Kouhei Araki, a veteran editor of the dictionary editorial division at Genbu Publishing, plans to retire in order to better care for his ailing wife. However, before retiring, he must find a replacement to complete his latest project: a new dictionary called The Great Passage. But no matter where he looks, he cannot find anyone suitable, as making a dictionary requires a wealth of patience, time, and dedication.
Mitsuya Majime works in Genbu Publishing's sales division, yet he has poor social skills and an inability to read the mood in most situations. In spite of this, he excels at having an enthusiasm for words thanks to his love of reading and careful personality. It is these skills that draw Araki to him and prompt him to offer Majime a position in the dictionary editorial department. As Majime accepts his new position, he finds himself unsure of his abilities and questioning whether he will fit in with his new co-workers. Yet amid the vast sea of words, The Great Passage will bring them together.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Nenhum episódio encontrado.
Comentários
ZephSilver
As a reviewer, there have been numerous occasions when I struggle to find the right words to convey my thoughts. This isn't to say that I didn't know what I wanted to express to others, but rather, I wanted my message to be as clear and concise as possible. The right words can often make all the difference in how a reader interprets what you have to say. Words are capable of setting the mood, giving off tone, and in some cases, changing the very temperament of those on the receiving end. They're vehicles used to communicate feelings, painting a picture for the reader, andnaturally, when the right word, the right expression, is used, a connection between the writer and the reader can be formed.
Having constantly tested my hand at writing think-pieces and reviews, I've slowly developed a knack for conveying my thoughts to others. Of course, there are still ideas that are hard to make tangible, but through constant diction retooling and communication with others, I've made strides in closing that gap. And for many, the dictionary has been an asset in aiding in this process. Well, that's what I would have said 15-years ago. Today, the dictionary—and by extension, a great deal of printed media—has almost been made obsolete by the internet and advancements in technology. Every possible definition, both contemporary and antiquated, is just a click away. But like anything that had a home in humanity's cultural development and upbringing, there are still those that cherish the ways of yesteryear.
As convenient as it is to have hundreds of books stored on a tablet, nothing beats the feeling of pages between your fingers as you flip through a good book. Any MP3 nowadays can house thousands of songs on the go, but there are still those that champion the personal touch of vinyl. Saving a moment is only one phone pic away, yet the Polaroid camera still has millions of hipsters and enthusiasts alike shaking images to life. But those are just the popular examples, ones that most outsiders looking in could still comprehend the sentimentality behind it. But what about content that doesn't register with most? Appeals, that, at first glance, feel very obtuse.
Fune wo Amu, The Great Passage, basically explores one facet of that kind of unique appeal, but instead of limiting it to the object of affection alone, in this case, the dictionary, it instead dials back to the core reason for why someone might cherish it, in the first place. An understandable position once you peer into the headspace of the main character Mitsuya Majime; a man who can barely mutter his thoughts out loud without clamming up, despite his devoted fascination for semantics.
A bashful man with an obsession for wording and their meaning, yet unable to utilize this talent verbally. A unique passion that runs contradictory to his very closed-off nature. I know what you're thinking, an awesome setup for a story, right? Well, almost. You see, as fascinating of an idea that this may have been, when it boils down to it, the subject matter was about as exciting as the subject itself. There's a passion for dictionaries that are clearly there, but like the actual object itself, this passion was sterile and lacking in emotional range. And for a story about words and the various expressions that it can convey, that's a crying shame.
But before we go any further, let's make this clear, Fune wo Amu is by no means a "bad" show, it's just a very lackluster one. In fact, it contained some of the more realistic character depictions in 2016's anime lineup, deciding to leave behind erratic personalities and commonplace archetypes for a more grounded performance in a world that's pretty much aligned with our own. Where portrayal of emotions in anime are usually capped off with exaggerated interpretations, this title instead chooses to substitute that with nuances in both their mannerism and body language, effectively defining the individuals on screen without degrading who they are. Even the changes in vocal inflections are accounted for, a detail that most shows neglect altogether. And as if that wasn't enough, to further sell these characters as proper representations of adults, the show adopted body models that are more anatomically accurate than what's usually given by the medium, recruiting the talented Haruko Kumota, the artist responsible for the look of Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu's cast, as the original character designer.
For all intents and purposes, given this dedication to craft Fune as an adult-orientated slice-of-life drama, the final product should have been something I adore. It checks off all the boxes for things I seek out in works of this nature. Shouwa Rakugo was one of my favorite anime entries of 2016 for that very reason. So when I give Fune the cold shoulder, know that I'm doing so out of genuine concern for its lack of vision. For everything that Fune could have aspired for, it ultimately veers off into ho-hum territory.
Following the footsteps of an unimpressive, mild-mannered klutz named Mitsuya Majime, Fune gives us an insider perspective, as Majime makes his way through a crowd of disinterested faces. Each one of these people in the ever-shifting collective makes up the busy prefecture that hosts as the stomping grounds for Majime's unsuccessful business venture as a salesman under Genbu Shobo's publishing firm; a job he seems to be all at once perfect for, given his skill-set, but terrible at due to his personality. Passive to a fault and cumbersome in every verbal exchange he has with others, Majime is far from the ideal image of Japan's working class. With nothing to draw back on but his love for words, there are very few applicable situations where he's needed. What good is it to be a word-smith when trying to hold a conversation leads to awkward jibber-jabber? Trapped with a burning desire to express himself but not gifted with enough gusto or social tact to do so, Majime makes no reservations about his limited usefulness, as he willingly keeps his head down to avoid any further degradation. So when he's approached by Kouhei Araki to fulfill a soon-to-be-vacant editorial job for constructing a new dictionary, the stars couldn't have been more aligned.
With a task that's tailor-made for his dilemma, Majime was finally given an outlet to unload his passion constructively. And in the process of doing so, was also given a chance to warm up to people in a manner he thought was previously impossible for the likes of him.
With a setup that could carry with it the same potency as 2010s The King's Speech, while allowing for a more grounded backdrop due to its quaint, smaller-scale setting, Fune had all the makings of a humbling journey with promises of catharsis scattered along the way. It's the kind of screenplay that would go on to become Oscar-bait material in the hands of any veteran director, and for anime, another testament to its strength in crafting maturely handled stories. And in some ways, Fune does count as another entry in that category, just one that wouldn't register high on my list of exceptional examples.
The story of this dictionary taking form was ultimately just a container to help examine the cast of characters in various stages of growth in their lives. Because of the daunting 10-year production cycle needed to create a dictionary, this time allowed the viewers the opportunity to pick apart the things that made the individual characters tick, as well as a chance to examine the small pockets of interactions that occurred among themselves, including how they all chose to deal with certain situations along the way. So in essence, Fune wo Amu, The Great Passage, was quite literally "the great passage" of these regular peoples' lives.
