The Beauty Of Simplicity And Poetry In Three Special Anime Series.

Let be beginn by telling you that I am a Anime-Fan for quite some time now. I think I came into it by Elfen Lied back in 2009. It was the first time, were I really went into full fanatic Fanboy-overdrive – and hopefully it will be the last time. After that followed some intense months, were I watched a great amount of Anime, found new favorites, had some smaller outbursts of Fangasms and after a while the months changed into years. I was an Anime-Elitist for a while, before I dropped that and everything calmed down. I had phases were I lost interest for some time and focused more on games or books. But I always came back to check new series or continue ones I did not finish. I watched most of the great classics like Evangelion, Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Code Geass, Clannad, Death Note, Ghost in the Shell, Black Lagoon, Ergo Proxy and so many more.

I became less and less amazed, because newer series just couldn't keep up with the standards of these old pearls. While I do enjoy Slice of Life or Moe-Anime, to escape the bleak reality for a while, they are mostly nor really quality stories or settings. They did not amaze me or bruned themselves into my memory. There were some sparks that caught my interest like Youjo Senki, Attack on Titan 2, Kaiba – which I just watched this year - or Aria. But overall my interest in Anime did drop more and more, but never died. And this last season of 2018 brought me three series I not only enjoyed, but who also conquered a special place in my heart. They gave me not the new, fantastic excitement and emotions like Elfen Lied back in the day and I doubt there will be a series to ever reach this feeling again. Despite that they inspired me, gave me hope, warmed my soul and I think I will treasure them for the future.

These three series are Konohana Kitan, Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou (Gilrs Last Tour) and Mahoutsukai no Yome (The Magus Bride).

They may seem different in tone and stories, but I still think they have similarities. All three are quiet and don't really focus on action or excitement. Also they are all more simplistic in nature and while I enjoy more epic stuff to like Attack on Titan, over the years I learned more and more the more minimal things. So what I will do next is to split this text into three parts, were I talk brief about each Anime and hopefully it will inspire you to watch them if you not have already.

Lets start:

Konohana Kitan:

The main focus of this Anime is an Inn for gods, spirits and even humans, that crossed the line over to the area of myths and legends. It is clearly inspired by the big bath house in Spirited Away and is run entirely by Youkai or Fox Girls to be precise. The main protagonist is Yuzu who is the new employer.

At fist glance is seems like a typical Slice-of-Life-Anime with cute Girls being cute and with no bigger overall story. Each episode stands for itself and has its own arc.

The characters are not really that deep and do fall in some tropes like the Tsundere or the Tomboy. There is also a lot of blatant Yuri in here, that goes way over just bating. For some this may be a negative, for others a positive.

But despite all this well known and even overused components Konohana Kitan manages to do something special. It is drenched in Japanese Folklore and has an more warming, inviting atmosphere that most other Anime in the Genre managed to pull of until now. Each story has something of an fairytale and by that I mean the more happier, lighter fairytales and not the original, gory and dark ones. I would go so far to call all of them quite clever with some really good plot-twists and with different characters, who at first seem to have no connection whatsoever with each other, but are all masterfully intertwined together at the end. It never gets overall dramatic, the warm atmosphere and the comedy are always present without getting in the way or disturb the more mythical parts. There are some tears here and there, but it never to overboard or in your face. Its calm. That a good word to describe it. Clam and fulfilling, like a sunny day in spring, were you sit in nature with no worries in your mind.

The characters themselves interact with each other in a sympathetic way and never really get annoying (this may depend if you like Tsunderes or not).

But the real star is Yuzu. At first she seems like a bland protagonist, that is clumsy and simple. But the charisma she puts off! Her voice actor manages to create such a quiet, soft voice that it melts your heart. She has clear principles, is open to everyone and feels so much joy each day with the new guests and her colleges. Since Akari in Aria did a Slice-of-Life protagonist not manage to pull off this sense of awe for everything in the world. If you watch Yuzu speak and interact, you will appreciate the world more together with her than before. In case you did not notice, I really like this little, cute Fox Girl.

Isn't she a little sweetheart?

The Animation is quite colorful like most Anime in this Genre, but never goes overboard. The characters wear traditional Japanese clothing, that is not to flashy and this style is everywhere in the show. And there are nice little details, like the fangs the girls have or them wiggling their tails. With that you always are reminded that they are not humans.

In conclusion I would say that Konohana Kitan manages to walk a good middle ground. It always does enough, to be as effective as possible, without falling into to much cliches or over dramatic scenes. Like I said it is calm and simplistic. Powerful without doing much.

A perfect show on bad days, to lighten you up and to give some warmth into ones heart.

Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou (Girls Last Tour):

This is when you take Blame!, Kino's Journey and Moe-Blobs and through them into a mixer with some philosophy.

On a destroyed earth with gigantic, multi-layerd cities, were a long winter is about to freeze everything, food and other supplies are running low and all life is about to end. Two girls on an armored bike drive through the ruins, living day by day, try to survive and await the ultimate end.

Its a quiet apocalypse. Most of the fighting has died down. Wast areas are with no living soul. The few survivors wander through the wastelands, trying to find any kind of meaning in these last days.

Sometimes even a post-apocalyptic landscape can look nice.

Our protagonists Yuuri and Chito do not encounters real danger most of the times. It is not about fighting of bandits or rough AI. Its a journey with no clear end (apart form their death), were they look for supplies, sometimes meet others and talk about the world.

Everything is gray and bleak. At first the scenes are full of snow with old factory buildings everywhere. But the more they go up the city, the more strange technologies and architecture they encounter – and some of the areas really could have come from Blame!. Of course, the colors do not change that much and it is clear that almost everything is dead. No plants, no animals, nothing. Only steel, stone and snow.

On contrast the girls are drawn very childlike and moe, which makes a sharp contrast with their surroundings. Yuuri is a more simple person, that goes right to the point, always wants to eat and is the stronger of the two. Chito on the other hand is more an intellectual, who collects books on the way and wants to preserve something of the old world. Both have arguments all the time about even mundane stuff.

Their understanding of the world around them is limited and their perspective differ greatly. So we have very poetic and sometimes even philosophic discussions about religion, life, death, civilization, memory etc.

I did really saw new angles to some of my daily interactions and thoughts thanks to this show.

While the setting itself is very depressing, the girls themselves enjoy just each day and do not really care. Someday they will die, but until then they will move forward and be there for each other. So yes, it has some optimistic tones.

The soundtrack is properly for me the best one of all three of these Anime. If you like Enya, this will be your slice of cake.

Its difficult to describe the emotions I had when watching Girls Last Tour. Loneliness, some existential crisis here and there, hopelessness. But none of these were crushing or negative. Somehow this series gives value to everything, even the more depressing stuff that we normally want to get rid off.

It is simply beautiful and like Konohana Kitan calm in its dark but charming way.

Mahoutsukai no Yome (The Magus Bride):

Probably the most famous of the three at the moment and the only one not finished at the point where I am writing this.

A half human and half demon magician buys a girl with a tormented past and makes her his apprentice and bride – just like the title suggests.

This might sound fucked up, but it is presented well and our protagonist Chise sold herself willingly off, just to have a place to be.

Mahoutsukai no Yome is basically about two socially broken individuals, that explore a world full of magic and start do depend on each other, while a chorus of fangirls in the real world scream from the sidelines.

The interactions between the two is for the most part very mature and doesn't fall into some typical Anime tropes or romantic cliches in general.

Well, love can have many forms.

Of the three series, here are the most dramatic scenes with real danger. Its even gets really gory and dark at some points. This Anime does not mess around and the lighthearted, colorful section go often over into more serious arcs. But the contrast is never to sharp and it does not feel out of place. This may be because there is always a feeling of melancholy in all of the characters and side stories, without breaking with its optimistic tone, that is more sober than in Konohana Kitan.

The production is gorgeous with fluid animations, great music and some really well composed scenes, like the entrance of Titania.

Mahoutsukai no Yome has its main focus on European folklore, were the Celtic and Nordic mythology seem to be the primary inspiration of the author, while Konohana Kitan was Japanese themed.

Despite some more hectic and even action filled section this Anime is also mostly calm and works on a more quiet, atmospheric level were it spends a lot if time with the characters, their feelings and interactions. It is clear that teenage girls are the main audience that is catered to here, but it is still a wonderful tale.

With all that said, I will end this text with some last notes.

I would say that I liked Konohana Kitan and Shuumatsu Ryokou more than Mahoutsukai no Yome, which may surprise some. But the distance between them is not that big. They are equally close to me and rekindled something in me, that sometimes seem to get lost.

The poetic tales and messages in each of these three Anime are just beautiful and they actual manage to shape the thoughts and emotions of their audience a little bit better, without being forced or preachy.

Their premises are simple, there is mostly nothing big at stake, its often about daily life, full of atmosphere, poetic dialogues and they just welcome the viewer each time with warm, open arms.

I can say, that I look at the world a little more brighter than before.

Of course they will not work with everyone, but I hope my text gave some tribute to these wonderful shows and encouraged some to check them out.

Have a nice day.

Seclarnor