New Game!

New Game is a joy to watch, medicine for the mind, the perfect cure after a long day of work. It doesn't do anything too notable, but at the same time, never really needed to in the first place. Where most slice-of-life anime fumble and stumble in an effort to figure out what they want to be, New Game knows from the very start what it is. It is a cutesy tale of the mundane, a cross of sorts between Shirobako's look into the world of production, and K-ON's more fluffy elements. It is heart-warming when it decides to take a more meaningful turn, and never ventures into the realm of melodrama. Even if it may not contain the same depth and insight into the industry as Shirobako did, it very much succeeds in being simple, yet well-crafted entertainment. Cute slice-of-life anime are a dime a dozen, but ones like New Game are noticeably rarer. We do not often get anime with exclusively adult characters. It is something the industry needs more of, too, as high school and middle school club activities are inherently less interesting than those of a working adult. Rather than focusing on the video game industry from the eyes of a bunch of kids who play Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy after school, it takes an insider's perspective as a result of the setting, a glimpse into the art of game production. It just never really develops beyond that glimpse, with the vast majority of the anime focusing on Aoba and friends' daily adventures rather than their actual job as game developers. More often you'll see the girls fight over pudding or air conditioning rather than, y'know, developin'. It would have been nice to see New Game do something more substantial with the setting, as it can sometimes feel more like a stage than a real place. Even as incompetent as they all are, they still end up producing an excellent, finished product by the end. If New Game were an accurate representation of game development, their game would have gotten delayed so hard it would give The Last Guardian competition. If there is one issue with regards to the characters, it is that they never truly behave like adults. Heck, most of them could even pass for primary schoolers, a fact that New Game does not hide away from, what with most of the cast dressing as kindergarteners in the ending sequence. If lolis are your thing, hey, enjoy! But if you are expecting ladies in their early-to-mid twenties to have an interest in the opposite sex and actually behave their age, you may find yourself a bit disappointed. I think, to some extent, it is justified, as the worries and the activities of the average adult are at odds with the light-hearted, relaxing nature of the genre. To ask for change would be to ask for change entirely. And I don't think New Game needs change. I say this because New Game is more than just pudding fights and lolis-who-also-happen-to-be-adults. There are some honestly beautiful moments throughout the show - frequent enough to be notable, but never incessant to the point that it feels like it is beating you over the head with themes of friendship and healing, as some (many) slice-of-life anime do. What is there in New Game is subtle: in one early episode, Aoba is speaking to her friend about her recent experiences with game development, and the movements and crossing of her legs suggest that she is actually very excited about what's been going on, despite her casual tone over the phone. It doesn't sound like a whole lot, but subtle moments like these are effective and heart-warming all the less. It demonstrates a great deal of talent and effort on the animators' part, and makes the case for why the quiet often rings louder than the dramatic. You don't need crying and arguing and death and angst to make us care for the characters-- you only need to show that they are human beings like us. As idealised as New Game's characters are, they feel more human than the vast majority of anime characters today, even if they may all be lacking a wee bit in the brain cell department. New Game has ample amounts of cuteness and sexiness, if that is your sorta thing. Occasionally there will be moments such as Aoba changing clothes in the bathroom, but rather than zoom in on butts and boobies to the point of blindness, it will focus on more tasteful (and less creepy) areas like the neck and the legs. The fanservice does not ever reach the point of feeling desperate, so I think, maybe, you can watch it without feeling too bad about yourself? Aoba is also, without a doubt in my mind, one of the cutest anime ladies my eyeballs have witnessed. Her adorable smile fills me with joy and sunshine. If it weren't for miss Yazawa Nico, well... As I've gotten older and more experienced with anime, I've started to ask myself what it is I truly look for in an anime. There are some absolutely beautiful stories out there, and there are also fun little shows like New Game which provide a laugh and a smile after a long day. There are many anime fans who swear themselves to one or the other, or battle, much as I did, over which is more meaningful. I think the answer I've come to is a bit simpler: we need both in our lives. Nay. I should rephrase that: I just need Aoba in my life.

