(Slight Spoilers!)⭐ 10/10 – Please Banish me to a village too so I can find what to do with my life.

Let’s be honest here—Barakamon is an anime where a dude punches an old man, gets exiled to a village where the cows have better social lives than he does, and then proceeds to yell at children for twelve episodes straight. And I loved every second of it.

Episode 1: Man Touches Grass (and Probably Gets Tetanus)

We open with our main character, Handa, committing aggravated assault... in the name of art.
He gets shipped off to a rural village where he promptly:

• Can’t figure out how to use a key.
• Can't Understand a thing the village locals say
• Find a Child hiding in his newly bought house
• Gets Assaulted by said child
• Then starts becoming friends with said child
• Gets Hidden Finger Jutsu'd by another child
• Sees that the village people are actually really sweet

10/10 introduction. Already better than most Shonen arcs.

Emotional Damage (Thanks Steven He)

And just when you're laughing at some kid getting decked by a dodgeball, the show slaps you across the face with feelings:

• Handa realizes that he can't do everything by himself. He needs people around him to help him
• Learning about what the goofy little kid has to go through.
• The “Nobody’s coming.” after Handa Left. You feel that line because after every episode it was becoming kind of a comfort zone for Handa and the viewers
• And finally, Handa realizing that he doesnt need to be the best as long as he has his own identity and enjoys what he is doing

Somehow the show sneaks in themes of grief, loneliness, and self-worth between gags about calligraphy and broken furniture

Handa - From a person who thought he was the best to a person that can accept failures and learn new things

Handa starts off as a bit of a mess. He’s talented, no doubt, but he can’t handle criticism at all. Right at the beginning of the show, he punches someone just for pointing out a flaw in his work. That one moment sends him off to a village far from the city.

At first, he sees the village as punishment. He’s irritated, awkward, and takes out his frustration on the people around him—even though they haven’t really done anything wrong. He blames others for things that are clearly coming from his own insecurities.

But slowly, things begin to change. Thanks to Naru’s constant energy, the peaceful (yet chaotic) village life, and the kindness of the people there, Handa starts to open up. He doesn’t change all at once, but little by little, he starts becoming more calm, more thoughtful.

This growth shows in his art too. He starts to think more deeply about what he’s making and why. Instead of creating pieces just to win awards or impress others, he begins to search for his own style—something that feels honest to him. The fear of what others might think doesn’t just disappear, but he slowly learns to live with it, and not let it control him.

Eventually, he stops chasing praise and starts doing what actually makes him happy.

More than success, he starts looking for meaning. For connection. For peace.

The same man who used to scream at kids now misses them when he’s away. He worries about them. He truly cares.

And that quiet kind of change—one step at a time—somehow ends up being more powerful than any dramatic speech ever could.

Final Thoughts

Barakamon is funny, heartfelt, and bizarre in all the right ways. It’s a show where:

• Pickles matter more than romance.
• A beach episode exists without fanservice.
• Naru exists—and that's reason enough to watch.