MONO

DESCRIPTION

CAST

MANGA Adventuremono
ANIME ComedyYuru Camp△

REVIEWS

• 

  Ionliosite2

  30/100
  Why I was let down by Mono

  If I said that I'm disappointed with Afro for this show, then that would be putting it lightly. If you know me, you'll see I love Yuru Camp, it’s one of the CGDCT I use as a bar that others have to try to reach because of how great it is. Mono is extremely forgettable to the point I can't remember the name of its main characters except for Haru, and I remember her name, not because I like her, but because I think she steals the show, and I don't mean that in a good way.

  When I watch a CGDCT, I think the most important part is the characters, since they’re completely based around them, there usually isn't a bigger plot picture but following these adorable moeblobs, so the way they behave, how funny they are, or even how visually appealing they can be are the key to make this kind of series good, especially because the theme used to start their interactions might not be touched heavily. The main girl in Mono, who joined the photography club because she was a fan of her senpai who was in the club, has so little presence she might as well be a side character in her own show, and her friends are not exactly more entertaining than her.

  I singled out Haru earlier because she is the part I disliked the most about this show, she is basically Afro's self-insert: she draws manga and asks these girls to help her with it by going to different locations, so she drives most of the episodes' plot because the main characters stopped having agencies for themselves after about episode 2. Imagine if after Sawa-chan appears in K-On, she is the one telling the girls what they are going to do and where they are going to go across many episodes. I'm not saying you can't focus in an older character, Sawako had great episodes that were mostly dedicated to her, but seeing Haru is like watching Afro's blog but with moeblobs around her for her to order around. I mean, there's an entire episode about Haru and her mangaka friends complaining about making manga, her presence is just overwhelming in the show, it really isn't a surprise that the best episodes in the series are the ones where she is featured the least.

  The photography aspect is also pretty ignored after episode 2, despite the fact that they keep going to locations where they could most likely take pictures, but they just not do it, there are some episodes that focus more on it later on that are actually kind good, like the skateboarding episode, but the photography club aspect is almost ignored most of the time. K-On is usually mocked by detractors pointing out that they don't spend much time doing music, but you can at least see them practicing for about 5 seconds in multiple episode, if this series was memorable I would surely pinpoint you in which episodes photographing anything at all was important, but being too focused on going to different places in Yamanashi following whatever Haru is telling them to do is clearly more important.

  And as you might have guessed by watching it, this series is happening in the same city as Yuru Camp, so it has Yuru Camp cameos, to the point it's like this series isn't trying to be its own thing. Yes Afro, just shill your waaaay more popular manga here, because we clearly forgot about Yuru Camp and we need to see them some more here. Some cameos are more obvious than others, while in some episodes you can see them on the background, in some others they will have lines or be the punchline of a joke. Again, I love Yuru Camp, but this isn't necessary.

  The biggest saving grace of this series is the animation, as when it wants to, it’s colorful, dynamic, creative and full of life, they really got a great team working here and I'm grateful for that, because I have seen series about visual creativity that looks like shit. It was made by a pretty recent studio, but some people working on it who are very much veterans, like Masanobu Nomura being the art director and he has been fantastic across the years, so it's not surprising that the quality of both the animation and backgrounds is great here.

  Mono is, to my displeasure, a pretty forgettable series, I was really excited when it was announced, but I guess I'll keep myself to Yuru Camp, as this series kept mentioning and it is clearly the superior product.

  Thank you for reading.

