Kyuujitsu no Warumono-san
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Heavy themes of depression and families of choice, framed by shogi

/anime/523962/sangatsu-no-lion
Review of Sangatsu no Lion
by Rivka
Posted on March 20th, 2019
Positive 7
Overall Rating
 
+

There's a lot going on in "Sangatsu no Lion"/"March Comes In Like A Lion", so I will unpack it with lists of things I liked and things I didn't, with caveats thrown in as needed. This review is for both seasons 1 & 2, so spoilers for both seasons should be expected (as I watched them in a binge, I don't clearly recall what happened in which season).

***SPOILERS & WARNINGS BELOW***


What I liked:

1) The animation is interesting and unusual at times (with occasional rotoscoping). There are moments when the art style shifts suddenly to show that Rei is depressed; there's also a ton of water symbolism, along with mysterious gusts of wind in places that wind can't be. There are closeups of eyes that make it clear that they are series of lines and circles rather than clearly delineated shapes. It's a fun change from more typical animation.

2) The writers seem to have done their homework regarding depression. Rei's mood swings and sticky negative thought patterns are very accurate and believable. 

3) For the most part, the characters are quirky and appealing. I particularly like one of the other young shogi players, who could've been a flat character but has so much depth instead; he's always perky and competitive, and has been battling a serious chronic illness with a grace & determination that puts most people to shame. The members of the family Rei finds in the neighborhood are funny and realistic - there's a gruff & loving grandpa, a sister-turned-parent who needs a break, a girl several grades younger than Rei, and an energetic toddler. You can understand why their warm welcoming natures help Rei to push out of his shell; the anime does a good job of showing rather than telling.

4) The show handles pain, disability and illness well. The chronically ill boy doesn't magically recover, and Rei has to learn how to keep his feelings about his friend's illness out of their games together. There's an older player who has gone deaf but hasn't publicized it, and those who play against him learn to adjust their post-game review sessions (which are televised) to maintain his privacy. When Rei finds out about this man's disability, it doesn't change his opinion of him in any way other than perhaps to add more admiration. It's refreshing to watch.


Things I wasn't fond of:

1) The pacing is all over the place. For example, Rei's adoptive older sister is constantly bothering him and delaying his recovery from depression in the first season, then practically disappears in the second. The neighborhood family's middle sister has a long story arc in the second season about bullying, which is well done but takes a disproportionate amount of time away from Rei's storyline (excepting those times when he's trying to help her deal with it). His shogi games are exciting, but there can be many episodes without a game.

2) Based on what people have said about the manga, I believe the bullying arc is meant to set up a future romance between Rei (who is in high school, but could've been in college already if not for his professional shogi schedule) and the middle sister, who is about to start high school. That's a massive maturity gap at those ages that makes me glad that we didn't see it happen - but I would bet on it appearing in a hypothetical season three.

3) The massive changes in tone can come without warning, and can be quite jarring. It's not a relaxing show to watch, even if it sometimes dips into a calm lull.

Rivka
My reviewing system for films and shows that are NOT anime:
1-5: I hated it. I also don't think it has redeeming qualities, so you shouldn't watch it either.
6: I didn't like it. It's not my thing, I didn't like the execution, I don't want to see it again. However, I don't think it is a BAD film or show - it has qualities that will recommend it to those who like that kind of thing.
7: It was fine. I didn't love it, and I don't need to see it again. I won't be sad if I never see it again.
8: I liked it. I didn't love it, and while I'd like to see it again, I wouldn't want to see it often.
9: I loved it. I would be sad if I never saw it again. I might want to see it every few years.
10: I loved it beyond description. I wouldn't mind re-watching it every year.

*********************************
Clarifying my Anime rating system:
My number key below is an attempt to parse the small differences between 5 and 6, 7 and 8, & 9 and 10. When I rate, I consider my own enjoyment, the characterization and the plot, the appearance of the animation, and occasionally the soundtrack - in roughly that order. An anime will lose at least 1 point for presence of deal-breaker tropes (for example, comedic pedophilia), and more if the trope(s) ruined my enjoyment. On the other hand, it will gain at least 1 point for artistry in animation or sound. I don't expect to rate anything 1-4, as I would probably never finish watching something in this range of rating.

Cautious Recommending:
5: In this case, it started out with a higher score and slipped over time... because I normally don't watch anything that I would score below 6, except for movies (small time commitment).
6: I may or may not have watched the whole show, but I recognize deal-breaker issues in it, and I'm unlikely to rewatch. It just wasn't enjoyable enough for me to forgive its flaws. There would be huge caveats to any recommendation.

Likely to Recommend:
7: There's two types of 7s (ideally I could rank the second one 7.5). For the first, I didn't like it enough to think I would rewatch it, but also didn't see huge problems in the plot, characterizations, etc. and thought it was worth finishing. I might suggest it to someone if I know they like the specific sub-genre or other work by the studio. For the second, I recognize shows/movies that have high quality but just aren't my cup of tea. Not my thing, but usually I at least respect the work.
8: I had a good time watching it, but it didn't move me the way a 9 or a 10 does; it's possible that over time I would upgrade it if I liked it more on reflection. I would be willing to rewatch it if a friend wanted to watch it with me. I may or may not buy the DVDs (I'm more likely if there's something unique about it). I'd recommend it with the occasional caveat.

Highly Recommend:
9: I enjoyed it very much. It may have had one or two issues, but not enough to diminish enjoyment. It's possible that over time I would downgrade it to an 8 (changing tastes) or upgrade to a 10 (realize it's never left my mind). I'm likely to rewatch, and likely to buy the DVDs. I'd recommend it to most audiences.
10: Virtually flawless. I'd definitely rewatch, and definitely want to buy DVDs. I would shill this to anyone.

EDIT: for years when I'm participating in the MAL Anime Challenge, any anime in the Completed section with a * in the note was watched for the challenge. Similarly, if I'm participating in the MDL Drama Challenge, any drama with a * in the notes was watched for the challenge. Previous years' challenges will have their * removed.
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