Instead of following the accomplishments of someone destined for a space in the annals of history, Fune shifts its focus to an industry that gets no standing ovation from anyone. The unsung "heroes" in their publishing field. But despite that angle, it's never really about applauding their efforts, as it's more about showing unison of the ways of old with the changing times of new. And with a dictionary used as the vehicle to express that idea—with a young, soft-spoken protagonist who's out of touch with the rest of the world being used as a conduit to deliver it—the initial message became far more significant than any single person involved by the time we reached the final resting stop.
Now, if the show had translated this idea as well as it sounded on paper, I would have been here today singing its praises, but as I've expressed before, that's not how it worked out.
If I wanted a maturely handled cast of adult characters who expressed various emotions and understood their situation with sobering clarity, while at the same time being genuinely engaged with what was being displayed on screen, there are animated movies like Only Yesterday or TV series like the aforementioned Shouwa Rakugo around to fulfill that need. Both of which operated within a familiar playing field like Fune but done so in a way that any person of intended age could take seriously. Fune doesn't share in that quality in the way that you'd expect it to, coming off more milquetoast in a miscalculated attempt to be adult in quality. So despite its ability to demonstrate restraint to allow for natural human behavior in its cast, the actual content itself felt unrealistically lopsided—an issue that's easily identifiable once you key in on the kind of agenda it's trying to push forward.
Fune wants its content to remain within a limited operating capacity of expression, as if it's afraid of being too playful as to lose the audience's respect. There are attempts to alleviate this problem, with characters such as Masashi Nishioka, who's the "life of the party," constantly prattling to entertain the group while also using it as a defense mechanism to keep from having to express his concerns truly. Or even with the tack-on middle sequences in every episode, that saw the series use chibi dictionary caricatures as cut-scenes to help alleviate the monotony of the constant unassertive tone. Personally, I found it distracting but the intent behind it was still understandable. When the show was in danger of being too dull, this became its defense tactic, but when it came time to demonstrate any other kinds of real emotion, it diverted from having to do so in ways too apparent to truly ignore.
For example, when our main character found himself infatuated with a woman, instead of using it to explore facets of himself—as what usually occurs when we find ourselves attracted to others—it chose to take the easy route by having a romance predicated on one word of cluttered dialogue exchange and a letter chock-full of convoluted word passages. This robbed the chances for any genuine relationship to blossom over a period of time. Yes, he took the initiative to get to that point, but for a show dealing with adults in a somewhat realistic setting, the conclusion was only viable in something pumped out by a sappy Disney/Pixar production. The show has the humanistic aspect nailed down but skittishly avoids the endeavors that truly make us humans, human. The essence was missing. The struggle was removed by diverting the content away from it or by skipping any natural rough-stage altogether. Would The King's Speech win the Oscar for Best Picture by avoiding the uphill endeavor of the main character to express himself out loud? Probably not. Where other titles would display the gradual growth that molds the main character, in Fune, that struggle, that humanity, was quite literally time-skipped away.
And as a result, we get content that's more suited to pacify the audience than something that you could fully take seriously. The investment was gone. All emotional range removed. A bad mixture of realistic characters given escapist solutions, making all conflict rendered pointless, no matter how much it tried to dissuade the audience from taking notice. It being so maturely handled wasn't to its benefit, it became the problem, because, at the end of the day, it wasn't realistically portrayed in all facets of adult growth. Instead of presenting the full-color spectrum of life, it chose broad monochromatic brushstrokes of melancholy and tender passages of satisfaction to box all of its content within.
The only time the show doesn't suppress itself was at the very end, where it had scenes that loosen the vice grip on the characters' feelings to freely exhaust that pent-up emotion that should have been there all along. And even then, these moments of cathartic release are still registered with halfhearted resolve since the momentum to them was practically nonexistent.
And again, Fune is not a bad show. It's all of its strengths that make the weaknesses too hard to look away from. You really want the best for it. You really want to put it on the pedestal as the exception to the rule. But with content that only half commits, it's frustrating to have to give it a back-handed compliment instead.
From using the Ferris wheel as a motif to express the connectivity of life in a slow cyclical motion, to the very earnest appeal of its cast, Fune was a show that I wanted to fully get behind. Clocking in at 11-episodes, it's something you could finish in just one sitting. With Amazon Prime's abysmal marketing of this series, it has mostly gone unnoticed by many. And despite all of my qualms, I would still like it to receive a far bigger viewer base than it currently has. It didn't accomplish as much as I wanted it to, but the show was still able to muster up all of its efforts in the end. This all culminated towards an uplifting conclusion that sees life going on with words bringing connection from one generation to the next. This may not be much of an endorsement given how much I've put the title down, but I still think Fune has something that shouldn't be so quickly discarded. And if only for that reason alone, Fune wo Amu gets a light pass from me.
weebna
Fune wo Amu is without a doubt a hidden gem. I'm the first person to say that when I first decided to watch this show I wasn't very excited about it and I thought I would eventually stop watching it, little did I know how amazing this was. Definitely one of the best animes of this season. First of all, there aren't any anime similar to this one, at least not that I know off and according to what I hear about it from other people. The greatest thing about the whole show is the reality behind it. The whole story and plot makes senseand so does the characters. You can find in Fune wo Amu the environment you would find in a small group working for the same department.
The characters all have their qualities and flaws which, once again, relates to the real life. The group working for 'The Great Passage is full of amazing co-workers and people who you slowly start to love and get attached to them, and of course you eventually relate to one of them. The only problem I found was that some characters didn't get the deserved time and development, but if we think about it, making a dictionary takes a long time and the focus of the anime was how to make one.
I like animes that inspire me to do something or animes that have a deep meaning behind it and Fune wo Amu is exactly it. While watching this amazing show I felt their passion about their job and made me curious about it. We don't see people that love what they are doing everyday, but to see Majime and his team to be so passionate about their jobs, makes you want to have the same passion about what you will do in your future.
It's truly an inspiring anime. Normal people, working together to make their best and have good results; people who don't give up no matter how hard the job gets and how long it will take to get it done; people that can combine their private lives, like we saw with Majime and Nishioka, with their jobs and still be happy and not stressed... A show that represents what everyone wants for their future life, without anything extraordinary, but passion and dedication.
BlueKite
When someone opens a dictionary, what does usually come to mind first? Depending on who you ask, the answer varies from looking for definitions on unfamiliar words to just simply enjoy seeing how words are given meaning in so many unique ways. Words are very powerful, they can dictate how the world moves. They are needed by leaders, innovators, educators, and even by ordinary people in their daily activities. Without it, humanity can’t progress and evolve. Forming and stringing words are basic human skills but we often find times when we can’t clearly express our thoughts, making us seek a solution to that problem. Dictionariesserve that purpose. Even as I am writing this review, I constantly try to formulate sentences and choose words carefully. I ask myself questions, do these words clearly reflect what I’m trying to say? Will my point get through the reader despite my limited vocabulary? Words can be a double-edged sword, they can also detach people out of misunderstanding. Down to its core, words are ultimately building blocks for a person’s capacity to share ideas.
