Common Name: Nyanbo!
Score: 7/10, 5/5.
Length: 26 Short-form Episodes
Genre: Comedy
Summary: While it may unclear what they are or where they came from, there is one thing we know is true about the beings known as Nyanbo: they love to have fun. What that means for one Nyanbo might be different for another. While the young Tora is happy to work toward his goal of rebuilding his UFO and reaching the stars, his friends and little sister, Kotora, are content to live care-free lives here on Earth. No matter how they live though, there's no such thing as a dull day for the tiny creatures known as Nyanbo.
Review: For a show that is undeniably meant for children, there's a strange kind of beautiful and easy to swallow quality present that's hard to find anywhere else. Just because a show is for kids doesn't mean it's inherently bad or not worth a look from time to time. While that might not agree with the social stigma that comes with the image of an older man watching a kids' show, it doesn't make it untrue. We all have those shows that we grew up with as kids and have either moved past or still cling to for the sake of nostalgia, and I've noticed that whenever I turn back to my old favorites there's a part of me that still enjoys those shows for reasons other than nostalgia. Now, these reasons can vary from person to person, but for me, I can now see the skill with which a moral lesson can be delivered, the nuance present in a side character's joke, or the amount of effort and quality that went into the show's creation. That last reason, in particular, is what both drew me in and kept me interested in this children's show about cat-like creatures made from cardboard boxes.
And that concludes my lesson on "Shut up! I'll watch whatever I want."
The thing about Nyabo!, though, is that its quality doesn't rely on the kind of things I usually look for in the anime. The characters are simple, constant, and, well, child-like. There's no real "plot" to speak of. Each episode runs on one of three things: 1) there's a concept/lesson to be taught, 2) a UFO piece has been found, 3) the Nyanbo have found a new friend to play with. To be fair though, a lack of plot isn't exactly uncommon or problematic when it comes to anime, let alone short-form shows. The music is mellow and low-key, meaning it's ideal for setting the tone and holding it for a particular scene. Rather than these usual factors I use to gauge the worth of an anime, my love for this show stems from its art/presentation--the use of smooth but detailed CG animation transposed onto a real world backdrop.
Kinda like Pete's Dragon or Mary Poppins, but better.
What's interesting is that these backdrops aren't still shots either. When the Nyanbo are out in the world you can see the wind blowing the trees, cars roll by, water flows downstream, and cats interacting with the Nyanbo (or, rather, the thing that functions as the stand-in for the CG Nyanbo). Now, sure, I realize that this choice of style was more than likely meant to support the show's toy franchise. What cold-hearted, cynical adult wouldn't realize that? The Nyanbo are, after all, a marketing home run. They're cute, colorful, and memorable for their individual styles. Add that to a show where the characters play with toys kids already have, and it's a no-brainer that a kid would want the whole collection of Nyanbo. Aside from the monetary kind though, there is also a kind of artistic value to this style as well. It's a kind of thoughtful value that even an adult like me can appreciate.
Something I can appreciate on top of the show's drop dead gorgeous aesthetic.
Since it is ultimately the Nyanbo's goal to rebuild their UFO and return to outer space, it seems appropriate that the characters look a little out of place on top of the real world background. Yet, at the same time, the Nyanbo have also incorporated parts of our culture into their characters, so it's not surprising that their presence isn't obtrusive or even inappropriate in said backgrounds. So, there's an interesting juxtaposition between not belonging but also being welcome here on Earth that permeates the entire show. While the Nyanbo are fun and memorable, they eventually need to leave like so many of our childhood things. Until that time though, they're here to have fun and play and learn alongside the children who own them. Sure, I might be reading into things a little heavily there, but the point still stands that I was able to enjoy this show as an adult with more mature tastes and an eye for more complex concepts and nuance. Not only that, but there was a part of me that knew my young nieces could enjoy this along with me (if only they could read subtitles). Sure it might amount to a marketing scheme in the end, but if a family can sit down and enjoy something together, I don't really see the harm in that.
If I had to level one complaint against the Nyanbo show, however, it would be this:
WHY IS THERE STILL NO YOTSUBA&! ANIME?!