When Nicoletta was a little girl, her mother, Olga, abandoned her and ran off to Rome to remarry. Now, 15 years later and a young woman, she travels to Rome with the intention of ruining her mother's life. She tracks Olga down to a restaurant called Casetta dell'Orso, but the second Nicoletta steps through its door, everything changes. It's a peculiar place staffed entirely by mature gentlemen wearing spectacles, and like their clientele, she is helpless against their wise smiles and warm voices. Before Nicoletta realizes it, her plans for vengeance start to fade, and she's swept up in the sweet romance of everyday Italian life.
(Source: Right Stuf)
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Comentários
Lorelei
It's been a long time since I sat down and watched something as slow-paced as Ristorante Paradiso. To tell the truth, I was actually longing for a good slice-of-life anime to come up somewhere. When I stumbled upon it, the whole idea of "a restaurant with a single lady worker and lots of aged men" interested me. I mean, the abundance of grown men is curiously odd enough. It's not a plot that's usually used in an anime. And, I'm a guy, so at first I felt a little uncomfortable with the show with lots of males on it, but after watching, it's not likethey're those guys on anime that lives just to attract females, so guys are welcome to watch this josei anime with peace.
Anyway, if you don't like slow-paced, quiet shows, and dislike works without much action, then Ristorante Paradiso will surely disappoint you. It's a story for people who like the quieter, more peaceful side of life and anime.
-Story
Ristorante Paradiso is all about a restaurant, somewhere in Rome, with its employess consisting of lots of aged men with glasses. Then, enter Nicoletta into the picture, and the restaurant's never the same again. Don't get me wrong though. The show has this quiet atmosphere that makes you feel like you're at the restaurant as well, eating its delicious delicacies.
-Art
Old people ahoy! The anime's full of the art consisting of old people's faces. It defies the usual standard that you need a sexy/moe/whatever type of character design for the anime to work. Anyway, the art is okay, with its dreamy-like colors and all. But the food! They drew it well!
-Sound
Listen to the opening song and agree with me: the music is well-thought of. It meshed well with the overall theme of the anime: slow-paced slice-of-life. The background music gets it right with the scenes.
-Characters
Ristorante Paradiso's working point is its characters. Each one of them (from the weird Gigi to the old Luciano) has a story of their own, and it worked well with the overall feel. From the beginning, you'd wonder what kind of people works at the restaurant; don't worry, everyone will be focused on.
-Enjoyment
I really enjoyed watching this. The combination of the setting (Rome), characters, and good food, makes this show worthwhile. But, as I've said, it's for people who enjoys quiet anime, so it really depends on your preference if you'll enjoy this or not.
-Overall
Can't say much more; it made my day. Imperfect, yes, but it is a worthy slice-of-life anime, so go try it. Contrary to the common belief, it's not shoujo; it's josei, intended for an older, more mature audience. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but you'll appreciate it more if you're old enough to understand how elder people's minds works. And, this anime's not limited to women. Men can appreciate it as well.
Wolfy36
When I started this series, it was more over me just flipping through random anime and going hey why not and watching the first ep. After watching the first ep I was strangely captivated by all of the characters in the anime. Each character had a distinct feature about them, but at the same time many of the characters could be thought as similar. This is not a anime for people who like fast paced action in my opinion, but instead made for simple relaxation and enjoyment. You learn about the characters as the story continues, and through multiple stories, a bigger picture is created. I wouldsay that this anime is either a hit or miss with people, ya love it or ya don't.
To all people out their though I would say to most certainly give this anime a try.
For 11 episodes I was completely satisfied, except for the never ending wish for more.
This anime is for both males and females a like, I don't believe one group would prefer it over another, its an acquired taste tbh.
