Common Name: Konohana Kitan
Score: 7/10, 3/5
Length: 12 Episodes
Genre: Shoujo, Slice of Life, Supernatural, Drama, Moe
Summary: Determined to see the world outside her shine, the young fox Yuzu sets off to seek employment at the resort inn for Japan's numerous gods, Konohanatei, under the recommendation of her foster mother, Lady Bikuni. Clumsy at first, Yuzu struggles to find her place in this establishment. Yet, while she might not realize it, the girl is a natural attendant, gifted at soothing the souls of those around her through her innocent nature and empathetic tendencies. From gods to her fellow attendants, Yuzu has a lot to offer the residents of this holy and sacred inn, the home for all who reside in the spirit realm between Earth and the Afterlife.
Review: While the concept of an anime centered on a traditional hot spring inn isn't anything new, I do always appreciate them whenever one pops up in the seasonal rotation. There's just something about this subgenre that always grabs my attention and holds it regardless of the show's overall quality. Perhaps it's the presentation of traditional Japanese values and scenery. Perhaps it's because the natural, calming nature of hot spring inns offer an excuse to feature a similarly calm and meditative story--always a favorite of mine. Of course, that preference of mine doesn't mean these kinds of shows get a free pass though. One need only ask my opinions of Onsen Yousei Hakone-chan to verify that fact. I will admit that scoring Konohana Kitan was a little difficult for me though since it's easily not the worst hot spring anime I've seen--Hokone holds that spot without any close competition--but it definitely isn't the best I've seen either. Rather, it sits at a fair middle that is neither impressive nor offensive; it just kinda exists and that's kinda the biggest tragedy Konohana Kitan has to offer.
OK, second most tragic; pretty much every story with Okiku is just sad to watch.
With a mountain of different folk tales and gods to follow and mention, you'd think this show would have a lot of material it could use to channel intrigue and fun but it never really goes anywhere with the mythos it has on hand. To be fair though, at the show's start, you probably wouldn't even consider the reality of this spiritual world and all it has to offer. Particularly in the first couple episodes, Konohana Kitan focuses on its main character, Yuzu, a fox girl who is equal parts cheerful and clumsy. In these episodes, we watch Yuzu arrive at the hot spring/inn resort Konohanatei and slowly grow in her role as an attendant as she learns how to move in concert with her fellow attendants and find her place there. Once it is established that Yuzu's role is more of a calming peacemaker, though, she is virtually made into a one-note character who sits on the sidelines while the rest of the cast is fleshed out. For example, we learn initially about Tatsuki and her hopes to be a priestess and subsequent issues with her older sister who "stole" that position out from under her all because Yuzu is assigned to her for training. Over the course of their training, all this personal information about Satsuki just kinda spills out at one point or another simply because it's easy to talk to the caring and innocent Yuzu. Yet I suppose it's worth noting that, unlike other anime, talking things out with Yuzu doesn't automatically "fix" Satsuki's problem. Quite the contrary. Satsuki's problems don't go away so much as they are eased. In this one explosive moment where she vents all her ugly frustrations and grudges, she's offered some amount of peace and a newfound courage to keep working at Konohanatei just because she now has a place she can vent her anger without fear of judgement or recourse. Yuzu just listens and accepts everything Satsuki is because she already considers the older girl a knowledgeable Senpai and a good friend.
Of course, the show goes out of its way to tease the idea that they could be more.
This kind of explosive character exposition is basically how the rest of this show flows from this point on. We learn about the all-but-stated relationship between the girly girl Ren and the tomboy Natsume because Yuzu is assigned to Ren eventually. We get to enjoy the laid-back non-character that is Sakura because she and Yuzu become good friends, mainly because they are both very child-like. Everything from the past of Konohanatei's manager, Ookami, to a few of the gods themselves are laid bare for the audience to admire simply because Yuzu is somewhere in the background being Yuzu. Normally, I'd forgive this kind of contrivance but this tactic only really works when the main character is actively trying to help others and eventually succeeds at breaking down the walls that people tend to build around themselves. Yet that's never really attempted. Yuzu just kinda roams around trying to be helpful, quite literally in some cases, and her mere presence is all that is required to trigger an establishing flashback or sudden burst of emotion that leaves little unsaid. More than that, this show never stops using this gimmick since the show needs to keep establishing that Yuzu is "doing her best." No matter how much character exposition this show offers though, I can't help feeling all this just rings a little too hollow.
