In the Heart of Kunoichi Tsubaki

GG-WP★ 10

Different ED versions ☑️ Introduce new characters and their corresponding VAs. ☑️ ED theme design changes every time ☑️ Outstanding animation (As expected of Cloverworks) ☑️ Nice plot (Not necessarily since that isn't the show's primary goal) ☒ This show has it all, from introducing a new trio of characters in each episode to showcasing the day-to-day lives of several girls who live in a ninja village, train and study, and occasionally do adorable things. Each episode is separated into two short storylines, each of which focuses on a different team and occasionally moves the plot ahead (Excluding the anime original finale episode). The Dog Squad, led by Tsubaki, iscentral to the plot of the show. What is nice about this show is that the character interactions, the funny humor and gags, and the occasional "otoko" tease moments don't seem forced and never fail to put a smile on the viewers' faces. Despite the fact that each episode has little to no plot because the show is essentially CGDCT with added comedy, we can see the characters grow, learn more about their backgrounds, and how they came to be the way they are. Nothing more can be said about the show except that the ratings do not do the overall quality of the show and the enjoyment each episode provides its viewers justice. The show isn't for everyone, but it does a good job for the audience it is aimed at. I would strongly recommend people who are both not and are fans of these types of anime to give it a try. The show will not disappoint you. I hope a season 2 isn't just a pipe dream.

GakutoDeathGlare★ 9

Souichirou Yamamoto sure loves his foreheads. From the creator of Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san, an incredibly entertaining romcom between two adolescents, here comes Kunoichi Tsubaki no Mune no Uchi, a CGDCT/slice of life series which also boasts a lovely character with an impressive brow. The plot revolves around a village hidden in some mountains, made up of young female ninja in training and their select few teachers. Split into squads of 3-4 girls each, they go about their daily lives, whether it be practicing new jutsu, classroom studies, foraging for food or simply playing around. The catch is that these young ninja in training have neverseen a Male in person and have no knowledge whatsoever about the opposite sex and have been forbidden from their superiors from finding out anything about them. A lot of misinformation and rumors are spread about their appearance, smell, etc, which leads to humorous antics and jokes being told between these ignorant kids. Seemingly only Tsubaki, the main heroine in this anime, is curious enough to find out whether these actually hold true. It works well, because there's always that hanging anticipation of if/when they will finally come into contact with a Man and what will proceed to follow. Like Takagi-san, it's a tease, but in a completely different manner. Yamamoto's character designs are becoming some of my favorite in anime, they are so incredibly noticeable and unique, one of the premier makers of adorable characters today. There are a sizeable group of kunoichi in this village that we get to see often and they are all so intricate, individual and well made. They're also not just relegated to the background for most of the anime, they often play a role in these mini stories. I say mini stories, because this anime generally splits it's episode into three parts, similar to Takagi-san, so we get to see a wide range of activity from a lot of characters. And this is a massive positive for me, Tsubaki and her squad are most certainly the main characters and have the most screen time, but it would have been tragic not to spend more notice on these great side characters who each have distinctive personalities themselves. And to think we're blessed with yet another Yamamoto work this Summer 2022 season, Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru, I'm expecting good things. There are a couple of gripes that I've noticed from other posters which I will quickly address here, and that is mostly about the humor and the supposed fan service. "Irritable, simplistic and repetitive jokes about how Men are gross, ugly and the likes are annoying". What can I really say here? This sounds like a fragile ego complaint and I struggle to take it seriously, but I can tell you that Men being the butt of their jokes does take a decrease in appearance past the 3rd or so episode. Happy now? You won't need your tissues anymore? Awesome. "Men are gross" is only one gag in this show, there's plenty more to choose from. As for the fan service, the only fan service in this anime are the skimpy outfits that some of the characters wear on a daily basis, which could be uncomfortable for some considering that they are underage (around 13-14). That's about as far as it goes sexualization wise, save for one little arc where the theme revolves around attractiveness. Won't be a problem for some, especially for desensitized fellows like myself, who have watched too many anime too even bat an eyelid here. But there's the warning. There's some skin shown. No quarrels with the animation for the most part, there are 1-2 episodes where the dip in quality is pretty noticeable, but it stays fairy consistent throughout. Vibrant contrast of colors are everywhere, it's very aesthetic. The seiyuu talent on hand is exceedingly apparent as well, an incredible range of voices on display, my personal favorite would have to be Sazanka, voiced by Miyari Nemoto, which is amazingly her first ever anime she has worked on! I will definitely be looking forward to her future works. These episodes felt like ten minutes, if that's not an indication of an entertaining series, then I don't know what is. 9/10 for a personal top 3 AOTS.