The CGDCT (cute girls doing cute things) genre is something most people should be quite familiar with by now. It has been one of the most time-tested and consistently successful types of anime in recent years, very rarely leading to disappointment. In particular the most popular ones tend to be those adapted from series published in some edition of Manga Time Kirara, and once again this trend has been upheld with New Game. In fact this anime isn’t just very good by CGDCT standards, but it’s possibly the best slice of life anime I’ve seen in the last year. First and foremost, what really separates New Game from most series of its genre is that it takes place in adult society. Specifically it takes place at a fictional video game company called Eagle Jump, where 18-year-old Suzukaze Aoba seeks employment as a character designer after having just graduated high school. The show follows Aoba and her senior coworkers in their daily lives at the office where they’re currently working on the third installment of one of Aoba’s favorite childhood games. Of course seeing as this is a CGDCT anime, naturally all the employees at the company just so happen to be female. Does that seem a bit overly convenient somehow? Maybe, but who cares. New Game never tries to be an accurate representation of what working in the multimedia industry is like. If that’s what you’re looking for, go watch Shirobako instead. New Game is simply about a group of lovable characters interacting with each other in a somewhat unusual setting in order to keep things a bit refreshing, and it accomplishes that goal almost flawlessly. Aoba is extremely cute and fun to watch with her bubbly and enthusiastic personality. She’s perfect in the protagonist role for a show of this nature as she’s naturally able to generate amusing interaction between the girls, even if she’s not the one doing the talking all the time. In other words she helps the other characters shine as well, and it really shows. As far as the other girls go, there’s Aoba’s mentor Yagami Kou, who acts somewhat boy-ish a lot of the time, sleeping half-naked in the office instead of going home after work and always poking fun at others whenever possible. Then there’s her counterpart: the art director Tooyama Rin, who is a very sweet and caring person who also has a rather blatant crush on Kou. We also have the quiet girl Takimoto Hifumi who always feels uncomfortable talking face-to-face with other people, but instead is surprisingly talkative in chats, spamming emojis whenever possible, as well as a couple other girls. All-in-all, it’s a pretty diverse but wholly enjoyable character cast who pretty much never fail to entertain. Another thing that tends to happen almost unavoidably with shows like this is subtle yuri shipping between its characters, and New Game is no exception. The most obvious example is, as briefly mentioned earlier, the relationship between Kou and Rin. While they’re supposed to be best friends who joined the company at basically the same time, the way they act around each other always seems to suggest something... more. Especially Rin always gets incredibly jealous and/or upset at little things that make it pretty clear that she isn’t looking at Kou the same way as she does the other girls. The show also provides quite a few scenes with a rather lovey dovey atmosphere just for the two of them. There are also a few other potential couplings with how Hifumi and especially Nene tend to act around Aoba for example, but these reactions feel a lot more friendly than romantic in comparison. Something that definitely surprised me with New Game though was the unexpected amount of fanservice it has. I’m not talking about the typical moe-type fanservice you’re used to in CGDCT shows, but rather the ecchi type. These girls actually aren’t afraid to show some skin on camera. However, while I’m usually against the idea of throwing in ecchi scenes in anime where it doesn’t feel like it belongs, in New Game’s case it actually only makes the show even better, because this is honestly some of the best usage of ecchi I’ve seen in a long time. First of all it’s not very explicit (most of the time), but most importantly it actually feels natural. You never get to see a service shot when it doesn’t make sense. It’s only going one step further than they normally do in CGDCT anime by actually putting the camera inside the shower or the dressing room etcetera instead of outside it. So it never interrupts the story progression or feels forced, it just provides some eye candy along the way, and it does so without devaluating the characters at all. It doesn’t make them appear like sluts or cheap cash-ins, all it does is show off the fact that these girls are actually quite attractive physically speaking on top of being likable in person. That’s never a bad thing. Also, though this is more of a personal matter, I’m pretty sick of seeing so many physics-defying watermelon boobs flying everywhere in your average ecchi anime, so getting to see some skin on girls that actually look like normal people is actually pretty refreshing. That’s a bit of a sad realization when you think about it but oh well. Speaking of which, another factor that makes the fanservice scenes so enjoyable to watch is how good the art is. Doga Kobo has in my mind always been one of the absolute best studios at drawing cute girls, as they’ve shown in the past with shows like Yuru Yuri, Mikakunin de Shinkoukei, Plastic Memories and Himouto, and they’ve done a great job with New Game as well. Their art always looks so clean and shiny, truly emphasizing both the cute and sexy sides of all the characters at the same time. On top of that we also get easily the catchiest OP of the season and the only one from Summer I never skipped once, so there’s an overwhelming amount of good points for this anime all-in-all. It’s hard for me to label a CGDCT show as a masterpiece given the simplistic concepts of the genre, but New Game comes close enough. Or at least there really isn’t a whole lot left to ask for from an anime of its kind. It has a fairly original setting, an overall great character cast, fantastic art, catchy music, and some surprisingly impressive usage of fanservice. I guess you could argue that it isn’t very realistic and provides a rather skewed image of what working in the video game industry is like, but honestly I can’t think of that as valid criticism because the anime was never about that at all, nor should there have been any reason to believe it would be given the manga’s origins. So ultimately I can only give this anime a full recommendation for fans of slice of life, comedy and/or moe... and who knows, maybe even ecchi. PS: That ass shot of Kou in episode 6 is still one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen, holy- O///O

While I was quite disappointed that the show didn't turn out to be like Shirobako, I still ended up enjoying this anime so much and it's now one of my favourite slice-of-life anime. (If you think my reviews are too long, scroll down and read my "Pros and Cons" list or my [VERDICT]. They're basically a summary of my review) (My Review will contain some SPOILERS) [Story] New Game! is basically a "cute girls doing cute things" show but it takes place in a game development studio. Before this anime started airing, I was expecting the show to be like Shirobako, an anime about making anime. I loved Shirobako because it isn't just some simple slice of life show about cute girls making anime. It was more than that but that's all I'm going to say since I'm writing a review about New Game! and not Shirobako. New Game! still shows you what goes on in the game development studio but they only show you the gist of it. They don't show you what really goes on behind developing games. In other words, New Game! only shows you the simplistic side of what goes on behind developing games. They don't show you the shitty side (time constraints, delays, huge stress in staff and etc) of the game industry and they don't show you how hard it is to even work in the game industry. Actually, there was one scene where some of the characters stayed up all night just to finish a certain task but the show flips it into some lighthearted moment that makes it enjoyable for us to watch. There's no such scenes in this anime that that will make you go "Oh shit, just look at how stressed these