Kanamemo

Have you ever wondered the life in a newspaper distribution office? Okay I admit, I have no idea too. While all of us are busy slumbering in the comfort of our bed, these people have to get up in the dead wee hours of the morning making sure so that all of us could start the day afresh with yesterday’s news at your doorstep. I’m not sure if newspaper delivery life is like how it is depicted in Kanamemo but you are not going to see the staff slogging and explaining the detailed tricks of the trade. That would be detrimental for competition, seeing the intense subscription battle in Japan and falling rates of traditional media as compared to the newest trend of online media.

 

Besides the comedy factor, the thing which got me to watch this series was the synopsis narration which goes "… everyone living at the office are charming, self-asserting bishoujos". Wow. Pretty girls, I thought. After watching it, erm… they’re not that pretty according to my standards (scorn me if you want) and I’m thinking the people that live in the office are rather weird than charming. Why? You’ll find out.

 

As seen in episode 1, 13 year old Kana Nakamachi has recently lost her beloved grandma. With her departure, she feels alone in this world since her parents too had long passed away. Since she is rather naive, she thinks the people moving out grandma’s possessions like the furniture are going to be sold. That means, she is to be sold too (at least that’s what she thinks). Instincts has her to run away from home. Elsewhere, the local newspaper delivery office, Fuushin Shinbun, the deputy chief of the office, Saki Amano (yes, the deputy chief is a little grade school girl), puts up a poster for employment. We are also introduced to the other girls who work and live at Fuushin Shinbun. They are Hinata Azuma, Haruka Nishida, Yume Kitaoka, Yuuki Minami and their pet cat Bunta. Kana passes by the office and luck has it that she spots the employment poster. However after seeing the antics of the girls, any sound person would turn and walk away. Don’t want to work with weirdos, eh? She tries to seek opportunity at other places but none are available. Down on her luck, that evening Kana bumps into Yume who is doing her evening delivery.

 

She brings Kana back to the office and when she comes to, her first instinct is to leave but her stomach growls. They cook for her and let’s just say they won’t be opening a restaurant anytime. Kana takes this opportunity to cook proper meal for them as the hungry girls dig in before Kana could even have her share. Seeing how happy everyone is, Kana pleads to let her stay here and she will make delicious meals for them. The girls relay this to Saki and though reluctant to hire a middle school student, she eventually agrees since she has ‘problems getting food for her pets’. Everyone rejoice as Saki decides to call Kana’s parents for consent but Kana says she doesn’t have anybody left so Saki drops it and allows her to move in here. Kana is shown her very own room and it seems there is a gapping hole next to Yume’s room. That night everyone minus Saki celebrates in Kana’s room and gets to know each other. But when they learn she has no other belongings (old newspapers as futon?), the rest get emotionally and lend her some of their stuff. Saki tells them to go to bed or else they’ll have a pay cut if they wake up late for tomorrow’s delivery. Since Yume lend Saki her futon, she sleeps with Yuuki. The next morning, Saki wakes up and asks Saki what kind of office this is. Yeah, she joined without knowing what kind of shop. Well, at least she now knows it’s a newspaper delivery.

 

Basically in many of the episodes, you’ll see how the girls get to bond and interact with each other as Kana gets used to her new surroundings and learn. So after the first episode, could you see why this newspaper office has a bunch of weird girls? A tough-talking subscriber minded loli who heads the office and possibly the one who keeps things around in check, a penny-pincher and a 2nd year university ronin, a drunkard extreme lolicon demon sexual harasser, a pair of lesbians whereby one is a carefree and active girl and the other a docile but I-will-kill-those-who-touches-my-Yume lady. Add a naive and klutzy scatterbrain to the pack and there you have it, a newspaper office filled with weirdos. The funniest part is seeing Haruka trying to sexually harass Kana and her indecent fantasies. She won’t hesitate to do it. Really. It’s a good thing she is a woman as it could’ve been a different story is she’s male. Maybe not either. She even tries to harass Saki but that strict girl has what it takes to put her in line. But will Haruka ever learn? Poor Kana. I wonder how she will tolerate the torment of being harass day in day out.

