Shiratori Ryuushi is a young artist-in-training, about to start studying at a vocational school. Arriving at his new lodgings, Narutakisou, he finds himself the focus of attention for the collection of weirdos that inhabit the place. He also meets and falls for the landlady, Aoba Kozue, who seems to be both lovely and charming. However, Kozue is not what she seems to be... in fact, she's more.
(Source: ANN)
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Archaeon
When I was younger, people often treated mental illnesses as if they were a joke or an excuse. People suffering from depression were often called lazy, schizophreniacs were shunned, more serious cases of mental illnesses were put away - out of sight, out of mind. Because of these beliefs, and because of some atrocious acts which were sensationalised through national media, all mental illnesses became tarred with the same brush. It's only in the last few years that society has become more accepting and understanding of the suffering caused by mental illnesses on the part of those suffering from them, and those who care for,and about, the sufferers.
You may think this is a bit of a serious note to begin a review of a comedy anime, but it has a point to it. See most forms of visual entertainment still protray certain forms of mental illnesses to be something dark or evil. Granted they may be caused by some traumatic event(s), but that doesn't mean being crazy is necessarily a bad thing (take it from one who knows).
With this in mind, I'll begin the review.
Mahoraba is a rare anime, and an absolute gem. The story is about Shiratori Ryushi, an aspiring children's book author, and his encounters with the people who live in Narutakisou, the apartment block where he has moved to while he attends art school. Most especially the story is about the relationship between him and his cousin, Aoba Kozue, and this is the key part of the story (I'll explain why in a second).
At first glance the story looks to be the same as shows like Love Hina, but looks can be deceiving. This show is so much more than that, and the dimensions that are added to the story are rooted in the fact that Aoba Kozue suffers from a serious mental illness - she has Multiple Personality Disorder, brought on by a traunatic event in her childhood. Aoba Kozue is, in effect, five main characters at once.
What I liked most about the story was the fact that it approached the subject of mental illness in a far more sensitive manner than most other shows - anime or otherwise. The story allows the characters to develop their relationships with each other, and shows how they cope with the fact that someone they care about suffers from such a serious disorder.
The art style is very clean and colourful, but what I especially liked was the way they inserted 4 koma manga into an anime (you'll find one in almost every episode and they're highly amusing). I also liked the way the childrens story (which becomes a main theme of the show at the end), is depicted.
The sound is of a very good standard. The music is very complementary to the show,and the sound effects are used very well. The characters voices don't grate on the ears (unlike a certain Oribe Aoi from Myself;Yourself).
The main reason why this show is so likeable, other than the story, is the characters themselves. Once you're familiar with the characters you'll realise that this is no Love Hina by any measure - this is better. The two (or six) main characters are likable enough. Ryushi isn't as much of a loser as Keitaro, and Kozue is way nicer than Narusegawa. The other characters in the show are just as likeable, and have their own personalities, likes, dislikes, etc. Not one of the characters is boring in this show ( I have to admit that my two favourite characters are Konno Natsume - one of Kozue's personalities who sprouts flowers out of the top of her head when she's happy, and Erika Vermillion - the masochistic head of the Occult club of which both Kozue and Tamami are members).
This anime won't appeal to everyone. I found this to be a funny, sweet, and above all sensitive comedy about caring for a person with a mental illness, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It may not be realistic in certain ways, but I don't think it was ever meant to be. I found many of the scenes to be extremely funny, and the scripting is very well done for a show like this. The dialogue between the characters is often highly amusing, and this, coupled with some of the "insane" antics the residents of Narutakisou get up to meant this show was never boring.
It's nice to finally see a show where mental illness is treated with sensitivity and humour instead of the typical "he/she is crazy and trying to take over/destroy the world", or "must kill Makoto and/or Sekai", etc.
AegisReborn
When watching an anime series, above all else, there are really only two important distinguishing qualities that make good anime great: storyline and character. What makes Mahoraba absolutely a joy to watch is the cast of dynamic characters who we learn to love throughout the series. The characters in Mahoraba are very unique but genuine. They each have their own quirks and faults and as the story progresses, we learn a little more about each of them. It's funny how in the first few episodes, everyone tends to pick their favorites. I did the same thing, and there were evena few that I didn't particularly like at first. However, as I learned more about all the characters, I found towards the end that I loved all of them for their silly faults.
Mahoraba can be arguably a romantic comedy (less romance, more comedy), but I would rather say it's along the lines of a "slice of life." Interestingly enough, the anime didn't follow a story, but rather the characters in the story. Afterall, it's the characters in Mahoraba that make it Heartful Days. Each episode is filled with laughter and wisdom. We learn more of each character, and, in a way, learn more about ourselves. Although the anime has a loose storyline, it still feels amazingly coherent, so overall, it doesn't take anything away from the anime at all.