characters are" or "This industry is a hellhole to work in". The story, while simplistic, is surprisingly well done. The story of the show is about an 18-year old girl named Suzukaze Aoba, who just graduated high school and joined a game company named "Eagle Jump". It follows Aoba and the staff working on a game called "Fairies Story 3". The premise is a bit unbelievable but I learned to just roll along with it and the story never got dull or boring. It was really fun watching the slice of life moments and at the same time, watching the characters develop a game in a span of 12 episodes. Yes, I was also shocked. There was a story in this show about them developing a game and finishing the game in the final episode. Usually, slice of life shows are setup in a way where they'd introduce a story in the first episode and just forget about it just to focus on cute, moe girls but in New Game!, they made sure not to forget about the story. The comedic aspect of the show was amazing. I pretty much laughed at almost every comedic scenes in the show and none of it fell flat. For example, the scene that I found to be one of the most hilarious is the scene in Ep. 5 where Hajime and Kou were constantly turning up and down the temperature of the AC without either of them being aware of who was doing it. Another example is a favourite joke of mine where, Aoba and Kou were talking about how part-time workers generally get paid the same amount as full-time workers while working less hours and they also get paid more on their overtime. Aoba realizing that full-time workers are just a loophole to keep the wages down had me dying. It may be be funny but there's actually some truth to that. The interactions between the characters were also fun to watch. Like watching Rin and Kou together was just adorable or watching Aoba and Hifumi trying to have a decent conversation was too cute and hilarious. Also, that "first paycheck" conversation between the characters was really interesting to watch and it made me definitely made me feel nostalgic. The pacing of the show was well-done. I never felt bored of the show. Not even for a minute. For a 24 minute episode, each episode felt like 5 minutes. They made sure that the characters have always something interesting to say and that's one of the reasons why I found the show to be enjoyable. I also surprisingly enjoyed New Game!'s fan service. I generally hate fanservice scenes in general but New Game! is an exception. Probably because they're all over 18 and so, I don't feel uncomfortable when they show a glimpse of Hifumi's HOT steaming body xD'! ______________________________________________________________ [Art/Animation]: (10/10) Ever since Sansha Sanyou (Another slice of life show from Doga Kobo), the studio's visuals have been pretty amazing and New Game! is no exception. The show's visuals are top-notch and the character designs are amazing. Now this is the kind of character designs that I'm looking for in a slice of life show, even though Aoba and Nenechi's character designs looks really young for their age. The show is self-aware of the fact that they look like middle schoolers even though they're 18-19. ______________________________________________________________ [Sound]: (9/10) What can I say about this show's sountrack? I love it but don't expect anything groundbreaking though. Actually, there's that one soundtrack that really stood out to me and I ended up falling in love with that OST. I don't know the name of the OST but the OST sounds like something that you'd hear when you get this "feeling of accomplishment". If you have the name of the OST, please PLEASE leave a comment on my profile with the name of the OST because I really want to know. Now the OP and ED theme song(s). The OP theme song is "SAKURA Skip" by fourfolium. I straight up loved this song the moment I first heard it. The song, in a whole, was really catchy. Especially the beginning part of the song where the characters were singing in front of their computers. The ED theme song is "Now Loading!!!!" by fourfolium. The ED theme song was decent but when I went ahead and listened to the full song, it sounded much better. I even have the song downloaded on my phone. The Full ED song was much better than the 1 and a half minute version that we got. ______________________________________________________________ [Characters]: (9/10) New Game! doesn't have a single ounce of male main/side characters. You may see one but they're just forgettable background characters. No guys in a game developing company? Almost no guys plays video games in this universe? Haha.....right..... I'm going to let that one slide since this is just a slice of life show about cute girls doing cute things. Aside from the slice of life on a game development setting, one of the reasons why I really enjoyed this show are the characters. The cast of characters are enjoyable to watch. Their personalities are absolutely lovable and the character interactions and their dynamics are perfect. For example, one of the character dynamics that I enjoyed watching was Aoba and Hifumi. They both have different personalities (Aoba is a sweet, kind, and almost-naive girl and Hifumi is the cute introvert with a steaming hot body) but when they're both having a conversation, it leads to a whole array of cute/sweet/heart-warming/hilarious moments between them. But...The character dynamic that I really enjoyed the most was Kou and Rin. Yea, they've been best friends for a long time but I enjoyed watching the "Yuri undertone" moments between them. They may not be an official couple but when they act like a couple, I just scream like some shipping fanboy. They're just both sp sweet and adorable together. Also, as you may already know, in every slice of life show, there's that one annoying female character with a squeaky voice. That character, folks, is Nene Sakura or "Nenechi". At first, I found her to be really annoying and when she joined the Eagle Jump company, I was like "Oh God". Surprisingly, she turned out to be one of the best characters in the series. She made me laugh, her personality is a bit-childish but still enjoyable to watch and the interactions between her and Umiko (the military enthusiast girl) was spot-on. I know someone's going to ask me this so I'm just going to leave this here. Who's my best girl in the series…

I hate to simply reiterate what others have been saying, but no other phrase fits this anime more perfectly than "cute girls doing cute things." Anime like New Game are usually classified as moe, a genre that is one of the most common out there, with multiple titles airing every anime season. While enjoyed by some, others have become exasperated over seeing what is essentially the same basic thing continuous done over and over again in these shows without much difference between them. So what did New Game's author do to add a little flair of originality to his work? He changed the setting. That's right, instead of taking place in a high school, New Game takes place in the frightening world of adults, specifically at a game development facility. Now we all know that this hardly changes anything, just the motivation and goals of the characters. Oh, wait, since the girls are in their twenties (besides eighteen year old protagonist Aoba, who looks like an absolutely adorable thirteen year old) it does mean that the girls in this moe anime can legally get drunk, which they do often. Now at this point it may seem like I'm disappointed with this anime because it isn't "different enough." However that is not the case. I didn't watch this anime to find something "new" and "innovative," and you shouldn't either. Instead, come in to this anime expecting a bunch of lighthearted entertainment. New Game does a great job of being what it was designed to be, and that's a show filled with adorable characters, well executed comedy, and fun situations. Plot: 5/10 New Game follows protagonist Aoba as she experiences the benefits as well as hardships of life after school. She is very determined to succeed and enters work directly after high school (I'd personally wait until I received a college degree, but each to his own). After receiving a position at her dream job, Aoba assimilates herself into the work force. She is initially nervous about meeting her co-workers, but is relieved to find that they are all very kind, though