I've still got plenty to catch up on from last season and the new season has already started. Oh well.
Amanchu! Episodes 9-12.
This has really been a brilliant show and the ending is impressively satisfying. I'd say one of the greatest strengths of the show has been it's character development, especially in terms of the two main characters. While we spend the most time with Teko and her issues with a lack of confidence and sense of isolation, I really enjoyed the way that the show managed to also develop Pikari's character. She could easily have just been a magical figure with no flaws and boundless positivity, but we gradually get more insight into her personality and she ends up being a fully rounded person (who just happens to have plenty of positivity).
Another highlight of the show is seeing the way that both characters (and, to an extent, those around them) benefit from their relationship. The presentation might not always be entirely realistic but there's something very real about the underlying themes and feelings that it deals with.
I suppose the one downside to the show is that the diving aspect is kind of forgotten for around half of the episodes (to the extent that it almost felt jarring when they returned to it), so anyone watching mostly for the diving would end up disappointed. Still, the show has excellent character work, an overall uplifting atmosphere that's handled well and some pretty solid humour so there are plenty of good reasons to watch it even without the diving.
It was really a great show, I certainly wouldn't mind seeing more but even if there isn't any it makes for a satisfying whole and a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
This Art Club Has A Problem! / Kono Bijutsu-Bu Ni Wa Mondai Ga Aru! Episodes 1-12.
I quite enjoyed this show, it's not necessarily exceptional but it's fairly consistently entertaining. It's kind of a mixture of some light club/character comedy and a bit of relationship development with a slice of life feel. It doesn't really go all out on anything, there's a possibility of romance but it's not a main focus and the comedy isn't exactly relentless. The show doesn't even have the mood and atmosphere building of more relaxing slice of life shows. I don't think any of that is a complaint, because the show still manages to be enjoyable, but it keeps it's ambitions low and mostly just works as something entertaining but not outstanding.
One of the stronger points of the show is the gradual development of the relationship between the two main characters. It unfolds in a fairly natural way without being overly dramatic or focussing too much on making a point of any major developments. It does feel like two people gradually growing closer over time. There are similar developments with the other characters but the main two characters get by far the most attention in this department.
Depending on how you look at it, it could be a bit of a downside that there's not much actual romantic development. This is something else that feels vaguely realistic but can still be a little disappointing since it leaves things feeling somewhat unresolved from a story point of view. It does add to the slice of life feel of the show, there are frequent implications that there is more to the characters and their lives but we only get to see a limited part of that. Still, it's hard to say if this is simply because the characters don't get as much development as they could or if it's a deliberate aspect of the show.
Overall, it's a pretty good show with some nicely handled relationships and some entertaining, if perhaps underdeveloped, characters. It's probably worth a watch if you like similar shows and just want something easy to watch but it's probably not likely to be a favourite for many.
