Anime: Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight!

Do you know the feeling of your teeth aching due to extreme sweetness?

This series is perfect in making you feel positive; not only does it provide you with extra sweet character designs, but the protagonist is so incredibly positive that it rubs off on everyone. Including the one watching the show.
That can be good, but it also manages to steer away anyone who doesn't enjoy an incredibly positively positivity and then it feels like this show hurts your teeth because it is way too sweet in terms of cuteness.
So if you really enjoy your shows with immense positive feelings and ultra-sweet character designs, this is your cup of tea. Anyone else, you will feel as if you already have sore teeth and then find yourself in a candy shop.

The reason why the rating values are this high is because it is meant for people who actually like this kind of stuff. Anyone else won't be able to sit through the very first episode and therefore won't be able to vote for this series in the first place. I've gone out of my way to cringe and sit through this show. Someone find me a dentist to remove all my teeth.

Animation: Nice, detailed animation, but lacks technique.

I've been surprised by the rich details this show displays at times. A moving skirt which has visibly more detail, while most other series would have made it less detailed in order to save time, would be a good example. Backgrounds sometimes look very good as well, as many of them are CG-based and seem to integrate properly into the animation.
Additionally, the OP/ED are very nice touches. UFOtable always manages to bring out their playing clay-version of the characters and make it a kind of special. While it is always up to preferences, it is always original. The same goes for the OP-animation, which is pretty much eye-candy for anyone watching the show.

The points where the show did not score well at were the facial expressions and the backgrounds. While I said the backgrounds were very good at times, there were also times where the CG really looked different from the rest of the show and that makes it look bad. The facial expressions were sometimes also limited, but I'm still not entirely sure about whether that's a problem of the animation or the character designs. The character designs are so that the characters always seem to be cheery and laughing, so there is little room for details, from my point of view.
Of course they can cry as well, but there is little difference in Manabi's regular smile and her being really happy-smile, or even the not-so-happy smile.

Sound: Ultra-fitting voices.

The cuteness doesn't simply stop with the animation. Even in the voice acting the cuteness overflows, so there is not much to say about the voices as they're really good to continue the sweetness of the character designs.

The music, on the other hand is disappointing. Many repeated tracks, of which one is merely a hand-clapping one, find its way to the show at times where you don't really want to hear them. The same goes for the ED-song, which was truly hurting my teeth when I heard it was about being ‘Happy and lucky’, combined with music just as sweet. Luckily the OP-song was barely within my borders to sit through, but that didn't go for all songs.

Story: Think positive!

Seeing how the characters emit positive energy, guess what the story is about? Exactly, fun-filled events, no matter how ridiculously odd or expensive they are. There's not much to tell about this, since I'll only be able to point out examples by telling what the episodes are about in detail. And in terms of positivity, there is much more to gain to watch for yourself on the sweetness-filled joyride this series gives you.

Characters: A nice set of characters to support the sweetness.

In a show where the atmosphere is meant to be sweet and positive, it is surprising that the characters actually manage to obtain quite a personality and actually get development. This show manages to do so and it doesn't hurt the show, nor does it feel wrong. In general, the show is about the characters, their personalities and what they do, so that means the show succeeds.
I could tell a bit about the different characters, but to be honest, if you've gone as far as watching the show after the warning on top, you will appreciate each of them as well.

Value & Enjoyment: Really nice show, if you can stomach the amount of sweetness.

Seriously, if you can 'just' stand sweet shows, this is one hell of a challenge to sit through. However, if you actually love these kind of shows, this might just as well become one of your favorite shows. Being so ultimately positive, the shows borders on the epitome of sweetness and it is therefore either your favorite or your most hated show. There is pretty much nothing inbetween when it comes to this show, which goes to the extreme of sweetness.
Because of that, there is nothing much to say when it comes to a conclusion; you either love it or hate it. But if you've read up to this point and still hesitate watching, then don't watch it; you're not the type of person who will appreciate this series.
On the other hand, if you like this show, you will most likely not have any regrets in buying it as well. If only to raise your spirit when you realize you have spent too much on it.

Synopsis:

Manabi Straight follows the lives of a group of young high school girls living in the year 2035 while they attend the all-girl Seioh Private High. Due to the fact that birth rate has dropped dramatically, schools are being closed down due to the sheer lack of students available to teach. Morale in schools has dropped dramatically, and Seioh is no exception. The story begins when the main character, Manami Amamiya, transfers to Seioh High School. Manami is an active girl with a positive personality, often shouting her personal motto “Massugu Go!” (“Go straight ahead!").

