Zhuge Kongming earned a reputation as one of the greatest tacticians of the Three Kingdoms period of third-century China. Having led his army through countless grueling victories, Kongming falls gravely ill during the Battle of Wuzhang Plains. The weariness and regret stemming from the seemingly never-ending war catch up to him, and as he draws his final breath, Kongming wishes that if he were to reincarnate, he would be reborn in a more peaceful era.
His wish comes true, and Kongming wakes up in modern-day Tokyo with a younger body and his memories intact. Thrust into an unfamiliar world, he finds his way into a nightclub and meets Eiko Tsukimi, an aspiring singer whose performance immediately captivates him. Pitying his confusion, Eiko takes Kongming under her wing and teaches him about the current world, which leads to Kongming's interest in contemporary music. Seeing Eiko's immense musical potential, Kongming vows to make the world recognize her and soon takes on the role of her manager.
Unsurprisingly, the music industry is unforgiving to those who make even the slightest mistakes. Still, Kongming is determined to accomplish his goals—even if he must utilize the war stratagems he famously used in his previous life!
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Nenhum episódio encontrado.
Comentários
SingleH
Paripi Koumei is very silly and very good, and while there isn’t much you can say about it in a review, there’s very much to enjoy when you actually watch it. The legendary Chinese tactician, Zhuge Liang, being isekai’d to modern-day Tokyo, becoming the manager of an adorable amateur EDM idol, using his strategic prowess to conquer the world of music, and leading the girl to stardom using the art of war is easily the most confusingly out-of-left-field storyline I’ve seen in years. Despite having such a weird premise, though, it sells you on the characters instantly, and you just watch it like a normalshow. But it isn’t normal. It’s really goofy, and the fact it was so easily able to make me forget about that simple truth says a lot about how undeniably enjoyable and engaging it is. I know most of us were drawn here by the modern classic that is Paripi Koumei’s opening theme, because that music and those dances are absolutely stellar, but believe me when I say this show is so much more than well-marketed memes and gifs. Zhuge Liang, or “Koumei” (Kongming), as they call him, is immediately charismatic, affable, and hilarious, and despite this comical portrayal of his historical self, the show actually did its research when referencing his life and accomplishments, as well as how his old strategies are applied to helping Eiko, the adorable amateur, realize her dreams and achieve her goals. Eiko herself—and every other character we meet throughout the show for that matter—is also equally lovable for her own unique set of reasons. Please don’t forget that taking a step back reveals a show about a borderline mythical Chinese tactician from antiquity helping a wide-eyed anime waifu become a famous pop star. This is dumb shit. But that doesn’t matter. Well-written, likable characters are well-written, likable characters no matter what, and no matter how absurd the gimmick is, the underdog story this series has to offer is seriously uplifting.
There’s cost-cutting every once in a while, and the CG pedestrians are what they are, but overall this show looks fantastic. PA Works is generally a great studio anyway, but they really knocked it out of the park with this one. The music is fantastic—and not just the insert songs for the big dedicated performance sequences, which themselves are phenomenal. The characters will just be sitting in an office talking, and I’m not even paying attention to anything they’re saying, because I’m too busy loving whatever electronic music is playing in the background. The performances in the first two episodes were already so good, they actually reignited my three-year-old searing hatred for Carole & Tuesday. These people are on stage doing all these crazy movements from all these difficult angles with NO ROTOSCOPE, and their mouths are all animated perfectly in sync with the music, and I’m screaming, “Could you IMAGINE if Carole & Tuesday looked this good for even a FRACTION of a fucking second?!” I can see some elements of this show being unfortunately difficult to appreciate from the perspective of international audiences who don’t speak Japanese—especially during the rap sections, where every subtitle track I downloaded somehow managed to be a crime against both the English language AND the Japanese language—but with specific accessibility issues aside, Paripi Koumei truly is one of those rare TV shows that you can quite literally “recommend to anyone,” because it’s genuinely creative and fun to watch, and there really isn’t any other way I know how to express that in text. Just watch it, jam out to all its catchy tracks and gorgeous performances, cheer for its charming cast of memorable characters, laugh at its self-aware ridiculousness, and take a good few seconds to laugh at yourself for even being able to take seriously something this silly. Your willingness to do so will be a testament to the playful, happy mood it’s put you in.
Thank you for reading.
SpRayquaza11
I take great pride that I watched this Anime right when it just started and before the OP craze … NO, it’s not like I just watched it because I thought it was an isekai … Baka. In all seriousness, it's a show that is about Up and coming musical artists, the trials of the music industry, and most importantly what makes music sell And it is a mind-blowing fact since what sells this Anime to most people is its absolutely insane music, especially Ciki Ciki Bam Bam (Man I can't get this OP out of my head !), I swear they spared no budget whenit comes to the music, art, or animation in the OP! Also, Do not sleep on the ED, The art is simple, but goddamn the music slaps!
The focus is clear and pure, and characters rarely get sidetracked from music the first half has a bit of the party culture of Modern citizens thrown to light but after that, it turns into a serious Music Anime. The pacing is perfect there is an optimal amount of character development and a very healthy cast wh are really talented but just need a single catalyst that will finally make them the real deal, koumei is said catalyst a Chinese legendary general (or so they say I have no clue) actually quite flexible with his plans, he more often than not just nudges things in the right direction except of being a perfect Kirito Kun and this is not unexpected of a general that was in charge of thousands of brave men (especially since they were the weaker side). The premise is wack (as expected of isekai) but it immediately feels like all the characters are right where they belong!
As for the review
Plot (8/10)
It's about music, no romance no action no bs, it's straight-up an actual representation of the current music scene, there are already so many distinguished and talented artists that making a newcomer actually debut takes more effort than picking the next star player of Barcelona. There are certain plot twists that are predictable yet they remain healthy and affect the characters in a realistic way which was quite nice to see. Each episode begins with one of Koumei’s legendary stratagem being cleverly adapted into the real world and I will admit, I would never take an interest in Zhuge Liang kong ming if it wasn't for this anime.
Characters (9/10)
As a typical isekai start, Kongming does enjoy the benefits of coincidence in the first three episodes xD like Eiko picking him up and her singing to him, the manager being a Chinese history nerd, etc, but the later parts have clear and absolutely perfect attention to detail on the music peeps the fact that they have their mutual admiration and stories of what inspires them is quite nice to see. Development of the main cast is a huge focus and is done in a very wholesome and inspiring way, hence many who aspire to do the same can actually take notes. The final music battle and the rap battles were like watching a sports match where both sides gave it their all while admiring and appreciating the skills of their foe.
Art and animation (8/10)
A good depiction of modern Tokyo is a rare sight! The cityscapes in anime look really dull compared to how Tokyo really is, and hence it was awesome to see an actual good background and vibrant nature of Tokyo being reproduced in this anime.The character design is not original by all means but it is consistent throughout the whole show. The animation of the songs and the natural soft expressions of Eiko when she sings conveys to the viewer perfectly that she loves to sing, and the art and body language of the rap battles also makes for a really tense and exciting atmosphere! The art in OP gets the highest budget and rivals that of Kaguya sama, the ED doesn't have the best art but it's better than most corner-cutting EDs we see these days.
Sound and VA (10/10)
Ok this should easily be a 10 but some may say that the repetitive nature of some of the music used does hurt the anime a bit but, it is to be expected since they have singers that are not the VAs sing for the character and licensing multiple songs is going to be no easy feat , yet that is also a strength of paripi koumei, the songs are sung by actual singers and are really good, Not to mention the 90s inspired absolute banger of an OP which I am sure is in everyone’s playlist by now.
A great anime that is a must-watch. it really revives the dying (fuck covid) party culture and is a great depiction of the music industry!
Everyone should give this a try.
sddsdd
Came in hoping for a breath of fresh air and the dark horse of the season; left disappointed that the novelty of the premise couldn't save it from being a trite, paint-by-numbers story of musical success. The core failing of Paripi Koumei lies in Kongming and Eiko's relationship. What should have been an interesting dynamic as the two work closely together to achieve a common dream instead feels unengaging and incohesive as, from the very beginning of the show, Kongming tells Eiko to leave all of the strategizing to him. As a result, Eiko's personal involvement in Kongming's plans drops to near zero as virtuallyher entire role is just to sing and follow Kongming's instructions to the letter– this abject imbalance in their relationship made it impossible for me to develop any sort of attachment to their shared struggle. The blind faith that Eiko (and other characters) have in Kongming is not only extremely boring, it obstructs any meaningful development in their relationship over the course of the series as they continue to accept Kongming's decisions without question.
Kongming's unilateral decision-making even goes as far as Eiko's singing, as he makes changes to the composition of her music that Eiko, rather than expressing reservations about (like you would normally expect), simply accepts with little complaint or input. That Kongming would be able to shamelessly meddle in something that constitutes the core of Eiko's identity should make it abundantly clear that her subservience to Kongming is ultimately set in stone.
