First Impressions / Koufuku Graffiti

「ふんわり、ゴガガガッ.」 (Funwari, Gogagaga.)
“Fluffy, Sizzling.”

Another heart-warming episode with the focus more on Kirin this time and some signature head tilts from SHAFT. I was really hoping I could get away for a season without the head tilts but there they are. Not that they’re not well-animated or anything, but it’d be nice to see a different angle of the girls. Regardless, it doesn’t take away from the experience of the show and I do think the characters look cute and charming anyway. I loved the introduction of Shiina (Komatsu Mikako) even though we briefly saw her last week already, she had actual speaking lines this episode. Her character is very… pretty to look at and she exemplifies what “cool girl” is to me. Shiina is the one I would want to hang out with in school if I were back in high school. Of course, she also the cute girl factor going on which I think is always a plus. Seeing as she’s a fan of Ryou’s cooking, I wonder if she’ll cook for us later on.

We’re also introduced to Ryou’s aunt this episode, Machiko Akira (Nonaka Ai) with more detail and she behaves exactly like I would expect a drunk aunt to behave. Not much to say about her although I’m not a fan of that character stereotype and I’m glad that Ryou hasn’t picked up her personality. Ryou is very calm and collected compared to everyone she interacts with and I actually find this difference more compelling to watch. Her voice is very soothing and doesn’t scream excitement everywhere she goes which is the opposite of myself and what I would expect from a main character. It’s what grounds the show to be more heart-warming and subtle than in-your-face bright and loud. I like how her character is not meant to be funny or stupid, but she has a good head on her shoulders and she influences the people around her positively. She’s like the motherly-figure to Kirin (even though they’re technically the same age). Her maturity really shines through with the way that she deals with her past and her living situation and I envy her for that.

Honestly, the slice-of-life aspects of this show blow me away more than the actual food porn. I think Koufuku Graffiti does a great job incorporating the two elements together without it being boring or dragged out. As a foodie, of course I’m watching for some good foodgasms, but there’s more to the anime than that. I like seeing both Kirin and Ryou bounce off each other’s energy and vibe. Some people might call these yuri-vibes, but what’s wrong with being close (or growing close) to your cousin? Absolutely nothing in my mind. The erotic shots of the cast eating are probably what stands out the most each episode, but it doesn’t take away from the overall enjoyment of the show for me. What I love most about watching Koufuku Graffiti is that despite the food themes, it’s still a feel-good anime. The music, the atmosphere with the sakura blossoms and the idea of family really shines through at the end when Ryou and Kirin are both drawing. Even though the two are so different, they still have something in common and find ways to better one another. I love the shot of Kirin’s drawing at the end and how it doesn’t match Ryou’s expectations of Kirin’s style. They have a lot more to learn about one another.

Bottom Line – @RCCherrie: Oh damn, this makes me want to make some #tamago of my own T_T Hungry at midnight once again… #KoufukuGraffiti. Another heart-warming episode with the focus more on Kirin this time and some signature head tilts from SHAFT.

 

Preview

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25 Comments

  5. as a cook I find myself connecting to this series though my difference with Ryou I guess is that for me cooking is like a lab experiment, I have created my fair share of abominations during my cooking sessions, for me taste is the ultimate goal with no regard to presentation. The repeated foodgasms however are somewhat changing how I look at the stuff I make.

    gawrshness
    Reply

    1. From my own experimentation: don’t try replacing corn starch with tapioca flour in a 1:1 ratio. Only comedy will ensue at the resulting abomin— err, dish.

      Still enjoying the show. Not much SoL this season, so I gotta take what I can get, but SHAFT generally does good SoL anime. (Head turns and foodgasm faces notwithstanding.)

      s_w
      Reply

    2. Half the eating experience for me – is the presentation of the food. It could taste great but look… not so great and it wouldn’t entice me to try it >_> Of course, I try to eat a bit of everything before writing it off, but it’s not a good first impression.

      Also, people tend to eat based on all their senses, so it’s the experience of having good-looking good, smelling good, tasting good and the texture of it that makes it a memorable dish. Obviously you can’t smell Ryou’s food, but I think SHAFT does a good job trying to show texture… makes me really hungry for eggs myself.

      Cherrie
      Reply

    3. I’m a cook myself, worked in many restaurants too, when I first saw Working! and Working!! I thought that was the only anime title that will ever represent food and the restaurant business. Now that Koufuku is playing, food is once again being represented.

      Bunn28
      Reply

  6. If you had any doubt that this series was made by SHAFT, this episode will clear it away. It’s as if they are making up for the lack of SHAFT-ness in the first episode.

    https://randomc.net/image/Koufuku%20Graffiti/Koufuku%20Graffiti%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2003.jpg

    Head tilt within the first three minutes (two if you discount the opening).

    https://randomc.net/image/Koufuku%20Graffiti/Koufuku%20Graffiti%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2006.jpg

    Sensual portrayal of common actions. Eating in this series, just like the infamous tooth brush scene in Nisemonogatari.

    https://randomc.net/image/Koufuku%20Graffiti/Koufuku%20Graffiti%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2001.jpg

    Extreme close-ups and black borders. Not to mention the incredible bump in animation and framerate.

    https://randomc.net/image/Koufuku%20Graffiti/Koufuku%20Graffiti%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2018.jpg

    Unmoving plaid on Kirin’s shirt, especially around this scene.

    https://randomc.net/image/Koufuku%20Graffiti/Koufuku%20Graffiti%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2025.jpg

    Random art shifts.

    https://randomc.net/image/Koufuku%20Graffiti/Koufuku%20Graffiti%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2031.jpg

    Sudden gusts of wind.

    Seikou
    Reply

  8. I found the shaftyness distracting from the actual episode, to the point that I was wondering if we were going to be shown a collection of random arty chairs for no good reason. I think this was because the shaftyness didn’t mesh with the rest of the episode, it wasn’t kept as a continuation of the same scene.

    Riktol
    Reply

  9. Its so hard not to love SHAFT when they produce shows of this quality so consistantly.

    Also that cute little song during the preview im suprised no one mentioned it – chibis and vocal harmonies =)

    Skarfang81
    Reply

  14. I have a special appreciation for Shaft. No matter what they work on, you can feel the love they put into their animation. Koufuku Graffiti isn’t the most complex kind of show to animate, but everything looks and is beautifully done. Even without the head tilts and the black bars, you can just tell it’s Shaft from the style and quality.

    Trippwire
    Reply

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