"REC" Review: A masterpiece anime that combines realistic depictions of love with music

"REC": A story of love and small miracles in everyday life

"REC" is a 9-episode short animated series that aired in 2006 and is based on the manga of the same name by Hanamizawa Q-Taro. It was broadcast on TBS and BS-i and reached audiences as a 15-minute animated series. The work is a heartwarming story about the encounter and love between Aka Onda, a new voice actress chasing her dream as a voice actress, and Fumihiko Matsumaru, an ordinary office worker.

story

The story of "REC" begins when Aka Onda loses her place to live after her apartment catches fire. By chance, she meets Fumihiko Matsumaru, who also lives in the same apartment, and they end up living together. While Aka pursues her career as a voice actress, she also grows closer to Fumihiko through their life together. The relationship between the two gradually deepens and develops into romance.

The subtitles of each episode are the titles of films that Audrey Hepburn starred in, in keeping with Aka's dream of dubbing for Audrey Hepburn. This symbolically represents Aka's growth as a voice actress and the path to achieving her dream.

character

Onda Aka is a new voice actress at the voice acting agency Genepro, and her dream is to dub for Audrey Hepburn. Her purity and hard work move viewers. Matsumaru Fumihiko is an ordinary businessman working at Inoue Pharmaceutical. His life changes dramatically when he meets Aka. Their relationship symbolizes the small miracles we find in our daily lives.

Other characters that add color to the story include Yoshioka, the manager at Genepro who is in charge of the color red, Hatada, Matsumaru's colleague and a fan of the color red, and Tanaka, who works in accounting at the same company as Matsumaru.

Production Staff

REC is directed by Ryutaro Nakamura, with series composition and scriptwriting by Reiko Yoshida. Character design and general animation director is Hideyuki Morioka, art director is Hiroshi Kato, color design is Kyoko Otake, cinematography is by DIGITAL@SHAFT, editing is Takeshi Seyama, music is by Kei Ueoka, and sound direction is by Jin Aketagawa. Animation is by SHAFT, with production cooperation from Pony Canyon, Movic, Frontier Works, and Shogakukan.

Theme songs and music

The opening theme "Cheer! ~Red Feelings~" was written by Misaki Hiiro, composed and arranged by Koyama Kohei, and sung by Sakai Kanako, who plays Onda Aka. The ending theme "Devotion" was written, composed and arranged by akadRESS (ave;new), and sung by BRACE;d. These songs are important elements that add to the atmosphere of the story.

Broadcast information

"REC" was broadcast on TBS and BS-i from February 2nd to March 30th, 2006. The broadcast time was from 26:10 to 26:25 every Thursday, and it was broadcast in the second half of the 15-minute anime "AniAniLand". Although it was a short series of 9 episodes, the content was dense and left a deep impression on viewers.

Evaluation and Impressions

"REC" has been highly praised as a work that depicts small miracles and love found in everyday life. In particular, Onda Aka's growth as a voice actress and her relationship with Matsumaru Fumihiko captured the hearts of viewers. Despite the short episodes, the characters' feelings and relationships are carefully depicted, resonating with viewers. Additionally, the idea of ​​using the titles of Audrey Hepburn's films as subtitles for each episode also adds to the appeal of the work.

The unique drawing style of SHAFT, the animation production company, also adds to the appeal of "REC." In particular, the characters' expressions and movements are drawn in detail, which has the effect of evoking emotions in the viewer. Additionally, the music and sound are also important elements that enhance the atmosphere of the story, and the overall high quality has been praised.

Related Titles

There are also episodes of "REC" that have not aired on TV. These episodes are included on the DVD and Blu-ray, allowing you to experience even more depth to the story. The original manga is also serialized in Shogakukan's Monthly Sunday GX, allowing you to enjoy the story from a different perspective than the anime.

Reasons for recommendation

"REC" is a heartwarming story about the small miracles and romance we find in our daily lives. In particular, viewers are deeply moved by Aka Onda's pursuit of her dream to become a voice actress and the relationship between her and Fumihiko Matsumaru. Though the episodes are short, the characters' feelings and relationships are carefully portrayed, evoking empathy in viewers. Additionally, the idea of ​​using the titles of Audrey Hepburn's films as subtitles for each episode also adds to the appeal of the series.

The unique drawing style of animation production company SHAFT, as well as the music and sound are also important elements that enhance the atmosphere of the story, and the overall high quality has been praised. "REC" is recommended not only for those who like romance and slice-of-life anime, but also for those who are interested in the world of voice actors and those looking for a heartwarming story. Please give it a watch.