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Yeowangi

# Amazing # __Paripi Koumei__ ____ __Paripi Koumei is the best silent hit of the season, the music production is absolutely wonderful that most anime can't match even anime in the musical genre! Paripi Koumei features a lot of interesting characters that are comedic and inspiring, with its brilliant animation it helps the show create a special feel to it, which makes this anime so wonderful to watch. The anime is very inspiring to achieve a dream, anyone can achieve what they want if they have the talent or work hard to master something with guidance__ __Paripi Koumei follows the typical isekai but it feels real as it doesn't have the fantasy factor to it, it tickles real life problems like popularity and sometimes not having a fair chance to display your talent to the public this anime follows koumei a chinese strategist who got isekai'ed to the present world where he discoveres music amd finds a girl who wants to achieve her dream of becoming the best idol!__ __One of the things i likes the most is the creativity of the anime it just feels wonderful with new songs every episode! Not to say its banger opening it feels wonderful to listen to, the songs in Paripi Koumei feel polishes and just feel like professional that is the greatest strength of the show, the feeling of having sich good music production in anime its just bonkers!__ __The anime creates some-what of a reality where we can relate as the difficulties in showing your talent and getting a chance to shine like the star even the MC says its impossible for her to reach her dream as she's just a nobody and doesn't feel as she can achieve it, it feels real and relatable, not only that it also tackles bullying and social difficulties later on. zit just creates something we all can relate to in sense.__ __Next comes the comedy, it has some good jokes here and there that gives some giggles! the trope of koumei dressing up like koumei as cosplay is just funny as he is the real deal, but the comedy doesnt feel forced and unnecessary__ __The Anime has good character development with the main girl EIKO slowly gaining confidence amd improving her singing skills as the series goes on, its not really under a training arc it goes om with the series progressing which sort of creates an immersion to the story instead of a timeskip or an training arc popping out of nowhere__ __for me Paripi Koumei is gonna be one of my fav music anime, K-On was some my fav before, you should try this wonderful anime out and support it out!__ # __Lastly Comes the good writing, the anime is written wonderfully which doesn't feel rushed or slow. it feels balanced and it shows that wonderfully! the 3 kingdom's trope is surely funny but its smart seeing how an war tactic can be used in music__

Xcile

Piripiri Koumei is the Hidden gem this season. Or it was. Despite the popularity of the Opening Theme. Ya boy Kongming! Just burst out of nowhere this Spring Season because of one thing and left people in shock of how catchy it is. Now that I'm done with that one thing of why this show is overrated. Let's move on with the real deal. Piripi Koumei started during the Great war in China around the year 200 AD. When the great tactician Zhung Liang a.k.a. Kongming fell ill during his service, he was hoping his next life doesn't revolve around war and wished to be reborn in a peaceful time. Fair Warning for Isekai lovers. Mr. Kongming did not travel into another world. But he was brought back to the same world in a different timeline. Sorry, Isekai-ers. Jumping into the modern time. Kongming woke up in the alley street of Shibuya and saw skulls walking around him and thinking he was sent into hell's paradise. While he was being punished (by drinking tequila), he was guided inside of a Domain..[`whoops wrong anime. I meant Club... oh silly me.`](https://anilist.co/anime/145064/JUJUTSU-KAISEN-Season-2/) When he was trapped inside, he expected to be punished more by the devil. But when the heroine came out singing, Kongming’s whole experience inside the hell has cleansed his thoughts, and began to theorize if he was actually in hell or not. As he started listening more and more, he came to realize that he is not in the devil's playground. Eiko, our songstress of the show. Was declined by many producers as she is not worthy enough to be part of a musician in her singing career. As she got declined many times, she started getting a small gig instead inside the bar, but not so many people cheered on her until Kongming gratified her performance. So when a failed singer teams up with a 200 IQ strategist, they can begin their story as a duo and build her recognition towards the people who like music. On and on, Kongming insisted that he will help Eiko reach the top to fulfill her dream. First, they must start small. Second, get sponsored. Lastly, perform in the busiest place in Japan. Eiko has reached the top performance of all in Tokyo, with the big help of her co-worker/tactician/manager/ and a friend. - Story is good. It reaches the part where all characters are likable and had a good time to build up the characters. - Art is really nice. It captures the scenery of Tokyo and manages not to use CGI when it's crowded. - Sound captures most of its spotlight. It held many performances for just 12 episodes, yes, it was repetitive. I will assure you that there are seven original soundtracks excluding the Opening, Ending themes, and the rap songs. - Enjoyment is top-notch. I highly appreciate my time watching this show, and there were some small details that I love about it too.

ZNote

__SPOILER-FREE!__ Imagine this for a minute – you burst into the boardroom at an American television studio and tell them you have this idea that you want to see worked on. The board members ask what the idea is. You then say in an excited, giddy tone that it’s about a bygone-aged Chinese military strategist who, in modern-day Japan, uses his perceptive insights to help a young starlet gain fame as a popular singer. I can only imagine the looks that you might be given by the board members; probably a mixture of bewilderment and someone frantically pressing the big red button to call for security to kick you out. The question they ask is clear, though – “How is a series like that supposed to work? Who would watch this?” _Ya Boy Kongming!_ is a reminder that one of the beautiful things about anime and manga is that not only do properties dare to get those questions asked, but also that a Japanese studio would take the idea and run with it. When I was perusing the list of anime that were releasing in Spring 2022, this was among the ones that I added purely on a lark. The English-translated title got my attention, and reading the synopsis, I knew that this was something that I had to watch. There’s something to be said about insane ideas having a kind of crazed magnetism that makes you too curious to not see developed. At the very least, I hoped that some good songs would come out of it. ________ After dying and being reborn, Kongming finds himself wandering around what he thinks is Hell, but is actually the modern day (which, depending on who you ask, is not that far off) on Halloween. He finds his way into a club where he hears a young woman named Eiko singing to the crowd, and he’s captivated by her voice. After being brought back to her apartment and realizing he has the chance to live a peaceful life now away from warfare, Kongming takes it upon himself to become Eiko’s new manager and “tactician,” arranging for her to gain new superstardom, achieve her dreams, get more likes on social media, and make the world a better place. It goes without saying that this premise is silly, and indeed, comedy is interwoven into the fabric of the show’s narrative and plot. Though virtually every single character in the show is funny in some fashion, Kongming stands centerstage as the show’s comedic ringleader. The show brilliantly uses the transplanted-from-one-place-to-another device in two ways: firstly, antiquity is brought to us rather than the present brought to antiquity, so the modern world is a given rather than being the odd duck out. Even though this is not an inherently unique idea, it helps breathe a little life into the cliché itself. Secondly, it’s also used to suffuse humor into everything surrounding Kongming. Absurdities come one after another either along with him or in his wake, giving nearly all of his scenes an unpredictable quality both in terms of material and timing. One minute he’s heavily debating how to move forward with his plan, and then maybe ten seconds later he buys garish glasses. Kongming’s antics are thankfully not purely used for silly comedy, either. His natural capabilities as a tactician allow him to navigate his new geographical and temporal landscape, especially given that his lack of knowledge regarding the present would leave most in his situation at a complete loss. He demonstrates an adaptive, perceptive quality that not only ingratiates him to those he meets, but also in scouring for information and evaluating any given scenario. These often lend themselves to even more comedic moments where some seemingly-innocuous thing he does actually has a purpose, which humorously comes to fruition in the later minutes of episodes or entire arcs. The result is that _Ya Boy Kongming’s_ comedy works in both planting brick jokes that pay their dividends, and in brief one-off gags. But even in the midst of its comedic goofiness and propensity for laughs, the series has an endearing heart at its center. None of _Ya Boy Kongming!’s_ comedy reads as cold or mean-spirited since the crux of the series lies in the warmth of its characters and how they support one another. Kongming being transplanted into modern-day Tokyo is taken care of initially by Eiko, and through their interactions, he begins to take steps to make sure her natural talents bear fruit and blossom, nudging her in the right direction and fostering what is already there. And these moments are handled gracefully. _Ya Boy Kongming!_ thankfully knows that within the midst of its oddball tone and setting, it needs to make the few times it pauses to catch its breath work effectively. The show demonstrates this quality not only in its earlier outings with Eiko soothing Kongming’s apprehensions, but also with the other characters as the ensemble size increases. While the actual relationships at times are more one-sided, with Eiko being the main beneficiary to Kongming’s guidance rather than the opposite, they believe in one another’s ability to help the other. The show’s use of diegetic music greatly supports this notion. Since performance is intimately woven both into Eiko’s character and the overall universe of the story, both the performances in front of crowds and the more-private listenings carry dramatic significance. Eiko’s singing voice actress, 96Neko, especially captures both sensitivity and bravura as the occasion calls for it. To contrast with that, Chiba Shouya as Kabetaijin walks the fine line between crisp pronunciation and smooth delivery. Nearly all the performances thus have a zest and charge which is always supported by the narrative, including comedically when it fits. And I’d be remiss if I did not mention Zoltán Tarcsi for composing an immanently-memorable OP cover track, which forced itself into my brain with its Eurobeat techno goodness and still hasn’t let go ([click here for the original](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRjLbePQg1o)). And visually, the series works surprisingly-well. The Tokyo landscape affords numerous bright, neon-esque colors both in and outside the various clubs, and Eguchi Asumi’s first foray into color design makes a solid impression with its nighttime and sunset sceneries. The character designs are also a nice breath of fresh air – since we’re not dealing with high school aged characters, there is more liberty at work in what the characters wear. Converse-style shoes and a wide assortment of street clothes give freshness and personality to the people involved. If there is one particular aspect of the aesthetics that could be picked apart, it’s that there is a slight overreliance on one particular song. On some level, it makes sense for the show to do this – the song in question, “I’m Still Alive Today,” serves as one of the show’s thematic devices to help track Eiko’s growth. That said, there are a couple of times where it leans too heavily on it, regardless of its particular personal significance to her. Therefore, the song, while in and of itself not a poor composition, is still a slight annoyance. One of the episodes actually uses the song three separate times, which is rather much. This gets somewhat helped by the fact that its plot-relevant uses have some variety and utility in how the song is used, which makes this less of an issue overall. I mentioned the song’s use of tracking Eiko’s growth, and growth is, in many ways, the underlying theme of the entire series. The little bits of information about Eiko’s life that we are privy to learning about indicate a young woman whose passion has been stepped on more times than she can remember. Though success for Eiko translates to performing at music festivals and letting her own singing be heard by more people beyond the scant followers she has, it also relates to her own downtrodden, reluctant outlook. It’s not enough to just be good at what you do – it’s acknowledging seizing the moments presented to you and making them your own, with a little help along the way if needed…which may or may not include repurposing military strategy and destroying your opponents. The Eiko that develops over the course of the series is not the same young woman we first meet, and as she begins to taste success, she also tastes an aspect of her own abilities and self that she never would have found otherwise. Whether success relates to finding your own sense of self-signification, or in finding a reason why you love doing what you do, _Ya Boy Kongming!_ tackles growth on numerous fronts. The show’s main characters both old and new all are embarking on that journey to some extent, tailor-made to the circumstances that got them where they were in the first place. It may take attention away from Eiko and Kongming at times, yet the refocused attention creates a fuller tapestry about growth that’s bigger than just those two characters. That doesn’t mean success comes easy, but it makes it at least a little closer and less of a farfetched aspiration. The show’s ability to cap off this feeling, all while sometimes having a cheap gag on standby, can make what follows hilariously unpredictable. The story will likely end exactly how you think it will, but the routes to get there are full of topsy-turvy craziness. ______________ _Ya Boy Kongming!_ understands that a crazy premise can only become a success if everything involved fires on all cylinders, and in this case, it does. With a colorful aesthetic, a strong sense of comedic timing and jokes, solid music, and characters that could be at times incredibly off-the-wall or endearing, it was the show that became my most-eager viewing during Spring 2022. There’s just a few too many times where it relies heavily on one of its signature songs to get a point across, and some of the dramatic beats and pacing work more seamlessly in some instances than others, but the infectious, musical wackiness the show provides is pure fun and never boring. So, I say this – turn up the music, turn on the neon lights, blow out the circuitry, and have a blast! ~~~youtube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNn9NxZH2Vo)~~~

