"Hai Domo, kids! Let's all come together and do a charismatimgly cute children's show to the audience! A--B--C, A--B--C, A..to...Z!" *switches off the TV* So that's your real shell of a dark personality huh? Uramichi Oniisan can just be summed up in these one-word caricatures: (simply *chef's kiss*) amazing, comical, wholesome (if you understood the show's intents), magnifiquely magnificent (all-around). It's "Expectations vs. Reality" in the most dark, crude stance of a satirical parody, or as I like to call it in a better light: "Adulting/Adulthood" the Animation. It's OK because the "OK Boomers" young generation will absolutely not understand how #Relatable this show is toyoung adults in their late 20s or adults in their early 30s (of which I am one, hands up if you belong to the Millennial generation) who have gone through this stage of handling jobs and juggling life at the same time, and now passing this knowledge down to children. How depressing can your life be when you've reached the point of no return?
Uramichi Oniisan tells the story of 31-year old Uramichi Omota, a lively and bubbly adult imitating the parody of Okaasan to Issho, a children's television program on Japan's largest TV network NHK (that's the children's arm of NHK Educational TV for ya), dubbed "Together with Maman" on MHK, also a gymnastics show for children. In truth, he is the same 31-year-old guy who was a former gymnast with a really good smile and physique, but with a caveat: he is mentally unstable. He can get away with his upbeat personality on camera, but off-camera, his life is reduced to an old man's activity of some heavy smoking and drinking while doing his muscle training hobby at times. But if there's one thing that you do not want to do: point the facts out, or Uramichi Oniisan will bite the hell out of you with his culminating depression. That's a life lesson to be taught.
Uramichi Oniisan is not alone though, he has helpers performing alongside him, and display the same fervor of lifelessness that's simiarly identical or less worse than what Uramichi is going through: his juniors of Tobikichi Usahara and Mitsuo Kumatani, both 28-years old and are once Uramichi's juniors in college, and formerly music actors 27-year old Iketeru Daga and and 32-year old Utano Tadano. What I love about their names is that mangaka Gaku Kuze has a legit reason why he has given these very memorable and likable characters names as such. See the simiarlities: Uramichi full name implies a double-faced personality (inner and outer side), Tobikichi plays the rabbit mascot "Usao" while Mitsuo plays the bear mascot "Kumao", and get this: Iketeru's full name is a pun meaning "But I'm handsome" while Utano's means "Just a singer". There's more though: "Together with Maman"'s director Tekito Derekida meaning careless director, Furitsuke Capellini meaning a literate capellini (pasta)-haired choreographer, to name a few. What insane creativity is this!?
Uramichi Oniisan has a caveat that strikes the "Home Run" effect of being very likeable: the stacked VA character cast that accompanies the entire character cast in their conquest to become the most boring, unequivocal, yet realistic human beings that we've come to love. Hiroshi Kamiya for Uramichi, Tomokazu Sugita for Usahara, Yuuichi Nakamura for Kumatani, Miyano Mamoru for Iketeru, Nana Mizuki for Utano, the list goes on and on. It's just pure undulated, unfiltered, uncensored dark comedic vibes for the realism of knowing what's in the minds of adults, and how like Uramichi, can slowly burst his misery to the children who has to bear the heavy burdens from an adult teaching them mature life values while on-set. The on-set children under the Oniisans and Utano Oneesan though, I love the children who can just ask them hard questions taught from their parents, and to slowly see the creeps befall their faces, drooping down in quietness, trying their best to not be coercive to the children who still have a long life to go. Also, this show always defaults on its running gags, which can be tiresome on repeat, but IMO it's a blast to see such "atrocities" ensue. For example, Tobikichi always bad-mouths Uramichi to the point of sheer terror if exposed; Iketeru always shudders in laughter when he hears "dick jokes", always thinks of rice balls and is unable to read analog watches; and Utano's the saddest of all: she's an idol job hopper-cum-singer, and has a boyfriend of 6 years whom is unpopular. Yikes, talk about a hundred feet drop there.
Uramichi Oniisan's production values aren't really the best, but if all it does is to adapt Gaku Kuze's manga content to a T (which it did), then I'm more than happy enough. For reference, the manga's visuals are quite simple with not a lot of attention to detail (well, just a teeny bit), so getting a low budget studio such as Studio Blanc is of no difficult manner. A fun fact that this marks the first individual-produced show for the studio in over 10 years (while 2011's Ro-Kyu-Bu! and 2017's Shobitch are co-animated shows, plus some OVAs rounding up its miniscule works list). There's not a whole lot to say about the dull visuals because it's just that to translate the manga onto the small screen as decent as it could be, but it's viable enough. The music though I must say is an acquired taste, but a well-rounded set with the duet of the singer actors Iketeru Oniisan (Mamoru Miyano) and Utano Oneesan (Nana Mizuki) for the OP, and Mamoru Miyano for the ED. The clicking kids and adult contrast vibes are there, and I absolutely love it.
