Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens

Do you like cool and quirky characters, complex and multi-layered plots, and awesome knife fights?

If so, you came to the right place. This anime has all that and more.

We’ve got Lin, the straight crossdresser who looks irritated almost all the time but’s a lot brighter than you give him credit for. We’ve got Banba, the easy-going, enigmatic and downright cool guy who’s totally reminiscent of Spike Spiegel. We’ve got Enokida, the obligatory hacker who’s actually pretty interesting by himself, the perpetually unlucky Saitou who really is just not cut out to be an assassin, and the ‘Submarine Ninja’ who, despite the goofy name, is a short-tempered lone wolf.

That’s just to mention a few. Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens has a massive and extremely diverse cast, and all the characters are important in one way or the other. It’s a lot like Durarara!! In that regard, lots of minor events in the city have ripple effects that can alter the entire course of the story. You never know if that one guy you bump into whilst shopping will be the assassin that tries to kill you later, or the pitcher for your baseball team. It’s part of what keeps the anime exciting, and seriously there is rarely a dull moment.

Sure, not everyone gets a load of screen-time, and that’s to be expected in a mere 12 episodes, but you get to know their personalities nonetheless. Lin, as the MC, is well developed – we get to see past his shell and into his backstory. The others are mainly developed through their interactions with each other. The characters are sort of like a family, but not like the Fairy Tail type. They tend to look out for themselves first and foremost, but will show up if someone’s in real trouble. They don’t show affection often, but it is somewhere under the surface. It’s less cheesy and melodramatic that way – plus all their snippy banter is quite amusing to listen to.

Instead of a story revealed straight from the beginning, there’s a set of seemingly random episodes that introduce you to the city of Hakata and the weird bunch that inhabit it. There are some relatively heavy topics dealt with – murder, torture, human trafficking – but the anime doesn’t go all philosophical on you. Everything except killing is bad, and even then you should only try and kill those who deserve it (mainly organisations dealing with the aforementioned activities). It’s a show about various groups of hitmen after all, and an action series at that, so you would expect it to take a somewhat lighter approach to the killing aspect. Besides, we get to see a lot more fights that way.

Which brings me on to the art and animation. Both are good – nothing outstanding, but the city is well drawn, the fights are animated nicely and the characters’ faces show their emotions properly.
The sound is really great. The op theme felt really nostalgic for some reason, and the jazzy ed is also worth a mention. Distinct Cowboy Bebop vibes there.

To conclude, I did enjoy this anime a lot. It was fast-paced and entertaining. Some parts were downright clever, and the mysteries and fights were thrilling. I got taken in by a fair few of the twists, and I was always eager for the next episode. I’d definitely watch another season of this.
I’d recommend if you like anime like Durarara!!, Cowboy Bebop, or just anything fast-paced, fun, and action-packed. XD

BTW, the baseball aspect did catch me a bit off guard, but it ends up being more than just a distraction from all the killings. It’s used both to show the neighbourhood dynamic, and as a shared activity that helps to foster teamwork and trust. It’s also part of what makes the anime unique; instead of a cult or secret society they have a baseball team. And the best part? Watching them play baseball is made even more fun by just how absurd it actually is.