It has been decided that "Asuka-chan's Sailor Uniform" will be made into an anime this year, but many people have probably noticed that the artwork in this work has a slightly different nuance from the original. A promotional video for the anime has been released, and it seems that many people who watch it think it's a little different from the original. So, in this article, I would like to focus on how the expressions differ between the anime and manga versions of this work. By considering the differences with the anime version, we can think about the original appeal of this work as a manga, and conversely, what new appeal the anime version will bring, so if you're interested, please read to the end.
What feels strange about the anime version?
Now, let's consider why so many people feel uncomfortable with the anime version of this work.
Asa-chan
Among the many complaints about discomfort, the most common concerns concern Asa-chan. Asu-chan is the main character of this work and plays a central role in the story's progression, so if there's something off about her, it could have a significant impact on the overall story.
Different eye color
So what is it about Asu-chan that's off? Numerous comments have been made about Asu-chan, but one that many people find particularly troubling is her eye color. In the manga, Asu-chan has black eyes, which is the natural eye color of Japanese people. However, in the anime, Asu-chan's eyes are light blue, giving her facial features a slightly different appearance from Japanese people. Apparently, anime characters often change their eye color to make them easier to distinguish, and it seems that Asu-chan's eye color change may be related to this.
Beautiful Backgrounds
Several elements of the original work that are highly anticipated have been mentioned. One of these is the beautifully drawn backgrounds. One of the appeals of this work is the scenes in which Asu-chan runs around in vast natural environments, and many people are expressing high expectations for this other appealing aspect of the work.
What is the appeal of the original work?
Above, we introduced some opinions that the anime adaptation, which many had been looking forward to, was a little different from what they expected. From here, to delve deeper into these opinions, we'd like to focus on what makes this manga so appealing in the first place.
Drawings that make the characters appear to move
The greatest appeal of this work is the meticulous depiction of the lively movements of its wonderful characters. Drawing a character is a very difficult technique, even for professional manga artists. In this work, the entire complex character is depicted over and over again, without any hesitation. There are few other works with such elaborate and meticulous depictions of movement. The fact that we can see so many characters moving is one of the many outstanding aspects of this work.
Pay Attention to Character Expressions
It's not just the character movements that are intricately drawn. Each and every character in this work is depicted with detailed facial expressions, and you can see their emotions subtly change as the story progresses. Perhaps the greatest appeal of this work is the deep depiction of the relationships between these characters.
Realistic depictions
As such, this work meticulously depicts not only the movements of the characters, but also the interactions between them and the changing emotions of the characters. It is precisely because of these meticulous depictions that each character in the work feels truly alive.
Considering the Appeal of This Work through the Aquarium
I would like to delve deeper into the appeal of this work, using the artist's other work, Aquarium, as a reference. Works by the same artist are extremely important sources for analyzing other works, so if you are interested in a work, please be sure to research other works by the same artist.
The depiction of water in this work is incredible!
The greatest feature of "Aquarium" is the incredibly detailed depiction of water. The depiction and color of this water are also depicted with great care in "Asuka-chan's Sailor Suit," and it's clear that the author of this work puts a lot of effort into depicting water and nature. Therefore, perhaps the author's request for detailed depictions of nature is also conveyed in the anime adaptation?
School Stories
Another common thread is that Aquarium is also a school story set in a high school. Student life within a school is a particularly closed and unique environment, so it takes some skill to portray it. The fact that the author chose the school-themed genre for this work and Aquarium shows that he has great confidence in school stories.
What to expect from the anime!
So far, I've talked about the appeal of this work and the discomfort fans have with its anime adaptation. From here on, I'd like to introduce some of the elements we can look forward to specifically because it's an anime. Since an anime adaptation is a rare opportunity for a work, I hope it's a huge success.
Can we get a glimpse of the movement in this work?
First of all, what I want you to pay attention to is how well the movement in this work can be reproduced. Even though it is a manga where each individual frame is a picture, the fact that such dynamic images were able to be depicted is perhaps the greatest feature of this work. I would love to see the animation pursue even more realistic character movements than the manga version.
Can the characters be faithfully reproduced?
Each character is incredibly realistic, making this series a popular favorite. It will be interesting to see how faithfully the anime can recreate the character traits and personalities depicted in the original work.
Anime's Unique Interpretation
What I expect from anime isn't just a faithful reproduction of the original work. I also want it to incorporate expressions that can only be achieved in anime, and to reinterpret the original story with the intention of re-animating it, creating a new story. After all, simply recreating the exact same content isn't interesting, so I hope it will incorporate storylines and settings that are unique to anime.
Natural Scenery Representation
One thing we shouldn't forget is the natural scenery. The PV already featured natural scenery, and it was incredibly detailed. If this keeps up, I'm sure we'll see beautiful, detailed depictions of natural scenery, just like in the original work. Let's continue to pay close attention to the natural scenery.
Difference is what makes it interesting
As explained above, since it's being adapted into an anime, it would be boring to make it exactly the same as the original. Perhaps it's precisely because the original and anime are different that we can enjoy two different versions of "Asuka-chan's Sailor Uniform."
It doesn't have to be the same as the original
When you think about it this way, it seems like a waste to stop watching the anime just because it's a little different from the original. You can say all sorts of things, like Asu-chan's eyes are different or her voice isn't what you'd imagine, but why not just watch the first episode with the intention of enjoying the anime as it is?
Many works are interesting precisely because they are different from the original work
In fact, even among highly acclaimed works, there are many that differ significantly from the original work. The key is to be entertaining. Even if it's not faithful to the original, as long as the story is interesting, animation is enjoyable.
I want to see Asu-chan in an anime-like way!
That's why I want to say it loud and clear! "I want to see Asa-chan as she is in the anime." People may say it's different from the original, but I'd like to conclude this article by saying that it's precisely because it's different from the original that the anime "Asa-chan's Sailor Uniform" is so much fun.
Summary
What did you think? This time, we've discussed various opinions regarding the anime adaptation of "Asa-chan's Sailor Uniform." Of course, the original work is already incredibly well-crafted, so it's unclear how closely the anime will be able to live up to the brilliance of the original. However, you can't truly appreciate a work without first seeing it, so for now, I recommend you look forward to the broadcast of this series.
