HomuraDesu

_This review contains __SPOILERS__ for Shoushimin Series_ ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . ⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ webm(https://v.animethemes.moe/ShoushiminSeries-OP1.webm) Shoushimin Series is a slice-of-life anime with mystery aspects, much like the beloved show [Hyouka ](https://anilist.co/anime/12189/Hyouka/) by KyoAni. In fact, to no one's surprise, a man by the name of [Honobu Yonezawa ](https://anilist.co/staff/110803/Honobu-Yonezawa) is the author for both. Not that I'm aiming to compare them. Unfortunately, the series was constantly being overshadowed by popular romcoms like Makeine and Roshidere, making it difficult for viewers to come across its charms. That's why I'm going to be writing this review in hope that more people may witness the appeal of an underappreciated comfort show. #__Dazzling aspects__ The first time I watched it, my mind was focused solely on the overwhelming animation and quality. [Lapin Track ](https://anilist.co/studio/6213/Lapin-Track) (which I had never heard of before) had completely succeeded in giving the show a cinematic feel through the fluid animation revolving around the main cast, the appropriate lighting, and the mystical atmosphere. But the most important and noticeable part about the whole thing was the directing and visual story-telling. Not only was the production value amazing, but the creator had clearly taken inspiration from the much known Monogatari Series when it came to the directing. The scenery shift depending on the context of the dialogue and the limited focus on background characters (only the _characters_ in the background, not the details as a whole) was proof of that. img2200(https://64.media.tumblr.com/31ecdede322f7d7ec45a1626cd8d7441/792a4984a1325b1f-ef/s540x810/08a3240fb1f9658269b4b8d8c8d9829681a32f30.gif) For me, personally, the second episode cemented Shoushimin as peak comfort anime. Here's when the mystery element slides in. After waiting a week for the next breathtaking 23 minutes, we got a full episode solely dedicated to figuring out the mystery behind how the protagonist Jougorou Kobato's friend Kengo conjured up three hot chocolate cups without using a fourth one for the milk. A simply mystery that's a segment of everyday life, but still manages to somehow make you interested in the truth. You can decide on your own whether you want to rack your brain and figure the problem out. You don't have to. That's why it's both a good mystery genre and a top-tier comfort show. #__Slice-of-opps, slices-of-mysteries__ img2200(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tb9zfomDOc0/maxresdefault.jpg) That's not all. Just when you're all cozy in bed, drinking hot milk and watching your favourite seasonal slice of life anime, you find out that Yuki Osanai is actually __terrifying as shit__. See, aside from the cute little mysteries and the glorious sweets that Osanai dangles in front of the viewers (much like L from Death Note), the premise of the whole series is about the two protagonists, Kobato and Osanai, learning to be 'ordinary'. By that I mean blending in with other peers and appearing as common teenagers who embrace their youth. Osanai is figuratively a wolf. She's someone who never lets anything slide. She beats down her opps through any means necessary for revenge. Kobato is a fox. He's a clever and sly creature who nose-dives deep into others' problems. They're not normal and that's why embracing 'shoushimin' is very crucial to their objective and promise. If you need an understanding, I can provide an example. This covers the final arc of the 10 episode stretch. While our boy Kobato was busy stealing 'charlottes' from Osanai and solving muffin mysteries, Osanai had been constructing a carefully laid-out plan to send her opps to jail. Naturally, Kobato being the nosy detective that he is, couldn't resist the temptation to look for Osanai after she was kidnapped for ransom. Instead of depending on the police, he traced the opps' roots down and found her being jumped. Everyone was worried about Osanai, including the audience, but guess what? She got jumped on purpose and had the ransom call set up, just to bump up her enemies' sentences. webm(https://v.animethemes.moe/ShoushiminSeries-ED1.webm) Though it may initially seem like a cute romance anime, especially with Osanai's mannerisms and voice acting ([Hina Youmiya](https://anilist.co/staff/205892/Hina-Youmiya)) and all, Shoushimin Series is far from ordinary. There's a certain degree of complexity to the main characters and the comfortable mysteries combined with the slight darkness below the surface make for a pretty time when you come home from school or work. There's more to it than just cream puffs and cakes, but there's also more mysteries like the one with the hot chocolate. Give it a go! img2200(https://64.media.tumblr.com/b33479f24367a9f153c6d9aa7360a286/792a4984a1325b1f-5b/s540x810/fb2c27c521b29b505bd97073c299ae734726ce66.gifv) ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . ⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ [Click here for more goated reviews ](https://anilist.co/user/HomuraDesu/reviews) img300(https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/i/d0c0c73f-f921-4860-a056-6899451b472d/dhlwbpq-196b8a4a-916c-41f3-afa2-9649bee8232a.png/v1/fill/w_512,h_512/shoushimin_series___folder_icon_by_zunopziz_dhlwbpq-fullview.png)

