Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time! Today we’re checking out something new, as we explore the first episode of Yuyushiki, a show I know virtually nothing about. In fact, I know so little about Yuyushiki that it’s probably time for a little research, just to see what I should be looking out for. Back in a moment!

Alright, I’m back. SO. Yuyushiki is a 4koma adaptation by Kinema Citrus, a smaller studio created by former members of BONES and Production I.G., whose relatively brief history includes such highlights as Scorching Ping Pong Girls, Made in Abyss, and Revue Starlight. Yuyushiki in particular is directed by the mysteriously attributed “Kaori,” whose work on shows like Endro!, How to Keep a Mummy, and Ping Pong Girls would seem to make her a perfect fit for these sorts of clubroom shenanigans. And with an equally accomplished series composer with a strong degree in Aikatsu, and animation directors who’ve spearheaded projects like Heaven’s Feel and Macross Delta, it seems like Yuyushiki is equipped with excellent key staff on all fronts. I still don’t really know what it’s about, but that’s not really the point of slice of life, is it? Let’s dive right in!

Episode 1

As appropriate for a slice of life, we open with an array of gentle establishing shots, offering us partial glimpses of a quiet bedroom, complemented by the sound of a bird chirping in the distance. Through these we are naturally integrated into the show’s initial tone of peace and anticipation

Our first heroine isn’t sure she looks good in her school uniform. Given how these shows’ dynamics usually work out, by that alone, I can basically assume she’s the responsible yet insecure member of the trio, who will soon be joined by the energetic, sporty one, as well as the airheaded goofy one. I don’t know if Azumanga Daioh actually established this dynamic, but the contrast of the Tomo-Yomi-Osaka dynamic shows up again and again in slice of life shows. K-On!’s an easy example, with Ritsu-Mio-Yui forming the core triangle, and Mugi just sort of floating around as an agent of chaos on the periphery. Or Nichijou, with Yuko-Mio-Mai

“Yuzuko will laugh at me. Yukari… I’ll have to lock down her cellphone.” Ooh, are the three leads already friends? That’s a little unusual

Some very nice character acting as our heroine leaves her bedroom – I always like when a show is able to maintain a lot of personality and weight in simplified, mid-distance character shots. K-On! excelled at that

Some lovely pinks for these backgrounds. The aggressive symmetry of this shot’s background brings to mind Shaft’s slice of life works

We now meet our second heroine, who has pink hair, and is undoubtedly the energetic/gremlin member of the trio

Apparently the blond girl is named Yui

Her nefarious scheming is sidetracked when she realizes there’s a CAT beside her. This girl’s got strong Yuko Nichijou vibes, which is always a good sign

And now we meet number three, with purple hair. She lives in a massive house, so I’m guessing “space cadet ojousama” is her general deal

Their different hair styles all fit their archetypes quite well – Yui’s pigtails echo her childish insecurity, pink’s short-cropped hair is spunky and aggressive, and this girl’s long, untouched hair implies both wealth and a certain degree of laziness

“I’m tired. Don’t wanna go.” Yep, I think I got it

Oh my god, this wall gag is fantastic. Her lazy “oh no, I’m falling” as the camera tilts is so good, and the anticlimax of hitting the wall is perfect. Okay, that was one excellent joke in your column, Yuyushiki

She’s Yukari, and pink is Yuzuko

Pretty standard OP, with some nice typography, and also another trio of girls who all have realistic hair tones. Huh

“Now We’re High School Students”

Damn, nice differentiation of their walking postures here. This show seems to like its leg shots, using them much the way Naoko Yamada tends to: revealing someone’s personality and mental state unfiltered by the composure we apply to our facial expressions

Yui seems to assign herself the role of the responsible one, but actually enjoys her friends’ affection

She is resolutely Not A Dreamer. Nice expression work for her popping her friends’ fantasy bubbles

This isn’t full-on healing, but it’s pretty close; most of the jokes are fairly mild, and more about creating a cozy atmosphere than a laugh-out-loud punchline. Sequences like Yukari and Yuzuko just relishing how “burabura” sounds feel very true to life

I like how the well-defined upper edges of these characters’ eyes facilitate a wide range of emotions. Solid, animation-friendly character designs

Terrific sequence for Yuzuko getting stopped by the door’s theft alarm. Wonderful animation of her hesitantly rewalking through the alarm, making great use of this show’s unusually long-legged character designs

It’s not just Yui – the other two also seem to treat her as the team mom

Yuzuko and Yukari are delightful idiots. High-fiving over bad puns is the sign of an excellent friendship

Yuzuko “discreetly” nudging her way across this bench is also very good. This show has a bunch of fluid animation flourishes, and it also knows how to use them for best comedic effect. Yuzuko’s goofy body language is already proving itself to be one of the series’ most reliable weapons – she’s sort of cat-like, in that she’s frequently trying to be clever or cunning, but comes off as completely ridiculous instead

Yukari also has a specific style of motion though, as demonstrated when she gestures towards a bench. Her whole body moves in these sort of swaying motions that convey both her general lethargy, and also her unserious approach to everything

Half of this show’s dynamic is just Yui’s friends being touchy-feely and Yui blushing in response. A worthy dramatic model

“These guys are too cute to be real!” Well, yes

More convincing idle conversations here, as Yuzuko rambles about the movie trick of knocking people out with a chop to the neck, and Yui immediately jumps to defend herself

I’ve gotten used to it at this point, but it still strikes me from time to time how unusual slice of life is, in that its individual scenes frequently don’t just lack any connective narrative tissue, but actively rally against the idea of dramatic continuity. While most narratives seek to build tension across scenes, iyashikei embrace pauses and transitions that defuse tension, emphasizing the mild continuity and aimless warmth of a day spent wandering with friends

At last we introduce The Slice of Life Teacher, who seems to be an airhead this time. I like fellow airhead Yukari immediately copies her clapping trick

Calling the teacher “Mom” kinda underlines the actual role of school in shows like this. No one’s really getting an education here, they’re just hanging out with friends and occasionally soliciting Mom for advice or snacks

Apparently the “Data Processing Club” has zero members, which makes sense, because it’s the goddamn Data Processing Club

They’re really going all-out with the character acting as they introduce this club room, which combines with the anticipation-evoking piano refrain to create a strong sense that the characters have at last come upon something momentous, a place where they are in their element

“I once took an S&M quiz, and it told me I was closer to S. Yui-chan, let me hit you!” Nice silent beat here, and it’s also clear enough that Yui actually enjoys Yuzuko’s abuse

“Yui, I think you’re an M deep down, myself.” Genre subtext kinda just bubbling to the surface here

I like how frequently they frame shots such that Yuzuko is basically standing on her tiptoes to make sure she’s still in the frame

So have we arrived at the show’s actual model now? They google things and ramble about them?

Nice warm color work and lighting as we move to the late afternoon

And Done

Well, that was very pleasant. Slice of life shows aren’t usually my thing, and this wasn’t an exception – I frankly had trouble maintaining interest, and really struggled through that second half. Coziness just isn’t often what I go to art for – I’m more of a theme or character person, and if I’m going to watch something for purely aesthetic reasons, its aesthetic has to be incredible. But the cast have a solid dynamic, the art design is pleasant on the whole, and there were plenty of neat animation flourishes that amplified both the comedy and the character acting. If you’re a fan of clubroom slice of life, Yuyushiki seems like a sturdy example of the form!

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