Eiko having minimal influence in her own success reduces her character to the upbeat and determined singer whose entire role is to sing at the very end and mysteriously win over the hearts of the crowd. And while I was never a particular fan of her music, hearing her perform the same three songs (and have the audience react in the exact same way) over and over again only exacerbated how clichè and dull the entire experience was.
The clichès don't stop at just EIko, however, as the show (particularly the second half) is plagued with a plethora of tropes executed in the most insipid way possible: The genius musician who tells Eiko that her singing lacks her own character; the cynical and seemingly evil producer; the singer whose passion for music is no match for the greed of the industry. These all culminate in the finale of the series, which– without spoiling– is a nonstop series of developments so generic that I was genuinely left aghast at what the show had become.
I'll admit that I initially found some enjoyment in seeing Kongming try to make it in modern Tokyo– but once that wore off, I was left with nothing more than a hackneyed narrative, whose themes of "passion in the face of corporatism" is directly contradicted by how entirely safe and bland the entire thing felt.
Stark700
Our world is a complex place, full of diverse culture, and colorful species. Obviously, the most complex species is the human race and we enjoy the gifts that God gave to us. Through evolution, intelligence, and technology, we have also evolved and transformed our world into what we see today. And that brings us to modern day where the setting of a particular show takes place. Paripi Koumei is an anime taking place in modern Tokyo that is full of pop culture and entertainment. Despite being based on the manga, I've never heard of this series before until the anime announcement. It isn't one of thosemainstream franchises that took the world by storm after all. However, I will say that the franchise really bought in a ton of quality content with its music elements. Let's start with the opening theme "Ciki Ciki Bam Bam" by QUEENDOM. The song became a sensation that captured millions of views on popular platforms such as Youtube and Twitter. While Paripi Koumei isn't carried entirely by its theme song, it suddenly did spark interest for an audience.
For me, the show's premise didn't immediately capture my attention because it's borrows from a popular trend in recent years. Yes, I'm talking about the idea of reincarnation, a plot device that has been used in countless isekai anime. However, this show only takes the surface of that idea as it lacks the typical fantasy elements and everything else becomes its own story. Now in a more modern era, we meet Zhuge Kongming who has reincarnated since the third century in China. After a chance encounter with a girl named Eiko, he strikes a partnership with her after witnessing the talent of a superstar in the making. He becomes her manager and together, they hope to become a sensation in this modern world. From this point on, the story pretty much dedicates on how they would evolve themselves and make others recognize them.
Watching Paripi Koumei immediately made me realize one important thing and this applies to any place in the entertainment industry. It's hard. No, I mean, it's hard to the point where you must constantly push yourself to be better than others. Sacrifices must be made and they must know how to adapt with any situation. And maybe, just maybe they can become a cultural phenomenon. Luckily, Eiko is hard worker and Kongming has a tactical mind. They come from completely different backgrounds but watching the two work together is inspirational. Eiko has the talent of a singer with a passion for music. Meanwhile, Kongming uses his cunning mind to plan Eiko's future. To him, becoming successful means thinking of every possibility and responding to them. Thanks to his military talent, this ability seems natural just as his way of adapting with the modern world.
Eiko's character is one that I find fairly likable for being outgoing and ability to attract others with her friendly personality. She's also passionate about music and not just making a career to get rich or fame. A prominent example is her relationship with Nanami, a street singer she met and quickly formed a friendship with. Watching their relationship shows how Eiko determines to prove herself while also forming a relationship with someone with similar interests as her. However, I will say that a twist of fate later in the story brings together a more complex turn of events for the two. I won't spoil it but it makes Eiko strive to work even harder.
Although Eiko and Kongming are mostly the center of attention in this show, one other character that attracts a lot of attention is the rapper Kabe Taijin. That's right, the art of rap hasn't gone out of style in Tokyo and we witness firsthand with his skills. Similar to Eiko, Kabe has a strong desire to prove himself to others. Watching his performance shows his passion to entertain an audience and be himself. To me, this anime captures the essence of performance arts and allow characters to express themselves. It's what entertainment is about in this world's modern tokyo. If you're starving for some entertainment that stretches beyond the generic idol performances you often see on TV, then you're in for a treat.
While the main attraction of Paripi Koumei is its character cast and musical elements, we also can't overlook the designs and overall visual quality of the show. It's something that feels underappreciated because the music and soundtrack often overshadows its animation quality. But judging by its character designs, it's clear that the anime made its cast look like superstars such as Eiko. Kongming still maintains his look from his original timeline although he adapts a more formal way of speaking the modern language. Let's also not forget the most important feature and that is the character expressions. When performing in front of a crowd, we see how passionate characters express themselves through body language and emotions. It's one of the highlights that brings out the best of performances and should be appreciated.
If there's an underrated show of the year for 2022, Paripi Koumei is up on the list for a potential winner. This anime is easily overlooked but earns its spot among the most entertaining show of the year. For its character cast, music, and storytelling, it's a show that I can't help but recommend to anyone. Give yourself a treat and tell your friends about Paripi Koumei. They'll be dancing along this show's sensation in no time.
IrrelevantGuy
*** Note that the review will be somewhat long-winded and contain a few minor spoilers. It's been a while since a show has managed to fascinate this much, so I went pretty much all out on this one. Hopefully you will bear with me. *** P.A. Works creating a good manga adaptation? The world must be ending! No seriously, this show is fucking amazing. Paripi Koumei is without doubt a little absurd, insane, and chaotic – and it is entertaining as fuck. Unlike what it appears on the surface, it is not just a brainless comedy that solely intends to make its audience laugh at its ridiculousness; assatirical as this may sound, there is legitimate quality and substance to be found behind all the seemingly pointless madness and irrationality.
Paripi Koumei radiates promise from one of the very first scenes, showing a decrepit Zhuge Liang Kongming on his deathbed. It is then that Kongming makes his one final wish: to reincarnate in an era without any war and conflict, one where he could live peacefully. Fast forward two millenniums, and we suddenly see Kongming in a nightclub of Shibuya supposedly reborn in his younger body. Initially bewildered, he is shortly mesmerized by the voice of a young singer, later introduced as Eiko Tsukimi. Eiko is facing problems of her own, struggling to find success in the world of music despite her firm, yet slightly wavering determination. She is startled when the oddly dressed Kongming proclaims his love for her voice, but nonetheless delighted that someone has finally taken notice of her music.
The next morning, Eiko stumbles upon an intoxicated Kongming on the street and brings him home out of sympathy. There, Kongming learns about the modern world and its technology from Eiko, and subsequently becomes interested in contemporary music. In an odd turn of events, Kongming becomes Eiko's music manager aka "tactician", with the immovable resolve to make the world recognize her name and singing prowess.
It goes without saying that Kongming himself is what makes Paripi Koumei; you definitely will not enjoy the show if you aren't fond of his crazy antics, because that's pretty much the driving force of the story. As Kongming devises grand strategies for Eiko to help her accomplish her dream, the plot simultaneously expands in scope and moves forward in a surprisingly steady pace and manner, with almost no stumbles or hiccups along the way. In case you are wondering what a Chinese military strategist is doing in what seems like a wacky music anime (told you this show was absurd), it's... hard to explain.
The thing is, while there is admittedly zero rationale to how certain things play out at the beginning, the series is completely honest about it. Why and how Kongming is reincarnated in Japan and can read and talk in perfectly fluent Japanese – this is all just because the plot demands it, and there's no other reason. This rarely holds back the show however, since the author luckily utilizes the most of Kongming's inclusion in the story. Moreover, the anime does not try to indulge in monotonous self-parody to replace actual comedy; though there are clever self-jabs from time to time, it fully understands that dull and repetitive self-parody is far from any proper entertainment. As a result, what we have here is an anime with genuinely a lot of thought put into the material.
Stated briefly, the idea sounds and is ridiculous, but the execution is anything but that.
Kongming is most certainly a weirdo, but at the same time, there are few who can even dream to be as nearly charismatic as him. There's a certain charm to him that I have yet to find in any other anime character, and that charm is not limited to him being "a Chinese historical character in a Japanese anime, lol". Kongming's charm in fact comes from his whole character: his intelligent yet amusingly quirky nature, witty and playful remarks, clever and intriguing tactics, flashy appearance, and spectacular voice acting. Kongming is not simply a stereotypical male Mary Sue programmed to do "all according to keikaku" stuff; there is far more to him than meets the eye.
With that being said, if you came to the show looking for cleverly constructed strategies, you surely wouldn't be disappointed, because it does have plenty of that to offer.
