(Warning: Long review is long.)
So now Polar Bear Café’s coming to an end after only 26 eps. It’s a sad occasion, seeing as without this, my summer would have been a lot of things, but certainly not quite as funny.
Story -- First thing I thought five eps in was “If this keeps up, I might come to like randomness one day.” Well, that still isn’t the case, but for once my disappointment about “NO PLOT” got drowned out by the entertainment value.
It’s true that there’s no overarching plot, not even a slice-of-life resemblant one (aka, character development). There’s only small skits, usually half an ep in length, but nonetheless this is one hell of a funny skit series; and the skits do tie into each other more or less after a while.
The concept is definitely unique. Where else do you find humans and animals side by side, doing the same things, working at the same places (… well, more or less), talking in the same language, …? You can probably imagine the setup if you haven’t already seen the series. It makes for a whole lot of absurd, but funny jokes about animal-human relations; and not only that.
Characters -- First thought many people will have when seeing the characters will probably be “Cuuuuute!” Well, I’m not one to squeal over cuteness all that much unless it involves kids (got a soft spot for the little ones among us, no matter if human or animal), but the cuteness is only the very surface of the series.
Most characters, no matter of which species, are ridiculously stereotypical. That’s neither a completely good nor a completely bad thing. The animals’ personalities can seem a little one-dimensional at times, but because they’re animals, they get away with it, as they do with everything. If I had a human friend with the same romantic problems as Penguin, I’d whack him over the head and tell him to have his eyes checked (<= insider joke, sorry). But of course Penguin gets away with it, all because he’s -- obviously -- a penguin.
Putting that aside, along with the fact that development in characters is just about nil, the characters and their antics are absolutely hilarious. That lies partly in the characters, partly in their interaction, and partly in the way they’re made fun of. While everyone is one big cliché, the fact that it’s animals portrayed this way makes everyone unique and adds depth to their very much “uncute” traits and shortcomings. Also, it only serves to easily our all-too human judgement is influenced by appearance and situation… *sweatdrops*
Entertainment -- Even putting the above aside, the humour is smart, surprisingly human, and the fact that the creators seem to be very much aware of both the ups and downs of their show makes for extra comedy. Smart wits, a great sense of humour, a feeling for the absurdity that comes with the setup, and last but not least there’s the fact that it makes you think. The characters’ traits have a surprising connection to reality, and coupled with the cuteness of animals, they make for some awesomely funny character interaction. Even greater at times is the interaction between humans and animals. Allow me a small spoiler? Polar Bear’s line about a customer -- “I call him Human” -- reminds so much of our simply referring to animals by their species that it’s sure to crack people up.
Dialogue -- Character interaction, as mentioned, is solid gold, and the script doesn’t disappoint any. Comedic, to-the-point, smart, with absolutely natural flow, and if nothing else, Polar Bear’s deadpan responses are sure to cause chuckles. The only letdown would be Polar Bear’s puns, which, half the series in, are simply groan-inducing -- but at least the subbers did a decent job so the puns don’t feel all random, and if you pay a bit more attention, they can be used very well to broaden your Japanese vocabulary. ;)
Another up is the great voice acting. A lot of popular seiyuu have been involved in the production of this anime. I mean, honestly, who could have foreseen that Ono Daisuke-san would ever voice a llama?!
Artwork and music don’t disappoint any. The music doesn’t stand out too much, but it generally fits, and the artwork, while a little unremarkable once it comes to outside décor, is great in characters and inside architecture. Polar Bear’s café looks like a bright and comfortable place, Panda’s house in its Asian style (think it’s Chinese, but I’m not that sure) fits Panda and his bamboo obsession, and so on. Character design also is something else; not only because the characters are animals, but also because the artists seem to have done some careful research, as the animals’ movement look absolutely natural. The llama, when it (he? o.o) sits, does so like a llama would if it ever sat down, and doesn’t look like a humanised whatever. Though I am still wondering how Penguin gets onto those bar stools. Uh… no matter. Anyways, no complaints whatsoever about the technical execution. Colouring is generally bright and pleasant, and the animation’s excellent as well, this being a recent series.
Conclusion -- For an overarching, intelligent plot, for suspense, mystery, or action, you’re at the wrong place. Then again, everyone might have guessed that till now. “Shirokuma Café” is one of the brightest and to me one of the best series this spring and summer, and one that certainly proves a slice of life doesn’t have to be boring. Skit-like, but a smart and hilarious comedy that’s luckily aware of its ups and downs, and that could very well be interpreted as a play on actual social and individual problems and shortcomings. One of the certainly more clever comedies around, and the fact that it’s visually adorable only helps.
At the beginning, I had my doubts whether this thing could last for twenty eps and longer, but it’s now sure it can, and it’s only been getting better in the longer run. I wouldn’t advise watching more than three or four eps a day, as it kinda loses some of its spunk when overdosed, but IMO this nonetheless is one of the most underrated anime around. Smart, hilarious, visually adorable -- for me it’s more than enough to make up for its shortcomings. Recommended to everyone who appreciates a clever comedy and doesn't mind some randomness and/or animal protagonists! :D
On a last note, the at first glance “missing” episode 10 can be accessed via the bottom link in the “episode 9” sub-menu, or via this direct link: http://anime-access.com/anime/S/Shirokuma_Cafe_%28TV%29/episode/10 .
Cheers. ^_^ (
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