On her way to school, Manami, or Manabi as she wants to be called, meets Mika Inamori, a shy student of Seioh who was to participate in the swim meet, despite her not knowing how to swim. After an intense ride together on Manami's futuristic scooter, they end up literally crashing the meet over the fence and into the pool. The story that follows pertains to Manami working with Mika, and three other classmates named Mutsuki Uehara, Mei Etoh, and Momoha Odori, in student council matters.

Review

This caught me totally of guard I was expecting something similar to Lucky Star or Azumanga Daioh although these to shows are basically totally different when compared with Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight. I would suggest watch the series in two marathon sessions watching the first six episodes and then the last six, as there is a couple of messages that the Anime tries and convey to the viewer and they might not become evident if u watch one or two episodes at a time.

U may ask type of messages? Achieving you goals with the help of your friends and doing so with a vision and passion, cheesy I know but this show reminded me of my high school years especially the characters in Manabi Straight, as I could relate to everyone of them in the show.

Story:

They say don’t judge a book by its cover and in this case it can’t be more true than with Manabi Straight. I was expecting something overly "Moe" with lots of “kawaii" characters in it. Usually when a show contains those two factors the story goes out the window. During the first episode of the show we learn that Japan has experienced a sharp decline in birth rates, they also mention an epidemic but it only gets a fleeting mention. (Wish they had an episode that focused on what happened to the world as u don’t really see much of the outside world during the show.)

The story could have been better but then again this Anime show is character driven and not story driven, it focuses on each character and how they grow during the course of the show. The show follows Manami working with Mika, and three other classmates named Mutsuki Uehara, Mei Etoh, and Momoha Odori, in the newly formed student council and there preparations for the school festival and everything leading up to it.

It is worth taking note of the underlying story but watch the Anime for the character development as that is were the Anime really stands out. On a side note the production staff of Manabi Straight took a new path in terms of direction, effectively removing the traditional "director" position. Instead, a team of studio producers and episode directors called Team Manabibeya shared the burden together, a first for an animation production.

Animation:

I just love the animation style of Manabi Straight brightly colored drawn crisp and clear and the quality of the animation is very high. The detail given to each character in Manabi Straight is amazing especially the facial expression that Manabi and the rest of the shows characters express during the show.

Sound/Music:

The music is anything to write home about and nothing really stood out for me while watching the show. The opening and ending themes used was pretty entertaining to listen to as it is preformed by Megumi Hayashibara one of my favorite JPOP artists.

On a side note: Before the airing of the Anime, five character mini albums were released featuring the characters of Manami Amamiya, Mika Inamori, Mutsuki Uehara, Mei Etoh, and Momoha Odori, sung by their respective voice actresses.


Character:

This is were Manabi Straight's strength lies I could go on for hours about it but I will try and keep it short. Every single character in Manabi Straight is likeable from Manami Amamiya, Mika Inamori, Mutsuki Uehara, Momoha Odor. And my personal favorite: Mei Etoh. You can associate your self with one of the many characters as I did during the show if not then you know someone like that who attended school with you or shared the same classroom.

From the moment Manabi meets Mika Inamori the characters start developing and every character becomes instantly lovable. They achieve there goals with the help of there friends and in doing so they each reach there own goals near the end of the show. I found myself cheering for them hoping for them to succeed and smiling when they discovered a new side to there relationships with each other.

Enjoyment:

There is no reason not to enjoy or watch this show it might not be for everyone if you are looking for a action title then look elsewhere. But Manabi Straight strait is best watched with your old school buddies so that u can reminisce about the good old days.

It's an uprising.

Manabi Straight! is shockingly good, though you wouldn't think it at first. High school girls? Check. Quirky personalities? Check. Various odd happenings? Check. Relentlessly upbeat? Check. Sounds familiar, somewhat like Azumanga Daioh, right? Yawn. Pass. Right?

Wrong. So very, very wrong.

Summary: In 2035, it seems that the birth rate across the world has dropped substantially. Nowhere is this effect seen more than in schools. With enrollment dropping, schools are closing and merging on a regular basis. Kids are disenchanted with the whole process and begin dropping out on their own. Seioh High School is one of these schools where the students are pathetically apathetic.

And along comes Manabi. Energetic. Driven. Passionate.

Catalyst.

Animation: I love the artistic style in this show! The colors are bright, but not blindingly so. All the characters are drawn and animated very smoothly. Everything seems to have a bit of a softening effect, almost rounded as another reviewer mentions, which all adds up to a gloriously cheerful scene.

