#koshigaya natsumi

[imnobodyuknow]

Nyanpasu!

Well, you'll never believe this (unless you're an anime nerd like me) -- as soon as I finished watching the first season of Spy x Family, I decided to jump to something else I've been a fan of for quite some time: The sweet slice-of-life anime, Non Non Biyori!

More specifically, its third season: Non Non Biyori Nonstop!

That was the only season available on Crunchyroll, sadly. 😒 If anyone knows where I can watch the first two seasons, I'd be much obliged if you could fill me in!

Luckily, it's the kind of anime whose seasons (and even episodes) you can watch out of order without missing any context, for the most part. Mark my words, I'll watch the first two seasons at some point, but for now, here are my thoughts on the third season of this lovable anime with adorable characters living in the Japanese countryside:

...Oh, right! A brief description first. Non Non Biyori is about a group of schoolchildren living the country life in the fictional countryside village of Asahigaoka. The meaning of the title, "Non Non Biyori," has never been established by the show's creator, but according to the observant people out there in internet land, it could be a combination of the words "Nonbiri," which means "live carefree," and "Biyori," which means "weather." (Oddly enough, I once thought it translated to "Day After Day," and I have no idea where I got that from. 😅) As someone whose fluency in Japanese is limited to the simplest of words, I can't say who's right or wrong, but I like the idea of the title meaning something like, "Weather for Living Carefree." 😊

All right, on to the reviewin'!

In terms of beautiful scenery (which is often shown for several seconds at a time with the sounds of nature, which helps the viewer take it in):

In terms of gorgeous (if simple) character art and animation:

In terms of fun, pleasant music:

In terms of cute and hilarious interactions between characters:

In terms of portraying the carefree, fun-loving nature of children:

In terms of decency:

(There's a bit of light language here and there, but when it comes to anime, I'll take what I get.)

And finally, in terms of reminding viewers of the innocence (and shenanigans) of childhood, the beauty of nature, and the joys of country living:

So, while this may not be the type of anime you'd go to if you're looking for fast-paced action, intense emotion, or a deep plotline, one can't help but admire the simplicity and innocence found in it. If you need a break from the craziness and crudeness one usually finds in anime, this is definitely the one to go to. Not too eventful, but not too boring, either. 👍

My one complaint is that no English dub of the show exists. I know it's a challenge to create an anime dub that works well, but if Spy x Family could pull it off with a little girl like Anya, I can see it potentially working if someone ever felt like giving it a try. I can't be the only one who wants to hear an English-speaking Renge Miyauchi, can I?

But for now, I guess we'll have to settle for just imagining it. Which is actually a pretty fun challenge, I've found. 😄

[ankogifs]

[toonabby]

Happy 30th birthday, Ayane Sakura!

Characters pictured above (from left to right):

Ochaco Uraraka (Luci Christian) from My Hero Academia

Nao Tomori (Lauren Landa) from Charlotte

Gabi Braun (Lindsay Seidel) from Attack on Titan: The Final Season

Yotsuba Nakano (Bryn Apprill) from The Quintessential Quintuplets

Levi Kazama (Carli Mosier) from Trinity Seven

Cocoa Hoto from Is the Order a Rabbit?

Hasuki Komai from Boarding School Juliet

Yuria Niguredou (Lindsay Sheppard) from Mieruko-chan

Secre "Nero" Swallowtail (Monica Rial) from Black Clover

Iroha Isshiki (Luci Christian) from My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU TOO!

Tsubaki Sawabe (Erica Mendez) from Your Lie in April

Saki Saki (Brittany Lauda) from Girlfriend, Girlfriend

Iori Shiromi from Blue Archive

Ran Mitake (Courtney Lomelo in the anime) from BanG Dream!

Yae Miko (Ratana) from Genshin Impact

Miyamoto Musashi from Fate/Grand Order

Characters not pictured:

Yae Sakura from Honkai Impact 3rd

Natsumi Koshigaya from Non Non Biyori

Prinz Eugen (Mikaela Krantz in the anime) and Ägir from Azur Lane

Shimakaze, Nagato, Mutsu, Sendai, Kuma, Tuma, Naka, Jintsuu, and Kiso (Megan Shipman, Elizabeth Maxwell, Morgan Garrett, Brittney Karbowski, Alex Moore, Marla Acevedo, Jad Saxton, and Natalie Hoover respectively for the former eight, all in the anime) from Kantai Collection

Queen Medb (Anairis Quinones in Fate/Grand Carnival) and Mochizuki Chiyome from Fate/Grand Order

Ruche (G.K. Bowes) from Trillion: God of Destruction

Kou Yaten AKA Sailor Star Healer (Sarah Anne Williams) from Sailor Moon Cosmos

Hina Sato (Dani Chambers) from The Day I Became a God

Haru Onodera from Nisekoi

[best-underrated-anime]

Best Underrated Anime Group K Round 3: #K5 vs #K6

#K5: Adopted magical girl learns to love, live, and also fight

#K6: Slice of life in the middle of nowhere

Details and poll under the cut!

