Jougorou Kobato has a habit of inserting himself into other people's problems. After realizing his detective skills are neither wanted nor appreciated, he makes an agreement with his shy friend Yuki Osanai to become ordinary together. Now entering high school, they aim to be perceived as regular people, yet Kobato cannot help but fall back into his deductive ways when faced with everyday mysteries.
Unfortunately, mundane occurrences are not all the duo stumbles across. As they go through their school days trying to avoid drawing attention to themselves, Kobato and Osanai at times get caught up in incidents that put their plan of a peaceful, average life at risk.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
Cayusashi
If shoshimin has no haters, I'm dead. Shoshimin is genuinely one of the most boring anime I have ever watched. Gsarthotegga's review said it best; this show is an absolute nothing burger. Kobato and Osanai are cardboard cutouts who talk as if they have some crazy, wild, dynamic backstory between the two of them making them change their life and become ordinary. So much of this show is them talking about nothing like it's the most high stakes adventure of their lives after they decided in middle school to change for the better when in reality they're solving mysteries like, "how was the hot cocoa made?"and "who ate the spicy candy?" It feels like I'm watching paint dry and every minute is excruciating. When we do see glimpses of their supposedly crazy lifestyles, it's the most normal interaction between middle schoolers ever. And don't even get me started on the lame twist of episode 9 and how nothing actually changes because of it.
At least the technical aspects are slightly better. I could tell there was signigicant effort put into how the series was portrayed visually. As much as possible is done to make up for the complete lack of anything happening. The second worst element of this series however, is the aspect ratio. For seemingly no reason other than to feign being cinematic and save money, the choice was made to letterbox every episode. Half of the screen is taken up by giant black bars which adds nothing. Only in the opening is anything creative done with it, and even then it's the bare minimum.
Shoshimin isn't bad per se, but it commits the crime of being so boring it hurts. I can't believe it was approved for a second season. The only reason I completed it is because it was 10 episodes, but I should have just dropped it. I don't recommend it to anybody. Don't waste your time.
3.6/10
Marinate1016
Shoshimin is one of several pleasant surprises I got this season. As someone who hasn’t seen Hyouka(crazy, I know), I wasn’t familiar with the author’s writing style or how his series are structured so I went into this blind and from episode 1 I was immediately hooked. Despite it being an extremely dialogue heavy story and slow paced detective style story, these episodes went by in the blink of an eye and were consistently engaging. It was almost like we were playing a game alongside the two leads in terms of solving the cases and more often than not I found myself thoroughly surprised bythe twists the author includes. This is a must watch for any mystery fan or if you just want a new cute waifu, because Osanai was definitely one of the best this season.
After watching the first episode I kept thinking to myself how similar this felt to another detective mystery series from recently that I loved, undead girl murder farce. The character interactions, the way mundane episodes passed by in a blink because of the direction.. and wouldn’t you know it, it’s the same studio. Loved every single minute of this one. Whether it’s a kidnapping or found out who ate a desert(yes that’s a real case, in fact multiple), there’s not a dull moment in this series. The cases are actually very interesting and it’s easy to get lost in them trying to figure out who the culprit is or how something happened. What’s more is that they are genuinely surprising. Just like Undead Girl, this show has a tendency of throwing you for a loop and misdirecting you before coming up with a twist at the end. Often times the answer is right in front of you, but the way the author reveals it is so satisfying.
In addition to the mystery cases, the other big draw here is the relationship between Kobato and Osanai. They have such a fun and muted dynamic. The characters talk relatively realistically, their banter is fun and I love seeing Kobato get roped into Osanai’s absurd desert eating schemes or just missions around town. They’re truly a blast to watch. There’s definitely romantic undertones between them, but the show doesn’t go too far in that direction. You can feel that they like each other but they’re not swooning after one another like your average high school anime. I think this being a novel series rather than a light novel series adds a degree of maturity and depth to the story that light novels frankly tend to lack. It feels like it was aimed at a more mature audience who don’t need everything spelled out for them or fanservice to keep their attention and I love that. To bring another comparison to undead girl murder farce, undead girl is also a novel and had a lot of those same themes, so I’m starting to just see that as a connection among novel adaptations as opposed to light novels which are marketed towards young adults.
I think Shoshimin is one of the best shows of the season and I’ve been high on it since episode 1, even including it in my new anime to watch for Summer video. Two months later and it’s not fallen in my standings. Brilliant show with a great cast of characters, some cool mystery cases and a grounded storytelling and directorial method. Very good watch that I can’t recommend enough! Here’s to hoping the author sits down and writes some more.
