The appeal and evaluation of "Yurumeitsu": A new standard for soothing anime

"Yurumeitsu": An OVA with a relaxed and laid-back appeal

■Overview of the work

"Yurumeitsu" is an OVA based on a four-panel manga by saxyun. It was released on April 24, 2009 by Takeshobo Co., Ltd. It consists of 12 episodes, each 50 minutes long, and is directed by Tsukimisato Tomohiro. Animation is handled by Arai Hamu, Yamazaki Yoriko, Tabuchi Aya, and Triple A, with indeprox as the production company and Takeshobo Co., Ltd. as the copyright holder.

■ Story

Yurume Aida (Haruko Momoi) is a student who has come to Tokyo to take the university entrance exam. She had hoped for a big city, but ended up in a rural area of ​​Tokyo with an unmanned vegetable stand. Furthermore, there were some veteran students waiting for her. Sae Kawano (Natsuko Kuwatani), who plays the straight man but sometimes becomes a bit of a fool, Kumi Tanaka (Miyu Matsuki), who is a mysterious girl who plays dumb but makes sharp jokes, and Matsukichi (Satoshi Hino), who has an old man's face and has been teased since childhood. Fortunately or unfortunately, the four of them get along well and hang out together and play tag. They probably don't study. Even though they are in a desperate situation as students who are retaking entrance exams, the "relaxed" and "laid-back" atmosphere makes you want to ask, "What, they were retaking entrance exams?", and makes you forget the hardships of life. When will the four of them be able to go to university? (laughs)

■Explanation

"Yurumeitsu" is a manga that has become a secret hit, having sold an unprecedented number of copies for a four-panel comic, and has been made into an OVA with "Yuru". "Yurumeitsu" (author/saxyun-Sakyun-), which is serialized in the monthly magazine "Manga Club" (published by Takeshobo), was an unprecedented big hit for a four-panel comic, with the first volume published in 2007 selling over 100,000 copies. This is the work that "Yurumeitsu" has been made into an OVA with "Yuru".

■Cast

• Loose Aida: Haruko Momoi
• Tanaka Kumi: Matsuki Miyu
• Sae Kawano: Natsuko Kuwatani
• Matsuyoshi: Satoshi Hino
• Manager: Mayu Miyazaki

■ Main staff

• Original author: saxyun (serialized in Takeshobo's Monthly Manga Club)
• Produced by: Akihiro Ito
• Planning: Takuya Matsumoto, Toru Sakamoto
• Producers: Kentaro Hattori, Jun Kimura
• Planning cooperation: Yasuyuki Suzuki
• Animation production: Hamu Arai, Yoriko Yamazaki, Aya Tabuchi, Triple A
• Production Supervisor: Daisuke Tomita
• Sound Production: Yuichiro Nakanishi
• Director: Tomohiro Tsukimisato
• Production company: indeprox
• Produced by: Takeshobo Co., Ltd.

■ Main Characters

• Aida Yurume: A dream hunter who came to the city to pursue his dreams...commonly known as a Ronin student.
• Kumi Tanaka: Is she innocent? Or calculating? A mysterious student who is a repeat student whose charm point is her sharp, nonchalant jokes.
• Sae Kawano: Everyone's straight man. But sometimes she acts like a silly older sister. That said, she's also a student preparing for entrance exams.
• Matsuyoshi: A student who has had the face of an old man since he was little. Everyone teases him... well... he's a nice guy.