#K5: Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha ViVid

Summary:

Vivio Takamachi, a Sankt Kaiser royalty of ancient Belka, was previously subjected to mistreatment. Fortunately, she now lives a peaceful life with family and friends while practicing martial arts with her coach, Nove Nakajima. However, Vivio soon becomes the target of the mysterious fighter Heidi E. S. Ingvalt, who demands Nove to reveal the location of the ancient Belkan royals. Refusing to disclose this information, Nove finds herself in a losing battle, but Heidi soon falls unconscious. In addition, Nove discovers Heidi’s true identity to be a middle school student named Einhald Stratos.

When she regains consciousness, Einhald clarifies that she has no animosity toward ancient Belkan royals. Having inherited the passion to defend and harboring regretful memories of her ancestor, the ancient Belkan ruler Claus Ingvalt, she simply wants to prove that her fighting ability is strong enough to protect others. Intrigued by the girl's situation, Nove arranges for Einhald to meet with Vivio. Although they get off to an unconventional start, Vivio enthusiastically trains with Einhald, assisting her in finding peace of mind while developing a vivid friendship along the way.

Propaganda:

It’s such an interesting setting, like it’s so fucking weird and I love it despite the queerbaiting. But basically these two magical girls retire ro run a dojo and adopt another magical girl who was abused. It focuses on the abused kid (previous series focused on the two magical girls) and that kid learning to be a kid and fight not for survival but like fun, and making friends and having a family they trust. All while in a sci-fi magical world with some fascinating and enjoyable world building. It has flaws, but for me the setting and characters make up for the sometimes misogynistic additions.

Trigger Warnings: Child Abuse, Gender Identity/Sexuality Discrimination

#K6: Non Non Biyori

Summary:

Hotaru Ichijou's lifestyle completely changes when she leaves Tokyo and moves with her family to the isolated Asahigaoka village. Her new school has only five students including herself, all sharing a single classroom regardless of grade level. There are no convenience stores in the area, and it can take up to two hours for a bus to arrive.

Nevertheless, Hotaru finds herself captivated by the countryside's charm thanks to her four unique schoolmates with whom she quickly forms a genuine bond. The most colorful of them is Renge Miyauchi, a first-grader who is often perceptive despite her age. However, no less intriguing are the three Koshigaya siblings: the quiet oldest brother Suguru, the petite older sister Komari, and the prankish youngest sister Natsumi.

Having someone from the city join their cheerful little group enlivens the ordinary days in Asahigaoka. Not only does Hotaru bring firsthand knowledge from the alluring outside world, but her fresh outlook on life welcomes a blossom of change to their usual routine.

Propaganda:

Non Non Biyori is a show that, at first glance, seems to be little more than a standard Iyashikei affair with above average background art and below average character writing. What the show lacks in surface-level complexity, however, it makes up for with its delivery of capital T Themes.

The first season serves as a foundation, where it creates a strong sense of place through gorgeously rendered background art. We’re frequently given long, wide-angle shots of the background as characters walk through going about their business. The characters, though simply written, are given strong interactions with each other in order to grant a better understanding of the sense of community within the town. This serves to establish the town itself as the single most important element of the show, allowing the themes to blossom come season two, where we can better see the underlying melancholy behind the show’s lighthearted tone.

Non Non Biyori is ultimately a show about good times that can never last. The town they live in and the lifestyle it represents is dying, and the kids will grow up someday and will probably leave in search of better opportunities, with the possibility that they will never return to their hometown. Even in the short term, the age gap between the characters means that high school and eventually college will separate them, and though they’ll likely remain friends things will have irreversibly changed. Though the threat of change looms over the narrative, importantly, it’s not something that’s ever lingered on for too long, and when it is, it’s delivered with a “less is more” mentality, where we’re given only enough information to infer how the characters are feeling ourselves without it needing to be explicitly stated. This approach delivers Non Non Biyori’s central message: that even though change is inevitable and all good things come to an end, the single best thing a person can do is enjoy the good while it lasts.

Trigger Warnings: None.

When reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.

If you want to criticize one of the shows above to give the one you’re rooting for an advantage, then do so constructively. I do not tolerate groundless hate or slander on this blog. If I catch you doing such a thing in the notes, be it in the tags or reblogs, I will block you.