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• 

  marioink508

  88/100
  The One Anime That Changed My View on Episodic Shows

  _This review contains __LIGHT SPOILERS__ for __mono__._ ‎‎ [__The One Anime That Changed My View on Episodic Shows__](https://anilist.co/user/marioink508/) __A serene journey through Japan’s hidden gems__ — _this anime transforms the everyday into breathtaking cinematic poetry._ --- ‎‎ [__Story - 8/10__](https://anilist.co/user/marioink508/) ‎‎ 'mono' is the series that introduced me to the world of 'Laid-Back Camp' and managed to get me more invested in the slice-of-life genre. I'm generally someone that doesn't enjoy episodic slice-of-life series, and honestly, if I had found out about this series later into its season, I might not have even given it a try. But having the chance to actually watch this series weekly made my experience so much more enjoyable. I find it hard to binge slice-of-life which is why this turned out to be a much more pleasant experience than I expected... being able to watch something like this weekly made me love a lot more the episodic structure of shows of this sort while also having the ability to appreciate the serene moments this series brings. Excuse the dragged introduction, but this series really changed my view on slice-of-life. What makes this series so great are the really well directed slice-of-life elements. My experience with purely slice-of-life series is limited but, I haven't really seen series that are able to capture the essence of daily lives better... It doesn't shy away from keeping more silence when needed or allow the viewer to breathe with some of the more scenic cuts. Also the creative direction for comedy in this series is absolutely amazing... Most of the adventures, if not all of them, follow around the exploration of Japan's touristic locations as well as many mountainsides. And while these adventures are great on their own, what makes them be even more beautiful is the contrast with reality the series has. A lot of locations are real life locations, showcasing their culture, with various topics explored that reflect local traditions and interests as well as cuts talking about camera work, motorcycles and many more random topics that get genuinely interesting. ‎‎ #####_Episode 2 'Making of Some Aerial Photography! / Visiting a Classmate, 3000 Leagues - Motovlog Part 12'_

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  One of the aspects of this series that felt a little disorienting for me at first was the fact that the series is described as a photography journey. While there are still moments that support that idea, I feel like there were also many episodes where this was really overshadowed, and I really enjoyed seeing those cuts when they take time-lapses or look for fun photographies. I do appreciate the camera work that this series has though, it is impressively stunning and adds a lot of value to the creative direction in this show. And I will say it does kind of balance out the fact that this series doesn't focus on the photography plot as much as it should. There aren’t many times I’ve watched an anime and genuinely compared its scenes to real cinematography. The camera angles are amazing, the use of perspective and camera lenses around the whole series is really well thought out, adding a level of cinematography to an anime which I haven't seen much before...
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  Episode 6 'Taking the Perfect Picture of a Maruishi Dosojin in Yamanashi! / We'll Enjoy Some Curry in Yamanashi'

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  Characters - 9.2/10
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  This series has some of the most fitting voice acting there is honestly. All of the JP VAs for this series are amazing and add so much to the characters... I don't think they could've done a better job with the casting, all of the characters are flawless with my standouts being Haruno and An which have the best VAs compared to the personalities of those characters. And speaking of Haruno, I found her character to be a standout this spring season, being one of my favorites... her personality is just so well developed and has a lot of depth for how simple this series really is. She is chaotic, easily scared, a clumsy character that brings some of the best energy in this show. It is so beautiful how well she manages to fit in with the group of girls so seamlessly that you forget she is a whole adult. She is an amazing show of childish behavior that is still well grounded, she takes authority whenever they go, is the driver, drinks alcohol, and it all feels so well-balanced that it never feels like she is awkward in the group. Genuinely such a well written character with a perfect VA to elevate her to how great she is.
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  Episode 6 'Taking the Perfect Picture of a Maruishi Dosojin in Yamanashi! / We'll Enjoy Some Curry in Yamanashi'

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  The main group of girls is also great, outside of the great voice acting, they all bring something different to the table and create a beautiful dynamic. An is the chaos of the group... loud, energetic, and constantly driving fun ideas, chaotic moments and stupid outcomes. Satsuki is honestly the most normal in this dynamic, she is the most fitting of an actual teen status, yet you can still find her amusing and fun to watch. Lastly, Sakurako who is less talkative one, she is insanely calm in every situation she is really smart and talented in everything she does... while she doesn't sound like a lot, she is so great in the group for contrast... there are a lot of subtle comedic moments built around her that are really funny and creative.

