The appeal and reviews of Kujibiki Unbalance: A complete look at this hidden anime masterpiece

All-round evaluation and recommendation of Kujibiki Unbalance - Kujibiki Unbalance

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

December 22, 2004 *The subtitles indicate the episode numbers that were actually animated.

■Release and sales

Media Factory, Showgate

■Frequencies

25 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 3

■Original Story

Shimoku Kio

■ Director

Takashi Ikebata

■ Production

Palm Studio

■ Story

Set at Tachihashiin High School, where all disputes within the school are resolved by drawing lots, and even entrance exams are decided by drawing lots, this is a passionate coming-of-age story in which numerous candidate units for the student council executive committee, also formed by drawing lots, spend a year competing and battling for the position of the next student council officer.

■Cast

・Enomoto Chihiro/Imai Yuka/Akiyama Tokino/Kanda Akemi/Asagiri Komaki/Tamura Yukari/Tachibana Izumi/Kaida Yuko/Kubel Kettenkrad/Chiba Saeko/Kisaragi Kasumi/Kawasumi Ayako/Lisa Hamby/Ueda Kana/Kamishakujii Renko/Otani Ikue/Yamada Kaoruko/Goto Yuko/Suzuki Kenji/Kato Nanae/Suzuki Kenji/Yamaguchi Taro/Enomoto Shinobu/Momoi Haruko/Kaburagi Yuya/Inoue Kazuhiko/Mutsuhara Mutsuo/Suzumura Kenichi

■ Main staff

・Original work by Kio Shimoku・Director by Ikebata Takashi・Series composition, script by Yokote Michiko, Mizushima Tsutomu・Character concept by Yakumo Kengou・Character design, chief animation director by Okawara Haruo・Storyboard by Mizushima Tsutomu・Art director by Okui Shin・Director of photography by Tsuchida Eiji・Editor by Takuma Jun・Sound director by Aketagawa Jin・Music by Murata Shinzo・Animation production by Palm Studio・Produced and produced by Genco・Produced by Genshiken Kenkyukai

■Subtitle

Episode 1: Unbalanced Encounter (2004/12/22)
・Episode 21/Great Summary (2005/02/25)
Episode 25: Forever the Lottery (2005/04/22)

■ Related works

・Lottery♡Unbalanced

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Lyrics by Haruko Momoi ・Music by Haruko Momoi ・Arrangement by Masaya Koike ・Singer by UNDER17

・ED1
・Shining Cyalume ・Lyrics by Haruko Momoi ・Music by Haruko Momoi ・Arrangement by Masaya Koike ・Singer by UNDER17

■ Evaluation

"Kujibiki Unbalance" was released as an OVA in 2004 and is based on a manga by Shimoku Kio. The story is set at Tachihashiin High School and tells the story of the youthful lives of students competing for the position of student council officer. Although it is a short series of only three episodes, its unique setting and charming characters have attracted many fans.

First, let's talk about the story. The biggest feature of this work is the setting in which all problems within the school are solved by drawing lots. The unique worldview in which everything from entrance exams to the selection of student council officers is decided by drawing lots provides a fresh surprise to viewers. This setting makes us think about how the power of fate and chance influences our lives, while also forming a profound story by depicting universal themes such as the students' efforts, friendship, and romance.

The characters are also not to be overlooked. Starting with the main character Enomoto Chihiro, a host of other unique characters add excitement to the story. In particular, the acting of Imai Yuka as Enomoto Chihiro and Kanda Akemi as Akiyama Tokino brings out the best in their characters. Additionally, the voices of Tamura Yukari as Asagiri Komaki and Kaida Yuko as Tachibana Izumi are also impressive, leaving a strong impression on viewers. The backgrounds and growth of each character are carefully depicted, making it easy for viewers to empathize with their stories.

In terms of production, the talents of director Ikebata Takashi and character designer Okawara Haruo shine. Okawara Haruo's character designs, in particular, capture the atmosphere of the original work while adding a unique charm to the anime. Music also plays an important role, with Murata Shinzo's music enhancing the atmosphere of the story, while the theme songs "Kujibiki Unbalance" and "Kagayaki Cyalume" by UNDER17 further deepen the worldview of the work with melodies and lyrics that resonate with the viewers' hearts.

This work makes the most of the OVA format. Although it is a short series of only three episodes, each episode is well-structured and draws the viewer into the story. In particular, episode 1, "Unbalanced Encounters," introduces the encounter between the main characters and the lottery system, catching the viewer's interest. Episode 21, "Grand Recap," looks back on the previous episodes and sets the stage for the story's climax. And episode 25, "Lottery Forever," depicts the election of the student council officers and the growth of the characters, bringing the series to a moving finale.

"Kujibiki Unbalance" is not only a coming-of-age story, but has also been praised as a work that explores the themes of fate and the power of chance. Through the lottery system, viewers can experience the uncertainty and unpredictability of life. Furthermore, through the characters' efforts, friendship, and romance, viewers can reaffirm the beauty and importance of life. This work has the power to deeply move and sympathize with viewers, as well as to make them think about various aspects of life.

■Recommendation

"Kujibiki Unbalance" is recommended for those who like coming-of-age stories and works with the power of fate as their theme. It is especially perfect for those who are looking for a short series with a deep theme. It is also recommended for those who want to enjoy the growth, friendship, and romance of unique characters.

This work makes the most of the OVA format, and although it is a short series of only three episodes, it has the power to draw viewers in. In particular, episode 1, "Unbalanced Encounters," which introduces how the main characters met and the lottery system, episode 21, "Grand Recap," which looks back on the previous episodes, and episode 25, "Lottery Forever," which has a moving finale, are must-sees.

In addition, the theme songs "Kujibiki Unbalance" and "Kagayaki Cyalume" by UNDER17 also enhance the charm of the work, so it is recommended for those who want to enjoy music. Furthermore, if you are interested in Kio Shimoku's original work and related work "Kujibiki♡Unbalance", please check it out.

"Kujibiki Unbalance" is a work that has the power to deeply move and sympathize with the viewer, and to make them think about various aspects of life. Please feel the brilliance of youth and the power of destiny through this work.