Review of "The Shepherd of the Great Library": The appeal of an epic story and profound themes

"The Shepherd of the Great Library" - A story of adventure that begins in silence

"The Great Library of a Good Shepherd" is a TV anime series that aired in 2014, and the original work was created by August, a company that produces adult games. This anime tells the story of a high school student, Kyoutaro Kakei, whose sole purpose in life is reading, whose daily life is transformed by an email from a mysterious being called "The Shepherd." Below, we will introduce the appeal and detailed information of this work, and delve deeper into its appeal.

story

Kakehi Kyotaro is a second-year high school student whose sole purpose in life is reading. He attends the mammoth Shiomi Academy, a school that attracts talented students, and spends his days peacefully, reading books alone in the library club and avoiding unnecessary contact with others. However, one morning, Kakehi receives an email. The email reads, "Today, something will happen that will change your destiny," and is from the most famous mysterious being at Shiomi Academy, "The Shepherd." Shortly after, Kakehi uses his sixth sense to save a classmate from a streetcar derailment. From then on, Kakehi's daily life becomes rapidly more chaotic.

character

The charm of this work lies in its unique characters. Below are the main characters.

Kyotaro Kakei

Voice actor: Junji Mashima

The protagonist, Kyotaro, is a second-year high school student who loves reading. He used to spend his days quietly reading books alone in the library club, but after receiving an email from the "Shepherd," he gradually begins to interact with the people around him. His kindness and desire for knowledge are the driving forces that move the story forward.

Tsugumi Shirasaki

Voice actor: Yonezawa Madoka

She is a central figure in the library club, working hard to make school more enjoyable. She has a gentle personality and a deep, quiet leadership that makes those around her want to help out. She can be a bit stubborn, but the other members often tease her.

Tamamo Sakuraba

Voice actor: Yuuki Saito

She is the de facto facilitator of the library club, and her job is to bring the conversation back to the main topic when the members go off on a tangent. She is a hard worker who is serious and strict on herself, and she is also popular with both men and women because she can handle love stories and jokes.

Chiri Misono

Voice actor: Nozomi Yamamoto

At first glance, she seems cool and dry, but inside she is quite mischievous. With people she has become close to, she will occasionally poke them with her finger or pinch their sleeves, giving them discreet physical contact. She is one of the best singers in Japan, and is majoring in vocal music at school.

Suzuki Kana

Voice actor: Eri Sendai

She has a bright and shy personality, and a strong heart that will proactively talk to people she meets for the first time. She shows her friendliness by running up to them while waving from afar, but she uses polite language with older people and does not seem familiar. She is the mood maker of the library club.

Nagi Kodachi

Voice actor: Atsumi Tanezaki

She is the protagonist's neighbor, and sometimes visits his room to eat sweets and watch TV, behaving in a way that can lead to misunderstandings and confuses the protagonist. Although she likes to visit other people's rooms, she is very guarded when it comes to her own, and never lets anyone see inside, saying things like, "Girls' rooms are full of strawberry-flavored secrets☆." Although she has an elusive and moody personality, she sometimes makes calm statements.

Maho Mochizuki

Voice actor: Saki Nakajima

She is the student council president of Shiomi Academy, and although she is idealistic, she has a very high approval rating within the school. She works to realize the simple truth that "this school was created to improve the abilities of its students. Since students enrolled knowing this, they should also strive to improve themselves." Naturally, she is a hard worker herself, and tends to expect the same from others.

Serizawa Mizuyu

Voice actor: Rina Sato

She is a rising star in the first year of the broadcasting club, known for her beautiful voice. She has already distinguished herself by being in charge of the school announcements soon after joining the club. She has also started working as a voice actress. It seems that there was some trouble between her and Misono Chiri in the past, and they are somewhat aware of each other's relationship.

Sayumi Ureshino

Voice actor: Miyu Kashiwagi

She is the star waitress at Daiichi Shokudo Aprio, and is Suzuki's senior and colleague. She has an excellent customer service attitude and is very popular, with people saying she is "cute like a doll." On the other hand, her hobby is online games. In particular, she is a sniper in online FPS games, and has superhuman skills. She has an outstanding talent for networks and programming, and is majoring in information engineering.

A view of Takamine

Voice actor: Shoutarou Morikubo

He is a classmate and friend of Kakei. They often go out together, such as having lunch together. He doesn't think too hard about things, and lives by the simple belief that "having fun is important," and tries to act as he thinks. His family home is a temple, but he's not good with ghosts. He enrolled in Shiomi Academy to practice karate, but is not currently a member of the karate club.

Sayori Shirasaki

Voice actor: Daichi Yoh

She is the younger sister of Shirasaki Tsugumi, two years younger than her. Due to poor health, she has been hospitalized for some time, and hopes to enter Shiomi Academy after her surgery. She was also the reason Tsugumi founded the Library Club as a place to make school more fun. She is a reliable girl, but can also be a bit precocious for her age, as she often speaks out about her sister's love life. She looks similar to Tsugumi, but her breasts are still developing.