  Another great character is Kurokuma, which is like a random episodic appearance that just brings chaos, and a fun horror segment every time she shows up. I really liked a lot this creative segments, I’m not fully sure if it’s her character by itself, but for sure for the atmosphere change around her and the well directed horror comedy moments. She doesn't make many appearance, which makes for the times she does show up to be really engaging and rewarding.
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  Episode 2 'Making of Some Aerial Photography! / Visiting a Classmate, 3000 Leagues - Motovlog Part 12'

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  Visuals - 9.8/10
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  When it comes down to visuals, this series is completely stunning... The animation is top-notch all around, and that is without going back into the topic of camera work and perspective, and once you factor those in, the series absolutely skyrockets... The lighting, the smoothness of the animation, character design, and the series’ overall style, all of it feels close to perfect. This anime also follows an environmental style I’ve seen before in 'BOCCHI THE ROCK' and I assume it's probably in the previous installments of 'Laid-Back Camp', the combination of both real life shots and artistry that creates this somewhat realistic still hand drawn look, a look that I feel compliments well the storytelling aspect of this series, covering real locations, as well as the foundation of the photography theme, taking into account camera work and creative direction.
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  Episode 11 'Enjoying All the Spots on the Yamanashi Shaved Ice Map'

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  Closing Notes
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  Honestly, this is a must watch, a stunning series that captures the essence of small moments in life perfectly, as well as the sheer amount of fun and creativity this series brings. This really changed my perspective on episodic series, and I’ll definitely be checking out 'Laid-Back Camp' soon if it’s anything like this... Amazing show of creative direction, character design and expressions as well.
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  Enjoyment Level - 8.3/10
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  Favorite Character - Haruno Akiyama
  Favorite Episode - Episode 8 ‘Nagano/Toyama Trip That's on the Test (The First Night)’

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• 

  Scheveningen

  80/100
  An excellent comedy with great timing and creativity that perhaps could have been better framed as being a travelogue

  Mono is an excellent slice of life comedy, using strong voice acting and directing to land its many jokes while still having room for mellow moments. It cannot be understated how effective the show is with its comedic timing, leveraging its genre to more than compensate for the limited animation resources that was likely at their disposal. While the characters are all still generally archetypal, it is more than sufficient for the genre. Crucially, they have all been brought to life with excellent voice acting and character writing that gives the show an endearing emotional core. This also helps to highlight the various locations the show visits with how the characters respond in ways specific and unique to them, making it feel like a genuine and purposeful trip instead of merely a glorified tourism advert. Despite Mono having a generally upbeat and zany tone, it also shows itself capable of some mellow and even heartwarming moments through effective control of atmosphere. The general direction of the show can still feel a bit unstructured, at least initially, since the framing device of it being ostensibly about a high school photography club mostly falls to the wayside. However, once the show establishes its mostly travelogue format, it starts to hit its stride with each episode being consistently funny and charming.

  As a comedy first and foremost, Mono’s excellent comedic timing has been essential to its charm. While many shows in the genre sometimes end up relying too heavily on continuous escalation of absurdity or the sheer energy in the voice acting to sell the joke to the audience, Mono demonstrates a good mix of comedic styles. It knows when to undercut certain moments to land a joke or take advantage of lulls in the plot of each episode as a natural build up to make one through a sudden tonal shift. A particular highlight is the use of deadpan characters like Kurokuma who delivers rather harrowing information about the occult and supernatural as if it were a bland matter of fact, creating the set up for some strong punchlines. This is aided by extensive use of its cinematography to help land the jokes, with cuts to shots in different art styles among other visual methods that accentuate the humour on top of the consistently strong voice acting and character writing. It helps to make up from what is likely a more limited animation budget by essentially moving the pressure away from having detailed scenes and placing it on the creativity of the writing and directing to deliver the punchline. Taking advantage of being a comedy, it allows the show to use relatively efficient or simple animation like the characters becoming chibis, cuts to still images, or even a literal black screen with only words on it to deliver the joke. All this then allows the show to focus more of its animation on particular moments that demand it like some of the panoramas of the locations they visit. Of course, this might all sound like basic expectations of a show, but it is important to note how this is all significantly easier said than done, especially in a comedy. Mono is able to consistently land a relatively wide variety of jokes with little difficulty and few if any misses, perhaps at worse eliciting only a slight smile from the viewer instead of a hearty chuckle. Although not exceptionally novel or brilliant in its writing and execution, it is nonetheless still highly polished.