Uramichi Oniisan, it pains me to see that this show is not as popular in the mainstream, but that's OK because this show fits to a certain demographic of people who can vibe what the anime is all about, me included. This is just pure abject, hilarious parodied creativity of levels I've honestly never seen before in anime, and in such a low-key series as Uramichi Oniisan, I'm very dumbfounded as to how this series manages to lay low under the radar to become one of my guilty favourites of the Summer season. It's been long since I've had my share of pure, unadulterated laughter (after last season's "Dragon, Ie wo Kau."), and more people should give this a chance (especially to the Millennials), you're truly missing out on a modern cult-following show that is a comedic, heart and gut-wrenching suckerpunch to your eternalistic reality.
OmOmelettea
February 8, 2025
Recommended
If I could share my home screen picture widgets and keyboard wallpaper, that itself would have summed up on how I feel about Uramichi Oniisan. Uramichi-san, Marry Me. Basically an anime about the daily life of a working class adult, but with a touch of realism (instead of the goofy comedy trope). You wake up, got to work, eat, go home. 5 times a week excluding weekends except the typical involuntary UNPAID overtime when the boss calls you up asking, which the answer will always be Yes, that he needs help. "Ah for the company, it is our duty as a hard working employee to makesure the company prosper in good will!" as we exclaimed with our coworkers knowing the boss is listening in the background, while inside we are screaming wishing death to reap our souls.
(is this a review or am I just complaining about life?)
Well if you are a working civilian with similar habits as the characters, you will definitely enjoy the anime. Like hey, we all need a comfort show that can represent our frustrations towards work-life, this is it.
All-while the struggles to mask a smile while lying to our feelings. In order to not only please those we are working with but also the kids we are responsible to work with for the day. Dealing with stubborn co-workers or those who gossip behind our backs. The characters are amazing to put up such a front in the workplace.
Amazing? "We're just being professional, there's nothing to gloat about. It's all for survival in order to live in this society that cares more about representation rather than our feelings." is what Uramichi taught me :D And more about the true harsh reality of life is what he teaches the kids he works with. Although Uramichi is depressing most of the time, he admits the kids can be a shinning star in his mist. The rest of the characters he works with are as interesting, although sometimes they can be a bother, Uramichi is as caring as can be when dealing with them.
That's all from me. By the way the guy is RIPPED kyaaaaaaaa XD
"this guy is nothing more than a boring man that has nothing going on in his life except his obsession with working out 24/7" -Uramichi's coworkers last words
bubulkyhog
September 27, 2021
Recommended
Where do you see yourself in your early adulthood? Whether that’s 5, 10, or maybe even 20 years from now, it’s always hard to predict what you’ll be like in the future. Do you envision success? Have you accomplished all your dreams? Are you living a fulfilling life? Or are you someone like me, who sees an uncertain future. Sure I have my goals, and I’d like to think I’m pretty motivated and driven. But after doing a year of online school in university and interning in the summer, I’ve begun to question whether or not I’d actually enjoy an 80 hour workweek under one ofthe MBB firms despite the great pay it’d offer.
What will I be doing for the next 10, 20, 30+ years after finishing university?
I think until you’ve started having these existential thoughts and worked through the toils of university/internships/part-time jobs, you won’t be able to fully appreciate the beauty behind the tragic dark-comedy of Uramichi Oniisan.
I think this is one of the best anime this season. Not just for its comedy, but also the context behind it: the struggles of early adulthood. A time where you’d expect one to be burning with passion in a job you love, pursuing and accomplishing your goals. Instead, for you, me, and the majority of others who read this, we will be sorely disappointed.
What makes Uramichi Oniisan so incredible is its cast of tragic characters. Stuck in jobs they don’t (entirely) love, working to meet the ridiculous demands of their superiors for little rewards, and constantly left wondering what went wrong with their life.
While we see time and time again that Uramichi and his co-stars would prefer any other job, they continue coming back day after day to appease the little bundles of joy and hope before them. This foil between depressed adults and energetic children is refreshing every time it’s brought up because it’s so true. While I only briefly worked as a camp leader in high school, it’s exhausting putting in your all to make young kids happy. A sentiment shared by all the lead performers.
Yet, I’ve found that there’s catharsis in this kind of work, no matter how tiring it gets. This is why Uramichi shows up every day because even though he’s lost hope in himself, these young innocent kids still blindly believe in him. So as to not disappoint them and ensure they don’t turn out like him, he drags his ass outta bed every day at 6 am. It’s a stark reminder that life won’t always work out how you’d like, but you have no option other than to continue to push onwards and face whatever challenges head your way.
It’s up to you to decide if you’ll become an Uramichi who’s depressed and lost all hope, or if you’ll continue chasing your dreams with the same passion you had while you were younger.
Uramichi is a great show for the comedy. But once you’ve gathered enough life experience or reached a certain age, the intent behind the dark-comedy and gags hits different and makes you appreciate the series in a different light. You’d be hard-pressed to find another comedy series out there that can also be appreciated for its deeper themes and central message, and this rare perceptiveness is what sets Uramichi Oniisan apart from so many other similar shows.
“You may not be able to live for someone else, but it’d be nice if you chose to live in a way in which you don’t blame others.” - one of many gems dropped throughout the show by our beloved gymnast oniisan.
