Genres: Comedy, Slice of Life

The Cute Girls Doing Cute Things (CGDCT) anime of the season. We have a lot of titles that falls under this category these days like Yuru Yuri, GochiUsa and the dark horse of Winter 2018 anime season, Yuru Camp. So what does Comic Girls bring in the table aside from the usual fluff and hnng moments that is already a given in this kind of show? That would be the goal that the protagonist, Kaoruko Moeta a.k.a. Kaos, has to reach or to put it simply an objective, something that most shows under this category often lacks or sidelines for the sake of the cutesy moments that drags till the end of the show. Don't get me wrong though, I don't dislike the lack of story or plot progression in this type of shows because in the first place I watch them for their relaxing and comforting atmosphere but adding a story, for me, increases engagement and strengthens my attachments with the characters because I am there watching them work hard and shed tears all for the sake of fulfilling their dreams all the while emanating the good vibes to light up my day.

Plot

The story follows the lives of young female manga artists living together in a dormitory as they balance their life as students and their life as professionals while being cute. Okay we're done here... or so I'd like to say, but as I have mentioned in my introduction this is more than that, we have a story in our hand that is both entertaining and inspiring that even those hesitant to check out this kind of shows may find interesting. So let's not get ahead of ourselves and talk about the story a bit longer.

The story started with the introduction of Kauruko Moeta, an aspiring manga artist that is having trouble making an interesting story for her to officially make her debut. This lead to her editor recommending that she live in a dorm for female manga artists so that she can learn from the artists living there and also, so that she can experience a normal life as a student, which her editor thought to be what she lacks despite having the potential to be a great manga artist.

After that, the focus switched to the girls daily lives as students and as manga artists. The show didn't delve too deep in the technicalities of making manga though they provided tidbits of information. Instead, the show focused more on the characters' struggles that includes submitting a manuscript before the deadline, getting a storyboard they spent lot of time making rejected, the occasional writer's block that the girls have to deal with, their insecurities about how their works are going to be received and if they can continue pursuing the path of a manga artist, all of this while keeping a balance with their work and their studies.

All of the main characters have their own dedicated time to shine in the series but it is without a doubt that Kaoruko's has the most impact. As the one who has the most hardships throughout the series, her moment of success is the one that I savored the most, it reminded me of the "Step closer to my dream" scene in Shirobako which is one of my most loved scene to date.

Characters

The story is good but for a Slice of Life show like this, its cast is a vital part. But Comic Girls has it covered so no need to worry. The show have numerous characters, each with their own unique traits making their interactions entertaining to watch. Now let's take a look at the main cast.

First off the self-depreciating and weak-willed protagonist Kaoruko Moeta or just Kaos for convenience's sake. She is a fragile girl that usually succumbs to pressure and add the fact that all of the storyboards she has made has been rejected, we have a very tragic herione on our hand but thanks to the other residents of the dorm that are always there for her, the pain and difficulties she's been put through have been somehow lessened if not negated, allowing her to continue walking the path of a manga artist.

Next is the Shoujo manga artist Koyume Koizuka. If Kaos is the negative girl of the series then Koyume is the exact opposite, a cheerful and carefree girl brimming with optimism. She is also a newcomer in the dorm. She is having difficulties with her storyboards just like Kaos, because despite writing Shoujo manga she has never been in love making her work seem far fetched. She eventually got over this problem when she finally experienced how it is to fall in love leading to her manga finally getting serialized.

Then we have Ruki Irokawa, an already established manga artist known for her pen name Big Boobies♥Himeko She originally wanted to make manga for children but her art style better fits the Teen's love genre hence her pen name turned out that way. Despite having a serialized series and popularity in the market she is still anxious about her fans getting disappointed by the fact that the image her readers might have of her may be substantially different from who she really is. She is also playing the big sister character for Kaos and Koyume, always encouraging and giving her piece of mind whenever the two are in a bind.

Finally the Shounen manga artist Tsubasa Katsuki. She has a boyish appearance, probably because of the genre she's working on, which made her popular among girls. She is cool, calm and usually quiet, but she steps up when needed and gives words of encouragement even to Ruki. She has a very strong passion about drawing manga that she even refused to inherit their family business despite her mother being against her decision. This is also strengthened by her answer in their career path survey where she put manga artist as both her 1st and 2nd choice.

The supporting cast also performed well especially the dorm matron Ririka Hanazono that served as the mother figure for the girls while staying in the dorm, Suzu Fūra a fellow manga artist specializing in the horror genre that loves to scare people off, Miharu Nijino the homeroom teacher of the girls that is a secret fan of Tsubasa's manga and Mayu Amisawa the editor that believed in Kaos potential and helped her in various ways.

Animation

The animation is everything you will expect from this kind of series, the characters are all cute and everything is colorful. And as far as what I can remember there has been no drop in the quality throughout the run so props to studio Nexus for executing this 4-koma manga wonderfully.

Conclusion

Comic girls proved to be more than just your run-of-the-mill moeblob show, it is a good watch and has explored depths that one wouldn't normally expect from a cute show like this including the feeling of transitioning from being a fan that lines up for autograph signing to the one doing the signing, the feeling of being left behind as everyone moves forward, the times when all the hard work you've put doesn't seem to bear any fruit and you feel just like giving up, the crushing pressure of working when the people who had always been by your side are gone but most especially the rainbow at the end of a storm, the moment when people shine the brightest as they take a step closer towards their dream that is just simply fulfilling.

This show is a roller coaster ride and a great addition to the CGDCT roster and I am honestly looking forward for more shows like this or even better a second season for this one. I will be leaving you with one of the best lines in the show. See you again on my next anime recommendation!

Ciao~

"Hooray! I finally got out of rejection hell! All my hard work paid off. No amount of genius can beat simple hard work!
The secrets to becoming a professional manga artist: You must love manga! You must keep at it! And step up, so that your small acts of courage will someday shine!"