Dagashi Kashi / First Impressions / Series Introduction

OP Sequence

OP: 「Checkmate!?」 by MICHI

「うまい棒とポテフと…／コーヒー牛乳キャンディとヤングドーナツと…」 (Umaibou to Poteto to… / Kouhii Gyuunyuu Kyandi to Yangudounatsu to…)
“Umaibo and Potato Fries and… / Coffee Milk Candy and Young Donuts…”

Dagashi Kashi combines two things I love: Zany comedy, and shipping.

This Is A Comedy—Your Mileage May Vary

I feel like this should be obvious, but I’ma preface this post with it anyway: Comedy is the most subjective realm of fiction. While it’s easy to intellectually respect a drama you don’t enjoy, it’s hard to do that with comedy, because it’s such a binary matter—either you laugh, or you don’t. I laughed a lot from this episode, but if you didn’t, it’s not that you’re wrong or I’m crazy. It’s comedy; it’s subjective. That’s the name of the game.

Zany, Romantic Fun

I like my comedy like I like my action—outrageous. Not exclusively, but a notable preference for zany comedy runs through me, and Dagashi Kashi pressed those buttons. Leading the zany train is Shidare Hotaru (Taketatsu Ayana) and Shikada You (Fujiwara Keiji), who were undoubtedly the comedic stars of the episode. I like that the way their brains work is just off compared to normal people, which means they can veer into goofy comedic territory with little explanation other than, “Yeah, that’s something they would do.” Like I said, comedy is subjective, but both of these characters stole every scene they were in—or they would have, if they didn’t share several. It’s a battle for goofiest goof!

Yet I’m also a hopeless romantic at heart, and Dagashi Kashi scratches that itch too. Of course with protagonist Shikada Kokonotsu’s (Abe Atsushi)—hereafter referred to as Coconutsu-kun—attraction to Shidare Hotaru, who is at least physically/style-wise his type. (Side note: They say that people often marry people who are like their parents. Well, Hotaru-yan is definitely like Coconutsu-kun’s dad.) But Endou Saya (Numakura Manami) stole the show quickly with her badly concealed crush on Coconutsu. I’m a sucker for the dishonest childhood friend. And what’s this—a brother in Endou Tou (Suzuki Tatsuhisa) who fights with his little sister instead of being involved some half-baked love drama? Le gasp! As much fun as an “Onii-chan~<3” is, it’s nice to see regular siblings for once.

Animation, Character Design, Casting

I don’t know why I included animation in this section, because I’m not the one to ask. It seemed fine? The character designs, on the other hand, I liked. They reminded me of Jitsu wa Watashi wa a bit, in that I’m sure some people will think they’re ugly, but I liked the characters’ atypically small eyes (for anime). The seiyuu casting, though, I can say for sure is a hit. I didn’t have preconceived notions from the manga, so I don’t know if their names “fit,” but I know good comedic actor when I see hear ’em, and Taketatsu Ayana and Fujiwara Keiji are both great. Especially Ayachi—she’s good at being forceful and slightly unbalanced, so she was a good pick. Suzuki Tatsuhisa does well with Tou’s raucous laughter, while the comedic foils for this enterprise—Abe Atsushi and Numakura Manami, as Coconutsu and Saya—probably won’t shine as much as the goofs, but the whole thing doesn’t work without them.

Looking Ahead

Is it okay if I get a little hyped after this episode? I don’t know if this will get covered weekly, though there is a fair amount of interest among our staff. Either way, I’m excited. I could do with more goofy candy antics in my life.

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – #anime_dagashi in three words: Zany, goofy, & shipping. I thought the first episode was a lot of fun.

Random thoughts:

  • I will be happy if these eyecatches keep popping up throughout each episode. It’s a good method to change gears or show the passage of time. Also, this please.
  • What the heck is Coconutsu’s father famous for, anyway? (Mark and tag your spoilers, manga readers. I’m sure it’ll come up eventually.)
  • Coconutsu doesn’t stand out as a protagonist, per say, but neither is he annoyingly generic. He could go either way, but so far he’s at least unwittingly dangerous. I got a good laugh out of that.
  • The best friend saw the heroine naked first? Surprising. Though the violence visited upon him was not. You have a sister, dude. Maybe knock first.