Kongming's so-called stratagems are always a delight to watch, even if one or two can be considered as blatant ass-pull(s). The second episode, in particular, almost entirely detaches itself from any kind of realism – instead relying on plot contrivances and semi-convoluted logic to progress the story. On the flip side however, there are many more occasions where the tactics Kongming comes up with are surprisingly really clever and creative. Although they seem irrational and "totally batshit crazy" at first, in hindsight, you realize that they are actually brilliantly thought-out, albeit still totally batshit crazy.
The stratagems Kongming uses in the show reference historical events, and excluding a few errors and glorification here and there, the depictions are consistently precise. The original stratagems and Kongming's own versions of them are obviously vastly different, but they are always built on the same fundamental concepts. At the start of a new episode, a short recap is played of what happened prior; but unlike the sleep-inducing recaps you see in most shounen, a narrator aptly connects the referenced events with the previous episode and provides historical context. While this seems comparatively insignificant, it does, as a matter of fact, add more depth to the story and makes the stratagems even more interesting.
Back to our boy Kongming though, remember that I said his charm comes from his whole character? Although that holds true, it's specifically his demeanor and inner personality which makes him so loveable in my opinion. As cunning and eccentric as he is, Kongming is also incredibly soft, affectionate, knowledgeable, and unassuming. He is equal parts wise and hilarious; there will never be a time his words will fail to move you, and his jests and idiosyncrasies fail to make you smile. Even just him appearing on the screen will be enough to keep you entertained. In internet lingo, Kongming is a certified gigachad, one who belongs in a category of his own. I know I sound like an overly obsessive fan idealizing his favorite idol, and I probably *am* obsessive, but I mean it when I say Kongming is wonderful, because he is.
Kongming's personality naturally shines the most when he is with Eiko, who helps bring out his most intimate sides. Eiko herself is an extraordinarily engaging and well-written character. It's easy to dismiss her as waifu-bait at first glimpse, but if you actually watch the anime, it should be obvious that she isn't. The show dedicates much time to focus on her growth both as a singer and a person, so it feels extremely gratifying whenever she succeeds in her goals. Keep in mind that while Kongming may be the mastermind behind her success, it is actually Eiko's own singing, her own efforts to improve herself, that ultimately makes everything work, or "does the magic" if you will.
Additionally, though only explored in brief sequences, Eiko's suicidal past adds a substantial layer of depth to her character. What's noteworthy is that suicide is tackled with a lot of subtlety and not oversensationalized at all, which makes the backstory all the more effective. Of course, the anime doesn't solely rely on this to flesh Eiko out; her relationship with Kongming is what plays the most important role in her characterization. Similar to how Eiko eased Kongming's heart, Kongming also helped Eiko regain confidence in herself, giving her the push to continuously do better – which brings me to the prime reason why I find their relationship to be so profound.
Almost any fan would attribute mainly Eiko and Kongming's interactions to why they enjoy the show, and I'm no exception. The arrangement is strange for sure, but their relationship is at heart incredibly wholesome and uplifting. Why? One of the key things to consider here is the wish that Kongming made before dying, which was to be reborn in a more peaceful era. But even though his wish was fulfilled, Kongming remained dejected since there was no familar face around, and later, it was Eiko who brightened him up and enchanted him with her music. Similarly, Kongming was the first person to genuinely praise Eiko's singing, someone she could call "a true fan", and that motivated her to strive for greater lengths.
These simple aspects pave the way for a dynamic, heartwarming relationship, what would have been regarded as utterly stupid and nonsensical otherwise.
Despite Eiko's name being a direct reference to Kongming's allegedly real wife, there's not any implication of romance between the two. Their feelings toward each other is portrayed as platonic more than anything, which is evident through the obvious parallels to Kongming and Liu Bei's relationship – and I would be lying if I said I wasn't relieved thanks to that. I believe the primary reason why their bond doesn't feel forced is because it is platonic, and any attempts at romance would make their relationship overly awkward and unnatural. The later chapters of the manga presumably don't contain any romance either, and I hope it stays that way until the end.
While I could never see this being even a remote possibility, if you think the anime will become stale and formulaic with only those two in spotlight – don't worry, the viewers are quickly introduced to more compelling characters: Kabetaijin, an average Joe with no remarkable qualities except his knack and devotion for rap, and Nanami, the vocalist of a girls' band stripped of their passion and ingenuity. As cliched as their origin stories might sound, they are nevertheless inspiring and should strike a chord with the audience, particularly those who have been in the music industry themselves. Kabe and Nanami's individual character arcs peak respectively in episodes 6 and 9, which solidify the two as staple characters of the series.
Most of the supporting characters are equally or almost equally endearing. "Owner" Kobayashi sort of serves as a loving father figure to Eiko, and his penchant for Three Kingdoms has never failed to at least put a smile on my face. Sekitoba is a worthy rival of Kabe and a rather compelling character even on his own, and the same goes for all the members of Jet Jacket and the other two girls of Azalea. In spite of his short appearance, Tsuyoshi Kendo immediately left a vivid impression with his unconventional accent, and so did Steve Kiddo with his unhealthy pudding obsession. Karasawa is a decent antagonist, albeit not very complex, but more than believable and interesting enough to get invested into.
Music has always played a vital role for me when it comes to the enjoyment of any piece of media, and Paripi Koumei has honestly been astounding in that regard. The music production of the anime is spectacular; I'm not using the word lightly at all. In fact, what really got me invested in the show was not the randomness, but the short guitar song Eiko plays for Kongming in the first episode – which unironically stole my heart immediately. 96neko's voice is mesmerizingly beautiful, even though she mostly sings in English, which is notable because Japan is notorious for producing awful Engrish songs. Lezel's singing is also excellent, and Shouya's rapping is more than up to the mark (for the most part). Other relatively "minor" artists aren't negligible either, and the background music is superb as well, especially the tracks that play during the emotional scenes.
Some people have complained about the fact that certain songs are frequently repeated throughout the anime, which didn't particularly irk me to be honest, because there's a fairly solid reason behind why this decision was taken. One of the major themes of the story revolves around growth, whether musical or inherently personal, and I think the continuous repetition of a song to highlight that growth has been executed very well. This would have been an entirely different case if the songs themselves had been subpar or ordinary, but when the performances at display are remarkably better than most of the stuff that come out these days, I don't really see much room for concern here.
Regardless of what you think about their writing quality, it's difficult to deny that P.A. Works' productions have always looked visually impressive, and I feel like they have even stepped their game up a notch with Paripi Koumei. The animation in the show is strikingly good, boasting completely fluid character movement and vivid background art. The concerts in particular are splendidly animated, and the atmosphere is exceptionally unique. In a period where lifeless and mediocre anime are commonplace, this show feels and looks incredibly refreshing. Without any hint of exaggeration, it legitimately seems like the staff handled the series with immense care and love, with the genuine intent to make something of actual value – which I have yet to see in any of P.A. Works' other works besides Shirobako.
When you compare the anime to the manga, this intent becomes even more palpable. The manga of Paripi Koumei is not bad by any measure; it's actually amazing, but it doesn't exactly equal the anime. Music is obviously a big factor in this (manga doesn't have any sound, duh), especially when the level of quality is this outstanding, but to merely pass it off as that will be a great disservice to all the people who contributed to the project. You see, the art of the manga is frankly uninspiring; most of the panels are rather colorless and generic, and several are completely barren of any proper background. The characters are drawn very simplistically, with little emphasis on accentuating their expressions, for which they somewhat lack the emotional impact of the anime.
The writing of the anime also differs from the manga in many directions, which may seem trivial at a cursory glance, but are much more significant if you sit down and compare the two. I think one of the most prominent examples of this is how Eiko tends to subconsciously belittle herself by saying "watashi nanka" (translated to little ol' me), something Kongming notes immediately and tells her to stop using. This is a subtle way to add nuance to the characters, hinting at Eiko's modest persona and Kongming's thoughtful nature concerning her. A lot of their conversations are also expanded upon, consisting of more heartfelt and substantial dialogues, amplifying the effectiveness of the said scenes.
To further emphasize my point, there's an additional 3-minutes-long sequence in episode 9 of the anime, which presents a flashback of Azalea in their high school years, discussing what name they should pick for their band. The following scene shows Azalea performing in their debut concert, and subsequently, the three girls promise to keep making music together. What's merely touched upon in a single panel in the manga, has been expounded substantially and turned into an immensely meaningful backstory. Modifications like this have been made throughout the entire storyboard to enhance the experience, including the dramatic sequences as well as the comedic bits.
One of the few minor drawbacks of the show in my opinion is the unnecessary fanservice, which – despite just being few and far between – does leave a little bit of a bad taste. This occasional fanservice includes showing relatively risque scenes of Eiko taking a shower, changing her clothes, bathing with Nanami, etc. The anime is slightly less guilty of this compared to the manga though, which generally contains more lewder shots of Eiko doing the aforementioned things. However, this is simply an insignificant issue I personally found with the series and shouldn't affect your enjoyment that much, if at all; these scenes only appear occasionally after all.
