The Great Passage Review

One of my favorite genres in anime is the Slice of Life genre which explores the issues that can be found in everyday life and gives avid watchers a nice needed break from all the crazy content anime gives us. A recent show that I fell in love with is Fune Wo Amu also known as The Great Passage by Studio Zexcs. Most of us would describe most anime as a race, intense and competitive but The Great Passage isn't like that at all; it's better described as a leisurely stroll through the park. I'll explain what I mean later below so lets get into this, shall we?

REMINDER

• There may be spoilers (can't really tell)
• Synopsis down below for those of you who need it
• Skip synopsis if you don't need it

Synopsis

This story is about a shy quiet man by the name of Mitsuya. He works in the sales department at his publishing company but he's obviously chosen the wrong path. That's when he meets a fellow co-worker named Masashi who's also in the sales department but sees that Mitsuya would be a better fit somewhere else. Masashi introduces Mitsuya to the dictionary department which holds only three members. The department learns about Mitsuya's talent for definitions and editing so soon they hire him to work in the dictionary department and that's where our story takes off!

Story

So what do I mean by leisurely stroll. Instead of being fast paced and full of twists and turn, this show decides to take its time to tell its story. That's pretty difficult considering that this show only runs for 11 episodes. Many people (including some of you) probably feel that 11 episodes is not enough to execute a story properly but I think that 11 episodes was the right number of episodes for this show. It fully explored every topic it needed to explore (more or less) and that's due to its good pacing. This story centers around the lives of the members of the dictionary department as they work to complete their dictionary, "The Great Passage." The show encompasses around 15 years from the point Mitsuya joins the department until the books completion. Because we cover so much time, a lot of things are covered. The show never gets boring (in my opinion of course) because there are plenty of problems that come along the way just as in ordinary life. So why does it also feel so gentle and slow paced even though so much time passes. I think this is because the approach to the show is very peaceful. Plenty of internal monologues and talking things out. This show isn't a wild roller coaster of emotions like a romantic drama or a shonen. It's a show meant to help us think about our position in life and contemplate what we should live for.

One thing I love is how the show focuses on the individual as much as the entire dictionary department. Characters get a chance to share their thoughts and not just be 1 dimensional. Mitsuya, being the main character gets most of that spotlight but the supporting cast gets a good portion to demonstrate their views and personality. You see that this show isn't just about making "The great passage"; It's about the entire lives of this cast and their dedication to this project which acts as the glue that sticks them together. This story includes romance and dramatic situations, just like in real life where there are multiple things going on in one's life. Time with individuals opens up the show to another layer by giving us more than just dictionary making. That's not to say that the time the group is together is bad. I'm enjoying the show just as much when they're together working on the dictionary. The struggles of making a dictionary from the ground up was interesting to experience. Seeing the chemistry between the characters as the show progresses was good. When the show covers 15 years, you expect things to be different from point A to point B. Good pacing and good content make this show awesome. 

Characters

I enjoy this lovely cast of characters that make the show feel real. My biggest compliment is that the characters all feel natural. No character feels rushed or put in a situation just for the hell of it. Everyone plays a role which does differ in importance but are necessary none the less. They have great chemistry as I said earlier which helps the show flow smoothly without too many awkward scenes. Character development is another issue. I can't say the character development is awesome. Characters get plenty of screen time but not enough to justify 15 years passing us in the blink of an eye. Mitsuya gets the most development which is fairly decent. He doesn't learn to be any more social but he learns to take action and work hard for what he's passionate about. Seeing Mitsuya being a bit of a leader isn't something you'd expect when first watching the show but seeing that development made me happy for Mitsuya. The other characters don't really get character development; they're not 1 dimensional people as i said previously but the amount of change they go through compared to Mitsuya is significant so I have to deduct points for that.

Music

The music reflects the show wonderfully. The majority of the music is orchestral, using woodwind, string, brass instruments, and piano. Most of the music has a peaceful tempo similar to the show's feel since it covers a vast amount of time and has a simple approach to the issues of life. The music is great at enhancing emotions or the situation at hand. For example, in moments of deep thought, the show plays music to represent that or when the show is expressing a moment of success, the show will play music that sounds victorious. I can't say this is the best music of all time, but its music that does its job and is enjoyable to listen to. 

Animation

The animation for The Great Passage is lovely. It gives off a mature feel. Nothing crazy is done with the animation because this is a slice of life show so the show wants to reflect real life as much as possible. It uses a lot of soft colors; nothing vibrant is used like bright yellows or pastels. I wouldn't say the color palette is monotone but it's somewhere in that direction. The character designs are also pretty mature. There are no big eyes or moe girls; Everyone looks mature and simpler. The movement of the animation is decent. I didn't notice any sloppy movement; for the majority of the show, the movement is natural and flows nicely. The art direction on the other hand is average. There are some nice moments of imagery with the ferris wheel and the ocean of words that Mitsuya has to deal with but that's pretty much it. There aren't any crazy camera angles or deep symbolism but overall, the show's animation is great. 

Final Verdict

Technical Score- 7.5 out of 10 (C)

Overall, I thought this was a good show. I'm a big fan of Slice of Life shows and I enjoyed every moment of The Great Passage. The story is good and perfect for watching without a care; A thought provoking story that makes you think about your position in life. A wonderful cast supports the show like pillars supporting a building. The music gives the show a gentle touch that compliments the show's very nature and the animation is nice to look at and presents a mature nature that is perfect for the show. 

Personal Score- 7.9 out of 10 (C+)

I personally enjoyed this show because I enjoy most slice of life shows. I like shows that make me ponder about myself and help me reflect on stuff. If you want to take a breather and watch a pleasant show that may even lead you into a little bit of tears, this is an excellent show to see. If this show Isn't your cup of tea, then what the hell are you even doing here!

I hope you guys enjoyed this post! Leave a comment down below about what you think about this show and if you like what I do, then consider following the blog or check out my Youtube Channel, GiraffePants Anime for more content. That's all guys, hope you enjoyed and I'll see you on the next post.