My first novel, Wage Slave Rebellion, is available now. (More info—now in paperback!) Sign up for my email list for a FREE sequel novella. Over at stephenwgee.com, the last four posts: $%&@* cuss words, Stephen, what is best in life?, It depends, and Momentum & mental space.

Full-length images: 30, 31.

 

ED Sequence

ED: 「Hey! カロリーQueen」 (Hey! Calorie Queen) by Taketatsu Ayana

Preview

51 Comments

  2. The comedy was definitely a hit for me, as I laughed quite a lot while watching, loudly too. So glad my expectations were met!

    Yes, I think it’s ok to get a little hyped- even if the romance won’t develop much, I think we can still expect some quality comedy on a weekly basis.

    Plus, Ayachi sung ED is a big bonus :3

    Patsuan
    Reply

    1. Looks like Good Smile Company is already counting on Hotsru to be the selling point of this anime. And after seeing Hotaru in action, I’m not surprised why. I wish now a Figma will follow.

      Zhinvu
      Reply

    3. Apparently Hotaru’s blowing up all over the place in those super steamy comics. I heard from a friend of mine that she was among those characters that were featured prominently in Comiket 89 doujinshi. Well, whatever gives you diabeetus I guess? 😛

      Nishizawa Mihashi
      Reply

  7. For a majority of my life, when watching anime, most of the “ojou-sama” heroines I have seen consist of either tsunderes or some type of mildly manner girl. However I can’even to begin to categorize what this girl is.
    https://randomc.net/image/Dagashi%20Kashi/Dagashi%20Kashi%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2012.jpg
    https://randomc.net/image/Dagashi%20Kashi/Dagashi%20Kashi%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2015.jpg
    https://randomc.net/image/Dagashi%20Kashi/Dagashi%20Kashi%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2039.jpg
    At best she can be a “boisterous ojou-sama” though I don’t know how to completely categorize her since she has a complex personality.

    https://randomc.net/image/Dagashi%20Kashi/Dagashi%20Kashi%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2010.jpg
    This is the first time I seen an ojou-sama have such a hungry look in her eyes. Normally,
    https://randomc.net/image/Dagashi%20Kashi/Dagashi%20Kashi%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2030.jpg
    that sort of hungry look would appear when guys look at a very lovely girl……………I do wonder if our dear ojou-sama will feed our protagonist any “snacks” made personally by her, especially on valentines day.

    L002
    Reply

  8. Yeah, those eyecatches were amazing. I’ll make sure to include ALL of them as my future desktop wallpapers lolol

    Great show (slightly less than expected because read a volume of the Manga already) (can’t help myself), but maybe a little slow on pace. Overall very looking forward to future episodes.

    P.S. The opening theme song will take some time to get used to. The ending theme, however… I got used to it already haha

    Kaineng
    Reply

  10. I think that Dagashi’s comedy works if you enjoy the humor of a Gekkan Shoujo or Daily Lives of High School Boys, or even Gochi-usa. But it won’t convert someone who dislikes that type of comedy. I do know that Dagashi has filled up the gap left behind when Gochi-usa season 2 ended a few weeks back- and we have female leads that refreshingly do not fall into lazy stereotypes, and are highly memorable.

    Andmeuths
    Reply

      2. @Stilts

        Then, you have to watch Nichijou. It’s a mesh of over the top comedies.

        If you like Tonari no Seki-kun, then you’ll definitely love it because it has a “female Seki-kun” who loves pranks in .

        If you like Jinrui then you’ll like it as well because it has who loves to create crazy inventions just like the fairies in that series.

        And you may like it if you like TWOGK because is an immortal goat-riding Keima who comes with a butler & a crazy gundere.

