English Dub Review: Anime-Gataris “Minoa, Anime Rookie!”

It’s an anime about loving anime!

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Minoa Asagaya hasn’t joined any clubs in high school. She couldn’t compete with a sporty club like her older sister, and none of the other clubs have ever jumped out to her. But when Minoa recalls vague memories of watching anime from her younger days, she can’t get a specific show out of her head.

Mentioning it to a friend in class, she’s overheard by two unlikely anime fans – the wealthy, cute, and slightly snobbish Arisu Kamiigusa, and Miko Kōenji, a quiet bookworm. Before she can bat an eye, Minoa is making new friends and planning to re-start the school’s anime club, despite being an anime beginner.

Our Take:

Opening an anime with scenes of the main character watching anime was a clever way to grab my attention from the start. So far, Anime-Gataris is a fun and upbeat twist on the typical high school-club series. The characters are likable and the plot has the potential to for some genuinely surprising twists if the talking cat is any indication. (And the super catchy OP is definitely one of my favorites of this season!)

The dub is mediocre, with Minoa’s voice being especially grating to my ears. My favorite casting is Alison Viktorin as Kamiigusa. She does an excellent job shifting from the cold, distant side of Arisu’s personality to the anime-obsessed geekiness.

All things considered, Anime-Gataris promises to be a wild ride filled with cute characters, bright colors, and lots of meta references to the medium of anime.