AnimeDweeb

> ##"Me meeting Kong Ming is like fish meeting water." []()- Source: Liu Bei, Records of the Three Kingdoms > ##"Ya boi loves 'Ya Boi'." []()- Source: Trust Me Bro ~~~ img100%(https://i0.wp.com/sakugabrasil.com/administracao/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Paripi-Koumei-OP.png?fit=1980%2C1080&ssl=1) ~~~ *Paripi Koumei* strikes me as a show whose ideas were picked out of a hat. If [DALL·E 2](https://openai.com/dall-e-2/) and other A.I. programmes are currently defining [what's possible when leaving humans out of the creative process](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/775079708441706537/984070417872478208/unknown.png), we'd still be light years away from whatever the heck this show is supposed to be. *Koumei* 's premise somehow feels more random than random, and I mean that in the very best way. Even as a skeptic who had his reservations going into the series premiere, it didn't take long for me to get hit with *Koumei* 's infectious appeal. Make no mistake: *Koumei* is greater than the sum of its parts, with an arrangement as crazy as it is carefully calibrated to leave its audience grinning from start to finish. For anyone as unconvinced as I once was, join me in attempting to understand this underdog story. This review is **spoiler-free**, with a **Tl;Dr** below. Without further ado, let's jam. *** ~~~ #Full disclosure, I think getting through this show's synopsis is the toughest part about liking *Koumei*. webm(https://i.imgur.com/UdIJcIA.mp4) ~~~ When coming across it for the first time I suffered a mild stroke, or at least some approximation of the malady that befalls MC. Zhuge Kongming, Imperial Chancellor of Shu Han, is introduced fighting against an illness, whilst his soldiers prepare for their own battle against an army in hot pursuit. Loyal statesman and strategist, Kongming found that his nation-building ambitions would outlast his physical body. Historical ambiguity aside, this fictional iteration of the figure laments letting down his Emperor: the late Liu Bei, who dreamed of ending the war under the unifying cause of peace. Dreaming of a reality where such peace exists, Kongming bids farewell to 3rd-Century China and finds himself in the afterlife, which sure as hell bears striking resemblance to a Halloween costume party in modern-day Shibuya, Japan. That night he stumbles upon a nightclub and its part-time performer Eiko, who captivates the reincarnated strategist through song. Eiko's passion has yet to get her music career off the ground, but Kongming is convinced of her abilities… and offers to be her talent manager… with the hope of "bringing peace to the world." Granted, we *are* talking about anime here, where the threshold for weirdness gets absolutely shattered on a seasonal basis (ex. [Exhibit A: That One Show About Anuses](https://anilist.co/anime/101261/Sarazanmai/), I shit you not). That being said, I initially wasn't prepared for the apparent incompatibility of *Koumei* 's weird premise: a military mastermind from ancient China striving for world peace by booking live gigs for a small-time nightclub act. What I also didn't account for was how everything would come together really well. ~~~ #*Koumei* has a game plan, named "Authenticity." img100%(https://starcrossedanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Paripi-Koumei-1.1-1.jpg) ~~~ It comes in four steps, and can be understood through the "[Thirty-Six Stratagems](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty-Six_Stratagems)," a series of tactics Kongming frequently references in the anime. Let's take a page out of his playbook and figure out what makes *Koumei* work! >##**Borrow a corpse to resurrect the soul** (**借屍還魂**). --- Revive something from the past by giving it a new purpose, or reinterpret it to your advantage. ~~~ img100%(https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Paripi-Koumei-02-25.jpg) ~~~ Taking this proverb to a rather literal extreme, *Koumei* 's awesome application of this strategy comes from its reincarnated "corpse" (husbando) MC. With the wit to match the might of a thousand 2D men, Kongming hard-carries *Koumei*. He's always a treat to see on-screen. As expected, there are laughs to be had at the [befuddled boomer's expense as he discovers how the blockchain works](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/866462157956448317/959656654171947058/Screenshot_2022-04-01_233151.png), but there's more to the character than these comedic juxtapositions. By remaining one step ahead of viewers, Kongming constantly demonstrates how well-thought-out he is, as audiences attempt to wrap their heads around his various motives and plans. On top of his smarts, Kongming also carries a diplomat's grace and respectable virtue when interacting with other cast members. Finally, it's clear that the guy's having a fun blast in the 21st Century, with the willing resolve to put himself out there and try out new things. All these attributes make for a well-defined and distinct protagonist who's a joy to watch. Thanks to these great ingredients, authenticity flows freely from Kongming, as this engaging enigma trades self-insert tropes for well-defined quirks that all feel purposeful as a fictional reinterpretation of this historical figure, who's a strong contender for my Best Boi of 2022. Admittedly, my fondness for this refreshing character partly stems from my biased distaste for the sea of dull, interchangeable MC archetypes courtesy of *isekai* & LN trends. So for those who do find themselves content with these mainstream conditions (which is perfectly OK,) maybe Kongming's appeal isn't gonna resonate as strongly with you as it did me. But the story doesn't end here, because the authenticity of *Koumei* 's MC extends to the series as a whole. > ##**Lure the tiger out of the mountains** (**调虎离山**) --- It is always wise to bring your competition out of a situation that favors him, to a position that favors you. ~~~ img100%(https://otakukart.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Paripi-Koumei-Anime-Episode-6-Featured.jpg) ~~~ This strategy states the importance of home-ground advantage when getting the drop on the opp. In storytelling, getting viewers to ask questions can reliably increase interest in a story, as opposed to playing it safe in familiar "tropey" territory. Due to the novelty of its unusual premise, *Koumei* hits the ground running in this regard, by limiting the audience's ability to anticipate what will happen next. Presumably like most people, I don't really know what shows I could reasonably compare *Koumei* with. Thankfully, the series' moving parts click in a way that's both fresh and satisfying. Early plotlines in *Koumei* revolve around our lead protagonist's mind games as a manager maestro. Kongming is tasked with giving Eiko the exposure she deserves. With limited promotional resources at hand, he is forced to square-up against more-established talent groups for audience engagement. Our tactician's goal involves beating the underdog's odds and employing creative methods of drawing crowds, so that Eiko can work her magic. The writing makes these unpredictable encounters satisfying to piece together, and rarely slows down. The strategic schemes our mastermind employs grow in complexity and scope to match the exponentially-rising trajectory of Eiko's career. Fun curveballs and detours incrementally throw us off the show's scent, thereby keeping us guessing on our toes. *Koumei* carefully drip-feeds answers on its own terms, leaving viewers hooked. Questions create intrigue and interest. And boi, does *Ya Boi* have some odd interests. >##**Take the opportunity to pilfer a goat** (**順手牽羊**) --- While carrying out one's plans, be flexible enough to take advantage of any opportunity that presents itself, however small. ~~~ img100%(https://animenewsandfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/20220330_232537_compress9.jpg?ezimgfmt=ng%3Awebp%2Fngcb182%2Frs%3Adevice%2Frscb182-2) ~~~ Ever the opportunistic comedy, *Koumei* makes the most out of its unusual premise. While the previous proverb is about getting the audience to ask questions, this step emphasizes the need for a story to provide answers. And here was my million dollar question: "In a story about a music manager, what can Zhuge Kongming and his time period bring to the table?" My big gripe prior to starting the show was with why the show would structure itself around such strangely specific subject matter. Despite going into *Koumei* without any knowledge of Chinese history, I now come away convinced that this is a good creative decision. The series regularly draws from the rich well of historical anecdotes documented in 3rd-Century literature collections such as the [*Romance of the Three Kingdoms*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romance_of_the_Three_Kingdoms). While I find it kinda convenient that Eiko's boss and nightclub owner, Mr. Kobayashi, just so happens to be a massive nerd for *Three Kingdoms*, the lore-filled conversations between him and Kongming serve important roles throughout the show. Not only do these trivia chats function as entertaining bouts of backstory between present-day scenes, but they also provide foreshadowing for tactics Kongming would execute further into the show. The tricks used for Eiko's sake are all variants of strategies employed during Kongming's past. Through explaining the ingenious context behind why these plans were carried out, *Koumei* links past & present and compounds the satisfaction already gained by seeing Kongming's current course of action. *Koumei* 's inspired writing is evident elsewhere too. Kongming's frequent quotes of wisdom help guide supporting characters along their respective plotlines, making standard TV show pep talks stand out in their own distinct way. Plus, each episode of *Koumei* begins with an opening monologue about renowned Chinese war anecdotes that are purposefully chosen to form parallels with our characters in the present. Finally, the show chooses not to glorify the past whenever appropriate, in having Kongming eagerly take on a new lease of life in an era slightly closer to the peace he seeks.This constant interplay between present and past contexts makes the latter feel necessary. Making this niche interest such an essential component of the story is quite the gamble, and one that pays off in the show's favor. Its identity is so passionately rooted in this culture that I can't imagine the series turning out any other way! *Koumei* uses its opportunities to demonstrate detail, heart and authenticity. > ##**Chain stratagems** (**連環計**) --- In important matters, one should use several stratagems applied simultaneously after another as in a chain of stratagems. ~~~ img100%(https://i.imgur.com/pY6yA76.jpg) ~~~ Having already seen a few key strategies come into a chain effect, let's take a look at the remaining tools *Koumei* has at its disposal. First up is the writing, which shines both in and in-between the 4head setpieces we've talked about. Well-timed humor makes watching this lighthearted series a breeze, while its willingness to handle key character beats more seriously is equally welcome. Yup, *Koumei* the comedy also dabbles in both heightened and grounded dramatic moments, and [P.A. Works](https://anilist.co/studio/132/PA-Works) capably accommodates for all of these scenarios. Despite being quite a ways from the studio's best, they sure as heck know how to make SoLs look pretty good, with some shrewd production alongside vibrant color choices. And finally, the game plan of *Koumei* would be irreconcilably incomplete without its secret weapon - music. ~~~ #[Victory comes only with risk](https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/john_paul_jones_182844). webm(https://i.imgur.com/7M3syFw.mp4) ~~~ When it comes to anime, music very much qualifies as one such gambit. I personally believe that it's challenging to bring out the strengths of music whenever it's employed in different mediums (with the obvious exception of musicals.) It requires an expertise outside of typical anime production to craft great songs that can potentially stand independently from the series they're featured in. Furthermore, making music a prominent fixture in the plot can introduce one big concern. Anime series such as [*Takt op*](https://anilist.co/activity/294994692), [*Carole & Tuesday*](https://anilist.co/anime/101281/Carole--Tuesday/) and [*VIVY*](https://anilist.co/review/11892) are all awkward attempts at mythologising music, as if it's some superpower that blows up monsters or resolves racial divides. In trying to exaggerate music as a tangible force for good, these screenplays actually wind up belittling the simple, yet unmistakable, effect that the medium has on people. But even with all these unfavorable odds in mind, the skeptic in me still finds himself conceding that *Koumei* 's use of music is authentic. Naturally, the tunes themselves are fire. Some mad genius took a [sleazy Hungarian club song from the mid-2010s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x10XFcR2U1c) and turned it into the [grooviest OP of the season](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNn9NxZH2Vo) (that opening flute sample is outright FLAMES). Real-life local pop star [96Neko](https://anilist.co/staff/126809/96Neko) was brought on to perform several times within the show, with both acoustic and EDM-infused tracks frequently making the rounds on social media while the show was still airing. And who could forget that 15-minute rap cypher contest, which saw *Koumei* out-freestyle the *Kaguya* episode that aired that same week? Probably the only concession here is that the thin OST often reuses songs, but that feels like a nitpick given how well music is implemented in a thematic sense. Rather than apply contrived plot mechanics to make music out to be something it's not, *Koumei* steers clear of this temptation and instead puts an earnest spotlight on the artform. I'm aware Kongming mentions his "Plan for Peace Throughout the World," but within the context of *Koumei* it doesn't sound like he's literally dead-set on fixing social issues. Kongming comes across as simply wanting to share the special feeling Eiko gifted him upon hearing her sing for the first time. In order to attain this goal, Eiko and the artists around her all have to put in the work. *Koumei* takes time to have its musicians reinforce their personal voice, identity and passion. This process also reveals the frank realities of the music scene, as characters contemplate the differences between a passionate career and one that involves "selling-out". The show questions whether it is right to sacrifice artistic control in exchange for a sustainable career that involves livelihoods beyond the individual artist's. And yes, *Koumei* does this all while incorporating elements from Chinese history. Music and Chinese tactics - it takes a deep love for both of these seemingly incompatible fields to create a passion project so richly authentic. What a decisive victory, ya' boy loves *Ya' Boy*. *** ~~~ #**Tl;Dr**: img100%(https://i.imgur.com/K3j2jmD.gif) ~~~ A refreshing reversal of the *isekai* genre, *Paripi Koumei* is reincarnation done right. Neatly juggling elements of music and Chinese history, this reverse-*isekai* earnestly makes a connection almost no one knew they wanted. The mastermind MC and his ensemble cast are gifted with solid character writing. Superb strategies and comedy ensure that the viewing experience is an absolute delight to follow. The importance of *Koumei* 's infectious fun cannot be understated. This series is a certified *Chitty Chitty Bang Bang-er*. **7/10**~ *** ~~~ img100%(https://c.tenor.com/cRIrO9Mv2VsAAAAd/kongming-eiko.gif) ~~~ Thanks so much for making it to the end (even if you skipped all that word vomit, hehe)! Unfortunately it's [closing time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGytDsqkQY8), so I gotta wrap up this party rq. If you happen to like my verbose rants, feel free to check out my other [reviews](https://anilist.co/user/AnimeDweeb/reviews) for seasons past and present. I also frequently post writeups under my list updates, so definitely take a peek if you'd like to see me mald over anime as they hit the airwaves, peace~

