UlasanAnime.com – The phrase “A is for Apple” is a familiar starting point for many children’s educational media. It’s a concept encountered in books, television, DVDs, video games, board games, toys, and, of course, the internet. Learning and understanding the fundamental aspects of our world is a natural part of childhood development. If learning is a lifelong endeavor, then it’s something we all engage in from our early years.
Kemono Friends, in a way, reverses this process for the audience. We learn about the mechanics of cable carts, the operation of a cafe, the function of a bus, or the general principles of cooking. The true mysteries of life often lie not in the questions we can’t answer, but in the questions we don’t even realize we could ask. For Bag-chan, the central question was simply, “Who am I?” This is arguably the most profound existential question, perhaps the only one that truly matters.
Through its approach, which is both direct and gentle, Kemono Friends offers straightforward answers to straightforward questions: Yes, Bag-chan, it is as you suspect. However, in doing so, it opens the door to answering every other question we might dare to contemplate. Being a Japanese anime, Kemono Friends is set in a post-apocalyptic world, a contrast to other shows that might be alluded to. As is common in anime, the narrative delves into themes of trauma alongside happiness. The ending sequence, featuring abandoned amusement parks in a post-bubble era, speaks volumes more than much of the dialogue. The series is not merely about anthropomorphic animal characters or about girls; it’s about the overarching message.
This message is akin to trying to build an anti-abuse system for Twitter using only a TI-84 calculator – a challenging endeavor with limited tools. There’s a certain novelty and amusement in observing people attempt to categorize and understand what Kemono Friends is about, not necessarily to analyze it deeply, but simply to place it within their existing mental frameworks. Perhaps this tendency contributes to the perceived decline of humanity. Yet, much like Bag-chan’s journey, the experience of Kemono Friends is most enjoyable when approached without preconceptions. While the messaging might be infused with meme-like qualities, individuals remain engaged in Japari Park because there is genuine value to be found within it.
Perhaps not “worthwhile” in the grandest sense, but certainly a worthwhile experience for an anime.
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