Nanai

Voice actor: Kusunoki Daisuke

He is the 771st "Shepherd" who guides people in a better direction. He calls himself Nanai, a play on his number. When Kyotaro was a child, he was the one who gave him the "Shiori", a ticket to the magical library where there is a magical book in which everything in this world is written.

Production Staff

Many talented staff members were involved in the production of this work. Below are the main staff members:

original work

August

Original illustration

Bekkankou

Director, character designer, chief animation director

Team Nico (Kenichi Konishi, Tomomi Kamiya, Asami Sodeyama, Kaori Hayashi, Yu Shinoda)

Series Director

Yu Shinoda

Series Composition

Kiyoko Yoshimura

Art Director

Shigemi Ikeda

Color design

Onishi Mineyo

Director of Photography

Takahiro Hondai

CG Director

Tanaka Garyu

edit

Masato Yoshitake

producer

Nagai Osamu

Animation Producer

Tomohito Naka and Shinya Ueda

Animation Production

Hoods Entertainment, Felix Film

Production

Tsugumi Shirasaki and the Lost Lambs (Foods Entertainment, DMM.com Lab, Brave Hearts, TIS, HOBIBOX)

Broadcast information

"The Great Library of a Good Shepherd" was broadcast on TOKYO MX from October 9th to December 25th, 2014. It consists of 12 episodes, each 30 minutes long. After the broadcast, a Blu-ray and DVD were released as a packaged version, which also includes a new original picture drama.

Appeal of the work

"The Shepherd of the Great Library" is a story of adventure that begins in silence, and its charms are manifold. Below we will explain its charms in detail.

An adventure that begins in silence

The story begins with Kyotaro, whose sole purpose in life is reading, spending his quiet daily life alone in the library club. However, his daily life changes drastically when he receives an email from the "Shepherd", and new encounters and incidents occur one after another. The unfolding of this adventure that begins in this tranquil setting is a major attraction that draws viewers in.

Unique characters

Each character in this work is unique and charming. The diversity of the characters enriches the story, such as Kyotaro's kindness and thirst for knowledge, Tsugumi's calm leadership, Tamamo's seriousness, Chiri's mischievous side, Kana's cheerfulness, and Nagi's moody personality. Also, don't miss the way they influence each other and grow.

The mysterious "Shepherd"

The "Shepherds" are an important element of this work. They are beings who grant people's wishes, and the process in which their identities and goals are gradually revealed draws the viewer's interest. Another highlight is how the existence of the "Shepherds" affects the behavior and psychology of Kyotaro and other characters.

Beautiful visuals

The visuals of this work are also a major attraction. The beautiful character designs by Bekkankou, who was in charge of the original illustrations, the detailed drawings by Team Nico, and the beautiful backgrounds by art director Shigemi Ikeda are all visual elements that enhance the story. Also, the beautiful colors by color designer Mineyo Onishi are not to be missed.

An inspiring story

The story of this work will move viewers through the growth of Kyotaro and other characters and the changes in their relationships. In particular, the way Kyotaro faces himself and the people around him and grows as a result of receiving an email from the "Shepherd" will surely touch the hearts of many viewers. In addition, the story depicts various human relationships among the characters, such as friendship, romance, and familial love, and each episode is very moving.

Ratings and Recommendations

"The Shepherd of the Great Library" has been highly praised by many viewers as a story of adventure that begins in silence. It has been especially praised for its unique characters, beautiful visuals, and moving storyline. In addition, the mysterious existence of the "shepherd" adds depth to the story and is an element that attracts the interest of viewers.

This work is recommended for those who like reading and libraries, those who like adventure stories that begin in silence, and those who want to enjoy the growth of unique characters and changes in relationships. It is also recommended for those who want beautiful visuals and a moving story. Please watch this work and enjoy the adventures and growth of Kyotaro and other characters.

Related information

The following is related information about "The Shepherd of the Great Library".

Original game

The original work is an adult game created by August. The game version explores the story of Kyotaro and other characters in more depth, so if you're interested, be sure to give it a try.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack for this work has also been released, allowing you to enjoy the beautiful music. In particular, it contains many songs that reflect the emotions of the characters, such as character songs and insert songs.

event

After the series finished airing, fan events were held, including talk shows with the cast and staff, and live performances of character songs, which were attended by many fans.

Merchandise

There are also many goods for this work on sale, including character figures, acrylic key chains, tapestries, etc. The character figures in particular are beautifully crafted with attention to detail, and are popular with many fans.

Conclusion

"The Great Library of a Good Shepherd" has been highly praised by many viewers as a story of adventure that begins in silence. Its unique characters, beautiful visuals, and moving story are appealing, and the mysterious existence of the "shepherd" adds depth to the story. This work is recommended for people who like reading and libraries, people who like adventure stories that begin in silence, and people who want to enjoy the growth of unique characters and changes in relationships. Please watch this work and enjoy the adventures and growth of Kyotaro and other characters.