Connect with us

Anime

‘Poco’s Udon World’ is Lovingly Made with Older Anime Fans in Mind

People watch anime for as many reasons as they play video games. For me, it’s always been a way to temporarily escape from real-life hardship, frustration, negative thoughts, and so on. More fantastical shows like One Piece, YuYu Hakusho, and Magi draw me in because the protagonists are able to go on thrilling adventures and see wondrous new places with their friends in much more interesting worlds than our own. Even silly Slice of Life comedies like 2017’s Blend-S have genuine appeal because of how carefree and lighthearted they are. When I stumbled upon Poco’s Udon World, I was expecting another mindlessly fun anime in the same vein.

Boy, did I get a reality check.

Little Bundle of Joy

Poco’s Udon World is a full-fledged journey of self-reflection. It opens on a somber note with 30 year-old Souta Tawara returning to his hometown of Kagawa Prefecture following his father’s passing. Souta hasn’t been back ever since he struck out on his own to make it in Tokyo 10 years prior. It’s rare to see an anime focus on a much older, more established protagonist, and it’s a welcome change of pace. The wistful nature with which Souta sees his childhood town is both a breath of fresh air and incredibly relatable.

It’s not much later that we’re introduced to the show’s namesake, Poco. Seemingly homeless and without a guardian, it doesn’t take long for the adorable Poco to wiggle his way into Souta’s naturally gentle heart. It’s soon revealed that Poco is actually one of the fabled tanuki that inhabit the region, and as a result can take the form of humans whenever he likes. Despite the initial shock and bewilderment, however, Souta decides to take him in temporarily until he has to return to Tokyo for work.

Poco is central to the plot throughout, but his being a tanuki doesn’t feel absolutely necessary until the very last couple of episodes; it’s more so the responsibility of caring for a young child that makes Poco so invaluable to the growth of multiple cast members. The show leans on the adorableness of Poco in his half-tanuki form (little ears and all) to draw viewers in before quickly subverting their happy-go-lucky expectations—and it works.

Natural Growth

On a macro level, Poco’s Udon World is about Souta coming to terms with his decision to leave his family and friends behind to make a life for himself despite his family’s wishes for him to take over his father’s udon shop. On a micro level, it’s all about the complexities of growing up and finding meaning in our lives. How are we influenced by our parents, and why is there a constant need to prove ourselves and make them feel proud of us? What’s the line between “family first” and being held hostage by the expectations they put upon you? And just how much does the wisdom only gained with age shed light on the perspectives you once despised them for having?

The answers to these questions reveal themselves gently and naturally. The stresses that come with looking after Poco constantly reminds Souta of how much he put his parents through growing up. Similarly, Souta’s sister Rin refused to give her parents grandchildren when they were alive because of deep-rooted self-doubt around being able to raise a child well. Her experiences with Poco gradually begin to soften that stance.

Realistic Yet Comforting

What’s even more impressive than the immense character growth throughout the season is how realistically the show portrays how life pans out. Souta runs into a high school crush when he first gets back and is absolutely stunned by how pretty yet familiar she looks after all these years. But as he moved forward with his life and career, she settled down and is now happily married with a couple kids. There’s no typical “happily ever after” scenario here; for as fantastical as Poco’s Udon World is at times, its depiction of adult life is nothing but genuine.

It’s common for anime to evoke feelings of suspense, tension, comfort, and even infatuation. But Poco’s Udon World manages to convey something a bit more complex that’ll vary depending on your own life experiences. For this writer, it served as a reminder of just how fleeting life is, and how certain conflicts when young don’t need to completely color relationships years later. It handles the emotional intricacies of lingering resentment between family members in a way that inspires you without preaching to you. Poco may be adorable, and LIDENFILMS’ soft yet vibrant art direction may be soothing, but this show is easily recommendable for completely different reasons. Don’t sleep on this one.

You can watch Poco’s Udon World on Crunchyroll here.

Written By

Brent fell head over heels for writing at the ripe age of seven and hasn't looked back since. His first love is the JRPG, but he can enjoy anything with a good hook and a pop of color. When he isn't writing about the latest indie release or binging gaming coverage on YouTube, you can find Brent watching and critiquing all manner of anime. Send him recommendations or ask to visit his island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons @CreamBasics on Twitter.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Facebook

Trending

Andor Creator Tony Gilroy Doesn’t Consider A Key Rogue One Relationship Canon

Film

Simon Guobadia Reportedly Deported To Nigeria After Porsha Williams Drama

Celebrity

‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Renewed for Fifth and Final Season

Film

Fat Joe accused of sex acts with minors in $20 million lawsuit filed by former hype man, rapper denies allegations

Celebrity

Silento Breaks Silence After Getting Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison For Killing His Cousin

Celebrity

Mello Buckzz’s Boyfriend Shot-&-Killed During Her Mixtape Release Party

News

The Met’s ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ Reframes Ancient Tragedy Through the Lens of Propaganda

Film

Taylor Rooks Seemingly Responds To Drake’s Mention In Unreleased Song From “ICEMAN” Livestream

Celebrity

Tyler Perry Pops Out At Beyonce Show In Paris Amid Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Celebrity

Lil Wayne “Tha Carter VI” Review

Celebrity

Trillian, Busta Rhymes’s Son, Prepares To Inherit The Throne: On NLE Choppa Collab, Lyrically Sparring With His Dad & The Significance Of Lil Wayne’s “10,000 Bars”

Celebrity

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 Review: The Best Trek In Decades Doesn’t Miss A Beat

Film

F1 Review: Brad Pitt’s Sports Drama Has Exciting Racing Scenes And A Bloated Runtime

Film

Trippie Redd Reportedly Arrested In Miami For Mysterious Reasons

Celebrity

Eminem’s Stalker Gets Lengthy Prison Sentence For Home Invasion

News

Jurassic World Rebirth review: Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey help the franchise roar back to life

Film

Connect