Midterm Review of Winter 2019 Anime by Anime Writers [Anime Column].

Interim review of new TV anime starting in January 2019. The "Comic Yurihime" serial "Watashi ni Tenshi ga Mukerita!" and "Young Animal" serialization, "Kaguya-sama ga Kesshirasai ~Tensai-tachi no Koi Toushi no Aizu Senkou Sensetsu~," which will be made into a live-action movie, the popular media-mix "Meiji Tokei Kougyou" and the voice training anime "Midnight Voice Training Boys".

An angel descended on me!

After waking up from a second nap in the early afternoon, the main character, Miyako Hoshino, slips out of bed and goes to the refrigerator to fish out the French toast she soaked the day before. This is a vivid introduction that shows that for those who have no need to go out, the world is from their room to the refrigerator, but Miyako's sphere of activity gradually expands when she falls in love at first sight with Hana Shirasaki, a fifth-grade girl who is a classmate of her younger sister Hinata.
At first, Miyako is only depicted spending time at home, but in episode 4, she builds a vinyl pool in her yard and sets off with Hana to a neighborhood festival. Then, in episode 6, a shocking revelation is made about Miyako, and she heads off to the most remote place she has ever been. This orientation toward the outside is not unrelated to the fact that when she first meets Hana, the front door is wide open. She is sure to continue to go outward and outward.
In the first place, the main character in anime with the name "Hoshino" is usually expected to leave the earth and play an active role in space. How far is "Mya-sister" allowed to expand her realm? I would like to watch over her with a prayer of thanksgiving.

Ms. Ueno is clumsy

In this 15-minute animation, Ms. Ueno, the head of the science club at her junior high school, uses her outlandish inventions to make a fierce appeal to Tanaka, a junior who has a crush on her. Mr. Ueno's inventions include "Rokka-kun," which turns any dirty water into clean water, "Kumatander No. 2," which creates an absolutely invisible space, and "Ueno 13," an android that looks just like him, all of which are first-class products that transcend modern science.
Although Mr. Ueno is such a mad scientist, his expressions of affection are also out of the ordinary, such as when he tries to make her drink her own filtered urine in the first episode, and for some reason, episodes related to bodily fluids are prominent in the series, which is a good impression. Although the tastes of the audience would be categorized in the "maniac" section of the rental video store, the pop design and high-tension theatricality make this a naturally enjoyable work.

Kaguya-sama ga Tsurenasai ~Love Brain Battle of Geniuses

Set at Shuchiin Academy, a prestigious school where the world's elite gather, this romantic comedy features Kaguya Shigumiya, vice president of the student council, and Gyoko Shiragin, president, in a battle of wits to get the other to confess first. The anime is also packed with such fun surprises.
The OP theme is by Masayuki Suzuki aka Martin. The marriage of the king of love songs singing the theme song of a romantic comedy surprised us from the very beginning. The film is filled with narration explaining the head-to-head battle in a profound tone of voice, unexpected parodies and background music, and a fantastic ED animation and special ED. Kaguya's signature line, "Okairei Iikoto ......," also has a different taste each time, making every detail unmissable.

Meiji Toikou Kougyou

This is a love story in which a modern high school girl, Mei Ayatsuki, travels back in time to "Toukyou" in the Meiji era (1868-1912) and encounters great historical figures. The characters are based on real people, and the culture of the Meiji era is also depicted in the story. The meal scenes are especially impressive, with everyone poking beef in a pot, Mori Ogai serving manju chazuke, and Izumi Kyoka frying anpan with an alcohol lamp, which makes you wonder why you want to try it.
The highlight is the sixth episode, "Dream and Passion Erector. The song "Elektel Show," which sings about the importance of electricity, has a unique rhythmic feel that draws you into its strangely addictive nature, and the rhythmic choreography of Mei, now an SD character, is so pleasant that it is no wonder that Yukichi Fukuzawa decided to invest in the company.

Midnight Voice Training Boys

In this short animation, the king of the voice training world, Tei Moriyama, gives special training to a male character who personifies the vocabulary of voice training. The animation is composed of a standing picture and several illustrations, a technique often seen in recent five-minute episodes.
Tei Moriyama's voice training is extremely aggressive, as he pretends to be a baby and makes birth cries, performs a fast breathing dog breath, and breaks disposable chopsticks held in his buttocks. Combined with his educational zeal and glossy illustrations, there is a somewhat bewitching atmosphere in the lesson scenes. When the voice training reaches its climax, the "voice ecstasy" cries become more and more addictive. The show is currently being broadcast on terrestrial TV Kanagawa. You must watch it even if you have to cross the Tama River to see it.

(Text by Katsunori Takahashi)

(C) Natsu Mukunoki, Ichijinsha/Watataten Production Committee
(C) tugeneko, Hakusensha/Ueno-san is clumsy Production Committee
(c) Akasaka Aka/Shueisha/Kaguya-sama wa narusarasai Production Committee
(c) LOVE&ART/Meikoi Production Committee