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Poyopoyo Kansatsu Nikki
Anime Review
Poyo Poyo wouldn't work as a full-length series. The main gag of the series, which is repeated many different ways, is that Poyo is a cat who looks more like a stuffed, round pillow than a feline creature. As cute as Poyo is, there is just no way to mine that premise for much drama. However, as a charming distraction with two-and-half minute long episodes, presented in a unique watercolor style, Poyo Poyo has no need for any drama: it's just fun.
Based on the four-panel manga Poyopoyo Kansatsu Nikki by Ruu Tatsuki, at first the series seems to have a lot in common with that other cute-kitty series, Chi's Sweet Home. However, Poyo Poyo is a different ball of fur. While Chi's series is about Chi, full stop, Poyo is just one member of the ensemble on his show. Sometimes the episodes are all about Poyo, but they're also about Moe, the vivacious if slightly obsessive young woman who adopts Poyo, her long-suffering younger brother Hide, their taciturn father and the cheerful old woman who lives next door with Kurobe, her own cat. As the cast expands further, just as many of the laughs come from the interaction of the human cast members as Poyo, Kurobe and the other cats.
Poyo himself is a bit of a cypher, meaning we don't know what he's going to do at any given point. Where did this mysterious cat come from, and why is he so round? Why does he drive Hide crazy? Why is he so protective of Kurobe? And will Moe ever succeed in getting his picture in Cat Fancy Magazine when all the editors assume he's a pillow? The premise may be simple, but creative use of the main character keeps it from being boring.
The series features a minimalistic, almost amateurish-looking watercolor style, but somehow it just works. Instead of looking slapdash, the imprecisely rendered pastel-colored backdrops just exude charm, as though you're seeing the world through the lens of children's drawings. The characters are all cute as a button, and the whole feel of the series is uniformly pleasant. Sure, nothing much ever really happens, but there's some cleverness to go along with the cuteness, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a more enjoyable way to spend two and half minutes.
Some viewers are bound to find Poyo Poyo pointless, and it's hard to argue: you're unlikely to ever meet anyone who'll tell you that Poyo Poyo changed their life. In fact, you'd have a hard time finding a series that was more fluffy and insubstantial. However, what the show delivers is a tiny little dose of sunshine, perfectly calibrated to make you feel just a little bit better about your day, and as far as we're concerned, there will always be room for that on our watch list.
Poyo Poyo is currently available streaming on Crunchyroll.
Reviewed by Karen Gellender, July 2012
Below: Scenes from Poyopoyo Kansatsu Nikki.
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