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Dagashi Kashi is one of those anime that punches the viewers in the nostalgia. Unlike many of the other anime which also produce down this like, I'll confidently say that the creativity behind Dagashi Kashi is through the roof.

I'll skip the synopsis and whatnot and go straight to explaining.

At first, Dagashi Kashi might seem a bit plotless or plain. You're actually correct; there's actually no major plot in this and it is plain. There's little to no romance and just looking at it, all that's left is the humour. But this is not what this anime is aiming for. Dagashi Kashi wants it's ... viewers to hit that nostalgia spot and wants you to crawl back into your childhood.

Let's stand back a bit and look at anime from a wide perspective. Anime is targeted towards its local audience (Japan) before considering the foreign audience (other countries). Coming from an Asian background, childhood mainly consists of: Playing at the park, doing crazy things with other kids, and of course; visiting a Candy shop (Unfortunately Candy Shop are getting rarer and rarer so finding one is very difficult nowadays.)
From the whole 12 episodes of Dagashi Kashi which advertised a new candy on every episode, I've probably tasted around 30-40% of them. I've seen many of them before but never had a chance to taste them. Every time a candy that I've tasted or seen, I just think back of the time when I'd spend the weekly pocket money all on these candy and eat them all with friends. Really hits the spot, dead on.

The art was definitely well done; Characters were lacking depth but that shouldn't matter in this case as there is no major plot.

Overall, you will definitely enjoy this anime if you had a childhood that can relate to this anime. If you don't, just take this experience to build a list of Dagashi that you want to buy when you visit Japan for a holiday.

Adieu!

What high school boys do and talk about in school is truly rainbow-colored. From holiday plans to relationship breakups, then escalating to sexual preferences; Nijiiro Days (Rainbow-Colored Days) delivers this naturally through the daily lives of four high school boys.

The true value of this manga, in my personal opinion, lies very deeply in the characters itself rather than on the story (I will explain later down). Unlike many other mangas out there, Nijiiro Days juggles romance and comedy equally from a glance, but I would say it is dependent on which character is the focus. If you're looking for something relaxing and casual, ... then this pot of gold will certainly shine brightly in your eyes.

Going down the categories:

Story (8/10)
When you deconstruct this manga by its categories, there are mountains of other mangas out there that will certainly outclass Nijiiro Days in terms of story. To put it short, Nijiiro Days has a very typical storyline; Four high school boys, things happen around their everyday school life, sounds pretty standard and nothing too fancy. It could be said that the story development is slow but I'd say its a positive aspect because it doesn't force the story to become unnaturally paced.

Characters (10/10)
The characters in Nijiiro Days are what makes the manga shine through the others in the same category. Each character has their own personality and trait, different preferences and desires. The chemistry that comes out when these are mixed in with a healthy high schooler friendship is well, a heap of unexpected surprises. As the story progresses, the characters further develop as many of the chapters specifically focus on one character rather than the whole group. These characters are all likable by their distinctive trait and even the side characters are developed deep enough to be recognized.

Art (9/10)
Art styles used are very clean and distinct. It is pleasant to look at for long durations and facial expressions are conveyed brilliantly. Occasionally the style changes a bit according to the atmosphere of the story.

At first, I took a plunge into darkness, judged this book by its cover and bought it from Kinokuniya (The front cover was designed well and the texture was smooth compared to other mangas). I read the first page and didn't stop reading it until I reached the end. I was so captivated by the characters that I went to preorder the remaining volumes that were released and read all that within a day. I strongly do recommend this manga, the characters and comedy that it offers is just spectacular. Overall it is very enjoyable, pure and refreshing.