The appeal and evaluation of "Musashino!": A must-read review for anime fans

"Musashino!" - The charm of a short animation depicting summer memories and the struggles of the railway club

■Overview of the work

"Musashino!" is a 12-episode short anime series that aired on Teletama from July 2 to September 17, 2022. Each episode is just five minutes long, and depicts the adventures and growth of the members of the railway club at Urawa Third High School during their summer vacation. The original story was written by harappa, animation was produced by A-Real, and the Musashino! Production Committee was in charge. It was directed by Ishibashi Mitsuyuki and written by Gyro Knuckle.

■ Story

One day during summer vacation, the members of the railway club at Urawa Third High School were enjoying themselves at the public swimming pool with the members of the student council. However, at the end of that fun day, the student council president, Ayako, announced that the railway club would be disbanded. What are the conditions to avoid disbanding? What will become of the railway club? This story depicts the struggles of the railway club members to avoid disbanding and their summer memories.

■ Characters

The charm of "Musashino!" lies in its unique characters. The main character, Takasago Usagi, is a bright and energetic girl who visits the shrine every morning. Her phrase, "I hope today will be a good day!", gives energy to the viewers as well. Oyaba Minami is a tomboy who is a member of the railway club but also the light music club, and is Usagi's childhood friend. Her line, "I'm a demon, a demon!", symbolizes her laid-back personality.

Saidō Midori is a gentle, calming character who loves sweets. Her line, "It's already spring... isn't it?", gives a sense of her gentle personality. Bessho Kojika, the vice president of the student council, is a hard worker who acts like an honor student, and is Aiko's childhood friend. Her line, "Unlike the president, I'm an adult," depicts her trying to act older than she is.

Disciplinary committee chair Mimuro Misono is a mysterious child with a special ability to suddenly appear. Her line, "Where was Misono trying to go?" shows her mysterious presence. The charismatic student council president Numakage Saiko is a confident and intelligent girl with a strong sense of justice, but she also has a mischievous devilish side. Her line, "Punishing villains is the role of justice!!!" makes you feel her strong will.

Sakura Tajima, a member of the railway club, is a polite girl who speaks in a polite tone, but she worries about being a bit of a shadow. Her line, "Huh? Where's everyone else?", symbolizes her lack of presence. Tokiwa Kamikizaki is a smart and beautiful commoner who serves as vice-president of the railway club, and has the air of a refined young lady. Her line, "I can't help but look forward to it," shows her attitude of having fun.

■ Episode

"Musashino!" is a short anime series consisting of 12 episodes. Episode 1, "Swimming in the Sea," shows the members of the railway club enjoying a summer swim in the sea. Episode 2, "Closing the Club Controversy," shows the members' shock after Saiko informs them that the club will be closed. Episode 3, "Celebrating Victory," shows the members praying to avoid being closed down. Episode 4, "Reminiscence of Omiya," shows the members' memories of the past. Episode 5, "Farewell Party," shows the members holding a send-off party to avoid being closed down.

The sixth episode, "Extra Space Edition," depicts a special episode in which the members of the railway club go to space. Episodes seven to eleven, titled "Koshien Showdown," depict the members' battle at Koshien to avoid being disbanded. Episode twelfth episode, "Ending," depicts the members' summer memories and growth.

■ Production staff

The production staff of "Musashino!" includes the original author harappa, planning and producing by Misawa Yuki, series composition and scriptwriting by Gyro Knuckle, director Nakano Kanato, character original designer NOB-C, chief animation director Oka Akihiko, color design by Nakamura Risa, CG, art, photography and editing by Nakano Kanato, 2DCG production assistant Hara Kana, website style art design by Iwashita Asuka, SD character design by Hara Kana, animation producer Yamaura Takanori, music by Morohashi Kuniyuki, sound production by JVC Kenwood Victor Entertainment, sound production cooperation by L&L Victor Entertainment, animation production by AlcedoAlcy, animation production cooperation by A-Real, and the production by Musashino! Production Committee.

■ Theme songs and music

The ending theme of "Musashino!" is "Usagi-chan Taiso". This song reflects the cheerful image of the main character, Takasago Shirabe, and will cheer up the viewers as well.

■ Related works

"Musashino!" is a related work by the original author, harappa, called "Urawa no Shirabe-chan" and "Urawa no Shirabe-chan Unaired Story." These works also depict the daily lives of the members of the railway club at Urawa Third High School, so be sure to check them out to gain a deeper understanding of the world of "Musashino!".

■ Evaluation and recommendation

"Musashino!" is an appealing work that depicts the growth of characters and summer memories in a short time. In particular, the dialogue between the unique characters and the struggles of the railway club members will cheer up the viewers. The subtitles and episodes of each episode are also well-thought-out, so viewers won't get bored. Furthermore, the visuals and music, which reflect the production staff's attention to detail, are not to be missed.

This work is recommended for those who want to feel the summer memories and the brilliance of youth, those who like short anime, and those who like unique characters. Please watch "Musashino!" and enjoy the summer adventures and growth of the Urawa Third High School railway club members.

■Detailed information

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Broadcast period

July 2, 2022 - September 17, 2022 Teletama July 2, 2022 - September 17, 2022 (Episodes 1-12) Every Saturday 23:30-23:35

■Broadcasting station

Teletama

■Frequencies

5 mins

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 12

■Original Story

・Original work: harappa

■ Director

Ishibashi Mitsuyuki

■ Production

・Animation Production: A-Real
Produced by Musashino! Production Committee

■Works

©harappa/Musashino! Production Committee