Mayonaka Punch

Is Mayonaka punch the best show of the season? no. Is it a show that will fundamentally cause people to reevaluate how they live their lives particularly in regards to the para-social relationships they form with internet personalities? also no. What Mayonaka Punch is is a consistently well animated, funny, high speed show with genuine sincere heart and a cast of, though shallow, energetic easy to like characters. Throughout the season it confused me as to why the score for the show was so low. It definitely didn't deserve to be up there with the all time classic shows but there were plenty of objectively worseshows airing at the same time and seasons prior that exceeded its score dramatically. That and the general seeming disinterest in the show entirely on social media were both conundrums I couldn't find the reason for. but now that its all said and done I can say with some confidence that yes. Its not the next big thing but anybody who takes the time to sit with the show can and will find some joy in the way it presents both its characters and the daily life of trying to cut it big on the internet. Fundamentally though the story is about finding acceptance through those whose opinions matter. People who like you for you. Not pleasing strangers who don't know what happens behind the scenes in your own life. Every character deals with this. Weather its Fu's unwillingness to sing because she felt like she let her friend down. Ichiko not wanting to lose her second home because the family who chose to eat a meal with her even though they don't need food. OR the de-facto MC Masaki who's desire to be popular to her viewers drove her to lashing out against her friends and internalize negative comments made about her despite the people around her telling her shes enough. Its the through line that holds the story together and makes it more than just a rough attempt at "youtuber" slice-of-life. It consistently balances funny bits. Quick blink and you'll miss it visual gags and genuine dramatic moments that will have you maybe not crying but illicit a sniff and knows when to pump the brakes on the humor to not undercut these moments. All to lead to a finished product that for an anime original will get you excited to see what they'll do next. Mayonaka Punch isnt a 10/10, its probably not even a 9/10. but its sure as hell better than a 7/10 and I can only hope that the more people who watch it will feel the same way cause this is a rare original piece of work that doesn't overstay its welcome but also knows that it has more story to tell if they want to choosing to wrap up satisfyingly without committing to a hard stop to the characters and it world.

One of the greatest anime ever made. It's no exaggeration when I say that Mayonaka Punch is one of the best anime in the industry, the proposal is very innovative, taking a current topic in society, which is the creation of content for the internet and the mental health of the influencer, mixing it with a more comical theme, which are vampires. Mayonaka Punch is very good because it presents a protagonist with charisma and personality, she never went through some crude redemption arc and some moral lesson changed her personality, on the contrary, the "redemption arc" only helps shape her personality even more In additionto bringing good experiences to the viewer, the arcs are all done in an intriguing way, in a somewhat chaotic rhythm, which suits the "internet" theme covered. I thought the production was very good, the direction never left anything to be desired, all the characters have striking features and the world itself is very alive and well-paced. The anime is exceptional in delivering what it proposes to the viewer, the sad scenes are sad, the funny scenes are funny, the plot twists are shocking and the anime holds up very well. I believe that for me, this anime is one of the ones that gives a good vibe to watch, as it is very easy to get attached to the characters, one point that I love is that this anime is not made to be commercial, it is not a script created to sell and have generic things that we see in all current animes, it is a carefully written script that took great care in bringing all the characters into the anime. This anime will definitely make me miss watching it on Mondays, I hope for a second season as soon as possible.

You know what we need more of? Violent, mean girls with an awful personality as the main protagonists. The moment Mayonaka Punch opened with Masakichi socking a girl right in the jaw, I know I was in love. Mayonaka Punch is about the business of YouTubing and dealing with being cancelled. Shockingly, despite how wrote this premise is by now, the show manages to keep fresh and doesn't treat its audience like brainless numbskulls in need of simulation every two minutes (coughVtubercough). Even more surprising is how it manages to pull off some pretty good character drama and have it stick without taking away fromthe overall core of the show. It even pulls off the "Antagonist joins the protagonist's group briefly for the finale" much better than Na Nare ever did by writing in actual foreshadowing and having said antagonist not be a no name character out of nowhere. The real star of the show really is Masakichi. You don't know how tiring it is to go through so many shows where the MC's personality is either "Bored, too good for the world" or "Naive and dumb but kind hearted". No, fuck that, Violent bitches with anger issues are what makes shows like these interesting. Even after being cancelled, she still punches people every now and then with actual consequences to her actions. But, it is fascinating and surprisingly heartwarming to see her interactions with the rest of the cast, her former fans, how she treats her family, and her character growth from "Reimu but less mean" to "Almost a decent person". And again, despite its premise, the show does showcase a lot of creativity with regards to its scenarios. Most of them hilarious, with that one Fuu episode just making me feel miserable inside. Somehow, whenever comedies do one-off sudden drama episodes, they usually stick with you more than usual. Even the occasional weird Youtube short videos are fun to watch and are pretty much essential viewing, though personally its where I think they dump some of the more boring ideas (ie the actual video parts from the show) to keep the actual show's pacing tight. The director's own bizarre videos on the other hand, now those are absolutely essential. Mayonaka Punch is that rare anime original (and rare as in not associated with some multi-media project, or some tourism ad for a prefecture no one visits) that punches above its weight (and punches a lot of other things too). A tightly paced show with great comedy, some decent character drama, and tons of unpredictable moments. Oh and there are Vampires too. Thought I should mention that. 8/10

