My Love of the Yonkoma

So with this new season of anime we of course get a flood of moeblob madness. I know, I know. But folks, let's be honest with ourselves, this is the shit that sells. Even so, I've often found myself drawn into the morbidly cute and obsessive trends of the moe theme genre, and for this weakness I apologize. Even so, I've once again stepped into the boundary and emerged from the pit with two shows I didn't think I'd pick up. These demons which haunt the darker pleasure nodes of my mind go by two names: A Channel and Nichijou.

To love these kinds of shows. This is the Yonkoma Curse.

The Main Characters of A Channel from Left to Right:

Nagi, Run, Tooru, & Yuuko

In truth, A Channel is nothing special and acts as your typical moe-induced, slice-of-life, pseudo-lesbian (though Tooru really does put this into question), high school fanservice dream show that centers around FRIENDSHIP. No, sadly, not Nanoha style FRIENDSHIP, just regular friendship.

So, I've watched up to either episode 5 or 6 and I can't really say I know what the 'pull' is for me. Honestly the humor and antics of the show aren't all that spectacular or unique, though somehow the characters remaining charming. In a way, I guess the moe bit is working out for A Channel, though mostly I've been watching it more for Tooru (which I suspect is the real reason most people are watching) and her weird side adventures.

The character dynamic is also a little more interesting in A Channel than other animated yonkoma series. The girls don't really feel all that fresh or original, however the writer wasn't afraid to play on old stereotypes. Run's simple airheadedness is almost refreshing in a world where writers and designers seem to be going out of their way to add 'depth' to characters. Hell, even the tension between Yuuko and Tooru make for a fun dip every so often.

Most of the things in A Channel can be taken at face value and that is certainly not a bad thing. Again, A Channel takes the slice-of-life pretty typically adding a light dose of yuri and topping it off with a very mellow, feel-good atmosphere. There's a heavily emphasis on friendship and the bonds made during high school here, so if you are a fan of the modern yonkoma, A Channel will make you feel right at home. Also, each episode has an insert song sung by the cast, but really that's more for the hardcore. It's a decent show, but not the best thing out this season. Which is my awkward segue into Nichijou.

Mio and Yuuko just being simple.

So, Nichijou. Where/how do I even begin here? Firstly, let me just say that I'm absolutely in love with this anime and I regret not having jumped on the manga sooner. Basically, Nichijou is a wild ride into a crazed world of ever-changing gags and over-the-top characters. I think the first thing most people note with this series is that Mio (the blue haired girl) looks an awful lot like Chiyo from Azumanga Daioh. In fact, a lot of Nichijou is extremely similar to the big Ah!, but let's be honest with ourselves. Most yonkoma brought about in this style will tend to do that. Basically, bottom line being this: don't let Nichijou's Azumanga Daioh style prevent you from watching and enjoying it. It's amazing and you should probably think of it more like homage to Azuma Kiyohiko's powerhouse classic.

This is my everyday life.

What Nichijou does right is that it basically takes everything that was everything and kicks up thirty notches. Nichijou is crazy and the gags range quite heavily between each segment. Much like a Japanese variety show, Nichijou really does have it's way with comedy, and I love every second. There is a large cast of characters, including many male characters (which is sometimes considered revolutionary in this genre). The animation is top tier which may surprise many viewers. Seriously, go watch any scene in which Misato disciplines Koujirou.

 Now that shit is tight!

One thing you may notice about Nichijou is that for some reason this series has some serious funding for all those awesome action scenes. There you go, another reason to watch it: visually impressive. Now that's an awkward compliment for a show based on the yonkoma style. I really can't say enough positive things about Nichijou! Sure, some of the gags and jokes may be too surreal at times, but the series itself just likes to poke fun at things. Mostly awkward things, which is something I highly approve of. With such a colorful cast of characters, it's easy to find a favorite segment in the show's frantic scene-by-scene rotation. Nichijou really is a show for those who like having a good time, so please give it a go. New episodes are out on Sunday, so be on the lookout! Anyways, have a good night and good luck!

Fifty-fifty.

In retrospect, I should have said more about Nichijou. This, I nearly regret, but not really at all. Go watch more anime. It's still good!