Girlish Number

{Razovy} [NO SPOILERS] First of all I want to say that I consider this anime not only to be the best of this season (fall 2016) but also to be one of the best I've ever seen! If you like a feel good show about funny characters trying to make it in the world of voice acting than this anime is definitely for you! Story 10 / 10 The story itself starts out with Chitose who, with the help of her brother / manager, is making her big deput as one of the main characters of a new anime. She's awful at first, but gradually gets better by learningfrom her fellow actors / friends. What struck me as odd when taking a look at the genres after finishing this amazing anime is that the only genre included is "slice of life". The great thing about this anime is not just the interaction between the characters but also the amazing jokes and the drama (that will definitely surprise you since it starts out very mellow and fun). As I said before this show is a feel good show and one of the best out there! Normally when I watch the last episode of an anime I feel bad since it's over (or relieved when it was awful), but when I watched the last episode of Girlish Number I sat there with a smile on my face, looking back at an incredibly wonderful experience! The plot itself was amazing but slow moving at times which I'm sure could bother some of you (one of the few flaws this anime had). This is unfortunate as I think that the writers could have spend some of the screen time on more interesting things... Characters 10 / 10 The characters are AMAZING! Although Chitose was the main character, I felt a connection with every single one of them, especially Kuzu-san, who to me will always be a very memorable character. In fact, I could watch this whole anime again just for Kuzu alone! What I mean by this is that every character was very interesting: I'm sure that for every character, major and minor, a whole new anime could be created, that's how good the character development of this show is. Every character gets enough screen time to make them interesting and at the end of the show they all seem to have made great progress, which leaves you with a very satisfying feeling. Art 10 / 10 Now this is of course very personal, but when I think of amazing art I think of Girlish Number. It's really colorful, the character design is amazing and the backgrounds were beautiful! Since art is incredibly subjective I'll keep it short: when I think of anime art, this is what I want to see. Sound 8 / 10 I like the OP theme so much that I'm listening to it right now while I'm typing this! The ED theme is awesome, and the OST of the show is great too. Giving the soundtrack a 10 would be an exaggeration since I can name a few other anime that have a better soundtrack then Girlish Number, but nonetheless the great OP theme and the nice OST still deserve an 8 out of 10. Enjoyment 10 / 10 If you couldn't guess this score you weren't paying attention while reading this XD I REALLY enjoyed Girlish Number and loved every minute of it! I will never forget this wonderful anime and to be honest, since I'm finishing up all the anime of this season (fall 2016) I think I'll rewatch this one before Winter 2017 starts to experience these great characters once more! Overall 10 / 10 For anyone who likes slice of life this is a no-brainer: watch this great anime because I'm sure it'll leave a smile on your face just like it did with me. For the people out there who have little experience with the slice of life genre or aren't really a fan I still recommend this one to you guys. Why? Because this show could change your view on the slice of life genre completely with it's funny cast of characters, beautiful art and great soundtrack! Overall I rate this anime a 10 out of 10. And as the OP theme song starts playing again I want to thank you guys for reading my review! I hope Girlish Number will leave a smile on your face after you watch the last episode, just like it did with me. {Razovy}

Gi(a)rlish Number is certainly not the anime you think it is. Its sickeningly ideal group photo as the flagship header of the title would lead most seasonal anime consumers to think that the title is nothing other than another skin-deep value-less moe title that does nothing other than behave incessantly saccharine throughout its entire cour. Girlish Number couldn’t be farther from that reality, definitely not with Wataru Watari’s writing credits. While Watari procrastinates indefinitely on releasing that highly anticipated yet elusive Volume 12 of OreGairu, he’s been keeping himself busy with other works such as Qualidea Code and this season’s Girlish Number. Typically when established writersdeviate