As an artist myself, I find myself relating to each character in their way, and I believe that Dance Dance Danseur has done a great job at portraying one's passion for the arts, and the amount of pure loathing you'll have for yourself and others because of it.
First, let's start with the main character, Junpei Murao. He's someone who has had experience with ballet before but has distanced from it due to unforeseen circumstances. Prodigy-type characters are always hard to write, and sometimes even hard to watch due to the raw talent they possess, but this anime has done its job of making you want to root for him, but also envy him quite a bit because he sees the world so much different than other people. The way the writers portrayed his acting is also scarily accurate because sometimes I get thought processes like that when I act myself.
Dance Dance Danseur's world revolves around Junpei, thus creating Ruou Mori as his counterpart, a fellow dancer, who wasn't born to dance, but was forced to be able to. He was a risk taken by the creators of this series. His character arc can either make or break the show due to the amount of drama and turns it took. For some people, it may be hard to watch. For me, it was something that resonated with me to my core. The pure loathing you have towards someone who barely has experienced what you have, the amount of desperation you feel when something that brings you joy is taken away from you, and the childlike air, the loneliness that never leaves you because all you want to be is noticed by someone who never will. It made me feel sorry for him, and hurt for him. I believe he is definitely the star of this show, someone the audience will always pay attention to.
Mori is a highly complex character, and I believe the show could've done so much more with his character, but because of the 11-episode limit, his depth wasn't shown in a way it could've been, but it was the best way they could've approached his character anyway. The rivalry between him and Junpei could've been better, but the comical moments were silly and it really takes your mind off of the angst this show possesses.
The one character I believe was not executed well was the last main character, Miyako Godai. Her character was definitely needed, but she was incredibly overshadowed to the point where she was almost dumbed down to just a love interest, and although that was not the case, she was still left unnoticed compared to the two boys who almost always took the spotlight. By the time it was her moment, you're left second-guessing her choices, and wondering if she truly is sincere or not. The show definitely could've spent time building her as a character, instead of using her as a tool, but she served her purpose anyway, although not executed well. Sometimes, I think her always being overshadowed is almost fitting, because of her attitude, but I truly hope that if ever there is a season 2, her character will be focused on more, and her personality will be able to be more clear and bright.
The other characters were given attention as well, and they were written fine in the short time the anime aired. I couldn't say all of them were amazingly written, but they all played their part in the story just fine.
Animation-wise, it is definitely not MAPPA studio's best work. However, it was decent and it got the message across. Some visuals were absolutely phenomenal and can be considered a masterpiece on their own, but overall, it was weaker than the other MAPPA animes out there.
Plot-wise, I believe they tried their best to make it as edgy and dramatic as possible, and doing that move is incredibly risky but I admire how they managed to keep the flow smoothly until the end, even if the pacing began quite quick. Instead of feeling forced, the plot came out naturally, which is surprising for a 11-episode anime that carries this much weight in it.
All in all, this anime is definitely a hidden gem I wish for others to find. Its flaws are definitely noticeable but the dance sequences and characters are bound to leave you breathless, so please watch it. Who knows? maybe it'll end in you finding the beauty and pain hidden in the arts as well.
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