CITY The Animation

Episode 4

That was probably the best chase scene that's ever been animated, huh? Don't get me wrong, the model train chase from Wallace and Gromit: The Wrong Trousers, any of the chase scenes in Castle of Cagliostro, and pretty much all of Redline are up there, but I struggle to think of a chase sequence that's as gripping, frantic, and FUN as the closing segment in episode four of CITY The Animation. It's a magnificent crescendo to what's otherwise the slowest and most wholesome episode of the series yet, and I can't stop thinking about it.

To back up a little, this chase is motivated by the adorable rabbit-eared cat, Mimineko, running off with Niikura's locket. The trinket ended up in the cat's possession because Niikura kicked it away after Nagumo noticed it, which almost assuredly means there's something adorable and queer-coded inside, like the first photo Niikura ever took of her friend. Like many of the segments in this episode, this bit was preceded by an interstitial featuring characters going through the same crosswalk. I thought this was just a cute way to transition from one set of characters to another, but no! It was teeing up a part of the chase where characters are periodically trapped or taking advantage of an intersection that's blocked off so that a family of ducks can waddle through.

I know I should probably start these reviews by focusing on the beginning of the episode rather than the end, but between the stellar animation, character informed writing, general wholesomeness, and nonstop hilarity; it's everything I love about this show packed into its strongest couple of minutes yet and I dare anyone to watch this sequence and not feel completely charmed by CITY The Animation.

As for the rest of the episode, it was a bit slower than I've come to expect from the show, but largely built on previous plot points or set up new characters in this ever-expanding ensemble cast. Tatewaku is head over heels for the perpetually eepy Riku Izumi (and honestly, who can blame him?), and two segments focus on his young love. The first, and opening segment, features the teen being unable to confess his feelings, or even talk to his crush, and the second involves his dad, Tsurubishi, tricking him into another embarrassing situation. While I very much enjoyed the former bit, the latter mostly takes place in a dark hallway and doesn't play to CITY's animation strengths.

Tsurubishi's dedicated segment, where he's trying to become a regular at a new restaurant in his neighborhood, felt like a diverging style of comedy for the show, but was nonetheless hilarious. Evocative of I Think You Should Leave's social norms-focused comedy, Tsurubishi's efforts to develop what he thinks is a cool dynamic with a stranger prove immediately more difficult than he anticipated, and blow up spectacularly in his face when the restaurant closes unexpectedly. This is probably the most grounded any gag in CITY has been, and this more contained sequence only made the deliberately wacky chase scene at the end of the episode hit harder by making it feel more surprising.

While I enjoyed the introduction of Tanabe and her hyper-competent butler (and the reappearance of soccer ace Genjirou Masago), I'm going to need to see more interactions between them and other characters before I judge how well their flights of fancy fit within the broader show.

That leaves the wordplay-tastic segment with Ecchan and Matsuri. While the dub actors did a commendable job of adapting this scene and infused it with some great middle schooler nonsense energy, it works a lot better in the original Japanese, and I recommend that folks experience this scene in that language. I could also feel my heartstrings getting tugged on as Ecchan came close to revealing to Matsuri that her family was moving away soon, but instead started to play-wrestle with her and cut school for an afternoon alone together, further confirming their baby queer status in my eyes.

CITY The Animation is rapidly approaching a level of joyousness where, if you like life, you will love this show. While it was already a must-watch for any Nichijou enjoyer, this should also be a weekly watch for any comedy and general animation fans. If nothing else, this latest episode of CITY has once again left me feeling like I've seen the best episode of anime I'll watch all year, while also feeling confident that the next episode will somehow top it.

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CITY The Animation is currently streaming on Prime Video.