Anthology

Anthology is an anime series unlike any I have seen before. The most similar anime that I’ve seen is “My Neighbors the Yamadas” — and even that is radically different. Truth be told, I don’t care very much for this series, as well over half the episodes ultimately seem to be about how much it sucks to live in a Japanese apartment complex, due to quirky and unfriendly neighbors. The other half often deal with relative poverty or other trying finacial circumstances. I believe this is referred to as “slice of life” by some, but it reminds me more of the excitement of watching the grass grow.

Each episode of Anthology is it’s own story. Many series have done something similar with varying degrees of success, but the format doesn’t work all that well here. Why should we care about the person who’s having difficulty with the ridgedly enforced rules in her apartment complex? What connects us to these new characters? Some are memorable (the executive who takes a part time job in a diner) most are not. Even the episodes that are interesting come across as gimicky (a 90-year old women develops psychic powers and can fly).

If you have no other anime to watch, Anthology is still better than nothing. It has some memorable and enjoyable moments. With far better series available, however, and more being churned out all the time, I recommend spending your time on something else.