Never did I think that we would be getting another Show By Rock anime after the original had finished. The story came to a close, there was nothing to tell anymore, so I thought it would be done and over with. For some reason it didn’t even occur to me that they could just create a new band and new characters and just make an entirely new show. Maybe it didn’t occur to me because I didn’t think Show By Rock was too popular? The original did get two seasons and a tv-short, but I’m not sure if it had the same popularity as other music shows, same with its mobile game. Maybe the popularity of Bang Dream gave them the idea to try again? Anyway, it’s here, and it’s cute!
I was slightly worried coming into this show because a different studio is handling this show. Bones did the entire original Show By Rock and it was great, so I was a little wary when Kinema Citrus took on the reins for this one. They’re not a bad studio or anything, in fact, they’ve made some of my favorite shows (Made in Abyss and Revue Starlight). I was just worried that they wouldn’t capture the same feeling, but just from this first episode I thought they did a great job. It retains the same type of humor and it’s still so very colorful and cute~
The first episode was pretty simple as it doesn’t have the weird isekai shenanigans that Cyan had to go through. Also, yeah, that’s right! Show By Rock is an isekai, Cyan was transported into another world. Crazy. Anyway, this season we’re focusing on a girl named Howan who lives in a small farming village who is ecstatic because she passed her audition and is ready to move on into the next stage in Midi City. She tells her family the news and her mom immediately tells people, which then turns into this game of Telephone where the villagers spread the news and the news become so distorted that people think she’s going to be in a movie, then going to space, etc. At least she has support? Just from quick conversations, it looks like she’s been in love with music since she was young and her grandparents were a huge part in it, so thankfully her family is supportive. They made it look like her dad wasn’t but we see him wave a flag on a mountain for her when she’s riding the train, which was sweet. So, ready for her audition, Howan heads to Midi City with the love and support from everyone in the village.
Unfortunately she has a bit of a tough time getting accustomed to the big city, and unknowingly she accidentally drops her audition paper which is found by Himeko and the rest of her bandmates, and we get a quick look into them.
They are a very colorful bunch and they have a funny dynamic so far. Himeko is a more reserved girl that would prefer to do music on her own, but her uncle made her form a band. Which consists of genki purple wolf, Ruhuyu, and calm blue dragon girl Delmin. Their personalities clash a little bit, but for the most part they seem to get along mostly well. Ruhuyu tries to bring themselves closer, so I’m guessing they’ve only been a band for a short time. I can’t pick a favorite just yet but I at least like them, Delmin makes me laugh. I also think it’s so adorable that Ruhuyu has regular drumsticks, and drumsticks that look like paws. That’s just an adorable detail. The girls find Howan’s audition paper and freak out trying to find the owner but don’t really know what to do. Because Himeko’s uncle suggested them to do a street performance, they decide to do just that in hopes that their music can maybe attract the owner of the audition paper. And luckily it did, as Howan heard the music and ran over to them. And then she joined them and sang with them lol. Ok then.
That’s pretty much what happens. It was pretty simple and nothing too amazing, but I still liked it anyway. It still feels like Show By Rock with its humor, it’s details and whatnot. The animation and artstyle itself looks fine, it isn’t until the chibi moment during the performance that you could really see the difference. I’d prefer the 2D animation we saw this episode, but I know the small chibi animal artstyle is a unique thing with this series so it’s fine. Bones’ CG and the chibi models were amazingly smooth and sleek. They honestly looked like Good Smile nendoroids, but animated. Unfortunately here, Kinema Citrus doesn’t deliver the same polished look to the CG models. It looks obviously CG, and…well, not as good. It does its job but after being so used to the other CG models, this is just a little jarring. At least I liked the song, they have very nice voices.
So all in all, it was a pretty good episode. I’m not exactly sure where the story is going to go from here, but I’m liking it so far at least. Also, now that Bang Dream is going to be on Tuesdays and have a weird schedule, I think I’m okay to say that I’ll stick with this even though Thursdays are still going to be packed. I just…really like this series, okay?
Possibility of watching: Guaranteed
Possibility of blogging: Guaranteed
