Dekin no Mogura

An outlier in the garbage pile being released over last decade. Has plot, has actual characters, makes sense, interesting concept and execution, decent budget ( it looks nice, to me ok? if ur not into the art style what can i say). LONG REVIEW: Plot: Dekin no Mogura is technically about a strange hermit guy who's trying to collect enough spirit fire from ghosts to be able to ascend into the afterlife. In practice this, what u could expect to be his major goal gets very quickly muddled and ends up as a sideline quest of the protagonist and his friends sitting around chilling and then randomly hearingor stumbling upon some situation that turns out to involve ghosts. Hell, by the end of the anime i feel like he lost more fire than collected (he can use it as a power to heal people instead of collecting it basically). It's a lighthearted story, with fun youkais or spirits showing up in each new episode, focused mostly on silly banter and interaction between the characters, leans much more into comedy and lighthearted slice of life atmosphere over darker or solemn tones. There is an interesting amount of realism to the supernatural world and spirits, its not just "lets exorcise all the evil spirits" or "there is good spirits and bad spirits" or "let's become friends with all the spirits and help them", but rather a nuanced approach of case by case. Characters: The protagonist, Mogura is a well designed character. He's a good-natured busybody but its not like he wails or despairs over the people he couldn't help, but rather acknowledged some people have to save themselves, u cannot just fix their problems for them. As a fan of stories about immortal characters that go beyond just a gimmick but rather affect their personality and outlook on life, i liked it, but i'm a bit disappointed we didn't get more of that in here. The slice of life/comedic segments are definitely focused over showcasing Mogura's wisdom and experiences (he's at least few hundred years old), the difference between how someone in his unique position and other characters view any situation. There is some underlying intrigue and mystery about his past and the place he resides in but it isn't very thoroughly featured or explored, more like hinted at. At times, it feels like Magi, the young college student that starts seeing the supernatural after meeting Mogura, is more of a protagonist than he is, since more of the story is from his point of view and more of his thoughts are shown. I enjoyed pretty much all the characters but i wouldn't say any of them beside Mogura are much to write home about, if ur looking for for sth with flashy unique badasses or shiny waifus for example, this is not it. This anime is about the wholesome and cozy atmosphere created by the daily life with a sprinkle of weirdness in form of youkais and philosophy or character study, not rly about the characters themselves. Usually, i strongly prefer protagonist-centric anime, so although i can appreciate what having a huge cast brings in in this case, i would probably still enjoy this anime a lot if it instead took a form of us learning more and more about Mogura and his past and other characters leaving the stage after their episodic stories instead. Technicalities: I found the soundtrack fitting and memorable, not to the lvl of iconic osts the likes of Yuki Kajiura, Yasunaru Takahashi, Sawano Hiroyuki or other distinctive osts but still good. The budget definitely felt sufficient, no weird off-putting drops in quality, no 3d models running around awkwardly, for the record there is not much to animate but again, standards these days are so low i feel like its mention worthy... The dreamy pink and purple hued backgrounds provide a unique atmosphere, kinda reminiscent of Mob Psycho and Dark Gathering, which clashes in an interesting way with the more slice of lifey laid back vibe of the anime, and although i liked it a lot some might just find it weird and disjointed looking, with the art used on characters looking like it belongs in a different anime altogether. The character design in general also feels kinda short and childlike? (think opposite of Code Geass or CLAMP), i suppose it fits with the fairy-tale colored tone of the backgrounds but it does give off an unnecessarily perhaps infantile impression. As for opening and ending, i liked both songs a lot (i'm a huge syudou fan so i am biased >_<). The op might be a bit too energetic or bubbly? like it could make u think there is gonna be more action happening than there is. The ending on the other hand nicely shifts from sounding more mysterious at the beginning into lighthearted one which i think reflects animes inherently mysterious premise balanced with funny light shenanigans well. Prospects: The manga is still ongoing but i doubt this kinda anime sequel would be in high demand, so i wouldn't rly expect a sequel in general or at least anytime soon. The story, or rather the personal journey of Mogura feels incomplete, but since that's not the focus of the anime it's not a big issue and can be enjoyed regardless. SHOULD U WATCH IT? - if ur starved for sth with soul and someones good taste in it, u might enjoy it - if u like lighthearted youkai stories, u might enjoy it - if u like cozy anime without drama, conflict, or depressing shit, u will probably enjoy it - if u don't need tits moe blobs hot ikemens or other forms of fan service in ur anime at all, u will likely enjoy it - if u like to have a grounded, concrete, or action packed experience tho, probably don't watch it At the end of the day i would say its well made but kinda lacking. There is some mystery elements but they're very background, some psychological elements but not fleshed out. I can enjoy comedy and slice of life but i cannot consider it of high fictional value by themselves, am not a fan of it in general basically and prefer sth else.

This show is a bit like if Noragami and Mush-ishi had a droll baby. It's got a monster-of-the-week/miniarc setup that starts out with a trio (our titular, mysterious Mogura, a cute, genial college-aged young woman, and a more uptight young man, as per typical comedy requirements) that slowly grows the cast of characters, and they're all likeably odd. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started watching and it starts out slow, but it was a fun ride through all 12 episodes. The characters are mainly college-aged or actual adults (and one very, very, very old adult) and the humor, at least in myopinion, is geared more toward an older audience. It's a good mix of goofy and sly observational humor, along with a good deal of sharp commentary on human nature. Not being Japanese, I didn't get every cultural reference joke, but I got the gist with most things. I also became genuinely invested in the characters, grew to like Mogura a lot, and the show does a good job of balancing the mystery of "what's his deal?" while, really, you can kind of guess the broad strokes. I hope they give this show another season, because by the end of 12 episodes, there's plenty left unsaid, and I feel like we're only just starting to become well acquainted with the oddball cast.

So, Dekin no Mogura is definitely a UFO in this season, for me. Nothing I've seen among all the anime I've watched recently comes close to it, or barely. Maybe GeGeGe no Kitaro, but the latter focuses much more on Japanese folklore and horror. Here, we get a rather unique mix of absurdity, horror stories, and wacky slice of life. And I understand that it's not everyone's cup of tea. So let's go through it point by point. Animation: 6.5 Artistic direction: 9 Technically, nothing mind-blowing. The animation is standard for a classic slice of life series: lots of static shots during the pseudo-fights, a few brief animatedsequences, and that's it. On the other hand, I was completely charmed by the art direction. It has a style all its own, which gives the series a unique visual identity. The pastel style fits perfectly with the comic-horror atmosphere of the work. Story: 7 Development: 6 In terms of the script, there's nothing unforgettable. I should warn you: despite a few interesting themes being explored, particularly in the last episode, the story tends to follow an old-fashioned “Scooby-Doo” format, with a short investigation or paranormal case per episode. That said, I really enjoyed these twelve weeks spent with the gang solving various ghost stories. It's a shame, however, that the real lore surrounding Mogura is only developed at the end of the season. Ultimately, despite its limitations, I recommend giving this anime a chance and letting yourself be tempted by this gloomy and zany alleyway, where the strange mingles with the burlesque.

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