ODDTAXI
a review by FestivalsOfComf
a review by FestivalsOfComf
OddTaxi features a huge cast of characters in a complex interwoven narrative with incredible dialogue and execution.
Read my rating scale first before you decide to jump to the bottom of the review and read the score.
A common mistake with looking at ratings is assuming all of our rating scales are the same, while realistically that is never the case.
People rate average anime differently, some rate it as 5, 6 or a 7 depending on their own personal criteria which is subjective in nature. This explains why we all have different tastes.
My Personal Rating Scale (Anime):
4 and below = Considered dropped but I finished it for some reason.
5 = Meh, no rewatch ever.
6 = Meh, would only rewatch if forced.
7 = Acceptable and good entertainment, enjoyable.
8 = Great entertainment, not one of the best though.
9 = Loved the story!! Not life-changing but incredible!
10 = Chills, intense emotional catharsis, perfect, and possibly life-changing.
The preface is because a lot of people online expect reviews to fit a certain mold. For me, I just like to talk about anime I enjoy and want to share my thoughts about it in review-form.
Alright, let’s get to the review already.
Odd Taxi is a 13 episode anime that aired in Spring 2021. It is “an original anime co-production between the creative company P.I.C.S. and animation studio OLM.” (https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interview/2021-05-17/oddtaxi-director-baku-kinoshita/.172729)
This was directed by Baku Kinoshita with this being his first TV anime directorial debut having done past works on other projects like commercials. Show is based on an original script written by Kadzuya Konomoto with this being his first credit on an anime.
I think the one unique thing about this show is how it was able to marvelously juggle multiple storylines and characters while not losing the viewer like Durarara or Baccano. Seeing an anime do this right is rare for me to see so this definitely intrigued me a lot.
[Summary of: Background]
Friends and Gigguk sold the show to me. It managed to hit many things I liked in anime such as great dialogue and a complex plot structure.
[Summary of: Story / Plot / Characters]
An incredible original anime story that implements a complex web of characters with multiple overarching storylines without fail featuring a cast of humanistic characters despite them being animal-looking. Check out the audio-dramas if you like the story, it’s a good supplement!
[Summary of: Visuals / Animation]
Good attention to detail with a crayon aesthetic feel to its art. Animation is serviceable and does its job to present the story in motion.
[Summary of: Audio / Soundtrack / Voice Acting]
Serviceable show audio and OST but it has a stellar OP & ED. The voice actors shine through the strong script.
[Summary of: Overall]
A welcome surprise to my anime completion list. I’m glad I took the time to watch all of this show and encourage everyone to check it out! It definitely does not drop the ball like a lot of anime with great potential so that’s a huge plus.
9 = Loved the story!! Not life-changing but incredible!
10 = Chills, intense emotional catharsis, perfect, and possibly life-changing.
The only instance of me hearing about this show was from friends watching it weekly or after it was done and Gigguk in his video selling the show. Gigguk hooked me in but my friends reassured me it didn’t drop the ball so I’m glad I took the plunge.
My first impression before watching was that this would have Tarantino-style direction, incredibly engaging dialogue, and a Durarara plot-type of structure. It was a mixture of everything I liked so I felt like I would enjoy it a lot.
For this show, I watched it in Japanese audio with English Subtitles.
Now the review. I’ll be talking about the anime in the following categories:
1) Story / Plot / Characters
One of the best anime original stories I’ve witnessed in a long while. It features a dark noir mystery thriller type of story featuring a taxi driver. The storylines and characters touch upon relevant modern topics such as social media, dating, etc. If I go into more detail, I feel like I’m spoiling and going to ruin the experience for you.
The plot structure implemented is a complex web of characters with multiple overarching storylines with the relationships of the characters interacting. It is the type of complex plot structure that can be easily poorly done but it definitely is not, in my opinion. I love complex plot structures and to see it executed well brings a smile to my face.
If I go in-depth, I’ll just be spoiling the characters. To be vague, essentially these characters draw upon the personalities of today and feature interesting character choices that are not always seen in most anime. I really liked all of the characters featured and enjoyed their humanistic nature portrayed on-screen. One of the biggest highlights is seeing how everyone’s stories converge, diverge, and continue.
If you like this show, you’ll definitely like the english subtitled audio dramas available on YouTube. Check it out as it provides additional content and some foreshadowing. It was released simultaneously as the episodes were airing and so it’s a good way to listen to while going through episodes.
2) Visuals / Animation
The visual art is amazing with a lot of attention to detail to how the camera shoots each angle. I definitely cannot remember any dip in art quality, it was really beautiful to look at with its simple crayon-esque style. Just a really nice treat to the eyes.
There is some usage of 3D CGI but I’m so used to CGI that I don’t mind seeing it here and there.
If I remembered, sometimes the animation would take some shortcuts with implying or cut away a bit too early or late, however, it definitely does not detract from the story itself at all. Despite the apparent cuts and lack of sakuga, I still enjoyed the movement showcased and the directing helped with smoothing out scenes that never became an issue. Maybe the reason why the editing and cutting is so smooth is because they recorded first and animated the surrounding audio instead of the usual other way around.
In the end, this was definitely serviceable animation and helped execute the story shown on-screen.
3) Audio / Soundtrack / Voice Acting
I loved it, it definitely helped immerse me into the show further. Not a masterpiece but it did the job.
When I listened to the OP, I was vibing. Then, when I listened to the ED, it felt like a good ED credits song. These songs just hit my tastes in music so well that I can’t help but love to loop them whenever I can.
There are some common OST songs here and there but nothing particularly stands out except one song. Regardless, it did the job of being background music and that’s enough.
4) Overall
A welcome surprise to my anime completion list. I’m glad I took the time to watch all of this show and encourage everyone to check it out! It definitely does not drop the ball like a lot of anime with great potential so that’s a huge plus.
Also, I personally decided to avoid referencing other media throughout the review because I figured most people may not have seen the media referenced. If you can understand the last sentence then you’ll know what you’re in for.
“OddTaxi is like the love child between Monogatari and Durarara with Tarantino-esque style choices sprinkled on top.”
Hopefully, you learned something useful from the review. Thanks for reading. :)
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