"Tomodachi Game": A thrilling anime that tests friendship and delves into psychological warfare

Tomodachi Game - An extreme psychological game of friendship and betrayal

Overview

"Tomodachi Game" is an anime based on the popular manga written by Mikoto Yamaguchi and illustrated by Tomoo Sato. It aired on Nippon Television and BS Nippon Television from April 6 to June 22, 2022, and is the long-awaited anime adaptation of the hugely popular manga with a total circulation of over 3.7 million copies. While the theme of this work is friendship, it also depicts an extreme psychological game that depicts human nature, such as betrayal and trust.

■ Story

Yuichi Katagiri, a high school student, is a boy who values ​​friendship above all else. He spends his days happily with Shiho Sawaragi, Tenchi Mikasa, Makoto Shibe, and Yutori Kokorogi. However, due to a certain incident, they become embroiled in a debt repayment game called "Tomodachi Game." The rule of this game is "never doubt your friends." It should have been an easy game for the two of them, who are bound by a strong friendship, but their friendship is gradually put to the test.

■ Characters

The protagonist, Katagiri Yuichi, is a poor student but a high school sophomore who follows his mother's teaching that "friends are more important than money" and values ​​his friends. His classmate, Mikasa Tenchi, is a genius and the top of the grade, with a level-headed perspective and the role of mediator among the five. Sawaragi Shiho is the vice-class representative who brings the class together, and is a reliable person with a strong sense of justice and high athletic ability. Shibe Makoto is a handsome and all-around athlete who leads the class as class representative, but he also has a playful side. Kokorogi Yutori is a quiet and shy but kind-hearted person who loves anime and manga. The story depicts these characters as they waver between friendship and betrayal.

■ Production staff

The director is Hirofumi Ogura, and the series composition and script are by Kenta Ihara. The character design is by Satomi Miyazaki, the art director is Weisman, the art setting is by Tsukasa Ohira, the color design is by Aiko Mizuno, the cinematographer is Yomogiko Murano, the music is by Michiru, and the sound director is Hiroto Morishita. The animation was produced by Okuruto Noboru, and the production was done by the "Tomodachi Game" Production Committee.

■Broadcast information

"Tomodachi Game" was broadcast on Nippon Television and BS Nippon Television from April 6 to June 22, 2022. The broadcast times for each episode are as follows:

• Nippon Television: Every Wednesday 1:29-1:59
• BS Nippon Television: Every Thursday 0:30-1:00
• Kumamoto Prefectural Television: Every Friday 1:29-1:59
• AT-X: Every Wednesday from 20:30 to 21:00

It was also available online, on Hulu, d Anime Store, dTV, Anime Times, U-NEXT, Animehodai, etc. There was also unlimited streaming, pay-per-view, and free streaming, so it could be enjoyed on ABEMA, Amazon Prime Video, FOD, GYAO!, TVer, etc.

■ Episode

The subtitles for each episode are as follows:

• Episode 1: Huh? Is Yuichi suspicious of his friends? (2022/04/06)
• Episode 2: There are so many things I want to talk about... (2022/04/13)
• Episode 3: I can't believe that (2022/04/20)
• Episode 4: Is this for real? I'm seriously shocked (2022/04/27)
• Episode 5: Yuichi is quite stupid (2022/05/04)
• Episode 6: After all, you can't be friends with a murderer (2022/05/11)
• Episode 7: I'll take 20 million yen of your life (2022/05/18)
• Episode 8: Wait, wait, wait... It's a game of waiting (2022/05/25)
• Episode 9: Quickly turn your back on us (2022/06/01)
• Episode 10: The third game is over! (2022/06/08)
• Episode 11: Is it true that you don't have anything important? (2022/06/15)
• Episode 12: What's most important to me is... (2022/06/22)

■Theme song

The opening theme is "Double Shuffle" by Nana Mizuki, with lyrics by Shihori, music by Yosuke Sakanoue, and arrangements by Toru Watanabe and Hirofumi Hibino. The ending theme is "Tomohi" by Saji, with lyrics and music by Takumi Yoshida, and arrangements by Saji and Ikuya Nakajima.