 

In episode 2, Kana wakes up one morning to find nobody around and jumps to conclusion that aliens have kidnapped them! Who knows how far her mind will wonder if Saki hadn’t show up and tell her everyone’s away doing their delivery rounds. After cooking breakfast, Saki takes Kana around a bit so that she could be familiar with the delivery routes and terms. Of course her naivety is annoying to Saki. Still thinking the number 1 scary thing is aliens, eh? When everyone returns to the office, they find that Kana can’t actually ride a bike. Seeing one need to carry tons of newspapers, bicycles are important to share the load so that one won’t get easily exhausted. The gang decide to teach Kana how to ride one. Of course this is Kana’s first time so it’s normal that she doesn’t do well. Excuse the yuri pair doing their business in the public toilet and Haruka’s usual fantasies of Kana. With time running out for the evening deliveries, Kana feels a little disheartened. But even if she can’t do the delivery on bicycle, she can still go on foot. During her rounds, it started to rain so Kana takes refuge at a nearby shrine. She bumps into another girl her age, the bratty Mika Kujin. Kana discovers she is also a newspaper delivery girl but Mika thinks she’s a rival out to steal her trade secrets. The rain stops so Mika prepares to set off but realizes she is lost. But her ego has Kana to ‘help her out’. They did the deliveries together and part ways at the end of the day. Kana comes back late and thinks she’s a failure but also hears how the rest also did mistakes on their first time. Saki praises her for taking shelter during the rain so everyone goes back inside and Kana feeling happy with her new life as a newspaper delivery girl.

 

In episode 3, we see Saki’s other face. In school, she puts on an innocent angelic goody-two-shoes face so that her classmates would get their parents to subscribe to her newspaper. Slick. It’s Kana’s first day in school after her grandma’s death and in class, she gets a new transfer student. She is no other than Mika. Seems she hasn’t ditched that high-and-mighty attitude. But she quickly makes friends with Kana and her buddies Fumi, Nao and Ootsuka. Back at Fuushin Shinbun, Kana learns of Saki’s expansion plan to get more subscribers so Saki wants Kana to master the perfect smile to increase subscriber rate. I don’t know what’s wrong with her normal face but when she tries to smile, it’s like the scariest thing the girls have ever seen! So scary that they can’t show it to viewers! Hmm… She has all her teeth intact, looks pretty clean, no foodstuff sticking out. So what could possibly be wrong? Maybe seeing Ju-on isn’t that bad either? When Kana spots Mika nearby the office, Saki gets upset to know that she is of a rival newspaper but hatches a scheme for Kana to go around subscriber hunting with Mika (wink, wink). The duo try several households but still couldn’t grasp that it is Kana’s smile which is driving the customers away! All part of that sly lolis plan to disrupt her local rival. So finally Mika wants Kana to show her smile and sees the horrible side of it. Mika then personally teaches disheartened Kana to smile. At the end of they day, they decide to put all that effort to a test. However no one is answering the door and thinking that they may be ignoring them, Mika fakes a fire breakout call which sends everyone out into frenzy. Upon knowing that it’s a lie, the girls make a run for it or else they will never live to see tomorrow. At the park, they think of going back since it’s late. They practice calling each other by their first names before leaving. Mika notes how her smile got better. Isn’t that the same smile she always displays? Say, Mika’s blushing seems to indicate that she… Kana… Oh no. Not another yuri case I hope. Back at the office, Kana shows her practice smile. They all start laughing after seeing how funny it is but she doesn’t mind seeing that everyone is having so much fun.

