Hrmm.
What did I like about Isshuukan Friends? What did I not like about it? What is the appeal? What is the reason? What is a week worth? What is a person worth? What is a friend? What is love? Baby, don’t hurt me. No more.
I really enjoy how they shoved all the conflict aside and went for the harmless friendship route. It was too awe-inspiring for the three year-olds watching. This girl’s got amnesia? No problem! We’ll just pretend she doesn’t until it’s time to put in drama, which typically comes during the last three episodes of a series. JUST. LIKE. ALWAYS.
I liked how light-hearted it was. Friendship is blissful, like cake. Side note: I hate cake.
Basically, if this title didn’t try and confuse us with a convoluted case of “what and why is amnesia,” then it might’ve been more appreciable.
And now we have another case of “the minor characters are better than the major characters.” Shougo and Saki are awesome. They are far more identifiable and likable than the two main characters? Why? Because, along with having the same “good is good” mentality as the two major characters, they also have ACTUAL PERSONALITIES on top of it, instead of just using the overdone character model that is the goodie two-shoe persona. Yuki and Kaori are bland. Shougo and Saki are grand. And that is why I want them to have babies. Populate the next generation of anime with likable characters!
ART. Yeah, it’s fine. OH. AND THOSE LITTLE STRANDS OF HAIR STICKING OUT OF EVERYONE’S HEAD? YEAH. I BET YOU THOUGHT I DIDN’T NOTICE THAT, ANIME. I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE. TRYING TO LURE ME IN BY MAKING THE CHARACTERS NOT LOOK PERFECT. It’s not very effective!
On second thought, the characters in this anime look more realistic than not. Their heads might look archetypal, but at least their eyes aren’t bigger than their hands.
Speaking of realistic, I was surprised the characters acted so realistically to certain scenarios. Oh, someone’s avoiding me. LET’S GO TALK TO THEM AND FIND OUT WHAT’S WRONG. Yes. Fantastic. Other anime, TAKE NOTE. Oh, the new kid is causing trouble for my friend. I’M NOT GONNA CHASTISE HIM FOR IT BECAUSE I DON’T KNOW HIS SIDE OF THE STORY. Yes. Fantastic. Other anime, TAKE NOTE. Of course, one must also consider that as teenagers, they’re bound to make these sorts of mistakes and what-not. For example, jealousy strikes, and Yuki hates that one kid who causes trouble for Kaori by calling her a “traitor.” Sure. I can accept that. But are the two previous examples of how realistic this anime is really realistic? Or are they just mature? TOO mature? Maybe.
I like how this anime makes me think. Not a lot of anime do that. t’s nice. In the end, Isshuukan Friends is in the same category as Is This a Zombie?: The faults in the plot bring it down a notch, but the characters and how they interact are enjoyable enough to boost the rating just a tad higher. It’s almost like canceling one another out… except it’s not. I really have no idea what I’m doing.
The Visualist's Veranda 