Watching television shows is a blast for me. Okay I am not going to pretend I am a T.V. junkie but I have seen a ton of anime in the past year (80 and counting to be exact). It is a medium that I have come to appreciate a lot now that I am older (even though most anime are probably targeted towards teens and young adults... although I am only 22 so I guess I am the target audience). I have seen many different genres from harem, moe, action, drama, adventure, mystery, music, and of course slice of life. Out of the 80 shows I have seen, the one that I have enjoyed the most is Non Non Biyori, a simple slice of life show about a group of girls, ranging from 1st to 7th grade, that live on the countryside.
To be more exact with the story, Non Non Biyori mainly focuses on Hotaru Ichijou, a quiet and mature fifth grader, that has moved into the countryside from the big city of Tokyo. She is quiet tall and developed for her age. She is very calm and hardly acts childish. She has a bit of a crush (okay maybe an obsession is the right word) for Komari, an older classmate.
There isn't much in the wide and empty countryside besides the beautiful scenery. There is one bus, a candy store, a convenience store, and a school that holds five students (including Hotaru) with grade levels ranging from first to eighth grade. There she meets the rest of the cast.
Renge Miyauchi is a first grader with long purple twintails. She acts exactly how a first grader would. She is very curious with everything but she is also deadpan and expressionless at times that gives her a sense of mystery within her thoughts. She carries around a recorder and greets her friends with a "nyan-pasu."
Natsumi Koshigaya is a year older than Hotaru as she is in the sixth grade. She is a tall and tomboyish girl with little brown hair. She is the younger sister of Komari Koshigaya. She is a bit of a lazy girl who loves to play and mess around. She is the only one in the group that does poorly in school. She is the typical lazy middle schooler.
Lastly, we have Komari Koshigaya. The oldest of the main group, she is a seventh grader who is very short. She has a height complex and is teased a lot by her younger sister about her height and the fact that she is easily scared. She wants to act like an adult despite her childish thoughts and mannerisms. She aims to be a mature and wonderful adult lady by reading fashion magazines and eating grown up food.
There are plenty of other characters that are around the town but those are the main characters and the characters that the show mainly follows. Reading those quick descriptions, there does not seem to be a lot to this show on the surface. It is a slice of life after all. Slice of life shows are suppose to depict normal everyday life. But this is the first of many reasons why I love this show. The simplicity of the story and the show as a whole.
The simple story of four kids hanging out in the countryside is relaxing to watch. Nothing complex. Nothing confusing. Nothing crazy. Just a simple show about kids having fun. When I watch anime I usually enjoy watching a lot of different genres, but sometimes you need something slow and relaxing. Life is tough and some times I have long and tiring days. I do not want to watch something intense. Some times, I want something slow, relaxing, and fun and this show delivers on that.
There are many fun and silly moments throughout the show. In the first episode, Renge tries to whistle and call over her "secret" to Hotaru. Renge fails to produce any sound through her mouth and Natsumi feels unimpressed, but then a raccoon (which Renge named Gu) appears out of the bushes and everyone is impressed with what has happened. Natsumi is immediately impressed and Renge then brags that when she whistles again, Gu will do a trick. Renge then whistles immediately and well... everyone waits to see what Gu would do. A very exciting moment is then relinquished as Gu does not react to the whistle as all the characters stare at the raccoon in silence(scene here). There are many funny and cute moments like this throughout the show but the best part is the show's use of silence and pauses in funny and dramatic moments.
The scene described before is one case how silence is used to make comedic moments, but it is also used to bring some depth to moments and create sad scenes. In the second half of episode four, Renge is walking around the town and meets a new girl named Honoka, who is staying at her grandmother's place because she is visiting for the summer. Renge befriends her as they take pictures of everything with Honoka's camera and for most of the break they hang out all day everyday. They promise to hang out the next day and see a waterfall but when Renge goes to her grandmother's house, she finds out that Honoka had to leave unexpectedly and is not there anymore.
When she is told the news, the director takes the time to not only let it set in to Renge that Honoka left, but to let it sink in for us as well. Hearing news that your friend left unannounced is fairly big, especially if you're five. The camera gives us a head shot of Renge's face and for 15-20 seconds there is only the sounds of nature and Renge does not react immediately. The news is sinking in to her and the viewer. The moment of silence gives us time to think about what is happening and adds to the atmosphere of the scene. After a while a tear runs down Renge's cheek as she finally lets it out. The silence and pause allows the emotions to set in and we really get to understand the sadness that Renge is feeling (the scene is here, this is the best clip I could find on YouTube).