Retro8bit
"A mysterious restaurant is on a road just a little ways from the center of Rome." Story: 8/10 The plot revolves around a group of older looking men, who work at a restaurant called "Casetta Dell’orso". Each worker wears eye glasses when they are on duty. And this in fact is what makes the restaurant stand out from the others in Rome. One day the staff gets greeted by a women from America, who in turn comes to them wanting to train with the crew. As the anime progresses, each member of the cast is brought in the spotlight, and gets there own in depth story asto how they ended up working there, along with other interesting tid-bits. It does stay linear in this aspect, but brings so many different unique twists on everyone’s story, that most shouldn’t mind this fact. Now because this anime is more of a slow paced down to earth story, everything in it’s plot is very realistic. And a lot of the drama that is brought to the table comes in the form of relationships, complicated family issues, to mixed feeling among characters. All of this is knitted very well together to make quite a compelling and deep storyline. Even though Nicolette is the main character of the story, they all get well balanced scenes, which is good as there is nobody in this that will ever leave the viewer with a big black question mark as to who they are. So be prepared for lots of dialog in this. Now not everything in this will please viewers. As mentioned earlier, the story is quite slow paced, and there really is no over all big plot to this anime. Simply put, it’s a story about life in a restaurant, and I actually found it quite dissapointing that the restaurant theme wasn’t used to it’s fullest. So don’t expect to get any kind of explanation as to how certain dishes are prepared, as the story is more character driven than anything else. Which isn’t a bad thing really, since they really do turn out to be the backbone of this anime. The ending is quite fitting, and should satisfy most.
Regarding possible offensive material. Ristorante Paradiso contains very little in this aspect. There are occasional suggestive situations, but they are done in a quite tasteful manner, never for show. The only thing I would say that some viewers might find a bit disturbing, is that the main lead female Nicoletta, shows attraction to men that are old enough to be her father.
Sound: 8/10
The music track really shines in this. You get the traditional tracks one would hear if they were in Paris, Italy and of course...Rome. The opening theme is quite relaxing, as is the ending theme, and actually does mix well with it’s environment’s theme. Voice acting is also quite good. All character voice are done with maturity and calm, and really do bring the characters to life. Overall, it’s quite an endearing soundtrack.
Animation: 7/10
This was the only real thing I didn’t like about the anime, it just didn’t feel like the animation was up to par regarding what it could have been. Quite a bit of the color scheme is pretty bland at times. Some may argue that it was done purposely in order to create a certain style to the anime. Regardless though, it still has a nice amount of detail to it. Case in point: being that the cast is of different style ages right? And the artists really worked over time to make sure that the characters looked their appropriate age. All the male characters look like they really are in their 40s and 50s. While others, such as Nicolette, appear to be in their 20’s. So while the animation is by no means pushing any boundaries, it’s still nice to look at, and detailed in the places you would want it to be..
Characters: 9/10
As mentioned earlier, each member gets his or her own spotlighted episode. Considering that this is only an 11 episode series, you wouldn’t expect this to have much depth to it. Surprisingly though it does, and the best compliment I can give the cast, is that you really are able to get into their heads, and with many you can even read their thoughts. They have a good amount of layers to their personality, and you will want to push on in the show just to see why a certain character acts a certain way, as little tid-bits are explained as things progress. There was one draw back to this category though, and that comes in the form of Nicolette herself. At the beginning I was expecting her to really develop over the course of the series, and while she did have a bit of development to her, it really wasn’t much. As she tended to just remain in the background "observing" the other cast of character’s lives, and ended up feeling more like a prop to the series. Even still, a wonderful memorable cast that feel interesting, yet down to earth at the same time.
Overall: 8/10
If you are looking for a deep and relaxing slice of life anime with a nice pace to it, then you will enjoy Ristorante Paradiso. While it might disappoint some that were expecting a series that centers around food, it still has a lot to offer the viewer who can appreciate it's plot and themes. So if you were looking for your next anime entree, then your appetite is about to be fed!
KillswitchSama
Time to go and enjoy ourselves with a subtle anime, but exquisite for the palate. A rather simple but enjoyable drama, filled with a pleasant atmosphere. Well, that was the flavor that this small production left me. Let us begin! Ristorante Paradiso is an anime series of 11 episodes made in 2009, adapted from the homonymous sleeve of Natsume Ono. The premise tells the story of Nicoletta, a 21 year old girl who travels to Rome to face her mother, who left her abandoned since she was a child. After locating her, she notices that the woman owns, along with her new husband, a small butpopular restaurant called Casetta dell'Orso, characterized by having a staff of pure older men (over fifty or reaching age) Who have a marked appeal and a label that makes them extremely popular among Italian ladies who frequent, alone or with partner, the restaurant. This decision was made because of the fascination of the owner for men with glasses. During the development of the series, the young Nicoletta will not only meet the restaurant staff, but will discover more about her mother and, incidentally, meet the man who will captivate his heart in the process: The handsome Saint Claudio Paradiso.
So ... How's it going? It's good? It is bad? Is it cliché? Is it a masterpiece? ... let's see ...