■Cast

The voice actors for the main characters are as follows:

• Yuichi Katagiri: Chiaki Kobayashi
• Tenchi Mikasa: Daiki Hamano
• Sawaragi Shiho: Yume Miyamoto
• Makoto Shibu: Tomotaka Ohno
• Yutori Kokoro: Satomi Amano
• Manabu-kun: Minami Takayama
• Maria Minase: Reina Ueda
• Tsukino: Ito Shizuka
• Tamai Reiko: Mizuki Nana
• Juzo Kadokura: Toru Inada
• Onigawara Hyakutaro: Kisho Taniyama
• Chisato Hashiratani: Tetsuya Kakihara
• Miyako Shimiya: Kensho Ono
• Mari Niwa: Daisuke Ono

■ Evaluation and impressions

"Tomodachi Game" beautifully depicts the psychology of the characters as they waver between friendship and betrayal. In particular, the scene in which Yuichi's belief that "friends over money" is tested leaves a strong impression on viewers. Additionally, the game rules and psychological battles that unfold in each episode are elements that draw viewers in. The growth and change of the characters is also an important point not to be missed, and Mikasa Tenchi's calm judgment and Sawaragi Shiho's sense of justice in particular add excitement to the story.

The animation quality is also high, with beautiful character designs and background art. The music is also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work, and the opening theme "Double Shuffle" is particularly impressive, featuring Nana Mizuki's powerful singing voice. The ending theme "Toubi" also has a gentle melody by Saji that enhances the aftertaste of the story.

■ Recommendation points

"Tomodachi Game" depicts universal themes such as friendship and betrayal, but develops the story from a new perspective of an extreme psychological game. In particular, the difficulty of believing in friendship and scenes that test human nature deeply move viewers. Also, as a different game unfolds in each episode, viewers can experience new tension and excitement every time.

The characters' growth and change are also not to be missed, with the scene in which Yuichi's belief that "friends are more important than money" is put to the test leaving a particularly strong impression on viewers. Additionally, Mikasa Tenchi's calm judgment and Sawaragi Shiho's sense of justice are also important elements that add excitement to the story. The animation quality is high, with beautifully drawn character designs and background art. The music is also an important element in livening up the atmosphere of the work, with the opening theme "Double Shuffle" being particularly impressive with Mizuki Nana's powerful singing voice. The ending theme "Toubi" also has a gentle melody by Saji that enhances the lingering impression of the story.

Related information

The original manga of "Tomodachi Game" is currently being serialized in Kodansha's Bessatsu Shonen Magazine. The anime adaptation faithfully reproduces the story of the original, but also incorporates special effects and additional scenes that are unique to anime. The work has also been highly praised by fans of the original, and the anime adaptation has gained even more fans.

Even after the anime has finished airing, it can still be viewed on the official YouTube channel and various video streaming services. In addition, there are also related goods and collaboration events, so there is a wealth of information that fans cannot miss.