There are other technical aspects I enjoy. The animation is consistently good (although there are some parts here and there that are low quality). The backgrounds are fantastic to look at (here,here, and here). The soundtrack is great and fits the show well. Slow but relaxing music really puts you in the mood. You really feel like you are at the countryside with the characters. The sound and animation in the show is good but I believe the best part about this show is how relatable the characters are and the nostalgic feeling you get from them.
The best aspect of the main group (Hotaru, Renge, Komari, Natsumi) is that I can relate to them all. Yes, in some aspects I can relate to all four girls. I can understand how scary it can be for Hotaru to move into a completely new area. I am from Los Angeles and when I moved to San Jose for college it was pretty intimidating for me to be in a new area and the thought of trying to make new friends. I remember when I was five like Renge and I asked my mom a bunch of questions because I was curious about everything. I remember when I was in middle school like Komari and I wanted to learn how to do the dishes because I wanted to be grown-up and act like one. I remember when I was in middle school and I was lazy all day long like Natsumi and I didn't want to do my homework (okay that still happens now in college so I guess I am like Natsumi still). Seeing the characters act this way makes me remember my childhood a bit and how I acted exactly like them at times. Their personalities felt realistic and really let me connect to them. But it is not just them, but I can relate to a lot of the moments other supporting characters have.
Renge has two older sisters, one of which goes by Hikage Miyauchi (the middle child). In one scene, Hikage comes back for summer vacation from high school in the big city of Tokyo. She tries to brag about her time on a fancy train but is undone when Hotaru and crew come to stop. Hotaru drops the bomb on everyone when she reveals she has ridden on a plane. Everyone flips out and Renge, Natsumi, and Komari immediately take Hoatru away to ask her all about the plane ride as Hikage is left alone with no one to talk about the train. I can relate to almost everyone in this scene.
I remember acting like Hikage when I was a kid. Anytime where I beat a level in a game or did anything before anyone else, I would try to brag and show off. Its just want kids do, show off and try to look like the coolest person in the room. But I also remember acting like Renge, Natsumi, and Komari when I found out someone I knew did something "cool." I would immediately be impressed and ask them all about it. It scenes like this that remind me how silly I was as a kid. How I try to be cool and how I was impressed with the most silly and trivial things in life. But what I really love about this show is how much depth some moments have that make them genuinely sweet and touching.
Non Non Biyori has moments that reach a level of depth that are just so sincere, that it will make anyone cry. In one of the later episodes, Renge wants to learn how to ride a bike without training wheels. Kaede Kagayama (or candy store, the nickname she is given) teaches her how to ride a bike. Now I know a lot of the emotions comes from the viewer already understanding Candy Store and Renge's relationship and their close bond that is similar to a parent and a child but the scene is just done so well. The progression Renge goes through as she falls and fails and eventually rides on her own. Candy Store watching Renge ride away and not coming back symbolizes how Renge is growing up and does not need Candy Store's help as much now. And the music to set in the sober but sweet tone that the scene is going for is amazing. The show takes simple moments like this and adds a deeper level of emotion to them that make it incredibly sincere and relatable to the viewer.
These simple moments make the show relatable but other moments give the viewer a feeling of nostalgia. In episode 13, Hotaru is hanging out with the rest of the group as she is being taught about a game made by the others. It consisted of each person using a pencil to push the other person's ruler off the table. They later discuss rules and strategies that they made up as they try to defeat Natsumi and Komari's older brother (scene). This scene perfectly describes how a child plays... they just make up some simple and silly game and enjoy themselves.
I remember when I was in elementary school I made up a "shoe-tossing" game. The rule was that you got on a swing and tried to swing as high as possible. Then you use your foot to toss your shoe as far as you could and the furthest one won. There were other variations of the game like who could try it further backwards and if they could hit certain landmarks. I played this game with my brother and my friends and we had a blast. When I watch that ruler scene I can't help but remember when I was a kid playing that shoe-tossing game and making up rules and strategies. Creating games with the little technology I had as a kid. It really take me back.
And watching this show throughout the past summer, it hit me why I loved it... it reminds me when I was a foolish kid. Watching these characters do silly things reminded me of childhood and how simple it was. I didn't need anything fancy to have fun I just needed my friends. Watching this show reminded me how simple life was back then. How I didn't have any worries. How I had fun with anything around me. How I was foolish, naive, and curious about the world. How I reminded myself, as a 22 year old soon to be college graduate, how fun my childhood was. When I watched this anime I wasn't the 22 year old college student... I was the little kid that had no stress in life and enjoyed himself. And in those moments, watching each episode, it was like I was a kid again... and I loved every second of it.