from their staple series and comfortable genres there tends to be a noticeable dip in quality; but is that the case with Girlish Number? Does this title fail to reach the heights Wataru’s other titles do? The answer is simple: no. The first attractive feature of Girlish Number definitely is the cynicism of the characters. The only reason I picked this title up is because of a familiar author, and within five minutes of the first episode, Wataru’s cynical character writing stuck out like a sore thumb, and it was amazing. Every single character in this show is despicable. Petty, jaded, distrustful, two-faced… there aren’t enough descriptors out there to perfectly paint how morally disgusting these characters are, and I find myself hooked. This title is filled with those stupidly beautiful yet equally stupid group of teenage girls peppered in every high school that say “wow girl, you look hot as hell today!” only to think to themselves “I can’t believe this bitch wore that today! What a slut!” As amusing as that comparison is, it should paint a good picture as for the type of characters there are in Girlish Number. On paper, they are not likeable characters; they’re everything we’re raised not to be like. Yet, because in the real world nobody is as idealistically perfect as they’d like to be, the brutal (and maybe even excessive) honesty of these characters is refreshing and, by extension, likeable. Though don’t be fooled into thinking this show is some sort of one-trick wonder, with only the cynicism of the characters to justify my score of 7; no, there is far more to it. In fact, the whole cynicism appeal to the show is exploited and frankly dried up by the third to fourth episodes. More than the excessive honesty of the characters, Girlish Number is a show about growth. Growth of character. It’s a huge part of the show, almost everyone in the cast is clearly stagnant at a point in their lives—or rather, careers—and Watari explores the ball and chain that holds them back, as well as what they do to sever them. The show is set in the Seiyuu industry, a facet of the anime-production industry that while is popularized by the number of idols within it, the specifics of it still remain blurry. And Girlish Number explores that in great depth as well, exposing the disdain held by Seiyuu against Light Novel authors (otherwise known as “people who don’t have the talent to sing, draw or dance trying to cling to the industry”); exposing that nobody cares about the ED song and all the glory is in the OP song; exposing the cutthroat competition to stay active in the voice acting industry, and far more subtleties that are engaging to learn about. It’s also worth mentioning the finesse in which Girlish Number exposes these things, there is no explicit, talking-to-the-viewer breaking the fourth wall exposition nonsense (looking at you Yuri on Ice), nor is there that one dumb character who has to get everything explained to them as a form of exposition. The exposition is nested within the dialogue of the characters and Wataru trusts the audience will be smart enough to pick up on these things. Furthermore and finally, Girlish Number does a great job of capturing and exploring all the nuances that come when working in any workplace environment. Professionalism, imitation, flattery, achievement, satisfaction, and a lot more concepts are all also explored. Characters who do not take their job seriously, characters who do not work hard and slack off, characters who socially engineer their way into friend circles, characters who find enrichment in their duties—these are all people who you could find, and probably have found, in any working environment. It goes without saying of course, but the occupational hazards that come with being a voice actress/actor are also revealed through the show’s runtime. The visuals are superb. Vibrant, memorable colours that couldn’t be more appropriate. The sickeningly optimistic colour palette juxtaposes exceptionally well with the inherent cynicism and diluted melancholy present at any given moment. Girlish Number is perfect for viewers who seek something a little different; it’s not extravagantly unique, but it’s unique enough to be always engaging. The pessimism of the characters is charming, the exploration of an unknown industry absorbing, the nuances of a workplace relatable, and the growth of character heartfelt. It’s a pleasant show, one that highlights Wataru’s character writing and versatility, and one that sheds some long overdue light on a concept and industry that’s so interesting it’ll make you question why something like this wasn’t already made before. I hope this review was informative and helpful.