Mcsuper

webm(https://v.animethemes.moe/ShoushiminSeries-OP1.webm) *Shoshimin: How to Become Ordinary* is quite a curious title. With it being a mystery anime, even just its title leads me to question things. “Shoshimin”, is translated as the [petite bourgeoisie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petite_bourgeoisie), which refers to someone in the lower middle class. So indeed, that might be what constitutes an “ordinary person” in a financial sense. Who or what is trying to be ordinary though? The characters? The whole plot itself? A likely reason why you (and myself) might be interested in this series is that it was written by the same author, Honobu Yonezawa, who wrote another mystery series in *Hyouka*. I can definitely see the similarities in these two series, with both tackling mysteries that are grounded in the sense of ordinary, mundane life. *Shoshimin* takes it one step further though, and in my opinion, brings it to an even more “ordinary” sense, with little mysteries in daily life that seem even trivial to most people. For most of this season, the show revolved around simple daily tasks, like buying sweets, solving a mystery of who ate the missing sweet, things that we might take for granted through our lives, but through all these experiences, they coalesce into a larger mystery, which is one of the things I appreciated most about this series. webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/902ff2e1b9d4abbd45c2ab91ec047d47.mp4) #####

(Credit to Muhamed Ali Mukhtar. In one of the episodes, the mystery is a trivial one about how hot chocolate was made by one of the characters. The plot threads get slowed down to a crawl, but in the highly animated sequences, it’s easy to get lost in even the most mundane events that this anime shows.) A big mystery, is why Jougorou’s agreement with Yuki, which was to be “ordinary” together, exists. Why do these two want to be ordinary, and stay out of people’s lives? What were their pasts like? Bit by bit, by watching the two main characters and their lives, and how such twisted individuals have such trouble with being ordinary, one being drawn to being a detective, and the other having sharp insight and the ability to act quickly, we get to know just a tiny bit about the characters. Though, we have to ask, what does “being ordinary” actually mean? Does it mean that you go with the flow like everyone else, or act like everyone else does? Jougorou’s definition of being ordinary seems to revolve around not butting in to other people’s problems, or in other words, keeping the status quo, but by trying so hard to keep that status quo, it seems more deviant than ordinary, in trying to quell every one of life’s swells. img500(https://i.imgur.com/PcqoH33.png) #####(The intensity of the show sometimes went to a fever pitch, and despite Yuki’s outward cuteness, her inner self seemed to be the biggest mystery of the entire show so far.) The biggest issue that people might find with this show is that there’s no real hook. It’s more of a “feeling-out process” then something with an immediate pay-off. Through its overall gorgeous visuals, it can hook you into the most “boring” and mundane of mysteries, or entrap you in its depiction of delicious sweets that have you frothing at the mouth. If you’re not into that, then this show is not for you, but the show certainly invites you to try it out, with its initial slow pacing. It’s easy to feel that it’s average or boring, but I think that is what the show is going for, because in showcasing what it means to be ordinary, the show must feel like that as well. In that sense, I think the show did that extremely well. img500(https://i.imgur.com/394k7sO.png) img500(https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/wye3cq335m4.png) #####(In its good utilization of three-dimensional space as pseudo backdrops throughout the telling of mysteries, the show has crafted its unique sense of aesthetic, tone and an identity) As a second season is on the horizon, I say, we let them keep cooking. If the food looked that good, whoever was in the kitchen knew what they were doing, that’s for sure. Overall, the show did its job well in allowing the viewer to find intrigue and beauty in the mundane. It slows down to the pace of an iyashikei sometimes, yet swells up with tension ever so slightly to keep you interested. It’s not an approach to a show I have seen much at all, and that’s all the more reason why I ended up enjoying it as much as I did. The only thing that I’m questioning is the direction that the story is going in, and what the main point of the show is, but since there is still more to adapt, there’s time to rectify that issue. With so many questions left unanswered, one can only say, “I’m curious!” webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/0b5043f3e21af439ea15990c85892a9d.mp4) #####(Imagine if Anna Yanami was a part of this show. I think this show would become a murder mystery.)

