My 2nd Anime Series
I have been looking for something new to watch. I had Attack On Titan in mind but with many episodes and not too much time while I was on vacation last week. I did find I wanted something shorter.
My eye fell on a recommendation here on Hive from @zain21 and @onlyjob of the Barakamon Series from 2014 which I was sold on by the fact that it's 12x 20 Minute episodes in just 1 season which got a 8.2 on imdb. The setting of something slow-paced on an island with not too much action also attracted me.
I did watch the version where it's spoken in Japanese and with English Subtitles which honestly isn't optimal. I prefer English with Dutch subtitles as it just takes a lot less effort.At times I was just not quick enough to read and translate the english which certainly took away something from this series.
The Story
Barakamon is a series that follows Seishu Handa who is an well-known artist doing Calligarphy his entire life but lost his way a bit which makes him snap after finishing 2nd in a contest. After Hitting one of the judges who rightfully criticized his entry, he is sent to a remote island by his father to find his way again. Once there, he wants to focus on his art getting better and finding his creativity again but he's constantly bugged by a small girl named Naru and other children and adults who live there. Each episode they kind of have a small adventure doing things which goes from fishing, to visiting graves, going to a festival, ... This to the point where he grows closer and closer to them while trying to find his creativity again.
So it's somewhat of a fun Slice of Life series without too many spectacular things happening but it was very relaxing and fun to watch even though I had some issues with the language and the subtitles. I really liked the setting of the island and the premise of a guy going there on his own to regroup while he made a lot of friends without even asking for it which as the start for him was annoying but at time passed by he grew attached to them. I didn't have anything with the entire art and Calligarphy thing but it also was not annoying. The runtime was nice with just 12 episodes and a finished story which was one of the things that pulled me toward it. I never got addicted to the series or watched it in a way that evoked many emotions but at the same time it did grip me after I completed it with the idea of going to such an island and having that kind of "adventure' really is something I would be into.
This one at times also reminded me of a game like Stardew Valley with the setting an at times the music, I also got a bit of zelda vibes from the sound at times and the general feeling that I liked of a movie like Winter in Sochco. All of this while it both was something for the adult and the kid in me which is always something that I look for.
Conclusion
Barakamon while watching did not blow me away both because I didn't really know what to expect and because the language barrier certainly was there. However, I kept watching and I'm glad that I did as similar to the story and the main character, things really grew on me to the point where I wouldn't mind rewacthing it one day. So a good 7.6/10 which is a number that keeps rising and I kind of understand why it gets a 8.2 on IMDB. It was very different compared to Death Note but I'm glad that I watched it during my vacation.
| # | 2025 Watched Tv-Series | Score |
|---|---|---|
| #01 Series | Silo Season 2 | 7.1/10 |
| #02 Anime | Death Note | 8.9/10 |
| #03 Series | Severance Season 2 | 8.9/10 |
| #04 Series | Adolescence | 6.8/10 |
| #05 Anime | Barakamon | 7.6/10 |