NextUniverse

~~~__Review:__~~~ The reception of this anime is so strange. There's literally nothing here that merits any kind of universal praise as it already does. What is introduced to us is essentially the Sun Tzu sequel hears an Aimer song for the first time and dedicates his life to making sure that music ends up universal. No hate on Aimer, by the way, I just lacked a better example. I actually quite like the premise, as it is a good idea, and the first episode kinda sells everything really well. You know, Kongming seemed like an interesting guy, he meets Eiko and they talk about life and all that rubbish. Soon after, however, it seems as if everything is pretty much forgotten as fast as it is introduced. Well, maybe not forgotten, but bastardised beyond belief. I will tell you what I mean. You see, my main problem with everything in this anime is pretty much the inability to hold anything compelling or sincere for as long as possible. It gets ridiculously stale, ridiculously quickly. As I just said, the first episode is pretty good, flashy lights, Kongming using his brain to get the hang of this new world, Eiko trying to make it big, and all the rest of it. There are moments when the anime does become respectable again, but more on that later. Sadly, from what I remember of this show, about 90% of it was key features in this anime being ruined and watered down to mediocrity. Eiko's passions being half-hearted, more so weak, backtracking to them only when the writing called for it, to Kongming basically being a human equivalent of that genie from Aladdin. Eiko's passions being underhanded are somewhat excusable, she's focusing on actually getting better at the music first, but I'd say the passion and the strive for improvement work hand in hand because all she does, for the most part, is just nothing of her own will until around way later on. To not get into too much detail as possible, she basically meets a new character and they both think of each other as cool and they do nice things together and it is all so wholesome. Then it goes back to subpar status. But those particular moments where characters just do real things without some wish from genie or some other life hack are seldom. It's sad because, as seen, it is able to do this. There are a lot of other flaws to note like how much Kabe's character is pretty awkward to the whole music industry thing in this anime, but I feel as if I am heading into unknown territory with the reality behind them. I don't know anything about how deals are run in the music industry or if there are rappers like Kabe (the whole wuss personality + Eminem style). I am led to believe Kabe's character is more real, but even then his character isn't the most serious thing I've witnessed, with him jumping in and out of issues with the tiniest push imaginable. The music industry is probably not as easy to mess with as Kongming has been doing, but again, I can't run off too much from it other than real-life complaints about how the whole place is abusive. I mean, it gets into it a little, but that is entirely due to some high-school band and some other online hype factors. But going on about the realism is kinda sidetracking, it is more of the fact that it is not very believable. Some important douche seems to be extremely tolerant to some random band for no particular reason, aren't there more people who are in the exact position as this group of girls? He probably needs them to fulfil some lascivious fantasies he's hiding. Another annoying thing about these characters is how conveniently forgetful they are at times. These guys have one of the greatest strategists on their team and somehow manage to more often than not be doubtful of anything this guy does. I don't get how that makes sense at all. It's not funny. Hell, one of the guys is literally a Kongming nerd and still somehow gets shocked at anything this guy does. It's crazy if you ask me. These guys really cannot behave to a good standard, rather, they think and feel things whenever the writing calls for it. The only guy I really like is Kongming. He's cool. He does cool things. Everyone loves him. Expect the creators of this anime. I don't know why but everything he does falls flat, it is not executed to a greater standard. When I say he is that genie from Addlain it is because he can literally do anything despite coming from a very weird place. It's absurd, but not entirely when you think about who he literally is. It causes a fine line to appear, one in which he finds himself jumping in and out of what is an incredible effort and wishes come true. Sometimes the anime abuses this and you get a stunt that has no real effect because it is just silly. Sometimes it works well though. He's a good character for the most part; he's my favourite character actually, just some things are very annoying. The animation here was nonexistent at times, but it does deliver when it is supposed to. Sometimes you just get still shots playing out for like 2 seconds and other times you get a rap battle with actual cool effects and visuals. As expected of PA Works, they did well for this, I don't think it is the best they could have done but it worked enough to not look irregular consistently. This was just a little lazy at times but that didn't hinder my enjoyment. They spent all the budget on the OP btw. That's like the entire reason why people like this show: ~~~img600(https://c.tenor.com/qLyb9F4Y1KkAAAAd/paripi-koumei-dance.gif)~~~ hey, at least it looks nice. There's also the music in this anime which isn't the best thing in the world either. I can respect the effort though, from Kabe's raps to Eiko altogether, it was nice to listen to. But that doesn't matter, what matters is the comment saying "who else is listening to this in 2026? XD" and then for sure we will know whether this is good or not. Ok but I want to just quickly add that I actually do listen to Eiko's *Be Crazy For Me* sometimes. It's actually pretty good, wow. Listen to it again, seriously, I'm surprised I even like this as much as I do: ~~~youtube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-bdKXQcGiM)~~~

~~~__Final Words:__~~~ I don't have much else to say, there was virtually no criticism for this anime, so it seems like I am an odd one out. Maybe it just wasn't for me, but I don't really have any high standards, I just think that people liking this as I see now is a little absurd. There's better anime out there from random people wanting to become big singers (literally all of Love Live lmao) to other variants of Sun Tzu enjoyers shifting the balance of a hopeless situation in a big world (Dr Stone). But that's about it with me, I just wanted to express reasons why this isn't so good imo.