Scheveningen

Shoushimin is an excellently constructed series on both the technical level with its mysteries and on the character front with how complex and compelling its leads are. As another early work of Yonezawa Honobu, the comparisons to Hyouka were almost inevitable given the latter’s acclaim. But despite there being many interesting comparisons, much of the talk has sadly focused on very superficial elements. To immediately get this point out of the way, the two series are indeed similar on a stylistic level, but that has more to do with being works by the same author rather than one being derivative or a prototype for the other. Shoushimin is distinct in its tone and themes with how it is far more dramatic in both its character dynamics and the consequences at stake. While the mysteries are still used to explore the characters, Shoushimin allowed Yonezawa to showcase his skill at constructing not just mundane puzzles like an afterschool club dispute but some rather serious situations that involve actual crime. It is from this that Shoushimin gets its identity as exploring life’s more dramatic situations and how characters respond to them; compared to Hyouka’s more everyday and comfortable atmosphere that is driven by satisfying one’s curiosity. Yet, while the show does use its mystery and character layers to enhance each other, they do sometimes find themselves in competition for the audience’s attention due to how dramatic and high stakes the situations can become. Although brilliantly put together, it does raise the question of whether the most intellectually compelling narrative and the most emotionally effective one are necessarily the same. Perhaps the most immediately striking thing about Shoushimin, especially to a viewer going in with preconceived notions from Yonezawa’s other work, is its heavier atmosphere and tone. Part of this is down to the more dramatic nature of the show, both in the contents of its mystery and in the more confrontational and curt interactions between many of the characters. While the setting is still firmly in the mundane world of high school, it does not have this cosy or idealised veneer to it like most other stories set there. It is not meant to be a nostalgia trip where characters are written softer and quirkier than in real life to lull the viewer into a sense of comfortable suspension of disbelief. There is always something slightly tense or unsettling in the atmosphere of the show. Though it never gets to be truly uncomfortable or overwhelming in ways that might disrupt suspension of disbelief, instead it serves as a reminder to the viewer that there is always something deeper going on with its characters. The atmosphere of the show is highlighted most of all with the excellent directing choices made to visualise Kobato’s inner thoughts. While most media attempts to draw a clear line between the inner world of a character and the “objective” third-person view of the camera, Shoushimin deftly blurs the two together. Scenes of Kobato’s thought process and hypothesizing are animated in the same style as the rest of the show, often showing him and the characters involved in the conversation at other locations around Kira (Gifu) City. It utilizes the visual language of film taken for granted in most shows to seamlessly transition between “reality” and Kobato’s inner world. Cuts that usually signal to the audience a change in camera angle or a move to another scene at a different location are used to enter and exit Kobato’s thoughts in a way that blends his inner world and reality, at times creating an almost dreamlike quality. Not only does it provide visual interest and variation to what would otherwise be static conversations taking place at a single location, but it also creates a subtle tension in the audience with the frequent need to be reminded of what is real within the show and what is in the minds of the characters. Of course, none of this ever becomes disorienting despite occasionally being used for dramatic effect, with there always being subtle but clear cues to differentiate things. All of it serves to excellently highlight how exceptional Kobato’s mind is at handling logic problems while showcasing his supposed “abnormalness” with how it is metaphorically represented on screen. Beyond giving the mysteries an atmospheric and visual flair, the tone and directing choices aid in the exploration of the lead characters, Kobato and Osanai, as well as their complex relationship with each other. It presents the implicit question of what kind of person has both the inclination and capacity to solve mysteries and what might be the consequences of such a personality. The more subtle exploration into Kobato’s character of actually being cursed by his intelligence is fairly interesting, though the few overt discussions of it have sadly been rather hamfisted. Much of the ideas about Kobato’s character and beliefs are gleaned through inferences made from his more socially driven conversations, particularly with Kengo who acts as a good foil with his forthright personality. However, even within this dynamic, the show comes close to blatantly telling the audience the thesis of his character archetype in one or two instances. Arguably this was done for expedience and clarity since the show mainly uses Kobato as a point-of-view character instead of as the primary subject of its character study. But it is still disappointingly clumsy for what is otherwise a subtle and methodical show, especially since the whole “cursed with intelligence” archetype already runs the risk of coming off as “edgy” instead of compelling with how conceited it can appear. Instead, it is Osanai’s character that Shoushimin dedicates it’s the majority of its narrative to exploring. Her portrayal is particularly excellent, from the way her mannerisms are animated to the layers of her voice acting. It all combines to create a complex character that is easy to see has a lot more going on under the surface but in a way that does not feel blatant or artificial. In a lot of other media, these more troubled and complicated characters tend to end up as caricatures or shallow stereotypes of certain tropes like yanderes. This often leads to performances that strain believability with characters flipping their supposed facades on a dime with only clumsy “cracks” in their mask to foreshadow it. This frankly often misuses the skills of their voice actors, either putting on such a complete performance that blindsides the audience or having such a blatantly artificial mask that there is little intrigue or depth to what the character's intentions are. Shoushimin avoids all of this not only with its strong character writing but also due to Youmiya Hina’s outstanding performance. She gives Osanai’s normal mannerisms a complexity as her demureness has an undeniable sincerity to it yet maintains an evident troubled or even sinister layer. While having facets to a character that permeates through all layers of their behaviour may sound like a rather basic expectation when spelt out so blatantly, it is unfortunately not a consistent benchmark that most media achieve, and in fairness is also much easier said than done a lot of the time. Shoushimin far surpasses this with its portrayal of Osanai which expertly balances the sincerity, complexity, and opaqueness of her character. The complicated personalities of Shoushimin’s two leads come to form an intriguing relationship. While on the surface it can look like a more well-worn dynamic of two friends gradually discovering their feelings for each other, like for instance in Hyouka, there is a great deal more at play than just potential romantic feelings. Not only does a lot of Kobato and Osanai’s relationship hinge on their past together from middle school, adding a layer of history to everything, but it also eventually questions if their relationship is one of equals or if someone is actually using the other or feels the need to be more in control. While it does not get quite as dark as that might sound, it does indicate that there is perhaps too much baggage and complexity to be convincingly written for teenagers just starting high school. It does not reach the realm of impossibility or disbelief, especially helped by Shoushimin being well written to begin with, but it might have served the series better to have the characters be slightly older like in their first year of university. But this speaks more to anime’s preoccupation with high school setting that bends some narratives to fit it rather than anything that fundamentally undermines the suspension of disbelief Shoushimin works hard to establish. Still, there is ample to find compelling about how complicated their characters and their shared history all is before it finally builds up to powerful and emotional moments at the conclusion of the season. The mysteries themselves still make good use of the high school setting and divide the show between different layers even within the genre. There are smaller mundane puzzles that fit into single episodes and longer more