As for the positives, I would say that, first of all, the characters. The way the story introduces you to each of the gentlemen who make up the restaurant, as well as Nicoletta and his mother, characters of support and others, is extremely efficient and subtle, getting to know each one in a pleasant, without Mention that they are extremely endearing and friendly. It is very easy to feel empathy for the protagonist, who is extremely charismatic and fun to watch, both in moments of mild humor and moments of emphatic drama. The gentlemen of the staff are characters, so simple, great. It makes you want to become your colleague. Each one has characterizations that make them distinctive and empathic with the viewer, and although many enjoy being stereotypes of handsome men of anime, they know how to carry the baton of the same without this being made heavy or annoying. On the other hand, and this is something that is peculiar to me, but great after all, I was surprised to see that the characters who would be in charge of the female viewers who saw this anime, were older men. I considered it one of the coolest twists I've seen in an anime of this style, since it is already extremely trite and annoying to meet the typical group of young students sculpted by Michelangelo, with unbearable personality, fastidiously bishonen and, why Not, insufferably perfect.
These are very nice to see; Have the voice of experience on your side. They are married, widowed or divorced, but never willing to fall into childish students. The mangaka responsible for this work knows what he is working with and does not make them fall into stupid temptations. They are older men and behave as such without losing that charismatic brightness that makes them sympathetic to the audience that sees this story. They are gentlemen, humorous, have their character but also good heart, face situations with maturity; But also have internal conflicts that do not find how to solve the first ... in short, they are characters with such a human level of being, it is a great experience to meet each cast member.
Visually, the animation is beautiful. The characters have a good level of animation and the dishes are a delight to watch, not to mention that the lighting works on each plane give you that sophisticated atmosphere that makes you want to see this anime while you sip a rich cup of tea or coffee with the Pinky bow and wearing suit and tie. The music is beautiful, according to the rhythm of the story, it is subtle, elegant, soft ... almost as if it were part of the very life of the story, and it was not a simple arrangement to add extra feeling to what is occurring.
On the other hand, we have a great diversity of couples, as well as the romantic element, which is ... My God, great, exquisite. Each cast member has a love story to tell, or a dramatic moment to highlight, that are of a splendid level in narrative terms. On the other hand, Nicoletta and Claudio have an enviable chemistry. The charismatic and active personality of Nicoletta contrasts too well with the passivity and calm of Claudius, making a perfect equation as far as loving reciprocity. In addition, the final scene, when Claudio finally decides to respond to the feelings of his beloved Nicoletta, is one of the most beautiful "confession" scenes I've seen in a drama or romance anime. It is not a kiss Hollywood, but a simple gesture; But sincere, tender and loaded with an insurmountable emotional aura. Just to see how Claudio puts his hand on Nicoletta's head while she cries with happiness and that beautiful tune of violin sounds at the bottom of the scene, captivated my heart to 1000%, being one of the most beautiful moments that I have witnessed in the Genre of drama in anime and manga.
Ok, apparently, this anime is a beautiful experience ... but like every review I make ... well ...
This anime has a few problems that are worth highlighting. First, it must be said that animation, while beautiful, has its negative counterparts. The majority of scenarios and objects that are seen on screen are generated by computer, which gives us an idea that this anime was made with a very limited budget, shortening the possibilities of having a true visual spectacle. Of course, this may be omitted; But the fact is that, in many cases, the computer scenarios, and the use of this technique in some peculiar things, like the tea or the clarified coffee in the cups, were an extremely distracting element, and that, therefore, no Allowed me to enjoy the visual experience to the level I wanted. Perhaps he is very punctilious in that regard; But what can I say? If you really love a dish, you should ask for it with the best to enjoy it to the maximum, not to settle for a simple overheated cold and without charisma.
On the other hand, I felt that the series did not have time to develop ... I felt short, incomplete and with much to explore. In the first place, Nicoletta's conflict with her mother was solved very abruptly, without even a truly acceptable development, hanging from the mantle of forgiveness and instant compassion. Excuse me, but we're talking about a mother who abandoned her daughter for several years. Overcoming a resentment of that caliber is not something that is solved from one day to the other, even if the woman did not do it with bad intentions. Everything is based on a process almost in the style of Deux Ex Machina for Nicoletta to "mature" and show unconditional love to her mother despite, I repeat and emphasize, having left her alone for many years under the care of her grandmother. I don't know, maybe it is me, but this conflict lacked structure, sense ... in short, it lacked a good development.
