Anime Digest
Maiko Uchino’s manga series is Slow Loop. It is about recreational fishing, has been published in Houbunsha’s seinen manga magazine Manga Time Kirara Forward since September 2018. Connect produced and distributed an anime television series that ran from January to March 2022.
Hiyori, a young woman likes fly fishing on the beach. Her late father taught her to do so. Hiyori is the series’s protagonist. She meets Koharu, who also happens to be her new stepsister from her mother’s recent marriage, on a routine day at the beach.
The Feel Good Part
There is a lot of description about the philosophy of fishing in terms of efficient methods, tools, and practices. The information learned through the episodes is so extensive that if a viewer desired to take up fishing, they would be able to accomplish it.
The Disappointing Part
Every episode of the show follows the same pattern. People go fishing and learn a few things about fishing gear and techniques. The issue is that the characters don’t appear to behave very differently from just being the standard bubbly/reserved/sarcastic characters.
In-Depth Analysis
Hiyori Yamakawa has known her father’s various oddities since she was a young girl. Still, one thing she has always enjoyed doing with him is fly fishing—a challenging but satisfying manner of catching fish. Hiyori continues to enjoy her father’s keepsake even after his untimely passing, going to the beach whenever she has free time.
Three years later, Hiyori’s mother chooses to be married again, and to celebrate. She hosts a dinner for Hiyori, her fiancé, and his daughter. Hiyori, who is anxious and trying to kill time, is at her customary fishing site when Koharu Minagi, who is rather optimistic, arrives out of nowhere. The two quickly grew close, and Koharu developed an interest in fly fishing.
Koharu turns out to be Hiyori’s future stepsibling, so their chance encounter is more than just a coincidence. That is only the beginning of the priceless moments the two of them will relive as they strengthen their sisterhood.
Star Power
Rin Kusumi as Hiyori Minagi, Natsumi Hioka as Koharu Minagi, Tomomi Mineuchi as Koi Yoshinaga, Kaori Nazuka as Ichika Fukumoto, Natsumi Murakami as Futaba Fukumoto, Hooka Inoue as Aiko Ninomiya, etc were able to match their voices and facial expressions to the characters, making everything feel authentic and genuine.
Overall Opinion
A sweet and endearing animation about love, fishing, and light cooking. The series did an excellent job of combining the excitement of fishing, camping, and cooking with the melancholy times of losing a family member. Many audiences choose Slice of Life for its positive feelings; the blend of serious and lighthearted emotions seems natural.
