
a review by ABPAEAE

a review by ABPAEAE
Simply put; if you like slice of life anime, you'll love this. Non Non Biyori is a wholesome and beautifully crafted anime, giving viewers a taste of what it's like living outside of the depressing concrete jungles that are cities.
The first thing you'll notice with this show is the art. This is seriously some of the best, most beautiful and realistic scenery you'll find in anime. With cozy rice farming villages, majestic mountains, and lush forests, if this show somehow fails to entertain you in any other way, everyone should be able to appreciate how gorgeous the scenery is in this anime.
Non Non Biyori is particularly immersive for the slice of life genre. While there are very few cliche anime design choices, like Renge's purple magician hair, the rest of the world feels very tame and realistic. Even though very few, if any, viewers have had a childhood anywhere remotely similar to that of the characters in Non Non Biyori, this anime does not fail to make you homesick for a childhood that you never had.
Next is something I'm particularly picky about; the characters. Characters are what makes a show, anime or not, worth watching. As slice of life does not particularly rely on story elements, character design carries the full weight of a show. In the case of Non Non Biyori, it does not disappoint. Every character feels distinct, alive, and memorable. The synergy and conversation every character has with each other is simply fantastic. As this takes place in a relatively small, remote farming village, the relationships adults of different families and children of these families have with each other feels strong and believable.
Music is something I personally struggle to pay attention to in anime, but when I notice it, boy oh boy do I notice it. Non Non Biyori's music choice between the openings, endings, and all the music in the episodes themselves is beautiful and perfectly fitting. You can see this for yourself as soon as the first episode begins. This show somehow managed to perfectly immerse the viewer in a relaxing childhood set in a countryside village right off the bat.
It's honestly difficult to find anything wrong with this anime, and I simply can't think of anything myself. If you like the genre, you'll love this show. If you don't like the genre, you probably won't like this show. Simple as that.
A little note: This first season and the movie are the two high points of the series. The second season (repeat) felt a little lacking compared to the first, but was still pretty good, maintaining a lot of what makes Non Non Biyori special. The two OVAs were honestly lacking and I didn't enjoy them much, though it's been a while since I watched them as of adding this note. I am still eagerly waiting for the third season to release after its announcement with high hopes.
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