can convince you here.

Our animal friends at Cherryton Academy live relatively comfortable lives away from society at large. Within these walls, they experience intense study, a variety of clubs, and tender romances. Like our own schools, it reflects the transition from childhood to adulthood. This academy ... is host to a myriad of different animals that all live in various dormitories to suit their species. It's plain to see this world in which they live mirrors our own in certain capacities. Herd mentality permeates the student body and they become isolated into obvious cliques. The two most notable camps that these characters fall into? Carnivores and herbivores.

There's a lot of moral ambiguity at play here and it challenges the viewer to see both sides of an issue. One of the central themes of Beastars is the growing tension between meat eaters and plant eaters. Carnivores are expected to be much more docile than their nature suggests. Their diet has been relegated to things like soy products and egg sandwiches. Signs of aggression toward herbivores aren't tolerated and any carnivore caught posing a threat is punished severely. As a consequence of this role reversal, many carnivores have grown resentful toward herbivores and it's caused an uncomfortable divide among the students of Cherryton. This self-imposed segregation is brought about by natural instincts and it makes for an intriguing story. It's rare to see animals from these creeds as anything more than acquaintances who associate with each other out of necessity. So what would happen if an attempt was made to break this divide? A chance meeting between a meek wolf and an assertive bunny may have the potential to shake up the entire school.

We're introduced to a timid gray wolf named Legoshi. Legoshi is a modest and unassuming, but largely imposing figure in the stage crew of the drama club. The club itself is full of an eclectic mix of different animals that manage to put on successful plays, but the most notable one is the red deer Louis. As the premier actor, Louis is the pride and joy of Cherryton and is particularly fawned over by girls for his striking looks and charisma. He has a dominating presence and takes center stage in nearly every scene he's a part of. Yuuki Ono puts on a stunning performance and gives Louis's voice a thunderous sense of power. These two have a fascinating dynamic that greatly contrasts with their ordinary roles in the animal kingdom. Louis takes an interest in Legoshi and pushes him to be more involved with the club. As a direct result of this, Legoshi comes into contact with a feisty dwarf rabbit named Haru and everything soon changes. These three navigate their complicated school lives in a setting nature never truly intended. All of them have to fight against their natural roles as predator and prey. As a whole, the cast comes together to maker for one of the most compelling shows of its kind.

A few words come to mind when I think of how to describe the art style and animation of Beastars. Crisp, vibrant, and lush stand out to me. The series utilizes some of the finest CG in a standard TV series that you'll ever see. Environments are colorful and really pop. The motions are fluid. It's honestly a joy to see when these moments are really fleshed out, like during an intense rehearsal. The attention to detail is positively charming. Different breeds stand out and even characters within the same species are noticeably unique. In recent years, it's relieving to see a studio that actually cares about the way that their works look and I think the staff should be commended for their efforts. The music and sound direction are excellent as well.

To sum it up, Beastars is a lovely tale of forbidden romance, dreams, and growing up packaged together neatly in 12 episodes. It's more than worth the price of admission.

Ping Pong The Animation is an exceptional show. This is less of a sports anime and more of a powerful emotions series. It's a beautifully crafted coming of age story and one that certainly doesn't come along often. In a word, it's unconventional. Nothing about Ping Pong feels ordinary so love it or hate it, it's hard to not recognize its artistic merit.

The story is a simple one and it chronicles the lives of two boys and their experiences with table tennis. We're introduced to Makoto Tsukimoto, aptly nicknamed "Smile", and his boastful best friend Yutaka Hoshino, or "Peco". These two are polar opposites ... and we follow them through their high school ping pong careers. Their story is told in just 11 episodes and it's nothing short of pacing perfection. Everything meshes wonderfully from start to finish and each episode provides just the right amount of information without overwhelming or confusing the viewer. Ping Pong is great at giving you important plot points piece by piece and this makes it an incredibly engaging experience. Each episode is satisfying and this makes it very tempting to marathon.

This is where things start to get shaky for the average anime viewer. The art style is simple and misshapen. There are no enormous and colorful eyes. The lines are crude and uneven so things like ping pong balls aren't perfect circles. It'd be no exaggeration to say this is some of the most unorthodox art in the industry today, but by no means is it bad. It may be out of the comfort zone, but it's fitting for what the show is trying to do and it has an inexplicable charm to it. The animation is quite weak at times and things just look sloppy. This actually works to the show's advantage by providing a unique style of its own. The art and animation stay consistent the whole way through. If this bothers you, get out while you still can.

