'Ordinary life' anime finds a special place in fans' hearts

[AsahinaKimi]

By SHIGEYORI MIYAMOTO / Staff Writer

There are no high-tech machines, no monsters, no aliens and no global catastrophe. But a certain genre in Japanese animation that portrays mundane everyday lives enjoys continued popularity among fans.

The anime, collectively known as "kuuki-kei," which literally means "like air" and can be interpreted as "slice of life," goes without dramatic events and simply portrays everyday lives in a peaceful, relaxed manner.

The genre has gained momentum in anime and other youth culture, but things may be changing in the post-quake period.

One of the most prominent kuuki-kei anime is "K-On!" whose feature film adaptation was released on Dec. 3.

The anime follows a group of high school girls who form a band.

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[Speck Tater]

1. "The Day Nothing Happened" by Correy Ford (1959)

Chronicles an completely ordinary day where nothing out of the ordinary happened. I read it back around 1960. It was a fun book to read.

So the idea is not so new.

[On the Road]

2. I Like This Kind of Anime

better than the action/fantasy stuff as long as the illustration is good.

My favorite animator (outside of Miyazaki) is Makoto Shinkai. While some of his stuff is sci-fi themed, it is more likely to be shots of utility poles, rain falling, and subway rails. She and Her Cat is his first short, but he also did "The Place Promised in Our Early Days" (on Netflix) and "Five Centimeters per Second." Sometimes very sentimental, but absolutely gorgeous.

[MisterP]

3. that's great, but what if your everyday life is like Excel Saga?