First Impressions – Denki-Gai no Honya-san

Irrashaimase~

So what do we get from life in and around the Umanohone manga shop? Eros is life for one. And work is life for another…
No one seemed to really want to write about Denki Gai no Honya-san, so I originally signed up to write this first impressions post just to make sure it was being covered. It didn’t seem that bad, after all. And it’s not that bad! I even ended up getting skylion on board to join me!

 

Reading Buddies

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He knows you’ll like it, because he’s read it himself…

skylion// Oh, what can I say, I kinda dig this place. I’ve actually worked in a comic book shop here in the States, way back in the day, and it was much, and not much at all, like this. But then, I’ve been a waiter as well, and even though most of us are crazy, we ain’t Working!! There are some long hours, specialized goods, and some very geeky and very picky customer service points. All in a day’s work for a register biscuit; maybe even being shrunk-wrapped! It could happen!

Overall, I thought this was quite a good introduction to the basics this show has to offer. We get all the character beats in a short, but punchy order. Plenty to build on, and given that have a comedy affair ahead of us, this lightweight approach is best. Hiotan stands out in the first among equals as she seems to get along best with nearly everyone, and serves to introduce our late-to-the-game Umio to this unique gang.

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You have your work really cut out for you with the likes of the Director around. He has a way with words. Fu-girl, however doesn’t. At least not easily, being the timid sort. The Sommelier is also not a character for words, but speaks with action….for which I have to say, “What?” Look, I can recommend a five dollar bottle of blended white with that family bucket of fried chicken, but that doesn’t make me a sommelier! But then, I lack the talent to peer into a person’s soul and come up with “ I’m a Panda and You’re a Deer”. So what do I really know? Well, I also know that I don’t have the able and energetic Kameko to help me out. I really love that hat of hers.

But perhaps my favorite character is Sensei-chan. I admire that hard work and sacrifice she puts it. Now it would be one thing if she were little miss perfect, but just like the rest of us, she can and will break down when she hits that wall. Fortunately for her, she has the able and motherly Hiotan to pick her spirits up with a rather comfy looking lap pillow and some gentle encouragement; learning how to produce a manga didn’t hurt either….Something Umio was quick to pick up on as well.

 

Not by the Books

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“HELP, I’M SPROUTING EXTRA LIMBS!! …wait, this might help me draw faster.”

Overcooled// It’s really, really hard to judge shows just based on a staff list and a trailer shorter than the time it would take to microwave a bowl of mac n cheese. In fact, I’m particularly horrible at it. Sorry if that ruins how you read anything I put on season preview charts. Anyways, I went into this show expecting it to be riddled with otaku-centric parodies and gags. There’s actually a larger concern with inter-character relations as gags as opposed to throwing in references so otaku viewers can compete to see who recognizes the most anime shoutouts. I prefer this approach, as the comedy not only works pretty damn well most of the time, but it also lets us learn more about the characters. I think I have a very, very good image of what the adorably shy Hiotan is now after just one episode. Sensei as well. It wields that dual-purpose ever so nicely, giving us laughs and introducing the bookstore workers at the same time.

I was also taken aback that we ventured into manga-writing territory. So soon after Nozaki-kun, it’s probably a bit of a curse. That show was the king of comedy. Truly. Denki-gai no Honya-san never reaches the same heights, but it was still a refreshing change from the bookstore. I’m glad to see that we’ll get to see more than just a bunch of nerds in a bookstore talking about anime. There’s a lot of potential if we’re willing to go outside the store and do all sorts of things from making manga, to cosplaying, to going to anime conventions. This is only the first episode too. Clearly, Honya-san is dreaming big.

Final Thoughts

This show was a great little surprise, and I found it clicking with me from the opening scenes. Good pacing, well established characters from the get go, and it was quirky without being silly or unbelievable. You know you know in your heart, just like our Ero-books G-man explicitly states, “We are all Ero book lovers!” Cheers folks, don’t let that wine or chicken get cold.