When it comes to anime that give us an 'inside look' into the anime and manga industry, most of them often times give us a very rose-tinted look into how the medium is made rather than the deep dark truth of the arduous, almost slave-like work that goes into making a single anime. So instead of talking about artists or writers like so many other anime do, Gi(a)rlish Number focuses on the one very important aspect that hasn't really cropped up in this bloom of insider anime. Seiyuu. Story: Our story begins with Karasuma Chitose, a very exuberant and confident rookie seiyuuwho finds great pride in her ability and skills. Wanting to be a strive and become a very popular and very recognized voice actress, she one day is given a heroine role for a harem series known as KuuSure, thus boosting her ego and starts paving the way for her eventual success as a seiyuu. Or does it? On the outside, Gi(a)rlish Number looks like a flowery look into the anime and manga industry given its cheerful and colorful artstyle, the main plot point being a rookie getting her big break, and the joyful and pleasant OST. But as they say, looks can be deceiving. In truth, Gi(a)rlish Number shows us the pitfalls and struggles of climbing to the top of the Seiyuu world, further emphasized by what happens when anime is poorly produced. These struggles encompass the entire span of the series's runtime and become its main plot points, which is all well and good. But there's one thing that this show suffers from. Subplots. Mostly focusing on other Seiyuus aside from Chitose and various members of the side cast like the producer, Kuzu, and the author of Kuusure, these subplots mixed into the show produce results that could be argued as lost potential. For a show that tried to create an overarching deconstruction story about a rookie seiyuu and the kind of business the anime industry is, I'm not really quite sure why they decided to try and shove in more stories about other members of its cast. A couple of them worked out, like the ones involving other seiyuus, but the rest were half-assed and incomplete. The show builds up quite a bit of backstory for a variety of cast members, but never pulls them through enough to feel complete or fulfilling. Which honestly is a shame, since a few of them were honestly worth exploring. Ignoring the middle area of the series where the subplot plague begins, the main story is arguably one of the series's best points for one reason. Character development. Because the show focuses so hard on Chitose and her transition from a rookie to a 'main role' seiyuu, a lot of the runtime is devoted to her change in attitude and her eventual blossom into what can be summarized as a step forward in the right direction. Gi(a)rlish Number is a tricky little thing. While looking pleasant and jovial on the outside, the show hits the head on the nail to some hard truths and a reality that many people have to face. It's not a completely happy anime, and it doesn't have a happy end, which is something that a lot of insider industry anime don't really show that happens more often than not. Its got a plethora of unfinished subplots, but putting that aside, Gi(a)rlish Number ended up becoming a surprisingly good show that personally, I'm glad to have seen. Overview: + Great main plot + Good character development + Good touch of reality (compared to other inside industry anime) - Too many subplots Characters: Characters in Gi(a)rlish have a weird love them/hate them vibe about them where you support them in their endeavors in one scene, then possibly hate them in the next. The biggest contributor to that notion is one of the biggest problems and benefactors of the series, our egg shirt queen, Karasuma Chitose. (Like seriously, that egg shirt though. She has a bunch of those things. What is your wardrobe, Chitose?) I said earlier she was exuberant and confident, right? Let's see what other adjectives can describe her. Narcissistic, overconfident, two-faced, selfish, and stagnant. Did I miss any? No? Ok. While seemingly cute on the outside, Chitose is in fact, an asshole. Her poisonous demeanor consistently plagues the series as the episodes roll by, and her laid-back attitude towards anything work related is so nonchalant that it often clashes with the progression of the story as other characters work to push the project forward while Chitose lies on the couch sifting through forum posts that praise her. But honestly, I think that's why her character works so well with this series. She tells the tale of "Getting what you deserve" and spends the latter half getting meaningful progression in the right direction. She's not special, and the show knows that, ultimately creating a main character whose dream unfortunately have to be shot down and be grounded by reality. Her story feels very real, and that's why personally, I find Chitose to be such a great character. As for the rest of her Seiyuu co-stars...not so much. There's Kazuha and Momoka, the popular veteran seiyuus who have a subplot devoted to each of them, Koto, who's the veteran who clawed her way to become popular, and Yae, who's just...sort of the moe blob character, actually. Due to the majority of the character development being so