- Genre : Comedy, drama, spiritual, slice of life, romance, rabbits, magical girl
- Episodes: 10
- Studio: Toei Animation
This one is going to be a little different. Maybe you can tell already because I usually reserve this part of my reviews for a series synopsis and instead I’m already editorializing. You see, I just know I’m not going to be able to review this show. Not like I usually do. The series may have cracked me just a tinge. I’m not going to be able to just sit here and tell you about the themes and techniques of this anime and try to explain what I liked about it and why you should watch it. Which is a shame because I do really want you to watch it and love it and do a much better job than me advertising it to your friends so they can watch and love it too. And eventually, maybe this will somehow reach anime industry execs and they will make more shows like this and it will make me very happy!
But I can’t. Because I don’t have the talent or words required to explain myself here. The task is at once too big and too personal to undertake. Every time I try the notions just slip through my brain fingers and end up a messy puddle at my feet. That’s not going to do anyone any good. So instead I’m going to scale back this post to something I might be able to handle. I’m going to try to give you a general idea of what Kyousougiga is. Or at least, what it was to me.
Kyousougia is a story about the past and how it has coiled tightly around three siblings. Oldest and dutiful brother Kuruma is trapped by it, middle sister Yase refuses to let go of it while youngest brother Yakushimaru is hopelessly lost in it. The present is here and gone, while the future may never exist at all, but the past is forever. So you need to make friends with it.
It’s a story about a beginning and an end. And a warning to not waste your life waiting for either.
Kyousougiga is about families and how we have a tendency to turn into our parents, with all the good and bad that implies. About how those deep bonds can chaff and comfort in turn. Hurt and support us. Show us the way and blind us. And it’s up to us to make the best of it.
Kyousougiga is a deeply brutal story that highlights how unfair and uncaring the world is. How fickle and random fortune can be. It’s a series that doesn’t shy away from some of the more unpleasant realities of life and shows us how trauma can ravage a soul for years. It even delves into the tiny mundane tragedies of slowly becoming someone who you don’t quite recognize. Of growing apart and weary.
It’s a story about how deeply disappointing love can be.
Kyousougiga is a show about a spunky magical girl with an indomitable spirit and a gigantic hammer that is ready to tear the very fabric of reality apart to find her family and delights in each adventure she has along the way.
It’s a series that’s charmingly optimistic, never losing faith the people are generally good and as such, they will eventually accomplish good. That happiness is possible even in impossible circumstances. That there is a soft and brilliant dream waiting to comfortably cradle each dreamer in turn, we just need to keep looking until we find it.
Kyousougiga constantly references Alice both in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. And just like those classics (some of my favourites might I add), it takes up the themes of feeling helpless in a society that imposes its morals and views upon you but not knowing what to do about it, or even if anything should be done. In turn, languishing and rebelling against the status quo.
There is a song by Vampire Weekend called Ya Hey and one of the lyrics goes:
“The faithless they don’t love you
The zealous hearts don’t love you
And that’s not gonna change”
And it reminds me a whole lot of this show.
When I was in school I lost a parent and last year I lost my dog. This show made me miss both terribly and for that, I am very grateful.
Kyousougiga is an odd show. I think it will either resonate with a viewer or it won’t and I suspect it’s a very individual experience so you should probably watch it for yourself.
Also, it has really great ragdoll animation and fantastic colours. It’s only 10 episodes and I couldn’t keep my screencaps under 300. I tried, I just really like the look of this show.
But even better than that, is the sound design. It was masterful and atmosphere enhancing. Just glorious sound design that really elevated a number of episodes. I really liked the ED and OP as well. I’m going to throw them in here so you can hear for yourself.
Ok. I think I manage to shake all those feels off, it was getting a bit overwhelming there.
TLDR: I liked Kyousougiga A Lot!
Favourite character: Yase (but Myoue is a great name!)
What this anime taught me: Always listen to anime recommendations from commentators…
“I may not be your cup of tea but I could totally be your 10th shot of Tequilla”
Suggested drink: Hammer of the Gods
- Every time anyone says Sensei – take a sip
- Every time we see a rabbit motif – cheer!
- Every time anyone cries – cry too (it feels good once in a while)
- Every time any of the ladies resolve their issues through violence – take a sip
- Every time anyone refers to the outside world – take a sip
- Every time everything goes back to how it was – status quo
- Every time we see beyond the looking glass – take a reasonable sip
- Every time Yase turns into a demon – take a sip
- Every time we see Myoue’s prayer beads – take a sip
- Every time it’s snowing – get a blankie
- Every time there’s a fire – get some water
- Every time someone says “probably” – take a sip
- Every time my heart delicately breaks – take a sip
I really encourage you to watch this series. It may be a bit confusing for some and maybe you’ll think it’s a waste of time but if it resonates with you, there are a lot of treasures to takeaway. And then, you can go see my Pinterest board cause it is huge!
This show looks pretty ! I need to watch it .
I loved it but it’s an acquired
This sounds amazing, I’ll have to put it on the watchlist!
Also, I’m sorry about your parent and your dog, it’s painful to lose loved ones. My black labrador, who was 16 years old, just passed away this week and it’s brutal.
Oh no. All my sympathies. All my thoughts go out to you. I hope you get to remember mostly the happy times soon
“But I can’t. Because I don’t have the talent or words required to explain myself here. The task is at once too big and too personal to undertake. ”
It had the same impact on me. I thought about teasing out my favorite quote, or favorite moment, and the whole episode ended in the queue.
So I’m left either saying, “It’s beautiful.”
Or I try to write a novel and fail. Such a thing is well beyond what I can do.
So I’ll stick with “It’s beautiful.”
Good review crow! That’s exactly what it is
One can’t promote this show enough.
I remember loving the early OVA/ONAs, though they felt incoherent and weird. So when they announced the TV series I was both excited and frightened (it would have been so easy to explain too much or too little). Well, the TV series came together splendidly.
Also, this is one of the few shows I almost never hear anything negative about. Granted, I don’t hear people talk about it often, but most people who do talk about it seem excited.
And finally: I really want Matsumoto Rie to direct another anime. I’ll be there for it, if it happens.
Agreed. We should see more of her work. On fact I should look up her credits
It really was such a special anime series. Feels like a once in a life time kind of show.
There are few series you can properly compare it to