Japanese Title: Kodomo no Omocha TV

 

Related: Kodomo no Omocha OVA (alternate version)

Similar: Super GALS!

Gakuen Alice

Marmalade Boy

 

Watched in: Japanese & English (anime is dubbed up to ep. 51)

Genre: Comedy Romance

Length: 102 episodes

 

Positives:

• So funny.
• Understands children, girls in particular.
• High energy.

Negatives:

• The art is ugly, to put it nicely.

(Request an anime for review here.)

Did I really just see what I saw? Was what I saw really what I thought it was? Were my eyes playing tricks on me, my ears dancing with the devil? Is a show for little kids – an ugly show for little kids – truly this good? How?

I love Kodocha. When a dear reader requested Kodocha for review in the erstwhile era called January, I added it to my list for review, though told him that due to its length, it may take some time. What I didn’t say was that the art and premise made me, hmm, unenthusiastic (let’s leave it at that word) about watching it. A week ago, I found myself doing mundane work requiring little attention yet a lot of time, so I threw the first anime I estimated wouldn’t need much effort on my part – Kodocha. And slay me sideways if I didn’t laugh for hours on end. This anime I thought would take months of forcing myself to watch breezed by in a week, an effortless week.

Under the spotlight of Kodocha is child star Sana. Talented, successful, daughter of a famed author, popular – Sana has it all. The perfect life. Well, except for that brat Akito in her sixth grade class. Man, that Akito, he’s so mean, bullies the teacher, is rotten to the core, and stinks of cooties. Sana just wants to- to- RAAAARGH! (*Image of Sana tearing an Akito effigy in two here*) She will get that Akito back for making the teacher cry if it’s the last thing she does! But wait, could there be a reason why that brat acts out this way?

Kodocha’s heart is in the skill with which it captures children and the inner-child in us adults. These children misbehave, get up to god-knows-what, skip homework, clown around in class, – yes, even the “good” students – and cause an all-round riot. Kodocha allows them to be kids. It may sound simple, but you’d be amazed by how rare it is to find any fiction, never mind anime, that portrays children as real children. The innocent yet endearingly twisted view children have of the world is a difficult quality to distil. The comedy writes itself when you let kids run free.

However, because the team didn’t want to encourage the audience children from causing such trouble in real life, Kodocha often breaks the fourth wall to remind kids that you shouldn’t be imitating these troublemakers. The irony is hilarious.

More than just the mentality, I love the ‘kid’ moments it portrays, such as one kid accidentally calling the teacher “Mum” – been there, mate…been there. Everything from the class’s laughter to his burning embarrassment – perfect. Another joke I remember true to life was after Akito grabs Sana’s chest. “Now I’ll never be pure enough for a husband!” she cries. “Wait, he didn’t squeeze, so I’m okay!” I lost it. One girl in my primary school thought that losing your virginity meant being kissed by a boy – anywhere – so she would run terrified from any boy in class when close enough to “strike.”

After the initial Akito arc, the story goes from showbiz to classmate problems to paparazzi. The story moves at a good clip, covering a variety of scenarios for Sana and co. with the Akito romance overarching the whole. When the pace does slow for an emotional arc, the tone flows well from comedy to drama and doesn’t feel forced like many shoujo stories.

Kodocha isn’t above the shoujo tropes, such as a little girl with a crush on an adult man. Unlike the dregs of shoujo, however, this anime handles it perfectly, turning what is often an incarceration-worthy arc into one that shows true character growth, as Sana learns of the real world. The topic of adoption also receives more thought and care than given by the vast majority of anime. This dingy kids’ anime is more mature than Clannad and its ilk.

The number one shoujo trope – a recurring sequence each episode – morphs into a rap song by Sana, occasionally with backup vocals from her looney mother or caring manager. Yeah, you heard me; a little girl raps each episode as some form of pep talk. It’s corny as hell, but pluck my nose hair with tweezers if I don’t laugh every time.

Now, Kodocha has its faults. Obvious art issues aside, some episodes deliver tepid results and the boys aren’t depicted quite as well as the girls. They’re still great, but they needed to be more disgusting, in my opinion. I remember one classmate of mine used to scratch his healthy skin until it bled and scabbed over, just so he could then pick at the scab… The hell? And he wasn’t the worst. Kids will be kids…

So, here we arrive at the end and I still cannot believe I am about to give Kodocha a high rating and my warm recommendation. Am I really going to give an anime that looks this cheap a high score? Yes, I am.

Art – Very Low

Garbage. Let’s be honest – Kodocha’s art is awful from its animation to its detail. One-hundred and two episodes made on the budget for two, it seems. It at least has the energy and expressiveness to keep up with Sana’s antics.

Sound – Medium

The BGM is a tad generic and the voice work serviceable, but darn it if the enthusiasm doesn’t make you love it through all the flaws. Even the corny raps grow on you before long.

Story – High

A child star gets up to all sorts of shenanigans at school and in life with her oddity of a mother, loyal dog of a manager, and the naughty boy in class. Kodocha’s constant laughs – only interrupted by thoughtful emotion – and understanding of how children think and behave made it an easy journey to the end.

Overall Quality – High

Recommendation: A must for anyone with a piece of childhood still burning in their hearts. Kodocha is too much fun to pass up. Even if you don’t want to go the distance, a dozen episodes will brighten your life.

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Awards: (hover over each award to see descriptions; click award for more recipients)

Positive:

Negative: