[Categories: Anime Reviews]
Toshokan Sensou end: B-list anime done well
This is one occasion where I make a distinction between ‘A-list’ and ‘B-list’ titles - in practice, it’s a difference between checking torrents lists and online DVD stores for the latest bunch of episodes daily or catching up when I have a day or two going spare. If I hadn’t watched Toshokan Sensou I doubt I’d regret my decision, but watch it I did and I have to say I enjoyed it too: it is a definite B-list show for me but at least it’s a good example of one.
I don’t think Toshokan Sensou ever had the ambition of being a rival for the Frontiers, Code Geasses and Clannads in the schedules: the animation quality is solid without being showy, its everyday storytelling aims fit neatly into a manageable twelves episodes and its balance of comedy and social commentary prevent it straying too close to the poles of laugh-out-loud slapstick or hard speculative fiction. I can say I merely liked it and mean it as a compliment - its sights are set lower than the studios’ flagship titles but it achieves the modest aims it sets for itself.
The second half keeps events on the same course without serious twists or jarring changes in mood; there are one or two *relatively* significant developments - notably Kasahara confronting the issues her parents have with her choice of career, and the political position of the Task Force in the bigger scheme of things - but it offers smaller surprises that made it enjoyable but not memorable enough to give it classic, or even cult status.
It is indeed a show that deals with serious issues regarding freedom of expression in the media and arts, and does so in a fairly authentic manner; the comedic moments (the chibi-style facial expressions when the characters experience comical extremes of emotion reminded me of Aria at points actually) are frequent reminders that it shouldn’t be taken one hundred per cent seriously though. If there were more episodes maybe we’d see more of the political and legal wranglings surrounding the conflict but the focus of the story wisely only brings this up in the context of the protagonist’s experiences.
I don’t think the animated incarnation of Library Wars is primarily about a civil war resulting from unrest surrounding literary and artistic censorship; for me it’s more about one girl’s efforts in finding her path in life, which is much simpler and for that reason lighter as entertainment. Needless to say I found her transformation from clumsy idealist to dedicated champion for what she believes in to be hugely entertaining - and her relationship with tsundere hero-turned-mentor Dojo was well-paced without any significant out-of-character behaviour. The dynamic between them had changed enough to be rewarding viewing but didn’t stretch things into melodrama; the romance was underplayed which I think was appropriate given that Dojo was more of someone to aspire to in Kasahara’s eyes, rather than some sort of love interest.
I suppose you could argue that this is the typical rites-of-passage, slice of life story complete with exam worries, college dorm bullies and that old Hard Work and Guts ethos but when stories are being generic like this, it makes their experiences easier to relate to. Kasahara’s character (given life by the remarkably versatile Marina Inoue) is a really engaging one what with her no-nonsense tomboyish drive to succeed, tempered with everygirl dips in confidence. I didn’t think her clumsiness was overdone either, and the tears can be explained by the fact that she is indeed very ordinary and the underlying reasons for placing herself in a gruelling and occasionally dangerous sitation stem from a life-changing experience. If you love books you’d understand, right?
Although the comedy and drama is the sort of thing we often see in school-based slice of life shows I found this to be a refreshing change because of the characters’ ages, as in the likes of Moyashimon. Instead of stories in a high school setting, they are at a stage in life in which decisions on their careers have to be made here and now - in this case with a more interesting backdrop but nevertheless are closer to my own time of life and experiences. I guess the more conformist nature of Japanese society makes the Task Force’s ethos more noteworthy: they operate in a grey area of the law but scenes such as those featuring Kasahara’s distressed mother highlight how she is being a bit of a rebel…all because some fighter for justice impressed her so much as a youth. Basically Kasahara is joining an armed group opposed to government policy because of that firmly-held belief in doing the right thing.
The military aspect of the show worked well for me too, not least because we have the peaceful environs of libraries and art galleries literally side-by-side with armed confrontations in the streets of towns and cities: warfare is brought right into everyday life and up to the doors of the establishments they are fighting over. The small scale of these incidents allows for adequate attention devoted to individual characters in the line of fire too; this localised approach to depicting the conflict makes it more real somehow and reminds us why the likes of Kasahara are risking their lives.
