Hanasaku Iroha version 4.

Hanasaku Iroha > This > Tari Tari > Glasslip. A number of their other shows are also along similar lines, but have some professional component to make things more interesting (Shirobako, Sakura Quest) or a more dramatic romance (True Tears, the mermaid one).

All of the Hanasaku Iroha clones have started with a pretty strong first episode (well, in the case of Glasslip, only relatively speaking) but then things always fall apart. They all start with an interesting premise but then it turns out to be a fairly standard story about a girl making friends and becoming more confident in herself. I guess there’s nothing wrong with that, per se, but I always feel so disappointed. Like in this show: we start out with time travel magic, and delve into this magical world of water color painting, and see this girl’s deep loneliness. It all sounds so entrancing. And then… she makes friends. I don’t know. It’s just so anime and so predictable. It knocked me right out, every single episode. I could barely tell you what happened in the second half, to be honest.

I knew this would happen and I was right, I shouldn’t have bothered.

• Storytelling – C – Good first episode…
• Voice – B – I like the setup… but it was wasted.
• Characters – C – Main girl and grandma are fine, but the rest…
• Attention Grab – F – Totally lost all interest.
• Production – B – Looks fine.
• Overall – C-

Recommendations – Shirobako, Nagi no Asukara, Orange