Kids on the Slope Early Impression

The Director of Cowboy Bebop, Shinichirō Watanabe has returned with another jazz filled anime, Kids on the Slope. While not many shows can even be mentioned in the same sentence as Cowboy Bebop, Kids on the Slope has a lot of potential.

I will not proclaim myself a jazz enthusiast, or much of a music enthusiast at all, but I can recognize a fantastic sound track when I hear it. according to Crunchyroll, this anime promises to have an "excellent jazz piece in every episode", and its something to look forward to for anyone who can appreciate jazz. I certainly welcome it, simply as a change of pace to the usual pop music that we see in most anime these days. Best part is that this story centers around the music. 

Jam session

Set in a seaside town, with an americanized, post WWII feel, the story starts with classically trained pianist Kaoru Nishimi. As a transfer student in a new school, looking the part of a nerd, things don't look like they will start out well for him. However, through some unlikely events, he makes some even more unlikely friends, and is thrust into a whole new world of jazz music. The slice of life genre is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine, and although there is a ton of trash to sift through, when done right, it's among the most enjoyable. I spent a small amount of time in a band as a kid, and have seen first hand the unique bond that band mates have, but also that drama that it can cause. There is sure to be plenty of drama going forward, it is going to be interesting to see how the friendships of our characters progress as the series does. Kids on the Slope has the potential to be a classic. 

Drop kick!

The animation quality and style in this show is some of the best I have seen. Sentaro Kawabuchi, the school slacker/bully and drummer gets into a couple of fights in the first episodes, and they are very well done. The style and backdrops that are used are beautiful and capture the feeling of a small seaside town. This is one of those shows that can really be appreciated from a visual standpoint alone. The opening is catchy, and does a good job of capturing the emotion of the show, probably one that I will not skip as I progress through the series. 

Overall, i'm pleasantly surprised with where this show is going. Featuring a  refreshing sound track, fantastic visual quality, and a story that has a lot of potential going forward. I certainly look forward to watching each new episode every Thursday.