consequential mysteries that are set up over the span of a few episodes. Only the opening “every day mystery” in the first episode falls a little short, not creating the best first impression with how it is solved primarily with tenuous assumptions or even leaps in logic. But that is somewhat understandable since the episode also had to dedicate a substantial amount of time to character introductions and laying other parts of the series’ foundation. From there on every one of Shoushimin’s mysteries contains the expected polish and finesse that Yonezawa is known for in their construction. The “everyday mysteries” in each episode provide the audience with an entertaining and light-hearted problem to work out with the characters while serving as a distraction or set up for clues to the larger mystery playing out in the background. This approach of having different narrative layers to the mystery is excellently utilized throughout the show, particularly in the first four episodes which adapt the first light novel. Many innocuous events that in most other shows would only further characterization end up doing double duty in Shoushimin since they are used to give the audience and characters bits of information that prove useful later. The eventual drama playing out on screen is often a powerful distraction, not only due to its emotional intensity but also because it encourages even an attentive viewer to take more interest in the character implications of events instead of how they might mechanically fit into another mystery. There are still limitations to this approach since Shoushimin is not a “traditional” mystery series that opens with a problem being presented to its protagonist, allowing them to seek out a solution the entire time. At worst it leads to some of the information gained or sequences of events feeling a bit contrived, or too coincidental, but this is largely smoothed over by being reasonably in service of exploring the characters as well. It also still ensures that the audience does not feel overly misled or blindsided since the drama is interesting in its own right in revealing more about the characters. It is in the latter half of the series that adapts the second light novel where this method of blending the mystery and drama genres starts to show some of the tension inherent in that approach. While the overarching mystery is still brilliantly constructed, there is a sudden escalation in the drama that seriously overwhelms the viewer’s capacity to maintain a partially detached analytical perspective required to appreciate the mystery elements or even see them coming at all. And not unreasonably so since the show’s dual genres encourage the viewer to be invested in the characters in addition to appreciating the cleverness of the mysteries. The dramatic events of the latter episodes are still within the realm of plausibility for a mundane high school setting, but it would be something only expected, and far more at home, in a more stylised teen drama. The result is the viewer assuming that this is Shoushimin shifting gears to focus squarely on the character drama in the vein of a “mystery gone wrong” plotline instead of the entire sequence actually being another part of the puzzle. There is ultimately good reason why the show makes such a sudden dramatic escalation that chafes heavily against the tone and atmosphere it has established thus far. It also definitely proves impressive that it dovetails nicely with a larger mystery that is fascinating both on a technical level and what it reveals about the characters. Yet while the intent of the almost incredulous escalation might have been to signal to the viewer that something more at play, it cannot help but feel like it is punishing the viewer for being emotionally invested or absorbed in the narrative instead of remaining aloof and looking out for just the intellectual element of the mystery. At best this only retroactively does away with the strain on the suspension of disbelief instead of preventing one in the first place. This approach does have the additional strength in how it matches Kobato’s perspective of also being too preoccupied with the immediate events to notice, but it is still ultimately asking the audience to either feel for the characters or relish in the intellectual puzzles when ideally the two should come together. This effect will likely vary from viewer to viewer, and it might actually be a sign of suffering from success if Shoushimin does capture someone’s attention to that great a degree, but it is also difficult to completely overlook how inherent this potential clash of different genre elements is. However, the payoff does make a lot of this tension, or even compromise, in the different layers of the narrative justified with how it serves as an incredibly compelling examination of Osanai’s character. The series uses the occasional wolf metaphors and motifs with her character can feel a bit dramatic given the image it conjures when used by teenagers tends to be self-aggrandizing. While more refined imagery or use of literary devices might have made for more effective foreshadowing, the comparisons to a wolf still turn out to be an apt descriptor. The way the show explores her vengeful side is extremely visceral in how realistic it still feels despite the proportions of the consequences. It avoids much of the melodrama that can come with this territory by convincingly showing how someone like her with little physical strength or special connections can do grievous harm to someone. The use, and even abuse, of societal institutions and the preconceptions of other people is extraordinary and crafty enough to leave a strong impression without it feeling unbelievable or meant to stroke the ego of the character. This more than makes up for any minor feelings of contrivance or the tenuousness of certain parts of the chain of events. However, this does return to the question of whether having the characters be slightly older would render this more impactful and convincing given the consequences of what has transpired. The characterisation of Osanai and Kobato in a vacuum is without a doubt excellent, but any reminder that they are first-year high school students does place its believability under a certain amount of strain. All this serves to give Shoushimin an identity distinct from more ubiquitous “serious” mystery stories that deal entirely with crime or similarly consequential events, and from mundane “everyday” mysteries series like Hyouka. The mixing of both the ordinary and the extraordinary in Shoushimin highlights the tension between these two worlds and parallels the characters’ struggle with the quirks in their personalities. The mundane mysteries compliment the dramatic ones not just through their contrast but also as a window into the more carefree world that Kobato and Osanai wish they could solely inhabit. Instead, each time they are enticed or thrust into solving something more serious, it leaves the viewer with a feeling of tension not just at the material stakes but on the kind of internal conflict it places the characters in. The reluctant detective archetype in most mysteries is used mostly as a point of dramatic flair or tension that impedes the solving of the case instead of forming part of a real character arc. While Shoushimin still has a way to go in fully exploring this aspect of Kobato and has more to reveal about Osanai, it has clearly set itself up to do so and demonstrates it is doing more than the mystery genre standard of subordinating its characters as mere vehicles to resolve the plot. Overall, Shoushimin is an excellent combination of mystery and character drama that uses elements of both to enhance each other. Even within the mystery genre alone, it demonstrates how mundane and extraordinary mysteries can co-exist in the same narrative, not only as thematic contrast but as ways to build intrigue for each other. Though even with the construction of the series, especially its mysteries, being excellent on a technical and intellectual level, it is hard to completely overlook how it does not completely blend with its character side. It is impressive that the seemingly character driven or social scenes are also mechanically important to the mystery, but that again speaks to quality in the nuts and bolts of the story instead of its more intangible elements like atmosphere or suspension of disbelief. With that, it seems apt for the series to be a 9 out of 10, not quite reaching that full rating that would come with really blending the two elements into something far greater. Even then, it is hard to understate how excellently constructed the mysteries are, creating a great deal of satisfaction when they are all put together. Perhaps if the series had a longer run, like Hyouka benefitted from, that adapted more of its material and further fleshed out the characters, it could have risen to a ten when taken as a whole. But with a second season in the works, it is more than poised to make that ten a reality soon with the strong foundations it has established here.