Know one of the shows above and not satisfied with how it’s presented in this tournament? Just fill up this form, where you can submit revisions for taglines, propaganda, trigger warnings, and/or video.

[sagoflicka]

のんのんびより - [Non Non Biyori]

"Hotaru Ichijou's lifestyle completely changes when she leaves Tokyo and moves with her family to the isolated Asahigaoka village. Her new school has only five students including herself, all sharing a single classroom regardless of grade level. There are no convenience stores in the area, and it can take up to two hours for a bus to arrive.

Nevertheless, Hotaru finds herself captivated by the countryside's charm thanks to her four unique schoolmates with whom she quickly forms a genuine bond. The most colorful of them is Renge Miyauchi, a first-grader who is often perceptive despite her age. However, no less intriguing are the three Koshigaya siblings: the quiet oldest brother Suguru, the petite older sister Komari, and the prankish youngest sister Natsumi.

Having someone from the city join their cheerful little group enlivens the ordinary days in Asahigaoka. Not only does Hotaru bring firsthand knowledge from the alluring outside world, but her fresh outlook on life welcomes a blossom of change to their usual routine."

- MAL

[izutsoupmi]

LOOKING UP TO MAGICAL GIRLS ANIME NEWS ELEGANZA EXTRAVAGANZA: EXTENDED EDITION: FINAL MIX

Magical Girls approaching your location at extremely hihg speeds

Trailer 2

Broadcast starts January 3rd (!!!!!!!) 2024

Seiyuu (Part 3)

Seiyuu:

Yuuka Aisaka (Mayama Akoya / Loco Musica) - Aika Tsube (Ore, Twintail ni Narimasu.), Muse (Amagi Brilliant Park)

Minami Tsuda (Nemo Anemo / Leberblume) - Mei Aihara (Citrus), Yui Funami (Yuru Yuri), Yui Ichii (Yuyushiki)

Kana Asumi (Vatz) - Nyaruko (Haiyore! Nyaruko-san), Marika Tachibana (Nisekoi), Komari Koshigaya (Non Non Biyori)

Music

Opening theme

My dream girls by NACHERRY (Natsumi Murakami & Chiemi Tanaka)

Ending theme

とげとげサディスティック (Togetoge Sadistic | Stingingly(?) Sadistic) by Enormeeta (Fuuka Izumi, Aoi Koga & Shiori Sugiura)

LOOKING UP TO MAGICAL GIRLS ANIME NEWS ELEGANZA EXTRAVAGANZA

Everybody clap

Animated Trailer

Seiyuu (so far)

Fuuka Izumi (Utena Hiiragi / Baiser)

Kaori Maeda (Haruka Hanabishi / Magenta) - Shizuku Oosaka (Love Live! Nijigasaki HS Idol Club), Nice Nature (Uma Musume)

Misato Fukuen (Venalita) - Himiko Toga (BNHA), Yami (To LOVE-Ru), Kurumu Kurono (Rosario + Vampire), Chibiusa (Sailor Moon Crystal)

Staff

Directors

Masato Suzuki ((new) Fruits Basket, Peach Boy Riverside)

Atsushi Ootsuki (To LOVE-Ru Darkness, BanG Dream!, Kanokon)

Series Composition

Noboru Kimura (Mondaiji-tachi ga Isekai kara Kuru Sou desu yo?, Haiyore! Nyaruko-san, Healer Girl, Princess Principal movies)

Character Design

Tomoka Ootaki (Otonari ni Ginga, Girls' Frontline)

Sound Director

Satoshi Motoyama (Death Parade, Oregairu, The Irregular at Magic School, Hinamatsuri, Haiyore! Nyaruko-san)

Music

Yasuharu Takanashi (Naruto, Fairy Tail, Log Horizon, Zombieland Saga)

Akinari Suzuki (SHOW BY ROCK!! STARS!!, Redo of Healer)

Johannes Nilsson (Redo of Healer)

Music Production

Lantis

Animation Studio

Asahi Production

[fushikaeri]

i love her sm, she made the whole anime vv funny ><

[unagiexpress]

[dollfishu]

Key visual for the third season of Non Non Biyori, titled Non Non Biyori Nonstop.

[ilimitadoworld-r]

[thejustsimon]

HikaNatsu Pocky Game https://archiveofourown.org/works/27468700

[babudarabu]

[senjougahara-hitagi]

[leoayanime]

悠悠哉哉少女日和/悠哉日常大王/噥噥日和GIF動態圖 表情包6 Non Non Biyori GIF6

[best-underrated-anime]

Best Underrated Anime Group K Round 1: #K3 vs #K6

#K3: Space boy crashes onto Earth, learns about living

In the distant future, a majority of humans have left the Earth, and the Galactic Alliance of Humanity is founded to ensure the prosperity of mankind. However, a significant threat arises in the form of creatures called Hideauze, resulting in an interstellar war to prevent humanity’s extinction. Armed with Chamber, an autonomous robot, 16-year-old lieutenant Ledo joins the battle against them, but he loses control during battle and is cast out to the far reaches of space, crash-landing on a waterlogged Earth.

On the blue planet, Gargantia—a large fleet of scavenger ships—comes across Chamber and retrieves it from the ocean, thinking they have salvaged something of value. Mistaking their actions for hostility, Ledo sneaks aboard and takes a young messenger girl named Amy hostage, only to realize that the residents of Gargantia are not as dangerous as he had believed. Faced with uncertainty, and unable to communicate with his comrades in space, Ledo attempts to get his bearings and acclimate to a new lifestyle. But his peaceful days are about to be short-lived, as there is more to this ocean-covered planet than meets the eye.

#K6: Slice of life in the middle of nowhere

Hotaru Ichijou's lifestyle completely changes when she leaves Tokyo and moves with her family to the isolated Asahigaoka village. Her new school has only five students including herself, all sharing a single classroom regardless of grade level. There are no convenience stores in the area, and it can take up to two hours for a bus to arrive.

Nevertheless, Hotaru finds herself captivated by the countryside's charm thanks to her four unique schoolmates with whom she quickly forms a genuine bond. The most colorful of them is Renge Miyauchi, a first-grader who is often perceptive despite her age. However, no less intriguing are the three Koshigaya siblings: the quiet oldest brother Suguru, the petite older sister Komari, and the prankish youngest sister Natsumi.

Having someone from the city join their cheerful little group enlivens the ordinary days in Asahigaoka. Not only does Hotaru bring firsthand knowledge from the alluring outside world, but her fresh outlook on life welcomes a blossom of change to their usual routine.

Titles, propagandas, trailers, and poll under the cut!

#K3: Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet (Suisei no Galgantia)

Propaganda:

I believe that this show should be considered for the running because of what it accomplishes with the character development in the standard 13 episodes. It lays out the uncertainties of life and situations while also having that exist in the backdrop of a massive conflict that would make this seem miniscule. The main character is also exposed to new ideas and concepts that are alien to him and are initially inconceivable, such as empathy and compassion for others. In other words, it is him becoming ‘human’ again. There are also certain aspects of creativity such as how the worldbuilding functions on a world that is all water and how the characters interact with the world around them via various means. For the time it was released, it was a very unique anime with interesting takes that was overshadowed by some of the bigger ones at the time (Attack on Titan, Kill la Kill, Devil Part-Timer).

Trigger Warnings:

At one point, the main male lead says something akin to ‘why isn’t he dead’ concerning a chronically ill child (eugenics). The main male lead is 16 at the time of the show, and the characters he interacts with the most are around the same age. Various things, which can be considered as child abuse, happen to them. The show also has sequences with flashing lights.

#K6: Non Non Biyori

Propaganda:

Non Non Biyori is a show that, at first glance, seems to be little more than a standard Iyashikei affair with above average background art and below average character writing. What the show lacks in surface-level complexity, however, it makes up for with its delivery of capital T Themes.

The first season serves as a foundation, where it creates a strong sense of place through gorgeously rendered background art. We’re frequently given long, wide-angle shots of the background as characters walk through going about their business. The characters, though simply written, are given strong interactions with each other in order to grant a better understanding of the sense of community within the town. This serves to establish the town itself as the single most important element of the show, allowing the themes to blossom come season two, where we can better see the underlying melancholy behind the show’s lighthearted tone.

Non Non Biyori is ultimately a show about good times that can never last. The town they live in and the lifestyle it represents is dying, and the kids will grow up someday and will probably leave in search of better opportunities, with the possibility that they will never return to their hometown. Even in the short term, the age gap between the characters means that high school and eventually college will separate them, and though they’ll likely remain friends things will have irreversibly changed. Though the threat of change looms over the narrative, importantly, it’s not something that’s ever lingered on for too long, and when it is, it’s delivered with a “less is more” mentality, where we’re given only enough information to infer how the characters are feeling ourselves without it needing to be explicitly stated. This approach delivers Non Non Biyori’s central message: that even though change is inevitable and all good things come to an end, the single best thing a person can do is enjoy the good while it lasts.

Trigger Warnings: None.

If you’re reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.

[kurayamineko]