Review of "Mitori no Hibi": A masterpiece anime that depicts the beauty and emotion of everyday life

The appeal and reviews of Midori no Hibi

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

April 4, 2004 - June 27, 2004
UHF April 4, 2004 to June 27, 2004 (1st to 13th times)

■Broadcasting station

・Broadcasting/UHF ^{independent UHF station}

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 13

■Original Story

Original story by Kazuo Inoue, ^{currently serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday}

■ Director

Director: Tsuneo Kobayashi

■ Production

・Animation Production: Pierrot

■Works

© Kazuo Inoue/Shogakukan, Bandai Visual, Pierrot

■ Story

Sawamura Shoji, who has been single for 17 years, is a high school student who is the best fighter and dreams of a rosy school life. His right hand, which can take down any opponent with one blow, has earned him the nickname "Devil's Right Hand" and is feared by those around him. Because of this, every time he confesses his feelings to a girl, she rejects him without even trying to see his true self, and his record of consecutive heartbreaks continues to grow.
However, there was a girl who understood Masaharu's kindness and was devoted to him. Kasugano Midori is a rich young lady who has no connection with Masaharu. However, Midori lacks confidence and courage in herself, and can only gaze upon Masaharu from afar.
One day, Masaharu cries out in desperation, "Anyone will do, just be my girlfriend," and Midori's wish to "laugh and cry together with my beloved Seiji" suddenly becomes reality. Somehow, Masaharu's "devil's right hand" transforms into the adorable Midori, who could be called the "angel's right hand." Thus begins the strange life of the two, whose hectic life with a big secret they can't tell anyone about is now filled with a touch of bittersweet love!

*Quoted from Pierrot's official website

■Cast

・Masaharu Sawamura/Kisho Taniyama/Mitori Kasugano/Mai Nakahara/Takako Ayase/Reiko Takagi/Kota Shingyoji/Rie Kugimiya

■ Main staff

・Original work / Kazuo Inoue・Director / Tsuneo Kobayashi・Character design / Yuko Kusumoto・Sub-design / Yuji Moriyama, Yukie Sakamoto, Koichi Usami, Kazuya Miyoshi, Sayuri Sugito, Atsuko Inoue・Main animator / Sadatoshi Matsuzaka・Art director / Junichi Azuma・Color design / Yuko Sato・Director of photography / Atsuho Matsumoto・Editor / Seiji Morita・Music / Yoshihisa Hirano・Music production / Lantis・Sound director / Hiromi Kikuta・Animation producer / Masashi Matsui・Producers / Toshifumi Yamazaki, Satoshi Kono, Yuichi Murata, Mayo Oshikiri・Animation production / Pierrot・Production / Shogakukan, Bandai Visual, Toho, Pierrot

■Subtitle

・DAYS01/ No Lover on the Right Hand・DAYS02/ No Feelings for Two・DAYS03/ Days of Discovery・DAYS04/ No Secret Revealed!?
・DAYS05／Ai no Chikara ・DAYS06／Shiori no Love Love Daisakusen!
・DAYS07/First date・DAYS08/Migigite no Seiji・DAYS09/Tackey no days・DAYS10/Heart no distance・DAYS11/Fate no reunion・DAYS12/Sudden no separation・DAYS13/Days together

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Sentimental・Lyrics by rino
・Composer: rino
・Arrangement: Masaya Suzuki ・Singer: CooRie

・ED1
・A little bit more...a little bit more...
Lyrics: Saori Atsumi Composition: Saori Atsumi Arrangement: Saori Atsumi Singer: Saori Atsumi

・IN1
・Small Letter・Lyrics by rino
・Composer: rino
Arrangement: Kaoru Okubo Vocals: CooRie

・IN2
・One Drop・Lyrics by rino
・Composer: rino
Arrangement: Kaoru Okubo Vocals: Mai Nakahara

The appeal and reviews of Midori no Hibi

Midori no Hibi is a 2004 anime TV series based on the manga of the same name by Kazuo Inoue. It was broadcast on independent UHF radio stations and had 13 30-minute episodes. It was animated by Pierrot and directed by Tsuneo Kobayashi.