Daemonplay

Hyouka has been my favorite anime, ever since I first watched it quite a number of years ago now (it should be around 7). Obviously I was quite ecstatic upon hearing that another one of the author's novels would receive an adaptation. I had never engaged with the source material before, so I went in largely blind, aside from knowing that it too tackled some variant of mysteries. What we got was a much more eccentric and especially expanded version of the concept of "everyday mysteries". This review will contain spoilers so please be warned. Before talking about plot, characterization or the like I first want to touch upon the direction and animation. Shoshimin Series was animated by Lapin Track, which is not the most well known of studios. While the show isn't animated with the same flair as Hyouka was (by Kyoto Animation), which would not have fit it anyway, the animation is completely fine and as fluid/expressive as it needs to be. Where it truly shines though is in its direction. Sometimes camera positions are held for longer than feels comfortable. This effect is often paired with a distinct silence that adds to this slightly disconcerting effect. Pair these scenes with intercut shots of a more mental realm in which the characters are mostly standing in an empty japanese riverbank and an unusual aspect ratio and you have the recipe for a very unique experience to say the least. At first we are introduced to our two main characters Kobato Jougorou and Osanai Yuki who, after having met in middle school, are now reunited in high school. Both tell us that they have the goal of trying to "become ordinary". Quite the unique premise to be honest. As mentioned previously we can already tell through the direction alone, that something about these two is quite far from ordinary (not to mention that a goal like this is far from ordinary itself). While we can see glimpses of their peculiarities early on the show is structured in such a way that more and more layers are peeled off every episode until we can see the full extent of their "eccentricities" in the finale. Jougorou, our designated detective in this story, at first appears hesitant and restrained without much of an interest in anything. Yuki on the other hand appears largely innocent with her main character trait being an obsession with parfaits. Of course after outlying the structure of the anime noone will be surprised when the opposite turns out to be the case. Jougorou, in reality, hides an urge to meddle in other peoples' affairs, no matter the consequences, using his intellect and abductive abilities. Yuki, in turn, is really an obsessively vindictive expert manipulator. For lack of a better comparison, it's like Holmes and Moriarty being in a vaguely defined high school relationship, solving cases ranging from the specific usage of a milk carton to an abduction by a drug gang. As you can see, while Hyouka stuck to "everyday mysteries", never really diving into more serious territory in that regard, the same can't be said for this series, even though it started out with this concept on the surface. In fact, the evolution of the seriousness of the cases aids the characters in revealing themselves (and maybe vice versa). I especially want to laud the finale for not only serving as the climax of the internal character development but for also tackling the link between both of them. While I'm not going to go into detail the last conversation between Jougorou and Yuki is masterfully done. Especially in terms of atmosphere. All in all Shoushimin Series was my favorite anime of the season. It's eccentric in all the right ways but definitely not for everyone. If I were to criticize one aspect it would be the memorability of the OST as well as the Opening and Ending. However, the rest of the series shines way too bright for me to give this much weight. P.S.: Beware sudden parfait cravings after watching!

melamuna

***

Mystery shows are the type of genre for a specific niche of people who enjoy turning the cogs in their brains and witnessing characters discover and solve the mysteries of the show. Shows like these mainly provide a mystery that needs to be solved, along with thrilling moments in between and deepening layers of depth with the mystery itself to keep the story running. One notable example of this is Naoki Urasawa’s Monster, which provided a well-driven concoction of its rabbit hole of a mystery. However, not every mystery show has to have that thrilling element to keep audiences hooked on the story. Some mystery shows would drop the elements of a thriller series and lean more on the lenient aspect. All it needs is a properly set-out mystery and to let the audience follow along through the mystery with the main character until both parties solve the mystery in the end. This kind of mystery works well in written literature, but it's more on the quiet side in the anime scene.

