The appeal and reviews of "Engimon": an anime experience not to be missed

"Engimon" - An animation depicting the adventures of lucky charms and children's dreams

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

March 10, 2018 - January 1, 2000

■Distribution company

Agency for Cultural Affairs

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■ Director

Hirohiro Sato

■ Production

Animation production: Studio Nanahoshi LLC, Usagioh Co., Ltd.

■Works

©Studio Nanahoshi/Agency for Cultural Affairs Anime Tamago 2018

■ Story

The "Engimon" Haruo (a hariko dog), Kin-chan (a goldfish-shaped paper balloon), Hebikura (a bamboo snake), Daruma Dancho (a daruma doll), and Koume (a kokeshi doll) are placed in the children's room of the Amanogawa family in Shichifukujincho, and they are always watching over Yamato and Himi, the siblings. One day, Himi chases after an Engimon, a maneki-neko (beckoning cat), that appears from somewhere and disappears from the house. Yamato is surprised by Haruo and the others' sudden movement, but they head out together to rescue Himi! Will the Engimon's blessings help find Himi?

■Explanation

Studio Nanahoshi, which is active in a wide range of fields from entertainment to education through digital picture books and AR apps, mainly character animation, with the aim of creating content that gives children dreams and cultivates their imagination, produced this work in collaboration with Usagi-oh, a company that creates things regardless of genre or media. This is a slapstick comedy that depicts the dynamic interactions between lucky charms found in every home and children who see them moving!

■Cast

・Yamato Amanogawa/Ayaka Asai ・Haruo/TARAKO
・Amanogawa Himi/Yumamori Yuka・Kin-chan/Tachibana Uko・Hebizo/Yamaguchi Kappei・Dharma leader/Inada Toru・Koume/Koiwai Kotori・Tarafuku/Dousaka Kozo・Fukujiro/Yamaguchi Takayuki・Kofuku/Tanaka Aimi・Amanogawa Nami/Shinohara Emi・Amanogawa Mikoto/Suzuki Takuma・Store clerk/Kamio Shinichiro・Middle-aged woman (old lady)/Nitta Saki

■ Main staff

・Director: Kodai Sato ・Screenplay: Kodai Sato, Yuka Yamada ・Producer: Kota Yamaguchi ・Assistant Producer: Yuri Kita ・Character Design and Art Setting: Tomomi Kikawada ・Animation Director: Susumu Shiraume ・CGI Director: Masami Tanji ・Mid-career animator: Hidehiko Ishiguro ・Production Manager: Yuri Kita ・Assistant Production Manager: Kana Nakazawa ・Music: otoco
Young animators: Yuka Akabane, Mai Nihei, Saki Fukuzawa, Rina Nakamura, Naomi Yumiyada, Yoshimi Oe

■ Main Characters

・Yamato Amanogawa・Himi Amanogawa・Haruo・Kin-chan・Hebizo・Koume・Dharma Leader・Tarafuku・Fukujiro・Kofuku

The appeal and evaluation of "Engimon"

"Engimon" is a short animated film released in 2018, co-produced by Studio Nanahoshi and Usagioh Co., Ltd. This work was produced as part of the Agency for Cultural Affairs' "Anime Tamago 2018" project, and aims to give children dreams and hope. Below, we will take a closer look at the appeal and reviews of this work.

The appeal of the story

The story of "Engimon" revolves around the lucky charms placed in the children's room of the Amanogawa family. Unique characters such as Haruo, Kin-chan, Hebizo, Daruma Dancho, and Koume watch over the siblings Yamato and Himi of Amanogawa. One day, Himi chases after the maneki-neko (beckoning cat) Engimon and disappears from the house, so Yamato and Engimon go on an adventure to rescue her.

The appeal of this story lies in its fantastical setting, in which the lucky charms that children encounter in their daily lives suddenly come to life. The process in which the lucky charms cooperate, making use of their individual personalities, to rescue Himi not only gives children dreams and hope, but also teaches them the importance of friendship and cooperation. Another enjoyable element is the interaction with the various characters that children meet during the adventure.

Character Appeal

Each character in "Engimon" has a unique design and personality. Haruo is a paper dog and is loyal and brave. Kin-chan is a goldfish-shaped paper balloon and is a light-hearted and cheerful character. Hebizo is a bamboo snake and has a calm and intelligent side. Daruma Dancho is a Daruma doll and shows leadership. Koume is a Kokeshi doll and is a kind and stylish character. Children will be moved by the sight of these characters working together to rescue Himi.

Yamato Amanogawa and his sibling Himi are also fascinating characters. As an older brother, Yamato struggles to protect Himi, while Himi is portrayed as curious and adventurous. The bond between siblings and the love of family are also important themes in the work.

Visual and animation appeal

The visuals and animation of "Engimon" are where Studio Nanahoshi's high level of technical skill shines. Character design by Tomomi Kikawada perfectly captures the cuteness and individuality of the lucky charms. With the help of animation director Susumu Shiraume and CGI director Masami Tanji, the animation is smooth and beautiful even in scenes with a lot of movement.

In particular, the scenes where the Engimons start moving and the adventure scenes feature dynamic animation. The backgrounds and art settings are also meticulously detailed, with the scenery of Shichifukujin Town and the Amanogawa family's children's room being depicted realistically and attractively. The quality of these visuals and animations will be enjoyable for adults as well as children.