Mcsuper

Chan x Chan, Ai!! Chiki Chiki Ban Ban… Oh hey there, I was just listening to “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” for the 1000th time and I forgot I was writing a review! It’s a hidden gem, unearthed! That’s what a banger opening can do for a show with a plot as ridiculous as Paripi Koumei, and that’s what got me into this show, even though I started the show in its third week of airing, because the opening was too good for me to pass up on this anime, and boy do I not regret it. Having grown up in a Chinese family and neighbourhood, naturally, I learned a bit about the Three Kingdoms lore, and even watched some tv shows that focused on that era. When I saw the synopsis of this series, I thought to myself, Kongming got isekai’ed into Shibuya City? No way this is gonna be good! Well… I was wrong, it was actually great, and very unique. My grading criteria: Story: /25 Art: /10 Music: /10 Characters: /20 Enjoyment /15 Thematic Execution /20 STORY: 19/25 The story itself is quite unique. In a nutshell, it’s about the almighty Zhuge Liang, also called Kongming, the well-known military strategist from the Three Kingdoms period of Ancient China, who led the state of Shu Han through countless battles. He gets reincarnated into Shibuya City, Tokyo on Halloween night, which is obviously a huge change of scenery. You have the classic “getting used to modern technology” trope, but when our other protagonist, Eiko, broke out into song, that’s when I knew we were in for a treat. The main gist of the show is that Kongming uses his military strategies from the Three Kingdoms era and executes them to help Eiko become the next superstar, because he was so inspired by her singing. Along the way, Eiko and Kongming meet a rapper, some people in the music industry, and an aspiring idol band with a brilliant singer, and it’s really a lot of fun watching Eiko climb the ranks to be the next star. I’m not gonna lie though, the plot is very predictable overall, but hearing the music is still very enjoyable, even if it is a bit repetitive. The other enjoyable part of the story is the references to the Three Kingdoms era, most notably the “borrowing arrows with straw boats strategy”. If you didn’t get some of the references, I really do encourage you to look up some of Kongming’s endeavours and stories, which boosts the entertainment value for sure. ART: 8.8/10 It’s animated quite nicely, great to look at, though it’s not anything ground-breaking in terms of animation. MUSIC: 9.3/10 Excellent music overall, and while the insert songs are used very repetitively, they’re still good to listen to. Obviously, the opening steals the show, and is one of the main reasons I got into this show in the first place, and I’m sure that a lot of you found this show through the opening as well! CHARACTERS: 17.6/20 The characters were mostly a joy to watch, with Kongming acting as wise as he was in the Three Kingdoms era, while adapting to modern society, and Eiko being an aspiring singer, having great developments throughout the story, while finding her own voice. The other characters were also great, Kabetaijin, the rapper, had a pretty solid backstory, and while his story wasn’t really the deepest, it seemed realistic. His rap sequences were pretty solid as well. The three girls from Azalea, Nanami, Ichika, and Futaba really further developed the sense of realism in the music industry. Nanami’s backstory and her wish to be the next superstar alongside her band, Azalea, is a lofty goal, and sometimes, you got to make a deal with the devil to achieve that goal. In this case, the devil presents himself in the form of Karasuma, Key Time’s producer. He turned a once cheerful high school band into a company-manufactured idol group devoid of all of the original personalities of the members. We also saw some fan-service, but it felt much different from regular fan-service because we feel for the band and how they were being treated. Goes to show you how difficult trying to make it big truly is. ENJOYMENT: 14.2/15 Really enjoyed it throughout. Felt like a breath of fresh air. THEMATIC EXECUTION: 17.8/20 There are some happy go lucky themes sometimes with the comedy, but the realistic side of the music industry was definitely great to see, with all the confidence issues, finding your own voice, and selling your soul sometimes to meet your goals. The themes went great together, and made for a very enjoyable show. OVERALL: 86.7/100 Something different was shown, and it felt unique and enjoyable. Music was fun to listen to, the comedy was good, and being somewhat familiar with the Three Kingdoms lore made this even more enjoyable for me. Really hope we get another season of this for sure! Now… back to listening to “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” I go…

SpiritChaser

I'll be a bit biased about this anime. It is the most relatable series to me. I felt close to Eiko as we both are nobodies trying to be somebody. I've gone through so many hardships and victories with what I am trying to do, and can understand where she is coming from. Sure, her character development did not go the way I wanted it to, because they developed her singing more than her character, though I still appreciate what she stands for. I got pulled into this series because the opening exploded on the internet. Yes, it's great. Though to say it's the best, means one would have to explore anime openings, as there are many that I feel are significantly better (Texhnolyze and Steins;Gate comes to mind). It's a really catchy song. I would say that this anime had a strong beginning, weak middle, and strong end. The beginning of Kongming and his stratagems seemed really unique. You have an ancient Chinese tactician that gets thrown into the underground clubs of modern Japan. He finds an aspiring singer, and uses his art of war to try and help her rise as a star. One would think this makes no sense, and yet this story makes sense of it. Previously, I had been disappointed with P.A. Works with The Aquatope On White Sand, though they really pulled through with this one. With every fail, I felt that. Eiko really tried her best, and as I said, it was all too relatable to me. Kongming is a character too likeable to not like. Graceful, humble, intelligent, and so supportive, there isn't anything not to like about him. Sure, it seems odd he just clicked with everything. Still, it's because he mastered the skill of adaptation. Even the opening felt like one of his stratagems and a breaking of the fourth wall, as it pulled lots of viewers in. In the middle, the series sort of betrays what it promised. The focus shifts to Kabe. I noticed that this really divided the viewers, though it's mostly because some people are too biased about rap to try to enjoy it. Looking closer, I did find Kabe's focus the weakest part of the series. Looking at his rap, trying to rhyme with "yeah," and nonsensical sounds put me off. He didn't feel like a strong enough character and arc to make up for the absence of Eiko and Kongming. There was a lot of outcry that Kongming was being pushed into the background, and that his stratagems that made the series where pushed away. The middle is the weakest part. Also, the animation is inconsistent, and often resorts to slideshows. Other times, the series skips important moments, and it's painfully overt when it does that. The last 2 episodes had me in a rollercoaster of emotions. There is the rivalry between Eiko and the other singer. I think the way it was executed, fleshed out, and made to come full circle was really inspiring and touching. It's about being yourself as an artist. To not be so hollow and fake to just do what sells. Don't go by the book; write your own. As an aspiring content creator, Eiko really moved me. As cliche as "be yourself" is, hardly anyone follows that advise. It will always bear repeating. The so called antagonists do take a while to appear. Still, I was in tears by the end. The beauty of progress and success floored me. I won't lie, I was cheering Eiko on. Her singing "Be Crazy For Me" in a small club to a small audience made me think. Someone with so much passion and talent can't be held down like this forever. Being sincere and daring to push forward has it's benefits. If someone has a gift in what they do, the potential is great, though don't let the corporate world of whatever you do take you over. This is her story.

xChim

# Cette review contient du spoil ! --- Paripi Koumei ou Ya boy Kongming est un anime centré sur la __musique__ sorti en printemps 2022. À ses débuts il n'était pas parmi les animes les plus connus et son studio a toujours fait de belles œuvres qui ne sont (malheureusement) jamais considérées comme excellentes Mais cette fois P.A Works nous propose un énorme taff. Tout d'abord l'œuvre s'inspire de l'histoire Chinoise des Trois Royaume, quelque chose de peu commun, particulièrement pour des non asiatiques qui ne s'intéressent que rarement aux pays en question. Ensuite, l'anime ne fait pas que s'en inspiré étant donné que Ogawa Ryo traduit directement les techniques stratégiques de combat qui ont donc réellement été utilisée pour de la musique. Vous vous rendez compte d'à quel point il faut être passionné pour rallier deux thèmes aussi opposés d'une telle facilité. Mais si ce n'était que ça, vous me diriez qu'il suffit de lire simplement la mythologie chinoise mais __NON__, ici on nous propose tout cela adapté à de la musique: une musique très qualitative, des sons qu'on rêverait de voir sortir en clip dans la vraie vie tant ils sont hypant. Et finalement on en vient à découvrir un sujet très intéressant en s'amusant car osez me dire que vous ne mourrez pas d'envie de voir Eiko réussir à atteindre son objectif de manière legit. On a déjà abordé les stratégies et la musique mais qu'en est-il de l'histoire ? L'anime nous propose un slice of life assez chill mais avec des combats musicaux où antagoniste comme protagoniste triomphent et permet, peu importe votre personnage préféré, d'adorer ces scènes entre rivaux. Chaque ennemi, qui nous paraît toujours incomparable à Eiko niveau fame se retrouve dépassé, par des stratégies plutôt crédibles, bon je vous avoue qu'il y a bien eu quelques incohérence et c'est pour cela que je ne noterai pas l'anime 100/100. L'histoire pendant un moment s'arrête pour développer les personnages et leurs relations. Ces épisodes, qui nous paraissent plutôt "chiants" et qui manquent d' "action" sont en fait nécessaires pour nous donner envie d'aimer Nanami et ainsi d'avoir de la peine au moment ou elle se battra contre notre héroïne. En parlant de cette scène, on peut aussi admettre le génie de la prévoyance de Kongming qui nous le fait aimer d'autant plus. Kabetaijin, qui est un personnage secondaire est aussi très appréciable, les réalisateurs ont préféré le laisser en arrière plan pour qu'il ne fasse pas d'ombre à Eiko. Mais ce personnage donne envie d'être aimé et j'espère qu'il sera d'autant plus développé dans l'avenir. --- On clôture donc cette review avec cela, je vais lire la suite du manga, j'espère qu'on nous réserve une bonne suite !

