Anime: Koufuku Graffiti

Beware that this show is not to be watched on an empty stomach. Koufuku Graffiti has absolutely nothing to do with graffiti; it has everything to do with girls repeatedly having food-gasms. If you enjoy watching girls repeatedly melt with every bite of food (and there are many many bites in the show), this should be a good watch for you. Unfortunately, if you're endeavoring to become the next Iron Chef, the cast doesn't divulge their recipe secrets.

Ryou is a middle schooler who has conveniently been "abandoned" by her parents who are working oversees. Her guardian aunt is too busy at work to really attend to Ryou. Thus, she spends her days mostly alone painting for art school and cooking for herself, apprehensive that her lack in cooking skills will directly result in her turning into a bad wife. Luckily, she encounters her cousin, who happens to look like a preteen, and the two soon bond and start sharing weekend meals together. How will this encounter change Ryou's nichijou?

Koufuku is a slice of life with a heavy focus on food and the character's reactions to food. Expect a lot of animation details on the food as well as the character's (perhaps exaggerated) reactions to tasting the succulent whatever.

Animation:
The animation is up to modern standards with a very Shaft-appropriate styling. Expect a lot of sudden camera pans and abstract angles, not as jarring but definitely taking hints from shows such as Bakemonogatari and Nisekoi. In addition to the artistic styling, expect immaculate attention to details in animation, such as how a soft layer of warm egg lands on a bed of beckoning rice. Though most of the scenes take place indoors, the scenery and background are nicely drawn in all locations. The characters are drawn nicely, though they perhaps could use a tad more detail at distance. During the eating scenes, expect plenty of facial animation details as well as a bunch of happy sparkles in the background. There is definitely a good focus on details here, such as the picture of Ryou's grandmother (her pose will change throughout the show). Given the nature of the show, don't expect anything in the way of action or ecchi.

Sound:
The OP is a light piece with a fair melody and a gentle tone. The ED is perhaps more fitting with a more playful tune and very appropriate lyrics. My favorite tune though is the preview song at the end of each episode (especially how the animation matches the tune). The BGM is light and playful; it utilizes instrumentals as well as light vocals.

The VA cast does a great job overall. Expect a great effort especially from veterans Rina Satou and Mikako Komatsu.

Story:
The story follows Ryou as she befriends people through her cooking skills. The pacing varies and the show spans quite a few seasons all the way through her graduation from middle school. Overall, not much happens with the plot in this show. Each episode's title gives a hint as to what the "main course" of the episode will be. Some story elements could have been better tied in, such as Yuki, but the overall goal of showcasing food and making you a tad hungry is achieved with striking success. It's a pretty mellow watch overall with no rising action, climax, or cliffhangers.

Character:
Though Ryou is explicated fairly well, the other characters aren't nearly as much. Despite the goal of highlighting the fact that food tastes better when cooked and enjoyed with others, the character bonds didn't feel all that strong as other shows. There is likewise no romance with this pretty much all-girl cast and little in the way of dynamic characters. Though the food was easy to relate to, the characters were not so.

Value:
Though a unique idea, the show ultimately pales in comparison to other Shaft success stories. Despite the fact that this is a slice of life focusing on food, a great topic to focus on, it ultimately doesn't try to involve the user further than salivating at dishes, and thus it falls prey to the same issues as Nourin and Silver Spoon; there's nothing really interesting about the underlying story or characters. Thus, if you're looking to work up an appetite, by all means watch the girls and their orgasms. However, if you're looking for something engaging, I'd look elsewhere.