I’m usually pretty picky with my comedy, but this actually has a few surprisingly sharp jokes. It’s not brilliant, but I will admit that this show is entertaining and downright adorable. The characters are nothing ground-breaking, but they’re pleasant to the eye and watching them goof around is a reward in of itself. Kameko is easily the most moe and eye-catching, but we really didn’t get to see her much. I’m curious to see what she’s like. Other than her and shark teeth girl, the first episode really did a good job introducing everyone all at once. Usually having that many new faces at once utterly fails, but by focusing on only a handful of the group members at a time, it worked out perfectly.What a twist that this show ended up being pretty good! Let’s hope they don’t ruin everything with gratuitous fanservice next week because man oh man was that preview for episode 2 skeezy.

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Kameko takes photos of you while you’re sleeping :3c

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We live, laugh, enjoy and strictly believe on "more the merrier". When together, we usually come up with very chatty, conversation-based episodics and interesting posts.
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20 Responses to “First Impressions – Denki-Gai no Honya-san”

  1. Di Gi Kazune says:

    Wait until they get to the parts that feature the show’s version of Comic LO.

  2. Foshizzel says:

    I liked this one! I know originally I was not that impressed with the trailers and character designs because it makes them all look like children especially the girls! I swear they look straight out of elementary school, but after seeing them in motion and reacting to everything they grew on me.

    Sensei best girl <3

    • skylion says:

      …dad kawaii aspect…it would make me look like an elementary school student…

      Sensei is best girl! But I’m holding out for Fu(juioshi) Girl!

    • akagami says:

      Sensei’s dance during the ED had me going (~ ̄▽ ̄)~

  3. Highway says:

    I liked the show a bit, but it really felt crowded and cramped. Like there wasn’t enough space for the characters, there wasn’t enough space in the bookstore, there just wasn’t enough space overall. So the lines and jokes felt like they didn’t have room to resonate with me, they just flew by and I was thinking “oh, that was funny, I guess.”

    It got a lot better when the show shifted focus to Sensei and Umio without the rest, and even in a room that, while not big, was not overloaded with stuff (like the storeroom or the sales floor). It felt like it could breathe a bit more, and opened up a bit more. Not enough, but more.

    • skylion says:

      …It’s ironic you should mention cramped. The first manga chapter felt very very cramped to me, for much the same reasons you outline. The anime actually gave it a touch more space…but just a touch.

  4. akagami says:

    My impressions of the first episode were like a roller-coaster. I came in with high expectations, and the first four minutes were rather disappointing. Then the show started to pick up, to the point that I’m looking forward to the next episode to see where it goes.

    I have to mention, I think this is the first anime featuring manga-writing as a focus that I didn’t suddenly lose interest. Note quite related, but I enjoyed Sakurasou until they started with the manga part… but I think my disinterest is more related to Sora being a total wuss than manga related.

    I’m not sure what it is, but manga-writing animes have a bad stigma for me. (Actually, thinking more on it, Hayate had it and I loved that series).

    • skylion says:

      They did rather keep the manga making Short Sharp Shock..got the point across without losing you….

    • Overcooled says:

      I was ready to write it off as mediocre within the first few minutes as well…but it picked up incredibly quickly.

      Did you dislike Nozaki-kun too? That’s one of the best anime I’ve seen about writing manga.

      • akagami says:

        I did drop it actually, the first episode killed all interest I had going in. How was it overall, besides being good about the whole manga-writing scene?

        • Overcooled says:

          Oh gosh, it was great. I went into it with some reservation because I really dislike romance, but it played such a small role that I ended up really enjoying it. Through and through, this a comedy show, and everything else comes second.

  5. JPNIgor says:

    I loved it \o/. Surely not what I would expect from the guys who made Doraemon but that shows that the studio grew with its fans.

    My favorite character has to be Hiotan. I love characters who overreacts and she is the definition of overreaction.

    And Director-san, she is too innocent to go shoo someone from the +18 section. Go send the intimidating Sommelier-san for God’s sake.

    • Overcooled says:

      I wasn’t sure what to expect from them…But it seems to have worked out.

      Haha Hiotan is pretty sweet. Definitely not the first person I would call to approach a suspicious woman in the 18+ section though.

  6. Joojoobees says:

    Well, off to a decent start, I would say. Hard to tell where things go from here, though.

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