IrrelevantGuy

Note that the review will be somewhat long-winded and contain a few minor spoilers. It's been a while since a show has managed to fascinate this much, so I went pretty much all out on this one. Hopefully you will bear with me lol. -------------------------------------------------------------- P.A. Works creating a good manga adaptation? The world must be ending! No seriously, this show is fucking amazing. Paripi Koumei is without doubt a little absurd, insane, and chaotic -- and it is entertaining as fuck. Unlike what it appears on the surface, it is not just a brainless comedy that solely intends to make its audience laugh at its ridiculousness; as satirical as this may sound, there is legitimate quality and substance to be found behind all the seemingly pointless madness and irrationality. Paripi Koumei radiates promise from one of the very first scenes, showing a decrepit Zhuge Liang Kongming on his deathbed. It is then that Kongming makes his one final wish: to reincarnate in an era without any war and conflict, one where he could live peacefully. Fast forward two millenniums, and we suddenly see Kongming in a nightclub of Shibuya, supposedly reborn in his younger body. Initially bewildered, he is soon mesmerized by the voice of a young singer, later introduced as Eiko Tsukimi. Eiko is facing problems of her own, struggling to find success in the world of music despite her firm, yet slightly wavering determination. She is startled when the oddly dressed Kongming proclaims his love for her voice, but nonetheless delighted that someone has finally taken notice of her music. The next morning, Eiko stumbles upon an intoxicated Kongming on the street, and brings him home out of sympathy. There, Kongming learns about the modern world and its technology from Eiko, and subsequently becomes interested in contemporary music. In spite of the odd circumstances, the two quickly develop an intimate relationship, and Kongming decides to become Eiko's music manager aka "tactician", with the immovable resolve to make the world recognize her name and singing prowess. It goes without saying that Kongming himself is what makes Paripi Koumei; you definitely won't enjoy the show if you aren't fond of his crazy antics, because that's pretty much the driving force of the story. As Kongming devises grand strategies for Eiko to help her accomplish her dream, the plot simultaneously expands in scope and moves forward in a surprisingly steady pace and manner, with almost no stumbles or hiccups along the way. And in case you are wondering what's a Chinese military strategist doing in what seems like a wacky music anime (told you this show was absurd), it's... hard to explain. The thing is, there's admittedly zero rationale to how certain things play out at the beginning, and the series is completely honest about it. Why Kongming is reincarnated in Japan, can read, and can talk in perfectly fluent Japanese is just because the plot demands it, and there's no other reason. This rarely holds back the show however, because the author utilizes the most of Kongming's inclusion in the story. The show also never tries to indulge in monotonous self-parody to replace actual comedy; though there are clever self-jabs from time to time, it fully understands that dull and repetitive self-parody is far from any proper entertainment. As a result, what we have here is an anime with genuinely a lot of thought put into the material. Stated briefly, the idea sounds and is ridiculous, but the execution is anything but that. Kongming is most certainly a weirdo, but at the same time, there are few who can even dream to be nearly as charismatic as him. There's a certain charm to him that I have yet to find in any other anime character, and that charm isn't merely limited to him being "a Chinese historical character in a Japanese anime lol". Kongming's charm in fact comes from his entire character: his intelligent yet amusingly quirky nature, witty and playful remarks, clever and intriguing tactics, flashy appearance, and spectacular voice acting. Suffice to say, he is not simply a stereotypical male Mary Sue programmed to do "all according to keikaku" stuff; there is far more to him than meets the eye. With that being said, if you came to the show looking for cleverly constructed strategies, you surely wouldn't be disappointed, because it does have plenty of that to offer. Kongming's so-called stratagems are always a delight to watch, even if one or two can be considered as blatant ass-pull(s). The second episode, in particular, almost entirely detaches itself from any kind of realism – instead relying on plot contrivances and semi-convoluted logic to progress the story. On the flip side however, there are many more occasions where the tactics Kongming comes up with are surprisingly really clever and creative. Although they seem irrational and "totally batshit crazy" at first, in hindsight, you realize that they are actually brilliantly thought-out, albeit still totally batshit crazy. The stratagems Kongming uses in the show reference historical events, and excluding a few errors and glorification here and there, the depictions are consistently precise. The original stratagems and Kongming's own versions of them are obviously vastly different, but they are always built on the same fundamental concepts. At the start of a new episode, a short recap is played of what happened prior; but unlike the sleep-inducing recaps you see in most shounen, a narrator aptly connects the referenced events with the previous episode and provides historical context. While this seems comparatively insignificant, it does, as a matter of fact, add more depth to the story and makes the stratagems even more interesting. Back to our boy Kongming though, remember that I said his charm comes from his whole character? Although that holds true, it's specifically his demeanor and inner personality which makes him so loveable in my opinion. As cunning and eccentric as he is, Kongming is also incredibly soft, affectionate, knowledgeable, and unassuming. He is equal parts wise and hilarious; there will never be a time his words will fail to entrance you, and his jests and idiosyncrasies fail to make you smile. Even just him appearing on the screen will be enough to keep you entertained. In internet lingo, Kongming is a certified gigachad, one who belongs in a category of his own. I know I sound like an overly obsessive fan idealizing his favorite idol, and I probably *am* obsessive, but I mean it when I say Kongming is wonderful, because he is. Kongming's personality naturally shines the most when he is with Eiko, who helps bring out his most intimate sides. Eiko herself is an extraordinarily engaging and well-written character. It's easy to dismiss her as waifu-bait at first glimpse, but if you actually watch the anime, it should be obvious that she isn't. The show dedicates much time to focus on her growth both as a singer and a person, so it feels extremely gratifying whenever she succeeds in her goals. Keep in mind that while Kongming may be the mastermind behind her success, it is actually Eiko's own singing, her own efforts to improve herself, that ultimately makes everything work, or "does the magic" if you will. Additionally, though only explored in brief sequences, Eiko's suicidal past adds a substantial layer of depth to her character. What's noteworthy is that suicide is tackled with a lot of subtlety and not oversensationalized at all, which makes the backstory all the more effective. Of course, the anime doesn't solely rely on this to flesh her out; her relationship with Kongming is actually what plays the most important role in her characterization. Similar to how Eiko eased Kongming's heart, Kongming also helped Eiko regain confidence in herself, giving her the push to continuously improve herself – which brings me to the prime reason why I find their relationship to be so profound and well-written. Almost any fan would mainly attribute Eiko and Kongming's interactions to why they enjoy the show, and I'm no exception. The arrangement is strange for sure, but their relationship is at heart incredibly wholesome and uplifting. Why? One of the key things to consider here is the wish Kongming made before dying, which was to be reborn in a more peaceful era. But even though his wish was fulfilled, Kongming remained dejected since there was no familar face around. Later, it was Eiko who delighted and captivated him with her music. Similarly, Kongming was the first person to genuinely compliment Eiko's music, someone she could call "a true fan", and that motivated her to strive for greater lengths. These simple aspects at the beginning of the anime paved the way for a dynamic, heartwarming relationship, what would be regarded as utterly stupid and nonsensical otherwise. Despite Eiko's name being a direct reference to Kongming's allegedly real wife, there's not any implication of romance between the two. Their feelings for each other are portrayed as platonic more than anything, which is evident through the obvious parallels to Kongming and Liu Bei's relationship. I would be lying if I said I wasn't relieved thanks to that. I believe the primary reason why their bond doesn't feel forced is because it is platonic, and any attempts at romance would make their relationship overly awkward and unnatural. The later chapters of the manga presumably don't contain any romance either, and I hope it stays that way until the end. While I could never see this being even a remote possibility, if you think the anime will get stale and formulaic with only those two in spotlight – don't worry, the viewers are quickly introduced to more compelling characters: Kabetaijin, an average Joe with no remarkable qualities except his knack and devotion for rap, and Nanami, the vocalist of a girls' band stripped of their passion and ingenuity. As cliched as their origin stories might sound, they are nevertheless inspiring and should strike a chord with the audience, particularly those who have been in the music industry themselves. Kabe and Nanami's individual character arcs peak respectively in episodes 6 and 9, which solidify the two as staple characters of the series. Most of the supporting characters are equally or almost equally endearing. "Owner" Kobayashi sort of serves as a loving father figure to Eiko, and his penchant for Three Kingdoms has never failed to put a smile on my face. Sekitoba is a worthy rival of Kabe and a fairly compelling character even on his own, and the same goes for all the members of Jet Jacket and the other two girls of Azalea. In spite of his short appearance, Tsuyoshi Kendo immediately left a vivid impression with his unconventional accent, and so did Steve Kiddo with his unhealthy pudding obsession. Karasawa is a decent antagonist, albeit not very complex, but more than believable and interesting enough to get invested into. Music has always played a vital role for me when it comes to the enjoyment of any piece of media, and Paripi Koumei has honestly been astounding in that regard. The music production of the anime is spectacular; I'm not using the word lightly at all. In fact, what really got me invested in the show was not the randomness, but the short guitar song Eiko plays for Kongming in the first episode – which unironically stole my heart immediately. 96neko's voice is mesmerizingly beautiful, even when she sings in English, which is notable because Japan is notorious for producing awful Engrish songs. Lezel's singing is also excellent, and Shouya's rapping is more than up to the mark (for the most part). Other relatively "minor" artists aren't negligible either, and the background music is superb as well, especially the tracks that play during the emotional scenes. Some people have complained about the fact that certain songs are frequently repeated throughout the anime, which didn't particularly irk me to be honest, because there's a solid reason behind why this decision was taken. One of the major themes of the story revolves around growth, whether musical or inherently personal, and I think the continuous repetition of a song to highlight that growth has been executed very well. This would have been an entirely different case if the songs themselves had been subpar or ordinary, but when the performances at display are remarkably better than most of the stuff that come out nowadays, I don't really see much room for concern here. Regardless of what you think about their consistency of writing quality, it's difficult to deny that P.A. Works' productions have always looked visually impressive, and I feel like they have even stepped their game up a notch with Paripi Koumei. The animation in the show is strikingly good, boasting completely fluid character movement and vivid background art. The concerts in particular are splendidly animated, and the atmosphere is exceptionally unique. In a period where lifeless and mediocre anime are commonplace, this show feels and looks incredibly refreshing. Without any hint of exaggeration, it legitimately seems like the staff handled the series with immense care and love, with the genuine intent to make something of actual value – which I have yet to see in any of P.A. Works' other works besides Shirobako. When you compare the anime to the manga, this intent becomes even more palpable. The manga of Paripi Koumei is not bad by any measure; it's actually amazing, but it doesn't exactly equal the anime. Music is obviously a big factor in this (manga doesn't have any sound, duh), especially when the level of quality is this outstanding, but to merely pass it off as that will be a great disservice to all the people who contributed to the project. You see, the art of the manga is frankly uninspiring; most of the panels are rather colorless and generic, and several are completely barren of any proper background. The characters are drawn very simplistically, with little emphasis on accentuating their expressions, for which they somewhat lack the emotional impact of the anime. The writing of the anime also differs from the manga in many directions, which may seem trivial at a cursory glance, but are much more significant if you sit down and compare the two. I think one of the most prominent examples of this is how Eiko tends to subconsciously belittle herself by saying "watashi nanka" (translated to little ol' me), something Kongming notes immediately and tells her to stop using. This is a subtle way to add nuance to the characters, hinting at Eiko's modest persona and Kongming's thoughtful nature concerning her. A lot of their conversations are also expanded upon, consisting of more heartfelt and substantial dialogues, amplifying the effectiveness of the said scenes. To further emphasize my point, there's an additional 3-minutes-long sequence in episode 9 of the anime, which presents a flashback of Azalea in their high school years, discussing what name they should pick for their band. The following scene shows Azalea performing in their debut concert, and subsequently, the three girls promise to keep making music together. What's merely touched upon in a single panel in the manga, has been expounded substantially and turned into an immensely meaningful backstory. Modifications like this have been made throughout the entire storyboard to enhance the experience, including the dramatic sequences as well as the comedic bits. One of the few minor drawbacks of the show in my opinion is the unnecessary fanservice, which – despite just being few and far between – does leave a little bit of a bad taste. This occasional fanservice includes showing relatively risque scenes of Eiko taking a shower, changing her clothes, bathing with Nanami, etc. The anime is slightly less guilty of this compared to the manga though, which generally contains more lewder shots of Eiko doing the aforementioned things. However, this is simply an insignificant issue I personally found with the series and shouldn't affect your enjoyment that much, if at all; these scenes only appear occasionally after all. Although everyone already knows about it, I just have to talk about the opening of the show, which I can't stress enough about how groovy it is. Fun fact, the original version of the opening is a Hungarian pop song released 9 years ago, and while it's not bad, the Japanese version completely overshadows it. The ending is also a cover of an old Japanese song called "Kibun Joujou", and again, the newer version is exceptionally better. I actually think the opening and the endings are more or less equally good, and the ending played in episodes 5 to 7 is probably the catchiest, particularly because of 96neko and Shouya's solo performances. To say Paripi Koumei has a bit of something for everyone is misleading, because it clearly has elements that not everyone will enjoy. Does that mean I'm gonna stop anyone from watching the show? No, of course not. There's a reason why this is irrefutably the dark horse of this season, and I will go as far as to say it is easily the best anime of the year so far – and potentially even more. Well, the third season of Kaguya-sama *could* be better, but I haven't started watching that yet, so yeah. The point is, do certainly give Paripi Koumei a try, even if it doesn't seem like something that's up your alley. I was thoroughly surprised myself, and chances are you will be too. Although I ended up using over two thousand words to write this review, I still don't feel like I have done Paripi Koumei any justice. I may never be able to fully convey how much I actually love the show; I think it is simply that good. This is all the more impressive when you consider the clusterfuck of ideas this anime works with, which should have been an easy recipe for a disastrous failure, not something as good as this. To reiterate myself, even if it sounds overly cliched, all of this has been possible because of the tremendous effort put in by the creators – starting from the manga's author to everyone involved with the series' production. Paripi Koumei is in a word P.A. Works' newest passion project, and I can't wait to see more of it in the future. It would be a gross understatement to say I will just miss this show, as it is not often you come across something truly special, and Paripi Koumei absolutely is special.

