Review of Ya Boy Kongming!

PARIPI KOUMEI Wow. What an unexpectedly great anime; one that I didn't even have on my radar before this season. This Spring 2022 season was absolutely stacked and I think I had around 12-14 shows that I found interesting and wanted to give a go. Paripi Koumei was not one of them. In fact, I only picked up the show I believe after its 4th episode after seeing good feedback about it on my timeline and boy am I glad I checked it out. Paripi Koumei can be considered a reverse-isekai, I guess. It's about Zhuge Liang (courtesy name Kongming heh), a Chinese military strategist from theThree Kingdoms period and known for his brilliant war stratagems. Kongming suddenly finds himself reincarnated into present times and has his heart captured by Eiko, a bar singer that he happens to stumble upon. Enchanted by Eiko's voice, Kongming makes it his goal to ensure her success as a singer by incorporating his war stratagems in modern day contexts in strange, amusing, yet brilliant ways.

STORY - 9/10
The overall plot of Paripi Koumei quickly caught my attention and interest. It just seemed so bizarre and weird, but it somehow all made sense for a fun and very fresh experience. The first few episodes were amazingly entertaining as we witness Kongming's brilliance and his relationship with the adorable and charming Eiko begin to form. I appreciate how the show has a general goal which was to make Eiko successful; I like it a lot when shows have that as it provides a sense of purpose to the characters' actions. The pacing did seem a bit off, or perhaps it all just went by too quickly because of how much fun the show is. Around the middle, the progress of Eiko seemed to be a bit slow probably because of the amount of screentime dedicated to introduce Kabetaijin to the show. After a few more episodes we already find ourselves in the final showdown. I would have definitely loved to see more of Eiko and definitely more of Kongming, who seemingly disappeared during the "development" episodes. Overall, a very unique and fresh story that was able to remain interesting and exciting throughout 12 episodes.

ART/SOUND - 10/10
For a show about music, Paripi Koumei thankfully knocks it out of the park. Chiki Chiki Ban Ban probably goes down as one of the best and most recognizable anime OPs and Kaede Hondo is terrific as Eiko when she sings. Don't even get me started on the epic and absolutely amazing rap sequences of Kabe, especially his showdown with Kongming. All in all the music absolutely delivers and is the show's defining feature, I would have loved more variety though as Eiko and Nanami repeat the same song for like 3 or 4 episodes. The art on the other hand is a bit of a mixed bag. It has some moments that it feels a bit dull and static, but then you also have Kaguya-sama-esque wild animation sequences with Kabe and Kongming's rap battles. Character designs are quite vibrant, especially with how they captured and displayed Eiko's general bright and soft nature.

CHARACTERS - 9/10
Paripi Koumei has 2 excellent frontrunners with Eiko and Kongming. With Kongming, you have an unexpectedly lovable, fantastically amusing, and downright strange character that you can't help but love. His combination of cunning wit and sincerity made him such a perfect compliment to the charming Eiko. Speaking of Eiko, she is an absolute darling and is definitely in the running for best girl of the season. Her kindness and genuineness makes you want to wish nothing but success for her. The show also has good side characters with the Manager, Nanamin, Mister Kid, and Karasawa, to name a few. They each have defining characteristics and even a form of backstories for some. Now, I didn't mention Kabe for a reason and that is because I feel he may be the most difficult character to evaluate. After his introduction arc, I just felt that he was so out of place with Team Kongming. I just never understood what his purpose was. I expected he would maybe have a solo in one of Eiko's songs but he never really did. All he ended up doing for the team was dissing Azalea and grabbing everyone's attention. On the other hand, Kabe may have produced some of the absolute best moments from the show. His rap sequences are genuinely amazing and well designed, not just some cringey and try hard rap, but genuine bars. Especially with his rap battle with Kongming, that may arguably be my favorite moment from the entire show. It was absolutely epic. So all in all, Kabe delivers some of the best moments but fails to naturally fit in.

ENJOYMENT - 10/10
For a stacked Spring 2022 season where I am following 14 different animes, Paripi Koumei managed to stick out and be one of my favorites. It was something I was constantly excited and looking forward to watch each and every week. Its inspiring story with funny and charming characters along with banging music was just a recipe for a relaxed and extremely enjoyable dose of happiness each week.

OVERALL - 9.5/10
Almost a masterpiece if it weren't for Kabe's awkward fit and the somewhat weird pacing in the middle parts that also forgot about Kongming. Overall, its flaws are forgivable and forgettable once you see Eiko's charming smile and hear her soothing voice. Highly recommend to everyone as it is just such a good time to watch.