Review of "Sasamekikoto": A moving story about Yuri's youth

"Sasamekikoto" - The girls' little secrets and the brilliance of youth

"Sasamekikoto" is a TV anime series that was broadcast in 2009 and is based on the manga of the same name by Ikeda Takashi. It was serialized in Monthly Comic Alive and published by Media Factory. This work is a school youth story that depicts the little secrets of girls and the brilliance of youth, and was loved by many viewers.

Broadcast information

"Sasamekikoto" was broadcast for a total of 13 episodes from October 7 to December 30, 2009. It was broadcast on TV Tokyo (TX) and AT-X, and the broadcast times for each station are as follows:

• TV Tokyo: October 7, 2009 to December 30, 2009, every Wednesday from 26:20 to 26:50
• TV Aichi: October 7, 2009 to December 30, 2009, every Wednesday from 26:58 to 27:28
• TV Osaka: October 9, 2009 to January 8, 2010, every Friday from 27:35 to 28:05
• AT-X: October 15, 2009 to January 7, 2010, every Thursday from 11:00 to 11:30

Each episode is 30 minutes long and is packed with dense content.

story

The protagonist, Murasame Sumika, is a first-year student at Umeeda High School who excels in both academics and athletics. However, she feels inferior about her appearance. Unable to express her feelings to her friend from middle school, Kazama Shio, she spends her days in frustration. The two of them are surrounded by a diverse group of unique characters, including the voracious brass band member Torioki, Akamiya Masaki, a reader model for a girls' fashion magazine, and the friendly couple Hasuga Tomoe and Toma Miyako. One day, the idea of ​​"creating a club where girls can have fun after school" is brought up, and the story takes a new turn.

Commentary

"Sasamekikoto" is a work that depicts the girls' little secrets and the brilliance of youth. This work, presented by Hideyuki Kurata and AIC, depicts the refreshing school life of girls. While bringing out the charm of the original work to the fullest, it has succeeded in drawing viewers in with the unique expressions of anime.

cast

The voice actors for the main characters are as follows:

• Murasame Sumika: Takagaki Ayahi
• Shio Kazama: Megumi Takamoto
• From Bird Chaser: Kato Emiri
• Masaki Akamiya: Watercolor fragrance
• Tomoe Hasuga: Hitomi Harada
• Miyako Touma: Chiwa Saito
• Aoi Azusa: Makiguchi Masayuki
• Chizuka Suzuki: Saori Hayami
• Mana Akamiya (sung by Ayana Taketatsu)
• Akira Sekiji: Lisa Hayami
• Hayasumi Noe: Ai Maeda
• Tenkai Murasame: Toru Okawa
• Kaori Furutaka: Sayuri Hara
• Young leaves spring day: Kaori Furukawa
• Norio Kazama: Wataru Hatano

These voice actors bring the characters to life and add excitement to the story.

Main Staff

The following staff members were involved in the production of "Sasamekikoto."

• Original author: Takashi Ikeda
• Planning: Atsushi Iwasaki, Osamu Shibata, Susumu Miura, Shiro Sasaki
• Director: Eiji Suganuma
• Screenplay: Hideyuki Kurata
• Character design and chief animation director: Masami Inomata
• Color setting: Aiko Matsuyama
• Art setting: Seiji Tanda
• Art director: Yukihiro Shibuya
• Composite Director: Tomonobu Kato
• Visual effects: Ryosuke Tsuda
• Edited by: Masaki Utsunomiya
• Sound Director: Miwa Iwanami
• Music: Shigeomi Hasumi
• Music Production: Flying Dog
• Producers: Shinobu Yoshinuma, Michiyoshi Koyama, Masaki Ito
• Assistant producers: Akihiko Okada, Takeshi Hashimoto, Taizo Ohara
• Animation producers: Yoshiyuki Matsuzaki, Niyuu Oki
• Production producer: Akihito Chinen
• Production desk: Masao Yamazaki
• Setting production: Nao Umakawa
• Animation production: AIC
• Produced by Umeeda Girls' High School

These staff members worked together to create the world of Sasamekikoto.

Main Characters

The details of the main characters are as follows:

• Murasame Sumika: A first-year student at Umeeda High School with excellent grades and outstanding athletic ability. She feels inferior about her appearance. She is the only daughter of a karate dojo and is quite skilled at karate, earning her the nickname "Batto Murasame."
• Kazama Ushio: Sumika's best friend since middle school. She has an older brother who is a girl's novelist, and is a girl with a gentle and easy-going personality. She has a weakness for cute girls, but her feelings are always unrequited and she repeatedly self-destructs.
• Torioi Kiyori: A classmate of Sumika who is in the brass band club. Nicknamed "Kyori-chan." She is a glutton and is always eating something. She has a laid-back and cheerful personality, and is a good friend of the two.
• Akemiya Masaki: A classmate who has a crush on Sumika. He is a proper boy, but after cross-dressing for Sumika, he becomes a reader model for a women's magazine under the name "Yamazaki Akemi."
• Hachisuka Tomoe: A classmate of Sumika, but because she was absent from school, she is two years older than the others. She always has a dignified and mature personality, but she also has an airheaded side. She is the leading person who came up with the idea for the "Girls' Club."
• Miyako Taema: She is also called "Princess" due to her adorable appearance and has enthusiastic support from some boys, but in reality she sometimes makes "dark" remarks and behaves in a poisonous manner. She is always hanging out with Tomoe.
• Aoi Azusa: A classmate of Sumika's who loves the world of girls' novels. She is such an avid fan that she edits her own doujinshi and regularly attends events. But who is her favorite author?

subtitle

The subtitles for each episode are as follows:

• Part 1: Sasamekikoto (2009/10/07)
• Part 2: Cute people (2009/10/14)
• Number 3: First Kiss (2009/10/21)
• Number 4: 4+1 (2009/10/28)
• Number 5: friends (2009/11/04)
• Part 6: A Night for Two (2009/11/11)
• Part 7: Boys and Girls (2009/11/18)
• Number 8: Ripple (2009/11/25)
• Part 9: Sunflower You (2009/12/02)
• Number 10: Happening in Summer (2009/12/09)
• Part 11: Nothing (2009/12/16)
• Part 12: Have You Seen the Rain? (2009/12/23)
• Part 13: CALLING YOU (2009/12/30)

Theme songs and music

The theme songs and insert songs for "Sasamekikoto" are as follows.