iAmApiano

When I first heard the premise of _Ya Boy Kongming_, I thought it sounded pretty strange, even for an anime. I'd heard rumblings of this show before it released, but it was only when I heard the music in one of Gigguk's YouTube videos that I finally decided to pick it up. I thought I was strapping myself in for a wacky ride of _JoJo's Bizarre Adventure_ proportions, but it turned out to be one of the most down-to-earth shows I've watched in a while. The titular Kongming was a military strategist in ancient China (yes, real-life ancient China), and upon his dying breath, he wished to be transported to a world without war. He got his wish, and this show is all about how he uses his experiences in battle tactics to help Eiko, a young aspiring pop artist, to rise in the ranks to stardom. From the very first episode, _Ya Boy Kongming_ puts an emphasis on character. This show isn't a sequence of cool events that lead up to a simple end goal, it's about the choices these characters make, and it's about how those decisions will make an impact and, thereby, create a story. Oh, and did I mention the songs were all absolute bangers? youtube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyqDOOpJlcA) From the pop music Eiko sings, to the manufactured hip-hop sung by Azalea, and the sick raps Kabetaijin spits, all the music is made specifically for this anime, and all of it rocks. Ironically, the only piece of music that isn't original is the OP "Ciki Ciki Bam Bam", which is a cover of a song by Jolly-Bulikiraly. But even then, this is a fantastic way of pointing to the characters of this show, as Eiko (whose singing voice is provided by Queendom, the artist of the OP) starts her singing career by singing covers of her favourite pop songs. The OP is such an earworm, bound to get you bobbing your head in no time, and the score itself is also pretty great, especially the recap song that plays at the beginning of each episode. ____ __TOP 3 BEST EPISODES:__ 1. __Eiko's Song__ Every lesson, every analysis, every stratagem leads up to this finale, and boy, do they nail it! Without giving anything away, it's a satisfying conclusion to this arc, and I'm 100 percent on board for the future of Eiko x Kongming. 2. __Borrowing Arrows with Straw Boats__ Being as this is basically Part 1 of the finale, it gets the same rating for the same reasons. 3. __For the Populace__ I love the transparency of how they showed the origin of Azalea, and how toxic it can be to succeed at the cost of your passion. __TOP 3 WORST EPISODES:__ 1. __Um...__ To be honest, there are no bad episodes of _Ya Boy Kongming_. The lowest rating I gave to an episode was a 7/10, which is still a good rating. Sure, not every episode may have a "Holy crap" moment, but when they aren't busy blowing your mind with the quality of the music, they're busy blowing your mind with the quality of the writing. Not a second is wasted in this show; it's constantly building up the characters, giving them choices to make that, like I'd mentioned, have a tangible effect on the story. It's a great example of good character-driven storytelling. Do yourself a favour and give this one a shot. For its zany premise, it's extremely genuine. It appeals to the human desire to be the best version of yourself, even if it takes a Chinese tactician getting isekai-ed into your world to make it happen.