focused on Chitose, the rest of the characters ironically have to fight for scraps (even though they're in a much better position in the show) if they want to tell their story or have any kind of personal struggles. As characters, they did their part, and I don't really have any complaints about what they did in the series, but there is a huge gap when compared to what Chitose got. Karasuma Gojou, Chitose's older brother, is the one member in the side cast that I really wish got more than what he received. Acting as Chitose's manager for the majority of the series, Gojou is introduced very early on with being a Seiyuu who eventually quit and switched over to a managerial position. And they don't tell us why. It's a little detail that bothered me so much throughout watching the series because the show makes a commendable effort to make it sound and seem important without giving much detail as to why there was this sudden switch. The rest of the supporting cast involves the variety of characters who make up the 'corporate' part of the series. Now this is the section of the cast that I personally really, really hate. Adding another depth of reality to the overall span of this anime, these characters, particularly Kuzu, give us the inside look to the dark side of anime production, where the business of making money becomes a lot more important than fan reception or dedication to the craft. This predominantly exists in the first half of the series, but is still pretty sprinkled in throughout. Their actions speak for their personalities, and begrudgingly, I have to admit is well done despite how loathsome these characters truly were. (I also feel bad for that author. Getting shat on through no fault of his own.) Overview: + Chitose (She may be a bitch, but goddamn was she well made) + Good side characters that contribute to the scope of the series - Lacking character traits for the majority of the cast - Subpar subplots hurt characters Art: Produced by Diomedia, the art for Gi(a)rlish Number is very colorful, crystal-like, and bright. (And reminds me very much of a P.A. works show) Boasting a bright, moe-like art style, the art if both fluid and pleasing to look at, which really contrasts the true nature of the show's content. The characters are nicely designed, the backgrounds are well drawn, and the overall quality is so good that I really have no complaints about the show's aesthetics at all. (Except that one in-series PV that they made for Kuusure, though I'm sure they intentionally made it look like shite.) Overview: + Great art Sound: Adding to the illusion of a bright and happy anime is the show's OST, which I must say, has some pretty dark lyrics when you translate them. Both the OP and ED are cheerful, bright, and happy which are pretty good songs to listen to with a bit of catchiness to them. Which is nice. Something memorable is always good. But I have to give Senbongi Sayaka special commendation. She did a good job voicing Chitose, both encapsulating the shitty voice acting that her character does in the series and the dynamic and egotistical nature that would make you want to punch her in the face because of how awful of a person Chitose is. She's also a rookie with a track record similar to that of her character (which I hope was intentional), and given how well she portrayed Chitose, I hope to see her more in the future. Overview: + Somewhat memorable songs + Chitose's voice actress Personal Enjoyment: Gi(a)rlish Number is a weird anime for me. It's one of those shows I both loved and hated watching, yet still anticipated the next episode for because I wanted to know what was happening next. Personally, I see this show as "The one arc in Shirobako they never did", as Gi(a)rlish Number is about Seiyuus, the one character in Shirobako that they never really touched on. Combined with the scarily realistic nature of the show, Gi(a)rlish Number became that one show that I latched onto, and one of those pleasant surprises (or unpleasant in some cases) that I never thought I would obsess over. Did I enjoy this anime? Again, I don't know what to say. Admittedly, with all of the praise I've been singing about this show, it really has become a show that I've come to like. I suppose aside from the obvious aesthetics, the main story and Chitose herself really became parts of the series that I really liked simply because of how grounded in reality her situation really is. What didn't I like about this anime? Aside from the obvious asshole characters (yes, even Chitose herself), there really isn't much that I actually hate. Sure the writing hurt to watch at times, but that was mostly because it was stuff that could actually happen. Would I recommend this anime? If you're looking for something really out of the ordinary that's also really good, or you're a fan of inside industry anime like Shirobako or Bakuman, then I'd say Gi(a)rlish Number is right up your alley. Just fair warning though. It's not a happy story, almost nothing for our main character goes right, and Chitose can get REALLY annoying REALLY fast. But trust me, if you can get past her initial hubris, you're in for a really unexpected dark horse of a show that had way more than it seemed like it had to offer.