Shoshimin gets 9, out of 10.
whiteflame55
This show was a good-to-fine experience. It’s actually at its most enjoyable during its early stages where we know little about these characters and are just exploring minor mysteries through their inquisitive lenses. Visually, it’s also excellent, doing a great job portraying how the characters are thinking through these mysteries and jumping between settings. It definitely sets itself apart in that regard. The story eventually had to include things like character development and a continuous plot, which are both just fine. I don’t think we explored either of the leads enough to invest me in their stories - their backgrounds are largely given as hints andboth characters are too stoic to sell meaningful moments in the present - and the larger plots of the story just didn’t land for me. Osanai’s plot feels both largely warranted and needlessly convoluted to the point that it roped in basically everyone, so you can understand why she did it and also be kinda mad that she had to bring so many others into her scheme without telling them. Kobato just feels like he’s playing detective most of the time, though his unnecessary rescue of Osanai at least gave him a moment to shine. I found Dojima more interesting than either of them, both in his character and his aims.
I’d say the biggest problem with this series is the lack of focus on the title. Why do they want to become ordinary? Osanai seems to desire to do so to step away from a dangerous past, which would be better if we got more peeks into her history. We get more insight into Kobato, but his whole thing seems to just be a desire not to stand out, which isn’t a strong motivation. I think the story would have been facilitated by giving us an idea of how they met and came to decide that ordinary was what they wanted to be. Why does Kobato care about how others see him when it seems like he’s driven by curiosity? Osanai seems like she only wants to become unusual in a different way, so why ordinary? Maybe the point is that they’re just running away from other problems and found common cause with another person in the same pursuit, coming to an accord with them to pursue something that was always beyond their reach but finding something more valuable in the process. Maybe that’s just me reading too deeply into something that’s never fully explicated or explored.
Overall, while I can’t say this had many high highs, it also didn’t have low points, it was just pretty good for much of its run with an opportunity to get better as it explores these characters in distinct contexts with other people. I think the point at which it left us could lead to interesting future episodes, so I’ll stick around for S2, even though I feel somewhat mixed on this season.
apc243
Pretty sleepy. Lots of sitting and talking and eating. Slow for a 10-episode series. The episodic mysteries are low-stakes. Looks pretty good for a novel adaptation, even for one sold by a pretty-girl character. The animation is not as innovative as Hyouka and without the studio brand name, but it is much more consistent in tone with the story and subject matter. The biggest mysteries are the characters, and the main characters in particular. Why Jogoro and Osanai want to be "Shoushimin"/Petit Bourgeousie/Civilians is only implied or teased for almost the entire season. Rather than main character Jogoro or even deuteragonist Osanai being the only one ortwo genius detective characters with a clue about what's going on, the cast is much more broadly competent, which opens up the possibilities for the story and solutions, and the story is more fun to follow along with even in the drier episodes.
Yonezawa's writing has a way of lulling the audience to sleep, and then surprising with a gentle twist ending that colors the characters and relationships from the rising action. The most satisfying part of his writing is that the twist usually leans *into* what is more realistic or practical for the setting than *away* from it. The ep 10 falling-action "twist" away from genre convention and toward development of the main characters is one of the best examples of this I've ever seen. I would even count the nature of the rising-action mystery in the final arc as a "twist" given the mood of most of the stories up to that point.
If you're bored to tears after ep 1, you could skip ahead to 6, but this is probably not worth your time. If you're still interested at all after you realize what you're getting into end of the painful "Hot Chocolate Mystery" ep 2, this season will probably reward your attention more than you would expect.