There are huge examples like these series, such as Hyouka, which provided a mystery-focused plotline accompanied by its intentional mundanity, turning it into something interesting. More than 12 years after it finished airing, Hyouka is still a one-of-a-kind mystery series that a group of its fans would still come back to to re-experience the high moments they had watching it, and that is mostly due to the series not having a worthy spiritual successor. Until now.

Shoshimin Series is a 2024 mystery anime that has swept under the rug for the majority of the season, but it has undoubtedly provided a re-enlightenment for mystery fans, rediscovering and chasing back those highs of the type of genre they love in its masterfully crafted mysteries across its short 10-episode run. The source material for the series is written by Honobu Yonezawa, who is the author of Hyouka. This is already a huge assurance that the Shoshimin series has that core element that Hyouka already possessed, starting from its mundanely entertaining mystery that magnetizes you on screen while you're amazed at how much these two shows managed to keep you on hook while providing little by little to the viewer, which is a testament to Yonezawa’s writing and the talent behind both anime series adapting his work.

There is an obvious difference between the two shows that could make or break your experience. One is that the characters in the Shoshimin series are not as well-layered or equally memorable as the characters in the Hyouka series. This isn't usually a huge issue per se, especially with some audiences who would still get hooked and follow them eventually without any problems. But there is another one that can be a huge setback for most audiences, and that is that the animation of the Shoshimin Series pales in comparison to Hyouka’s Magical Gloomy-Vibrancy of an animation. Granted that the series does have a bit of style that is unique to them, and if you are a person who doesn't care regardless of the animation and just values a good mystery series, these criticisms can get a pass.

If you love a good mystery-focused series in a normal high school setting, just like Hyouka, and with characters where you get to follow and enjoy their journey throughout, This is a highly recommended show, and one will be for a very long while until we get to see an anime that is similar to the vibes and storybeats of this one. ***

CynicalOptimist

DISCLAIMER: Review in-fact always constains spoilers, regardless the way of whether you prefer to euphemize it into meta terms which are implicit or not, it still remains to include spoilers. img(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2FhNDFjMjgtMjAxZi00NTRmLWJhNmMtYjg2YjViNjc5ZjRhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE0MzQwMjgz._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,0,500,281_.jpg)

