First Impression: Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World - The Animated Series

Synopsis

This is the story of traveller Kino and their talking motorcycle companion Hermes. Together they travel to different countries yet for each one they only stay for three days. Yet in those three days they learn much on not just the culture but the people as well.

The Good

Once you finish the episode you cannot help but think on how much moral ambiguity and philosophical thinking an episode is able to convey. As a new viewer and with the way that the first minute or so was laid out, you would think you were entering into a light slice of life work. The further you progress however, you see the deeper layers that is being carefully layered out; and along with the mystery aspect slipped in, you cannot help but get dragged into the story.

While the art is not a complete standout, the simplicity of it gives more focus onto the story and characters. On the note of the characters, it’s fascinating on how you can’t help but want to piece even the side characters together. Though in a certain point of view there is a lot of twisted points in the story, it cannot be denied that the story was laid out was highly fascinating. It’s rare that not only the main characters but also the side characters truly stand out in a series that takes on the genre of slice of life and fantasy.

The Bad

As a first episode and the way that it seems to only be scratching the surface of the story, there is not much judgement to be given to the work. However, it should be noted that it may not be the easiest to wrap one’s head around when watching it for the first time. There is a slight miss in terms of transition scenes and little shifts in animation, but outside of that it can be ignored. The only real issue is on how much a viewer is willing to continue with the series in the end of the episode.

Conclusion

There is a lot of thought provoking moments to consider with the story of the episode and for the most part, it can be a bit twisted for some. However, the way that it was laid out and the way that the side characters held their own spotlight in the end makes for a highly fascinating story. While the art and animation is not completely perfect nor visually awe inspiring, it does help set the tone of the episode. Overall this a truly unique type of slice of life fantasy work that is worth checking out at least.

Rating: 8/10