Astro Note

While not as densely filled with top-tier series like some of the recent seasons noone would deny that spring 2024 is home to quite a number of prominent shows. It is therefore even more likely for lower profile ones to get lost and fly under the radar. I think it's fair to assume this is the case for Astro Note as well. Not least because it actually is an original anime, meaning there's no source material to speak of and therefore no existing fanbase to draw from. However despite its rather silly premise I was already very excited for it towards the start of the season (maybe I'm simply too much of a sucker for the romance tag). Safe to say this has not diminished. To the contrary I think it has actually become my favorite series this season. Let me tell you why:

Premise, Story, Characters
In summary I'd say Astro Note hits the sweetspot between the eccentricity of japanese comedy and authentic warmth. It has a lot of "heart" for lack of a better word. In terms of comedic aspects it's hardly anything groundbreaking but it plays its tropes well. Let's just take a look at the premise:
Our protagonist Miyasaka Takumi is searching for a job as a chef but ends up as a breakfast cook for the titular lodge "Astro Note" because he falls for the resident caretaker. A normal lodge would be boring though, therefore "Astro Note" is filled with many eccentric characters. Turns out Miyaska's new found love is actually an alien, just like her talking poodle. The supporting cast then features everything from underground idols to jobless bums. Not a serious premise right? But it fits the exaggerated and over-the-top nature of japanese comedy very well, both in content and in presentation. To me, a lodge-based romcom was actually quite new (though not the first time I've come across it) but I'm well aware that I'm simply too young to have really witnessed how prevalent this setting seems to have been.
Without going into detail for both the story and its characters I think it's quite clear where and how the comedy comes into play. What about the heart of the story though? Despite only being 12 episodes long, Astro Note actually manages to create rather satisfying character arcs for basically every single one of the main cast. These arcs are actually played very straight and serious both in terms of subject manner and execution. The comedic timing and the lack therefore are really quite fittingly chosen. Unfortunately, because this aspect of the show is in my opinion so essential to its character and success, I can't go into any detail but every thread manages to be paid and tied off. With only 12 episodes to work with I find that to be very commendable. I want to note though that one or two episodes more would not have hurt the show and maybe would have let this aspect shine a bit more as the pace is quite brisk at times.

Music, Presentation
In terms of music and soundtrack I don't have much to say other than that the OP and especially the ED have become staples of my playlist in recent weeks. At first it took some time for them to grow on me (specifically so for the OP) but with a bit of time I grew to like them a lot. Here, I have to note, that both are sung by some of the voice actors from the show, giving it all a more wholesome and self-contained touch.
The very bright, colorful and stylized art style obviously fits the whacky nature perfectly. Animation-wise there's not much to complain about. Towards the end it seems partly insufficient in certain scenes but I can't quite decide if this is due to budget limitations and the direction only tried to hide them behind purposefully simple scene design or if all of it was exactly intended this way as it aids the comedy quite well. Either way it doesn't detract from the show's quality.

Overall it's a shame that the show seems to have been quite unpopular. One look at its MAL score (at the time of writing: 6.61) or its score here on Anilist (at the time of writing: 64%) speaks volumes. I too have some criticism mainly due to the portrayed messaging at the end of some characters arcs but this seems a bit excessive to me. Despite all of that I can and do stilll obviously recommend it to anyone that likes japanese style romcoms (or can at least handle that style of comedy). It's the show I've been looking forward to the most this season and really, at its core, it's filled with tons of heart.