__Storytelling Masterpiece - How to Create an Extraordinary Out of the Ordinary: Limited Edition __

youtube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaW5teT0oLc) _Great opening, simply a great opening_ There are much needed to be said about SHOUSHIMIN, or perhaps, it's rather of what has been said by others, especially when akin to numerous series that offer a similar premise of which I prefer not to disclose nor associate those series I was infering to, considering the virtue of fact that while it may be enjoyable to draw a comparison along with its pros and cons out of the blue, it appears to lack common sense and irrationality to begin with. While in my humble opinion, it is forbidden to do such an analysis when inferred from yet another certain specific popular series, I do understand the way they draw the comparison. However, such a tiny bit dazzling but with the cutthroat of spectacles series simply is unmatched to any of those. Therefore, I prefer not to brush a line of distinctions between one and another when writing this review - it is SHOUSHIMIN that needs to be reviewed, not the other series including yet another show that has been known to be written by the same author, Honobu Yonezawa, despite this time produced by a different studio, Lapin. Hence then, it's time to give Lapin studio the boost they need by giving these audiences a fresh breath of air, thus re-telling the story by alerting them about spoilers while letting them to enjoy every single word thoroughly. Alright, now let's begin with the inference for the introductory, or the series descriptions. The story set at Funado High School, after the placement exam, when a tall, somewhat muscular, bulky, and well-built student stumbled into a skinny, tall, and somewhat good looking one along with a certain tiny and timid female figure hiding behind his body. And as they 'introduced' themselves to the audience, they were there to check the acceptance board as the story went on. Kojima Dengo once was this tall and skinny-built individual, who turns out to be Jogoro Kobato, while the tiny figure behind him is Osanai Yuki, his fellow classmate before upon entering the senior high school. Together, they made the scenes as the story begins. ~!As for the spoilers, their aim is to become a petite bourgois (SHOUSHIMIN), a certain specific role in a caste that lives with a fulfilling satisfaction about their own status quo as an ordinary citizen in the society. Kobato suffered from what is known as the 'wisdom work' whereas he often ended up sleuthing to help others without getting any recognition he had been supposed to deserve, thus nicknamed as a sly fox for his cunning and cut-throat approach when it comes to being the all-it-knows who meddles and brags of his competence in front of his classmates. Meanwhile, on the other hand, Osanai Yuki suffered throughout a similar fate: In-fact, she was a lone wolf who has had track records as a troublesome individual, which many of these crimes weren't considered anything normal for a high school student.!~ So, can they strive to become one of these ordinary citizen or will they fumble into the oblivion? Watch this show for the best experience of relishing enjoyment of such a premise which is mostly done throughout foods and beverage for the entirety of this show. Alright, that's all for the series descriptions, now let's head into the recipe. First of all, this was what I have had learned after watching a video about storytelling: You don't break the walls, you just make them disappear. And this, I believe, is the first recipe to create an extraordinary out of an ordinary premise, whereas the series on itself, despite not given any 'wow', extravagant, nor spectacular premise, as the story goes on, such an ordinary premise becomes any of those words. I honestly wouldn't expect this, given the way Yonezawa-sensei's storytelling appeared to hit differently this time: As if it were to be a drawing, instead of stroking it with a shocking intensity of brush after a smooth brushing for a while, it begins with a delicate soft movement, as the brush is seemingly hardly touching upon the canvas, it gives a slowly but sure brushing until it gets thicken over the time. And such a simplicity is what makes a story perfect: You don't always need any all of a sudden shock therapy to make a series interesting, you simply wait for the momentum to make a precise smooth transition. And, to me, this was a sight to behold, not only such a technique overcomes any sort of limitations, it simply adds more 'balance' to the flavour of your cake, with the mix of sour and sweet combined into a naturally bland taste, make it intriguingly an effortless but flawless cake. Second, know how to create a story out of characters, not the opposite: Character development and growth aren't really about making so many behavioral traits out charateristics to make it seemingly jubilant - it's all about dire circumstances given to a character which causes a certain specific impact to them, no matter the way you write them. Now, this is possibly one of the most crucial parts. The thing is, you don't really need a flashy character with complexity issues to create a great storytelling; what you do is the opposite, but be careful with the tropes. I have been noticing a lot of shows with which I could get sickened out of it, not only these characters were collecting traits as if those where Pokemons, they also complicate the situation themselves by adding their own characteristics to a certain circumstance, which is a bad apple on its own. Sherlock Holmes once said, "You don't suit facts to a theory." instead, you suit your theory to support facts. This implies the way these authors dismissed a crucial storytelling aspect when it comes to characters themselves; not only that they overlooked odds of those circumstances by carrying out heavy characteristics would eventually turn it into a recipe of disaster, they appear to be not so much aware about the laws of causality, given the aspect that is needed when an impact is being imposed onto someone's personality, which to me looks like a cake that is too sweet, too sour, bland or simply the mix of these with so many unnecessary spices, such as a spicy sauce, for instance. In other words, if I were to analogize, utilize deduction when it is necessary to apply a theory into facts. Or else, use induction when special circumstances are required to infer these certain specific facts based on the existing theory. Third, and possibly the last but not the least: Plot twist, when it's too overwhelming and perplexing, is akin to a sweet cake with too much sugar as a sweetener for the sake of it - simple and smooth one makes it perfect. Hence then, here is yet another crucial aspect to notice when crafting mastery, which is time to consider whether such a cake happens to be too sweet to your liking, hence then it doesn't suit you at best. Not only adding too many 'sweets' may cause diabetes, but also the odds that you may throw up as you are no longer able to digest it properly - Ingredients are important to create a great storytelling recipe, and these are what SHOUSHIMIN offers to you. Therefore, enjoy the dessert while you are at it. That's all, and thank you for reading this review. I really appreciate it. ... Actually... No, if you think this review was done, then consider yourself to have been tricked - to be fair, I have yet done any of these usual formats, so here is yet another proper segment of 'normal' reviews that I usually wrote with ease, especially back then. Hence thus, to begin with, such a storytelling then, as I said previously, it gives an incredible perspective when it comes to the narrative, plot along with its twists, characters, environmental background, and premise being taken to have livened up the show, and all of these require a flawless recipe to captivate the audience about this show. Simply said, it has what it takes to outlive the expectation given by its predecessor though I would rather not to give any per usual as a thumb rule I adhere to when watching a show. The transition is smooth and accurate, the way scenes switch from one to another is a beauty to anyone's eyes - these are one of the best, thus coupled