This could be because the production is only 11 episodes and has a huge casting of characters to pose, so it does not give time to grant a reasonably good development to all members of each part of the story; Because yes, this not only affects Nicoletta and his mother, but the rest of characters, who, despite everything, we did not finish knowing. Claudio's past, for example, was very lazy. They did not really explain what was happening with him, as well as his passive attitude with any millionaire woman who wanted to taste a private role with him, even if he did not want that ... well, the thing is that the series was extremely short For all it had to offer. There was so much to explore, and nothing was accomplished 100% satisfactory. Maybe it was because the very members of David Productions and Fuji TV were not very enthusiastic about the idea of doing a long series, or at least 22 episodes, based on this manga.
Well, despite everything, Ristorante Paradiso I found a very good series. It has moments that, despite the problems, manage to get ahead, making it one of those small productions that is worth seeing above any pessimistic expectations. It is fun, it is elegant, it is entertaining, it has wonderful characters, it is sweetly romantic and with a light, sophisticated and beautiful atmosphere that will make you, sooner or later, want to see it again.
I personally would go back to this restaurant over and over and over and over and over again.
Dorothea
Story. Granted, an 11 episode show can't have that intricate a story, but I found that the heroine's "journey," which should have been the main plot, was overwhelmed by all the secondary character's subplots. We learn little of her childhood, her education, or her reasons for suddenly deciding to come to Rome to meet her mother. The resolution with her mother, which should have been the climax and dominated the final two episodes, was like a footnote in the story. Art One of the show's strongest elements. Not just the character design but the overall depiction of Rome were very well done. The waythe "camera" sometimes panned around to show what the characters were actually seeing was a nice touch. A lot of attention was given to make the restaurant seem warm and the food delicious.
Sound
I hated the intro. The rest was all right; it didn't detract or add. There wasn't a single theme that caught my attention and made me think, "This is really lovely." Decent ending theme though.
Character
Pretty carefully developed characters. The heroine was naive, but likable, and she grew during the course of the story. The people she worked with also had detailed back stories. I can't say I found any of them interesting, though. A smaller cast, more episodes, or more "current" events and fewer flashbacks, might have helped.
Enjoyment
It's relaxing to watch, but the show only had two elements that kept me engaged: the love interest and the painful relationship between the mother and daughter. Neither delivered. The love story between the heroine and older man wasn't convincing. They didn't have great chemistry and I was surprised when I realized he was actually the real love interest, and not a crush along the way to the real hero. The other disappointment was how little attention was given to the relationship between the girl and her mother. The heroine was abandoned at an early age by her mother, so her mother could marry a man (who didn't know she had a daughter). It wasn't for financial reasons either, just that the mother loved him and he'd told her he wouldn't marry a divorcee. Despite this, the heroine's resentment tapers off fast. As for the mother, I know it's a light josei anime and that there has to be a happily ever after ending, but she sure got off easy. Finally, about the heroine's reasoning along the way--"Well, now I'm in love so as a woman I get why you did it"--sorry, but no matter how much you like a guy, you don't ditch your kid.
Overall
Okay show if you don't think about it too hard I guess. Definitely has themes I disagree with though, about a parent's responsibility and how when your husband cheats on you, you've just got to remind him how much he loves you.
starshinesMonet
--WIP Review -- Ristorante Paradiso was an interesting little series. It's strongest points were the art style, which had broad European features to match the ethnicity of the characters. It was very interesting to see from this perspective and I very much enjoyed this style of animation and colour. Along with the art style, the characters were one of the best parts of the series. I was particularly stricken with Gigi as he reminded me of a curious and quiet cat, but each one was interesting in their own ways. While it was beautifully animated and had talented seiyuu, it's weakest point was definitelythe music. I did not feel as though the OP and end themes fit the style or mood of this series at all, and the whole end sequence was so banal I just skipped it after the first viewing and the OP, although nicely animated, was generally skipped as well because I didn't enjoy the pop ballad the studio chose for the theme. The sound wasn't bad and fit the feeling of a ristorante, but the music just did not move me at all. :(
I was also disappointed that there was not more food in the series. There were a few scenes or episodes that kind of hinted at food and a couple that were kind of about food, but really there was more talk of being a cook/chef then emphasis on the food itself. It was terribly done, but I've certainly seen other anime do a better job of it (such as Antique Bakery) and it would have been nice to have seen a day at the market episode or one that was dedicated to flavours. One episode came pretty close, though in the end it was still more about being a chef and the relationships of the staff than really about the food, but it was close enough.
