Watch Sarazanmai

Sarazanmai is a surrealistic fantasy anime series that puts a fresh spin on the genre with a unique premise and stunning visuals. It premiered in 2019 on Fuji TV and is directed by Kunihiko Ikuhara, known for his earlier work on Revolutionary Girl Utena and Penguindrum.

The story follows three middle-school boys: Kazuki Yasaka (voiced by Katsuyuki Konishi), Toi Kuji (voiced by Gakuto Kajiwara), and Enta Jinnai (voiced by Megumi Ogata). They live in Asakusa, which is undergoing intensive urban development in anticipation of the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics. While exploring the city one night, they come across a mysterious kappa-like creature named Keppi (voiced by Junichi Suwabe) who steals their shirikodama, or life force, and turns them into kappas as well.

Keppi tasks them with defeating zombies who are wreaking havoc in the city by performing a ritual called "Sarazanmai." To do so, the boys must connect through their desires by transforming into kappas and retrieving the zombies' shirikodama, which are hidden in their anuses. The show's core concept sounds bizarre, but it's that off-kilter weirdness that makes it so captivating.

The characters each have their own motivations and secrets they are keeping from each other, and these secrets gradually unravel as the story progresses. Kazuki is the main protagonist, a closeted cross-dresser whose love of the theater has him involved in the development of a local theater production. Toi is a stoic boy whose past involvement in the illegal distribution of firearms threatens to unravel his relationships. Enta is a loyal friend to both Kazuki and Toi, with his main motivation being his unrequited love for Kazuki and his hope that their friendship will progress into a romantic relationship.

The themes of adolescence, identity, and desire are all explored in Sarazanmai, and the show delves into these topics with gravitas and empathy. Adolescents often feel like outsiders, and this is amplified in the show's setting of a rapidly changing Tokyo district. The city's ongoing redevelopment serves as metaphorical commentary on the loss of traditional Japanese values and the global cultural shift that has taken place in recent years. The characters must navigate these changes as they try to find themselves and their place in the world.

In terms of animation, Sarazanmai is breathtakingly beautiful. The show's art style is a mix of bold lines and flat colors, that work together with the show's surreal imagery to create an overall mesmerizing look. Each episode's opening sequence is a visual feast that features mesmerizing imagery that fits the show's tone and themes.

The voice actors do an excellent job bringing their respective characters to life. Fans of the dub version will be happy to know that the English-language cast is headlined by Ian Sinclair as Kazuki, Alejandro Saab as Toi, and Justin Briner as Enta. They capture the nuances of their characters' personalities, with Sinclair in particular being a standout as Kazuki.

One of the most impressive things about Sarazanmai is how it manages to balance its dark themes with moments of levity and humor. Despite the show's heavy subject matter, director Kunihiko Ikuhara manages to sprinkle in moments of lightness that give the viewer a chance to catch their breath. One of the show's recurring gags involves Keppi's obsession with cucumbers, a running joke that adds some much-needed levity to the story's dark setting.

Overall, Sarazanmai is a unique and gorgeously animated anime series that explores themes of adolescence, identity, and desire with a surrealistic flair. Despite its bizarre premise, it manages to ground its characters' stories in real-world issues and offers a nuanced commentary on the evolving cultural landscape of Tokyo. Fans of Kunihiko Ikuhara's earlier work will find plenty to enjoy here, and newcomers to the director's style will find a captivating and thought-provoking anime that offers a refreshing spin on the genre.

Sarazanmai is a series that ran for 1 seasons (11 episodes) between April 11, 2019 and on Fuji TV