Anime-Gataris

Episode 5

“The world is connected through anime.” This gushing quote from Nakano-san characterizes not only this entire episode of Anime-Gataris, but the entire series so far. Every episode has been about people uniting through a mutual love of anime. First, it was two high school classmates, then a group of six, then fans across cultures and countries who unite online and at conventions, who never have to feel alone because of their shared interests. It's a rose-colored glasses perspective on fandom without any of the social anxiety or in-fighting that's inevitable for any enthusiast community. Sometimes the unrealistic gushing gets to be too much, especially considering that Anime-Gataris is a commercial product that's partly buttering us up so we will watch and buy it. Still, if you can get past that, you'll be rewarded with the occasional relatable character anecdote that makes you think, “Yep, that's what being an anime fan is like!”

Minoa is getting really into anime these days, and she plans to spend her summer vacation watching more of it—but the Anime Club has other plans. They're going to spend a day going to "The Thing", which is obviously Comiket, but we can't say that. (Though they can show the cast of Time Travel Girl in the background of a crowd shot, apparently.) What follows is a walkthrough of Baby's First Comiket, featuring newbies Minoa and Arisu. Now I've never been to one of these big conventions at Tokyo Big Sight, but I've seen them portrayed so often in anime that the intent to make viewers nostalgic for their first time at Comiket is clear. There are several moments that North American anime convention attendees can also relate to: long lines, sold-out merchandise, the initial surprise that the staff of a nerdy event are just as nerdy as attendees, and making new friends over nothing more than proximity and a shared love of anime.

Speaking of new friends, this episode also introduces a (probably one-shot) character from China, Yang Beibei. Beibei speaks fluent Japanese but begins speaking to Minoa in Chinese right off the bat to force a joke that therefore doesn't quite work. What does work is the easy familiarity with which Beibei and the Anime Club immediately bond as they wait in the long unmoving line. Lines usually govern who I talk to at anime cons too. Even though Beibei isn't from Japan, the club is surprised to learn she's watching the new shows as simulcasts in China—and that's what most overseas fans do these days too! Obviously we know this as English-speaking anime fans, but I guess it's still news to some Japanese fans: “It's a problem sometimes,” Beibei says. “When I tell Japanese people that I like anime, they deliberately bring up older shows.” Beibei eventually exits stage left without sharing her contact information, but Erika offers a standard saccharine line to make us feel more positive about their interaction: “As long as we're anime lovers, we'll meet here again.”

Minoa had an amazing day at Comiket, and maybe her dad did, too? There was a weird moment when Minoa's sister told their parents where Minoa was going, and Dad got a spark in his spectacles and said he'd be busy tomorrow too—though we never saw him again. Apart from that unfulfilled setup, Erika also visited friends who told her their high school anime club was apparently famous—but there was no club until now! Hmmm. Other than these two unfinished threads, “Beibei, Don't Go!” was more about capturing a feeling than telling a story, patting anime fans on the back as much as possible in a way that made me feel like I was only being somewhat flattered as a consumer of many fine anime products.

Rating: B

Anime-Gataris is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Lauren writes about geek careers at Otaku Journalist.