[6.5/10] _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ The last thing I was expecting was a show about people. Rather, a show about humans. It's very common in anime, whether it's due to subs or the mediocre writing, that characters feel detached from what you would imagine people to be like. That's why it's so easy to "act" like an anime character, because the very concept is so cliched. Just become loud, abrasive, and energetic and talk about some pseudo-philosophy. For the most part, you just encapsulated every single action-anime protagonist. Or maybe be an understated cool-kid that pretends he doesn't care but really has a heart of gold. There, you got theother half. Obviously i'm over-exaggerating and joking, but to every joke there's a nugget of truth. Why is acting like an anime character so easy? Why is "acting" like a person so hard? Well, because, to put it bluntly, anime characters are very rarely like people. Especially in anime shows. That's not necessarily a bad thing, you may not want to watch a show to see "people", but that distinct void is there. It's more common that these characters are just a combined jambalaya of quirks that could maybe fool you into thinking they are people. But if you ever extensively knew any real person, you'd know that a person doesn't fall under specific quirks as their entirety. Much like a cake, a person isn't just the frosting. Quirks are the frosting. If you aren't following me, please read on. The point here is that for whatever reason, characters in anime are distinctively inhuman in the way they talk, act, and react to just about anything. I find it very hard to relate to an anime character. Of course, "an anime character" is a broad way of saying, "characters which I've seen in anime." They are often incredibly exaggerated in a specific direction. Direction being a metaphor for personality traits. If a person is shy, an anime character literally can't speak to people properly. If a person is courageous, an anime character would jump in front of a train to save a hedgehog. If a person is mean, an anime character will spit in your cereal and cum in your eyes. This exaggeration may make mundane situations more interesting for a lot of viewers, but for someone like me, it cuts off any relate-ability, which is a crucial aspect in creating likeable characters. Mind you, it's not mandatory, but in many cases, likeability stems from the ability to connect to the character you like. You can relate to a situation or a character. I've related to situations in anime, but characters have been difficult to me. No character that I've seen has had the depth of someone like Walter White, from "Breaking Bad", but more specifically, no character has had the personal relate-ability of almost any character from a show like "The Americans" or anything like it. Depth does exist. But that depth is usually lacking emotions. Look at Monogatari. Relate-ability may exist, however, it lacks interest. ... So Girlish Number is kind of a black sheep for me. Which is why it surprised me so much. It's a flawed show, yes, but the biggest thing I got from it were the characters. Just how fascinatingly real they were. Instead of that obvious over-exaggeration (which, truth be told, was prevalent in at least one or two of these characters), the show goes for calm, flowing dialogue that didn't try too hard to make you laugh or cry. It felt real. For everything the show did wrong, and it did really drop the ball on a few things. Girlish Number finished with spades in the characters department. It's very hard to finish the show and try your best to act like some of the more developed characters here. Why? Because apart from quoting quotables, you can't really "act" like a person without exaggerating on quirks. I can exaggerate on these character's quirks. But that'd be like scooping off the frosting and saying it's a slice. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ [The Curious Case of Satire] So this show follows a group of generally unlike-able girls as they venture into anime voice acting. This set-up, naturally, is rife with possible satire. If you noticed, I never really mentioned the story of the show because surprisingly it kind of drifts into the background. This show, for as cynical as it was about the industry on occasion, never really developed much of a bite. The anime industry has so much inane and awful shit in it that for a show trying to be cynical and biting, it hardly did any of that. Which is a bit of a disappointment since I doubt there are many shows out there that would be critical of this. The story is pretty much character oriented, rather than plot oriented. A bunch of unlike-able girls mediocrely voice-acting a shitty idol-bait anime is, as I said, interesting, but it never really goes anywhere. It was the backdrop to the character-driven story at the forefront. ... That being said, there still is satire to be had. But instead of the industry being under the microscope, it's the concept. They poke fun at how shoddy the marketing is, how little actors have to go off of and how overworked the animators are. But by poke fun at, I mean gently tickle from afar cause this was some very easy satire. Satire, at its most effective, is something that needs to have punch to be memorable. Look no further than South Park, and then compare that to Family Guy. The reason South Park is still making headlines isn't just because it's very "in the now", it's because it's utilizing satire to its maximum potential. The format is very simple and easy to reproduce, so the writers try to go whole-hog with creating some incredibly harsh criticisms of modern day life. Here... not so much. What's a bit disappointing about the satire in Girlish Number is that the show isn't over-the-top enough to become obvious satire, so they instead have to pretty much have characters explain what's wrong. Which isn't really effective. In a few cases, you find yourself sort of high-and-dry when it comes to the shows more cynical segments. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ [Colorful Girls in a Bleak World] I'd be remiss if I didn't dedicate a segment talking about juxtaposition and character design. In a show that's supposed to at least somewhat mirror reality with production, the show had this very odd choice of making the main characters, specifically the girls only, be extremely colorful doll-like beings in appearance. I'm very torn on this subject because I feel like it either misses the point of the entire show, or perhaps bites a bit too close to the plate when it comes delivery. What I mean is that if it's the designers making these girls purposefully colorful and "magical" looking to parody elements within the show, then fine. However, the show never really discusses anything like this. It's left up to interpretation, and this kind of interpret-able writing and design choices aren't really thematically appropriate with the kind of story being told. One of the characters, Momoka, straight up looks like a magical girl in most scenes. She belongs on screen with Madoka, not Chitose. Which really juxtaposes these cool-colored environments with these bright and vibrant characters. Especially since the males, for the most part, are left realistically portrayed design-wise. ... The design folds hand-in-hand with the animation, which is thoroughly mediocre. Especially towards the end of the show, where it often felt rushed, visually. There was a lot of filler images and an abusive amount of still-images to convey time. These characters were made to perform (like idols, i'm guessing), and pretty much each one of their performances was just still-images of them "dancing" and "singing" with this elevator music playing the background. I get creating a real song is tough. Especially making it believable. But this is just one of those things that if you put a bit more effort into the show you could be left with a more rewarding product. Songwriting in anime is another really easily parody-able concept and it was woefully ignored. That being said, the animation does stand out on occasion. Especially when it comes to character close-ups. Which the show uses sparingly. What I mean is that the director brings the camera way up to the character's mouth and we get this shot of them speaking or reacting. Lip syncing is done very well here. But... those shining moments are generally padded with poorly synced sequences and scenes that felt a bit empty in sound design. A character would place a coffee cup on the table and the sound of the ceramic hitting the wood would be louder than anything in the room for whatever reason. These audio issues could've been fixed with just a bit more editing. This show criticizes and, to a certain extent, parodies rushed anime. However, it is a rushed anime. That being said, I don't hold it to that fault. A show can be something but still criticize it to an interesting and funny extent. This show, on occasion, does succeed. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ [Characters] So lets talk about the most important part. The characters and their interactions, and in some cases, their stories made this show feel significantly more fulfilling than it had any right to be. Especially since a lot of the plot aspects felt kind of tedious. For example, these are voice actors and they talk about voice acting throughout the entirety of the show. Yet we hardly ever get to see them actually voice act! I, for the life of me, can't figure out why the hell they'd cut any voice acting from the show about voice acting! In certain scenes certain characters would say like, "Oh X had a bad day acting today!' and we'd be thrown through a loop because we don't know if she's lying or if she's telling the truth. We didn't actually get to see the session! Not even a little! ... That being said, the characters do truly shine. As I said in my introduction, these characters felt more like real people than just about any television anime characters I've seen. Especially Chitose, Shibasaki, and Momoka. Ironically, the most out-there characters with the nuttiest designs felt like the most grounded and human people. Their conversations were often very appropriate and natural. When writing a conversation you want to make the scene flow. This is done through directing, editing, sound design, and dialogue. Girlish Number really does impress with the dialogue. In one episode, two characters headline for the entirety of it's running. They simply walk around a location you haven't seen before and chat. They talk about what I would expect people in similar situations to talk about and not once did I feel like I knew where the conversation was heading due to plot necessity. That's some damn good character writing. The show is at its best when it has a slow-moving, dialogue driven, somber tone. However, it still does comedy well. While this show very rarely made me laugh out loud, I will say that it has some of the most relaxed delivery I've seen in a show that does try to be funny. Which is so rare, since most anime has this very abrasive reaction-oriented comedy that gets old very very fast. In Girlish Number, characters would chat and if their conversation turned comical, then fine, if it turned serious, then fine. What matters is it felt believable. In a show about humans in a distinctly shitty industry, that's pretty much the best thing this show could've done. ... The development feels pretty spectacular too. Since this show's focus is definitively on humans, then the development