Mayonaka Punch - The wannabe YouTuber breakout that has potential to be humbled and branch out onto another...with fang-like consequences and an ego that just surmounts insanity, just to break even. There're stakes when one does to obfuscate everything for fame and recognition, and in this Summer season, there're 2 routes that you can choose to pursue: either follow the unfiltered route of VTuber Legend through Yuki Tanaka a.k.a Awayuki "Shuwa" Kokorone, or go to the extreme to face cancel culture head-on with one of 3 P.A. Works shows of the season: Mayonaka Punch, bringing back the two-fer maestro that is director Shu Honma and series composerHideaki Shirasaka on the basis of the unexpected wave of success following the adaptation of mangaka Ryou Ogawa's Paripi Koumei a.k.a Ya Boy Kongming! just prior in Spring 2022. Can they strike another success with the difference of "it's not about the destination, it's about the journey"? I believe so. In the world of AniManga, characters do go far to what they want to achieve based on their dreams and ambitions, but sometimes, this also fuels the worst of what's to come from them to the point of near-unsalvageableness. Yet, this is exactly the scenario for NewTuber Masaki Sonoue alongside her collaborators of Kikka and Otomi being part of the popular Harakiri Sisters a.k.a Hyped-Up Sisters channel, who actually get along well until one of them decides to break that mould and exit the group to cause a scandal, citing incompatibility due to personality differences (you can very well guess who was the one who started the fiasco). With the black face and a reputation that is the rationale of being blacklisted online, Masaki has no choice but to move on to find the next big sensation, which is where she'll eventually meet a vampire preying on human blood, who ends up naturally preying on her blood instead. Instead of getting eaten alive, Masaki has a proposition for said vampire: "Help me get viral to a million subs, and you can have my blood for all you want." The deal is struck, and signals the very beginnings for Masaki's return to the online NewTube presence, alongside said vampire of Live and her group of vampires who are full of idiocy, who can actually get the job done, thereby naming their channel as Mayonaka Punch a.k.a MayoPan. At first, the vampires' HQ of an abandoned manor that they redecorated and called it their own, the Banpai Manor, is a resort for vampires who got roped into the same place as a way to let their higher-ups manage them. And it's no short of the supernatural comedy that this group of eccentric vampires bring to the table to help Masaki achieve her rather lofty million subs goal. But it's with the context of the Hyped-Up Sisters scandal that Masaki has, that she is relegated to the behind-the-scenes editing department, giving Live and the fellow vampires their time to shine in front of the camera. The vampires of MayoPan, ranging from said matriarch herself, who is the goal-setter willing to do whatever it takes to feed on Masaki's blood, to the likes of the little child chef that is Ichiko, the shy Fujoshi-obsessive teenager that is Fu, the gambling addict that is Tokage, and even their supervisor of Shigeyuki, who keeps their vampire traits covered at all times, MayoPan has quite the diversity of characters who are and aren't as willing to be part of Masaki's shtick. Regardless, it's this interaction where it's a learning journey for Masaki, being the brash runt that she is scorned for trying to instigate a fight with one of the Hyped-Up Sisters, to be humbled by the vampires who were all willing to make her shine, but also have fun in the video-making process as well, even if things don't go as planned in the pursuit of achieving a million subscribers, and for a very good reason at that too. If anything, the character writing for MayoPan is its strongest asset. I love stories of redemption, and one look at Masaki and how she's transformed from her rude awakening, just really warms the cockles of my heart that someone who was so arrogant and selfish from the beginning, could turn into someone who looks at the big picture and realizes that there's some enjoyment to be had. It's the adage of "live, laugh, love" that carries Mayonaka Punch and makes the utmost difference from the time-pressurized plot of a million subs, against the journey to reach that goal itself, which says more than your average show that does it all, and ultimately came down to nothing. I'm looking at you, Na Nare Hana Nare, the other P.A. Works show that tries so hard that it fails at even doing something right. Out of all 3 P.A. Works shows this Summer season, Mayonaka Punch definitely has its own quirks, being a dark, but not too gritty premise that director Shu Honma took his expertise from Ya Boy! Kongming and flex it all the more with his only 2nd directorial series, and it shows how venturous he can go when the sky's the limit (a pun on vampires not being able to fly too high that ordinary humans can spot them). Similar to Fall 2022's Akiba Meido Sensou a.k.a Akiba Maid War, P.A. Works going the far end to produce another show in a similar vein does give the anime quite the trajectory that you would not expect to see from the studio itself. I would love more experimental series from the studio itself, if given the producers chance to "exploit" P.A. Works and show off more than just the bright-coloured nuances that we're so used to these days. The OST is interesting enough, though there's one flaw, and that's not having enough of it. While the OP goes for the pimp of the current trend of video content done bombasticly to a degree that it doesn't feel crowded at all, thankfully, it's the ED that captured my attention all the more, because making a song out of commentary speech is not easy, and Masaki's VA Ikumi Hasegawa nailed that perfectly. While not being on the same insanity level that is VTuber Legend, Mayonaka Punch honestly doesn't need to tip-toe with the rivalry despite showcasing similar content, and is still, at the end of the day, a series that demands another look if you've given it the pass at the beginning. It may feel undercooked at the beginning, but it's all done with intention that makes you feel feelings of humanity restored and the hidden potential that the series will eventually cook to become a competent series. I too had doubts about the series being on its two feet at the start, but it slowly dawned on me that characterization can still make or break the show, and Mayonaka Punch deserves that underrated recognition. Crazy or not, Mayonaka Punch is a show that's not just all about the whack, but also about trusting people to enjoy the process together. And honestly, it's warranted.

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