I feel like it's been a while since I've started with the title screen, but... Here we go~

This week I’ll be reviewing Kamichu!. It’s a slice of life series that aired from June to September of 2005, for a run of twelve episodes. Following this there were four more episodes on DVD. I’ll be covering the full sixteen episode series in this review. Now, Kamichu! is a title I really like, and I guess that’s kind of telling on my overall tastes in anime, since Kamichu! and Aria rank among my favorite anime (I’ll probably cover Aria next week). Before I get into the real meat of the show (.. what little there is, I suppose) there are some important facts to consider before watching a show like this.

First off, this is a slice of life show. By that I mean the prevailing genre here is slice of life. It’s not like some other shows I covered, like maybe Nichijou (literally means daily life) which is party slice of life but mostly gag comedy. Nor is it on the same level as something like Ano Natsu de Matteru or Papa no Iukoto wo Kikanasai! which have slice of life elements as a backdrop to the drama (Ano Natsu) or comedy (Papakiki). Kamichu! is more a slice of life in the most traditional sense, more similar to something like Natsume Yuujinchou (they share strong Japanese cultural themes). As such, Kamichu!, like Aria, is boring.

That doesn’t mean it’s not enjoyable to watch, but if you’re expecting to be falling out of your seat at the humor, or swooning at the romance, or crying at the drama, or on the edge of your seat at the suspense, this is not the show for you. It’s a normal show about a normal girl (… kinda. We’ll get to that) who does things that a girl her age and in her position would do.  The setting may be a bit fantastical, but by and large it’s just her daily life. With that in mind, let’s get down to business. Continue reading »