must not only feel natural, but feel realistic in execution. I may argue that it got a bit too corny towards the end, especially within the last ten or so minutes. But for the most part, Girlish Number knew exactly where to bring its characters. It, or I should say, the writer(s) understand that people are inherently flawed and don't just change because the plot demands it. Or that other people demand it. People are set in their ways. Since this is understood here, the development feels realistic to me. Our protagonist is pretty much an asshole. And not in the way where she's either over-exaggerated for comedic effect or so under-exaggerated that she's simply an asshole because people says she is. She's genuinely kind of a self-righteous brat that is unlike-able. The fact that this show does that so well makes her like-able though. I much rather watch a show about a human being being a human being than some self-insert bullshit trying to pretend it's not a harem. Humans are very interesting creatures because they don't just harbor four different quirks. Even when this show does fanservice, and it does, it does so in a fairly tasteful way. The camera doesn't linger and it doesn't go places where it shouldn't. For example, there's a beach episode and instead of... well, being a beach episode, it went into the territory of being self-deprecating. Making fun of how fake it all was, with these voice actors acting like moe girls and how the fans eat it all up. What's kind of ironic about all this, as I mentioned, is that these voice actors are in fact moe girls. Which makes me feel very strangely about the entire purpose of this show. The writer(s) can't be this unaware of the kind of marketing this show is criticizing it's doing itself. But then again, does this self-awareness have any merit? What is it saying? These are questions I don't know the answer to, and as I said again, these open-to-interpretation ideas don't belong in a show like this. ... This show constantly addresses the idea of being aware of your own personality. Especially in our protagonist's case, where she's an asshole, and becomes aware of this. But that's a part of her human nature. That's who she is. If she were to change, or try to, what would that do? These dilemmas sit very oddly in a show like this. It's main marketing point is that it has cute girls being voice actresses. Yet it offers so much more in terms of actual character than it does animation. ... Much like real people, conversations have this looping feeling in this show. Not like French-new wave looping, but more like previous conversations play a part in new ones. I get that that may feel like an obvious writing technique. What I mean, specifically, is that even minute details are brought back as in-jokes and references. Not by the writers to the audience, but characters to characters, which really surprised me. Tonally, the show stays consistent, but it often doesn't really know where to take certain secondaries. While most of the primary characters are developed quite well, the secondaries either feel like caricatures or nobodies. Which is a minor flaw in the character writing. We have people, in-show, that act so over-the-top and nuts that it may be funny, but doesn't really fit in context with the rest of the show at all. Much like the battle between design and message, the battle between human and character is also prevalent. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ [Conclusion] So it's far from a perfect show. It's definitely a surprising one, however. What I was expecting was a show about cute girls being voice actors. I was also expecting it to be a more biting of a parody than what it ended up being. What I did get, however, was a very scenic and poignant show about human nature and the way people are. Imperfect. Every member of the main cast is imperfect. Some more so than others, but in the end, they all have their flaws. The ending was a bit too cornball for me and I would've loved it much more if they ended on a bittersweet note. Chitose was a great standout, with Shibasaki and Momoka being honorable standouts of the main cast. While their designs were absolutely strange in the world, their humanity shined through. The character melodrama was surprisingly well-handled for an anime, too. Maybe it was because I was coming off some incredibly lame and corny melodrama-filled shows, but I was thoroughly impressed with just how realistic the reactions were to certain situations. Nothing felt over-exaggerated for drama. Everything felt perfectly in place for the kinds of situations these characters found themselves in. That and the character development was extremely well-handled, with some absolutely amazing uses of dramatic stingers that honestly took me by complete surprise. Perhaps that's the benefit of watching a slice of life. You are watching character interact and really aren't expecting anything until it's delivered. To entertain my cake metaphor, a slice of life is wholly about characters in certain situations. But I feel like the slice may be referring to the characters themselves, too. A character can be many things, and relateable is definitely an important aspect to many characters. Especially ones that are there to be realistically there, int he real world. Much like a slice of cake, there need to be multiple layers to have something be truly filling and not overwhelming in taste. Too much frosting it becomes too sweet. Too much bread it's too dry. I wish that this show had more time invested into it because I feel like it could've been much better. However, for what it was, it was surprisingly engaging towards the middle half and to the end. Girlish Number utilizes the frosting, bread, and cherry. By the end, I felt happy with my slice.