 

Episode 4 feels a little like a musical episode, though not the entire way. Saki places coupons for loyal subscribers which prompts the girls wanting to go the water amusement park after hearing how Kana has never been anywhere during her holidays (Haruka’s song 1 goes here). Later the girls take Kana to the shopping centre so that they could buy their swimsuits (insert musical song here also – twice). When they come back, Saki tells them to go back to work seeing they all can’t go to the pool together because of their different day offs (cue for ‘Saki is a demon’ song). Since they can’t go, they might as well do their deliveries in their swimsuit so as not to go to waste (another round of musical here). The good news is that they are able to attract lots of otaku guys to subscribe while on their rounds. Even Mika is in a swimsuit so as not to lose out while Kana is embarrassed to do all that singing in her swimsuit. Anyway she does and the musical continues while the crowd cheers them on. When they come home, Saki rewards them with an inflatable pool. They also want Saki to come in with them but she refuses. So they toss her in so as retaliation she sprays her water hose.

 

A typhoon is brewing in episode 5 so they need to get prepared if they don’t want their old building to be blown away. Yume and Yuuki don their swimsuits to hammer planks on the outside but Yume seems to be having fun in the rain. Then they make Teruterubozu and several dolls which closely resemble themselves. Haruka tries to flip up the skirt of Kana’s Teruterubozu so Kana tries to do the same at hers. But Haruka gets stimulated and wants her to do it on to her real self instead. Real pervert. They make a life size one with their raincoats, scaring passers-by. The rain stopped for a while so Saki suggests going to the public bath. However Saki ‘warns’ Haruka not to let her indecency out in public or else. Then Haruka spots someone lying outside the office and with her vision sensing her lolita powers at 680,000 (WTF?!), she recognizes her as Mika. What the heck is she doing there anyway? Kana invites her to join them. It seems Mika doesn’t know the ways of the public bath house but luckily Kana is around to show her. Keep in mind that loli pervert in check too. I guess she’s trying hard to restrain herself. Maybe not. After a little bath folly, the usual stuff like weighting themselves and drinking milk, courtesy from Saki’s treat. Except Hinata whose remarks that has hell freezes over due to her change in character has Saki excluding Hinata from her treat. Sometimes you just got to be quiet and accept the kindness. As they are about to leave, the typhoon picks up speed so I guess they’re stuck in here for the time being.

 

The storm continues in episode 6. Kana meets her pals in the street and finds out they’re planning to do something for their cooking club teacher tomorrow. Since Kana has been busy after her grandma’s death, they didn’t want to disturb and tell her. Back at Fuushin Shinbun, it seems Mika is seeking refuge with the gang too. After putting planks to protect their building from the typhoon, a blackout occurs. Kana is easily frightened. However Saki wants them to keep their voices down thinking that their noisiness would cause subscribers to un-subscribe. Yeah, she’s sure a concerned little girl. So the girls talks over things over the table with only candles as their light source. While Saki goes to bed, Kana learns Yume comes from a rich family but an incident with Yuuki causes them to burn some warehouse with goods worth millions of Yen while they’re young. Then they start telling ghost stories. Seeing Kana as an easy target, you know what this means. However I find the stories un-supernatural. More like real world struggles, don’t you think? Imagine Kana wanting to go to the toilet… Then everybody goes up to their rooms together. Kana felt something brushed upon her feet but when the rest realized it wasn’t them who pulled the prank on her, they began to fear that it might be a real ghost. Yeah, something is swiftly brushing against their feet and then… The torchlight goes out. Oh no! Argh! The light then comes on and so does Saki, awakened from her beauty slumber. Then the ghost mystery is solved because Saki shows them that those brushings were from Bunta and the other cats taking refuge in the room. Then she says it’s already 2am and that means they have 1 hour before the newspaper delivery truck arrives. Apart from that, they have to clean up the ruckus they made. Everyone owns up to their mistakes and does so. Next morning, the typhoon has passed and it seems the truck hasn’t come. Why? Yeah, it got delayed during the storm and this means Saki is getting lots of complaints! Later when Saki finishes her delivery, her pals come by to apologize for that day and want her to come along to delivery the birthday cake with them, making her feel happy.