Although everyone already knows about it, I just have to talk about the opening of the show, which I can't stress enough about how groovy it is. Fun fact, the original version of the opening is a Hungarian pop song released 9 years ago, and while it's not bad, the Japanese version completely overshadows it. The ending is also a cover of an old Japanese song called "Kibun Joujou", and again, the newer version is exceptionally better. I actually think the opening and the endings are more or less equally good, and the ending played in episodes 5 to 7 is probably the catchiest, particularly because of 96neko and Shouya's solo performances.
To say Paripi Koumei has a bit of something for everyone is misleading, because it clearly has elements that not everyone will enjoy. Does that mean I'm gonna stop anyone from watching the show? No, of course not. There's a reason why this is irrefutably the dark horse of this season, and I will go as far as to say it is easily the best anime of the year so far – and potentially even more. Well, the third season of Kaguya-sama *could* be better, but I haven't started watching that yet, so yeah. The point is, do certainly give Paripi Koumei a try, even if it doesn't seem like something that's up your alley. I was thoroughly surprised myself, and chances are you will be too.
Although I ended up using over two thousand words to write this review, I still don't feel like I have done Paripi Koumei any justice. I may never be able to fully convey how much I actually love the show; I think it is simply that good. This is all the more impressive when you consider the clusterfuck of ideas this anime works with, which should have been an easy recipe for a disastrous failure, not something as extraordinary as this. To reiterate myself, even if it sounds overly cliched, all this has been possible because of the tremendous effort put in by the creators – starting from the manga's author to everyone involved with the series' production. Paripi Koumei is in a word P.A. Works' newest passion project, and I can't wait to see more of it in the future.
It would be a gross understatement to say I will just miss this show, as it is not often you come across something truly special, and Paripi Koumei absolutely is special.
LoveScope
Well that was disappointing. I'm not sure what killed my enjoyment more, the lack of direction after episode 5, that same one song that was bland despite having a talented singer or Kabe. Wait I know, it was the padding and lack of Koumei. You know, the reason many of us picked up the anime in the first place? They somehow managed to make me not care about Eiko halfway through. Maybe PA Works should have consulted with Koumei regarding how long they were gonna stretch an arc since they are so used to making original shows that span over 13 episodes? Nah let's just addmore anime original crap and have Eiko sing that one song again, which was far less appealing than the OP or the fun ED which was also a cover. The stale rap battles/freestyles/whatever you kids call it these days didn't help either.
At some point I was hopeful they were done with the bs since towards the last episodes they handled a new characters intro and backstory decently, but then that falls flat with the pacing. It is a shame when you get talented individuals to make an anime and just squander everything like that but well, it is what it is. Honestly PA Works, just stick to making anime like Sakura Quest. Adaptations are not your forte.
JJMFREAP
There are different genres of anime out there to appeal to a variety of tastes. Action, drama, slice of life, comedy, musical, shounen, seinen, etc. You can enjoy any number of these, or none of them, point is that there is an endless variety of different choices out there, so surely you will find what you're looking for. Rarely though, there comes a series that takes multiple of these genres together and weaves them into a seamless blend, making the coexistence of some of these contradicting ideas seem so natural. And while the hilariously named Ya Boy Kongming is a comedy first and foremost, itblends so many other elements into itself, creating something truly unique.
Kongming firstly stands out by having one of the most ridiculous premises I've ever heard. An ancient Chinese general is reincarnated in modern Shibuya, Japan, he is entranced by the voice of Eiko, a young girl with big ambitions to be a successful singer and decides to become her manager and use his breadth of knowledge and wisdom from the Three Kingdoms period of ancient China to help her achieve her goals. Like, for real, what kind of opium was the original creator smoking to come up with this nonsense. And yet somehow, this absolutely preposterous idea is executed to perfection. Both hilarious skits and hype moments of victory come about as Kongming employs his ancient wisdoms to the modern world and successfully helps her come closer and closer to fulfilling her dream. It's so incredibly enjoyable to watch this unbelievable spectacle unfold.
However, premise is nothing without execution and this is also where this anime really shines. The artstyle is very vibrant, colourful and lively. The characters are insanely cute and cool in appearance, while also being full of heart and soul - incredibly charismatic, engaging, lovable and shockingly profound. The animation is fluid and energetic. The voice acting and singing (and rapping!) are all superlatively done. And of course, the soundtrack is Godly all the way through and this show graced is one of the best anime openings ever made. You wanna talk about openings you never skip, this one is one of the most unskippable of all time!
But wait, I spoke so much about blending genres in the beginning, where does that come in? Well, while Ya Boy Kongming is a comedy first as mentioned before, it's also a musical show. It's also a dramatic and engaging story, a coming of age journey even. And all of this is interspliced with bits of historical war stories too? It's truly amazing to see. To execute just one of these elements well would be impressive, but this series excels at all of them and that is downright astonishing. Kongming is effortlessly funny in multiple ways, but it also tells a very emotional story that keeps you hooked to the end and has you rooting for our beloved characters to succeed. The first half is mostly comedic and absurdist, but as we pass the halfway point, the plot thickens and you realize just how cleverly crafted the entire story really is. Like a masterful progressive metal song balances its heavy and brutal parts with its soft and melodic parts into a united symphony that truly flows as one, this anime also effortlessly blends its comedic and serious moments into a wonderful crescendo of amazing emotions. The jokes, the drama, the music, these don't just support the story, they are the story! They all flow together in an elegant waltz, supporting each other and enhancing their strengths in equal part. Among all this, the show manages to be a fantastic musical too, with a rich plethora of songs from a variety of genres gracing us and integrating themselves as inseparable parts of this epic tale. I don't even like musicals and I still enjoyed myself all the way through here!
In short, I believe you're genuinely doing yourself a disservice by not watching this. It's an incredibly well crafter story that takes a ridiculous premise and executes it to perfection. It's a fantastic tale of growth and success despite overwhelming odds and it concludes in an incredibly satisfying way that is full of great feel good moments from top to bottom. Eat your heart out "A Star is Born", this where the real shit is at!
I hope that we can keep getting series as unique as this that also boldly try to succeed and so many things at the same time and then miraculously succeed at all of them. And may we all be blessed with support figures as wise, caring, loyal and selfless as Kongming, so that we may become all those things ourselves too!
otherdummy
If Ya Boy Kongming! can give us one insight about the business world, it’s that it is competitive and ruthless. This can be applied not just to the music industry, but also to the anime one, where producers employ their various stratagems to entice the populace. Of these, the most significant one in the show is frontloading; by allocating more technical and creative resources to the premiere episode, the show can stand out among the others and attract a sizable audience efficiently. However, this stratagem comes with a fatal flaw, and it is not too difficult to discern what it is: the quality sharply drops asthe show progresses. After the (must I say almost perfect) premiere, cracks start forming. The second episode contains numerous still shots. The comedy starts tiring in the third, with the strongest element of the show, Kongming’s absurdist genius, becoming overused. After the third, the show rightfully attempts to solve this by shifting focus towards the other characters, but the show never replaces Kongming’s striking presence with anything, instead choosing to delve into several generic and uninspired side plots.
So what went wrong? After all, multiple shows have created a great premiere while still maintaining the quality of the later episodes. The mistakes made in this show can be attributed to several factors.
The first, and certainly the most understandable one, is that Ya Boy Kongming! is P.A. Works’s first anime based on a manga, as opposed to a novel or an original work. Manga is unique in that it provides the outline for the anime’s scenes; although this relieves the pressure of storyboarding substantially, scenes that might be slightly challenging to draw become nightmarishly difficult to animate. Crowd scenes are extremely taxing, and it seems like an excessive importance was placed on its faithful adaptation instead of drawing the line somewhere and moving on, a flaw above all caused by inexperience.
The second is that the show’s comedy goes all-out in the first episode. Granted, this does not mean that the first episode was bad; I had a blast watching it. But good comedy is not an infinite resource. Good comedy is rooted in the nature of the characters, and thus a joke needs to reveal a little more about the character to be fresh. For anime adaptations, adding in new and creative jokes becomes unreasonable after a certain point in production, as the character needs to be slightly changed to accommodate it, wasting time that can be spent elsewhere. Therefore, by expending all of its quality jokes early on, the show leaves its later episodes devoid of fresh comedy and fresh character development.