incredibly quirky, people, who also happen to be all young attractive females. I'd love to have a work environment just like that when I eventually get a job. And by that I mean having friendly co-workers. I'm definitely not referring to the "quirky and attractive girls" bit. Essentially the anime follows the daily lives of Aoba and her friends as they work to produce video games. While this anime has many adorable moments, no significant plot details can be found, hence my mediocre scoring of the plot section. Of course, some "elitist" anime watchers may nod their heads in disgust at the simplicity of the story presented in this anime, and I agree that it is quite basic. But once again, I'll iterate that for shows like New Game, one shouldn't consider the plot to be as important in scoring as it is for more advanced anime such as Fate/Zero and Steins;Gate. Instead, simply sit back, relax, and enjoy the cuteness of this show. Art and Animation: 9.5/10 The gorgeous visuals of New Game are the reason why I started watching it in the first place. The very beginning of the first episode was animated beautifully, and the quality of the animation remained strong throughout the entirety of the anime. The characters are designed with many vibrant colors that allow them to stand out against the fastidiously animated scenery. The girls are drawn in a lovely manor, and I particularly appreciate the detail on the eyes. When Aoba is occasionally shown walking outdoors while surrounded by cherry blossoms, the entire scene looks absolutely breathtaking due to the high quality of the art. The only reason why I can't give this category a perfect score is because there aren't many backgrounds in this show, with the most reoccurring one being the somewhat simplistically designed office room where the characters work at. While it doesn't look bad, the office room is rather plain, especially when compared to the outdoor scenery. Sound: 5/10 New Game has a group of seiyuu who manage to make their characters sound as adorable as possible, especially Yuuki Takada, the voice actress of Aoba, who is only in her second anime role. Also the more experienced Yoko Hikasa, who voices Kou Yagami, does a great job as well. The soundtrack provides a lighthearted feel to the anime and the opening and ending themes, while musically basic, have a cute and upbeat vibe. The sound is all around fine, but nothing particularly stands out. Characters: 6.5/10 It is quite apparent that many of the characters seem to possess the same qualities as characters from similar shows. However one must understand that there must be a reason that the same personalities are constantly reused (and I vehemently refuse to believe that it's just lazy writing). It's probably because these traits just work the best for the characters in these settings. Each girl in New Game has her own little quirks that are fun and cute to watch, and it just works. While they may not be anything special on their own, the girls in this show manage to keep the viewer entertained throughout the course of the anime, and I'd call that a success. Entertainment: 6/10 This was a fun show to watch. I smiled and sometimes even let out a little chuckle during a few of the scenes. Each episode was filled with the adorable cast getting themselves into funny and cute situations as they proceed with their daily lives. Each episode is structured in a similar way, so, depending on the individual, watching this show can get boring as it progresses. However I personally feel like each episode provided fresh comedic material and new and interesting situations, so I remained entertained throughout the majority of the anime. Overall: 6/10 By now you should realize that New Game and shows like it don't have any deep and significant plot elements and don't boast characters with ample portions of development and depth. However that's not their point. They're made to provide tons of lighthearted comedy and entertainment and showcase adorable and lovable characters doing, well, cute things. New Game is a nice show all around, and while it did not bring anything "awesome" or "epic" to the table, it was still enjoyable to watch.

I watched New Game (both seasons and OVA). Here are my kinda unrefined thoughts: Wow this is really similar to a real-life workplace. This is just reminding me of work. I don't know how anyone with an office job IRL would find leisurely watching this enjoyable. With episode titles such as "Salary is Just a Loophole in the Law to Lower Wages", how could I not feel relaxed while watching! Oh Christ they're going out to lunch together on her first day and stuff like that. Wow this really is anxiety-attack material. Speaking more broadly, this show incorporates the more unpalatable aspects of Japanese work culture. Foremost, incompetent project management and the long work hours. Framed another way, despite the show's typical SoL saccharine atmosphere, it does seem to present a somewhat authentic simulation of Japanese white-collar work, and that could be viewed as a desirable feature. Like a lot of things discussed here, it really does depend on the viewer's expectations and preferences. Most of the cast ranges from bland to unlikable. Nene is annoying as hell. Hifumi is my favourite character, but the cast as a whole feels shallow and underdeveloped. That said, the content of the show hardly requires well-developed characters. I will also concede that the supporting cast got a bit more character development during season two. OST and voice acting are unremarkable, although the ambient sound of the office setting is done well. The OST did frequently use '8-bit'-sounding music, like one would associate with retro video games, which did suit the theme of the show. I don't like the 8-bit music style at all (in any context), and due to this bias I felt apathetic about its use; someone else might find it charming though. Animation quality is okay. Sometimes the character animations are fairly detailed, moreso than I'd expect from the average SoL series. The character designs are typical Doga Kobo SoL characters -- some are pretty cute. Cute outfits too, sometimes. Visually, I like the colour palette. It is filled with bright pastel colours, even moreso than the average Doga Kobo series. Indoor settings like the office or characters' bedrooms look nice with this bright colour palette. Visuals are probably the strongest aspect of this anime, at least from my perspective. The plot consists mainly of your typical lighthearted episodic SoL stories, but usually with an office work-related spin or context to them. I know I'm bemoaning this point, but the stories are kind of triggering instead of relaxing because they just remind me of past workplace events. Especially when there's a 'light' conflict in the anime, it gets amplified in my mind because I'll randomly just recall a bad somewhat-related event from like literally years ago. Even outside the workplace, for example, there's a scene where the MC has to go get her blood drawn by an inexperienced nurse. WHY ON EARTH WOULD I WANT TO WATCH THAT? STOP REMINDING ME OF UNPLEASANT REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCES. If I could sum up New Game in one word it would be 'mediocre.' This series doesn't really excel at anything in particular, aside from some visual aspects. Watching New Game felt like I went to a rundown diner and ordered a cheap burger and it arrived cold and soggy, but I still ate it. At the end of the day, I got what I expected. New Game is a typical bread-and-butter SoL show that isn't particularly remarkable aside from the unique premise. Even so, despite the unique premise, New Game felt shallow and formulaic to me. My lack of affection for the cast is also probably a major reason for my lack of enthusiasm for the show. As you can probably tell already, I am not an impartial judge of this anime, so the reader should pair my opinion with some skepticism. However, I did complete both seasons of New Game (and the OVA), and more generally I am an eager consumer of SoL anime. My personal rating for New Game: 4/10 I mainly just watched it during meals or immediately before falling asleep. One outlier was the OVA, which I found fairly comfy. The characters go on a ski trip together. I found it more enjoyable to watch than the office environment, which is probably an indication of my own biases.

