Drama Digest
Hiroshi Odokawa is a walrus who lives a normal life. He drives a taxi around the city and meets unique people as passengers along the way. He meets Taichi Kabasawa who is unemployed and insistent on going viral, Miho Shirakawa who is a mysterious nurse, a struggling pair of comedians that go by the name Homo Sapiens and Dubo a well-known delinquent. Things starts going off the bat for Hiroshi when the police track a missing girl back to him. He must do whatever it takes to get past this as both the yakuza and the cops are tailing him.
The Feel-Good Part
The series mixes various genres and styles to tell a complex human story in a way that’s bizarre, surprising and entertaining throughout. The mystery element is very well-executed as it keeps the audience on the edge of their seat throughout the duration of the show. The pacing and dialogue is immaculate. The consistency of the plot is so well-executed, the story almost flows seamlessly. The themes that the show deals with such as self-esteem is handled with a lot of maturity and nuance, which is so refreshing to see in mystery based anime series as these shows have the mystery plotline overshadow all the other themes of the show. The foreshadowing that is done throughout the show is incredible as it leaves the audience guessing at every moment and it sets the pace of the show well. The Original Soundtrack of the show is great and goes well with the story that Odd Taxi attempts to well. The feel and atmosphere of the show is quite distinct, which is admirable as it provides for an immersive viewing experience.
The Disappointing Factor
There are too many characters in the show, which then lead to too many subplots. This gets really difficult to watch as times as it is a lot to take in at once. It feels like too many things are crammed in a thirteen episode run period. There are too many time jumps, which can get confusing for certain viewers as they may lose track of the story quite quickly. The animation style is not at its best, there is a lot of potential for improvement on that front as the CG cars can get quite distracting.
In-Depth Analysis
An anime series like this is rare to come by as it is ambitious yet doesn’t lose sight of the end result and what it wants the audience to leave with. The writing and direction of the show is the true highlight and it is quite surprising that it was made by newcomers in the industry considering the quality. The mystery of the show works well because it expresses the human condition so well; it is hard not to take a show that does this well seriously. The use of animals and cutesy animation to tell a story that is otherwise very human and dark is an interesting choice as it gives the show a unique backdrop to work in.
Star Power
All the performances were great.
Overall Opinion
Odd Taxi is a must watch as it is a thoughtful story that is well-executed.