Enyirou
Coming back home and watching it at night , it’s quite relaxing. Super interesting and creative, with so many plot twists. I understand some watchers might not be interested I daresay bored even. This anime is best for watchers who like thinking, and calm style type anime (aka kinda like slice of life). Overall loved it. Btw the voice actors are so good, sometimes I feel like they are so natural at this the whispering and the calm tone are super amazing, it’s as if they are actually talking if you know what I mean. (Art style 8/10 loved the Op and Ed)(Characters 9/10 amazing writing)(Realistic 7/10other than the their thinking maybe if your super smart unlike me 😭)(Going to watch season 2 because of the plot in the last episode)
Mcsuper
Shoshimin: How to Become Ordinary is quite a curious title. With it being a mystery anime, even just its title leads me to question things. “Shoshimin”, is translated as the "petite bourgeoisie", which refers to someone in the lower middle class. So indeed, that might be what constitutes an “ordinary person” in a financial sense. Who or what is trying to be ordinary though? The characters? The whole plot itself? A likely reason why you (and myself) might be interested in this series is that it was written by the same author, Honobu Yonezawa, who wrote another mystery series in Hyouka. I can definitely see thesimilarities in these two series, with both tackling mysteries that are grounded in the sense of ordinary, mundane life. Shoshimin takes it one step further though, and in my opinion, brings it to an even more “ordinary” sense, with little mysteries in daily life that seem even trivial to most people. For most of this season, the show revolved around simple daily tasks, like buying sweets, solving a mystery of who ate the missing sweet, things that we might take for granted through our lives, but through all these experiences, they coalesce into a larger mystery, which is one of the things I appreciated most about this series.
A big mystery, is why Jougorou’s agreement with Yuki, which was to be “ordinary” together, exists. Why do these two want to be ordinary, and stay out of people’s lives? What were their pasts like? Bit by bit, by watching the two main characters and their lives, and how such twisted individuals have such trouble with being ordinary, one being drawn to being a detective, and the other having sharp insight and the ability to act quickly, we get to know just a tiny bit about the characters. Though, we have to ask, what does “being ordinary” actually mean? Does it mean that you go with the flow like everyone else, or act like everyone else does? Jougorou’s definition of being ordinary seems to revolve around not butting in to other people’s problems, or in other words, keeping the status quo, but by trying so hard to keep that status quo, it seems more deviant than ordinary, in trying to quell every one of life’s swells.
The biggest issue that people might find with this show is that there’s no real hook. It’s more of a “feeling-out process” then something with an immediate pay-off. Through its overall gorgeous visuals, it can hook you into the most “boring” and mundane of mysteries, or entrap you in its depiction of delicious sweets that have you frothing at the mouth. If you’re not into that, then this show is not for you, but the show certainly invites you to try it out, with its initial slow pacing. It’s easy to feel that it’s average or boring, but I think that is what the show is going for, because in showcasing what it means to be ordinary, the show must feel like that as well. In that sense, I think the show did that extremely well.
As a second season is indeed on the way, I say, we let them keep cooking. If the food looked that good, whoever was in the kitchen knew what they were doing, that’s for sure. Overall, the show did its job well in allowing the viewer to find intrigue and beauty in the mundane. It slows down to the pace of an iyashikei sometimes, yet swells up with tension ever so slightly to keep you interested. It’s not an approach to a show I have seen much at all, and that’s all the more reason why I ended up enjoying it as much as I did. The only thing that I’m questioning is the direction that the story is going in, and what the main point of the show is, but since there is still more to adapt, there’s time to rectify that issue.
With so many questions left unanswered, one can only say, “I’m curious!”
QuinZero
This year I rewatched the anime hyoka. Since the original Shoshimin is by the same author, I was interested to see how the studio would adapt his style. I would categorise Shoshimin under the genre ‘solving everyday mysteries’. Kobato and Osanai actually just want to become ordinary citizens and both have their reasons for this common goal. Main question here: what kind of relationship do they have and does it help them in their goal to become ordinary citizens? And why do they even want to become ordinary citizens, aren't they already?🤔 However, both are confronted with mysteries during their high school years, which Kobato in particularusually solves in the presence of Osanai. Kobato is also introduced to new cases by his old friend Doujima, because he helps solve other people's problems. This becomes important in the interaction between the two, which is well portrayed. Because they help each other.
Most important, however, are Osanai and Kobato. Both characters are really characterised in great detail by the studio, so that even the smallest behaviours and emotions remain credible for the plot.
Solving the mysteries is the biggest highlight. The studio makes use of fantastic-looking scenery changes. And animate the supposed steps of the person being analysed as if Kobato or Osanai were really acting out their supposed steps.
Conclusion:
-Expect a really breathtaking opening (Eve) and a creative ending that fits very well. (*^▽^*)
-Very clean and really nice animations with very detailed backgrounds ╰(*°▽°*)╯
-Interesting everyday and maybe not so everyday mysteries (⊙ˍ⊙)
KANLen09
Shoshimin: How to Become Ordinary - What does it take to teach someone about being ordinary, when the people or things around us are unordinary to begin with? Mystery shows...I'm betting that all you can think of is just "no shit Sherlock" Holmes, and to be fair, putting all media together seems to do the one-trick pony that the genre itself is nothing without the classic titular character. However, in the AniManga space, that trend has been progressing since the turn of the millennium (especially the mid-2010s), and it all has to do with one word: Hyouka. Yes, you heard me right: one of KyoAni's masterpieceshows that got unleashed all the way back in 2012, based off of the Koten-bu a.k.a Classic Literature Club series of novels written by famed novelist Honobu Yonezawa, was both a tour de force of the original source materal, made elevated by KyoAni's anime which is both well-produced and still respected to this very day.