It’s such a delight that a show like Fune wo Amu tries to show an enthusiasm for dictionaries and words in general that most people usually take for granted. I like how it presents a metaphor of a sea of words with a dictionary that symbolizes as the ship that sails across it which really fits in the narrative well. Several obstacles are encountered along the way in making a dictionary. It looks mundane and time-consuming, not to mention it takes years for a dictionary to make, but it’s really rewarding for people who have the passion for it. The stakes are not that high and intense as everyone can just quit when they had enough but that’s not a concerning issue because the story tries to focus more on how the cast maintains that glowing light of dedication, not to succumb to the external pressures dumped on them.
The characters in the show are mostly simple but not to the point that they feel unnecessary and bland. All of them have roles in the story and they carry it out well. The only character that gets enough development is Majime who’s the main character. There is Nishioka as well, he gains considerable character development after he works with Majime for a while, but he ends up static after a few episodes later. Depth is not of immediate importance character-wise as it has become evident later that the show attempts to be more plot-oriented more than anything else. Even Majime’s romance subplot was only breezed by to make way for the story’s main objective, the completion of The Great Passage, in which his involvement is of the greatest. I like to see the cast as a part of something bigger, giving less emphasis on their individuality but remaining interesting and relevant.
On the more technical aspects, I love the character designs. I looked up the person behind the character designs and found out that it’s the same person behind Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu which is another fantastic show. The animation can get derpy at times but overall, it’s not very distracting. The soundtrack matches the atmospheric mood the show it tries to emulate. Imagery of scenes are wonderful especially at presenting metaphors and symbolisms.
Overall, Fune wo Amu is a show recommended to those who are interested with words, meaning, context, the overall semantics. It’s also a show recommended to those who likes seeing stories revolving around passion and dedication for something great and noble and seeing it get fulfilled in the end. It’s a shame that some viewers overlooked this hidden gem at the season’s lineup as I personally think it’s one of the best shows to have come out this year. Just remember the next time you pick up a dictionary that it’s the fruit of hard work and dedication, a culmination of human’s curiosity for meaning.
moozooh
I guess I'll be that guy. Oh well. Fune wo Amu, or The Great Passage, is a series that had the right to greatness. It took a mature premise, featured adult characters in a realistic setting, didn't include unnecessary comedy nor fanservice (except for the cartoony dictionary interludes, I suppose), and tried its best not to be insulting to a thinking person's intelligence. Besides, much like the protagonist of the story, I also love words and have worked in editing—among other things that directly correlate with the characters' mission. So, 10/10, right? I wish, but... no. See, I really wanted to like FwA more, and for thefirst few episodes I had been certain it would become the strongest contender for that elusive Anime of the Season title. But I tend to value works by how well they manage to achieve what they set out to do. Giving FwA a free pass just because it took a good premise and didn't try to pander to the statistical average would be disrespectful to both the title itself and the intelligent viewer seeking it out. And the things you seek out in a mature anime like this also have to be well-executed. FwA is anything but that. It's perfectly average—very content with the little it tries to do, playing it safe as if afraid of its own ambitions. By the final episode I'd become convinced that its director didn't really like the characters he wanted to show.
Let me explain. The premise the show tries to execute is really good—no doubts about that. It's something an adult could see and think to themselves, "this is something I could relate to". Adult-oriented stories are generally harder to tell because they demand steady progression of plot and/or characters. You can't just throw in a beach episode and expect the audience to be satisfied (looking at you, every single high school anime ever). Even if it's a slow-burner, things should constantly be advancing, especially if the time span covered in the story is as long as it is in FwA.
FwA, however, does something really weird with the concept: it grows so visibly bored of its own slow pace it ends up introducing some amateurish, haphazardly set up dramatic moments in an otherwise tight and methodically woven narrative, and balances them out with long uneventful lulls. Virtually all the plot "twists", if you could even use that term, can be seen from a mile away. They're predictable and lack emotional impact and dramatic consequences. When instead of feeling sad for the characters who are down on their luck you end up feeling sad for the show itself, you know there's something wrong with it. But it is ultimately a character study, so then, perhaps, it has memorable characters and clever, thought-provoking dialogue? Well...
Take our protagonist, Mitsuya "Micchan" Majime, for an example. He is extremely introverted, stiff, reclusive, borderline autistic in his inability to comfortably socialize and relay his feelings directly and openly—but on the inside, he burns with passion for words as an instrument of mutual understanding. Actually a solid character conflict right there! So does Majime go through some sort of character arc that helps him become more fluent with words or otherwise be developed as a person who loves them? Does his research help other characters we see understand each other? No, NOT AT ALL—he basically just becomes a more accomplished dictionary editor—the job he took on at the very beginning. All Majime manages to accomplish over the course of the eleven episodes is to be a slightly more successful version of the Majime of episode 1. He just does what he *always* does, and tackles every mundane problem the same way for years. We never really get to experience the satisfaction for his accomplishments because we don't feel like he's putting any effort into self-development. Much like the metaphorical ship oft-referred to in the story, he just drifts along with token involvement in all the events happening around him, as if knowing that the sea current will carry him to where he needs to be regardless of his actions. His on-screen chemistry with other characters is nonexistent almost to the point of being a non-person, and you end up wondering what exactly is the reason they all stick with him so much. The relationship with his love interest Kaguya feels particularly forced. It could be that I just don't understand Japanese women, but my experience tells me that is *not* how romance works. I find it hard to believe that an accomplished, strong-willed, mentally healthy woman would be easy enough to jump on the first guy who professes his love for her, especially if it's a non-person with no attractive character traits. What did she find in him? His looks, wit, charm, power, strength of character? Does he have any of that? I don't think so. He's literally a silent roommate who loves books more than he loves other people and hence lacking in any communication skills that make him pleasant to be around.
Then we have perhaps the most enjoyable character, the ever-charismatic Masashi Nishioka, voiced by that crazy-talented guy you hear every season. What pains me the most is that by the middle of the show you become completely convinced that the show would be far better if he were the main character. Indeed, he is the only well-written character in the story who goes through a proper arc, endures hardship and self-doubt, and emerges a better person as a result of his *own decisive actions*, unlike Majime. Note the important difference: Majime's accomplishments feel set up by the script—he just coasts along, and everything solves itself; Nishioka's, on the other hand, are the result of *overcoming* the challenges set up by the script. We feel his hardship and we have a reason to root for him. He is a real protagonist and deserves to be the main character of the story. However, he quickly gets shelved the moment his arc is finished, and we barely get to see him afterwards.
