Shiro Seijo to Kuro Bokushi

I know what you're thinking: our Dear Lord Jesus Christ loves all people regardless of sins, so how can Christianity be marketed to one of the least probable countries of the world: the Land of the Rising Sun? Given how much the religion was once persecuted in Japan as one of the most secular nations in the world, then opening up in blazes with the acceptance of other communities and denominations like Catholicism and Protestantism, it's no secret that the Japanese, primarily of either the Shinto or Buddhism faith, are particularly cautious of its approach, even in AniManga where the most prominent relation is mangakaHikaru Nakamura's acclaimed manga of Saint☆Oniisan a.k.a Saint☆Young Men. In this Summer season, there is a new challenger to share the good faith of Christian contemporaries, and that lies with author Hazano Kazutake's Shiro Seijo to Kuro Bokushi a.k.a Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence, of which he/she would go on to be one of the illustrators to the work/source material that is one of this Winter's most notable shows: Otonari no Tenshi-sama a.k.a The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten. And I've gotta say that this show is one pure, decadent Iyashikei a.k.a slow-life, slice-of-life series that is unapologetic to its nature and themes of being akin to watching and listening to Christian sermons, but if conducted in anime form. Don't let the simple nature of this show fool you into thinking that this has nothing to offer other than the simple rom-com aesthetics that's plastered everywhere, thanks to the show's titular yet peculiar MCs: Lady Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence. As expected of being figures in their small town of a close-knit community, both the Lady Saint and Pastor are the centre of attention whenever they are run into on the streets. But as soon as they're back at the church (or its more appropriate form, chapel) and communion rooms, they are not what you expect them to be: Cecilia is the Lady Saint who just wants to laze and daydream, whereas Lawrence is every bit as dense as he comes, for a fact that Cecilia adores and loves him from even close distances, but for the whack that Lawrence doesn't get things like love and romance. Yeah right, talk about keeping up the facade and converting back into their faith whenever people are involved within sight. Of course, that's not to say that both Cecilia and Lawrence have their limelight alone. Meet Lawrence's friend Abel, who's just as much as both a smart aleck and a joker, being in the same profession as fellow pastors dealing with their own issues. As to Abel's issues, he's the one doing the teaching as a home tutor, most particularly to a house of nobles: the Aldridge family with younger sister Hazelita, whose older brother Gieselbert is a rather uncomfortable sis-con obsession of a sibling. That said, Hazelita is another girl worth protecting, as her kind yet unforgiving nature sometimes creates worries for the people around her, though she is always the straight girl who sits in the middle of Cecilia and Lawrence's romantic problems. I really adore Hazelita's character quite a lot. The simple nature of the show also gives rise to one of its appeals: the mystery-fantasy factor. You see, lady saints exist to protect the people, especially those who have been given divine powers, and the people have to do the same and vice versa. But just like the world itself, which doesn't think straight, lady saints can also get persecuted if their roles are wrongly committed, and/or even worse, they can get exploited by the nobles in higher power in regard to their blessings, which is the direct discourse of a lady saint's role. This is the sole reason why Lawrence was raised to this tradition by his late grandfather since he was young, and the way that he treats Cecilia is the same for the most part, while not being completely absent from her growing feelings towards him; she treats him as her saviour for trusting in her intuition. When it comes to adapting 4-koma a.k.a 4-panel manga, Doga Kobo always finds a way to make this one of the studio's core traits, simply because they have been masters at it for years now. Simply put, the anime is pretty, gorgeously beautiful, but I can't help but feel that the art style has looked the same since Winter 2019's Watashi ni Tenshi ga Maiorita! a.k.a WataTen! An Angel Flew Down to Me (that's exclusive to 4-koma adaptations), which while isn't a bad thing to keep improving upon it, it's a formula that I have a hunch that this show will not be the last time that Doga Kobo will re-use WataTen!'s reference designs. On the music front, I've heard better songs from ClariS, not to say that their OP song here is bad. Even sasanomaly's ED song, while exhibiting the soothing Iyashikei feels, it's a simple, mellow song that does its job. Poppy, cheerful music that fans of either music artists will love, but sorry, I'm not one of them. If you hate generic rom-coms, this is definitely a show to keep away from. But above all, a rom-com with Christianity themes on display, it's a unique take on a 4-koma manga that's now 6.5 years old (as of this review). Simple shows like this get their job done right and can be downright enjoyable without any pretences or any kind of overblown drama. Heretics, be gone! Be purified in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Lady Saint; pour blessings onto everyone with this wholesome show.