New Game is a unique title that holds its' own individuality among other " let's create-a_____" type shows. Story 6.5/10 New game is supposed to be about an 18 or 19 year old girl Aoba Suzukaze, whom after graduating High-School joins the game company Eaglejump... You know what, you can just read all this in the synopsis… Getting the most difficult things out the way early, the major re-occurring flaw in this title is consistent story-telling and maintaining the plot. Rather than focusing on the main plot which is completing the game Fairies Story 3 (I think that’s' the title.) The plot is completely detoured by somewhat unnecessary and intrusive sub plots or as the young people say “filler.” Some may argue that this is a bad thing however; I believe that a majority of the filler shown are quite tolerable for the most part. This is because if the show stuck with a straight-forward approach, the entire series would be fast paced, avoid paying attention to details and more than likely uninteresting. Creativity and freedom to explore outside the office, the characters workplace, is shown to make the show more about "cute girls, doing cute things" while making video games or just having free time. It would not sell very well with serious, fast paced dialogue and actions. The slow pacing allows viewers the opportunity to not only see but, butt-cheeks, understand who the characters in the story are. The story introduces an all-female cast, that had always left the possibility of yuri or "girl on girl romance" lurking. This "unsurprisingly" caught my interest. It made me want to see what direction the story would go in if they actually allowed romance between the characters. Fan service featured through-out the story appeared to be forced. I do not know any developer or person that has to strip into their underwear in order to be comfortable enough to work. I understand that there are people in reality that like to strip down to fight, or to "play" video games for money but in a workplace environment that isn't porn or modeling hell even sports, I doubt it. The camera moving onto areas of the ladies bodies like their asses, panties, boobies, etc. were in bad taste too. I am unsure whether or not the fan-service is displayed in the manga this way. However, I would hope they go for a more naturally approach next time. Overall the story department could have used some patching up (Ha, get it? patching more game puns are coming) especially in the presentation and story-telling. They needed to just stick with "one" or at the very least "two" plots at a time and leave it at that. I felt that it was just all over the place to the point where a majority of it just came off as filler... bad filler. After a few episodes you're most likely going to realize that New Games' main plot isn't the most important thing. It's' constantly side-tracked, and inconsistent. I ranked it a 6.5 out of 10 from IGN for the effort. Characters 7/10 The characters introduced in New Game have one-sided personalities and act upon common.. or typical anime archetypes. Archetypes like the gundere girl, dandere girl, moe girls, etc. Now character growth or development does exist in this title. Each girl learns something new about each other which makes them grow closer together, like a work-place family should. The girls all share a common goal to bond with and I like seeing them interact with each other, they really show of that teamwork! I would rank the characters a 7.0 out of 10, featuring Dante from Devil may cry. These video game references, are they working? Art & Animation 7/10 Art and animation was pretty solid. The use of 3D models, digital art work and software like Autodesk's maya were present, although altered as to avoid copy-right. With anime similar to New Game, it’s not uncommon to see little references to real programs. Having the characters use programs on real world tablets like Wacoms’ and computers show the viewers all the effort and struggle developers... well most developers go through in order to create & finish a project. Character designs were pretty nice for the majority of the series. As mentioned earlier, the characters are designed to be “cute.” Their “cuteness” or appeal rather is the bait used to hook and reel you in. The background settings are pretty nice to look at. The office is the most appealing in particular. It is full of work related objects, personal items that the characters collect etc. All objects animated are neat, vibrant, and standout a bit. Sound 5/10 The soundtrack was “okay” at best. This is a show that I wouldn’t consider even downloading a single track from. I was not impressed with the background music, opening title song, outro song, etc. The music composed just seems to play in the background and doesn’t add any sort of “enhancement” or “ambiances” to the show. With titles like these, music really isn’t the strong-point though. This was rather upsetting too because Hajime Hyakkoku (worked on K-ON and Kokkuri-san) is a great composer. Voice actors were pretty good. I think that they all did an amazing job with their perspective roles. Lastly, I think that each actor’s voices matched their characters personalities perfectly. Overall I think the sound could’ve been better however, music wasn’t the shows focal point. Enjoyment -/- I’ll say this; the show wasn’t the best thing out this season. Compared to the other shows I was watching, new game didn’t offer as much enjoyment. Yeah its’ cute however, that’s about the only thing it has going for it. The story was weak; the plot was a mess and the events happening lacked any excitement. As mentioned earlier New Game is literally just “Cute girls, doing cute things.” There is always “this” sort of show every season. Almost a majority of them are the same thing with different circumstances. I cannot say that I didn’t enjoy New Game however; I can say that it wasn’t as good as I would’ve liked it to be so I left enjoyment blank at the moment. I highly doubt I'll ever come back to edit this review. Overall, The show is a mess! The plot is all over the place, characters are the only main attraction and astonishingly, Composer Hajime Hyakkoku didn’t put forth his best effort composing songs. I simply was not impressed with a majority of the features that New Game had to offer. While I wanted to give this show an overall rating of 7/10 for introducing cute and friendly character appeal along with fantastic environments & animation, I simply cannot deny the fact that bad story-telling coupled with messy a messy story & plot were a huge fault. I gave the show a 6/10 "Fair" because I believe that the show could've had more to offer. They stuck with a route that people are more familiar with and for the most part it worked... and I think that is fair enough.