        Ryuutobi
        Reply

      3. @Stilts

        Then, you have to watch Nichijou. It’s a mesh of over the top comedies.

        If you like Tonari no Seki-kun, then you’ll definitely love it because it has a “female Seki-kun” who loves pranks in Minakami Mai.

        If you like Jinrui then you’ll like it as well because it has Shinonome Hakase who loves to create crazy inventions just like the fairies in that series.

        And you may like it if you like TWOGK because Sasahara Koujirou is an immortal goat-riding Keima who comes with a butler & a crazy gundere.

        Sorry for the double posting, I’m not that well versed in HTML.

        Ryuutobi
        Reply

  13. I love the character designs, especially Hotaru’s crazy eyes.

    I’m so glad there’s at least one good comedy this season, and a few good comedic shorts. Here’s hoping there are a few more in store.

    Also, if you want Pixiv art, go to Pixiv and insert this in your search bar: だがしかし (you have to pay to make the search function find the popular stuff first, though.)

    It gets my vote to get some blogging love, but I’m not too sure if it’s going to progress enough plot-wise to make it worth blogging. :\

    At any rate, it’s a good start. Solid animation, solid VAs, good comedy, great source material to work with.

    The only weak point for a non-Japanese audience will be the parade of Japanese candy you’ve never heard of. That’s going to lose some viewers along the way, I think.

    s_w
    Reply

    1. The only weak point for a non-Japanese audience will be the parade of Japanese candy you’ve never heard of. That’s going to lose some viewers along the way, I think.

      It’ll bring in the foodies though.

      Dvalinn
      Reply

  14. I’m just disappointed they didn’t animate Tou’s sunglasses shattering after seeing Hotaru in the nude like they did in the manga. That frama got an uncontrollable giggle-fit out of me. The production team’s got another scene to redeem themselves in this aspect though, and I seriously hope they do exploding sunglasses. Really.

    Junglepenguin
    Reply

    1. That was a different scene. And that’s all I’ll say about that (spoilers).

      As for why Hotaru sees Tou as famous, they never go into detail (or really even mention it again after Hotaru’s introduces herself to him), so I guess the implication is that he’s famous in dagashi circles, probably since he’s the current generation owner of the shop.

      quigonkenny
      Reply

  16. I love Hotaru’s design, but as soon as she opened her mouth all I could hear was Kirino. Man, do I hate Kirino.
    Fortunately, Taketatsu is a lot more dynamic with Hotaru’s voice than she was with Kirino’s. But…ugh Kirino. Oreimo ruins everything.

    This was a good first episode. I’ve been having trouble finding quality shows this season, personally, but I’m definitely sticking with this one. It seems like fun, and the character design is wonderful.

    Mormegil
    Reply

  17. Tou explain why he’s father is famous, because he’s the weirdest in town. But maybe there’s more to it. I didn’t see it revealed in the manga.
    I like the inner dialogue of the characters but sadly they skip a lot of it. For example,
    The comment Kokonotsu on Hotaru to Tou:
    Kokonotsu: “But, well… she’s also very weird. She has the aura of someone from the city, but she also really loves dagashi… So I feel some kind of affinity with her…”
    Tou: “You sound very interested in her”
    Kokonotsu: “Huh?! No, not at all! It’s not like that!! (Geez!!) Come on, tou-kun please stop it!”
    Tou(inner): “He’s like an open book” then he looks at Saya “My cute little sister turned into a demon!” “Well, it’s no wonder, since she’s loved him since forever. However, Coconuts doesn’t know about it (since he’s so dense).”
    And after Saya says “Drink it” another Tou’s inner dialogue
    “Your life depends on your next move, Coconuts… What will you do?! (It looks too sweet..)”
    *intense staring* “What will you do? What will you do, Coco-?!!” Kokonotsu drinked it “He did it!!” “Coconuts.. You’re amazing.” *Tou looks suprised*
    Then after the smooth talk…
    Tou: “I get it now… He’s actually a skillful playboy!”
    It’s like Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou comedy. But hopefully they don’t skip it that much.