Feel free to comment on anything with this post and blog, I accept all forms of comments whether they are critical or not :) I hope you enjoyed it!
To be more exact with the story, Non Non Biyori mainly focuses on Hotaru Ichijou, a quiet and mature fifth grader, that has moved into the countryside from the big city of Tokyo. She is quiet tall and developed for her age. She is very calm and hardly acts childish. She has a bit of a crush (okay maybe an obsession is the right word) for Komari, an older classmate.
There isn't much in the wide and empty countryside besides the beautiful scenery. There is one bus, a candy store, a convenience store, and a school that holds five students (including Hotaru) with grade levels ranging from first to eighth grade. There she meets the rest of the cast.
Renge Miyauchi is a first grader with long purple twintails. She acts exactly how a first grader would. She is very curious with everything but she is also deadpan and expressionless at times that gives her a sense of mystery within her thoughts. She carries around a recorder and greets her friends with a "nyan-pasu."
Natsumi Koshigaya is a year older than Hotaru as she is in the sixth grade. She is a tall and tomboyish girl with little brown hair. She is the younger sister of Komari Koshigaya. She is a bit of a lazy girl who loves to play and mess around. She is the only one in the group that does poorly in school. She is the typical lazy middle schooler.
Lastly, we have Komari Koshigaya. The oldest of the main group, she is a seventh grader who is very short. She has a height complex and is teased a lot by her younger sister about her height and the fact that she is easily scared. She wants to act like an adult despite her childish thoughts and mannerisms. She aims to be a mature and wonderful adult lady by reading fashion magazines and eating grown up food.
There are plenty of other characters that are around the town but those are the main characters and the characters that the show mainly follows. Reading those quick descriptions, there does not seem to be a lot to this show on the surface. It is a slice of life after all. Slice of life shows are suppose to depict normal everyday life. But this is the first of many reasons why I love this show. The simplicity of the story and the show as a whole.
The simple story of four kids hanging out in the countryside is relaxing to watch. Nothing complex. Nothing confusing. Nothing crazy. Just a simple show about kids having fun. When I watch anime I usually enjoy watching a lot of different genres, but sometimes you need something slow and relaxing. Life is tough and some times I have long and tiring days. I do not want to watch something intense. Some times, I want something slow, relaxing, and fun and this show delivers on that.
There are many fun and silly moments throughout the show. In the first episode, Renge tries to whistle and call over her "secret" to Hotaru. Renge fails to produce any sound through her mouth and Natsumi feels unimpressed, but then a raccoon (which Renge named Gu) appears out of the bushes and everyone is impressed with what has happened. Natsumi is immediately impressed and Renge then brags that when she whistles again, Gu will do a trick. Renge then whistles immediately and well... everyone waits to see what Gu would do. A very exciting moment is then relinquished as Gu does not react to the whistle as all the characters stare at the raccoon in silence(scene here). There are many funny and cute moments like this throughout the show but the best part is the show's use of silence and pauses in funny and dramatic moments.
The scene described before is one case how silence is used to make comedic moments, but it is also used to bring some depth to moments and create sad scenes. In the second half of episode four, Renge is walking around the town and meets a new girl named Honoka, who is staying at her grandmother's place because she is visiting for the summer. Renge befriends her as they take pictures of everything with Honoka's camera and for most of the break they hang out all day everyday. They promise to hang out the next day and see a waterfall but when Renge goes to her grandmother's house, she finds out that Honoka had to leave unexpectedly and is not there anymore.
When she is told the news, the director takes the time to not only let it set in to Renge that Honoka left, but to let it sink in for us as well. Hearing news that your friend left unannounced is fairly big, especially if you're five. The camera gives us a head shot of Renge's face and for 15-20 seconds there is only the sounds of nature and Renge does not react immediately. The news is sinking in to her and the viewer. The moment of silence gives us time to think about what is happening and adds to the atmosphere of the scene. After a while a tear runs down Renge's cheek as she finally lets it out. The silence and pause allows the emotions to set in and we really get to understand the sadness that Renge is feeling (the scene is here, this is the best clip I could find on YouTube).
There are other technical aspects I enjoy. The animation is consistently good (although there are some parts here and there that are low quality). The backgrounds are fantastic to look at (here,here, and here). The soundtrack is great and fits the show well. Slow but relaxing music really puts you in the mood. You really feel like you are at the countryside with the characters. The sound and animation in the show is good but I believe the best part about this show is how relatable the characters are and the nostalgic feeling you get from them.