NEW GAME! is an anime about the development of a video game so I can't help but compare this Moe anime to Bakuman (anime about making a manga) and Shirobako (anime about making an anime). If you have watched one or both of the animes I've mentioned, don't expect that you'll get the same kind of story here, because unlike: (1) Bakuman, it does not focus much on the development of a video game (as Bakuman focused on the making of a manga, with details on what mangakas do and does not.). (2) Shirobako, you will only see the character design part of the gaming development, and some debugging and motion but they're not that much explained to the viewer (Meanwhile Shirobako has the main character as the production assistant who basically is like a jack-of-all-trade secretary so she was able to mingle and know the job of different people working for the company.). What NEW GAME!'s flaw in my opinion is that it focused too much on the daily life of the main characters outside their work, yes, it gives them character development but I felt it was unnecessary for a 13 episode anime, and what I liked about Bakuman and Shirobako is that they explain most things that are foreign to the viewers ears. NEW GAME! did explain some but most of them are basically work etiquette that aren't exclusive for the gaming industry. Also, as this is a Moe anime, it is like watching K-ON! which means less video game development and more eating cakes or donuts in NEW GAME!'s case. The characters are very cliche though, Hifumi-senpai is the ultra-shy, Hajime-san is the jock or sexy one. I think that only Yagami-san got the character development and she isn't even the main characters. Aoba-chan, the main character didn't stood out for me. Nenechi, Aoba's best friend was likable and their duo with Ahagon-san (I mean Umiko-san) was very funny but if at the sidelines they told us how debugging works instead of looking at video game girl's panties. The opening song of the anime was catchy but ending song wasn't. There's not that much music that stood out for me. The best part of this anime I think is the trailer of their finished anime, but I think if we knew what hardships they did just to make this game, it would have been better. I mean they did went through hardships but it's not like it's that dramatic which I think should have been included. Overall, I enjoyed the anime but it was kinda underwhelming due to how it is about making a game, but it focused more on hardships of working and leadership problems.

Ah the workplace. A place where employees finds themselves anxious about their days at job especially if it’s their first time there. Just ask Aoba Suzukaze, a girl that came right out of high school who looks like a middle school kid. However, what if a person finds their “dream job”? A job that they’ve always wanted and finally gets the chance to make their life into a miracle? I have to admit, New Game is a series that has always been rumored to get an anime adaptation. It’s popular in Japan and there has been many fanfiction about the series. So when the time came, expectations of the show became exciting. Remember Shirobako? Think of New Game as something similar although it has its own principles. Essentially, both series takes place at a production company and focuses on jobs that are related to their field of study. As the title may imply, Aoba gets involved in the gaming industry (Eagle Jump) that opens doors to imaginations. What’s also interesting is that she works directly under a person that inspired her to get the job in the first place as well as her favorite game. Put pieces and pieces together and you’ll soon realize that Aoba is living the miracle dream. For what’s worth, New Game is essentially a slice of life story. There’s no linear plot that spans over multiple course of episodes but rather concentrates on some meaningful ideas about the premise. However, don’t always expect New Game to focus everything about making games as the show also likes to have fun with its gimmicks. That being said, the series has a small yet very colorful cast of characters. Every one of them has their own personality and role in the series. For instance, the main female protagonist Aoba is a character designer who works under Kou Yagami, the lead character designer of the company. From there, we also have other roles such as art directors, debuggers, programmers, motion designer, and so on. It’s actually quite realistic in a sense that these roles all come together as we see the girls work together as a team to make games. Furthermore, Aoba develops connections with her co-workers that makes her into a more interesting person. That being said, the series itself blooms with personality. It mostly comes from the characters. Aoba may be the stereotypical new kid at work but some of the others are veterans with their own established positions. For instance, Kou appear to be as a well-rounded lead character designer but also very lazy and carefree, a contrast to Umiko Ahagon’s role as a programmer. Kou’s relationship with Rin Toyama (the art director) also implies some yuri undertones that will raise some eyebrows. Meanwhile, the show has more timid characters such as Hifumi Takaimoto and Aoba’s friend Nene Sakura. And of course, who can forget the family girl Yuri Iijima? The main point is the show establishes itself with these characters and their personalities, all quite diverse but comes together in one union. Most of the series is filled with comedy rather than drama. Although there are occasionally some episodes where circumstances gets tense, there’s minimal drama that evokes emotions. It’s a pretty lighthearted show that portrays the working environment with a realism while having fun with a lot of its gimmicks. There’s also a lot of ship tease between characters with some that may feel more obvious than others. Furthermore, the show sometimes goes a little beyond usual realism we’ll see in the workplace such as using airsoft guns by Umiko or Kou sleeping in her underwear at work and getting away with it. Still, the show itself is more or less a comedy-slice of life story so nothing more should be expected beyond that. New Game is a cute show so of course, it has cute character designs. The most obvious of this is Aoba who looks like a middle school kid. Sakura also falls under a similar category. In contrast, Kou and Umiko gives off more of a mature vibe while other characters such as Hifumi falls around the middle. Nonetheless, the series itself maintains its lighthearted image every episode with the cartoony yet vibrate designs. There are fanservice as well with Kou being the guiltiest. Most of it is harmless though that inspires more of imaginations than actual shock value. Soundtrack and voice mannerism in the series is one of the lesser dynamic features. In fact, I actually find the voice mannerism a bit irritating at times for characters like Aoba and Sakura. Still, most of the music style works for the show with the gentle OST to portray a lighthearted working environment. The OP and ED theme songs are also very catchy and hard to ignore. Why should you watch New Game? The answer is obvious. If you fancy a show to relax yourself with, then this is definitely something to check off from the bucket list. Every episode depicts the office life with antics that you may or may not be familiar with. Characters are also what makes this series really shine. It’s a series that blooms with personality and comedy to bring you entertainment.