 

Today is a holiday in episode 7 so that means no newspaper deliveries. Yahoo! Everyone can have the day off. The lesbians sleeping in together, the harasser fantasizing about lolis, the stingy poker counting her coins. You get the idea. Kana decides to hold an Obon light ceremony for her late grandma so the rest gladly help out. While burning a makeshift eggplant on sticks which resembles a horse and a cow (something to do with the speed of coming and return of the departed), this causes her to break down and remember the times spent with grandma (like how she comforted Kana when she failed at a goldfish scooping booth by making a paper fish). Kana excuses herself so later Saki asks her and the rest to pick a yukata they like for the night’s festival. If you’ve seen what people on such festivals, you’ll know the typical stuff that the gang will do. Hinata is upset that the gang has no qualms wasting their money on the festival foodstuff and all. "Damn it! They’re all just wheat flour!". Kana bumps into a little girl called Ramune and to make up for it, gives her a bottle of… er… Lamune and then proceeds to have a fun outing with her alone. When they part, Kana tripped and fainted. When she comes to, she sees Saki and Haruka who ask her what she was doing. Yeah, she can’t remember too. But a mascot frog next to her? I’ve got a feeling that Ramune girl is a ghost.

 

A hot summer’s day in episode 8 as Kana tries to follow Bunta up the tree for a cool spot but slipped. Guess who caught her fall. Yeah, of all people it has got to be Haruka. Auto wild fantasies switch on! Later with the rest, Kana learns that there was a previous worker at the office before her named Marimo. Saki quotes her as the worst employee. Much worse than Kana. From wrong deliveries to getting lost. And you thought Kana was bad, eh? So they talked about that time during snowy winter when Marimo was out during one of her deliveries and Saki was worried she hasn’t come back yet. The rest go in search for her as Hinata spots her wrecked bicycle near a river bank and her newspapers strewn all over the place. She contacts Saki who gets worried so she starts going out to look for her. Ironically Saki got lost in the snow but fate has her reunite with Marimo in the streets as they both emotionally embraced. Since this talk was too embarrassing for Saki, she decides to cut everyone’s pay. So this was what happened. It seems Marimo panicked when the stray kitten she had always visited wasn’t at its usual spot. So she went to search for it and to her relief, found it at a comfortable new place of its own and gave her own scarf for extra warmth. When Kana learns that delivery was Marimo’s last as she has since graduated and moved on, Kana feels a little gloomy. That night she has trouble sleeping and goes to get a glass of water. Saki also does the same as Kana asks if she felt lonely after Marimo’s departure. But that acid tongue kid says she merely got rid of the troublesome burden (I’m beginning to think she’s tsundere). She also mentions that her time to leave will also come and to go back to bed. Saki remembers how Marimo told her after the cat incident that she’s leaving tomorrow. Lastly, we learn that Bunta is one the offspring of that now grown up kitten.

 

You know Kana’s skills as a cook is getting better each day because the girls could enjoy a good meal, right? In episode 9, I guess her food is ‘too rich’ so much so she splits her pants and just like normal girls her age, starts thinking that she needs to go on a diet. Initially Saki agrees with Kana because her own clothes are getting a little tight. But when Yume comes in with cakes, Saki ditched the idea and that dieting is bad. She’s always been a two-faced person, remember? I don’t know part of their plan to help Kana diet is to where some doggy mascot while doing her delivery so that she could work out and amount of sweat. During her delivery, she meets Mika (freaking out at first sight). Of course Kana has trouble delivering a newspaper to a house which has a dog. Mika helps her out. Not without all that trouble and getting themselves dirty. It seems that this house belongs to Ootsuka as she greets them. She has a favour to ask of Kana. Back at the office as the girls are hosing Kana down with clean water (Haruka tied up in a storeroom. Should have done this all the time), Kana tells them how Ootsuka has entrusted her in taking care of her dog, John, while she and her parents are away for the day. So Yume, Yuuki and Hinata join Kana and Mika to play with John as it becomes friendly with them. Lots of freaking out moments from scaredy cats Kana and Mika at first. This prompts Mika to remember the heartbreaking moment when she had to give away her own pet dog when she was moving. That night Mika and Kana send John back so Mika wonders if her dog is being treated well in her new family. Kana assures her so Mika feels relief. Back at the office, Kana is having lots of cake because she’s hungry. Then she remembers about her diet… Back to square one for the battle of the bulge. As for Haruka, she’s still at the police station doing her own ‘battle’. On an unrelated note, I wonder how Haruka got freed from the police station seeing she will continue to appear in the rest of the episodes. No proof to charge for sexual misdemeanour?

