Synopsis
Mona Kawai is incredibly beautiful, and she loves being admired by everyone at school. But one boy, Medaka Kuroiwa, doesn’t seem interested in her at all. This surprises Mona, so she decides to do everything she can to get his attention, acting even cuter than usual. What Mona doesn’t know is that Kuroiwa is training to become a monk, which means he must avoid all distractions. As Mona keeps trying, she might discover that she’s starting to like him more than she expected.
Staff
Director - Yoshiaki Okumura: He has limited experience as a director, and the few anime he has directed are rather weak. Most of his work (40%) is as a storyboard artist, with another significant portion (30%) as an episode director.
Sound Director - Noriyoshi Konuma: Active since 2021, Konuma is relatively new compared to most sound directors. Since his work on The Dangers in My Heart (Bokuyaba), he has been steadily improving and showing great promise.
Series Composition and script: Kazuyuki Fudeyasu: This is where the anime truly shines. Fudeyasu is an established name with extensive experience in comedy and other genres. His portfolio includes anime like That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun, and Girls' Last Tour. These are just a few examples of his works that demonstrate a strong alignment with comedy, among many others.
Note about Girls' Last Tour: While it is not a comedy anime, the series surprises viewers by seamlessly incorporating comedic moments. The unpretentious delivery of scenes and the interactions between Chito and Yuuri provide comic relief amidst the heavy context of the narrative. These often humorous situations arise from the contrast between the protagonists' innocence and the desolate environment around them, making humor a well-executed and profoundly human narrative tool.
Studio
The studio’s animation quality is average at best, not particularly flashy. However, they have experience with similar themes, so we shouldn’t expect any major issues in execution.
Examples:
Kanojo mo Kanojo Season 2
Kyuujitsu no Warumono-san
A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics
Voice Actors
Yuu Serizawa voicing Mona Kawai
This is an excellent casting choice for the protagonist, as Serizawa’s voice suits Mona’s overly cute personality perfectly.
Ryouta Iwasaki voicing Medaka Kuroiwa
Most of his roles so far have been minor characters without much prominence.
Sora Amamiya voicing Asahi Shounan (Suport)
Another fantastic voice actor. Some of her standout roles include Aqua from KonoSuba, Akame from Akame ga Kill, and Nazuna from Call of the Night.
The other supporting cast members are also talented and are expected to deliver solid performances. The only slightly odd aspect here is the protagonist’s voice actor, as the supporting cast seems more skilled overall.
Final Consideration
The preview feels a bit static, even for the studio’s recent standards, but it’s not a major issue. Regarding the staff, most roles are average or below average, except for the series composer, who is excellent. If given creative freedom, Fudeyasu could deliver some very enjoyable moments.
As for the voice cast, it’s a strong lineup overall, so there shouldn’t be any problems in this area.
My final recommendation is to give the first few episodes a chance. While the animation and direction may fall short at times, the overall potential of the series looks promising and worth exploring.