■Subtitle

• Episode 1: A relaxed trip to Tokyo (2009/04/24)
• Episode 2: Living Alone Syndrome (2009/04/24)
• Episode 3: Parks and Adults (2009/04/24)
• Episode 4: Forbidden Play (2009/04/24)
• Episode 5: Summer Borderline (2009/04/24)
• Episode 6: High-tech trash (2009/04/24)
• Episode 7: Summer Jumbo's Boredom (2009/04/24)
• Episode 8: The Shape of Autumn (2009/04/24)
• Episode 9: Spicy Manju (2009/04/24)
• Episode 10: vs Kotatsu (2009/04/24)
• Episode 11: The Pot's Regret (2009/04/24)
• Episode 12: The End of the Endless (2009/04/24)

■ Related works

• Yurumeitsu Bonus
• Yurumeitsu bonus footage
• What is Yurumeitsu?
• Yurumeitsu 3D
• Yurumeitsu 3D PLUS

■ Theme songs and music

• OP1: Rouji Gouji
• Lyricist: Haruko Sakurai
• Composer: Haruko Sakurai
• Arrangement: Haruko Sakurai, haraddy
• Vocals: Haruko Sakurai

■Work Criticism

As its name suggests, "Yurumeitsu" is a work that is characterized by its "looseness" and "relaxation." As the original is a four-panel manga, each story is short and unfolds at a light pace. In particular, the characters, including Aida Yurume, stand out with their personalities, providing laughter and healing to viewers through their daily lives and silly games.

Although Aida Yurume came to Tokyo to pursue her dreams, she was faced with the reality that she was living in the countryside. However, her positive personality and her encounters with the veteran ronin students around her enrich her life. In particular, the tsukkomi (comedian) of Kawano Sae, the boke (funny) of Tanaka Kumi, and the teased character of Matsuyoshi are portrayed in an exquisite balance, so viewers will not get bored.

Taking advantage of the OVA format, each episode has a different theme and story. For example, the first episode starts with Yurume moving to Tokyo, the second episode is about the syndrome of living alone, and the third episode is about adult conversation in the park. This allows viewers to enjoy a fresh feeling every episode.

The animation was produced by a team of talented staff including Hamu Arai, Yoriko Yamazaki, Aya Tabuchi, and Triple A, and the character designs and background art were drawn with great care. In particular, the apartment where the Yurumes live and the surrounding scenery are realistically reproduced, allowing viewers to feel as if they are being drawn into the world.

In terms of sound, the theme song "Luuuuji Gouji" by Haruko Sakurai adds to the atmosphere of the work, and her singing voice and the light-heartedness of the song make the daily lives of the Yurumes even more enjoyable. The voice actors' performances are also excellent, and in particular, Haruko Momoi, Miyu Matsuki, Natsuko Kuwatani, and Satoshi Hino bring out the individuality of each character to the fullest.

■ Recommendation points

"Yurumeitsu" is a work that I would especially recommend to those who like slice-of-life anime and those who want to enjoy a relaxed atmosphere. In particular, the following points are attractive:

• Character Personalities : Each of the four characters, Yurume Aida, Kumi Tanaka, Sae Kawano, and Matsukichi, has a different personality, and the interactions between them are very entertaining. In particular, you can't miss Kumi Tanaka's natural humor and Sae Kawano's tsukkomi.
• A relaxed atmosphere : The whole work is filled with a relaxed and calming atmosphere, providing healing to the viewer. You can escape from your busy daily life for a while and immerse yourself in the world of the characters.
• Diverse episodes : Each episode has a different theme and story, so viewers can enjoy every episode with a fresh feeling. In particular, there are many seasonal episodes, which warms the hearts of viewers.
• A luxurious team of staff : The animation and sound production staff are all luxurious, and the quality of the work is extremely high. In particular, the quality of the character designs, background art, and theme songs are excellent.

Related information

Not only is the OVA of "Yurumeitsu" very popular, but the original four-panel manga is also very popular. By collecting all the volumes of the book, you can enjoy even more of the daily lives of the Yurumes. In addition, there are related works such as "Yurumeitsu Extras" and "Yurumeitsu Bonus Video", which are content that fans cannot miss.

For those who want to know more about the world of Yurume, we also recommend "Yurumeitsu 3D" and "Yurumeitsu 3D PLUS." These works contain new episodes of Yurume and behind-the-scenes stories of the characters, making them a must-see for fans.

"Yurumeitsu" is a work that provides the best healing and laughter for viewers who are looking for a relaxed and laid-back atmosphere. Please enjoy the daily lives of the Yurumes.