The majority of the story is focused around Aoba Kozue, the cute young landlady of Narutaki-Sou. Although she is not the main character of the story, she is very unique and important to all the members of Narutaki-Sou including Shiratori, the main character and new tenant of the apartments. As the story progresses, we learn more of Kozue especially of her personality disorder. However, the way it is presented, Kozue's disorder doesn't seem like a burden, but rather a joy. Perhaps in some ways she may seem very naive at times, but her ability to make the best of everything and smile makes us smile as well.
The art and sound is nothing out of the ordinary. Generally, most will find that all of the characters are very cute (especially when eating umeboshi). The artwork it self is very pleasing to the eyes, and the silly 4-panel manga portion typically in the middle of an episode are often hilarious.
Overall, I really enjoyed this anime. If you like unique virtuous characters that make you laugh, I'd definitely recommend this anime. In any case, I would say, give it a shot. You won't regret it.
MonroeAnime
Mahoraba is definitely an interesting anime, on the surface, it looks like nothing more than a slice of life, typical, boring anime with no plot and uninteresting characters. After watching it, I was pleasantly surprised by it actually. Story, 7/10: There really isn't a main plot to the show, instead they supplement it with some small stories that may or may not come back in later episodes. The show focuses more on characters backgrounds, which adds to the stories as well. That being said, the pacing can be a bit off some times, certain things that occur do so very suddenly, sometimes with littleto no resolution.
Art, 8/10: Everything in this category fit the show pretty well as it really elevates the overall tone. They also use what I believe is called 4 koma, which I feel is used perfectly.
Sound, 7/10: I don't really have much to say about the music, I think if fit the cuteness of the show well.
Characters, 8/10: Probably the strongest part of Mahoraba is its characters, they all developed, and have some very complicated backgrounds. Mostly Kozue, she has MPD and instead of being shunned, made fun of, or looked down upon, the other characters in the show actually care about her other personalities as if they were separate people.
Enjoyment, 7/10: I liked it, normally something I don't watch and probably one that I won't watch again, but it is fun and cute. Characters were the best part in my opinion.
Overall, 7/10: Its definitely not like other shows that have similar concepts, the characters in particular are very well done, I do feel however that some things were left out, the ending of the show felt like a bit of a letdown. . But I recommend it.
Antipanda
Honestly I look at this entire series as the Cutest case of multiple personality disorder ever. It's a light hearted .. and truely funny and endearing tale of a boy who wants to write childrens books .. and the crazy people he lives with. If you want to focus on the 2nd main character and her personalities .. thats great .. each one of them is great in a crazy way .. :D But honestly if your looking for a accurate portrayal of MPD... then go read a medical journal ... Antipanda Highly Recommends this series for a good laugh and some really interesting characters.:D
9 - out of - 10
yutanpo
There are many different things that make a show stand out, and for that same reason there can be just as many different opinions for a given show. As for me, I'm a sucker for intriguing, well-developed characters that stick around in your head long after you've finished the show, and Mahoraba just happens to offer such characters. On the surface, Mahoraba is a story of the main character Shiratori Ryushi's stay at the Naritakisou apartment, the real focus of the show is on its dynamic gang of side characters. While it is easy to present a bunch of easily likable characters that offer some additionaldimensions to a show, Mahoraba takes those characters and use them as the foundation upon which the show is built. In that sense, Mahoraba can be considered a true "people's story". Each character is developed, episode by episode, and the story naturally with it. Rather than being the device through which the plot is progressed, the characters themselves are the plot, the story, the show. Therefore, while the show's story itself may not be as groundbreaking as those found in other genres, it is the ride itself, not the destination, that is the most enjoyable about the show.
The pitfall of such a series, of course, is that it could be easily dismissed as "boring" and being a "show about nothing" (see also: Aria, Sketchbook). At first, I myself found Mahoraba's 26 episodes to be an intimidating lot to tackle. So many slice of life shows of such length end up losing its momentum too quickly and becoming redundant after the 13 episode mark, and finishing the rest of the show becomes an arduous task. Mahoraba takes the opposite approach, starting somewhat slowly, with a narrow focus on the two main characters Shiratori and the landlady Kozue, with the side characters acting more as comedic relief and background scenery. However, as the show progresses, the side characters are revealed in greater depth to the viewer, and more and more entwined unto the story, and that's where the show really reaches its high point. Kozue becomes the key character who brings forth and ties together the characters' tales, and entwines them into a coherent knot. At the end of Mahoraba, you don't feel like you've watched anything life-changing, or even memorable for that matter. However, upon looking back at the series, you do realize that Mahoraba takes you through each resident of Naritakisou as if you were living there yourself, and the twenty six episodes feel as though they've passed by seamlessly, even though you can't seem to recall anything happening at all.
