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.

Film Theory & Art Direction: March Comes in Like a Lion

Now that the Fall 2016 season is over with we can look forward to a bunch of new exciting anime to blow our minds but even before that I have to talk about a lot of shows that I witnessed during the past year. One of those is March Comes in Like a Lion. I'm not doing a review on this show because it's only halfway done but I can't help but write about this show a little so I thought it would be a great idea to talk about one of the show's strong points; its art direction. I hope you guys are ready for some film theory and deep analysis (if you're not, read anyway because why not!) because I have a lot of good things to talk about.

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS (maybe...)

Before I begin, I'm assuming you know what I'm talking about but if you don't here is a little synopsis (Skip to the next subheading if you know the story):

Rei Kiriyama is a 17-year-old boy who recently started living alone, financed by his salary as a professional Shogi player. Despite his independence, however, he's yet to mature emotionally, and his problems continue to haunt him in his daily life. His relationship with his adoptive family is strained, and he has difficulties interacting with his fellow high school students. Meanwhile, his professional career has entered a slump. Burdened with the heavy expectations placed on him as the fifth to become pro in middle school, his wins and losses are fluctuating as his record and progression into the ranks begin to stagnate.

Acquainted with Rei are the three Kawamoto sisters: Akari, Hinata, and Momo. Unlike Rei, they live happily in their modest home, which they warmly welcome Rei into as if he were one of their own. Despite his reservations about becoming too close to the family, he frequently visits, interacting with them and receiving the kind of care and affection he never quite had while under his foster home.This is the story of Rei's triumphs and failures, relationships new and old, and his growth as a person

-Information provided by: MyAnimeList

Attention to Detail

The first thing I want to talk about is the detail put into the simplest of scenes. If you don't think small attention to details matter then let me tell you, YOU ARE DEAD WRONG!!! Detail can elevate a show to monstrous proportions if done right. It's like when you watch Inception (by the way, great movie) and start picking up on little clues to unfold the story before they tell you. March Comes in Like a Lion is good at putting in subtle scenes that perfectly describe the situation at hand.  

This next picture will be a perfect example but first some context:

Before the following scene, our main character Rei is having a match against a fellow shogi professional who's career isn't going to well. His career is bad to the point where he results to drinking and gambling. Because of this, he now faces a divorce from his wife who can't take anymore of his BS. While Rei and the man play, we might not be sure who is winning but then comes the scene that describes what's going on. 

Rei's side shows a perfectly clean tray but on the other side, the man's tray is contains spilled bottles and some water all over the tray. We can clearly understand the situation thanks to this single frame that anyone can overlook. The man is obviously frustrated and anxious. as we continue the scene, we begin the scene you'll see that Rei is taking control of the game while the man is being backed into a corner. Scenes like these can really tell you what's happening without spelling it out for you and that's a mark of a good show. 

Artistic Decisions Done Right

Now let's get into a little bit of film theory. Continuing with the previous scene I was talking about, the man Rei is playing against is on the losing side of things and then we see this scene.

This is another great scene that shows how powerless the man is to the talent of Rei. In this scene, we see the man looking down towards the shogi board but his body only covers about 10% of the screen. His small size represents how powerless the man is compared to Rei. Rei is represented by the light above the man's head because Rei's talent is bright and prodigious. The light hangs above the man to say that Rei is above him or in a position of power. I could be reading too much into it but then again, who knows what the director was thinking when making this. Okay onto another example. 

Let's get into some more context:

This next scene takes place in an episode prior to the last one where Rei plays against an old man who's career as a shogi player is just abysmal. He plays mediocre at his best and terrible at his worst. This match happens to be important for both Rei and the old man because Rei's income as a shogi player is at stake and the old man intends to retire if he loses. The old man realizes that his chances of winning are slim so instead he accepts that his career will be ended at the hands of Rei. The old man states, followed by the next scene.

 "I could only think of you as a grim reaper, come to close the curtain on my life as a shogi player."

This is another great artistic scene. at first it just looks like Rei silhouetted by a bright light in the background but there's a lot of meaning here. First, the light. The light in the background represents the afterlife. We know this because the old man refers to Rei as being a reaper so we can imply that the light is meant to show the end of his career. Rei's face is black and covered by shadows to give a sense of mysteriousness, power, and supernatural prowess. The purpose of this scene is to strengthen the statement made by the old man and it does just that. 

This show is full of beautiful art and excellent story telling so If you haven't checked it out yet then I highly suggest you do so. It's a great show and I'm excited to continue it in all of its glory. The next blog coming up will be a top 10 of my favorite female characters with blue hair so make sure you follow me on Google+ to stay informed on that. I also have a YouTube Channel just about anime called, GiraffePants Anime so you can check out my videos over there and subscribe if you like what you see (Note* I'm fucking hideous...). With all that said, I hope you all enjoyed this post and I will catch you all later.