Lastly, the show’s solutions to the characters’ problems are all but shallow in the last few episodes, further widening the gap in quality. The characters these episodes focus on are Eiko, Kabetaijin, and Nanami. Their goals are all made clear early on: Eiko needs to find her voice, Kabetaijin needs to find a motivation to rap, and Nanami is stuck between her desire to be herself and her desire to progress in the music industry. Although all three dilemmas are quite interesting and complex, the solutions that the characters eventually take are all surface-level. What makes the screen better than online forums at answering questions is that the screen not only provides examples or scenarios of these solutions, but it also captures the essence of these characters more than words or descriptions of scenarios could ever achieve, allowing us to understand the solution intuitively. The solutions in Ya Boy Kongming! never reach this level, as it focuses too much on the situation instead of the spirit of the characters.
All this is not to say Ya Boy Kongming! was a terrible show. As stated before, the first episode was extremely fun to watch, with Kongming’s remark about the blockchain and his Wiki page cracking me up. The OP is groovy and full of personality, and while I am not fond of chibi style, I found the music in the ED to be catchy. The OST fits the tone and is never intrusive, and the artstyle, especially for scenes related to Eiko, is vivid. And by focusing on music production, the show breathes new life into the stale music genre. However, the show’s aggressive frontloading and its consequences are too evident to ignore. As Sun Tzu said in his Art of War, “Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.” Ya Boy Kongming, by going all-out on its first few episodes, has neglected its purpose and production, and so like the defeated warriors, cannot convert its initial momentum into any long-term goal. And while ending a review with a quote is corny, I could find no more fitting way to sum up my disappointment with this show’s wasted opportunity.
Shoelid
I really loved when this show leaned into its overarching plot or its silly premise, but it did unfortunately little of both. Instead it spent a lot of time on character-based plot for characters that felt very flat. While each character has a generally unique personality, they don't really interact with each other. Eiko is expressive, outgoing and a little silly, but nobody ever reacts to her. She'll emote and quip with no reactions from anybody. Kongming is stoic with a carefree & goofy side, but people only comment on 1) him being clever and 2) him wearing strange clothes. His close friends never actually ask abouthis past, despite him seemingly being willing to talk about it.
When that type of thing plays out over and over again it's hard to find the characters believable. Characters need to interact with each other to get you invested in a world.
The OP is fantastic, both the music and animation. The music is upbeat and full of personality, and the animation has characters interacting with great chemistry. Unfortunately those elements are hardly present in the actual show. The OP has kongming and eiko dancing together and driving together. The show has them talk mostly about business.
All of this to say: I wish that they invested more airtime into slice-of-life segments and allowed us to get more invested into the characters. Instead the show is left feeling very forgettable.
For things I liked:
I liked the rapper character and his friends. He didn't talk to the main cast much but he had good chemistry with his own friends and had genuine character moments. He got more character airtime than anybody else in the show.
I liked the lack of fanservice. It helped so much with presenting Eiko as a character and not a bunch of waifu tropes. Clothing was realistic (no t-shirts vacuum sucked to boobs) and the public bath scene showed nothing below the shoulders or above the ankles. impressive tbh
I liked the variety outfits given to Eiko.
5/10 because even though I enjoyed it enough to finish it, I'll probably forget about it by next month and I wouldn't recommend this show to any of my friends. I might bring up Paripi Koumei in conversation for specific things I liked.
Ironaditya
First ever manga adaptation by PA WORKS, a studio that has been active in the industry for past 20+ years and has been making anime for 14 years now. A studio that is recognised for its loads of Original Anime, and my oh my did they deliver with Paripi Koumei. PA WORKS is my favourite studio, so there definitely is some bias in here, then again Paripi Koumei is their highest rated TV anime, which speaks volumes for itself. And them being my favourite meant I most definitely was gonna watch it, irrespective of the end product, but they went above and beyond with this adaptation. Astory about reincarnated Koumei who uses his brilliance to make her current, Eiko achieve her dream, and along the way bring his former masters dream come true of world peace, thi time through Music. A really simple premise that is both unique and different, also having a lot of room to build upon.
Hondo Kaede was amazing choice for Tsukimi Eiko, the dedicated girl who just loves singing, just like her role Sakura from Zombieland Saga. And 96 Neko as the singing voice for Eiko was Majestic. All the insert songs were really great.
Okiayu Ryotaro was greattttt as Koumei, easily the most fun part of the show.
But the highlight was definitely That Banger of an OP CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG by QUEENDOM, remake of a Hungarian song by Jolly, giving of such a chillaxed, Western vibe supported by Amazing Visuals. Personally this was my Favourite OP of the season, which had tons of great song atleast in audio part, just a little bit ahead of GIRI GIRI for Kaguya Sama - Ultra romantic, which was another great OP on terms of both audio and video.
All in all, Paripi Koumei is an anime that should be watched by everyone, irrespective of your opinion on Music Anime.
LordSozin
The biggest attraction to this anime is undoubtedly Zhuge Liang or Kongming as he goes by in this anime—which is also his courtesy name. Without Kongming, this anime would end up being a conventional story about a forthcoming artist navigating her way through this world. What Kongming brings to the anime is the bantering between the characters, the charm, the wit, and of course, his intelligence. Being one of the most renowned and respected statesmen and military strategists in Chinese history, Kongming brings what he does best: Surprise its viewers and its casts with his extraordinary execution of strategy and intelligence. But instead of demonstratingthese aspects through war and battlefields, this anime demonstrates them through concerts, events, and, well, singing competitions.
Ya Boy Kongming takes the spin on the fact that after Zhuge Liang’s inevitable death, he is revived back into modern-day Tokyo in Japan. And in the populated streets of Tokyo, he quickly encounters Eiko Tsukimi, a young singer who dreams of bursting into the world with her passion for singing. Her possessing the natural talent for singing and having an incredibly soothing voice, she recruits Kongming as her advisor after just one singing session with him. A singing session that blew him away with her voice and heart. What follows is a journey we get to see Kongming in various ways using his mind to gain leverage for Eiko’s singing and performances. The anime doesn’t waste time showing this by implementing many of his well-known strategies and incorporating them into the show. One of his strategies that are used to the extent was his “creating something out of nothing”. In this particular instance, Kongming, without informing Eiko or her team, devised a plan that first exposed the malfunctions in Eiko’s equipment to the opposing band, causing the opposing band to lose their guards and further implementing their doubts of her as a threat to them. This also causes Eiko to fall behind in the competition as well, which then provokes the urgency that replaced the nervousness inside Eiko just moments earlier; and without her realizing it, the urgency brought the best out of Eiko and attracted the crowds from the opposing band just as how she did to Kongming during their first singing session.
Sometimes Kongming’s actions aren’t as plain and obvious to the viewers as in the example above. He could be out there doing simple day-to-day mundane things like giving three neatly adorned bags with sets of absurd, head-scratching instructions to Eiko and just leaves. Often left her confused over the meaning of his actions and it isn’t until much later that whatever he has done and executed was all part of his master plan. The dedication and appreciation from this anime for Zhuge Liang’s wit and intelligence are always on full display. It’s these aspects that really add to Zhuge Liang’s character and that’s easily what attracts me the most and brings a distinct flavor to what is otherwise a very conventional show.
This anime isn’t something to be awed over for its story and presentation. This anime, however, is one of those shows that’s to be watched in pieces. A few chunks of episodes at a time to truly appreciate and enjoy the quirkiness of Ya Boy Kongming.
If we were to streamline this anime down to its core and scrutinize it, removing Kongming and what he brings to the show entirely, the anime would simply be exposed as a conventional story about Eiko Tsukimi along with Kabe Taijin’s life as talented artists making their way through the industry. In fact, the structure of this show would fall apart without Kongming as the glue for all the major events in the plot taking place. We see that if Kongming isn’t on-screen or doesn’t have any major influences on the characters of this show, the anime falls apart in not only plot-wise but also in enjoyment as well. From the very beginning to the very tail end of the show, Ya Boy Kongming’s very existence relied on this pillar, and it’s this that makes Ya Boy Kongming limited because it doesn’t attempt to seek outside of its confinements. The show doesn’t have any thought-provoking themes, spectacular writing, or stunning and creative visual presentation to compensate for its overreliance on Kongming as a whole. Of course, when watching a piece of entertainment, enjoyment is the most crucial part of that experience. But it can also be argued that the opposite is true. Ya Boy Kongming is an enjoyable anime. It’s a show that does what it's best at and nothing more. Thus for all the praises that this series deserves, it still doesn’t justify a high score from me.
Score: 6/10
Rachiba
If I wanted to mention a favorite fact about music, it would be that no matter what generation we belong to, we all like to listen and feel any type of song that comes to mind. And for those who are introduced to music, the idea has always come to them that one day “I will be like my favorite artist”. However, entering this industry requires talent, dedication (a bit of personal image), but the most important thing is to define your own style. Welcome, I present Ya Boy Kongming! (Paripi Koumei). Originally published on a Kodansha website, it would go on to be serialized in WeeklyYoung Magazine two years later. The story takes us to Zhuge Liang, better known as Kongming Zhuge, a real-life Chinese military strategist who is reincarnated in modern Japan after passing away due to his age. His new life in "hell" takes him to the BB Lounge club where he meets Tsukimi Eiko (Stage name: EIKO), a newly started musical artist with whom Kongming eventually becomes the new manager... Ahem... tactician.
