Despite how it sounds, Binbou Shimai Monogatari is not an anime about a bunch of bimbos. It’s actually about two poor sisters working to make ends meet. I like to translate Binbou Shimai Monogatari as “The Legend of the Financially Destitute Sisters!” So is this anime uplifting and happy, or super depressing? Or both?
As we’re told by dead ghost mom, Kyou is the older sister, and Asu is the younger. Every morning, Kyou wakes up to deliver newspapers, and Asu wakes up later to make breakfast for Kyou. I guess you could say that Kyou wears the pants in the relationship (oh wait, they’re sisters!)…
Their mom is dead (but with them in spirit form, like Obi-Wan Kenobi), and their dad left because of his gambling debts. Life is pretty tough for the sisters, but with the support of one another, they seem to happy anyway.
The first episode deals with the sisters getting ready for the fireworks festival. Asu stakes out the booths and plans their eating strategy. Kyou decides to buy a kimono for Asu to wear at the festival. Unfortunately, the money want to use is from the same bank, and Asu gets mad at Kyou for wasting it on a kimono. The lack of money is the underlying antagonist here. Eventually, they kiss and make up, and they have a great big group hug with ghost mom!
For the first episode, the animation quality was really good. Maybe it’s because I watched the show raw, but I noticed there were a lot of cool camera angles and whatnot being used, too.
The character designs are also good. Kyou and Asa are both way too cute. I also liked how the piggy bank would show emotions (like fear when Asa told him to look forward to that evening). I hope the pig shows up a lot more during this anime!
Another thing that I noticed while watching was that Asa’s voice was DEFCON 1 cute. Sure enough, the seiyuu for Asa is none other than Kaneda Tomoko, who did the voice of Chiyo-chan in the Azumanga Daioh anime, and Fuyuno in Magikano. She was also in the Sensei no Ojikan anime as “Soccer Ball,” her best role to date!
The OP is nice, and fits nicely with the mood of the anime. It might be a little sappy, but so is the anime! The ED is also very sentimental sounding. It sort of reminds me of old kid’s cartoons’ theme songs that I used to watch in the 80s. I guess it fits with the anime, too. I mean, you wouldn’t expect to hear a death metal OP for a show about poor girls, right?
Download the OP: Shinkokyuu by Splash Candy
Download the ED: Soyokaze Life by Kanako Sakai
So far, Binbou Shimai Monogatari seems to be an anime with a lot of potential. As long as they keep the actual sappiness to non-diabetes inducing levels, I should be okay with it. Ghost mom also creeps me out a bit like the King from Burger King. Hopefully she’ll make fewer appearances.
The inclusion of Kaneda Tomoko in the staff means I’ll watch this anime anyway. Her voice is just way too cute not to watch (hear?)!
6 replies on “Binbou Shimai Monogatari – Anime First Impressions”
This was one of my “to see” anime of this season.
Though on closer inspection it looks a lot less like Kamichu than it did on the flyer ^_^
Great,when this anime will come out,i’m in… ^^
Hahahaha, what is the HELL is with your reviews. I always read them expecting to find out what happen, and end up laughing at them as if they’re some stand up routine themselves.
Where’s the BIAS!? The anime otaku ELITENESS!? >_> Well all that aside, I guess this review does a better job than most, without making the reader feel like they should’ve taken supplemental Anime 101 and 102 courses. 😛
[…] Binbou Shimai Monogatari […]
[…] I would like to pick at least one anime to watch raw this season just so I can practice and get better at it. It’ll probably be Hidamari Sketch. I actually said I’d watch Binbou Shimai Monogatari raw a while back, but I ended up giving up after a few episodes… Hopefully I can keep it up longer with Hidamari Sketch… […]
Watched this series and absolutely loved it. It has a very touching story and the characters you will fall in love with. My only disappointment is that it was such a short series. You just don’t want it to end. I give it a BIG THUMBS UP!! A series you are sure to enjoy:)