So why did I mention Honobu Yonezawa and his famed series, other than the fact that I have not gotten around to watching the 22-episode anime, in such high regard? Because 12 years later, we get yet another anime based off of a brand new novel of his series: Shoshimin - How to Become Ordinary, continuing the dessert trend by adapting the first 2 volumes of the novels (Spring Limited-Edition Strawberry Tart & Summer Limited-Edition Tropical Parfait) whilst giving it a more in-depth look at the human society in general...a case study on Marxism for the specifics.
To explain all about the Shoushimin series, is to expand on its literal meaning: The term, translated to Small Citizen or Petite/Petty (meaning small) bourgeoisie, refers to a social class composed of semi-autonomous peasants and small-scale merchants. They are named as such because their political economic ideological stance in times of stability is reflective of the proper haute bourgeoisie (high bourgeoisie or upper class), who regularly seek to identify themselves with said group, whose bourgeois morality, conduct, and lifestyle they aspire to and strive to imitate. The term, going as far back as the Revolutionary period in France (if not earlier), is politico-economic and addresses historical materialism, in what was once originally denoted a sub-stratum of the middle classes in the 18th and early-19th centuries of western Europe, until German economist Karl Marx and other Marxist theorists used the term petite bourgeoisie to academically identify the socio-economic stratum of the bourgeoisie that consists of small shopkeepers and self-employed artisans in the mid-19th century.
Putting the above context back into the series, Shoshimin stars the dumb-downed versions of the mystery "power couple" Hotaro Oreki and Eru Chitanda, as both Jogoro Kobaro and Yuki Osanai wander around their school with only one question in mind: what does it take for one to become ordinary? Such a simple question like that, bogs the both of them into a spiral of the "Series of Unforuntate Events," solving mysteries that are also pretty much dumb-downed versions of Hyouka, but still compelling cases to boot, even if they start off being dessert-like with its sweetness, to only then come feeding off the back of the mouths' palates with the savoury sourness coming from the complexity of the cases as a result. Because you see, the human race is made up of many social classes hidden to the naked eye...it really depends on where that crowd is to define who're the peasants and the merchants.
Going deeper into characterization, and the entire Shoshimin hidden meaning makes more sense. Yes, Yuki Osanai is not Eru Chitanda, but you can't discount that her petite and innocent nature hides a mysterious facade that's hard to crack, much like trying to be the haute bourgeoisie, which is the average Joe. The mysteries she deals with are twofold: she first outlines the different layers of the cake with the know-how of the case at hand, as simple as starting from missing desserts being eaten to create one fine case, to a plot to rid of an old enemy with deep, intricate levels of complexity as fine as possible, then goes to the different icings where every layer bonds each other, adding weight towards the overall analyses where each plot pointer leads to the exquisite composition of the case at hand, and every question has an answer to finish the intricate garnish to be presented as one fine heft of a cake. Yuki's smart, but also cunning to a scary degree with her monotonous personality.
Shifting the plate onto the guy in question, Jogoro Kobato has clearly the brains of a developed Hotaro Oreki (after Chitanda trains him enough), and he's every bit of the haute bourgeoisie that she wants to imitate and achieve, aside from his analytical mind to solve the cases alongside Yuki. Together with his good friend Kengo Dojima, Kobato is kind-natured, but also does his own deep analyses, trying to cover each and every corner, thus not leaving any stone unturned. As much as he's always accompanying Yuki and her various dessert antics, Kobato may come off as an expressionless person being the Watson alongside his Sherlock Holmes of the opposite sex, but the constant barrage of desserts just keeps him in focus that the cases, while not sweet but sour, are defintely a test of his abilities in question of what it means to be ordinary, and by the grace of the sweet girl, his sourness gets coats of sugar, and the genuine friendship circles around the two in delicious harmony, even if they have differences at times. Dojima, on the other hand, is already at the haute bourgeoisie level, but he too feels like a pinch of salt getting kneaded under both Yuki and Kobato's hands, his strength and conviction only sully him when he's needed the most.
