AN UNDERRATED ANIME OF 2017 - SAKURA QUEST

Information

Episodes: 25
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Apr 6, 2017 to Sep 21, 2017
Premiered: Spring 2017
Licensors: Funimation
Studios: P.A. Works
Source: Original
Genres: Slice of Life, Comedy
Duration: 23 min. per ep.
Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Synopsis

Tired of her rural home, recent college graduate Yoshino Koharu is desperate to lead a more exciting life in Tokyo. After a fruitless job hunt, she finally receives a part-time offer as queen of the bizarre "Kingdom of Chupakabura," a rundown mini-attraction in the small agricultural town of Manoyama. However, Yoshino discovers upon her arrival in Manoyama that she was mistaken for a celebrity and the job offer was a mistake. Left with no other options, Yoshino reluctantly agrees to take on the role and aid the Board of Tourism in their efforts to revitalize Manoyama. Determined to bring excitement to the dying town with the help of local residents, the queen enacts a series of projects to highlight the beauty and charm of Manoyama's culture.

Sakura Quest delves into the story of a tight-knit community that is struggling to balance change while also maintaining the rich traditions and bonds which define their identity.

Written by: MAL Rewrite

REVIEW

Sakura Quest is a breathe of fresh air compared to a lot of anime we received lately. If you don't know, Sakura Quest is an anime following the daily lives of a group of girls working in a traveling agency. It's very Slice of Life so if you aren't a fan of Slice of Life anime, skip this.

Well, if you are one, then the Slice of Life in this anime is kinda different compared to other series in the same genre. What I mean is that in other Slice of Life series, there is often a sub-genre that makes it more interesting, such as comedy and drama. However in this series, it's just Slice of Life, the comedy isn't that important and funny in this, drama wise...that also isn't really the point of this series, so what makes these kind of Slice of Life interesting is the characters.

Each character in this series is likable, well-developed and relatable. This is due to the show focus a lot of time in letting us learn more about the characters. They let us know the difficulties they face in life and how they overcome it. At the same time, through developing the characters, they also progressed the "story".

If you played close attention, I mentioned that nothing progressed in my short review. Yes, I mean it. This is because this anime focused too many time on the characters and the side stories for each character until the point where in the end, the main plot didn't progressed at all. The main plot of this series is to save the town and to attract more people to come and visit the place. However, after all the efforts our characters had put in, nothing progressed. The town is still the same as it was in the first episode. However, that still didn't made this series less enjoyable because each side story is interesting and sometimes relatable. They also led to character development. So there isn't any complaints I can give for the side stories.

The art and animation for this series is consistent, meaning that what you saw in the first episode is what you're going to see for the rest of the series. It didn't become bizarre or beautiful, it chose to stay consistent. Also the art itself is very simplistic and realistic. So if you want beautiful art and animation, i don't think this will satisfy you.

The music for this series is heartwarming and relaxing. It soothes the heart. The OP and ED sung by (K)Now_Name is very catchy and they suit the series well. Nothing much to say in this part.

Overall, although I gave this a score of 7/10, but honestly the enjoyment I got from watching this is a serious 10/10. It's just that if you look at it seriously and critically, it doesn't deserve a 10/10 because it ain't anything outstanding. It's an anime that reached my expectation and didn't outbreak it. I will recommend this to those who enjoy watching the working series by PA Works or those who are tired of same cliche story every season and want a breathe of fresh air. That's it for my review. Thanks for reading.