In principle, it's a somewhat bizarre premise by inserting real historical elements about China with a story about the musical growth of a Japanese artist, and it's also valid to point out some inconsistencies between the real Kongming and that of Paripi Koumei - As far as to his knowledge of history and the stratagems he uses throughout the series - for those familiar with Chinese history. And with the character, I mean that we are talking about a quite charismatic and curious character like Kongming. If something stands out in the anime, it's his persuasive personality and wisdom, qualities that allow him to convince his close contacts to devise his best plans and stratagems, and execute them at the moment when anyone has lost hope (Because perhaps his only flaw is that leave things to the last minute)
As for Eiko, she is an energetic and active girl who is passionate about her work, she strives to become like those professional singers full of followers and money in their pockets. Her meeting with Kongming happened under the strangest circumstances for her, and at first she was not going to believe that she was the incarnation of a real character, but that she becomes a companion and friend as the program progresses, in addition to being her motivation for being Kongming. his first fan of his music. Other characters appear and are part of Eiko's dream of being on the big stages: among them Owner Kobayashi, owner of BB Lounge and passionate about the history of the Three Kingdoms; Kabe Taijin, a freestyle rapper; Nanami Kuon, a street singer. Other characters also appear and join the cast which gives the show some interesting chemistry.
PA Works features mostly colorful animation with somewhat good character designs. The details to Kongming's costume (and the derivatives he gets in each episode) are interesting to see. However, something that stands out is the stages where Eiko steps on and sings to the public.
As a musician, something I like about this music anime is that it has music. There is a variety of songs that are presented at times of the show, from electronic music, synth-pop, through rock to rap and acoustic. So much so that at times the show goes to the trouble of giving a bit of music theory, which is nice to know because it makes the anime feel like it knows what stage it's standing on. However, if we can highlight this, it's simply its OP and ED.
OP is ‘Ciki Ciki Bam Bam’ performed by QUEENDOM, a eurobeat remix song of another eurobeat of the same name performed by Hungarian artist Bulikirály. This song introduces us to a catchy atmosphere with Kongming and Eiko mainly dancing and driving a fancy red car on the stages and main streets of Shibuya, as well as being accompanied by the rest of the cast and some other secondary characters. The ED, on the other hand, is a J-Pop song starring the BB Lounge club. As the episodes go by, you will see that more characters are integrated to accompany Eiko in the voices and a rap section. At first it may seem that this degrades the quality of the song a bit when it is only sung by Eiko - Especially towards Kabe Taijin's Rap - But personally it doesn't pose a general problem to the rest of the show.
One additional piece of information I want to mention is that the anime has some references to real artists. My favorite of them is episode 8 when Eiko falls asleep in the hot springs and dreams of walking horizontally on a hill, a clear tribute to Avicii and his single "Levels" whose music video contains a similar scene.
Some fans may wonder ‘But how can something like '36 Stratagems' work in the music industry?’ The logic behind the show, however, is that Kongming's decisions apply to managerial decisions about marketing and publicity. As a consequence, the viewer unexpectedly sees how his stratagems come to work and give results to the artist EIKO, who is also stunned to see that a “stranger in a Chinese suit” can also become an excellent manager. The character's eccentricity is so clear that we'll even see things like Kongming sending out pudding and tickets so Eiko can curry favor with a popular DJ.
His personality makes the viewer find the atmosphere of the show pleasant, I mean, who would have thought that a character from Imperial China would be someone so cool and friendly to a very modern audience? This, however, leads to a problem in the middle of the show as we will see fewer Kongming appearances within the show as it progresses. Some may argue that this has slowed down by focusing mostly on supporting characters when the show has only 13 episodes to cover their stories. It's fair to say that "Carry of the show" Kongming's lack of creep in midway through the show makes the show a bit slower than usual. However, one argument in favor of this is that Kongming, in addition to being the cool guy on the show, also takes on a mentoring role for Eiko and the supporting characters. That is why we see moments in which Kongming shows his audience his experiences and anecdotes from when he was a strategist; As a consequence of this, the program encourages the viewer to become more interested in the history of the artists, their past and their dreams, and the eventual meeting with the strategist that leads them to move forward.
Overall, Ya Boy Kongming! is an anime that stands out for its passion for musical artists, their industry and the hope of living the same moment that our favorite artists once managed to achieve, with a character that fans will love for their intelligence, and a set of songs ready to be danced at the disco. If you like history and music, then don't be afraid to enter the club, talk a little about the Three Kingdoms and compose the best songs with the best club in the show.
CyborgBunny
It's fine, safe and easy to watch, no real drama or stakes. The concept of Kongming reborn in modern world mostly plays out in first half and then kinda takes backseat to other characters. Someone who is into the history of Three Kingdoms or j-pop will likely appreciate it more than I did. Second half of the season is focused heavily on songs and this is where they lost me. I can't help but compare the music in Paripi Koumei to Carol and Tuesday and I feel like music is not even in the same league. Rap part sounded nice but it's hard to evaluate oneneed to be able to understand Japanese to appreciate it and the rest of the music is very generic and bland. I'm pretty sure I won't recognize any of the songs in an hour after I heard them.
Opening is so catchy that it almost saves it but it's just opening and not featured in the show.
bulkyhog
Koumei is peak isekai. No but for real, it’s such a refreshing spin on the traditional isekai genre and tropes, that I encourage all isekai fans to give it a spin; you might just come to love this show as much as I have. Similar to Spy X Fam, Koumei is a nice pick-me-up: a solidly wholesome, funny, and enjoyable watch. Again, we have amazing animation, characters, and cast synergy, but Koumei has traded the action-packed spy/assassin scenes in favour of idol training and a focus on music. And I’m all here for it. I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say I can find songsin anime to be a bit cringe. No hate to those voice actors or anything, but I’ve just never really been able to appreciate “singing” in that sense. I guess it’s because it would often come off as very out-of-place. But in an anime that's a mix between idols and isekai, the music of Koumei somehow manages to find a perfect fit and elevate the show to the next level, likely due to the insane vocal talent and passion behind Eiko’s “singing-voice” 96neko.
While the final arc explores a rather relevant concern behind creatives trying to make it big, I found the build up to be a bit too sluggish and cliche at times. Especially how we kept revisiting the same song over and over and over between Eiko and Nanami. It was great the first time but… idk about 6-7 plays later, especially since it’s the same chorus popping up incessantly for 2-3 episodes.
That being said, the finale is a spectacular end to the series and managed to tie up all the major plot points and character development that was still outstanding. Platinum certified release for sure.
Ultimately, Koumei is an enjoyable watch for the music/animation, and has just enough “character-shit” sprinkled in that's relevant, doesn’t feel forced, and actually contributes to the dynamics between the main cast. Speaking of character dynamics, I think this was the strongest point of this series that made the watch so fun. The chemistry is palpable and I can’t imagine this Koumei being anywhere near as good as it was without this X factor.
kumarei
No, I'm not even going to attempt to justify my score. Kongming is a great anime, but by "objective" standards it probably isn't a masterpiece. What it was, though, was exactly the anime that I needed right now. The fact is, I'm getting older. Anime has moved on from me. I look at the new season lists and feel no particular desire to watch anything that's on them. Isekais universally leave me cold. So, in a landscape that feels barren to me, I turned on Kongming based on a friends recommendation and found that every episode just flat out filled me with joy. This anime hasheart, it has good character growth, and it has a very particular quirkiness that hits the right buttons. And that was honestly all it needed to make it the most fun I've had watching anime in a long time.
Let’s talk about what the show is. At its heart, it is a lighthearted breezy music anime. If I were forced to throw it in a category with similar shows, I think I’d probably pick something like K-On. Kongming is not the main character; the main character is Eiko, an aspiring pop singer and Kongming’s chosen warlord. The show is relatively drama free. Eiko has some history that’s hinted at in the early show and then relatively forgotten about; the actual conflicts driving the show are mostly characters overcoming small character flaws by finding their motivations. That may not sound especially deep, and it isn’t, but it’s clear that the show really cares about its characters, and because of that it’s hard not to feel joy as they succeed. The show really gets by on its heart.
As I said, Kongming is not the main character. He is also, surprisingly, not the author’s self insert character; a role which is reserved for the manager of the club that Eiko works at, who just really wants someone to talk to about the Three Kingdoms with. No, Kongming is the Jeeves of this story, a hyper-competent assistant (or tactician in this case) that succeeds in everything but mostly works from the background. He’s mostly absent from the second half of the series, though you can feel his invisible hand.