 

In episode 10, Yume bakes cookies and hands it to Kana to give to Yuuki as she leaves in a hurry in her family limo. Kana learns from Hinata that Yume is an heiress in her noble family and so she misinterprets that she is forced to go back. However the bigger problem is Yuuki. You know what this means if she doesn’t have her partner around. Well, it’s her chance-cum-trial to grow up but it seems she’s more depressed than anything, locking herself up in her room. This doesn’t help when naive Kana starts misinterpreting that Yume has left Yuuki. Then during meal time, Kana tries to distract and prevent that would make Yuuki remind anything on Yume. This includes getting harassed by Haruka, thinking she has accepted her love. Get real. Over the day, Kana feels gloomy over Yuuki’s case and the slight provocation about it could send Kana into some random frenzy. Yeah, even watching a TV drama about a depressing love story. Yeah, based on that show, she concludes that Yuuki is going to kill herself! Speaking of which and in good timing, Yuuki runs out in tears and says that she can’t take it anymore. Kana tries to restrain her but soon learns that her pain stems from her tooth cavity. Uh huh. So Saki tells her to go to the dentist in which she eventually did. So kids, there is nothing to fear in seeing a dentist. Albeit that pain may seem like an eternity to her during the operation. That night when Yume comes home she tells Kana that she was went home to attend a memorial service and wanted Yuuki to come along but with swollen face, it’s better she didn’t. Later they play fireworks but Kana still feels down. On a cloudy morning, Kana meets Mika during her delivery. They take a break as Kana offers to buy her a can drink. Both are trying to be extra nice to each other so much so causing the can to spill. So it’s Mika turn to make up for it. I don’t know if this is true because the vending machine announces that Mika is the winner and gives an additional free can drink as her prize. Now they don’t have to ‘fight’ over it. The sun then comes up, which makes Kana feeling a lot better.

 

It must be rainy season because it continues to pour during the summer in episode 11. Partly due to overworking, Yuuki falls ill. However delivery must still be done so Yume volunteers to cover for Yuuki’s route. And perhaps she was having too much fun that she too falls ill when she returns. Okay, 2 lesbians sleeping together to cure each other’s fever and such. See, you don’t need sophisticated medicine to heal. Next morning, Kana panics to see Kana sleeping at the dinner table. Her mind starts to go wild. This includes Saki is an alien (don’t ask) and that Fuushin Shinbun will collapse without her direction and be sold off (don’t even think how she came up with that). It’s true that Saki’s got a little fever so she decides to take a rest in her room while Kana tries her best to nurse. However even if Kana’s concern is pretty much genuine, it is a little annoying in the sense she’s asking if she’s this or that or needs anything. Hinata and Haruka say it’s best to leave her alone which has Kana once again to jump the gun that she’s an annoyance to Saki. That night when Kana enters Saki’s room, she finds out she has lost her voice. Is she going to fall ill too? Probably after all that panicking and scatterbrain shouting, yeah maybe. Next day, Saki is well and wants Kana to rest though Kana is adamant that she can still go on. But Saki thinks otherwise at this will prolong her cold. The rest continue with their work while Kana lies in bed. She has a nightmare whereby everyone starts leaving her. Next morning Kana wakes up with her cold gone and spots Saki sleeping next to her. She apologizes for causing trouble but Saki replies that she has got her own role and still needs her around. But Kana still feels depressed because she feels she is being protected by everyone.