    Ciaossu
    Reply

    1. I didn’t expect it to be a full 24 episode anime because the manga is 9 pages long and 36 chapters are just translated. I expected it to be short or 11-min long like “Mangaka-san to Assistant-san to” but it’s good nonetheless.

      Ciaossu
      Reply

    2. But they didn’t skip any of that. All of that was there, it just wasn’t outright stated. But it was easy to see, because everything you repeated there was something I took from the original scene. It just required reading the subtext (and not that hidden subtext, either) as opposed to depending solely on the text. Based on that alone, the adaptation might have shown the scene better.

      Stilts
      Reply

  18. Personally, I didn’t think this show was laugh out loud material, certainly not on the level of anime’s best. But it certainly was amusing, and quite charming. The lively characters are easy to get attached to and I quite like the silly atmosphere they manage to create. Not to mention that the rural areas in which this takes place always look pretty. I doubt this’ll be one of this season’s top shows, but it’ll certainly be one of those relaxing comedies I tune into every week. A season without those is a boring season indeed.

    And man, Hotaru sure is getting a lot of attention in, ah, ‘fanart’ already. I wonder if she’ll become the next Hestia at this rate, she certainly has the potential (in more ways than one).

    Dvalinn
    Reply

  19. Oh man, I can’t, I just can’t! Too much- too much! Time out! Guhahahahuhuehhhehhaaa! XD

    *Breathes* Ahhhhhhh…

    Ehehehheh, ahem. Aaaaanyways, aside from that OP song used in the beginning, I can’t help but laugh my ass off just watching this show. Words can’t even begin to describe it but oooohhhh boiyh! Voice acting, character scripts, screenplay, sound direction, soundtrack, visual direction, all of it! Maravilhosa!

    10/10 would watch again. Also, #HotaruBestGirl

    Nishizawa Mihashi
    Reply

  21. Considering how weird Japanese snacks tend to be; like their wacky-flavoured Kit Kat; It’s no wonder that here you can have a character tasting two umaibos with radically different flavor and not feeling icky about it.

    Amiluhur
    Reply

    1. Yes, they are real products. Coffee Milk Candy is nuclear sweet, too, which was part of the gag.

      I don’t have any links handy, but you could always try JList/JBox, your local Japanese market (or if you have a big Asian supermarket, try there.) You might find some of them there. Might.

      s_w
      Reply

  24. I’m still in the middle of previewing the Winter lineup, but of the shows I’ve seen, Hotaru so far was the first one who left the biggest impression. That zany personality of hers came out of nowhere and I’m loving her for it. I thought her antics in the Candy Store was good enough, but they had to show her later on head first stuck in the mud. Looks like this is going to be a different kind of Non Non Biyori with more focus on the Candy Store. The original Dagashi-ya Kaede should be in this anime!

    Zhinvu
    Reply

  26. I’m still split on the comedy and I’m not that interested in the sweets, but the characters are really doing it for me. There is something mesmerizing about Hotaru’s crazy eyes. I think it’s ring design combined with her crazy/hungry expressions. I wonder what aspect will be more pronounced in the future.

    dean
    Reply

  27. Okay, just so we’re perfectly clear, I love me a good comedy (Seto no Hanayome) still makes me laugh my ass off) as much as anyone, rare though they are in today’s industry. That said though, Dagashi Kashi just didn’t do it for me and I can’t rightly explain why. It’s not a bad show by any means and I can definitely understand why others would like it, but… I dunno, it’s just not pushing my buttons quite right.

    And actually, it wasn’t even Hotaru who came across as the most memorable to me, but the brother, Tou. He’s got that perfect mix of style and substance that makes me want to see more of him, if that makes any sense.

    Anyways, dunno if I’ll see it through to the end, but it’s earned itself at least the requisite three eps, so we’ll see where things go from here. 🙂

    Ryan Ashfyre
    Reply

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