Conclusion

"Tomodachi Game" is a work that beautifully depicts the psychology of characters who waver between friendship and betrayal. The rules of the game and the psychological battles that unfold in each episode are elements that draw the viewer in. The growth and changes of the characters are also points that should not be overlooked, and the scene where Yuichi's belief that "friends are more important than money" is tested in particular leaves a strong impression on the viewer. The animation quality is also high, and the character designs and background art are beautifully drawn. Music is also an important element that enhances the atmosphere of the work, and the opening theme "Double Shuffle" is particularly impressive with Nana Mizuki's powerful singing voice. The ending theme "Tomohi" also enhances the aftertaste of the story with Saji's gentle melody. "Tomodachi Game" depicts universal themes such as friendship and betrayal, but develops the story from a new perspective of an extreme psychological game. In particular, the difficulty of believing in friendship and the scenes where human nature is tested deeply move the viewer. In addition, a different game is played in each episode, so you can experience new tension and excitement every time. The characters' growth and change are also not to be missed, and the scene in which Yuichi's belief that "friends are more important than money" is tested leaves a strong impression on the viewer. In addition, Mikasa Tenchi's calm judgment and Sawaragi Shiho's sense of justice are also important elements that liven up the story. The animation quality is high, and the character designs and background art are beautifully drawn. Music is also an important element that livens up the atmosphere of the work, and the opening theme "Double Shuffle" is particularly impressive with Nana Mizuki's powerful singing voice. The ending theme "Tomohi" also enhances the story's lingering impression with Saji's gentle melody. The original manga of "Tomodachi Game" is currently being serialized in Kodansha's "Bessatsu Shonen Magazine". The anime adaptation faithfully reproduces the story of the original, but also incorporates special effects and additional scenes that are unique to anime. It has also been highly praised by fans of the original, and the anime adaptation has gained even more fans. Even after the anime has finished airing, it can be viewed on the official YouTube channel and various video distribution services. In addition, related goods and collaboration events are being held, and there is a wealth of information that fans cannot miss. "Tomodachi Game" is a work that beautifully depicts the psychology of characters who are torn between friendship and betrayal. The rules of the game and the psychological battles that unfold in each episode are elements that draw the viewer in. The growth and change of the characters is also a point not to be missed, and the scene where Yuichi's belief that "friends are more important than money" is tested leaves a strong impression on the viewer. The quality of the animation is also high, and the character designs and background art are beautifully drawn. Music is also an important element that enhances the atmosphere of the work, and the opening theme "Double Shuffle" is particularly impressive with Nana Mizuki's powerful singing voice. The ending theme "Tomohi" also has a gentle melody by Saji that enhances the aftertaste of the story. "Tomodachi Game" depicts universal themes such as friendship and betrayal, but develops the story from a new perspective of an extreme psychological game. In particular, the difficulty of believing in friendship and the scenes where human nature is tested deeply move the viewer. In addition, a different game is played in each episode, so you can experience new tension and excitement every time. The growth and change of the characters is also a point not to be missed, and the scene where Yuichi's belief that "friends are more important than money" is tested leaves a strong impression on the viewer. In addition, Mikasa Tenchi's calm judgment and Sawaragi Shiho's sense of justice are also important elements that liven up the story. The animation quality is high, and the character designs and background art are beautifully drawn. Music is also an important element that livens up the atmosphere of the work, and the opening theme "Double Shuffle" is particularly impressive with Nana Mizuki's powerful singing voice. The ending theme "Tomohi" also enhances the afterglow of the story with Saji's gentle melody. The original manga of "Tomodachi Game" is currently being serialized in Kodansha's "Bessatsu Shonen Magazine". When it was made into an anime, the story of the original was faithfully reproduced, but it also incorporated production and additional scenes unique to anime. It was also highly rated by fans of the original work, and the anime adaptation has gained even more fans. Even after the anime has finished airing, it can still be viewed on the official YouTube channel and various video streaming services. In addition, related goods and collaboration events are being held, and there is a wealth of information that fans cannot miss. "Tomodachi Game" is a work that beautifully depicts the psychology of characters who are torn between friendship and betrayal. The rules of the game and the psychological battles that unfold in each episode are elements that draw the viewer in. The growth and changes of the characters are also points that cannot be overlooked, and in particular the scene where Yuichi's belief that "friends are more important than money" is tested leaves a strong impression on the viewer. The animation quality is also high, and the character designs and background art are beautifully drawn. The music is also an important element that enhances the atmosphere of the work, and the opening theme "Double Shuffle" is particularly impressive with Nana Mizuki's powerful singing voice. The ending theme "Tomohi" also has a gentle melody by Saji that enhances the aftertaste of the story. "Tomodachi Game" depicts universal themes such as friendship and betrayal, but develops the story from a new perspective of an extreme psychological game. In particular, the difficulty of believing in friendship and the scenes where human nature is tested deeply move viewers. In addition, a different game is played in each episode, so you can experience new tension and excitement every time. The growth and change of the characters is also a point