Overall, this was a nice little anime and it could easily been an 8 or 9, despite how predictable the plot was and the lack of emphasis on the food (NOT enough food porn for a Restaurant/cooking anime!), had they thought to pay more attention to the music.
Leyre18
It is a calm story to appreciate another side of life as it is more adult people and spend moments of everyday life with them. It has some weak points as some pasts , flashbacks tucked quickly or actions of the protagonist that leave some doubts that make you say ''Why?'' or make you feel uncomfortable and with anguish (I do not know if it is good or bad) . In addition we have the theme of the mother , in general , many times it comes to annoy and had a rather inadequate and at the same time sad ending in the sense that she treatedher daughter like that for years and she just assimilated it , it lacked a lot of development at that point being one of the main plots . Next, it does not have a very good quality as far as scenarios are concerned because of the limited budget that is understood when watching it, although they are quite unique and satisfying to watch.
On the other hand they deal with interesting themes and have characters that are easy to get attached to like Luciano who makes you feel like you are his grandson or Gigi (at the beginning I didn't like him too much) but as the episodes go by and the subtleties that surround this gentleman make me love him.
Grenage
While I used to live on action anime, I've been a bit of a fan of 'slice of life' series since watching Welcome to the NHK; this was my hope, and what I was expecting. I was not disappointed. Now I have to say that nothing really 'happens' in this series - there are no major events or shocking twists. This is a true character development series, with most episodes being dedicated to back stories for the restaurant staff. While it is indeed set in a restaurant, this series really has nothing to do with food, it's just the setting. When I finished thisseries, I wanted to go to that restaurant and I wanted to meet those people; that's the mark of a good series, in my opinion.
fantasy_exe
Ristorante Paradiso is the series that I have been waiting to find. It's easy to say that this is a slow-paced series with a particular niche. However, to describe the initial catch of Ristorante Paradiso, it being a story revolving around the lives of older bespectacled men in Rome, doesn't begin to touch the truly pleasant, refreshing energy emanating from every shot and line of dialogue this show provides. I can't say that everyone will come away feeling the way I do about this adaption and its manga origins, but if you are pining for a show that feels welcoming and warm, like returning to a heatedblanket on a cold night, nothing I have found has hit the same spot as Ristorante Paradiso. Its soundtrack will live on as my cooking playlist for the foreseeable future, and on subsequent rewatches, the endearment these characters evoke is yet to wane.
Personally, I'm not sure this show has the same impact when watched with a group, which may be something to keep in mind for your viewing. Its meandering, casual pace is beautiful for a personal experience, but I personally found it easy to get distracted when with a group. That said, I still see this as a positive in the show's favour, as that lulling, sweet volume the story stays at stylistically remains one of its greatest virtues.
Certainly, there is a conversation to be had regarding the older characters paired with a young protagonist, as there is with many anime series, and I'm not going to try and convince anyone that is dissuaded or feels uncomfortable with that on principle. I will say, however, that outside of some minor dramatic builds, the show rarely focuses on this. When it is addressed, the story does so tactfully, in my opinion, while acknowledging the situation in simple, subtle ways that add to the nuance of the characters and their personalities.
Yukariki
I love Japanese food, but Italian cuisine is the greatest. That's the reason why I picked this anime to watch and it was a pleasant watch. I also must admit that I'm actually a bisexual and the males are pretty hot. Ahem, let's get back to the review. Ristorante Paradiso is a fascinating josei slice-of-life work that is both enchantingly slow-paced and colorful in terms of characterization, exemplifying the genre and demographic as a whole. The premise is the setting, an Italian restaurant in Rome. What is different about this restaurant is the abundance of spectacled male waitresses and cafes. Of course, these hot bishies, Imean male characters, are not just the main focus of the show; rather, the story is driven by the observations of the female lead character, Nicoletta.
Thus, we enter Nicoletta's maturing thinking as she talks to the restaurant employees. There is a huge amount of characterization into all of the characters as Nicoletta learns about the history of both the characters and the history of the restaurant.
And this is why the pacing is great; it enforces the slice-of-life aspect of the work.