One could say there isn't enough time to properly develop characters in a single-cour anime. This isn't the case at all. Just earlier this year we had a much more accomplished adult-oriented show that slowly and methodically told a mature, compelling story where people behaved like real people, drama was poignant but not forced, and it did so with a great deal of subtlety in a similar runtime of 11 episodes out of its total 13. If you haven't yet guessed what I'm talking about, you probably haven't seen it: Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu. Needless to say, every good movie out there also manages as much in 90 to 150 minutes of total runtime. It's a matter of directorial prowess to show what needs to be shown and cut down on anything that doesn't. Prowess that Mr. Kuroyanagi, I'm afraid, does not possess.
So, to sum up, would I recommend Fune wo Amu? The answer is: just barely. It does get its point across, however weak it is and however timidly it does so. It never really feels dumb, convoluted, or otherwise bad. You can definitely tell its characters and setting are grounded in reality. It's probably better than most anime out there—and that's it. You don't have to take pity on it for the rare breed it represents, nor pretend to enjoy it more than it deserves just because you're the target audience. In everything you do or experience, you should always strive for higher standards and never settle for something that only narrowly escapes mediocrity—I believe that is one of the more important lessons to take away from The Great Passage... even if its creators haven't done so.
(By the way, I hear the live-action movie is much better received. I haven't watched it, though.)
FireEmblemIke24
DISCLAIMER: Amazon Prime have low-balled this series hard. Crunchyroll would have done better with advertising. This anime has gone under the radar, sure it may just revolve around the mundane task of creating a dictionary. However, the real beauty lies in its simplicity with it being complementary to its setting. This will appease slice of life fans but for those seeking something different, you may need to look elsewhere as nothing ground-breaking occurs. A dictionary is a ship that traverses the vast ocean of words. This tool that we take for granted enables us to search up any word we like. Now I can only representfor the English-speaking anime community but going by the Oxford dictionary, we roughly have 170,000 common words at our disposal. How does one compile such a large amount of information? The answer is a dictionary, which is our best companion during our education days and beyond.
Compiling a dictionary is a complicated and time consuming process which is evident in the Great Passage. It should be noted than meanings of words can change with time, therefore words can be lost but will be balanced by the new words created. Majime Mitsuya who has been redeployed to the dictionary editorial department, finds himself in a challenging position.
The amount of cross-checking between older dictionaries is emphasised to ensure no words are omitted. This burdensome job must be taken seriously as a single mistake can lead you back to square one, which would be hard to endure for those meticulous with their work.
Truth be told this anime would get stale fast if it weren’t for the fact that it focuses on the business aspect as well. This is where the character Nishioka Masashi begins to shine, as he is witty and takes a no-nonsense approach to his job. The man who is blessed with excellent social skills always has a way with words to get the best results for his department.
The high standard of work produced by Nishioka eventually gets him promoted to the public relations department, ironically where he got rejected when he applied to company. Nishioka had fantastic chemistry with Majime and the rest of the department. The news of the upcoming transfer came as a shock to the department but this did not sway Nishioka. On the contrary, this boosted his work ethic making him more committed as he devoted himself towards the creation of the Great Passage.
Now going away from the dictionary creation process, Majime develops as a person considering he has now found an occupation that meets his strengths. Majime in the beginning is viewed as being timid and quite frankly dreadful at interacting with others. Working as a pitcher for the sales department only just exacerbated the problem, as it was a poor fit from the get go and only noticed by Nishioka.
Majime is known to be quite an avid reader which has ultimately led to him possessing a great vocabulary ideal for dictionary work. He has a strange but unique hobby of observing people that exit the train stations. The key idea is observation, which is one of the skill sets required for being a dictionary editor. This anime knows when to be subtle, and paying attention to certain aspects gives for a wonderful experience.
Majime is an individual who struggles to express his feelings and as a form of self-deprecation usually comments about being socially incompetent compared to Nishioka, who is far more of a smooth talker. Majime during the series has written a love letter to his crush Hayashi Kaguya, who conveniently happens to be his landlady’s granddaughter. The man retreats to his room after handing his love declaration, which to me is a sign of his lack of confidence due to the fear of being rejected.
I’ve waffled on about Majime and Nishioka without mentioning other characters. Araki Kouhei is the employee who had to give up his full-time position to care for his spouse, who was hospitalised for some apparent reason. He mentions his regret having to leave all the work to Matsumoto-sensei who is clocking up the years. Matsumoto has the goal of wanting to finish the Great Passage, to the point that he overworks himself just to fulfil his objective. This alone suggests the amount of dedication put into the work and can only be achieved by those passionate enough to do so.
Passion can be found in every job which was the case for Kaguya who aims to be a professional Japanese chef. There is a stigma attached to women working in this sector as it is a field dominated by that of men. Majime learning about her occupation gives him encouragement to complete his own task of making the dictionary.
Kaguya as a romantic partner does not get as much screen time than Majime, which kind of leaves her in the dust in terms of character development. It would have been better for the series to explore more with her situation in the culinary field, as it is subject to sexism which quite frankly makes for a more interesting story than the Jisho-tanzu sequences that aren’t important.
The time-skip came at the right time after Nishioka’s departure to take up his new position in PR. We get a new character introduced in Miyoshi Remi, who finds herself in the same position that Majime used to be in. Except this time that Majime is now the experienced editor and can lead his fellow colleagues convincingly. The work towards the completion of the Great Passage concludes in a satisfying way. It is realistic as few jobs can be done effectively without experience some problems occasionally.
The animation by Zexcs is standard with there being no poorly animated sequences. The character designs are quite detailed and sufficient with it reminding me of the designs used in Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu. The animation itself is very limited in the sense that it only takes place in the workplace and Majime’s house. I would have liked to seen a change in scenery but there are occasions when it does switch backgrounds, such as the restaurant that Kaguya works at.
The sound is composed by Yoshihiro Ike (Ergo Proxy, Shingeki no Bahamut) who has quite the accolades considering his recent works. The opening “Shiokaze” is vibrant and engaging with the music being used as insert music that just gets me pumped up every time I hear it. The ending “I and I” is less memorable with it being more of a relaxing song to listen to. A slice of life does not need great music to carry it but it should be complementary to the situation.
This anime won’t blow you away with flashy scenes but concepts like hard works pays off will sure to put a smile on your face. It has given me a different perspective on how one can find work enjoying even if it is the most mundane of tasks. This is a good show with strong characters making it easy to recommend.
Zerathus
Warm honesty. That’s how I would describe Fune wo Amu. It is one of the “non-anime anime” as in it doesn’t really feel like anime. There are no over the top situations or goofy characters. Now that doesn’t make this anime boring. Matter of fact I enjoyed it quite a lot. The absolutely best thing about this anime is its fantastic directing. Considering its premise and the fact that it is done by one of the lesser known studios, it’s just amazing how they were able to get a talented director to compose the storyboards like this. There are moments where I was legit amazed. Ifyou find the premise boring, at least give the anime chance and watch first two episodes to get a feel of the amazing directing (especially in episode 2).