Toshokan Sensou isn’t the sort of show I’d pre-order as soon as the DVDs are announced or hail as a landmark in its genre; I’ll wait for the box set when it’s on special offer or something. I laughed at Kasahara’s antics and was interested enough in her motives and the alternate history timeline without feeling like I was being made to think too hard, which is I think the best thing about the B-list shows. It’s not a series to shout about but I’m still glad I didn’t drop it.
It also got me around to reading Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, which is downright excellent. Go read it. ^_^
Posted on July 27th, 2008 @ 9:57 pm
In exchange I will give you a show on my B-list; Futakoi Alternative (since it is from 2005 and not on your MyAnimeList). It is somewhat odd and definitely something that you would not find outside of anime. (Btw, do not judge it based on the first episode, nor on the series Futakoi for that matter.)
Posted on July 28th, 2008 @ 1:34 am
B-list sums it up pretty well. It had me thinking I was getting into a pollitical action thriller with the first episode, but ultimately it turned out to be firmly in the slice of life genre. It didn’t push any genre boundaries or have much in the way of memorable moments, but it kept up decent level of quality. Not a bad watch at all.
Posted on July 28th, 2008 @ 4:35 am
Maybe I can be accused of going into a show expecting one thing and rejecting it when it becomes another, but for me this show was a disappointment. Being a librarian myself and experiencing a few book battles (both outside and inside the library, though no one I’m aware of was packing heat) I was intrigued by what the series would say about these issues. The answer: not much, though Kasahara’s anger at a coworker writing a negative review was a nice twist. Furthermore, while I could swallow the concept of a government that allowed two of its departments to shoot at each other, it suggested a more absurd, or at least, a satirical storyline. Instead it settled into slice of life. Okay, except for me Kasahara’s struggles and growth seemed generic, like it could have been in any number of series. The romance was well-handled, apart from the maudlin final ep. And none of the other characters or subplots seemed to come to fruition. They were half-developed and then forgotten.
A shame. I had high hopes for this series!
Posted on July 28th, 2008 @ 7:47 am
At least you can enjoy this; I found most of it boring and illogical, but perhaps you’re right in saying that the show is more about Kasahara’s character development. I’m also glad that the characters didn’t go overboard with their behaviour, but I still did find it to be quite dull. Although it kind of annoyed me every time Kasahara cried, it did prove that she was like a ‘real’ person, and it’s not like she’s one of those anime characters that can beat the living daylights out of someone. I could not see anything serious about this series, even the entire war and trying to save books; I just found it ridiculous despite how much I really do like books. I don’t like it how realistic characters are combined with an ‘unrealistic’ story-line. However, there were parts that I did find funny and enjoyable, but mostly it just passed bearable.
Posted on July 28th, 2008 @ 5:26 pm
I tend to agree with your assessment, and viewing TS as a character-driven show instead of a really serious show about guns and books is the key to enjoying the show. I didn’t mind Iku’s crying since she was put in some tough situations, and it’s not like she was a pushover or anything. For many people, I think TS fell into a sort of uncanny valley, as Blissmo suggests.
Posted on July 30th, 2008 @ 6:26 pm
@buster_machine: duly noted. I can’t promise when I’ll get chance to watch it, but I’ll try to find the time sooner or later!
@wildcard: I think it worked better as a slice-of-life…I think it’s better to keep things simple unless it’s more than twelve or so eps. I did enjoy this series, I must admit.
@Peter S: I was in two minds about that final ep too, although the way it ended was quite satisfying. I think this was supposed to be a satire of censorship and so on, but making it into a full-on armed conflict made you want to take it a bit more seriously. That said, it’s not the worst example of mixing comedy and realism I’ve seen. You work for a library? Lucky you!
@blissmo: Kasahara’s personality carried the show I think. It needed someone so full of enthusiasm and ambition to make up for the absurdity that surrounds her I guess. The way she went through tears, embarrassment and grim determination certainly made it watchable.
@kabitzin: Cheers. I like the Uncanny Valley concept too…I’m sure I’ll find a use for it in an editorial or something. The fact that Kasahara was neither overly heroic or overly weak struck a great balance in terms of her character.