The best aspect of the main group (Hotaru, Renge, Komari, Natsumi) is that I can relate to them all. Yes, in some aspects I can relate to all four girls. I can understand how scary it can be for Hotaru to move into a completely new area. I am from Los Angeles and when I moved to San Jose for college it was pretty intimidating for me to be in a new area and the thought of trying to make new friends. I remember when I was five like Renge and I asked my mom a bunch of questions because I was curious about everything. I remember when I was in middle school like Komari and I wanted to learn how to do the dishes because I wanted to be grown-up and act like one. I remember when I was in middle school and I was lazy all day long like Natsumi and I didn't want to do my homework (okay that still happens now in college so I guess I am like Natsumi still). Seeing the characters act this way makes me remember my childhood a bit and how I acted exactly like them at times. Their personalities felt realistic and really let me connect to them. But it is not just them, but I can relate to a lot of the moments other supporting characters have.
Renge has two older sisters, one of which goes by Hikage Miyauchi (the middle child). In one scene, Hikage comes back for summer vacation from high school in the big city of Tokyo. She tries to brag about her time on a fancy train but is undone when Hotaru and crew come to stop. Hotaru drops the bomb on everyone when she reveals she has ridden on a plane. Everyone flips out and Renge, Natsumi, and Komari immediately take Hoatru away to ask her all about the plane ride as Hikage is left alone with no one to talk about the train. I can relate to almost everyone in this scene.
I remember acting like Hikage when I was a kid. Anytime where I beat a level in a game or did anything before anyone else, I would try to brag and show off. Its just want kids do, show off and try to look like the coolest person in the room. But I also remember acting like Renge, Natsumi, and Komari when I found out someone I knew did something "cool." I would immediately be impressed and ask them all about it. It scenes like this that remind me how silly I was as a kid. How I try to be cool and how I was impressed with the most silly and trivial things in life. But what I really love about this show is how much depth some moments have that make them genuinely sweet and touching.
Non Non Biyori has moments that reach a level of depth that are just so sincere, that it will make anyone cry. In one of the later episodes, Renge wants to learn how to ride a bike without training wheels. Kaede Kagayama (or candy store, the nickname she is given) teaches her how to ride a bike. Now I know a lot of the emotions comes from the viewer already understanding Candy Store and Renge's relationship and their close bond that is similar to a parent and a child but the scene is just done so well. The progression Renge goes through as she falls and fails and eventually rides on her own. Candy Store watching Renge ride away and not coming back symbolizes how Renge is growing up and does not need Candy Store's help as much now. And the music to set in the sober but sweet tone that the scene is going for is amazing. The show takes simple moments like this and adds a deeper level of emotion to them that make it incredibly sincere and relatable to the viewer.
These simple moments make the show relatable but other moments give the viewer a feeling of nostalgia. In episode 13, Hotaru is hanging out with the rest of the group as she is being taught about a game made by the others. It consisted of each person using a pencil to push the other person's ruler off the table. They later discuss rules and strategies that they made up as they try to defeat Natsumi and Komari's older brother (scene). This scene perfectly describes how a child plays... they just make up some simple and silly game and enjoy themselves.
I remember when I was in elementary school I made up a "shoe-tossing" game. The rule was that you got on a swing and tried to swing as high as possible. Then you use your foot to toss your shoe as far as you could and the furthest one won. There were other variations of the game like who could try it further backwards and if they could hit certain landmarks. I played this game with my brother and my friends and we had a blast. When I watch that ruler scene I can't help but remember when I was a kid playing that shoe-tossing game and making up rules and strategies. Creating games with the little technology I had as a kid. It really take me back.
And watching this show throughout the past summer, it hit me why I loved it... it reminds me when I was a foolish kid. Watching these characters do silly things reminded me of childhood and how simple it was. I didn't need anything fancy to have fun I just needed my friends. Watching this show reminded me how simple life was back then. How I didn't have any worries. How I had fun with anything around me. How I was foolish, naive, and curious about the world. How I reminded myself, as a 22 year old soon to be college graduate, how fun my childhood was. When I watched this anime I wasn't the 22 year old college student... I was the little kid that had no stress in life and enjoyed himself. And in those moments, watching each episode, it was like I was a kid again... and I loved every second of it.
Feel free to comment on anything with this post and blog, I accept all forms of comments whether they are critical or not :) I hope you enjoyed it!