Plot of this anime is very simple, and yet it’s another strong point. As it tells a story of our main character’s journey across time the dictionary is worked on and published, we see a normal changes in life of somewhat normal person (albeit little socially awkward). Finding friends, falling in love, being challenged by your work. These things happen to everyone. By removing the aspect of unusualness, the series not only gains a lot of realism, but also allows us to observe real life situations and helps us providing possible solutions to said situations. But these solutions are not the universal right way. The series, while feeling very warm and honest, also has a little cold and sadness in it. Especially in the later episodes. And that is something I look for in anime. It has that real life feeling to it.
While the characters are not goofy or over the top, they are still entertaining and pleasant. Especially Nishioka who might be one of the greatest wingman in anime I’ve seen. The guy is just great. He’s the kind of friend everybody deserves. Our main character Majime is at first little robotic and stoic. But as he begins to work on the dictionary and as time progresses we see him develop thanks to his work. He found something he was predisposed to do. Our female lead is Kaguya (voiced by lovable Maaya Sakamoto). Kaguya is very solid female character. She’s very supportive but at the same time she’s independent. She’s a person. She doesn’t function as Majime’s safety net or goal. She’s not plot device or fanservice bait. She is god honest woman without any goofiness. And that is something I haven’t seen much in a recent anime series.
The character interactions are big part of why this anime works and flows so well. There is nothing holding it back. No boring moments, no boring expositions or dialogue. Everything flows well and I never had to check how much is left until the episode ends. It just grips you for 20 minutes. There are even cute interludes with dictionary mascots talking to each other.
Production is pretty good. The animation for whatever reason reminded me of IG (the character designs). It’s nothing mind-blowing but considering what this series is about, it is pretty fantastic. It could’ve easily been much worse, with less care put into it. Music is also pretty good. Orchestral sounds make the scenes feel more impactful and bigger (for example the “Make a good dictionary” scene in episode 2). There is no particular role which leaves a lasting impression when it comes to voice acting, but considering the premise of the series that would be almost impossible. However that hardly means the voice acting is bad. As I already mentioned Kaguya is voiced by my personal favourite Maaya Sakamoto and Majime is voiced by veteran Takahiro Sakurai who’s having a great year when it comes to voice acting. Reigen, Noboru-Sensei, and Majime. Nishioka is voiced by Kimiya Hiroshi…wait…Remi (who’s character from later episodes) is voiced by Chiwa Saito…what the hell? What is the Monogatari gang doing here?!?
In the end, there is hardly anything bad you can say about this anime. If you are not interested from the start because of the “boring” premise, and you don’t really care about good directing you won’t like this series. If you are okay with its premise definitely watch it. It’s like a tea, an anime which allows you to sit down, relax, and slowly enjoy it.
TheSmilingShoujo
This is an underrated anime series; a hidden gem. I'm a complete sucker for stories that revolve around people who are passionate in their vocations whether its about war, sports, cooking, friendship, family, and even compiling a dictionary. Fune wo Amu (aka The Great Passage) is a down to earth, realistic portrayal of a group of dictionary editors who are passionate in their job of compiling a dictionary, which is said to be an endeavor that may span a decade. While it may sound dull, the process of compiling a dictionary and the struggles that go with it will probably open up a new perspectivefrom viewers on things they usually take for granted. I, for one, never realized making a dictionary could be such an interesting (and also a pain in the ass) process. The interaction between the editors and their nuances are interesting to watch as each have their own issues to deal with without being complete emotards (like, you know, Ikari Shinji or that faggot from Your Lie in April).
I like the MC, Majime Mitsuya. He's an introvert yet doesn't have that emotard aura and he actually thinks about improving himself to mix better with people (and a particular girl! :3), as opposed to typical emotards who get help from everybody else without asking and attract a bunch of hot chicks for no good reason. He's one of the very few main characters that don't annoy me.
I like it because:
1. It's realistic, makes sense, and relatable.
2. No superpower, no archetypal formula mix of tsundere, megane, introvert, and shit, no 'genius' characters who always win, no weird fantasy, no tit/panty flashes, no moe; no nonsense.
3. I'm a sucker for such genre (see second sentence).
4. Amusing anecdotes by dictionary characters during episodes.
Complaints: Well, maybe one. The MC is too imperfect that he's too perfect for his role in his job. But I think that's exactly the beauty of the story. So, maybe not a complaint, after all.
It's a story purest of form that is meant to be enjoyed by mature audience. I hope you are convinced to watch this series and enjoy it as much as I do. :)
raamen
Fune wo Amu truly is a breath of fresh air. I can honestly say that I have not watched an anime like it. I really like anime that are about what people are passionate about. You really grow to love the characters. The basic premise is about a guy who isn't really good at dealing with people and to make things worse, he's a salesman. But, he is very interested in words and books. Fate plays it's hand when the dictionary editing department needs a new hire to replace someone who will retire. (There's also a dash of romance too.) At first I thought that I wouldgrow board of this anime pretty quickly because I wasn't sure how they would keep me engaged in a story about creating a dictionary. But man was I wrong.
Who knew I would become so invested in a dictionary.
Siaksx
How would I describe "The Great Passage"? It’s akin to a fairy tale about life, viewed through the eyes of adults, for adults. It is unmistakably a beautifully written story that highlights the importance of words, the role of communication, and the significance of relationships. Plot: 10/10 Some might find this anime mundane, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching various individuals collaborate as a team for a greater purpose. Notably, this purpose was not to save the world, which I found refreshing. Instead, it was about helping people navigate the vast ocean of words, fostering better understanding, and conveying emotions, feelings, and thoughts. Who would have thought thata small team in the dictionary editorial division at Genbu Publishing could work together for decades to complete Daitokai?
Characters: 10/10
We do not encounter heroes with supernatural powers, depressed individuals, or extraordinary beings. Instead, we meet characters who could very well exist in our lives. I appreciated the development of friendship between Majime and Nishioka, and the strong partnership between Araki and Matsumoto. The love lines were also notable. The women, who might seem like secondary characters, played crucial roles in supporting the main characters and completing the dictionary. A huge respect goes to Kaguya, Take, Kishibe, Sasaki, and Remi!
Drawing and Animation: 7/10
The art, much like the characters, does not transcend into the realm of the extraordinary. However, this suits the overall theme of the show, emphasizing its humane aspects.
OST: 5/10
This is one aspect I did not fully enjoy. "The Great Passage" revolves around the cyclic nature of life as it is, and it should feel vulnerable at times. Thus, I did not appreciate the orchestral sounds during intimate and thoughtful moments. However, that's just me.