not to be missed, and the scene where Yuichi's belief that "friends are more important than money" is tested leaves a strong impression on viewers. In addition, Mikasa Tenchi's calm judgment and Sawaragi Shiho's sense of justice are also important elements that liven up the story. The animation quality is also high, and the character designs and background art are beautifully drawn. The music is also an important element that livens up the atmosphere of the work, and the opening theme "Double Shuffle" is particularly impressive with Nana Mizuki's powerful singing voice. The ending theme "Tomohi" also enhances the afterglow of the story with Saji's gentle melody. The original manga of "Tomodachi Game" is currently being serialized in Kodansha's "Bessatsu Shonen Magazine". When it was made into an anime, the story of the original was faithfully reproduced, but it also incorporated special effects and additional scenes unique to anime. The series has also been highly praised by fans of the original work, and the anime adaptation has gained even more fans. Even after the anime has finished airing, it can still be viewed on the official YouTube channel and various video streaming services. In addition, related goods and collaboration events are being held, and there is a wealth of information that fans cannot miss. "Tomodachi Game" is a work that beautifully depicts the psychology of characters who are torn between friendship and betrayal. The rules of the game and the psychological battles that unfold in each episode are elements that draw viewers in. The growth and changes of the characters are also points that cannot be overlooked, and in particular the scene where Yuichi's belief that "friends are more important than money" is tested leaves a strong impression on viewers. The animation quality is also high, and the character designs and background art are beautifully drawn. The music is also an important element in livening up the atmosphere of the work, and the opening theme "Double Shuffle" is particularly impressive with Nana Mizuki's powerful singing voice. The ending theme "Tomohi" also enhances the aftertaste of the story with Saji's gentle melody. "Tomodachi Game" depicts universal themes such as friendship and betrayal, but develops the story from a new perspective of an extreme psychological game. In particular, the difficulty of believing in friendship and the scenes where human nature is tested deeply move viewers. Also, a different game is played in each episode, so viewers can experience new tension and excitement every time. The growth and change of the characters is also a point not to be missed, and the scene where Yuichi's belief that "friends are more important than money" is tested leaves a strong impression on viewers. In addition, Mikasa Tenchi's calm judgment and Sawaragi Shiho's sense of justice are also important elements that liven up the story. The animation is of high quality, and the character designs and background art are beautifully drawn. The music is also an important element that livens up the atmosphere of the work, and the opening theme "Double Shuffle" is particularly impressive with Nana Mizuki's powerful singing voice. The ending theme "Tomohi" also enhances the aftertaste of the story with Saji's gentle melody. The original manga of "Tomodachi Game" is currently being serialized in Kodansha's "Bessatsu Shonen Magazine". The anime adaptation faithfully reproduces the story of the original work, but also incorporates additional scenes and scenes unique to anime. The anime has also been well received by fans of the original work, and the anime adaptation has gained even more fans. Even after the anime broadcast ends, it can be viewed on the official YouTube channel and various video distribution services. In addition, related goods and collaboration events are also held, and there is a lot of information that fans cannot miss. "Tomodachi Game" is a work that beautifully depicts the psychology of characters who are torn between friendship and betrayal. The rules of the game and the psychological battle that unfolds in each episode are elements that draw the viewer in. The growth and change of the characters is also a point not to be missed, and in particular, the scene where Yuichi's belief that "friends are more important than money" is tested leaves a strong impression on the viewer. The animation quality is high, and the character designs and background art are beautifully drawn. The music is also an important element in livening up the atmosphere of the work, and the opening theme "Double Shuffle" is particularly impressive with Nana Mizuki's powerful singing voice. The ending theme, "Tomohi", also has a gentle melody by Saji that enhances the aftertaste of the story. "Tomodachi Game" depicts universal themes such as friendship and betrayal, but develops the story from a new perspective of an extreme psychological game. In particular, the difficulty of believing in friendship and the scenes where human nature is tested deeply move viewers. In addition, a different game is played in each episode, so you can experience new tension and excitement every time. The growth and change of the characters is also a point not to be missed, and in particular the scene where Yuichi's belief that "friends are more important than money" is tested leaves a strong impression on viewers. In addition, Mikasa Tenchi's calm judgment and Sawaragi Shiho's sense of justice are also important elements that liven up the story. The animation quality is also high, with beautiful character designs and background art. Music is also an important element that livens up the atmosphere of the work, and the opening theme "Double Shuffle" is particularly impressive with Nana Mizuki's powerful singing voice. The ending theme, "Tomohi," also has a gentle melody by Saji that enhances the aftertaste of the story. The original manga of "Tomodachi Game" is currently being serialized in Kodansha's "Bessatsu Shonen Magazine." The anime adaptation faithfully reproduces the story of the original, but also incorporates special effects and additional scenes that are unique to anime. It has also been highly praised by fans of the original, and the anime adaptation has gained even more fans. Even after the anime has finished airing, it can be viewed on the official YouTube channel and various video distribution services. In addition, related goods and collaboration events are being held, and there is a wealth of information that fans cannot miss.