with a soothing and relaxing but still consistent pacing, the plot blends itself akin to a creamy sauce melts inside your mouth when you eat a cake. The premise that is thematically slice of life albeit with major mystery and minor suspense and action themes gives a well-proportionate ingredients to slice the living out of a show to put it roughly. The external aspects also are fine, and as we begin from the music first, the Opening really is suitable. I honestly could never have imagined Eve to put such a decent work considering the skepticism I have had, but it somehow exceeds the expectation - Sweet Memory is a well-balanced taste and flavour. The Ending also was as much as fitting, albeit I hardly remember the title, it still has a nice ring to it. Thus, coupled with numerous OSTs as the scene background, these dynamics create a lot of smoothies out of the already structured premise, not to mention this cinematic 21:9 aspect ratio scaling gives such nostalgic feelings while these visual scenes are heavenly, including the background settings as such. Another thing to mention is the audio, from voice to sound effect. While there are some issues when it comes to the volume of sorts, these all are somewhat covered by these talented voice actors. For instance, Anzai Chika who were being loud about the scene, thus calling out Kengo as his older sister for being a lazy bum, or Osana's VA, who definitely nailed the tone of a cold and calculative voice of her character correctly during the scene, especially the one when she trailed Kobato from behind to surprise him. Speaking of the scene, the details are perfectly crafted to make out any scene to be meaningful, thus these seemingly unnecessary details complete the missing pieces in a puzzle of scenes, while the character design, animation, and the art style are quite compelling, giving such an adventurous enjoyment when it comes to pleasuring the audience with an absolute cinematic experience. As for characters along with their personality, these all are fine and, in-fact, this should be a proper model for anyone who wants to begin their career as a writer: As I suggested previously, you don't need to create a character with intricate complexity issues to make a series be any fulfilling. In-fact, the satisfaction lies within to create the simplicity from th beginning then later to add the complexity throughout certain specific circumstances as they adapt themselves throughout such scenes, which is akin to a cake before added any of ingredients - its original taste is bland and looks really simple after backed out of the oven, but once you added ingredients such as creamy sauce, fruit topping, sugar, and stuffing etc. it will become a perfectly balanced recipe if you have done it properly; to be fair, not just cake, even most of foods you eat come out of these basic ingredients. Kobato appeared to steal the show with his cutthroat and cunning tendencies yet without being too overwhelming, as he gave the shed of lights to others such as Kengo and Osanai, as these characters also have flavours on their own, leading to an intriguing storyline that is mostly dictated by a certain flow of dynamics with which you may be able to enjoy the show without any hassle of waiting for the time it ends: It simply flows lightly throughout your vein, as by the time you finished an episode unknowingly, you never really saw it coming. For the enjoyment, it was peak. By the time you drown yourself into the show, as the wall between audience and characters is disappear, it is as if you soak yourself into a cake that balances the taste of between sour and sweet, giving the entanglement of relaxation, to satiate your own appetite, especially given that the plot alone is revolved around foods, beverage, and culinary recipe, much fitting for those whom may have an inclination to savour any of these digestive ingredients without eating them with pleasure, including the fact that this show alone, despite calming and relaxing, also is serious and somewhat tense, of which gives you an ideal state to ease your boredom. Right, I probably have done with all if not most of components but the do or don't here. Ergo, by the virtue of fact that this show is relaxing with a serious tone at best, it is better not to expect anything out of it, especially action with a lot of plot twists, complicated plots, or some exaggerated drama with a lot of conflicts - you aren't watching shounen nor shoujo, but a show that resembles reality. Sure, you may call it 'boring' or 'average'. However, this most likely determines your attitude towards life experience - if you consider this show as boring, this then rather implies this whole experience you've been living: You see your own life as one. And no, this is hardly an iyashikei as the show on itself still has a suspense here and there, despite not as much. One more thing: Never, ever, compare it to Honobu Yonezawa's previous work, Ice Cream (Yes, not going to say the original title). And if you ask me why, its premise alone already carries out a clearly distinctive theme akin to its predecessor, and Yonezawa-san really wrote something that is unlike his usual works, coming off with a brave and delicate theme that he probably has had never experienced it before. Not to mention that Lapin clearly punched above its weight with this show, especially by adapting this work into something that is overwhelming to most of us, emotional-wise. So, I would applaud them for this. Another thing to notice here is do not watch this show if you wish for a story that simply rests your mind without giving a further notice towards intricated details given that most of these scenes require the audience to think thoroughly about any possible scenario that might happen throughout the series. Ergo, again, it is better not to expect any iyashikei form of relaxation here. As for the conclusion, SHOUSHIMIN is by-far the most realistic show I have ever watched, just like the life on itself, if you have a lemon, squeeze it, turn the lemon into a lemonade, add some ice, and done. This is simple. However, it is more difficult to pull out a masterpiece out of simplicity. And as much as it is impressive to do difficult things, it is more tricky to make something difficult looks simple. And SHOUSHIMIN simply delivers - it has a lot of flavours that may seem against each other, but eventually end up as a synthesis of balanced ones as each of these neutralizes each other, creates a perfect recipe to work on a masterpiece. Also, these are the list of critics, pros and cons, I have regarding the show, which is for the better improvement of it: - The characters were a bit too bland in the beginning, despite getting flavoured in the end. While I agree it's better to start with a plain ingredient as a premise, this may leave distaste for those whom may have expected something that persuades them to watch the show - Some of these scenes contain cliches such as Chekov's gun or McGuffin elements. While it's true that these scenes are compelling enough to help the audience directing their mind into the character's thought process by slowly inviting them after making the fourth wall disappear, it may be unpleasant to some. - The CGI movement was apparent when given, especially if you noticed it carefully. While some others may be fine with this, the rest of people who already enjoyed the full-rotoscope drawing, including me, might find it a bit odd unless when it's done rather delicately to fit the frames. - We didn't get to see the thought process for each character, including Jougorou as the main character but it's understandable because the show meant to, well, show, not to tell with a compelling monologue-style of storytelling. However, this was covered by gesticulations and the fleshed out dialogues between characters that helped the audience to understand it correctly. Alright, that's all and I really appreciate that you read this review until the end. Thank you and I solemnly hope that you enjoyed every single paragraph written by myself with love and deep gratitude towards SHOUSHIMIN as I poured everything here. Because this show deserves your attention. Once again, thank you very much. 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