Dxvid

~~~img(https://deluxe.news/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Ya-Boy-Why-is-Ya-Boy-Kongming-Why-is-the.jpg)~~~ If there’s one thing that I really love about anime, it’s the medium’s ability to occasionally transform even the most absurd of story premises into something that feels real and able to reach our hearts and souls. For example, _Zombie Land Saga_ grew to become my favorite anime due to the way that the series was able to take two completely different genres, zombies and idols, and combine them into something that was not only outlandishly fun and unique, but also very human and emotionally resonant when the chaos takes a backseat. Spring 2022’s _Ya Boy Kongming!_ is what I like to call a “ZLS-adjacent” kind of show, and that’s not only because the most popular recommendation for people who love this show is _ZLS_ itself; It caught my eye much in the same vein that it did in the very first episode, giving us an insane music-based premise that soon evolved into something much more down-to-earth and compelling. Combining the history and culture of ancient China with modern-day Japan and the music industry shouldn’t be a combo that works, but somehow, someway, _Kongming!_ makes it work. ~~~ img(https://animecorner.me/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/ya-boy-kongming-op-ed_header.png)~~~ __(Story)__ The story of _Ya Boy Kongming!_ starts in ancient China, with brilliant military strategist and tactician Zhuge Liang, a.k.a. “Kongming”, falling ill and dying with one last wish to be reborn in a world without war. He gets his wish, but is reincarnated in the urban jungle of modern-day Shibuya. Not only does he get completely engulfed in culture shock by being transported to a different country, but he also has to adapt to almost 2,000 years of human evolution and innovation. Kongming soon finds himself in a bar, where he’s completely moved by a performance from a young aspiring singer named Eiko Tsukimi. The next morning, Eiko takes him to her home and teaches him the basics of modern-day Japan, and we’re soon treated to an acoustic performance of a song that moves Kongming to tears; curious to know more about modern music, Eiko helps him gain employment at the same bar they met at. Opening up about her struggles in life leading up to that point, she shares her dream of being a famous singer with him, and Kongming, who wholeheartedly believes in her talent and ability to reach said dream, volunteers to be her tactician. Once the story premise presents itself, the story begins to move rather swiftly in its pacing, and it continually blends the ridiculous nature of Kongming with the very grounded nature of Eiko’s journey. With Kongming’s help, Eiko begins to progress up the ladders of the music industry, gaining friends and foes along the way; We get to see Eiko encounter famous singers, bands, rappers, and even idol groups, encapsulating multiple music genres and diversifying their approach to the top with the help of Kongming scheming up ways to showcase Eiko’s talent. What really gets me, though, is how Kongming approaches it: His schemes fall back upon Chinese history and the various strategies that made him such a legendary tactician, so at the same time that we’re seeing the wackiness and creativity of the show’s writing, we’re also getting insights into Chinese history to parallel the past with the present. Where the story truly shines, however, is when it shifted to become less about Kongming and more about Eiko herself. It bugged me a bit that a show about Kongming became less about Kongming, but at the same time I actually feel like Eiko’s story is the shining highlight of the show and that unfortunately came at the expense of Kongming himself taking a backseat approach in the second half. Faced with a challenge named the “100,000 Likes Project”, her and her rapper friend Kabetaijin each undergo their own character arcs, being entrusted to find what they’re missing to take the next steps towards their goals. The story became less about Kongming cooking up schemes and more about Eiko finding her own voice, finding who she wants to reach with that voice, and using that voice to change the world. Luckily, with the addition of Nanami Kuon, it helps push this theme and character arc forward, and it resulted in what I felt like was a truly earned and satisfying ending to the show. The soul of _Ya Boy Kongming!_ isn’t the whimsical nature of Kongming’s schemes, but rather Eiko’s story as a musician and how powerful music can be. In the late stages of the story, Nanami Kuon’s group Azalea is juxtaposed with Eiko’s current situation, but reveals a darker side to the music industry, an industry that forced Nanami and friends to sell their souls for success. Whereas Eiko had a very raw, acoustic feel to her music similar to early Azalea, modern Azalea was very artificial and more about widespread appeal than emotionally impactful music, something that burdened Nanami for years as she and her friends had to suck it up in order to become the successful group they aspired to be. But even when it seemed like she may never go back to the girl she once was…it was through Eiko’s voice and through her music that she was able to change and rebel against the very system that was tying her and her friends down. It was through Eiko’s sincerity and her heartfelt passion for music that reached her, and not only was Eiko to find whose hearts she wanted to reach, but Nanami found the strength to be herself again and make the kind of music SHE wants to make. Music doesn’t always have to appeal to everyone, but it’s genuineness and the heart and soul of a musician that has the power to change people’s lives for the better. Messages like that are common in music anime - I love the genre specifically for this reason, and _Kongming_ was no different. ~~~img(https://www.kaorinusantara.or.id/english/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/papirikoumei1.jpg)~~~ __(Audio-Visuals)__ Before I started watching this show, I came across a clip of Kongming being moved by Eiko’s song in her room, and that single-handedly made me want to watch it. Not only were the visuals very crisp and the lighting was phenomenal, it stuck out to me because it complimented not only her singing but the atmosphere really well. This kind of audiovisual goodness is what I feel is a hallmark of P.A. Works’ anime and is part of their overall style and approach to their production. _Ya Boy Kongming!_ is another prime example of P.A. Works being in their bag as far as production values go, as throughout the show we get a pleasant mix of both creative visuals and stunning emotional shots. It’s funny when it needs to be and serious when it’s crunchtime, and it’s sold primarily through the way that the way the scenes are presented. Dramatic lighting is for dramatic scenes, and comedic visuals are for comedic moments, as it obviously should be, but I was surprised at how well-balanced it was. It never felt too goofy or too melancholic, and that certainly helped. The performances were also done in full 2D animation, which is a nice touch. The primary reason why I feel like _Ya Boy Kongming!_ is as great as it was is because of its music…at its high points. But before I get to the bad, let’s talk about the good first, and boy, there’s a whole lot of it! _Kongming’s_ musical highs are EXTREMELY high, and that’s because it blends different kinds of music from a ton of different backgrounds and cultures and somehow makes it work within the context of the show. Because of Kongming’s Chinese background, we’re treated to Chinese-influenced music and instrumentals during his character moments, and that’s just one of the many genres in the diverse OST. We get a wide variety of sounds, ranging from EDM, pop, rock, hip-hop and jazz, and I really appreciated getting almost the whole range within the soundtrack. The sheer whiplash of going from a slow, acoustic and emotional song like Eiko’s “I’m still alive today” to a more intense, fiery “UNDERWORLD” was a treat for my ears to hear unfold. Perhaps the biggest and most popular piece of music that this anime spawned is through the insanely fun opening, fittingly titled “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”. Not only was it an uptempo, straight-up fun song with funny lyrics and eye-popping visuals, but the best part is the background behind it. The song itself is a Japanese cover of a song called “Bulikirály” by Jolly, a Hungarian club banger from 2013, and if that doesn’t already scream “one-of-a-kind”, then I don’t know what will. It’s a perfect encapsulation of what this show is, what it’s trying to do, and is probably the biggest creative flex aside from, y’know, having a freakin’ Chinese war general speaking Japanese in modern times trying to help an aspiring musician. It’s a damn addicting one. Now that I got through the good side of _Kongming_’s music, let’s get to the only part that really bugged me about the show’s music: the rapping. I love hip-hop, have always loved it, and will always love it, but for some reason, I just couldn’t stand the raps I heard in this show. The introduction of Kabetaijin and his arc was cool, and I don’t think he’s not talented, because he did show it off, but I found it and the couple of rap battles grating. There were a few moments where he and Kongming’s respective flows hit a pocket of nice rhymes and rhythm, but I kinda just found myself rolling my eyes a bit whenever it came on. I just wasn’t rocking with it, and it's unfortunately the biggest blemish in the show to me. For the voice talents themselves, I already knew I was in for a treat when I heard Eiko’s voice for the first time. Kaede Hondo, of previous _Zombie Land Saga_ fame as the voice of one of my favorite MCs in Sakura Minamoto, has a lead role as Eiko Tsukimi, and not only was I sold on it immediately, I was also really impressed with her performance. I wish that she got to sing as her like how she does in ZLS, but I love 96Neko’s performances and it sold Eiko’s singing talents extremely well. Ryoutarou Okiayu provides an effective performance as the quirky and cunning Kongming, Jun Fukushima provides voice work for the goofy ancient Chinese history buff bar owner, and Shouya Chiba turns in a nice performance for the gloomy Kabetaijin. Hibiku Yamamura did a nice job voicing Nanami Kuon, and Lezel’s singing voice was phenomenal and even better when put next to 96Neko. While I don’t think there were any all-time performances as far as voice acting goes, they all did their job and sold their characters well. ~~~img(https://y0uc4n7kn0w.files.wordpress.com/2022/06/image-2.png?w=1024)~~~ __(Characters)__ The character work ranges from okay to great, and that’s largely because the focused character arcs are limited to about three characters. I also feel like the set of antagonists minus Azalea and Karasawa that we were given kinda just came and went, and it kinda hurts knowing that _Kongming!_ fell short in that category. Kongming himself was a great character until the aforementioned second half of the show hit, and while he was reduced to being practically a supporting character in his own show, he’s unique enough as a character to be one of the standout ones from it. I don’t necessarily think he needed a character development arc, and he didn’t get one, so I don’t really have a problem with his character. I just wish that we got to see more of his involvement and more crazy schemes based on his various battles throughout his original lifetime, but the direction of the show led into a character arc that became the highlight of the show. Eiko Tsukimi is the _real_ main character of this show to me, and that’s largely because the story is her story from the beginning. Eiko throughout the show was able to grow not only in popularity with the help of Kongming, but was also able to grow into herself and her own individuality as a musician in the process. Pretty much the entire second half of the show focused on this development, and while Kongming’s character suffered from it, Eiko’s character blossomed. Endearing from the beginning of episode 1 all the way to the final moments of episode 12, her character was so easy to root for and want to see succeed, and that’s why all of her successes feel earned - we know what she’s been through, where she wants to go, and why she wants to do it, and it was very fulfilling to see her take steps towards realizing her dream. She’s a very standout character, and easily my favorite. Kabetaijin is the secondary character that Kongming helps realize his own dreams for, and he pretty much undergoes the same type of arc that Eiko goes through over the course of the show. A talented battle rapper who was once a former champion but quit after collapsing in a rap battle due to a stress-induced ulcer, his arc is primarily about taking that next step and learning how to deal with the pressures of consistently being better than you were before, and it was done pretty well considering he’s just a secondary main character. The final “main” character that I felt was a major standout was a character we didn’t get until the second half of the show in Nanami Kuon. Introduced at the beginning of Eiko’s journey to “finding her own voice”, she spots Nanami in the streets performing “I’m still alive today” using a bucket as drums, and impressed with her voice, Eiko joins her in these street performances and soon befriends her. Not only is her chemistry with Eiko off the charts, but her own character development arc coinciding with Eiko’s was really sweet and heartwarming. Nanami’s arc of rediscovering her lost passion for music through Eiko and gaining the strength to rebel and take back creative control of her and Azalea’s music was an extremely satisfying one, and given its ties to the series’ theme of music having the power to impact people’s lives for the better, it was an arc that I really enjoyed. ~~~img(https://animecorner.me/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/kongming-ep-1-1.jpg)~~~ __(Conclusion)__ Even amongst the stacked Spring 2022 season, _Ya Boy Kongming!_ did more than enough to solidify its place alongside the other amazing shows from it. While it didn’t reach the heights that I thought that it would reach and fell short in a few ways, I’m a sucker for quirky and absurd shows with a heartwarming message, and _Kongming!_ had a few moments that moved me. It reminded me just how much I love music and how it can impact me and many others, and for that, I really appreciate it. _Ya Boy Kongming!_ is an extremely solid show with a lot of things to like about it, so if you’re up for an infectious comedy with great music and a wholesome journey of finding your voice, then give it a shot!

Minulf

__Wow__. I honestly wasn't expecting this level of quality, heart and passion to be put into an anime, based on a manga that is, to my knowledge, still somewhat unknown. And holy hell I was just blown away by it. I'm a sucker for "follow your dreams" stories, and admittedly, I shed some manly tears at episode 12. Sure, I've only known the entire ensemble for just the better part of five hours, but still, I just vibed with pretty much all of them - except that annoying YouTuber in episodes 11 and 12. As a side note, I couldn't keep this spoiler free, I'm sorry. And don't even get me started on the music. This may well have the best music production in an anime since... Vivy? I admit I haven't watched much music-themed anime other than K-On, Your Lie in April and, the aforementioned Vivy, but even my monkey brain can see that the production value of the scenes that feature music in this show is sky-high. __Plot & Execution thereof 8/10:__ The legendary tactician and statesman Kongming is reborn in 21st-century Shibuya after dying of old age in ancient China. His only wish is to be reborn into a peaceful time, and he gets his wish - even if, at first, it seems to him like he's landed in hell. He sees Eiko, our female lead, at a Halloween party in a dingy club. After hearing her sing and being entranced by her raw talent, he meets her and he more or less vows on the spot to become her tactician to help her reach her dreams using battlefield tactics he employed in his previous life. ~~See now where the summary kicks in?~~ The show's premise is certified crack cocaine but despite that, it all works well and fuses together into something surprisingly harmonious and beautiful. At its core, it's not just about Eiko fulfilling her dreams but also about other characters doing what they believe is right for them and what they want to do with what time they are given. Honestly, it's a really uplifting, wholesome, very amusing, very well-executed and inspiring tale centred around the topic of "everyone has a second chance", which just happens to be as whack as Kongming's ancient robes in modern-day Shibuya. Speaking of which... __Characters 9/10:__ Kongming is the embodiment of the galaxy brain meme. His sly use of tactics and composed, calm and friendly nature make him a very endearing, likeable character. Plus, it was refreshing to see that he quickly adapted to modern life instead of forcing comedy with "hummm, how does this work?" during the entire runtime. His relationship with Eiko is beautiful, the two work together like a dream. It's nice to see a "man meets woman" story these days that doesn't end up in romance, instead it's more like a father-daughter or older brother-younger sister dynamic they got going on. As for Eiko, she's a cinnamon bun that's had one too many energy drinks. She's very, VERY cute and bubbly (best girl of spring 2022), as well as very upbeat and enthusiastic. But she's also a grounded person who's well aware of the hardships of becoming a professional musician and, understandably, has some scepticism towards Kongmings crazy schemes when they start working together. Also, it's kinda... inspiring to see that she crawled back from the depths of despair and found a release in music in which she dumps all her more-or-less boundless energy. What also made me like her was that even with the megamind that is Kongming by her side, she herself has the talent to back up his plans instead of just being carried by them. In the segment about the plot above, I mentioned that the show also features other characters fulfilling their dreams, not just our leads. Kabetaijin for example. He's a former underground rapgod and three-time winner of a rap tournament, but he began to suffer from major stage fright sometime during his career. However he, gets back in the game after Kongming challenges him to a rap battle (don't worry about it), finds his footing again and rises from the ashes as part of Eiko's team. Then we have Nanami, a young woman Eiko befriends while jamming on the street, who is then revealed as a rival musician. Instead of friends turning to enemies, they support each other during the show's climax and Nanami and her band mates finally find the courage thanks to Eiko's performance to stand up to their manager and convince him to let them play the music they wanna play. Coming full circle again, Kongming himself has a dream to fulfill, which he does by helping Eiko fulfill _hers_. In his previous life, he didn't manage to reach all the goals his liege and his comrades before he died of old age, but in this second chance, he gives it his all to see the plans and aspirations of people he deeply respects come to fruition. __Visuals 9/10:__ Vibrant is the best word to describe the general vibe of the show. I mean, okay, a fair share of it takes place in the glitz and chaos of Shibuya and the professional music industry, so bright colours, flashy lights and a highly polished look are a given. However, it's not all that; flashbacks to Kongming's previous life are more dimmed and have a slight sepia tinge to them, Kabetaijin's backstory has a similar tone to it but with colder tones to show his origins as an underground rap star and so on. The rest of the visuals just.. _work_. The character designs are exactly on point and done very precisely. What I mean by that is that one just needs to look at the eyes of the characters. For example, Kongming has smaller, sharply drawn eyes that highlight his cunning and sly nature. Eiko's eyes are big and expressive to showcase her optimism and hopefulness about achieving her goals and Kabetaijin's eyes are about as big as Eiko's but with much smaller irises that indicate he has similar motives to Eiko but (used to be) more jaded about them as a consequence of his stage fright. This design language also carries over into the character's clothing such as Kongming's fan that give him an aura of mysticism, Eiko's colourful jacket, encapsulates her character traits perfectly. Kabetaijin's subdued colour scheme. Nanami is an interesting character in terms of visual design; in her regular clothes, she's usually wearing trendy, comfortable but practical clothes that express her characteristics pretty well, being both colourful and more subdued. Her stage-dress meanwhile is essentially just a blank, white slate that alludes to how her manager wants to model her after his ideas to make her and her bandmates into bestselling (but sell-out) musicians. And so on and so forth. Visually, Ya Boy Kongming just ticks all the boxes and just feels... right. One final thing - the animation during the musical performances is... damn they're smooth as butter. __Music & Audio 10/10:__ Well, I already alluded to it in the beginning, but the quality of the music and the corresponding scenes is peak. Hell, even the Engrish that 96neko (Eiko's singing voice) slings around isn't too bad. The songs performed are generally bangers, from the god-tier opening "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", to "Be Crazy For Me" over "Underworld" and finally ending on "Dreamer". The Ending theme is also very good. Seriously, the entire soundtrack's on my Spotify playlist and it just won't get... boring. You got acoustic songs, EDM, Babymetal-esque stuff... It's pleasantly varied is what I'm saying. Oh, and the rap battles. I know fuck all about (battle) rap but even I could tell the guys who wrote the lyrics know their shit and I went "holy shit that's BRUTAL" when Kabetaijin let loose a diss track. The voice acting is also fantastic. While I only know two of the VAs, it was still a blast to listen to them, the voices fit their characters to a T. As for those two VAs that I know, attentive watchers will notice that Kongming is voiced by Ryoutarou Okiayu who also voiced Byakuya in Bleach, Scar in Fullmetal Alchemist or Akio in Clannad. Eiko is voiced by Kaede Hondo who did Destiny in takt.op Destiny or Sakura in Zombie Land Saga (kinda fitting that Eiko's VA used to star in two other anime about music). __What else...__ Nothing much, really. Go watch it If you haven't already, it's a fantastic show.

RebelPanda

Paripi Koumei is a treasure, and so is the star, Kongming: One of the most accomplished Chinese military strategists of history. Upon his death in 234 AD, he wished to be "Reborn in a more peaceful era," suddenly, he appears today on the streets of Hell (aka Tokyo) in his handmade Taoist robe with his iconic crane feather fan, amid a Halloween celebration! The bewildering party people, who he mistakes for Hell's minions, get him drunk and sweep him into a nightclub. His first real interaction is with an underdog singer Eiko in a nightclub. After discovering her unappreciated skill, he vows to ensure her success and becomes her millennia-old manager. Appearing like a full-time cosplayer, or a delusional history nerd, Eiko takes him in and accepts his help. Little did she know, his background prepared him to be the perfect manager! He instantly concocts 100 million IQ strategies to lure in audiences and keep them engaged, often deviously. Kaede Hondo kills it as Eiko as she did as Sakura in Zombieland Saga. It's fair to say it does for Japanese hip-hop what Zombieland Saga did for idol music; breathe life into a genre drowning in unfabulous idol fodder. Along their winding road to success, the Eiko and Kongming meet other aspiring rappers and singers. The many other skilled singers rise to the occasion and fit their roles excellently. Everyone here is indispensable. You witness side-stories run side-by-side with Eiko's journey; each one develops gradually into nuanced and likable individuals. "Join us in realizing world peace via music" is one of Kongming's most iconic quotes; it symbolizes the teamwork dynamic the cast of characters radiates. Character development is naturally blended into the music performances, and every song left me wanting more. Emotional lyrics during the improvised songs lend themselves well to flashbacks. Exposition dumps and tedious monologues are nowhere to be found here, only rhythm, sick beats, and organic storytelling. Neither the story nor the script feels forced; partly because the musicians gain skill over time with practice, none of them begin as unstoppable forces. Eiko starts with the task of finding her voice, and her companions must overcome past regrets and performance anxiety. Their struggles and hardships are portrayed believably; we see them grow over time, making for satisfying character arcs. This is similar to another recent manga adaptation centering on aspiring young artists, Blue Period. Both series, sappy as they may seem, focus on developing self-confidence and that no one is born with skill. It is learned. Though the themes are unoriginal, they're sincerely executed. Senkuu is a scientist like Kongming is a strategist; they're geniuses capable of feats surpassing human capabilities. The logic surrounding his strategies is not exactly airtight, and that's OK because the anime doesn't take itself seriously, and neither should you. Ironically, Kongming's flaw is his ego. As Eiko becomes a performer, Kongming's new party life challenges his past arrogance. It successfully paints a memorable portrait of Kongming, a godlike being who embodies the essence of coolness that harem protagonists could only dream of possessing. He never misses an opportunity to hype his companions with inspiring speeches. The latter episodes lean more towards drama than comedy. Even though the show is at its least engaging when it plays it seriously, they construct such likable characters you can't help but want to see if they achieve their dreams. What impressed me the most is how the thematic throughline challenges the status quo; the heroes confront the music industry's need for conformity. The antagonists are depicted as soulless corporate businessmen who value profit over integrity, treating musicians like tools to earn money. Our villains enforce the status quo, and our heroes fight it, adding a layer of depth to the conflict hanging over the show's dramatic final arc. The element of satire at play powerfully exposes how the Japanese music industry coerces artists to compromise their freedom of expression and morals to succeed in a market that values profit over creativity. Mesmerizing performances are the anime's highlight: colorful, melodic, energetic, wonderfully excessive, and occasionally psychedelic. What easily sets Paripi Koumei apart from its contemporaries is PA Works fabulous production. It's been a long while since I've seen stage performances in anime animated with sound 2D art. Elaborate dance choreography is complicated because TV anime have budget and time limitations. Yet, they never resort to CGI and manage to maintain on-model character (Carole and Tuesday could never). You'd struggle to find a recent anime that pays more attention to details than Paripi Koumei, from the Chinese history lessons incorporated into the beginning of each episode to the little ways the credits change at the end. Paripi Koumei is a winning combination of outstanding music, fabulous dynamic presentation, screwball comedy, and consistent character development, with a unique premise. On paper, it looked like it couldn’t make the magic last an entire season, but it went the distance and beat the odds. It would’ve been witty, endearing, stylish, and insightful even without the dazzling music, but the music is what makes it truly special.

bboyoatsnrice