A Dose of Sweetness and Diabetes! 🍰👫💘 "Shiroseijyo" is a true gem in the world of anime, and it's a "healing" experience like no other. If you're in need of a soothing, emotionally uplifting show, this is it. It's an absolute bliss, and my Wednesdays will feel emptier without it. One remarkable aspect is how "Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence" portrays Christianity in a positive light. While not explicitly named, it's clear what it represents. The saints and pastors serve as pillars of support and spiritual guidance for the community. Beyond the magical elements, it captures the essence of small 19th-century towns perfectly. The heart of the show,however, lies in the delicate and pure relationship between Cecilia and Lawrence. You can't help but root for Lawrence to realize Cecilia's affection for him. Their daily lives are filled with seemingly mundane tasks, but it's their connection that makes these activities heartwarming. It's a true "slice of life" that feels like watching two people who've found a new family in each other. While the main cast is small, Hazelita and Abel shine as side characters. Hazelita plays matchmaker behind the scenes, and the budding feelings between her and Abel add another layer of sweetness. The dynamic between Hazelita and Cecilia, as well as Abel and Lawrence, is both cool and heartwarming. Doga Kobo delivers top-notch art and animation, radiating brightness and positivity. The voice acting is spot-on, adding life to every conversation. "Shiroseijyo" creates a spiritually healing experience, making Wednesdays so much better. It's a must-watch for fans of slice of life and romance. 🌞💒❤️

This show started off well enough, but quickly fell off the rails with it's annoying and frustrating moments that eclipsed the more cuter and wholesome acts, and never really got back on track again. I was quite looking forward to this show, in an already packed Summer 2023 season. As a studio, Doga Kobo is a personal favorite of mine, so I was more than willing to check out Shiro Seijo to Kuro Bokushi. They are the creme de la creme of CGDCT and/or wholesome slow life anime at the moment, the synopsis reaffirming my feelings once again, anticipating another relaxing and funny Doga Koboadaptation. They "heal" you, so to speak, washing away the stress and exhaustion of another day of slaving away at work, unfortunately, there was no such healing this time around. The sole reason is Lawrence, one of the two main characters in this show and our Male protagonist. He's also voiced by Kaito Ishikawa, somebody that I am so sick of hearing these days, it feels like he's in every 3rd show I watch, it was a double whammy personally, punched in the gut twice. The reason I didn't like Lawrence, was simply because of how dense he was. Whether it be towards Cecilia's obvious feelings for him, friends throwing hints or questioning him, etc, it just did not matter, this dude took thick-headedness to the next level. Think of any other dense MC you know of and times that by ten, that's Lawrence. As a direct result to all this, Lawrence acts like a worried and overprotective parent all damn season, no matter what Cecilia did or didn't do, it was overbearing and frustrating to watch, which made it difficult to care or enjoy the small sparks of romance that would sporadically happen every now and then. "Seijo Sama, careful where you walk, Seijo Sama, leave some space for dinner, Seijo Sama, time to get up now, Seijo Sama Seijo Sama Seijo Sama", literally a parent taking care of a child. This sort of density wouldn't usually bother me so much, in such a laid back anime, an anime that lacks a serious plot, and I felt that way in the first couple episodes, but it really just got to be too much. It's more of a threshold thing IMO, some won't care at all, others won't be able to stand it. It seemed so counterproductive to me, you want to relax or laugh, but then Lawrence does something moronic for the 127th time, ruining any chance of relaxation lol...He does show tiny amounts of progress, and you do get something out of it in the final episode, but by then I was already long gone. It is a very aesthetically pleasing anime, I will give it that. Adorable character designs, simplistic but vibrant artwork, cozy enough soundtrack, it ticks all the boxes there. I don't think I've ever been let down by Doga Kobo in this regard. Overall, it was a pretty disappointing experience, Hazano Kazutake's first adaptation excluding artwork that they've done for other projects like "The Angel Next Door". I won't say just stick to art, but their first story was a miss for me. 5/10.

This anime has very effective healing properties. I would go as far as to say that this anime heals more than being healed by a sage in valorant. My soul has truly been cleansed and I am in a very happy mood right now. If you ever find yourself feeling sad or other complicated feelings. This will definitely help as it helped me tremendously to soothe my soul and made my day a lot better. However as I have already finished this lovely anime, I have now returned to reality and it isn't quite what I imagined when compared with this anime. Conclusion: I wholeheartedly recommend thisanime to anyone in need of a slice of life , no drama , pure sweetness overload anime. That's it from me. If this review helped you in any kind of way, then I am already satisfied. Thanks for reading.

Merchandise

Links may contain affiliate references

Студия

Продюсеры

Темы