Considering how often the show uses this bizarre silhouettes, I think the creators felt that way too.
As much as I hate to say it, I found little reason to actually care about this show or its main characters. While part of that dissatisfaction certainly stemmed from the fact that this is an episodic show where nothing ever really changes, I think the main issue is that the main focus of the show had nothing going for it. Sure, the cute girls looked cute but they had no personality aside from their stereotypical gimmick and the way they express affection for others. Yuzu, as I already said is basically just an air-headed klutz who will do anything for the people immediately around her simply because she can. Satsuki is basically just a tsundere in all she does, including her emphatic claims that she'd give up Konotanatei to be a priestess at the drop of a hat. Ren is an obnoxious himedere who is snobbish and rude to everyone but Natsume who just makes her weak in the knees. Natsume is a tomboy prince charming who is also a girl. Sakura is...well...Sakura. Amusing though they may be, there's no reason for them to actually mean anything to me since any drama in this show is immediately wiped away like it never happened the next day. What's worse the show centers around these characters so heavily that the actual charm and intrigue of Konohana Kitan is nearly lost in the mire of dull, predictable, and poorly thought out characters.
Yeah...that's kind of an issue.
In case I wasn't clear enough earlier, that charm and intrigue this show offer is, in fact, it's setting. These characters all live in the land of the gods, beings of infinite power and complexity. Yet, because of all the personal drama of the main cast, all these amazing characters are hardly ever addressed or introduced during the show's run. While we might get phrases like "granddaughter of Izanami and Izanagi" we never get to fully know or meet Awanaminokami. Frankly, the best character this show has to offer are the "character of the days" that pop up from time to time. Though we never get names for these characters, they expound on the idea that this is world Yuzu and cast live in is really the halfway point between heaven and Earth. Whether they be ghosts, stray animals, youkai, or the gods themselves, they offer far more to this story than the main cast could ever hope to match. While there are a few moments where they get close, namely the moments with Tatsuki and her sister expressing the beauty, fanfare, and difficulty associated with being a priestess, I can't help wanting a show with just those extra characters being the actual push of the show. I'd rather have a story centered around Konohanatei itself, rather than its bumbling attendants.
Fine, I'll just say it. What I really want is more episodes with THIS GUY right here.
Had the show really probed the ideas it touched upon, rather than glossing over them, I'm sure I would have loved this show. Yet all I really see is a waste of potential wrapped in beautiful decoration. The sheer intrigue and commentary that could be had regarding the lives of gods who are rarely ever called upon or wanted anymore could have made this show so much more thought-provoking. The melodramatic beauty of watching tormented or unfulfilled soul find peace within the halls of Konohanatei would have meant so much more had they not been rushed along and instantly resolved by Yuzu's mere existence. This episodic story could have been so much more than it actually was and that's what disappoints me the most. Wishful thinking aside though, I can't say I wholly hate Konohana Kitan. As shallow and hollow as it might be, there is still something to appreciate about this title.
Even though the show usually relies on cheap ecchi and Sapphic overtones to keep itself afloat, it does
actually offer a lot of cute and endearing moments that make me want to care about these characters.
So, I'm still unsure whether or not I'd recommend this show, I can at least say I appreciated it. The visuals alone are worthy of that praise but the show's music, tone, and subtler points turned it into a title I will never regret watching. It might not have been what I wanted, but it gave me enough to stay interested in this world and whatever hijinx would be coming week after week. If that's not a solid enough recommendation or the few good points I mentioned aren't enough to grab your interest, then I'll just say it's probably not worth the time and effort necessary to watch this show. Now, if you want to see the exemplar of the Japanese resort inn concept, I would wholeheartedly recommend checking out Hanasaku Iroha for the drama or even Hoozuki no Reitetsu for an exploration of Japan's traditional mythos and concepts of the afterlife.