Even in the mundane moments, studio Lapin Track goes the extra mile to make the show look cinematic, almost as if you’re watching a feature work that was intended to be made that way. Thanks to the input from the rather small studio, as well as the massive blunder of The Promised Neverland's adaptation with veteran director Mamoru Kanbe (even though The Promised Neverland was a one-off massive blunder) and series composer Toshiya Ono (though he only did Season 1, which was a far better job), this show is more than just a treat for the eyes from start to finish with the cinematic 21:9 movie aspect used proper to showcase both sweet and savoury dishes on small, clean platters.
Even the OST itself is kind of unique in its execution, where the minimalistic approach is key as the recipes of the cases are followed step-by-step throughout the methodical approach. One thing's for sure, you're not going to hear a lot of BGM in this one because "silence is golden." Eve's OP and ammo's ED are just as juxtaposed in their use, not just between animation and reality, but of beauty as well, alongside rather fine songs that are just OK.
It's easy to get into the Shoushimin Series thinking that the nuances will be similar to those of Hyouka (especially for those who watched the anime or read the novels before), but I'd argue that that mindset actually does you more harm than good to set high expectations whilst experiencing something out of the ordinary, even if going by the dumbed-down case complexities that the former is now known for (if you've watched the show all the way through and made it this far to the review). Regardless, given its relatively smaller cast and the "easy" difficulty setting of the cases (which can feel boring at times, but it's not), I can still assure you that no matter how small the package, Honobu Yonezawa STILL manages to find a way to deliver stacked delicious desserts, delicate as they come, stock full with different layers of cake and icing that makes the Sherlock Holmes-esque cases, worth the run to be consumed and savoured.
Whatever it is, the Shoshimin Series is worth giving a try, even though it will never come close to the much superior and influential cult-classic series that is Hyouka.
SohCahToa19
The Pursuit of Normalcy: Shoshimin’s Unique Blend of Mystery and Slice of Life It’s about a sweets obsessed girl and a seemingly ordinary boy, who happens to become friends with each other to help each other break their habits of revenge and deduction respectively and become a “Shoshimin.” It is 60% mystery, 25% sweets and 15% Shoshimin, aka being normal people. (Which is actually one of the definitions in the dictionary) It is this Shoshimin part that throws some people off as they are perplexed by the pair’s strenuous efforts to become normal. In contrast, I was initially taken in by the story purely because of myown experience being in a Japanese high school. It resonated with me at a time when I was trying to fit in with Japanese people. The my reason, similar to the main characters, being that there are disadvantages to being seen as different. After a few episodes, I was sold on the “Shoshimin,” concept. The occasional remarks Kobato makes on how a “Shoshimin” should act were very relatable to what I observed from Japanese people on a daily basis. As the season progressed, I felt less pressure to be “normal,” thus my fever with the Shoshimin identity went down. Nevertheless, I think the anime offers interesting takes on what is and what is not normal for Japanese people.
So as farcical as it might seem for some people for two high school students to be so obsessed with being “normal,” it felt right in my heart and it might in yours too.
Besides, the character design and the animation is world class. Kobato and Osanai’s chemistry is just perfect. The sweets are drawn so well and the way the characters eat them, makes me want to go to a patisserie every time. It starts off slow but the mystery solving gets better with each episode; even though I am not an avid follower of mystery anime, it was very enjoyable. The openings and the endings are amazing as well. The colour palette of the opening animation is just beautiful and I enjoyed the ending where they showed pictures from the town Gifu that the anime was based.
Overall, Shoshimin is a brilliant mystery, slice of life anime that also deals with societal norms.
DO WATCH: If you like mystery, a bit of sweets and find the struggle to become normal relatable
DON’T WATCH: If you feel that Osanai and Kobato’s efforts to become normal is obnoxious or looking for a bit of romance. (The Shoshimin theme continues throughout the whole season!)
jjrocks24
Shoushimin to your average watcher is a pretentious show with tedious monologue and unnecessary visual narratives. To your average watcher, the transitions that are depicted are to only flaunt the studios' art prowess. These notions are what you might be under the impression of if you are only perceiving this story on a surface level. Shoushimin delves deeper into the genre of mystery and interpersonal relationships more so than you might believe. The slow pacing and anti-climatic atmosphere of this show are what makes this anime so ordinary and so extraordinary at the same time. Emotions aren't dramatized and its characters are not one dimensional.There is something different about this anime and if it is going where I think it's going, we are in for a hell of a ride. I just hope that it doesn't become your typical will they won't they, slice of life kind of story as we have seen with a majority of school detective anime like Hyouka. Not degrading Hyouka in any way. I believe the author's intention for it was to appeal to a wider audience with its visuals and lovable characters whilst Shoushimin takes a twist to a Hyouka narrative.