In conclusion, I would recommend watching "The Great Passage" if you enjoy seeing people engage in meaningful activities in an ordinary setting. This show is not deeply philosophical, weird, or heart-warming—it mirrors life itself.
giraffenanime
This was such a sweet, heartfelt anime I got to pick up! The Great Passage isn't what I was expecting... A lot more confusion and emotions were settled by the end of this short series. Let's get into the anime basics! Story; You're first introduced to an awkward man named Majime Mitsuya, who has a knack for knowing lot's of words and their multiple meanings but not being able to use them himself. You see him grow along side Nishioka, the Dictionary Department and other supporting characters. I love how this story revolved around two characters, but also something that you don't come across often (andthat I didn't even know was a thing) a Dictionary Editorial Division at a Publishing company! Art; I loved the style of the animation... especially the background characters (slightly detailed, yet fat and floppy... you can tell they aren't important). Sound; The ending song "I & I" soothed my god damn soul every time I heard it, and the opening suited the anime as well (I love how they made Tora, the car, such an important figure in the OP). Characters were well built, you got learn enough of everyone to want to follow and see how they grow as the anime progresses (I still think Sasaki is mysterious, and would've liked to known a little bit more about her).
Overall, I really enjoyed this anime. I loved how awkward Majime was in the beginning, and how finding the perfect career and group of people helped him to grow. It just goes to show how your environment can really effect you.
ShadowTreader
Fune wo Amu is a great show which I honestly didn't imagine enjoying so much and that's probably the same for a fair amount of people. Most of us can agree that making a dictionary is a little on the dull side, but of course what really matters is the execution and it was executed in an intriguing and compelling way. Character studies are something I love deeply because of how courageous they are and how fantastic they can be when done well. This is no exception for Fune wo Amu; the characters, the struggles they face and their interactions with each other are wherethe show brims with quality. It finds this unique, restrained beauty and nuance through moments of quiet, understated excellence between its fantastic and fascinating characters. The characters are less like depictions of tropes meant to check boxes, but rather depictions of real people with realistic personalities and worries. No-one acts in a brash, over-exaggerated way; everyone acts the way real people would and that's something you would be a little hard pressed to find nowadays.
It's got some very interesting and relevant themes which were where the show found its depth and ingenuity. It's all about words; how we use them, our ability (or inability rather) to express our true emotions with them and the relationships we build through them. These themes and concepts are mainly conveyed through the main character, Majime, who is a very intriguing character. He's a man who can't find what he wants to say. He struggles to convey his emotions and feelings through words but has a vast, deep understanding of them. As a result, he finds trouble speaking normally with people and building friendships and relationships. He was a very relatable character for me and I emphasised with many of his struggles. The show did a good job of presenting his inner turmoil through the usage of visual metaphors and compelling imagery that really helped the show to stand out. The supporting cast was great too, particularly Nishioka and Kaguya. Nishioka was a very inspiring figure with a great deal of depth to his actions and Kaguya consistently made scenes that much more nuanced and beautiful through her own unique, understated charm. The romance between Majime and her was refreshing too because of its natural, relaxed progression that wasn't hampered by unnecessary, frustrating misunderstandings.
Fune wo Amu is criminally under-watched which is a shame because it really is a very good show. Give it a chance, and those preconceptions you had about it being or dull will disappear in no time. If you're fond of character studies or if you're desperate for some realistic characters, I strongly recommend this.
fury1001fury
Maybe a spoiler, I watched it in one sitting but I feel like I've been watching it from years. It looks kinda dull at start but I think you grow into it as you watch 2-3 episodes. Such a great anime with light heavy story with beautifully illustrated simple characters. Definitely a recommendation if you are searching for a slice of life anime with little less romance and more focus on characters and story. Hmmm I have said all I wanted to say but mal is making me write more as it doesn't fit minimum word count so maybe I'll give a advice to mal stop forcingpeople write more or they'll end becoming just like Majime(Protagonist of this anime).LOL.
TZUN4I
As slice of life as it can be, this anime is VERY niche. No doubt a hidden gem but it is seinen at its core. Not because of gore or adult content - I think it's just directed to an older audience. I am without question in awe! No reincarnations, no heroic battles, no tearjerkers, just normal people living their normal WORKING lives. For someone like mevwho's dealing with words the series are spot on. Although I have an acquaintance involved in compiling a dictionary, I was amazed at the effort required to compile a dictionary specifically in Japanese mainly because of the characteristics ofthe language. I'm a little envious of native Japanese viewers, because even with my cursory knowledge of the language, I can tell that the level of conversation between the characters is above average. Very beautiful!
The representation of corporate life is also extremely accurate. The characters are well built and you can sympathize with them and even identify with them. There is logic and motive behind their decisions, which are presented completely naturally. The light romantic touches only add to the atmosphere.
10 of 10 from me. Recommend for leisurely afternoons with a cup of iced coffee or rainy evenings with a glass of wine. I hope more people decide to give it a chance!
EDIT: Just checked. The studio is behind another gem of strangeness - Aku no Hana. This explains a lot, haha!
nanakox21
STORY: The company is Genbu Shobo (publishing company) & within that company, the Dictionary Dept is struggling to put together a new dictionary for their upcoming release. Unfortunately, one of the employees had to retire due to family problems. Their mission is to recruit someone that can help put together the dictionary in time. Later on in the series, you can see what the process is like when it comes to creating dictionaries. In the middle of the anime, there is a cute, short clip where various dictionaries in anime form talk about themselves. (They usually implement in the episodes too!) The anime also explores hisdaily life outside of his work (which includes living alone with his cat Tora & while having feelings for the landlord's granddaughter). At the end of the episode, we get to see the main word that is focused on and it will give the meaning.
CHARACTERS:
Majime: Originally, he was in the sales department. Ever since he was transferred, he has become more comfortable with working with others and learning about the process of creating the Great Passage. He lives alone with his cat (Tora), but is in love with Kaguya.
Kaguya: She is a chef in training and is the granddaughter of Majime's Landlord.
Nishioka: Confident, out-going guy, Majime's coworker/friend. He's not really passionate as Majime, but is understanding and kind on the inside.
OVERALL:
Enjoyed it. Profoundly deep. It's also based on a movie (2013). I have a lot of respect for the employees who have dedicated their heart & souls towards each book. Plus, I have a crush on Majime. (I think he's really cute). :3
Funguy24
Human beings naturally seek companionship and bonds. It’s an innate desire of ours to form relationships (both negative and positive) in order to not only establish our own identity, but also to understand the world around us, and our role in it; and language is the lingua franca that allows these bonds to be formed. For all of us, words are the means by which we form these bonds. Not only is it the most readily available method of forming a meaningful relationship but, no matter how good an individual’s understanding of non-verbal cues are, they won’t learn about a person’s character or state of minduntil they engage them in conversation.
