Windy Tales
a review by FestivalsOfComf
a review by FestivalsOfComf
I preface because a lot of people online come to expect reviews to fit a mold of what they want which isn’t always realistic. For me, I just like to talk about anime I enjoy. And so this review is about such things. Sorry if this ain't what you're looking for.
Fuujin Monogatari or Windy Tales is a TV series released in Fall 2004 and produced by Production IG. It’s directed by Junji Nishimura (True Tears), with an original story and script from Hiroaki Jinno, and a soundtrack from Kenji Kawai (Barakamon, Patlabor, Mob Psycho 2).
It’s an episodic anime and something I would recommend not binging. Its usage of the same soundtracks makes binging it a diminishing returns experience. So, I would recommend watching this anime after a long day or in-between some anime. The flaws of episodic anime is that it’s difficult to consistently keep up with it as the story is complete in one episode but for an anime like this, that’s to its benefits. For what it tries to offer, it’s definitely worth ensuring you keep yourself on-track and finish it. Even if you do take long breaks in-between like I did, you don’t miss out on too much from its story and characters which I like.
The simple stories it tells with its story and how it presents these stories to the viewers is in the vein of trying to tell an entertaining good story. It felt original and didn’t feel like it had to borrow tropes from somewhere. This made the stories feel fresh and pleasant to watch for me. I was able to immerse myself in wherever it tried to take me.
Its artstyle initially takes some getting used to for its characters and backgrounds but once you get used to its aesthetic. It feels like its very own which I appreciate. The style makes it Fuujin Monogatari - it’s going to be hard to see something similar copied in other anime. There also has been a consistent objective of attempting to move characters within the frame if it’s not a pretty background or longshot. The liveliness of this elevates the experience. Don’t set unrealistic expectations of this animation, it’s more of a nice minor touch from the animators in the show.
Audio is pretty standard but I do appreciate the little nice touches with its diegetic sounds like when characters move around or interact with objects. What makes this show Iyashikei and honestly a huge blessing is its soundtrack. Kenji Kawai has knocked it out of the park with all of the soundtracks. Its usage from the TV team really brings out the necessary emotion for its certain scenes and making the whole atmosphere feel so day-dream-like.
Your enjoyment of this anime will depend on how much you appreciate/like the soundtrack, the artstyle, the storyboarding, the story, and its characters.
For me, this TV anime is 8.5/10. It was definitely a great experience overall and I loved what I got out of it.
If you would like to understand more about the rating and reasonings, read the sections below.
I think the common mistake with ratings is that we all tend to judge and associate each rating on our own personal scale. When people see an average anime - they see that as a 5, some do 6 and others do 7. As you all know, we all have different tastes hence different rating scales. Hence why I’ll post my scale below.
My Personal Ratings Scale (Anime):
4 and below = I would've dropped this show already but made myself suffer through it for some reason. Regardless, this is the drop zone generally.
5 = This was really meh and I wouldn't take the time to rewatch.
6 = This was meh and I wouldn't watch it again unless I was forced to.
7 = It was okay and acceptable, it was good entertainment and you enjoyed the ride.
8 = This was a great story and you enjoyed the show/movie but it wasn't considered one of the best experiences. Just a great time overall!
8.5 is between these two scores.
9 = If you watched this show/movie for the first time, you'll love this a lot. It ain't life-changing but god damn you'll have one of the best experiences.
10 = This show resonated with me so hard - chills and intense emotional catharsis.
I’m a huge fan of Iyashikei anime. Name anime in that genre and I would’ve seen it most likely. So, getting exposed to any iyashikei anime was definitely a blessing when I was watching this.
The only thing I knew about this anime was a recommendation that it was very enjoyable and after seeing Kenji Kawai make the soundtrack, it piqued my interest more. Haven’t been exposed to the rest of the staff’s works on this anime.
Before making this review, I saw the DVD version and I’ve only watched the TV in Japanese Audio, English subtitles.
Now the review. I’ll be talking about the anime in the following categories:
1) Story / Plot / Characters
The stories it tries to tell are simple but it has a supernatural element to it. It makes the mundane elements definitely feel more lively in some respects. As a slice of life, it focuses on the daily lives of the characters and combines that with some supernatural, it makes some scenarios fantastical to watch and experience. In terms of its story structures, it’s all self-contained stories and episodic but they do affect stories down the road because it introduces new concepts and characters slowly as part of its world. Every time I turn on a new episode, it is always refreshing to see what these characters are up to in this world.
Speaking of characters, wow, I’m really surprised to see just down-to-earth unique and interesting people. It really complements the relaxing tone it goes for with these types of personalities. Of course, there’s different types of personalities but nobody felt super overbearing or the like.
2) Visuals / Animation
There have been some episodes where the storyboarder was able to create amazing looking shots that just blew me away. If you’re the type of individual that enjoys how anime sets up its cinematography then you’ll be able to enjoy some episodes where certain storyboarders do a great job conveying a scene.
As for the visuals, its artstyle is unique for the entire show in terms of characters and background. It was hard to get used to at first but it ended up being so unique and made the show have its charm. Once you get used to it, it becomes part of the show’s unique identity. The simplicity of its visuals is what I think helps with the animation. It seems like there’s always an urge to have something moving on-screen when appropriate. Makes the world feel more alive vs. a PowerPoint presentation. Don’t assume it’s all sakuga or super impressive in every scene, it’s more of a nice cherry on top of seeing the lively movements of the characters and world. It adds more to the atmosphere it tries to convey which I appreciate.
By the way, the character designs are definitely realistic and standard but I think that’s what lends to its charm. It’s watching ordinary people go about their day.
3) Audio / Soundtrack / Voice Acting
The audio design is standard but it definitely has nice touches with the diegetic sounds here and there.
Soundtrack was above-average and remarkable. I love this soundtrack and it really creates a day-dreaming feeling when watching this show. Feels like I’m in a dream while experiencing this show. Just adds onto the supernatural elements and comfy feeling it tries to emit. Also, holy crap is it hard to find. Good luck if you enjoy the soundtrack as much as me.
Voice acting is realistic and not exaggerated, it really grounds the people in life from their expression.
4) Overall
This was a fun and relaxing anime to watch in the night. Definitely an enjoyable experience for those that click with this anime. Such a nice treat for a comfy night.
For those wanting a different unique slice of life experience, this is definitely worth checking out.
Thanks for reading my review. :)
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