The protagonist of the story is a high school student named Sawamura Shoji, who has been without a girlfriend for 17 years. While he is known as the strongest fighter, he also possesses the "Devil's Right Hand" that makes him feared by those around him. However, a young lady named Kasugano Midori appears, who understands his kindness and is devoted to him. One day, a strange phenomenon occurs in which Shoji's "Devil's Right Hand" transforms into the form of Midori, and the two of them, while harboring a secret that they cannot tell anyone, spend their days in turmoil and sadness.

The appeal of this work lies above all in its unique setting and the appeal of its characters. The setting in which Masaharu's "Devil's Right Hand" transforms into the form of Midori not only surprises the viewer, but also serves as an important element in deeply depicting the relationship between the two. Furthermore, the scenes in which Masaharu's kindness and Midori's purity intersect warmly and warmly wrap the viewer's heart.

The cast is also attractive, with the voice actors who play each character, such as Kisho Taniyama as Shoji Sawamura, Mai Nakahara as Midori Kasugano, Reiko Takagi as Takako Ayase, and Rie Kugimiya as Kota Shingyoji, adding excitement to the story. In particular, Mai Nakahara's role as Midori captures the hearts of viewers with her exquisite portrayal of cuteness and sadness.

The main staff is also impressive, with character design by Yuko Kusumoto, sub-design by Yuji Moriyama and Yukie Sakamoto, art direction by Junichi Azuma, and music by Yoshihisa Hirano. The music production by Lantis and sound direction by Hiromi Kikuta also contribute to the quality of the work.

The subtitles also cleverly express the content of each episode, drawing the viewer's interest. For example, there are titles such as "No Lover on the Right Hand," "No Feelings Between the Two of Us," and "No Secrets Revealed!?" that hint at how the story will unfold.

The theme songs and insert songs are also important elements that enhance the atmosphere of the work. The opening theme "Sentimental" is sung by CooRie, and the ending theme "Mosu Mosu... Mosu Mosu..." is sung by Atsumi Saori. The insert songs "Chiisana Tegami" and "Ichi Shizuku" are also sung by CooRie and Nakahara Mai, respectively, and deeply express the emotions of the story.

Work evaluation and recommendation

"Midori no Hibi" has been loved by many viewers for its unique setting, the charm of its characters, and the high quality of its staff. In particular, the scenes depicting the relationship between Masaharu and Midori, and the lives of the two of them harboring secrets, strongly appeal to viewers. In addition, the subtitles for each episode, the theme song, and the inserted songs also enhance the appeal of the story, making it a very well-made work overall.

Here are some reasons why I recommend this work:

1. Unique setting and story

The setting in which Masaharu's "Devil's Right Hand" transforms into Mitori's form is unique and not found in other works. This setting has a major influence on the development of the story and has the power to draw the viewer in. In addition, the lives of the two characters, who are hiding secrets, and their relationships with the people around them are also depicted in depth, adding depth to the story.

2. Charming characters

Masaharu's kindness, Midori's purity, and the personalities of the surrounding characters enrich the story. The relationship between Masaharu and Midori in particular warms the hearts of viewers and evokes sympathy. The voice actors who play each character also perform wonderfully, bringing out the charm of each character to the fullest.

3. High production quality

The quality of each staff member, including character design, art, music, and sound, is extremely high, raising the overall quality of the work. In particular, character designer Yuko Kusumoto, music composer Yoshihisa Hirano, and sound director Hiromi Kikuta have made significant contributions. In addition, the music produced by Lantis also adds to the atmosphere of the work.

4. A moving ending

The final episode, "Futari no Hibi," explores the relationship between Masaharu and Midori in depth, leaving a strong impression on viewers. The ending theme, "Mosu Mosu... Mosu Mosu...," also deeply expresses the emotions of the story, leaving viewers emotionally moved.

summary

"Midori no Hibi" is a work with many charms, including a unique setting, attractive characters, high production quality, and a moving ending. In particular, the relationship between Masaharu and Midori, and the scenes depicting the lives of the two harboring secrets, are deeply appealing to viewers. If you haven't seen this work yet, we highly recommend that you give it a watch. You will surely be drawn into its unique worldview and the charm of its characters.