The most negative part of the artwork, to me, is that these high school girls are around the age of sixteen, yet they look...young. It could be a conscious decision to chibi-fy them to add to the cheerful upbeat factor, but when they look like they're twelve, it's a little weird. To complicate this, as time passes in the series, none of them change a bit in appearance. No signs of aging for the amount of time that passes is a little lazy.

Sound: The music is terrific and the voice acting is excellent as well. The energetic "clapping" beat that's in practically every episode is infectious. I found myself tapping right along.

The OP/ED, unfortunately, are nowhere near as good as they could be. Both fail to complement the drive in the series, being much too laid back.

For massive bonus credit though, the band scene in episode 11 gave me very pleasant memories of a similar scene in Haruhi - while it wasn't as good, it was still a damn good scene.

Story: Unlike some of the less focused shows of this style like Azumanga or Pani Poni Dash, Manabi Straight has an actual plot. While the first half of the series is basic introductory character exposition, the epic struggle involving the school fair becomes the driving force of the show.

It's a very simple plot line, but it's executed extremely well. It's deceptively easy to screw up even the most simplistic of plots. The writers avoided most pitfalls and brought the story to its end very cleanly and to my satisfaction. In another surprise, the ending is actually done well. Some people may think that it stretches too long. I don't think it stretches long enough. Each part of the final episode is a better feeling than the part before, and by the time "Fin" came up on screen, I was just sagging back in my chair with a vapid grin on my face. Supersaturated genki.

Character: The five primary characters are all written and drawn well, avoiding some cliche and embracing the rest. Manabi and Mikan are the two primary foci, but Mei gets a lot of focus time as well. Mu-chi and Momo get the shaft, unfortunately - while I didn't care much for Mu-chi, Momo was terribly underdeveloped.

I wouldn't characterize this as a coming of age anime, but it does satisfy that desire. Some of the characters learn a lot about themselves and grow up in a new direction. Others have their way of life confirmed. I was not disappointed with any of the characters.

Value and Enjoyment: Maximum enjoyment in a small package! Only twelve episodes, but each one will leave a smile on your face. Manabi Straight! is a quintessential slice of life FEEL GOOD series. It's subtitled "Gakuen Utopia" for good reason. It brought back a lot of good memories for me. That in and of itself makes this series worth the time to watch it.

Conclusion: If you liked Azumanga, you'll like this. A lot. High school humor and fun, slice of life, a little drama, a lot of enjoyment and smiles.

FORWARD, GO! Watch this series!

Every season comes with its surprises. The summer-season last year had Night Head Genesis and Chevalier, the fall-season had Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto and Sasami Mahou Shoujo Club, and winter-season had Manabi Straight. I normally tend to dislike school-based slice-of-life series, and okay, the series wasn’t awesome, perfect, stunning or extremely heart-warming. But I still have to say that I had a good time watching this series.

The thing that immediately strikes about this anime is its energy. Seldomly I’ve encountered an anime which almost sparkles with its energetic characters. The unique art style, the great animation and the perfectly fitting soundtrack turned this into one of the few slice-of-life series which actually caught my interest.

Another strong point of this anime is how it quite easily breaks a lot of stereotypes that have been plaguing other school-based anime oh so often. The most striking is the student-council president: Manabi, the main character of this anime. Up till now, a student-council president either was an arrogant but rather stupid bitch who likes to abuse his/her students or a perfect human (you know, the rich, smart, talented, high-classed and uberpopular one). Manabi Straight finally puts a human being in the seat of the student-council president, someone who loves her school, and wants to keep it alive.

Not only Manabi, but also the four other main characters felt very refreshing. Usually, in a show of this nature, the story usually revolves around two characters, while you can replace the other main ones with paper bags and still not notice any difference in the story. Manabi Straight makes sure that each of the five heroines has a significant role in the story. Sometimes subtle, sometimes obvious. Also, even though Manabi is the main character, and the central person in the story, she doesn’t necessarily get more screen-time than the others. Mikan and Mei get just as much airtime as Manabi, while the other two also are quite present.

Okay, so the anime is not going to go down as the “best anime ever” anytime soon. At times, the drama was a bit too forced, and the ending was a bit cheap. And okay, for a show which is supposed to take place in 2035, the only thing we got to see to illustrate this were strange-looking gadgets. I still enjoyed the unique parts in this one. I liked the quirky humour which showed up once in a while a lot. The animation was excellent and full of creativity, I hope it’ll set a standard for future anime to work towards. It’s a show, perfect for a light watch, but don’t expect anything amazing.