  Mono’s eventual travelogue format also helps in creating comedy from both the situations it places the characters in as well as them playing off each other. This avoids the pitfall some sitcoms find themselves in, becoming stale due to the audience’s overwhelming familiarity with the static setting and character dynamics that form most of its comedy. The change in locations throughout the series gives ample opportunity to create new and interesting scenarios and bring out more of the characters’ personalities. In particular, the stories involving the occult can be initially a little jarring since the supernatural comes up abruptly and is framed as unambiguously real for the sake of the jokes, but they do eventually find their place in the narrative since people often do travel to supposedly haunted areas for one reason or another. At the same time, the show remains consistent with its characterisation and occasionally references previous jokes or events which gives the series a sense of time passing and continuity that other comedies occasionally neglect. Crucial to the travelogue style of story, the characters interact with the activities or events at their destination in ways particular to their character, making what could easily seem like a blatant tourism advert feel sincere and organic. There is always a reason within the narrative for the cast visiting a particular place, be it a quest for ham, manga research, or planning some hare-brained activity, that gives the travelling a sense of intentionality. Most of the exposition about these places is then narrated in character by a member of the cast, which provides some entertaining levity or emotional connection to what is about to transpire. Even though the intention is still very much to show off these places, it all comes together as the cast is taking a trip to these locations and responding in character to create entertaining skits instead of being mere vehicles to show off tourist attractions.

  This does at times stray relatively far from Mono’s initial framing device of ostensibly being the adventures of a high school photography club. It is ultimately not a big deal since it becomes clear quite quickly that essentially almost everything in the narrative is done in service of getting the characters into comedic scenarios. But it might have been helpful to simply frame the show from Haruno’s point of view since she is often the intersection point for most of the stories, having a connection with the high school characters, her adult friend, and the other mangakas. It would also have allowed the show to delve a bit more into the few pleasantly surprising scenes that focus on writing a manga and how this travelling about aids in that process. The photography club part of the premise could still dovetail nicely into this with their work helping Haruno retain references of the places for her work. Or at least it would have prevented some viewers from expecting Mono to be more involved in exploring the craft or technical aspect of photography like some subject matter shows do. Despite this not being ideal, the focus does eventually return to the high school characters in the last few episodes, and they do form much of the emotional core of the show. While much of Mono is spent in a very upbeat and high energy tone, or perhaps one of mild comical tension when it comes to the occult stories, it is the usually the high school cast that allow the show its mellow moments. The few scenes where they simply stop to appreciate the view or reflect that their summer adventures are coming to an end gives the show that little additional burst of emotional resonance. It is nothing particularly profound, but it succeeds in demonstrating the show has heart to it instead of the cast being merely a machine for producing jokes. The show being framed as led by the high school characters does make sense in this light, though perhaps less emphasis ought to have been placed on the photography club element. It takes some time for Mono to find its narrative voice and hit its stride, but it is hardly a major issue.

  Overall, Mono with its excellent comedic timing, cinematography and character work makes for a fantastic comedy. Despite not billing itself as a travelogue story, that coincidentally also follows a mangaka, it does make for a surprisingly good show in that respect. The locations that are visited are made more compelling by the characters instead of them being there to basically be diegetic advert readers. While there are numerous references to Yuru Camp, they are more of bonuses for a viewer that is familiar with it than anything necessary to appreciate Mono. With the show being exceedingly well polished yet not really breaking any new ground, it seems appropriate to give it a strong 8 out of 10.

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