Aug 21, 2022
Has your heart ever been moved by something? Perhaps it has been moved by a singer's soulful singing or an artist's heartful painting. Expression of such emotions or expression of a message, that is art. And in this anime, we shall explore the art of ballet.
Dance Dance Danseur mainly follows Junpei in the start of his journey to become a top class ballet dancer. In doing so, it tackles themes such as gender norms and expectations like the misconception that ballet is meant for girls. The anime adaptation also reveals the harsh realities of seriously pursuing ballet, a performing arts that is heavily dependent on
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physical build and talent. The anime does a beautiful job of getting these points across to viewers, but I'd argue that the pacing as well as the character development in the latter half may feel like an itch that doesn't go away even if you scratch it.
[ Story : 7 ]
The story is well-executed overall. Like most anime that are about passions such as sports or art, the story expounds on more technical terms and general knowledge about ballet. There is a good ratio of drama and ballet so it does not feel overly technical nor is it overly dramatic. However, the latter half may not be the same. I'd argue that the latter half of the anime has a lot more drama injected into it for better or for worse. The way the conflict was presented seemed a bit messy and rushed. I recall a scene with a transition that abruptly cuts the next scene. I would say that it interrupted the flow of the story as I was left wondering if I had skipped through the episode by accident.
[ Character : 8 ]
We have Junpei, a closet ballet simp who worries about appearing manly to his peers. We also have Ruou, a former shut-in who has dedicated his entire life to ballet. Lastly, we have Miyako, who is the main female character of the show. Junpei and Ruou make for very interesting characters with Junpei being a fast learner and a talented guy who is messy but artful in expression, and Ruou being rigid and technical in how he approaches ballet. In contrast, Miyako falls short as a main character as she doesn't make as much appearances as the other two main characters. Miyako is mostly shown as a love interest and a lot less is revealed about her struggles and motivations compared to the other two which is why she can come off as more bland as a character. Nonetheless, all of the characters are generally charming. You can get a feel for their personalities and they aren't 2-dimensional, though the story may focus more on Junpei and Ruou.
[ Art, Animation & Sound : 9 ]
The music in the anime and the voice acting were superb. It really added to the atmosphere of each scene, especially the more dramatic scenes. The opening and ending themes also suited the anime fairly well.
As for the art and animation, there was no issue it other than the fact that is was blindingly beautiful. Okay, that may have been an exaggeration. But the ballet animations are definitely worth praise. They were convincing, smooth, and beautiful. The sparkles, the evil miasma like art, and all of that that they incorporated in the ballet scenes all contributed to the immersion of the performance. Even in scenes where characters are interacting, each detail (eyes glistening, a forced smile, etc.) makes the viewer feel what the character is feeling or take a glimpse at their motives. That being said, it was absolutely beautiful.
[ Enjoyment : 7 ]
This part is not as objective but I think it may help you determine whether you'll enjoy this anime. I was expecting the vibe of a sports anime and I did get that in the first half. I liked watching them plan for performances and such, but that kind of fell off along the way. But there isn't sports in the anime genre so I guess I can't really complain.
As I mentioned in this review, the second half had a lot more drama. The love triangle and sudden change of feelings and relationships seemed too abrupt for me. That took away some enjoyment for me. The genre of this anime is drama, but I couldn't help but find the latter half a bit jarring. The drama was a bit too much for me. But I genuinely enjoyed all the ballet performances in the anime and the preparation for such. The introduction of Ruou was also very interesting. For that, I've decided on a 7 for my enjoyment.
Overall, I find this anime to be one that most people will enjoy (unless you're not into drama). Even if one isn't into ballet, the topic of passions, talent, societal norms, and such are still interesting to watch. It does have a few flaws, but that doesn't take away most of the enjoyment.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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