 

Fuushin Shinbun is taking part in a local flea market to raise enough money to buy an air-cond for their office in episode 12. Saki uses the power of her innocent cherubic impression to get her classmate to donate stuff for the market. It always works. And I think Yume and Yuuki’s lesbianism is going too far when they smooch right in the middle of the crowded place. Kana is the first to take her lunch break shift so Saki also asks her to get some loose change from the bank at the same time. Kana meets Mika on her way and finds out that she too is participating at the flea market and was told to get loose change as well. Are these 2 kinda fated to meet and do almost the same things? After learning about Kana’s role, Mika suggests to help out at Fuushin Shinbun’s booth and will wait for her return with the change. Yeah, killing 2 birds with 1 stone. Kana then unknowingly bumps into Marimo and drops her vegetables. But Marimo is unfazed and continues to set up a stall and sell her vegetables dirt cheap. 10 Yen per veggie. Wow! All the aunty and grandmas flock to buy them! In no time they have to restock so Kana helps her out. They even help a grandma carry the vegetables back home as service. Then Marimo starts following the scent which attracted to her. Kana tries to keep up with her through the bushes and people’s yard. They arrive at a hilltop with a scenic view of the town below. It seems Marimo was following the scent of the sweet olive tree. Can she smell from that far? They both lie down and chat as Kana finds out she once worked as a newspaper delivery girl but didn’t ask where or her name. When Kana tells of her troubles at her current work place, Marimo starts singing a coconut journey song which prompts Kana to cry (in a happy sense). They proceed to have a friendly chat and when Kana asks her name, Marimo was fast asleep. Evening before Marimo leaves, they both thank each other as Marimo gives Kana words of encouragement that she’ll bloom when the time comes. Then the other girls found Kana, especially Saki who is extremely upset, because well, she forgot about getting the loose change and had gone missing. Pay cut! Pay cut!

 

Kana continues to learn to ride a bicycle in episode 13. Though she keeps falling, like they say, no pain no gain. She also learns that Fuushin Shinbun is holding interviews next week to possibly hire a new staff. In this episode, Mika’s tsundere-ness for Kana becomes totally obvious. Because Nao notices this, I guess she can’t help it but to screw with Mika’s mind that Kana may have a boyfriend and might have made a date to meet at the amusement park. I mean, Kana often comes late to class and her stamina has increased (thanks to all that running from her deliveries). Not to lose out, jealous Mika pretends to ride a bike on a playground ride wildly and as expected, Kana spot this embarrassing thing. For once, we see Kana’s sly eyes that she may intend to use this embarrassing moment in the near future. Did she learn all this as Fuushin Shinbun? Then the duo have an imaginary bicycle competition since neither could ride well. So anything goes so much so it ends with Kana being hit by a truck. Keep in mind all this are just their imagination but they’re taking it all too seriously, especially Mika. Yeah, Kana’s last words to Johnny… Who the heck is Johnny? Well, to Mika she thinks that damn guy is her supposed boyfriend. Next day, Kana goes to shop for a new diary but finds the one she wants a little pricey. And that Mika thinks she’s going to buy it for her Johnny… Give it up will ‘ya. Of course the other girls would gladly help to chip in but modest Kana refused their generosity. They then think up of an idea and has Kana do several menial chores. With every chore done, they contribute to a piggy-bank and during pay day, Kana gets a fat bonus in which it is enough to buy that diary. She feels grateful and as she continues to practice cycling, she hopes she can repay everyone’s kindness one day and perhaps give the possible newbie a lot of firsts like how everyone did for her. And for your information, Johnny is Fuushin Shinbun’s pet goldfish. Oh Mika, give it up already…