Mahoraba is a slice of life story in the most literal sense. The show chronicles the lives of its characters, past and present, utilizing the two main characters and something of a storyline to do so. And just like in real life, though the details of your encounter with someone may be quickly lost, the memories of them, what they represent and the emotions they evoked, linger in your mind long after, and that's why Mahoraba still stands out in my mind, even long after I've watched it, and will continue to do so.
AnimeEnjoyer420
Mahoraba is a gentle romantic dramedy about a group of people living in a dormitory owned by Kozue, a high school girl with multiple personalities that inherited the property from her deceased parents. The story is framed in some ways around the romance between Kozue and Ryushi, an art student that moves into the dormitory at the start of the story, but in truth it's more of a slice of life ensemble show about all the people that live there, sometimes to its detriment. There's nothing that's really "bad" about this series, but it lacks impact for a few reasons. One is in the dated characterdesigns, which are the kind of mid 00's moe where every character looks, talks and acts like a middle schooler even if they're an adult. That flattens what should be a refreshing, adult setting with mostly older characters into the same sort of high school romcom anime loaded with all the cliches that you would expect. It also doesn't help matters that the main heroine, Kozue, is the least interesting member of the cast, a sort of vacuous but angelic and pure character with little definition. Having multiple personalities is a kind of gimmick for her, which is unique I suppose, but I don't think it's treated especially realistically and it's not interesting or thematically relevant enough to be more than a quirk. That being said, it works as a platform for Arai Satomi to show off some impressive range as Kozue's VA, as she's called upon to voice 5 completely different characters with different voices and mannerisms, so it isn't really a negative as a whole. The series as a whole is also too gentle for its own good sometimes, the dramatic parts often lack bite because it feels like there's a hard limit on how dark it's willing to be.
The key reason why the series lacks impact though is that the central romance itself lacks impact. As mentioned above, this is really more of an ensemble series than a series about Kozue and Ryushi, and as a result, it sometimes feels like Kozue is relegated to being a side character in her own story, as they go deep into side stories about Megumi's overseas romance or Sayoko and Asami's mother-daughter relationship. There's little noticeable progress between the two leads until the 3 episode arc that concludes the series, and at that point I just wasn't invested in it because it felt like there hadn't been any prior romantic moments between the two that made me want to see them get together. Ryushi is the sort of vaguely cringey nice guy beta male that you often see in shows of this type and it feels uninspired and like a poor fit here. You can get away with this to an extent when the characters are 16 year olds, but when a college-aged adult is turning red and passing out from embarrassment over holding hands or calling someone by their given name, it becomes unspeakably lame. This is especially a problem with Ryushi, whose character design and female voice actor already make him look and sound like he hasn't even hit puberty yet even though he's supposedly old enough to drink, which only emphasizes the unfortunate sense of immaturity that seems imposed on every adult character in the series.
There are some positive aspects to the series worth mentioning as well. Framing it and occasionally animating it like a picture book, which Ryushi is writing for his college course throughout the series, is a nice touch and gives it a unique look as opposed to the normal look of the show, which is much less interesting. Some of the side characters (Sayoko and Asami in particular) are also very good and end up being funnier and more interesting than Ryushi and Kozue. Overall though, this is an inoffensive romantic dramedy that is not particularly memorable because of a weak central romance and a pervasive mildness that rounds the sharp edges off of storylines or characters that might stray a little too far from the comforting and gentle formula that this and many other shows before it have established.
Alkuma
This anime is amazing to say the least, they take all aspect of messed up peoples life's and wrap it in one "apartment complex" if that is what you would even call it. I would recommend this anime to someone who is just starting to really watch anime. It's not like most other animes that I've seen personally where everyone falls "in love" with the main guy lead. It's just one person and there second cousins which most people wouldn't think about doing but they still would if they really like the person. So like I said earlier, if your just starting out watching anime,this one is for you.
albesir
I have to admit that I stayed away from this show for quite a while because I saw the description and immediately thought "Love Hina." Not to say that I think Love Hina was terrible, but it was a struggle to get through. Most people that have watched it probably feel the same way. But this show is really much much better than Love Hina in every way. Mahoraba, like many romance series', including Love Hina, centers around the main character coming to live in an apartment surrounded by a bunch of strange characters. Yes, many of them are girls, but thisisn't a harem thing, since there's really only one romantic interest from the start and all the way through. The thing that separates this from most other romance stories is the characters and to some extent the story.