Works that call themselves slice-of-life try to be humorous. However, josei works have the ability to calm themselves down and focus on realistic relationship dynamics and characterization. Ristorante Paradiso is no exception.
We get to understand the characters and their problems. Every viewer must have seen this type of character before in their life. The slow pacing through Nicoletta's observations lets us understand their troubles in life, especially marriage which is a recurring theme in the show.
Both pacing and characterization lend together and develop a great show with a great cast that all of us can relate to. It is a great character study and worth writing essays about.
In other aspects, the art is gorgeous. Paintings are used as backgrounds and the characters are strongly contrasted from the background with their bright colors. While they should have varied their color palette (it feels a bit too warm at times), the art is stylistic and beautiful.
Sound-wise, the show did a great job. There are some great acoustic music playing in the background and some of them are very memorable. I enjoyed the OP jazz music a lot and it really sucks you into the mood.
That said, there are some problems. The first OP feels a bit too fanservicey and there may be moments that are uncomfortable for male viewers. Any person who has been to at least Europe will know there are some blatant history mistakes; only Japanese people bow, Ristorante Paradiso. It is also vaguely European, not Italian.
Anyone who enjoyed iyashikei (works like Aria), josei animes, animes with strong characterization, or just willing to watch something different will like Ristorante Paradiso. It is indeed a hidden paradise for anime lovers.
ellycat
Ristorante Paradiso is a really special show that fills a decidedly specific niche, and it does a satisfactory job of it without feeling trashy. It also fills a more general, less obvious kind of niche. I stumbled upon this series while I was searching for some more mature "josei" titles to watch. There's disappointingly little of this sort of thing out there in the sea of anime about high school students and/or violence & destruction. The premise of a restaurant filled with bespectacled mature men is undeniably suggestive of the fantasy that drives the harem genre, but they never quite go there, and manage tomaintain a tasteful high ground throughout the show. There's plenty of substance to make it interesting beyond just surrounding the MC with attractive old men.
The setting is charming, and the story is believable. Most of the characters are lovable, but I really hate the mom and her boyfriend, and never really got over it. I think that affected my overall enjoyment of this show measurably.
Something about the drawing style did not sit well with me for some reason, but maybe it's just my preferences. The coloring and shading, along with the pervasiveness of food and wine, create a really cozy atmosphere though.
I would definitely recommend this show if the theme interests you at all, or if you like josei titles. The more I think about it, the more I realize this show is really something special, despite that I might have given it a mediocre rating. By the way, if you're into this kind of thing, then you might also want to check out the (trashier) otome game called Pub Encounter, which is on Steam.
kevlar20
I am not really sure why I decided to watch this anime all the way to the end. I think I was getting really bored with the isekai and action anime that focuses on young protagonists surrounded by waifu material. I wanted to watch an anime with a protagonist who is already lost in adulthood and not sure what to do with him/herself for his/her remaining life span. Nicoletta fits this description almost perfectly. The slow pace of the anime allowed me to enjoy Nicoletta's insights into the lives of her fellow staff employees and her understanding of how they get by with their yearsthrough life. She uses these insights to help herself have a better understanding of what directions she should take with her own life and let her frustration with her mother (that consumed most of her mind) go. I particularly enjoyed how Nicoletta's time working in the restaurant allowed her to appreciate the little things that her fellow employees find make their lives feel enjoyable. As the things she begins to appreciate occupy most of her time, she begins to have less time feeling frustrated with her mother. I also like how her fellow staff are all older men who she can turn to for guidance instead of being the same age as her and sharing her dilemmas. This makes her efforts to fit in with the staff feel more endearing since she is going past her comfort zone in working with people she barely knows or understands while keeping a secret of her ties with her mother. No one is going to break the ice for her, she has to figure it out herself. One of the problems I have with the anime is that their is little to no foreshadowing for the subplots of the other characters. The subplots feel like they just happen to progress the story. For instance Teo isn't revealed to be frustrated with Nicoletta's lack of skills until the very end of the anime while Nicoletta's dilemma on her crush for Claudio is focused on the majority of the anime. I will give the anime credit for Nicoletta trying to see getting together with Claudio as her way of trying to find happiness for herself, but I wish the anime focused more on how she can bring herself happiness by finding a passion in her new career or in a new hobby. I also don't like how the anime makes romance seem more valuable then making personal connections between people. I don't think that just because you see a male and female character together with more screen time than any other pairings means that they should be together romantically. It just doesn't feel authentic that way. Overall this anime was a nice break from the fast mainstream anime and I recommend it for anyone who is getting sick of the isekai genre and just wants to see a story of people coming together and bringing the best out of one another in a fictional place tucked away somewhere in Rome.