The appeal of music

The music for "Engimon" is handled by otoco. Music is an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work, with upbeat songs used in the adventure scenes and heartwarming songs used in the moving scenes. In particular, the music in the scene where the Engimon work together to rescue Himi strikes a strong chord with the viewer. The theme songs, which reflect the personalities of the characters, are also appealing, enhancing the sense of unity of the entire work.

Ratings and Recommendations

"Engimon" is a work that aims to give children dreams and hope, and it has fully achieved that goal. It has been highly praised for a variety of elements, including the appeal of the story, the appeal of the characters, the appeal of the visuals and animation, and the appeal of the music. In particular, the fantastical setting in which lucky charms come to life and the story that depicts the importance of friendship and cooperation will surely be an inspiration to children.

This work is also enjoyable for adults. The high quality of the visuals and animation, as well as the appeal of the music, will draw in adults as well as children. Furthermore, the theme of family ties and love will leave a deep impression on viewers.

"Engimon" is a work that can be enjoyed by both children and adults, and we recommend that families watch it together. It is especially recommended for parents who want to give their children dreams and hope. It is also recommended for those who appreciate the quality of animation and music. "Engimon" is a wonderful work that gives emotion and joy to the viewer.

Detailed information on "Engimon"

Background

"Engimon" was produced as part of the Agency for Cultural Affairs' "Anime Tamago 2018" project. This project aims to nurture young animators and create new animation works, and was produced jointly by Studio Nanahoshi and Usagioh Co., Ltd. Studio Nanahoshi aims to create content that inspires children and fosters their imagination, while Usagioh Co., Ltd. is a company that creates products regardless of genre or media. "Engimon," created through the collaboration of these two companies, is a work that aims to give children dreams and hope.

Production Staff

Engimon was directed by Kodai Sato and written by Kodai Sato and Yuka Yamada. It was produced by Kota Yamaguchi and assistant producer Yuri Kita. Character design and art setting were handled by Tomomi Kikawada, animation director Susumu Shiraume, and CGI director Masami Tanji. Many other staff members were involved in the production, including mid-career animator Hidehiko Ishiguro and young animators Yuka Akabane, Mai Nihei, Saki Fukuzawa, Rina Nakamura, Naomi Yumiyada, and Yoshimi Oe. The music was provided by otoco, and plays an important role in enhancing the atmosphere of the work.

cast

The cast of "Engimon" is Asai Ayaka as Amanogawa Yamato, TARAKO as Haruo, Yamamori Yuka as Amanogawa Himi, Tachibana Yuko as Kin-chan, Yamaguchi Kappei as Hebizo, Inada Toru as Daruma Dancho, Koiwai Kotori as Koume, Dousaka Kozo as Tarafuku, Yamaguchi Takayuki as Fukujiro, Tanaka Aimi as Kofuku, Shinohara Emi as Amanogawa Nami, Suzuki Takuma as Amanogawa Mikoto, Kamio Shinichiro as the store clerk, and Nitta Saki as the middle-aged woman. This cast breathes life into the characters and enhances the appeal of the work.

Main Characters

The main characters of "Engimon" are Yamato Amanogawa, Himi Amanogawa, Haruo, Kin-chan, Hebizo, Koume, Daruma-dancho, Tarafuku, Fukujiro, and Kofuku. The way these characters work together to rescue Himi is moving to the viewers. In addition, each character's personality and background are depicted, making it easy for viewers to empathize with the characters.

Recommended points of "Engimon"

Giving children hopes and dreams

"Engimon" is a work that aims to give children dreams and hope. The fantastical setting, in which lucky charms come to life, and the story that depicts the importance of friendship and cooperation will surely inspire children. The theme of family ties and love will also deeply touch children. This is a work that parents who want to give their children dreams and hope should definitely see.

Visual and animation quality

The visuals and animation of "Engimon" are where Studio Nanahoshi's high level of technical skill shines. The detailed visuals, such as the character designs, backgrounds, and art settings, and the dynamic animation will entertain not only children but also adults. This is a work that is especially recommended for those who want to appreciate the quality of animation.

The appeal of music

The music for "Engimon" is handled by otoco. Music is an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work, with upbeat songs used in the adventure scenes and heartwarming songs used in the moving scenes. In particular, the music in the scene where the Engimon work together to rescue Himi strikes a strong chord with the viewer. The theme songs, which reflect the personalities of the characters, are also appealing, enhancing the sense of unity of the work as a whole. This is also recommended for those who want to appreciate the appeal of music.

Watch together as a family

"Engimon" is a work that can be enjoyed by both children and adults, and we recommend watching it with the whole family. In particular, the theme of family ties and love will leave a deep impression on viewers. In addition, the high quality of the visuals and animation, as well as the appealing music, are elements that the whole family can enjoy. Watching it together as a family will surely bring even deeper emotions and joy.

Conclusion

"Engimon" is a work that aims to give children dreams and hope, and it fully achieves that goal. It has been highly praised for various elements, including the appeal of the story, the appeal of the characters, the appeal of the visuals and animation, and the appeal of the music. In particular, the fantastical setting in which lucky charms come to life, and the story that depicts the importance of friendship and cooperation will surely impress children. In addition, the high quality of the visuals and animation, and the appeal of the music will draw in not only children but also adults. Furthermore, the theme of family ties and love will deeply move viewers. "Engimon" is a wonderful work that gives viewers inspiration and joy, and can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. We encourage you to watch it with your family.