Our use of words in everyday life means that a level of meaning is attached to the words we speak (subconsciously or consciously) which inevitably shapes how others view us as well as how we view ourselves. From using a certain word, to our construction of sentences, we are attaching a part of our personality onto the phrases we use. From politicians and world leaders to business executives, media moguls and everyone else in the public eye, their use of words to craft an answer designed to attract people towards them while also saying noting of any note is a skill in and of itself. As a student of ancient history I have studied some of history’s finest orators and their ability to master language is a prerequisite not only in convincing the masses, but also to convey one’s ideas as clearly as possible. It explains why some of the most charismatic and successful people in history all share the same trait: being excellent orators.
For the wordsmith, their chosen tool for didacticism is the dictionary. With at least 500,000 words and more than a billion different ways to combine the words, the dictionary is vital for the one who wants to understand words. Even holding a dictionary is to feel not only the physical weight of it, but also its cultural and social weight; the culmination of centuries of compiling and editing, revising and perfecting to create a portfolio of every word that has ever been uttered in one language. For most of us, a dictionary is used to find a word’s definition. Unfortunately, not many of us use a dictionary anymore. The vast behemoth that is the internet, where everything (including a word’s definition) is at your fingers, using a dictionary is an anachronism of a bygone era consigned to the annals of history.
Anyway, this is an anime about a group of people making a dictionary. This, as I’ll explain later, is simultaneously a good and bad thing.
Mitsuya Majime is an excellent wordsmith, an individual capable of defining words in a myriad of ways, and is a walking encyclopaedic knowledge of language. The problem is that he cannot articulate himself in a meaningful way. A shy, unassuming man, Majime lives his life in the unremitting slog of daily mundanity as a salesman who works for a publishing company. A chance encounter with Araki, who is looking for someone to assist in the publication of a new dictionary, allows Majime to satiate his desire not only for words, but also to find a place to belong.
Majime himself is a thoroughly human character, an individual who despite being handed his dream job, is still wracked with uncertainty about his ability to perform to the best of his abilities. His journey to not only understand how he fits in within the larger scheme of life, but also to express himself properly with the multitude of words at his arsenal, is both illuminating and thoughtful. His subtle evolution as a character makes him a far more realistic character. The best compliment I can give Majime is that he is thoroughly humane: you could imagine him existing as a real human being. His evolution is not drastic. He is still incapable of expressing himself for most of the series, but he is far more aware of his limits and of his strengths. Even without the skill to express himself, his love and passion for words comes across clearly to the viewer, and something about that almost childlike naivety made him more endearing to me as a character. Majime, like the rest of the cast, is not an especially complex character, but his passion for words and his inability to express them creates a conflict within him, which is aided by some lovely and deliberate animation to highlight this conflict within him. This conflict might not be fully resolved, but his recognition of his strengths and weaknesses, as well as his concession that he cannot overcome them but chooses to focus on his strength while having others compensate for his weaknesses creates a fully realistic and human portrayal of Majime. Here is a character that could really exist.
Alongside Majime is a colourful cast of characters, including a female Majime (Kishibe) who turns up halfway through the series and the resident badass grandma Take. The other character of note, Masashi Nishioka, is your typical ‘life of the party’ character, but his evolution from comedy character to thoughtful character provides the perfect juxtaposition to Majime. Masashi is perfectly capable of expressing himself as a person, but lacks the same passion for words that Majime has, but the latter’s influence over the series can be seen as Masashi develops his own relationship with words, and continues to help with the making of the dictionary even when he is no longer a paid member. Either way, all the characters are handled with a level of maturity that I found utterly refreshing. This was a ‘slice-of-life’ in the truest sense, dealing with the trials and tribulations of completely human characters. The dialogue of the show was also expertly executed at times. Some of them might have waffled for a bit longer than necessary, but as someone who enjoys thinking about words, I found their discussions to be thought-provoking. It’s just a crying shame that they didn’t have those conversations more often, often eschewing conversations about the use of meanings of different words in favour of plot exposition.
Accompanying the story is a visual and auditory treat. The show for the most part is fairly standard with certain occasions where they smooth out the animation to create some absolutely gorgeous scenes that are well-directed and accompanied by a varied soundtrack which enhances the scene, sets its tone, or/and compliments the scene. Just as important as the dialogue is the direction and special emphasis should be given to how the series showcases the importance of non-verbal cues, whether it is a stroke of the chin, a clench of the fist or a quick diversion of eye contact, the camera work is truly excellent.
So a show with a realistic lead character, a colourful cast of characters, with some excellent direction and at times is a visual and auditory treat. So a 10/10 from me; right?
Well, no unfortunately. Remember how I wrote that its plot was its biggest weakness as well as its biggest strength. Having a character that has a passion for linguistics and having them framed through the prism of composing a dictionary is a novel idea. Unfortunately, it is also a bit stale. I have a couple of other issues with the narrative as well, including a badly written romance sub-plot which is never expanded on, and a mid-episode cutaway featuring hand drawn dictionaries talking to each which constantly killed the tone of the episode. However, I believe the two problems above are causes of the type of show that Fune wo Amu is. Its primary concern is with the completing of the dictionary. I wrote that a dictionary is an anachronism, and it is true. How many people use a dictionary? Even the exploration of words is a niche subject. It always ran the risk of being stale and uninteresting.
I predominately felt for much of the anime that both the romance sub-plot and mid-section ‘Dictionary Corner’ were tactics used by the writers to make the show more appealing, and break up the monotony of a primarily dialogue-driven show. This is a shame, because its premise is utterly original. Plus, I really enjoy thinking about linguistics, which makes the show's fear, or inability to take itself seriously a shame. It is a show with immense promise, which had the ability to be a serious work on the nature of linguistics and linguistics anthropology, but lacked the means and the belief to execute its ideas in a philosophical and thought-provoking manner. Nevertheless, I really did enjoy the series a lot. It has a lot of elements going for it: realistic characters, a great soundtrack, great visuals and camerawork and an excellent cast. It’s just a shame that it didn’t have enough faith in its own idea. Mind you, I would still recommend it, because the show still manages to execute its individual elements with a level of subtlety and nuance not always seen in anime.
felixlovesanime
Some anime series deserved more attention than it had. Fune wo Amu (a.k.a The Great Passage) is on top of such list. This is not your typical slice-of-life in vein of Non Non Biyori or Working!! which, in hindsight, might have been the reason why Fune wo Amu has been criminally underrated. If I could coin a brand new genre, I would say Fune wo Amu as a 'soulful' anime. Here we have a late-twenty-something Majime Mutsuya who has been employed against his true nature when, out of a sudden, he finds himself involved in a team filled with outsiders with one mission: creating the nextbig Japanese dictionary encyclopedia. Yes, it is not exactly saving the world or changing people back from being a stone but nonetheless, leave it to the good people of Zexcs to turn something unassuming into something deep and interesting.
