I'm so tired: a "Tanaka-kun Is Always Listless" review
I feel like a lot of people take sleep for granted. I understand why, though. As a sophomore in college, I'm used to the long stretches of class and free time and work study, having to juggle homework with other commitments. Late bedtimes are common, but I'm the type of person who needs at least six or seven hours of rest to function in the morning. I'm always bewildered when I encounter someone in class who went to bed at four a.m. and is here to tell the tale at ten. How are they alive? But despite that fact, even the amount of sleep I get leaves me lethargic at certain points. It's a strange conundrum.
Because of that, this show seemed intriguing right off the bat. Tanaka's listlessness looked endearing, even despite the niggling fear that the joke of his sleepiness would be the only thing holding this series together. Additionally, Tanaka-kun Is Always Listless happened to be a slice-of-life anime, a genre with expected archetypal characters and tranquil pacing that could hinder any deep connection a viewer could make with the series. However, the tender art and bright colors had me intrigued, and it seemed like there was a lot of potential for this to be more than just a cute series. So I settled in with my brother and a friend over Labor Day weekend to finish this after seeing the first disc a year prior. Was this worth the binge?
I'm happy to report that this was. Tanaka-kun Is Always Listless is a charming series that made me laugh, smile, and really cherish the time I was spending together with friends. Aside being a portrait piece of our titular character's trademark devotion to laziness, the ensemble of people that eventually surround Tanaka provides some truly great comedy and insight into what people don't see in others upon first look. There's more to someone than meets the eye, and as everyone reveals pieces of their true colors amidst school events, coincidences, and a trip to the fast food restaurant to get some limited edition sweets, perhaps Tanaka will stay awake for a little while longer and grow to open his circle bit by bit, appreciating what he has alongside his nap schedule. Each moment is sweet and fun and lighthearted, filled with enough hijinks and tenderness to keep someone engaged and fulfilled. It's the perfect show on a day where you just want to sit back and curl up with some pillows to watch some anime.
Tanaka is always listless. His classmate and closest friend, Ohta, finds him dozing during study hall, under a tree, practically any opportunity he can get. Ohta's come to expect it, often lugging Tanaka around or being of assistance when things get dire. He even ruminates on how skilled Tanaka is at his craft, which leads to pretty hilarious revelations that allow Ohta to become painfully aware of his role in Tanaka's life as loyal friend and forever babysitter. So when badminton turns into Tanaka putting spare birdies on his head just as Ohta and fellow friends Kato and Shimura are looking for spares, Ohta is willing to run upstairs in the gym to grab the birdie they lost.
But just as peace seems to be established, more people enter the scene. A classmate, Miyano, aspires to be Tanaka's apprentice so she can learn what she views as mature to impress someone she likes. Echizen from next door wants to challenge Tanaka in a duel because she thinks Tanaka's a bad influence to Miyano. Shiraishi, Class 1-F's class president, enlists Ohta and Tanaka for a printout task that ends up revealing more about her than she planned. Tanaka's little sister, friends with Ohta's little sister, also steps into the picture, and before long, Tanaka's life seems more frivolous than he ever anticipated. Will he still find time to sneak in a nap? Or will he come to enjoy the company of his friends?
It's hard to talk about the plot without giving it away. Part of the fun of this series comes in the discovery of what's going to happen next amidst the commonplace activities of high school. Granted, this might not be super exciting for some viewers, especially because this sub-genre of high school slice-of-life can often feel over-saturated, but Tanaka-kun makes up for it with its charm. The animation, courtesy of studio Silver Link, is filled with bright and warm colors that are inviting. The characters are all distinct, with their own signature uniform styles and personalities conveyed to their finest movement. Even the setting is helpful, a big high school with a lot of really beautiful spaces to set scenes (we love a good rooftop). There's so much space that feels welcoming, and it definitely helps ease you right into the show.
This is also true for our ensemble cast. Tanaka is the anchor of it all, and he is one precious sleepy boy. But outside of that, he's a surprisingly patient and helpful guy who has some deep insight into what his friends are going through. It leads to tender moments with Shiraishi, who eventually develops an adorable crush on him, and several humorous misunderstandings with a flustered Echizen, overly curious and nosy Kato and Shimura, and even Ohta, who respects his friend way too much to even question the changes in his life. That friendship between Ohta and Tanaka may serve as perfect shipping material for some viewers (and there are some jokes to support it, like Tanaka saying the qualities Ohta has are those he would look for in a wife), but to me, I appreciate it for being purely platonic. I like that the tall and intimidating Ohta has a sweet tooth and serves as another guardian for Tanaka, and I like that Tanaka loves being cared for but wants to do his best to support Ohta to repay him when Ohta injures his foot. They're a great duo, but then again, the other characters also add so much more to them in their interactions. This is a true ensemble piece, and without all of the players, Tanaka-kun wouldn't feel as complete as it does.
The music for this series was composed by Hiromi Mizutani. Much like the bright tone provided by the animation, the score is just as relaxing and peppy. There are a lot of nice piano pieces, crisp wind instruments, and one song that sounds eerily similar to "Carol of the Bells." Some tracks even have tones reminiscent of songs to dance the Salsa to. It's peaceful and pretty, which accents Tanaka-kun incredibly well.
The voice acting is also well done. Kensho Ono's performance as the titular character is fuzzy and entertaining, especially when Tanaka gets a cold. Yoshimasa Hosoya offers good support as Ohta, and so do the rest of the cast. My favorites would have to be Natsumi Takamori, Kotori Koiwai, and Aoi Yuki as Miyano, Shiraishi, and Rino, respectively. Takamori's Miyano was adorable, and I really like how Koiwai gave Shiraishi layers that quickly cracked open once she embraced more of the girl she was underneath her exterior. Yuki's deadpan delivery as Rico, an absolute echo of Tanaka, was wonderful as well. I have not seen much of the dub, but it seems fairly solid in terms of casting and writing (it is a subtitle adaptation, but they're written to fit flaps), Blake Shepard's Tanaka is probably my favorite part so far, as he sounds appropriately lethargic with just a hint of drunk. It's endearing and hilarious.
Tanaka-kun Is Always Listless is a sweet anime that comforts just as much as it entertains. With a fun ensemble, bubbly animation, and a fun score, this slice-of-life series makes a great binge and should be watched with the company of your greatest friends. I think they'll enjoy it and appreciate the message of life being valuable with your pals. I certainly did.