~~~img220(https://i.imgur.com/KnNCtsO.png) What do you get when you combine idols and the romance of the three kingdoms? A clusterfuck presumably right? Wrong, you get a fun romp of Koumei from the Three Kingdoms being isekai’d into modern day Japan. With a mission to make aspiring idolstar, Eiko, world famous. Since he believes her songs have the power to bring world peace. The series reminded me of another series called “Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad” in more ways than one. How did it do that? And was this anime able to keep such a ludicrous concept interesting throughout its run? I’m unfamiliar with the Romance of Three-Kingdoms and Chinese history as a whole. So I was hesitant on picking up the series feeling that it wasn’t for me. I was relieved that “The Romace of the Three Kingdoms' ' wasn't required reading. Nonetheless, I was surprised at how much fun this show was, given the concept. I was expecting it to be the usual “smart man enters foreign territory that the audience is familiar with, and now has to get used to our culture.” I’ve seen that done in all kinds of media. Personally, I don’t think it can be executed more flawlessly than the way it was handled in SDF: Macross, but I digress. Koumei, being as smart as he is, doesn't stay in his dumbfounded state for long, and ends up throwing the world he’s in for a loop rather than vice versa like I’d presume. In fact most of the early episodes follow a monster of the week like structure, but more on that later. For now, I’d like to focus my attention towards the music. Possibly the most crucial component for making such an odd story work. Once again, I’m not too big into idols, or its culture. I think idols peaked with Lynn Minnmay from SDF Macross, dammit there I go again. Anyways, it presents a handful of idol songs that might have left Koumei speechless, but me being indifferent. Despite the show being centered around idol culture and that kind of music, the show also presents the audience with bits of rap, folk, and rock. The standout track from the OST the OP. BAN BAN A CHIKI CHIKI BAN BAN, is such a great opening song and the visuals are a wild trip of wild flashing colors and silly looking dance moves. The song never appears in the show itself, but still holds as one of the only worthwhile tracks for me. img220(https://i.imgur.com/GKFtC8W.gif) Despite the bombastic visuals of the opening, the animation and art style does its job. The animation only becomes notable when there’s a performance. The dance moves along with the eccentric on stage antics/exaggerations is clearly where the show’s budget went. Otherwise, I found the show pleasing to look at. I think it was a tasteful move to demonstrate what it was capable of only when absolutely necessary. Similar to the visuals, I found the voice acting to be quite well done. Eiko, Koumei’s (and Eiko’s boss to a lesser degree) seiyuus went above and beyond. Okiayu Ryoutarou does an exquisite job giving Koumei the cunning and calculated, yet warm demeanor his voice holds. But it’s a shame that once we enter the second half of this series, his voice becomes a faint voice echoing in the distance more and more. Because once we enter an arc dedicated to getting Eiko a spot on a world famous music festival, the scope of the Koumei’s strategies expands as does the cast, for better or for worse. Though many saw Kabe’s inclusion to the story as a detriment, I did not. Actually, his debut episode is still one of my favorites in the show. I thought the way the show presented his rise and fall from fame was a well executed change of pace from the norm. The way his story was cleverly implemented into the story was seamless. However I do think that from the episode after his debut onward, the show does slowly lose the magic it once had. Early on I had wished that the series wouldn’t be a monster of the week ordeal. Each episode presents a hurdle that spells out the end for Eiko’s singing career, only for Koumei to miraculously pull through and come in clutch with his stratagem. I got my wish and as stated, I was pleased, initially. But the more the series progressed, the more of what made this series so fun became relegated to the sidelines. That being, Kongming. And it’s a gradual deviation, because instead of the series focusing on the titular duo of Eiko and Koumei, more and more side characters get introduced. And as a result, the focus shifts and the time spent with Eiko and Koumei in the same area becomes infrequent. img220(https://i.imgur.com/uL5W7vK.gif) Kabe is often seen as the catalyst for the downfall of this show. But I disagree as I think it was Nanami’s arc that sealed it’s fate into mediocrity. The last exciting moment dedicated to kong-ming that reminds me of why I love the first few episodes so much, shows up again in Kabe’s rap duel with Kongming. Arguably the best moment of the show as we get an insane spectacle of their raps being personified into dragons and ancient chinese soldiers. Couple that Kabe’s solid verses getting decimated by Koumei’s eloquent soliloquies had me in stitches. Afterwards Kabe doesn’t have much impact on the narrative, with his ‘hoora’ being a diss track he made for Azaela being performed live in the climax of the show. Calling her out for being two faced and fake like she is. Speaking of fake, Nanami’s “bond” with Eiko was my least favorite aspect of this series. Eiko’s relationship with Kabe at the very least was relegated to being nothing more than co-workers and being decently acquainted with one another. Eiko comes across Nanami performing on the street for fun and is moved by her performance. This wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for the fact that their relationship moves at lightning speed. And before you know it, they’re already at the “the bffs split up phase” when, shocker, it's her band that’s been Eiko’s rival for the 100k follower challenge. Episode 7 onwards is dedicated to the following: Kabe bonding with his old pals, Nanami’s relationship with Eiko, Eiko trying to find her voice trying to impress a snobbish producer, and Azalea's group's uprising. Koumei is hardly present and most of the three kingdom references are completely dropped. It doesn’t help that the episodes become padded with Nanami’s song being played by both Eiko and Nanami spontaneously throughout. Not to mention, the laziness is only more apparent when these scenes are accompanied by stills or just shots of their audience smiling. Although I was never a huge fan of Eiko in the first place, she served as a good foil to Kong-ming. Being this young woman who’s in touch with current trends and being eager to rise to fame nicely contrasts Koumei's calm, smart, and whimsical demeanor. And though he’s from a different time period, he assimilates to the new world he’s presented rather quickly. And as I said earlier, the show didn’t let this trope overstay its welcome and for that I was pleasantly surprised. However, I would’ve preferred it if the series took this concept and experimented more with it than just dropping it completely. Perhaps if it were to show one of Koumei’s stratagems being foiled by either modern tech or something that exists now that didn’t then. Though it does show that Koumei wasn’t an infallible person in a touching scene where he feels guilt about not partying with the soldiers of his king's army before what would be their final battle. It doesn’t focus on Koumei or his stratagems after a certain point, and instead we’re given backstories to characters that aren’t nearly as interesting as the man who this show is named after. Paripi Koumei reminded me of another series called “Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad”. In that both are music series that deal with the long road it takes to become a superstar. But not only because of that, but because both develop a habit of playing the same few songs the in-universe characters created ad-nauseum throughout the series. And it’s done so often that it makes emotionally gripping moments feel like a parody of itself. The show started out with a ridiculous concept that surprised me with how well it worked. Once the show enters the “100k like” arc, it becomes a slow downward spiral into mediocrity. And if I want more of the magic that made this series special, I’d pick up the Romance Three-Kingdoms before I’d pick up the manga. img220(https://i.imgur.com/tE2bKjJ.gif)~~~

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