FlowMAL
I'm one of those rare people who watched the Shoushimin Series without having watched Hyouka. So, I came into the Shoushimin Series not knowing what to expect, and I'm happy with how it turned out. In short, Shoushimin Series is a show about "ordinary people" spending their days trying to do ordinary things while solving the small mysteries in everyday life. While it may not be a thrill ride from start to finish, it offers something gentle and charming in its own way. The Shoushimin Series excels in balancing light detective elements with slice-of-life moments. I personally found this perfect to watch when winding down aftera long day or right before going to sleep. The mysteries may be small, but they add a nice layer of intrigue without being too intense. Heck, they had a full 10-minute breakdown of how a guy makes his hot chocolate. And they somehow managed to keep it engaging the whole way through.
The art style and animation are visually beautiful, and the character designs and settings are perfect. As I previously stated, I haven't watched Hyouka, but I've heard that the art in Hyouka was also one of its strong points, and the Shoushimin Series follows this. One thing that stood out to me was the random changes of settings mid-conversation, which seemed to happen often. While I don't know if there was any deeper meaning behind it, it made the scenes more dynamic and fun to watch.
Another highlight is the opening and ending themes. The stunning music and visuals complement the show's overall tone. I especially love how they blended anime characters with real-life scenes and backgrounds in the ending theme.
The final episode of the Shoushimin Series left me with mixed feelings. Introducing two specific new characters left me a bit conflicted, although it was probably necessary for the main characters to develop. Although I am not entirely sold on this shift in tone, it definitely has me looking forward to season two, where I hope to see how these new dynamics unfold.
Overall, Shoushimin Series is a solid show that knows what it wants to do and does it well. While nothing blew me away or had me super hooked throughout the show, excluding the final episodes, it's an enjoyable watch that offers a nice mix of mystery, slice-of-life, and light drama. I can't justify giving it more than a 7/10 for these reasons, but I recommend it if you're looking for something relaxing yet engaging with a bit of unexpected drama.
MrKessler
Shoshimin is a show that asks its audience for patience. It's basically a series of mysteries that focus on small unimportant issues (or non-issues) and treats them like the usual murder case that we always see in the genre. Fortunately this anime can somehow turn those unimportant issues just as intetesting as those previously mentioned murders. Not only is that done because of the impeccably written dialogue, but also some of the BEST directorial work I have seen in sometime, this show looks like a movie . The production here is absolute 5 stars: animation, direction, music, cinematography, editing, no notes. The character work Shosimin presents issubtle, grounded and very realistic. The characters dont scream or have over-the-top expressions. And while that's fine with most anime I think ditching that characteristic of the medium does absolute wonders for this show. The characters feel real when they talk, and that's way harder to pull off successfully in anime than it seems.
Foxstrut
This show is great for fans that just wants to be taken to a ride. The plot is rather unique, in a sense that for a show set in high school, it doesn't include student council. It's a slow-paced show, with low stakes, relatively few conflicts, and is cute and beautiful most times. Most of the times while watching I would pause the show just to admire the art style. The set pieces are great, and the scoring is very on point. The show also has interesting characters, subverting tropes and the subtle nuances of their characters leak every episode. 10/10 would recommend
Valentine07
(Spanish review below). This is my kind of anime, so I thought I would like it or at least find it entertaining, especially since I really liked Hyouka. Maybe it just wasn't the right time to watch it, because I found it very boring. I don't have great things to say about the anime. I don't think the story was bad, but I don't think it's for everyone either. Most of the time, the situations seemed very stilted and convenient, especially the solutions or the ways they arrived at the solutions to the mysteries. Mostly in the last two episodes. Also, Osanai is the most manipulative person I'veseen in a LONG time. I didn't like her at all. The rest of the characters are okay, although I don't think any of them stand out or have anything of their own to say. I understand Osanai and Kobato's conflict, but at the same time I think it needed more development so that the viewer could connect with them. Especially with Osanai, because I never really understood what made her 'not-normal', besides the fact that she was unbearable.
The animation, the colors, the designs and the backgrounds are beautiful. That's for sure.
I definitely won't be watching the second season.
...
