Review of Ya Boy Kongming!
tl;dr like pineapple on pizza; an odd combo that some will love Well I'll be. This is the kind of show that you click and say "wtf is this might as well try it" and it turns out to be a hidden gem. I am of the opinion that Paripi Koumei is truly the sleeper anime of Spring 2022. Setting? Odd. Characters? Unusual. Premise? Absurd. Hotel? Across from Shibuya 109. Paripi Koumei is an absolutely unique anime from episode one, when ma boi Kongming gets tossed into modern-day Shibuya ward Tokyo and has a fated encounter with a talented young singer and decides to become her strategist/manager.Kongming learns quickly (sasuga) and applies his "200 million iq" to making Eiko a successful songstress.
On a real note, you may wonder if you really need a knowledge of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms or of Chinese poetry to really appreciate the show. I can tell you that it helps a lot. I'm no history buff but I at least know of the more famous moments from the epic, many of which are used here. But it's not crucial. You may not laugh as hard in the moment but when you go and google the Three Kingdoms references you'll have a good chuckle and probably learn something new.
And speaking of something new this anime really slaps that button as much as it can. From the get-go you are introduced to the strategic genius and tactical mastermind of Kongming and though the combo of music and Kongming may seem odd at first the writers do a very good job of wrapping in stratagems from the Romance into present-day situations where they could possibly be applied. The first half of the show is a breeze to watch; time flew by as I waited for what ridiculous thing Kongming was going to pull out next.
The show gets quite heavy in the back half and appeals more to the music fan there, with a good hard look at what it means to write music and sing songs as well as what it takes to succeed in one of the most cutthroat industries in the world. You may not laugh as much in episodes that don't have a prominent Kongming but you will possibly shed a tear or two. I can say that the development of the main characters is very well done, organically building up from their first introductions.
Criticisms? I have a couple, since it was *this* close to being a 9 for me. Well, for a music anime the music was rather... lacklustre. Amazing singers but the songs themselves especially the oft repeated "I'm still alive" got on my nerves sometimes. I have some criticisms regarding the conclusion but in the interest of not spoiling this must-watch I will not expound upon it further.
So, to summarize, Paripi Koumei is an unusual anime with an unusual character set in an unusual plot but somehow manages to tie it all together into a eminently enjoyable show that combines emotional music drama with tactical war dramas and leaves you waiting for what Kongming is gonna whip out next. Must watch for sure. 8/10