Wonderful! Sakura Mama - What is the appeal of this touching family story?

Wonderful! Sakura Mama - Wonderful! Sakura Mama

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Broadcast period

Broadcast every Saturday from 19:55 to 20:00 from December 2, 2000 to March 31, 2001

■Broadcasting station

BS Fuji

■Frequencies

5 mins

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 18

■ Director

Norio Yazawa

■ Production

Eiken BS Fuji

■Works

©BS Fuji Eiken

■ Story

The Haruno family has moved to a new home. The protagonist, Sakura Haruno, along with her beloved husband, Haru, and adorable daughter, Mika, will learn new things about life, sometimes from each other as a family, and sometimes from their neighbors and friends.
With each wonderful piece of knowledge they learn, the Haruno family finds one more little bit of happiness...

■Explanation

This five-minute short animation uses live-action footage to depict the main character, Sakura Haruno, as she learns various useful tips for everyday life together with her husband and children.
Each episode introduces a wide variety of wisdom and knowledge, including ideas for utilizing everyday items, how to use tools that have been invented in the daily lives of Japanese people such as furoshiki, and a number of trivia facts that will make a big difference if you know them or not.
This is Aiken's first digitally produced work.

■Cast

・Sakura Haruno/Eri Saito ・Hikari Haruno/Makoto Aoki ・Mika Haruno/Hidema Kogure ・Daiki Haruno/Rokuro Naya ・Haruka Haruno/Yuri Tabata

■ Main staff

・Director, production, character design, animation director: Norio Yazawa ・Scriptwriters: Masako Morita, Michiko Tanaka ・Key animation, animation: Venus Studio ・Art (art director): Minoru Aoki (Liberty Ship)
Produced by Eiken, BS Fuji

■ Main Characters

Sakura Haruno The protagonist is a little bit scatterbrained, but she is a bright and lively girl who strives to be a wonderful family together with her family.
・Haruno Mika Sakura and Haru's beloved daughter. She has a bright personality and is loved by her grandparents.
Haruno Yo: A kind-hearted husband who supports the clumsy Sakura. They bought their own home.
Daiki Haruno is Sakura's stepfather. He sometimes looks after Mika in place of the busy Sakura.
Haruno Haruka is Sakura's stepmother. She teaches Sakura the wisdom of life that has been passed down from ancient times.

■ Theme songs and music

・OP
・"A TASTE OF YOUTH"
・Composer: Hisashi Kato ・Singer: The Collectors

Review and Recommendation

■The appeal of the work

"Lovely! Sakura Mama" is a short anime series that aired on BS Fuji from 2000 to 2001, depicting the wisdom and knowledge that families learn through their daily lives. As the main character, Sakura Haruno, and her family begin life in a new home, the story of how they learn various interesting facts provides viewers with fresh surprises and learning experiences.

The greatest appeal of this anime is that it introduces useful knowledge for everyday life. For example, it is full of ideas that viewers can put into practice right away, such as how to use furoshiki and easy recycling methods at home. This knowledge is valuable as information that can be directly useful in everyday life, giving viewers hints on how to enrich their lives.

In addition, the show's five-minute run is filled with heartwarming scenes of family members and communication with neighbors, giving viewers a warm and fuzzy feeling. Sakura Haruno's slightly scatterbrained personality and the affectionate family scenes have a soothing effect on viewers' hearts.

■Production background and technology

"Lovely Sakura Mama" is Eiken's first digitally produced work, which makes it a noteworthy anime in that respect as well. Digital production allows for more vivid colors and smoother movements, enhancing the visual appeal. In addition, by using live-action footage, it creates a realistic sense of life, making the story more relatable to viewers.

Director Norio Yazawa was also in charge of character design and animation direction, and his consistent vision is reflected throughout the film. Screenwriters Masako Morita and Michiko Tanaka created a story that evokes empathy from viewers by realistically depicting the daily life of a family. Art director Minoru Aoki's background art also enriches the atmosphere of the film.

■Character Analysis

The main character, Haruno Sakura, is a bright and energetic character who struggles to build a wonderful home with her family, though she is a bit of a scatterbrain. Her character is relatable and easy for viewers to sympathize with. Sakura's husband, Haruno Haru, has a kind-hearted personality and supports Sakura, playing an important role in deepening the family bond. Her daughter, Mika, has a bright personality and is loved by her family and grandparents, playing a central role in the family.

Sakura's father-in-law, Daiki Haruno, and mother-in-law, Haruka Haruno, play an important role in teaching Sakura the wisdom of traditional life and deepening the family bond. Daiki sometimes takes care of Mika in place of the busy Sakura, and is a supportive presence in the family. Haruka plays a role in enriching the family's life by teaching traditional wisdom to Sakura.

■Music and theme songs

The opening theme, "A TASTE OF YOUTH," is sung by The Collectors and composed by Hisashi Kato. The song's melody evokes the freshness and energy of youth, which is a perfect fit for the theme of the series. The opening video shows the Haruno family having fun, conveying the atmosphere of the series to the viewers.

■Reasons for recommendation

"Wonderful! Sakura Mama" depicts the wisdom and knowledge learned through the daily life of a family, providing viewers with fresh surprises and learning experiences. In particular, the knowledge it introduces is useful in everyday life, providing viewers with hints to enrich their lives and valuable as information that is directly useful in their daily lives. In addition, by depicting the warm interactions between family members and communication with neighbors in a short five-minute program, it leaves viewers with a warm feeling.

This work is recommended not only as a family-friendly anime, but also for viewers who live alone and those who want to learn wisdom for life. In particular, the vivid colors and smooth movements of digital production, combined with the realistic feel of everyday life created by using live-action footage, enhance the visual appeal. In addition, the work is a deep impression of the production staff, as can be seen in the character design, script, art, etc.

In addition, the opening theme "A TASTE OF YOUTH" has a melody that evokes the freshness and energy of youth, which is a perfect fit for the theme of the work. While listening to this song, viewers will be reminded of the scenes where the Haruno family spends their time happily, which will warm their hearts.

For these reasons, we highly recommend "Lovely Sakura Mama" to viewers who want to learn about family ties and life wisdom. It is a work that will provide viewers with fresh surprises and learnings, and leave them with heartwarming feelings, so be sure to give it a watch.