Sunday Maiko: Maiko-san chi no Makanai-san anime preview.

 

Hey all! Your constantly on the move host Sakaki here with yet another thing I didn't write! Though no, this is a real honor to bring to you since this is not something by the usual writers Marion or Jecka either --yes we have fresh blood. A new eyes into the skies of Sunday. Hippo has honored us with their presence and with a preview of the newest Sunday anime to hit Japanese airwaves: Maiko-san chi no Makanai-san  or as it's affectionately called in English "Kiyo in Kyoto: From the Maiko House." We're always welcoming of guest writers so please take Hoot's kind example and let us know if there's a Sunday thing you've always wanted to share or talk about! But that's enough from me, take it away Hippo! 

I think the most important keyword when it comes to the new anime Kiyo in Kyoto: From the Maiko House, adapted from the manga Maiko-san Chi No Makanai-san by Aiko Koyama that runs in Weekly Shonen Sunday, is “context.” Context is important both to the show itself and the things that happen in it. Allow me to try and explain. Kiyo in Kyoto is airing worldwide on NHK World Japan ahead of a domestic release this Fall. When I first found out about this I was surprised, as a viewer of NHK World Japan for many years now, this was the first time i’d heard of them airing an anime, let alone before it aired in Japan! Having now watched the first episode I have to imagine it was produced at least partially with the English speaking audience of NHK World Japan in mind. Other than that fact that it is a scripted show, Kiyo in Kyoto fits right in with shows like Journey’s in Japan, Cycle Around Japan, and Japan Railway Journal (Russel if you’re somehow reading this please come back, the show hasn’t been the same since you left) In fact, the episode also features the narration in English and it sounds exactly like any of their other shows, though the rest of the episode is presented in Japanese with english subtitles. It’s also for this reason that while I enjoyed this show I am somewhat skeptical if the average anime viewer will get that much out of it. That aside, I must state that I myself enjoyed myself and plan to keep watching the rest of the show.

Kiyo in Kyoto follows the story of the titular Kiyo, who works as a cook at the yakata (geisha house) that her childhood friend Sumire is training as a maiko (apprentice geiko; known as geisha worldwide and in Tokyo) Kiyo initially came to the yakata with the intention of being a maiko herself, but wasn’t as skilled and has taken a more behind the scenes role in the operations. From this first episode Kiyo is the definite highlight and the biggest reason to watch the show. She’s super positive, kind and it’s hard to not fall in love with her as a protagonist. Even though she’s just cooking for her friends, it’s hard not to root for her. She’s also played by Kana Hanazawa, who I am a big fan of, and if you’re a fan of her as well, I think you’ll enjoy this performance. Sumire also gets a decent amount of screentime in this first episode and she seems to be interesting as well. In the first segment of the episode she is nervous to tell Kiyo that she’s been promoted, worried that Kiyo might be sad due to not being able to work as a maiko, in the end though Kiyo is just delighted by her friends success and doesn’t resent her position at all. Kiyo is happy where she is and supportive of her friend. It’s the touching display of their friendship that is the heart of the show. The other character who gets a bit of screen time this first episode is a man referred to as “onii-san” who is an otokoshi; a man who helps maiko with tasks such as helping them put on their intricate outfits. In this episode he helps move a fridge so that Kiyo can retrieve a book that fell behind it. We meet a couple of other residents of the yakata, who I assume will get more screen time in future episodes.

If it wasn’t already clear, this is a show that is primarily about introducing the viewer to maiko culture. While it has characters, the show is rather light on characterization (though Sumire definitely seems like she’ll have something of a character arc in regards to overwork) and is solidly in the realm of slice of life. That said I’m not completely sure if fans of slice of life anime would all be in love with this show. As I said, it’s a show about introducing the viewer to a culture, like the edutainment shows produced by NHK that I mentioned earlier. The show is primarily concerned with introducing topics relating to this somewhat more obscure aspect of Japanese culture, terminology, and food. If you are interested in learning about those things, then I think this is a show for you. The characters are light and fun and make for a good vehicle to understand these things. This edutainment aspect is further highlighted by the show’s structure.

Kiyo in Kyoto’s episodes contain three chapters, and in between each airs a segment called “Kiyo and Sumire’s Meal of the Day,” it really ought to be called “Meals of the Day” since it airs three times! These segments feature the two characters in a more chibi form discussing the meal that Kiyo made in the previous chapter, going over various aspects of it, often from a cultural standpoint. In the third segment they talk about a squid food that the pair used to enjoy in their hometown in Aomori, but can’t find in Kyoto. Even though this show is primarily about Kyoto culture, they manage to sneak in cultural tidbits from other regions of Japan due to the characters’ cultural heritage. Additionally, the airing of the episode was followed up by a three minute live action segment with a basic rundown of how yukata’s work, which was much more in line with a traditional NHK World Japan tv show, only shorter. It was unclear whether or not each episode would be accompanied by one, but this episodes’ was certainly interesting and helped me get the terminology straight for this review, so I’m grateful that it was there.

I suppose it makes sense to next go over the production of this show in more detail. The anime is animated at J.C Staff, and if you’ve watched a few of their shows in the last few years you’ll recognize a few familiar faces among the staff. The series, as well as this first episode, is directed by Yohei Suzuki, who I have a bit of a love hate relationship with. This is a serviceable effort on his end, but perhaps a bit workmanlike. Some scenes reminded me more of a presentation than a show with a story, but given the educational angle I got used to that rather quickly, even if I wasn’t in love with it. Susumu Yamakawa is in charge of the scripts. The animation in this show is quite minimal, so those who look for sakuga in anime first and foremost should look elsewhere. I feel like so far I’ve been somewhat negative of the production, so I do feel like I should give credit where credit is due. The soundtrack is quite nice to listen to, and definitely sells the tone of the show. I think that’s what the production does best in general, it’s not lavish or particularly pretty in motion, but it feels very warm, it does a good job of creating a world you want to inhabit for 11 more episodes.

Ultimately I think Kiyo in Kyoto will appeal to a very specific crowd. If you like traditional Japanese culture, learning, anime and illustrations of food, I think you might find something to enjoy here. If none of those things interest you, or you need your anime to look flashy, then this may not be your cup of tea. If this review for this show has caught your interest and you’d like to see more you have options.  It’s airing on NHK World Japan at 6:30pm on Wednesdays, and is slated to air in Japan in the Fall. The show is also getting a simulcast on Crunchyroll that was not announced until after it aired on NHK, which I am thankful for because I wasn’t looking forward to being at the whims of live tv again.