• OP1: Sadly Blue
  • Lyricist: Natsumi Kiyura
  • Composer: Mina Kubota
  • Arrangement: Mina Kubota
  • Vocals: Natsumi Kiyura
• ED1: Rainbow Pocket
  • Lyricist: Yugo Sasakura
  • Composer: Yugo Sasakura
  • Arrangement: Ryuji Yamamoto
  • Vocals: Natsumi Kiyura
• IN1: What you see right there -piano solo-
  • Composer: Mina Kubota
  • Arrangement: Mina Kubota
  • Performed by: Mina Kubota
• IN2: What you can see right there
  • Lyricist: Naoki Nishi
  • Composer: Mina Kubota
  • Arrangement: Mina Kubota
  • Vocals: Natsumi Kiyura
• IN3: Sadly Blue
  • Lyricist: Natsumi Kiyura
  • Composer: Mina Kubota
  • Arrangement: Mina Kubota
  • Vocals: Natsumi Kiyura

Appeal and evaluation of the work

"Sasamekikoto" is a work that depicts the little secrets of young girls and the brilliance of youth, and its appeal is manifold. First of all, the characters are rich in personality, and the worries and growth of each are carefully depicted. The relationship between the protagonists Murasame Sumika and Kazama Shio in particular captures the hearts of viewers. Sumika's complex about her appearance and Shio's conflict in not being able to express her feelings evoke empathy from viewers. The surrounding characters are also charming, and the story is livened up with a mix of laughs and emotion, such as the bird-chaser's laid-back nature and the episode where Akemiya Masaki cross-dresses.

Furthermore, the development of the story is also not to be missed. The story begins with the idea of ​​a "Girls' Club" where girls have fun after school, and depicts various themes of youth such as friendship, love, and self-esteem. In particular, the process in which the relationship between Sumika and Ushio develops has the power to draw viewers in. The subtitles of each episode also symbolize the development of the story, raising the viewer's expectations.

Music is also an important element that enhances the appeal of "Sasamekikoto." The opening theme, "Sadly Blue," is an exquisite match between Natsumi Kiyoura's voice and Mina Kubota's composition, further enhancing the atmosphere of the story. The ending theme, "Nijiiro Pocket," also shines with lyrics by Yugo Sasakura and arrangement by Ryuji Yamamoto, leaving a lasting impression on viewers. Additionally, the insert song, "Sugu Soko ni Mieru Mono," also plays a role in livening up important scenes in the story.

The technical capabilities of AIC, the animation production company, are also impressive. The visual beauty of the character designs, background art, color scheme, and more enhance the story. Inomata Masami's character designs in particular highlight the individuality of the characters, leaving a deep impression on the viewers' hearts. Eiji Suganuma's skill as a director also shines through, successfully drawing out the charm of the original work to the fullest while drawing the viewer in with the unique expression of animation.

The performances of the voice actors are also an important element in enhancing the appeal of "Sasamekikoto." The voice actors of each character, such as Takagaki Ayahi as Murasame Sumika, Takamoto Megumi as Kazama Shio, and Kato Emiri as Toriokiyori, show off their unique acting skills to liven up the story. In particular, the performances of the two voice actors touch the hearts of viewers in scenes depicting the relationship between Sumika and Shio. Additionally, Shimizu Ayaka's performance in a cross-dressing scene as Akamiya Masaki also provides laughs for viewers.

Recommendations and related works

"Sasamekikoto" is a work that depicts the little secrets of girls and the brilliance of youth, and is loved by many viewers. It is especially recommended for those who like works about youth school life and girls' friendship and love. In addition, the original manga is also attractive, and by reading the original after watching the anime, you can gain a deeper understanding and be moved.

The related works include the following:

• "Strawberry Panic!": A school youth story depicting friendship and love among girls. Like "Sasamekikoto", this is a work with a charming cast of unique characters.
• "Maria-sama ga Miteru": A school coming-of-age story set in a Catholic girls' school. Like "Sasamekikoto," it depicts the girls' little secrets and growth.
• "Hidamari Sketch": A slice-of-life anime set in an art school. Like "Sasamekikoto", the characters' personalities and friendships are appealing.

Like "Sasamekikoto," these works also depict the youth of young girls and provide viewers with emotion and laughter. If you enjoyed "Sasamekikoto," be sure to check out these works as well.

Conclusion

"Sasamekikoto" is a work that depicts the little secrets of girls and the brilliance of youth, and its appeal is wide-ranging. Various elements such as the personalities of the characters, the development of the story, the technical skills of the music and animation, and the performances of the voice actors capture the hearts of viewers. It is especially recommended for those who like works that depict youth school stories and friendships and romances between girls. In addition, the original manga is also attractive, and by reading the original after watching the anime, you can gain a deeper understanding and be moved. As related works, please check out "Strawberry Panic!", "Maria-sama ga Miteru", and "Hidamari Sketch". "Sasamekikoto" is a wonderful work that provides viewers with emotion and laughter.