P.S.
Gigi's best boy.
AuthorAce
First off I have to say that this slice of life anime, in my perspective, was absolutely amazing. Not only does it cover a unique, unpopular theme, enrapturing a young female MC who is surrounded by older, mature, middle-aged men, it also brings the viewers to see the element of romance and restaurants in another light. I chose to make my first review for this anime because it was one of the only ones till date that really amazed me beyond words. The story: in my opinion, was extremely creative. There were so many themes I was not familiar with but the way the story playedout really made me feel engaged with them after a while.
I started watching this anime uninterested, only because I had no other anime to watch, but it ended up becoming one of the anime I liked best.
The art: though not exactly extravagant, is really relaxing. After two episodes I found myself getting used to it. I guess the only problem I have with the art are the 3D scenes at some point, and the way the mouths are drawn. However this shouldn’t hinder the quality of the anime overall.
Sound: incredibly relaxing. The sounds, background music went extremely well with each scene, slow; pretty; romantic; it was classically relaxing.
Character: Nicoletta, as the female MC, was sketched out really well. We could understand her feelings towards her mother. The backstories provided for the other characters really helped a lot, too, to get us to be more familiar with them.
Enjoyment: no complaints here; the romantic atmosphere, the restaurant’s theme, the way everything slowly, slowly, but surely, develops; every character, theme, behavior, influenced the anime in the most positive way; at least to me.
Overall: I can say that I absolutely loved this anime. Slice of life isn’t really my type of genre but this one really captured my attention and influenced me to try more slice of life anime. I guess this is another reason why I think this anime is outstanding. It’s relaxing, it’s made for mature audiences; and I am confident that both men and women may enjoy this anime.
i_am_neni
I personally like it ... Its kind of relaxing watching per episode, maybe because its not fast paced kind of story but its not boring. Actually, I'm eager to watch the next episode, because I like the older gentlemen character, its different and its kind of unique. The story not too complicated, straightforward, and every character has it own story which is developing the story as it is. When you watch it, it gives you a vibes of an adulthood. The heroine is a young female though, but I think you're not gonna find a story where the heroine was surrounded by an older gentlemen except in thisone. Oyajicon... its not a familiar term, and actually I'm still digesting that term, although I like older guy but ... I think you have to watch it If you want to know what I mean 😜 (I dont want to spoil it)
I recommend it for those who want to watch an anime for an adult, slice of life, and romance genre.
Psychoholicx3
Honestly at first i didn't know if i would enjoy it, but at the end my day was pretty much perfect. It was my first time ever watching something as slow-paced as this anime, but i most definitely do not regret watching it. Honestly i'd watch it again anytime that i just want a calm and peacefull afternoon. The most facinating thing about Ristorante Paradiso was the music and the art. It's all very soothing, calm and gentle. The music fit perfectly with every scene while the art was calmingly slightly old fashioned. The lovely thing about the story for me was that i wasn't on theendge of my seat wanting to know really badly what happens in the next episode to the point where i wanted to skip the "boring" parts in a episode. I wanted to take my time. Enjoying each moment of an episode. It never got boring. It's a very lovely slow-paced anime that you can even only watch one episode a day just to calm down from a stressfull day.
All in all i loved it and honestly if i were ever in Rome i would be very tempted to see if the place really excisted. Lovely anime for both male and female.
DesolatePsyche
First things first. My "reviews" system is explained on a blog entry. Which can be found through my profile. ------ ✦Story It had very relaxing and chill storytelling. This anime gave me a feel of Anime called "Bartender" and a touch of a "Ikoku Meiro no Croisée The Animation", which were as well blissful series. Story is basically learning about characters in a peaceful tone. As Anime goes on, we learn about each character, their past and state of their love lives. We are also given some so called plot. Meaning this Anime has some "Main story" to it. Regarding the girl who started working at the restaurantthat the Anime is about. And as time passes, we also learn about her, her growth and as well some drama and her love interest.
Point stays, that the story here was very chill and satisfying. Slice-of-life with thematic and quirks. With a little bit of a Italiano.