Kongming is a tantalizing presence in the show. There are occasional nods toward his history, the most compelling being the glimpses of Lu Bei. Kongming’s feeling for Lu Bei are deeply conveyed as we see him through Kongming’s eyes. I’ve never been hugely into history, and my knowledge of the Three Kingdoms is frankly shallow. The hints of it in this show were enough to make me start reading about it and learning some of the broad strokes. And honestly, I think that was the hidden goal of the show in the first place. It’s clear that the author really wants more people to be able to talk about the Three Kingdoms, and maybe someday, when I’ve read more about it, there will be one more person in the world that can.
PyraXadon
If this show’s telling me anything, it’s that P.A. works is really good at adapting shows. But terrible at making their own in-house ones. This is like the third adaption in a row they’ve knocked it out of the park, and if those aren’t results, I don’t know what is. Story: Tsukimi Eiko is a young hopeful artist hoping to make her name famous in the Japanese music scene. On Halloween night, she meets a man that calls himself Zhuge Liang, otherwise known as Kongming, who becomes enthralled by her songs. Eiko accepts after being offered his services as her tactician to make her well known (sincehe’s THAT Zhuge Liang that got isekai’d into the future), and the two embark on a journey into the world of music. In hopes of making Eiko’s dream of performing on the big stage a reality.
I don’t know what Yotsuba Yuuto was smoking when they came up with the idea of combining the modern Japanese music scene with ancient Chinese war tactics, but whatever it is, I fucking want it. Paripi Koumei (cause there’s no way in hell I’m putting ‘Ya Boi Koumei’ as the way I’m referring to this series here) is effectively a twelves episode run that focuses on the underground music scene in Japan. Every few episodes more or less has Eiko participating in an event devised by Kongming. These events can vary from small time events and music showings, to much grander showings with fresh faces showing up once in a while. Effectively, the show gives the audience a brief look into how multiple facets in the Japanese music scene works, ranging from small indie bands and rappers, to larger names that’ve had their own struggles to get to the point where they are today. All while the whims of an ancient Chinese war tactician applies his own techniques in the modern world in order to accomplish what’s asked of him.
While the show is admittedly by the numbers, I never felt like that really detracted very much from the experience. True, Eiko doesn’t really suffer that many pitfalls in her rising career past an undetermined amount of time prior to the show starting. but I don’t think that really matters in the grand scheme of things. As what really makes the show enjoyable are really the lives and careers of the characters shown. Friendly rivals in the same business or just learning about what events or tricks people use to gather an audience. It’s all a surprisingly well-informed look into what struggling or aspiring artists in that scene deal with. The quality and passion of the music, the marketing and networking, as well as the random spouts of inspiration all come together in a well-paced adaptation. Which is sold really well due in part to the show’s aesthetics.
If there’s something I wish would be better incorporated, it’d definitely be the past characters that serve as the ‘antagonist of the week’. After about three episodes, whatever foe that Eiko and co. have to face effectively drop off the face of the earth. Which is a damn shame because they should have some kind of stake in everything that goes on even if they’re not currently battling Eiko in a significant manner. Maybe a mention or two after a few episodes with an Instagram mention every once and a while could remind us that they still exist. The war tactics used by Kongming also feel a bit deus ex machina as well. Pretty much nothing bad happens in this show, as it’s practically just an upward trend towards jumping Eiko to the top. It makes Kongming way more infallible than I think he should be, but that’s surprisingly not as big of an issue as I thought that would be.
Cause ultimately, Paripi Koumei’s story is about the music and how its passionate artists tackle the music scene and produce the songs they want other people to hear, ranging from the big concert moments, to the more quiet harmonizing sections with just someone and a guitar. It’s really pleasant, actually. And it’s the kind of thing in storytelling that works so well when the heart and soul of the series is given the correct time of day.
Characters:
Zhuge Liang, or Kongming, is a bit of a mixed bag unfortunately. As the famed historical tactician, Kongming definitely falls under the extremely smart man stereotype, being the one person who always seems to be five steps ahead of you in any given chess game. As a result, this leads to him being a sort of ‘messiah’ character, where so many things go right that it becomes a bit expected since he’s so smart, and he’s so capable of manipulating the public to do whatever the hell he wants. By contrast, he’s also a man who laments his situation. (At least during the early parts of the series.) As he realizes that the world that he once knew is gone, everyone he knew is gone, and he no longer has a place in the area he first came from. Heavy stuff that certainly does make a small impact later on, but his character for the most part stays within the realm of funny ancient haha man interacting with our modern world. Something that becomes less prominent as the story switches to actually feature him less, preferring the lives and stories of the artists to make up its runtime instead of Koumei’s scheming. Which he still does plenty of, mind you but it just feels more like the plot in the background. As such, I actually think Koumei is one of the show’s weaker aspects. Since it’s clear that his character is vitally important for the show’s progression, but his relevance is more or less a plot device than a character with an extremely relevant or meaningful story.
Eiko, by comparison, is…well she’s also a bit of a mixed bag. But less so than her tactician. The crux of Eiko’s character is her drive to become a top performing artist and shoot for a big showing in front of a live audience. Which is, of course, the dream of many young hopefuls that get in this business in the first place. I wouldn’t say her character is completely by the numbers, as she has a lot of quiet and personal moments that give her time to stew over things and come to conclusion herself. But since she’s aided by a story that will not let her fail, there aren’t a lot of dramatic downs to contrast her many ups. So there’s not really a significant amount of leeway for character growth as there are for other characters. A trait that’s made worse by the fact that the series actually uses her less during its middle portion, which is understandable given how she’s not the focus, but is still a shame because one of your key characters is basically not in the story for a good chunk of it.
The last slot for the character section features the various artists that the show features. Ranging from similar indie stars, to bands, rappers and their own scene, producers, as well as big time names signed on with a major label. These characters, as well as their interactions with Eiko and Kongming, are what I believe to be some of the series’s high points. Each and every one of these characters encapsulate a story or snippet within the Japanese music scene. Who talk primarily about the way things go and what sacrifices or choices they made to make in order to get where they are today. There’s some clear favoritism in the show’s presentation at which scenes get more focus than others, but I think their stories and what they represent for real world counterparts in terms of image, music, and marketing doesn’t make that discrepancy as bad as it could’ve been.
As for other side characters, I think they’re more ‘fun’ than anything else. The owner of the BB lounge that our main duo works at is certainly a fun character. And the rest of cast doesn’t really fall short of that either since everyone seems to like making a spectacle of themselves when they show up. It’s fun. And it definitely adds to the overall energy of the show in a positive way.
Aesthetics:
While it’s made by PA works, it doesn’t…look like PA works. You know? Which my be indicative of the fact that this is an adaptation of a work and not an original. But I think it’s important to put that out there. Because holy shit is this art amazing.
The bright lights and Shibuya, as well as the absolutely stunning color scheme of stuff like Eiko’s eyes really show off the kind of care and attention that went into the art. The aesthetic of this entire show really screams ‘party scene’. Which really shows as the series is filled to the brim with flashing lights and bright colors. There’re also a few historical scenes every episode that either flashback to Kongming’s past, or talk about one of his exploits. Animation also gets a nod from me as well, as the show’s attention to detail on the movement while singing during the show’s quieter moments really showcase the flow of the music being played. Characters sway side to side in time with the music, moments of feet tapping and fingers moving as the rhythm flows through the characters. It’s a nuanced detail about the whole show, but it’s one that I really appreciate since it shows that time and care was put into how the show was presented as well as the influence music has over these characters’ lives.
And of course, we can’t go an entire review without mentioning the best part of the show, the music.
The fucking OP needs no introductions, as “Ciki Ciki Bam Bam” by Queendom is a goddamn bop and addictive masterpiece. I refuse to elaborate any further, just listen to it for yourself because this thing is catchy as hell and not a damn thing is going to convince me otherwise. “Jibun Joujou” by a mix of the singing voices and VAs of the characters is an energetic party mix that does a good job at finishing off an episode with a positive spin. Something that’s greatly aided by Shouya Chiba spitting bars to give the song some great variance to mix up the flow of the song. Again, a highly recommended piece to listen to.
But really, I think what makes the music so good is its OST thanks in part to the efforts of 96Neko and Lezel, the singing voices for Eiko and Nanami respectively. The show is absolutely littered with ballads and rock pieces performed by these two, and it really helps sell the image and energy of the music scene that surrounds this series. It really makes it feel like these girls, and by extension, the characters in this series are genuine in their dreams. Elevating the story to another level simply because the sound aesthetics of the series help sell that image as best they could. Something that’s also aided by again, Chiba Shouya, who brings the rap side of the music scene into the spotlight by constantly spitting out rhymes and bars in his own sections of the story.