It's hard to believe a show about ping pong has music as good as this. The sound sets the mood perfectly. From simple melodic tunes while training to the adrenaline pumping opening song, Ping Pong knows just the right track to play at every given moment. A handful of tracks feel a bit out of place, but as a whole, it feels like watching one long movie. Additionally, the music is very good at distorting one's perception of time. There are times where it goes completely silent to emphasize the strain on a character. You may even associate certain songs with certain characters and this is a very good thing because it means you're connecting with them.

Where Ping Pong really shines is its characters. The amount of development in such a short time is staggering. The interactions between characters are astoundingly genuine; every conversation feels natural. There's meaningful growth in even the most unlikely people and this is a breath of fresh air from shows where nothing seems to change.

I don't want to go into too much detail regarding individuals, but the rivalries between characters are beautifully illustrated. Their personalities bounce off of each other in a frighteningly realistic way. The harsh reality of athletics is painted not only on their faces, but also on their words. A lot of conversations later on are poignant and almost poetic. It's tragic at times and these interactions do a great job of maintaining the morbid realism that made the early episodes special.

Ping Pong is not a light watch. This is something that can be enjoyed by anyone who wants a good story. You don't have to like or even understand table tennis, it's first and foremost a tale about growing up. It's undoubtedly a memorable experience and something very much worth your time if you keep an open mind.

Gakkou Gurashi! tells the story of three girls and their teacher who make up the School Life Club -- a group that essentially lives at school as part of their club activities. This manga is something of a mixed bag, to say the least. As one of Manga Time Kirara's more unique titles, you should first expect an abundance of cuteness. If you're bothered by the typical moe art style, then this is probably not for you.

Once you cross that hurdle, you're in for one of the most strangely enjoyable experiences out there. Gakkou Gurashi! juggles elements of horror, slice of life, mystery, and comedy ... and it does a good job of making all of these things work together. My overall impression is a positive one so far, but it's not without its flaws.

You're initially presented with a lighthearted comedy about an earnest and energetic young girl and things quickly become sinister. Gakkou Gurashi!, for better or worse, changes in tone quite frequently. It comes off as your standard gimmicky cute girls schtick, but that couldn't be further from the truth. On the surface lies a charming cast of cheerful, cute girls. Later on, it becomes more apparent that there's an ominous aura that was present right from the start. There's an almost hollow feeling brought about by the characters pretending everything is okay.

Our protagonist is the happy-go-lucky Yuki, a girl who always does her best and cares deeply for her friends. Joining her in the School Life Club is the twin-tailed tough girl Kurumi and the big sister figure Yuuri. Their supervisor, Megu-nee as she's called by the girls, keeps them in check. The characters are seemingly bland and relatively static, although I attribute that primarily to the setting. Yuki herself is more complex than I give her credit for and the only generally uninteresting character is the mature Yuuri. The girls bond through a common goal of survival and we see slow, but meaningful growth in each of them. You come to genuinely care about the well-being of the group. Their struggles become more grim and worrisome as the plot progresses.

The plot itself isn't anything particularly groundbreaking, but the execution more than makes up for that. If you haven't already guessed, an outbreak of a strange disease has ravaged humanity and the School Life Club is composed of a few survivors. This is without a doubt the weakest part of the experience, but by no means is it utterly terrible. It seems like just aimless survival, but there are hints of a larger subplot unfolding. A lot of conflicts are resolved in stupidly convenient ways so don't expect much depth. Additionally, some of the dramatic moments are undermined by recurring gags or art changes.

The art is solid and serves its purpose. Cute when it has to be, gritty and dark otherwise. Expect frequent shifts in style. These changes are generally for comedic effect and include elongated eyes and strangely shaped mouths. A lot of pages give vivid face shots and pay close attention to the details in the hair and eyes. The backgrounds are decent enough.

With all of that being said, this is an all-around good manga and something I'd recommend to anyone that fits into its niche demographic. If you like cute girls and minor horror/mystery, then feel free to give this a read. Thanks for reading, I appreciate your time.