You Can Enjoy!

Before I begin this review, it's worth noting that I am the first to review this title on MAL. It is my belief that every anime deserves at least one proper review, deserves to have its content engaged and reckoned with. No matter how obscure it is, and no matter how long ago it was made, an anime still represents the creative passion of its creators, the hopes and dreams of the team that made it, and as such, I will give this one a fair and honest accounting here. You Can Enjoy! is a cute, funny, surreal little show about the agricultural and marineproducts of Fukushima prefecture, depicting these various products as students attending a school in order to prepare for their delivery and export. I had to track this odd anime down, ultimately watching it via the official Fukushima prefecture YouTube channel. It aired for quite a while, from 2018 all the way to 2021, despite only consisting of 10 individual 5 minute episodes. I can only assume that this is a rehabilitative PR effort made to assuage the anxieties of prospective buyers in regards to the 2011 Fukushima tragedy, and this is confirmed by the final episode, where they address these concerns thoroughly and directly. This anime, as such, has layers to it. On the one hand, the story itself is lighthearted and cute, with the antics of these various consumable goods being endearing and funny. On the other hand, it is an eminently educational work, revealing the different kinds of products produced by Fukushima prefecture, their different attributes, and the methods surrounding their production and cultivation. The last two episodes, bizarrely only available in a terrible dub instead of the usual sub, nonetheless had genuinely fascinating live action segments, where they interview farmers, scientists, and other professionals, showing that they've carried out millions of individual tests for many years, and even continued to do random sample testing after radiation levels dropped back to normal. Today, the agricultural and marine products of Fukushima prefecture are indeed safe for human consumption, and this was a delightful and passionate love letter that conveyed these facts in no uncertain terms. For these reasons, I believe that the story is the strongest aspect of this title. The art is also good, with an interesting, almost otherworldly air, combining CG and regular animation to create a totally unique visual environment. However, it must be noted that the final two episodes showcase a much worse quality overall, and are saved only by their unique live action segments. The sound is solid, with great care put into the voice work and sounds of life. This quality drops off drastically for the final two episodes, but once again, this is made up for by way of high fidelity live action segments. The characters are funny and endearing, and are anthropomorphized in really creative ways, like the peach's desire to be sweeter by staying out in the sun longer, and the spiny cucumber's desire to be more well-liked despite her spines, thus electing to get a cool "haircut". Overall, You Can Enjoy! is a delightful little slice of life comedy, and it communicates its message well- you can indeed enjoy the fruits of Fukushima prefecture.