This is NOT spoiler free, you have been warned. New Game! Is freaking amazing and has some of the best cast of characters in a moe show to rival love live and K-On! New Game! is an anime from the summer of 2016 (winter for me, I'm Australian) produced by kadokawa Shoten and delfi sound based on the manga of the same title. The manga was written by Tokunou and drawn by Shoutarou. (If I got the two mixed up please correct me in a civilised manner) the manga begun distribution in January 28th only three - almost four - years ago in 2013 and is still being published. Both manga and anime are comedy slice of lifes. Under the studio Doga Kobo New game! Begun airing on July 4th 2016 and the final episodes aired on September 19th of the same year making for a total of 12 episodes each around 24 mins long. The show will take you about 4.8 hours to watch and is available on just crunchyroll as far as I can tell (be legal guys) if I missed a LEGAL way to watch it then please be civilised in your corrections. As a 4-Koma slice of life, the story of New Game is surpassingly present. Usually these things have a loose story just to give the characters a reason to be together and make jokes and while this is true there's more too it then usual. Aoba is a young girl (she's only 18) who has just finished school and has decided to jump straight into the workforce rather then attended a university. The company EagleJump makes games, in fact it made Aoba’s favorite game and the game that made her want to be a game designer. The story follows her and other members of the art division (as well as a motion member, programmer, play tester and director) as they make this game. Despite being a situation to have these characters all working together in order to set up jokes there's is a large amount of attention paid to the game and its creation, we see things like people sleeping at the workplace, energy drinks, work being done and stressing over deadlines. It pays more attention than the average 4-Koma slice of life normally does and it's very good, but that's all it is, just good, as nothing too much outside of this happens and everything else is jokes and character interactions. I hope you like reading because New Game has 9 characters of importance, yes a majority of these are technically supporting characters but I feel like they are all important and I like them all a lot, so I want to talk about each of them. Plus there's also the fact that characters is New Games! Strongest point and I'm giving this a high score so I should focus on what made me love it so much so you can understand. So I'll start with the protagonist Aoba Suzukaze, I really like Aoba, she's pretty cool. Aoba is a character designer, she joins the company not knowing how to make 3D characters so she's just made to go through a workbook first learning the basics and getting a hang of the program. I really like this as I do 3D modelling in my university course and we use the industry standard, so obviously so does Aoba. Seeing her use the same program I use on a somewhat regular basis (I don't have the best attendance) is cool. However later on Aoba ends up making a bunch of NPCs all of which have to be done with great detail and made with hard work even if they aren't that important. Since she joined late, the majority of her work are these villager NPCs, she gets to make one important character though and so the show gives this character a fair bit of attention in the game's promotional material since it was made by the protagonist. Aoba interacts with every single other character, being the protagonist makes that kind of a must. However I haven't got to those characters yet since I'm doing her first so I'll get to her relationships with others when talking about the others. Aoba kinda does and at the same time doesn't have development, in the way development is commonly used in anime I would say that Aoba doesn't change throughout the series in the end she's the same person really just with new friends and a vastly different life but only due to her work, the development for her is her relations to others and how her life has evolved due to her job. And she also gets better at the job as times go by, she gets quicker and quicker at making models and such. However for a show like this development isn't really needed, I like Aoba from the get go just like every other character and we learn things about them at a steady rate making them grow into what they already are in the eye of the viewer since we aren't told everything about them right off the bat. To summarise, I love the chick from New Game! Kou Yagami is the art team's lead and the second most important person on the team, she leads the designs and concepts and everything art and design related has to get her approval first. I really like Kou, she's pretty chill and a good person, she expects high quality work from her team members and it's clear how much effort she herself puts in. She's first seen sleeping at work without pants on and although the show has many shots of her in her panties and butt shots there pretty short and it's not a massive thing they use in every single episode and as the show goes on and things start to get a bit more serious towards the end they use it less and less. She’s not a fan service device is what I'm saying. Despite her somewhat lax and chill personality she does put the effort in. And she only sleeps at work majority of the time because she is working through the night, she puts in the work and someone like Aoba says multiple times that she aspires to be like Kou. Kou also did the character designs for Aoba's favorite game and the game that made her decide to become a game designer ‘fairies story’ so of course Aoba has huge respect for her as the character designs were the main aspect that had an effect of Aoba. So Aoba and Kou start off with a strong teacher and student vibe, Aoba needs to learn how to 3D model so Koe gives her the book Aoba followed and she slowly learns how to do it. Eventually Kou gives her a job to make a villager NPC, Aoba spends many episodes working on this one villager as its her first and every time she tries to submit it to Kou, Kou says it needs to be re done and this done over and over as Aoba slowly gets better and better at making a model. Like I said before Kou demands good work from her members and Aoba only respects her for it rather than despising. The two slowly form a better friendship as Aoba gets more familiar with the work place, also starts spending nights and gets good work done fast. The two have a very