Final Thoughts:
Congrats, PA Works, you knocked it out of the park. The weird and wacky ideas that this company either comes up with themselves or adapts always seem to be the most well produced ones. And that extends here as Chinese war tactics are mixed with music from the modern day.
There’s not really much else that I think I can say about this series that I haven’t said before. This show does a fantastic job at showing a rose-tinted look into the music scene in Japan. Ranging from its different levels of music events and audience sizes, to the importance of image and marketing, and how those factors can influence the artists’ futures in both positive and negative ways. While Eiko’s success story certainly isn’t a whirlwind rollercoaster of emotions, it does paint an image of what happens when someone gets ‘lucky’, as well as serving as the basis for how things start changing when one starts to find success. Personally, I do wish that she did get some kind of hard hit or major fail somewhere along the lines. Since the supposed slump towards the last third of the series didn’t really cut it for me, and was mildly undercut by a few other factors in the story. Still, I do think the execution of the whole thing was very good from start to finish, and it’s a shame there doesn’t seem to be a second season since I would very much like to see what being on the ‘big stage’ is like.
So, yeah, watch it. Paripi Koumei is certainly a bit of an odd show, but I think what you can get out of watching it is well worth the weird introduction and mixture of Chinese and Japanese culture. Also the memes. Because good god this past season was full of memes about this one.
Mcsuper
Chan x Chan, Ai!! Chiki Chiki Ban Ban… Oh hey there, I was just listening to “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” for the 1000th time and I forgot I was writing a review! It’s a hidden gem, unearthed! That’s what a banger opening can do for a show with a plot as ridiculous as Paripi Koumei, and that’s what got me into this show, even though I started the show in its third week of airing, because the opening was too good for me to pass up on this anime, and boy do I not regret it. Having grown up in a Chinese family and neighbourhood, naturally, Ilearned a bit about the Three Kingdoms lore, and even watched some tv shows that focused on that era. When I saw the synopsis of this series, I thought to myself, Kongming got isekai’ed into Shibuya City? No way this is gonna be good! Well… I was wrong, it was actually great, and very unique.
My grading criteria: Story: /25 Art: /10 Music: /10 Characters: /20 Enjoyment /15 Thematic Execution /20
STORY: 19/25
The story itself is quite unique. In a nutshell, it’s about the almighty Zhuge Liang, also called Kongming, the well-known military strategist from the Three Kingdoms period of Ancient China, who led the state of Shu Han through countless battles. He gets reincarnated into Shibuya City, Tokyo on Halloween night, which is obviously a huge change of scenery. You have the classic “getting used to modern technology” trope, but when our other protagonist, Eiko, broke out into song, that’s when I knew we were in for a treat. The main gist of the show is that Kongming uses his military strategies from the Three Kingdoms era and executes them to help Eiko become the next superstar, because he was so inspired by her singing. Along the way, Eiko and Kongming meet a rapper, some people in the music industry, and an aspiring idol band with a brilliant singer, and it’s really a lot of fun watching Eiko climb the ranks to be the next star.
I’m not gonna lie though, the plot is very predictable overall, but hearing the music is still very enjoyable, even if it is a bit repetitive. The other enjoyable part of the story is the references to the Three Kingdoms era, most notably the “borrowing arrows with straw boats strategy”. If you didn’t get some of the references, I really do encourage you to look up some of Kongming’s endeavours and stories, which boosts the entertainment value for sure.
ART: 8.8/10
It’s animated quite nicely, great to look at, though it’s not anything ground-breaking in terms of animation.
MUSIC: 9.3/10
Excellent music overall, and while the insert songs are used very repetitively, they’re still good to listen to. Obviously, the opening steals the show, and is one of the main reasons I got into this show in the first place, and I’m sure that a lot of you found this show through the opening as well!
CHARACTERS: 17.6/20
The characters were mostly a joy to watch, with Kongming acting as wise as he was in the Three Kingdoms era, while adapting to modern society, and Eiko being an aspiring singer, having great developments throughout the story, while finding her own voice.
The other characters were also great, Kabetaijin, the rapper, had a pretty solid backstory, and while his story wasn’t really the deepest, it seemed realistic. His rap sequences were pretty solid as well.
The three girls from Azalea, Nanami, Ichika, and Futaba really further developed the sense of realism in the music industry. Nanami’s backstory and her wish to be the next superstar alongside her band, Azalea, is a lofty goal, and sometimes, you got to make a deal with the devil to achieve that goal. In this case, the devil presents himself in the form of Karasuma, Key Time’s producer. He turned a once cheerful high school band into a company-manufactured idol group devoid of all of the original personalities of the members. We also saw some fan-service, but it felt much different from regular fan-service because we feel for the band and how they were being treated. Goes to show you how difficult trying to make it big truly is.
ENJOYMENT: 14.2/15
Really enjoyed it throughout. Felt like a breath of fresh air.
THEMATIC EXECUTION: 17.8/20
There are some happy go lucky themes sometimes with the comedy, but the realistic side of the music industry was definitely great to see, with all the confidence issues, finding your own voice, and selling your soul sometimes to meet your goals. The themes went great together, and made for a very enjoyable show.
OVERALL: 86.7/100
Something different was shown, and it felt unique and enjoyable. Music was fun to listen to, the comedy was good, and being somewhat familiar with the Three Kingdoms lore made this even more enjoyable for me. Really hope we get another season of this for sure!
Now… back to listening to “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” I go…
Grandmagic13
Let me get one thing out of the way first: I went with "Mixed Feelings" for this one, because when I try to think of people in general, I think some will like this series a lot and others just won't feel as engaged by it regardless of the show's quality, and rather due to the oddball premise. Considering only my friends and acquaintances, from a personal point of view, I would in fact recommend this one to them. Overall, Paripi Koumei was a very pleasant surprise for me. I had low expectations based on the description of the anime; the weird pairing of historicchinese tactitian with the 'oshare' pop music theme reminiscent of idol anime, neither of which I'm personally not a huge fan of (yet) to begin with. Despite that, the anime doesn't fail to deliver on excitement, conflict and mood, surprisingly drawing me in to hit 'play next' with every ending episode (I prefer binging what I watch). The opening is entertaining and well paced in music as well in visuals, not lacking a tablespoon of silliness for comic relief. The show doesn't take long to make the viewer care about the characters and their struggles, all while light heartedly blending the historical battle tactics vibe of Kongming with the feel of pop music anime. The hiphop aspect surprised me too, some of the lyrics felt rather elaborate. Of course that's not to say, the show doesn't have cringy moments but there is a lot less of embarrassing instances and more wholehearted characterdrama. I also liked that the ending introduces main characters to the animation sequence as they join the show, as it shows how much the creators cared about detail. Seiyuus do a great job of conveying the difference between Eiko's and Nanami's level of singing. The musical score and animation are also solid, nothing groundbreaking, but also not leaving a lot to be wished for. With that said, nothing happened in the show that swooped me off of my legs in terms of originality and ingenuity. It manages to blend together two very different worlds but doesn't manage to create anything new or unique by doing so. I also felt that Kongming's inner drama was very detatched from the rest of the events, especially with flashback scenes of his old compatriots and master, which fail to create deep and meaningful parallel with his struggles with Eiko. Kongming doesn't really encounter significant conflict (neither inner nor outer) in the show, which dulls his development as a character. Not to say that he's not entertaining as he is, but providing a deeper, more emotional connection to his new friends and their struggles would be a spice that could substitute for the empty feeling flashbacks without purposeful drama.
Having said that, Paripi Koumei nearly missed the 9 mark, making it 8/10, a well produced, entertaining anime to watch. I'd definitely be on board for a season 2 if we ever get one, and I've also made a note to myself about checking out the manga, as I'm interested in what else will happen to Kongming, Eiko and their partners in crime.
SaikatBairagi
It is a blast I completed it in one go. So, in a landscape that feels barren to me, I turned on Kongming based on a friends recommendation and found that every episode just flat out filled me with joy. This anime has heart, it has good character growth, and it has a very particular quirkiness that hits the right buttons. And that was honestly all it needed to make it the most fun I've had watching anime in a long time. Let’s talk about what the show is. At its heart, it is a lighthearted breezy music anime. If I were forced to throw it ina category with similar shows, I think I’d probably pick something like K-On. Kongming is not the main character; the main character is Eiko, an aspiring pop singer and Kongming’s chosen warlord. The show is relatively drama free. Eiko has some history that’s hinted at in the early show and then relatively forgotten about; the actual conflicts driving the show are mostly characters overcoming small character flaws by finding their motivations. That may not sound especially deep, and it isn’t, but it’s clear that the show really cares about its characters, and because of that it’s hard not to feel joy as they succeed. The show really gets by on its heart.
