3 Episode Taste Test: Sora no manimani (At the mercy of the sky)

First episode event for Sora no manimani: tiny girl throwing golden stars like confetti from the school roof and proclaiming the existence of the astronomy club to all who have gathered below. As with so many first episode events, this dose of concentrated lunacy is quickly forgotten and its impact on the story only goes as far as introducing the fire-cracker Mihoshi to the more grounded Saku - reunited after an extended separation.

it's difficult to believe he's not the victim of a personality bypass operation

All of this has been roadtested before of course, neither the situation nor the character archetypes are anything new, Sora no manimani's mark is made in sporadically excellent comedy timing. Sharp cuts give enough momentum to keep the three opening episodes going, but each one quickly becomes a saga of different situations and storylines that it's almost a relief when the jaunty, lilting credits fade in. The hook for this series is the Astronomy club, and following such shows as the recent K-ON and more historically Genshiken, the first storyline involves coercing enough members to join to remain a club. Saku is emotionally bullied into it while the token infatuated love interest is next; like Genshiken this club also houses a gaunt, malnourished president - enigmatic only through their absence - his role being more to provide the occasional gag, to pad out the numbers and otherwise get out of the way. There is something very familiar and inoffensive about the entire set up.

Indeed this is where much of the series' faults lie: it is so busy trying desperately to be universally appeal that sinks into an odd innocuous purgatory. Nothing stands out enough to elevate this from a decent to and brilliant series, the best it ever manages is to be entertaining. Mihoshi's terminal enthusiasm is reminiscent of so many other female high school leads from the naïve Tenma in School Rumble, the squeaky Chiyo in Azumanga Daioh, even Amuro from Umisho; all can be counted on to keep the tone upbeat but it takes only a few minutes for thier predictability to grate. Meanwhile the male lead - Saku - is so bereft of any character traits it's difficult to believe he's not the victim of a personality bypass operation. Others in the club all slot neatly into their prescribed roles while its up to orbiting tertiary characters like the self-styled antagonist Fumie to provide a welcome change of tempo.

The best word to encapsulate Sora no manimani would be "bland". The comedy is clean, well paced and unobjectionable; the vague hints of romance are predictable and easy to stomach - even if it seems like every woman is bizarrely enthusiastic about having a quiet bookworm amongst them - while the animation is borderline passable and is never jarring enough to be entirely noticeable. The series seems content within its own skin, happy to plough on adequately without of distinguishing itself.  It is the very definition of a time-wasting show by being easy to pick up and watch while never wholly feeling the time spent watching was best utilised.

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