WRITING (9/10)
*Characters
The characters in Gin no Saji feel very real, even if a bit exaggerated as in most anime. All the characters except the main one come from rural areas, and are already familiar with the setting. They’re strong, knowledgeable and know their stuff when it comes to agriculture. Tamako, for example, is a ruthless business woman but at the same time shows hints of playfulness and friendliness. The main star, Hachiken, is in a position most of us have been in: wandering aimlessly without any goals or aspirations while the people around him all seem to have their futures figured out. This is what makes Hachiken relatable, he arrives at the location of the show, an agricultural school, simply to get away from his old and pointless life. What happens later is a transformation from cynical city boy to a responsible student as he rapidly learns from everything and everyone around him. He was given a fresh start in a totally different environment and as a result of that grew as a person. The large supporting cast all seem to have something to teach him, which only proves the importance of seeing a situation from different perspectives, from the eyes of others. Everyone are fun to watch and are characters you don’t get bored with, all with their own quirks and talents.
*Overall writing
As I said in the introduction, Gin no Saji is both original and -very- Japanese. Hachiken learns about the importance of hard work, responsibility and teamwork, which is easy to get inspired by. A teacher likens Hachiken’s entry into the class to an animal from a different tribe joining a new one. He shares his own thoughts and perspectives which help the class grow and evolve as a whole, and in return receives their knowledge. Aside from being inspiring and entertaining, Gin no Saji is also educational. The viewers learn about the agricultural life, how it is to work at a farm and even brings up how little they are paid. They show how cattle are brought up, how cows are milked, how pigs make it from the pen to the slaughterhouse, etc etc. One of the longer story arcs involves Hachiken and Pork Bowl, the runt of a litter of piglets. Hachiken decides to rear Pork Bowl from the smallest pig in the litter to the same size as its siblings. Here, the show takes the opportunity to deal the themes of attachment and loss. Needless to say, it’s both sad and beautiful in its own way.
These themes have of course been explored before, but not in such a fresh way as Gin no Saji does it. I look forward to every episode just to see what’s going to happen! This show gets interesting right away, and you feel compelled to watch. Even if the events are trivial, they could be totally foreign to many of us who live in the cities. It’s just such a great display of hard work, dedication, friendship and growth delivered in such a simple way that is easy to absorb and enjoy.
*Ending
“Don’t look down on yourself for running. Make it meaningful by making something out of it.”
In the end, we see the value of the lessons Hachiken has learned, about the country life and about himself. We see how far he’s come, how he now has plenty of friends and truly enjoys life at Ezonoo. The ending is left open so they’ll have little issue with introducing the second season, but at the same time there is a feeling is completion. It feels like Hachiken has found his place, and even if his future is still uncertain, right now he’s where he wants to be.
AUDIO (8/10)
* Voice Acting/Sound
The characters are brought to life with fitting voices for the roles. The large and tough third year students all sounds manly and gruff, ,even with their relatively young voices. Tamako’s voice adheres to her role with a hilariously mature voice and speech pattern that you really think of her as a step above all the others while Hachiken has the voice of a regular guy, with a sometimes uninterested tone which fits him well. The sounds themselves blend in well with the show. It’s not easy to comment on background noises since a well-designed background should go unnoticed and blend in with the rest of the show, which is exactly what it does.
*Music
I give the music a high score mostly because of the outro: a catchy Japanese country tune that was well chosen. I really love when an anime decides to pick a different kind of genre for their openings and endings instead of a throwaway pop song. Good going!
ART (9/10)
The campus is huge and well-drawn, with plenty of key locations and life-like details. Just looking at the equipment used in the school’s facilities is educational and fascinating due to its realism. What surprised me is the light use of 3D to show the animals (mostly cows) and that they actually show plenty of blood, all in context of course. At one point, Hachiken is called upon to skin a roadkill, and a documentary details the slaughterhouse process, including draining a pig of blood.
Character designs are fairly normal, with some being designed in a way that complements their personality. Visual gags here are kept to a minimum and realism is the aim.
YURI RATING (0/10)
Not even goggles will get you any readings here. Abandon all hope.
OVERALL (9/10)
Gin no Saji excellently captures Japanese values about hard work, dedication and the importance of your “group”, while at the same time cherishing the individual and his or her own goals and dreams. It offers a close look at the rural, agricultural life of Japan, both its ups and downs, which makes it a compelling watch because of the unusual setting it has. A competent show all around, it sets out on a journey which teacher, entertains and questions, all in one finely crafted package. It’s a true joy to watch Gin no Saji, and I hope the second season will take the original concept, improve and expand upon it, as a sequel should.