Este es mi tipo de anime, así que pensé que me gustaría o al menos me resultaría entretenido, sobre todo porque Hyouka me gustó muchísimo. Quizá simplemente no fue el momento indicado para verlo, porque me resultó muy aburrido.
No tengo grandes cosas que decir acerca del anime. No creo que su historia fuera mala, pero tampoco creo que sea para todo el mundo. La mayoría del tiempo las situaciones me parecían muy rebuscadas y convenientes, sobre todo las soluciones o las formas a las que llegaban a las soluciones de los misterios. En especial los últimos dos episodios.
Además, Osanai es la persona más manipuladora que he visto en MUCHO tiempo. No me gustó para nada. El resto de los personajes está bien, aunque no creo que ninguno sobresalga, ni tenga algo propio que contar. Entiendo el conflicto de Osanai y de Kobato, pero al mismo tiempo creo que faltó desarrollarlo más para que el espectador pueda conectar con ellos. Sobre todo con Osanai, porque nunca entendí realmente qué es lo que la hacía ser ‘no-normal’, además de que era insoportable.
La animación, los colores, los diseños y los fondos son preciosos. Eso sí.
Definitivamente no veré la segunda temporada.
Marco_Yooo
THIS IS A SPOILER-FREE REVIEW Honobu Yonezawa is not just my favourite japanese author, but one of my favourite authors in general. His amazing “Koten-bu” series (Also known as “Hyouka”) drew me in with it´s small scale mysteries, great characters and the overall atmosphere. This season, another famous work of his got an anime adaptation and from the outside it looked like this show will follow up in Koten-bu´s footsteps. But did it deliver? Story – 6/10 This is eerily similar to Hyouka and it hurts this show a lot. The setting, the characters, the pacing, the structure and everything else feels like another version of something hehas already done. You just cannot stop comparing the two with each other and unfortunately, Shoushimin is far inferior to it´s predecessor. The little mysteries are constructed with similar effort, but the writing as a whole has taken a step back. It just feels a little bit bland and unrefined. The cases do not get enough explanation and some of them leave questions unanswered. This probably happened during the transition from novel to anime, which is a process that is very hard to do, especially in a genre like mystery, where every little remark or sentence can be of extreme importance. The show starts pretty slow and takes a long time to get going. I also think that there are some issues with the tone of the series. In one episode, our main characters sit at a table and eat cake, and the next episode someone almost gets killed with a knife. If you do not commit to one of these directions seriously, they both just feel out of place.
I know comparing this show to something as beautiful as “Hyouka” is not really fair, but even without doing it, this show has some glaring faults.
Art – 8/10
The art is actually really good. They did this very interesting thing with the aspect ratio, giving the whole show a more cinematic feel. The close-ups are beautiful and the show is constantly experimenting with the camera and the surroundings. They also did this cool thing where our main protagonist envisions himself as the culprit, so he follows their steps himself and even wears their clothes. Nothing here is quite as outstanding though, and most of that is because the relatively small and inexperienced Studio Lapin Track lacks the insane amount of outstanding creativity that Kyoto Animation did. This is still their best work so far, so there is definitely an upswing!
Sound – 7/10
The OP/ED combination fits the show extremely well. I actually think this might be the only time this show out-trumps Hyouka, if even by a small margin. They are animated fantastically and set a perfect tone for the show itself, especially the ED. The BGM however does not hold up as well. A lot of the important scenes lack music, and the show does not have these one or two outstanding little tracks that play during the mysteries.
Characters – 7/10
This is a hard category to rank. First, let´s talk about our main Character, Kobato. i really, really did not like him. His backstory didn´t really speak to me, the way he acts is super unrelatable and i think he is a huge step-down from Oreki from Hyouka. There is room for development so I won´t write him of completely but so far, he really missed his mark.
The same can not be said about his friend, Osanai. She was actually really damn interesting. I always love it when there are characters that don´t seem to fit into one of the established character archetypes that have existed for a long time in the anime community. Osanai is mostly a big mystery, but when the show finally delved deeper into her intentions and she reveals her true demeanour, it gets really interesting. She alone might be the reason for me to come back to this show once season two arrives. Other than that, the side characters were alright. Doujima is always nice when he is on screen, but he did not receive that much development so far. The “villains” were absolutely comedic and could not be taken seriously. This also has to do with the insane tone-shifts that this show goes through during it´s climax.