 

So all is well ends well? Though it may not all be a smooth ride for Kana, but at least I can see she made a little self improvement from the klutzy and naive self she initially was. She’s still got some room from improvement but not to worry because with the guidance of her Fuushin Shinbun girls and her grandma watching up from above, I’m confident she’ll get by. Yeah, pick up some bad habits along the way and especially immunization from Haruka’s pervertness. I hate to admit this but life at the newspaper office is pretty dull without her. That’s why I think twice about locking her up in prison for good. Better to watch misery upon other people, eh? It still bugs me to wonder who the actual chief is running the place since Saki is only the deputy but everyone else calls her the chief. If not for her strict ways, I can’t imagine the chaos and order. Nobody would’ve gotten their newspapers. That’s Fuushin Shinbun for you. A cast of colourful girls delivering your newspapers.

 

On trivial notes, there is a robot named Kaniko Echizen that serves as a scene changer. He spews short, random and nonsensical lines which has no relation whatsoever (some even sarcastic) while spinning around quickly across the screen for the quick transition of the scene that takes place. Other than that, it will be a scene of Bunta and the kanji word of "De" (and). I feel that this series caters for cat lovers because you get to see them almost everywhere. Each episode has the words "My first~" in it to reflect the first time the things Kana do. Such a pitiful girl never to have experienced some of the things that many of us take for granted. The mid-intermission itself is comical as it shows funny sketches/scenes of the characters as they say the name of the series. For many of the next episode preview, the characters play the shiratori game though their lines may not be related to what the next episode has to offer. Sometimes it made me go "What the hell was that conversation all about anyway". And after that, viewers are treated to different drawings and illustrations of the characters from different people. If you have seen Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, you’ll know what I mean.

 

For the seiyuu, it is such a surprise that Yui Horie takes on the role as the demon loli harasser Haruka. It feels like a different change of breath from the other good girl roles she usually voiced like Kotori in Da Capo series, Eri in School Rumble and Siesta in Zero No Tsukaima series. She’s sure damn convincing voicing Haruka. Kaoru Mizuhara does an equally convincing job voicing acerbic Saki. Her other roles for this newbie include Erika in Princess Lover and Misao in Lucky Star. Sometimes I find Aki Toyasaki who voices Kana, to be a little out of breath. I mean, Kana a scatterbrain herself has so much to say whenever she panics so it’s like I feel she needs bigger lungs. She did voice other ditzy girls like Yui in K-ON! and Najimi in Akikan. I guess that’s why she’s perfect here too. And who wouldn’t recognize Rie Kugimiya as Mika. Tsundere loli roles. Need I say more or any further introduction for those of you have heard enough of her from her previous roles like Shana in Shakugan No Shana or Nagi in Hayate No Gotoku. Other casts include Eri Kitamura as Hinata (Rin in Kodomo No Jikan), Ryou Hirohashi as Yume (Kyou in Clannad), Aya Endo as Yuuki (Cruz in Needless) and Mikako Takahashi as Marimo (Rushuna in Grenadier). The opening theme, Kimi E To Tsunagu Kokoro by Aki Toyasaki, Rie Kugimiya and Kaoru Mizuhara is a lively and upbeat pop piece while the ending theme, YAHHO!! by Yui Horie resembles more of a rock piece (heavy electric guitars at the start).

 

While the important lesson in this series is the life journey that everyone undertakes and that life still has to go on even if the passing of your beloved one, the next time you pick up your delivered newspaper at your doorstep, stop and spare a thought that some people have to wake up in the wee hours of the morning just to deliver a few pages of sheet. As for me, I buy my own newspaper! Can’t afford to pay extra for delivery (stingy poker!). Don’t be surprised if you see a newspaper office filled only with charming and self-assertive bishoujos. Because I think you’ll get more service than expected ;). Now, I wonder if there is an anime studio filled only with charming and self-assertive bishoujos… Can I apply to work in one?