The main character, Shiratori Ryushi is starting art school to write children's books. He is shown almost right away to be a talented artist, as well as being very kind to everyone. He is a bit of a doormat sometimes, and is pushed around by people often. But most of the time, he offers his help anyway and is obviously trying to be kind. Unlike many characters like this often found in romance series', Shiratori does show some backbone, and doesn't always back down when it's something important.
The heroine here is Aoba Kazue. Even though the show is about Shiratori's days at the apartment, Kazue is the star of the show and the character that everyone is centered around. An exceedingly kind and thoughtful high school girl, Kazue is Shiratori's cousin and landlady of the apartments. But she has a secret. When certain things happen, she transforms into one of several different girls, each complete with unique and very fun personalities. Really the only thing they all have in common is their love for umeboshi. Everyone at the apartments loves Kazue and has fun together while sometimes covering up when she transforms, since she doesn't know about it.
The other characters are all fun and unique, like Tamami, the strange girl that is Kazue's best friend and a member of the Occult Club in school. She gets jealous of Shiratori often and blackmails him into doing things, and just generally tries to keep them from getting to close. Johnny and Haibara make quite a pair as a dog puppet and his "extra," the guy whose hand he's on. Asumi, a middle schooler, and her mother, a job-hopping lazy woman who sleeps all day long instead of doing her job, which she is quite terrible at provide fun as well. And of course Momono, the college student that drinks with Haibara and Johnny in Shiratori's room every night. She's very often the start of troubles that Shiratori has, and is always having fun doing it.
This show is a very character driven show, and it exceeds expectations on every front. The characters are all fun and unique and they all are well developed and great to watch. They all seem to be insane, save for the main character Shiratori, who gets tossed around like a chew toy at times. Kazue really brings everyone together, and every day at the apartments is full of warm memories. For most of the series there isn't a whole lot of story. It's really a string of episodes that just develop each of the characters, while slowly building the relationship between Kazue and Shiratori. Near the end there is a more clearly defined plot and you learn the tragic circumstances behind Kazue's problems. It does develop a little slowly, but the characters are so great, I really didn't mind at all.
The artwork is great as well. The drawing style is interesting, a bit different than most anime you see, and it does seem kind of childish in a way, but it really fits the series well. It was great the way they put in manga blocks to show/augment certain scenes. The ongoing children's story also fits very well. I also like the sound in the series. The voice actors all do a good job with their characters and the music is very nice. The opening an endings are all good and add to the cuteness of the show. The music and sound effects in the show are all well done and really help convey emotions well.
This was a very enjoyable show that is nearly perfect. The characters are all wonderfully developed and provide a lit of fun in each episode. The only problem I really had with the show was that there was a question or two at the end that I would've like answered, but I can also see why they's want to leave it up to imagination. For that I'll have to give Mahoraba a strong 9. It isn't quite worth a 10 though, but I think everyone should see this one.
nixops
I have to admit that I read many glowing reviews for Mahoraba: Heartful Days, and I can see why after watching it myself. The story follows the usual format of "boy wants girl" while having to deal with a wodge of meddling, strange and very pecuiliar roomies. The girl, Aoba Kozue, has everything going for her except..... Yes, she suffers from MPD, and everybody around her knows about it, except for boy (Shiratori, Ryushi ). What follows is a romp of enjoyment. The main characters are well developed (and all rather odd in their own way), and the story moves forward without loosingsight of the "boy wants girl" goal.
It is really funny at times, and tragic at the same time because Kozue is really a very likeable and amiable character, and everybody around her does their level best to protect her from falling into one of her alter egos.
I loved the ED ("Boku no SPEED de" by Chihiro Yonekura) and I loved the storybook like titles and the 4-koma strips in some of the episodes. In fact the only real failing as far as I was concerned was the ending, this one was just too good to stop at 26 episodes.
The MPD issue is a difficult one though, but it doesnt detract from the story on its own, and the alter egos are hilarious themselves, providing that extra bit of strangeness that works so well in the series.
Artwork is perfect, fitting into the mood of a particular episode. This is a 2005 series so the artwork does fit into the style from that period. Do not expect slick and shiney though, it would not work here. This is a playful series, at times you would think it is a storybook you are watching, but that just makes it that little bit more unique.
I would say that this was one of those unique finds that very few people every watch, but those who discover the series are very lucky, because this is probably one of the better anime of this genre around.