But nevertheless I cannot give it over 7/10 for a very simple reason. It was a relaxing and enjoyable Anime, but I cannot say that the story gave me that extreme amount of a impression that I would rate it higher. I did enjoy it, had its quirks, drama, romance, relaxation, but my gut feeling doesn't allow it giving any higher. Which means I cannot explain why, but I simply didn't get impressed as much.
(7/10 is regarding "story")
✦Art & Sound
A bit unique art, with the whole restaurant thematic, foods and the life of a kitchen staff. With a service'y middle aged men with glasses as the main fetish. So In a sense I feel as it's service Anime for ladies that are into older men with glasses. Like the main girl of the series. But nevertheless the tone and the feeling I got out of this Anime visual aspect was very satisfying.
Sound, same story. Very relaxing, fitting and enjoyable tones.
✦Character
Bunch of types of middle-aged men. Caring ones, kind ones, aggressive ones, salty ones and so on. With the restaurant serving thematic, they were fitting. And considering the whole mood and the feel of the series, I found the characters were fitting and actually in general quite relaxing and enjoyable.
Of course we have our young girl that searches for her path and love. That all things considered is actually as well quite an enjoyable character.
Aside that we got bunch of satisfying side-characters and some drama in between of them and their pasts.
✦Enjoyment & Overall
I think I summed it up already. A very relaxing Italian restaurant themed Anime with a bunch of middle-aged men in glasses.
Coffee-Shop-Girl
The first things I really enjoyed about this anime was it's opening theme. It's usually the first thing that takes my interest in an anime, obviously not a deal breaker but this anime's theme was very enjoyable for me and relaxing. The style of the anime is different to what I had seen before and I for one really enjoyed it's style and it's storyline. All the characters were enjoyable which, for me, isn't always the case as most of the time there is at least one character that I don't really like but this anime has well rounded characters that I thoroughly enjoyed fordifferent reasons. Overall it's not a stressful anime or overly dramatic, it's storyline is interesting enough to keep me interested and is definitely one I'd watch again. A pretty chill anime that has a satisfactory ending.
Ghostflame2153
Tl;Dr Relaxing show about a young main character and the rest of the elder cast surrounding a restaurant. No action, no over the top drama, just a relaxing story with some fun and interesting characters. (Light spoilers ahead so watchout!) Now onto the breakdown! Story: I really enjoyed the story. So often nowadays, a show with a plot such as this would have some over the top drama happen and I was personally super worried about that happening... All of the main characters get developed pretty well. The only real thing I could point to here, would be at times it felt a bit jarring when the showdecided to focus on a different character and the main character felt missing.
Art and Sound: I dont have too much to say about either so I will lump em in. I enjoyed the soundtrack and the sound effects and for both good and bad nothing really stood out to me. And the art was really good, it matched the tone of the show well and rarely if ever underperformed.
Character: All of the characters are really interesting, and fleshed out. Some more than others of course, but even the more strange comic relief style characters are really interesting and likable.
Overall a super enjoyable and relaxing show. The main character I appreciated her role a lot as usually surrogate characters are just close enough or cliche enough to be able to turn your brain off when they are on screen or something, but nicoletta felt as if she was seeing a very similar world to me, and the characters faced that same world earlier and are trying to help her grow into her own.
This show ends up having something for everyone, whether your a college student about to embark on a similar journey as nicolleta, or someone already on that journey.
immosha
Ono Natsume works are largely hit-or-miss for me: I really liked ACCA, but deeply disliked House of Five Leaves. Unfortunately, Ristorante Paradiso falls into the latter category - falling further into the josei harem-ish demographic while providing even less interesting exposition. Simply put: this anime is boring. This may be a character-driven slice-of-life, but the direction and writing unfortunately do not captivate the audience at all. Presumably, it's the stories of young woman Nicoletta getting to know the elder employees of a restaurant and their interpersonal relationships, but most of the stories are... very mundane. Get over your ex-wife already! Justhave an honest conversation with your estranged mother! Thus, the corresponding dialogue also isn't groundbreaking and you just don't end up having much of an emotional connection to any of the characters.
The art is very reflective of Ono Natsume's art style, which isn't actually terrible if you're used to it, and the color scheme is quite warm and nice for an SoL set in Rome. Unfortunately, the slower pacing of dialogue and a lack of any aesthetically interesting shots (face close up to face close up to face close up) stifles any interest in really paying attention to the screen.
Unless you like old spectacled men. Then this is the 10/10 anime for you.