It is no overstatement to say that the characters, both main and supporting, are the best in recent memory. Every single one of them is multifaceted and when they support our hero in his quest, the support is never cliche or just-because. This time, both the characters and the plot balance each other like a subtle-yet-strong romance. No wonder it later on became an adaptation of a live-action feature which, later on, would be Japan's official submission for 2014 Academy Awards. However, the biggest draw of Fune wo Amu is how they present not just dictionaries in general, but also Japanese Language is a living, breathing deity and it is the duty of the tongues to both preserve and evolve such deity. Fune wo Amu successfully delivers the obvious-yet-hidden fact that language is important for the sake of capturing our histories and our emotions.
Ironically, I had been having the hardest time concluding my review with just one word. Is it "Love"? Is it "Pride"? Is it "Light"? You know what, I just looked into my own dictionary and I got it-- "Masterpiece".
#felixlovesanime
shacklesburst
Starts out strong, mostly because of the character's love for their respective callings, which drive the whole story. And they're all portrayed in a way that makes these callings really believable (think opposed to how overdrawn the average sports anime's protagonists are into their respective sports). The first few episodes are really enjoyable like that, but then right down the middle, this anime certainly slumps a little. The art is fair, but I've seen better even for short anime on a budget. The music is okay as well and captures the mood, but it's entirely forgettable. I guess it redeems itself a little towards the end andfinishes in a pretty generic drama-like way. Not a must watch, but kind of better than expected overall.
MukMimuk
Fune wo Amu was a pretty unexpected experience for me as a casual anime viewer, it goes quite far into cultural aspects and beautifully uses the extent of Japanese language to treat its subject. It starts as a pretty common slice of life genre, and develops beautifully into this, with some poetry and very little exaggerations in terms of drama or climax scenes. The subject of dictionary-making is seemingly extremely boring but the series surprises in that it really makes you interested in what a dictionary actually is, and makes you look at it differently. Being curious of Japanese I admired the complexity and play ofwords that are used throughout the show, within or without the context of dictionary-making, knitting in its content the beauty and ambiguity of this language.
One of the great aspects of this show is also the very subtle and intelligent use of sound, creating very efficient atmospheres but also to develop the story with a lot of off-camera sounds to catch your attention or broaden your experience of this small universe.
I totally recommend it if you're into Japanese language or cultural aspects, or even just if you want a good and peaceful time within a world where nothing can be done quickly ;)
laranpadduman
It’s about dictionaries! About making dictionaries and about selecting words for a dictionary! For many of us, our first introduction to anime involves magical laser beams, men that can move or destroy actual mountains or fight scenes of robots vs. ninjas. And much like movies or books, in anime, if we stick with it long enough, our interests start to expand. Now and again, we stir away from the childish fantasies we so love about anime and venture into more grounded, more “indie” and mature and wholly human content. Fune wo amu or The Great Passage is one such anime. It is adapted from the novel ofthe same name, written by Shion Miura
When Araki, the editor-in-chief of the dictionary department of Genbu Publishing decides for early retirement, he passes the baton to Mitsuya Majime.
Majime lives a relatively reticent life. He has no phone. He lives in a dormitory in which only he and the landlady live. His idea of fun is observing people getting in the escalator. When he asked to join the department (of 4 other members), his prime worry is that the transfer would involve working with other people.
But he is passionate about words, a wordsmith and a bookworm. When the department supervisor tells his staff what a dictionary means to him, he provides a philosophical, metaphorical definition that greatly motivates Majime.
A dictionary is a ship that navigates an ocean of words. Without words, you cannot express your thoughts or be able to have any sort of deep understanding of others. People board the ship we call dictionaries and find the perfect words to gather the small lights floating to the top of the dark waters. Words are light.” - Matsumoto
The quote above is from Ep. 2, one of the most important episodes. The show takes us through the laborious task of the logistics of creating a dictionary, from gathering the words to building relationships with consultants and clients.
There are two major themes that I cherished in this show.
First is the passing of time. Fune wo amu is a 10-year project. One realizes the heavy ordeal of creating The Great Passage. A dictionary, after all, needs to be no less than perfect. As Araki gives Majime a tour of their office, Araki comments on the decrepit state of their building. Araki informs Majima that their building was the original edifice for Genbu Publishing and that, over time, they have moved on while the dictionary department “remained.” Later that evening, Majime’s landlady, Take, starts their dinner conversation by saying that it is the harvest moon and “how fast time passes as you age.” Majime politely replies that he did not even remember.
Second is the world’s, and therefore human’s, tendency to keep moving. During Majime’s tour, Araki explains to him that dictionaries are, in essence, always incomplete. Words are added and omitted and their meaning changes over time. “But even so, those who make dictionaries continue to try.”
This is again emphasized by the symbolism of the Ferris Wheel. It has it’s ups and downs but is always moving. Even Majime comments that it always keeps moving even if it is hard to see.
The animation in Fune wo amu is top-notch. I was impressed with the kids running to school and passersby (in Episode 3) had an almost Princess Kaguya feel to its sketching. And whenever Majime is thinking his deep thoughts, it is translated into a wonderfully imaginative and metaphorical battle in his mind that the animators present flawlessly.
But then Director Kuroyanagi Toshimasa stumbles upon a sort of snag: How can a Slice of Life and a story as mundane as making a dictionary stay interesting? Of all the anime I have watched, this tackles the most “boring” subject.
My feelings with watching The Great Passage is in the shape of the letter U. It started of with a great premise then dropped down as they faced their drawbacks and trials along the way. I remember watching with polite attention. In the middle part of the series, we are introduced Majime’s love interest and the trials of Nishioka, the character with the most traditional character development. And as the series was coming to an end my interest was raised again.
After watching Fune wo amu, I remember the two types of genres we often read: the short story and the essay. In its most traditional sense, the short story gives us an exposition in the beginning. It then moves on an upward slope to thrilling progression until it reaches the captivating climax then goes back down to a satisfying denouement.
The nonfictional literary essay (traditionally) is like a long river that changes shape before it finally reaches the sea. An essay like, like the river, can move widely, deeply, narrowly, noisily, and silently with each passing stage. Fune wo amu is like this for me but more on the deep and silent side.
The passion is deeply human. The challenges are completely doable. The characters in this show stayed dignified and refined. In many shows where watchers sit expecting characters to develop in some way, I actually loved that Majime stayed essentially the same. There are people like that. This show reminds us that there are people who simply keep moving, much like that Ferris Wheel.
Lastly,
I just want to say there is a big-ass dictionary of 1,854 pages in front of me. I loved it the first time I saw it. I love it even more after watching Fune.