Enjoyment – 7/10
I definitely see potential here. I just love these kinds of small-scale mysteries to much and it is always a treat when a show piques your curiosity, even just a little bit. Season two has already been announced, and I am willing to give this series a second chance to fully win me over. I really want to love this show…
- Marco_Yooo
FINAL SCORE - 7/10
thelastavocado
So the idea was becoming ordinary, but did they even try? :D Osanai and Kobato are two highschool students that want to become ordinary due to an event that happened in their past. These two really like to solve mysteries, especially together. But this aspect of them actually made harm for theirselves or others many times in their past so they want to get rid of it. Mysteries they solve are pretty hard to accomplish to be honest. I've seen some other people that really want them to be couple (including myself), but I think, mysteries were more interesting than that. There's always events happeningand they pretty much everytime try to solve it so there's no time to be thinking that...
Next, drawings and colouring. I found the drawing style pretty unique especially the eyes. The drawings were desprate and the colouring was really relaxing, this contrast is pretty hard to accomplish..
I want to add a paragraph to explain something different because it really caught my attention. When these to start to thinking, like weighing their opinions, getting the pieces together, we see a separate universe at the background. These backgrounds had no people in it, filled with silence or natural sounds so there was nothing to distract from thinking them. I suppose, this might be a symbolism. Because these two had a habit of solving mysteries since they were at middle school so they're used to thinking. These backgrounds may symbolise their minds. They think together and they don't get distracted from anything which means emptiness and silence no matter where they are.
Lastly, the characters. I wasn't expecting depth in characters but last episode did include some of their pasts which gave Osanai and Kobato a meaning, they were not shallow.
Overall is 8.4/10. I would really like to give a score higher than 9 but the idea is not that peculiar, just solving mysteries so this is what i gave instead. I think some people might think the anime is monotone, but I enjoyed it.
Ania1
Normally animes that I score 9 are the ones that I really enjoy and finish it in one day but this is one of them where I take my time watch it in special occasion (calm,soothing weather). I have watched hyouka and I easily loose intrest in slow pacing anime like it but theres something different about the authors story of this and hyouka's and the animation is one of the picks that didn't want me to drop the show. Talking about story it's simple yet addictive in each episode but there's alot of standing motion where both characters face off and spew there thinking?Basically just explain, But u don't really notice.not many characters and Also I don't really got interest in romance (I only watch it for comedies) but I was really expecting the ending to be good and it disappointed me feels like its gonna haunt me every time I remember this anime.
StudioSokki
This anime was a sleeper hit for me. What I love most about the series are the interactions between Kobato and Osanai; I feel like this is the most realistic couple behavior I've ever seen in an anime! They know one another so well and respond to each others quirks so naturally. The mysteries are mostly mundane but there's an undercurrent of a larger mystery building up, which I think does pay off later. Overall it is slow paced, and while scenes don't feature background music it makes the sound design of the world really stand out. A very unique anime that I'd recommendpeople give a shot!
ArbyMaster458
I really came in blind with this one, the title being the reason I decided to watch the first episode till the tenth and final one for this season before the second. I had the impression that it was going to be about two students living a sort of "normal" slice of life fays and hanging out with friends and engaging with new ones. I was half-right. What I got were two more than ordinary students trying to be ordinary making simple days in an episode engaging, engaging being using your brain to try and figure it all out during a few or more episodes,and curious for what the next episode or two will be about.
For an episode about one plot to an arc that may take two, three, or more episodes, I believe the anime does it well with managing them within the 25 min runtimes for each of them. The ones where it's just one "regular" day to an afternoon for them make it feel short, and that's not a bad thing. You're so into what is happening the episode(s) that time passes fast before you know it. Setting is everyday life as high school students that becomes something more with the two main characters and others around them driving the story forward in unexpected ways that haven't gotten me invested since Insomniacs After School.
Kobato and Osanai are the main characters of the story, the former being a student with excellent detective skills, the latter being a sweets-loving student with sharp insight and the ability to act, who try and help each other become "ordinary" following their own personal incidents that brough them to depend on each other. Their personalities may look neutral for most of the episodes but how they express them makes up for it and makes them one of the many anime characters I can relate to and like. As for supporting, Doujima is the one supporting character you'll immediately grow to enjoy having around. The rest of the supporting cast don't have as much presence as Doujima suiince they appear in at least an 1-3 episodes but that's a given with the focus being on Kobato and Osanai, but I believe that may change with Season 2 after the tenth episode.
Overall, this anime about two students trying to become ordinary is worth a try if you want something to watch outside of the "normal" animes you watch.
