Note: TLDR at the very bottom.
Story - 8
Slow Loop is one of those Moe girls doing cute things slice of life anime but with an actual solid theme for the story. To simplify, Slow Loop touch on these three topics, relationship, fishing and a bit of cooking, all neatly put in one simple package.
I always fancy those slice of life anime where you learn about a certain topic be it the manga industry like Bakuman or Game development like New Game to name a few. I don’t really have an interest in fishing but Slow Loop manage to get me hooked and the relationship aspect is done in a very natural way.
The story mainly revolves around Hiyori and Koharu. Both of them are going to be stepsisters due to their parents' re-marrying. Koharu first met Hiyori when she was fishing and slowly take up an interest in fishing with Hiyori mentoring Koharu.
The relationship aspect of the anime is handled perfectly. Through fishing, the two sisters bond gradually and their relationship improves naturally from strangers to real sisters. Of cause, there is no shortage of cute moments between the girls too.
Now, on to the fishing part. I can feel that the author has researched the topic of fishing quite deeply. The fishing part is really detailed but at the same time deliver in a laid back and informative way that won’t overwhelm the viewer.
You will learn about fly fishing, different types of bait, how to attract fish, where to fish, how to cast your line, fishing superstition, etc... The anime even include some information on fish behaviour. For people like me who just want some general knowledge, I believe this is the best way to gain some new knowledge about a topic while also being entertained.
The cooking part plays a minor role in this anime and it usually shows how to prepare the fish that was caught or some kind of fish dishes in different cooking methods. Needless to say, it makes my mouth water. As soon as I know cooking is in the anime, Slow Loop become my go-to while having dinner.
Character - 7.5
There are four commonly seen characters in Slow Loop that the story revolves around while the other characters are supporting characters. All four characters are adorable and feel natural without falling deep into a single trope.
We have Hiyori who is an introvert and loves fishing. She used to go fishing with her dad before he pass away and Koharu happen to pop up and fill that void for her in a sense. Hiyori is way more responsible compared to Koharu too.
Koharu is Hiyori’s stepsister when her mum re-married. She has an opposite personality from Hiyori. Cheerful and extroverted but a total newbie when it comes to fishing. Koharu also loves acting as the older sibling since she used to have a younger brother.
Through fishing, both Hiyori and Koharu slowly got closer to each other, which is noticeable as each episode passed. Much like in reality, two-person doesn’t just become close in a day, it is a gradual process.
Koi despite having a huge knowledge about fishing, despite her dad being obsessed with fishing, hated fishing due to how her dad acted and do things. She eventually warms up to fishing as she accompanies Hiyori more. The two being childhood friends also make for some really nice backstories and relationship views.
Futaba is a younger girl who is into fishing but thought fishing is a hobby for boys and wasn’t able to admit that she loves fishing. Eventually, she openly embraces fishing thanks to the older girls Hiyori, Koharu and Koi.
What this anime has done well is the relationship development and the pacing at which the relationship progresses also feels organic. Relationship development is not just between the girls but with the parents too, especially Hiyori with her new stepdad.
Even though it is a wholesome and cute anime, the anime was able to show that the characters have emotions and struggles through their backstories and past experiences without getting overly dramatic.
Art & Animation - 7
The overall art & animation of Slow Loop is quite good. It has a simplistic but very pleasant to look at art style. The colours are vibrant and the tone gives out a very relaxing feeling to it.
Much like other Moe anime, the character design leans more into the simplistic but cutesy side making the character look a bit younger than they actually are. The character design looks nice with a good amount of emphasis on the facial expression.
Background arts have a fair amount of details in them. An indoor scene such as a store has a good amount of objects populating the background to make it feel like an actual shop while an outdoor scene such as a fishing spot is tranquil and vibrant in colour.
The background detail in the city is kind of a mixed bag. Some scenes got a good amount of detail with all the background characters and objects, while some scenes feel strangely barren.
Some still-shot of the moments when the character manages to get a fish look great, plus the foods look nice even though they are not on the same level as Shokugeki no Soma.
Sound - 7.5
Both the opening and ending songs are soothing and relaxing but I won’t say they are playlist worthy. Personally, the ending song sounded better to me.
The background music is not really outstanding or memorable and sounds pretty much like many other slices of life animes. They are more of, it gets the job done for the scene they are played on types.
The sound effects are actually well detailed. For example, sounds such as rain hitting the water, fish splashing, the screeching and creaking of the fishing rod, cracking of the fire when grilling, etc.. are all in the anime.
The best part of the show would be the voice actors and actresses. Hiyori voice actress seems like she is still a newbie but she nailed the Hiyori reserved personality and voice. Koharu is voiced by the same voice actress who voiced Shii in the anime Super Cub whose voice I really like. Of cause, the rest of the cast also have solid voice acting suiting for their adorable personalities.
TLDR:
A charming and adorable anime about relationships, fishing and a little bit of cooking. You might learn a thing or two about fishing but in a relaxing way.
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