close friendship by the end, in the final episode (I gave a spoiler warning remember) we find out that Kou use to be the art director but was too strict and caused a new employee to quit which caused her to revoke the role and go back to lead designer. She gets offered to move back into the AD position as the new AD is getting a promotion and so they yet again need a new one, Kou declines however Aoba consoles her saying that she would follow her and they each both have a touching moment to end the show off. Kou also interacts with everyone as she has an important role within the game's creation however only Aoba and Rin matter. I'll get to Rin next so I'll talk about their relationship there. Kou actually gets a fair bit of development towards the end, as I said there's the whole inner battle she has with whether she should be the AD again or not as it didn't work out so well last time. Also at the games release party she has a speech and in it says thank you which the director clearly states is a rare thing to hear from Kou and something that she thought she would never hear Kou say. This of course is only small but it defiantly shows in Kous movements and expressions for the rest of the episode that she is very much not happy with the new AD suggestion. Her talk with Aoba is one of the best moments in in the show for sure and leads to a nice end. Kou has…

New game! An anime where one would proclaim as " oh another moe show " when shown the cover photo. I hate to admit though, it's true. It is another moe show, but not just ANOTHER moe show. It's something much different. It brings out something that seems lacking in other "moe" shows. That is the feeling of catharsis. Shyness, Frustration, Triumphant. These were feelings I was able to relate with the characters, despite not experiencing it myself first hand. Story: 8/10 It was a relatively decent story, bringing out something unique due to its setting. It has a much different feel as compared to other moe shows set in a high school setting that seems as though they will never graduate. It helped to put my mind in a state of ease, amidst all the pent up stress for an upcoming examinations. It didn't kept me glued at the end screen and craving for more, like what 91 days did. But instead, it left me at the end screen, feeling much refreshed and ready to face whatever life throws at me. This is perhaps what New game is trying to accomplish, as a slice-of-life anime. Now, I would rate New game a 9/10 mainly because of personal enjoyment, given my current situation(in the midst of exams), and thus may or may not be subjected to change in the future. However, as of now, I would make a firm stand at this rating. " Since you're already giving it a 9, why not 10?". Well, the main reason why I chose not to give that final push, was due to the characters, and mainly one. But, let me give my opinions on some of them. Characters: 7/10 Suzukaze Aoba, the MC of the show. The fact that she is 18 years old actually left me wondering if that was actually true. Yes I know, it's a moe anime so the characters should act like that. But that is so when the setting is set in a high school world. I highly doubt there are any young adults of that age being like her (correct me if I'm wrong). However, I don't hate her. In fact, I felt a strong sense of connection, similar to that of a close friend. Through the wondrous 12 episodes, though not to a large extent, I believed that she developed into a better person, especially in the last episode. Overall, she was an essential character in the anime. Without her, what would happen to the release of Fairy Stories 3? Other characters include Yagami Kou, Tooyama Rin, as well as Aoba's 3 co workers, whom I shall not delve too deep into. Briefly,  they all had proper screen time and development, especially Yagami. Now, the character that made kind of detest the anime, Sakura Nene. Some of you might think that she adds to the laughing factor of the show. But heck, are you really sure she is there to bring out laughs or bring out annoyance? Her high pitched voice, coupled together with her boisterous attitude could drive a person insane. I agree that she was essential in helping the team, but besides that, what else is she good for. The incessant whining made me wonder if she really is a college student rather than a kindergartener. Music: 7/10 Well, all I can say is that the music didn't really stand out much. However, it suited the theme quite well as a Slice-of-life anime. I really preferred the ending to be the opening song though. :/ Animation: 9/10 Nothing much to comment on besides the fact that it was absolutely perfect for this anime. Well that's that, I would really recommend watching this, especially after a tiring day, and I'm sure you will feel relaxed afterwards, except for when Sakura Nene gets her screen time. This anime brings the expression " Cute girls doing cute thing" to a whole new level. At least, this anime had an ending (?) Now, to end off, Hifumi or Yagami? :C

If you are stressed after your busy life,here's the anime for you-New Game,which is a unique anime with New Ideas in every episodes.When you Watch this anime,you'll find your time is consuming fast because of how relaxing this anime is.The comedy moments,enjoyable time,ugh!Its revolving my brain!!! STORY(8/10)(35%) The story revolves around the protagonist Aoba,who is a little girl working in a gaming company.This anime is about Aboe's daily life,her working schedule,daily life with her childhood friends and her working partners.Its seem simple but it's actually kind of decent because this anime is filled with LOTS of hilarious moments and it's time consuming,while different events in the story keep the plot moving forward to the success of the Fairy Tails Story 3 and it's definitely unique and relaxing. But don't think New Game! is just a comedy show,it also contains touching moments in later episodes and different kinds of feelings when characters saw different things.For example,Aboe felt excited when making games,felt happy to work with working partners.......I really like how the story is trying to impress us with different ideas and feelings. However,what comes good,must has its flaws.In the case of New game,story seems unable to connect each episode around.In new game,each episodes are new ideas,which is a good way to deliver ideas in New Game.However,it failed to focus in just a few ideas mainly,which makes the ideas are completely shattered and unable to connect each episode. Well,at least this problem doesn't appear at the ending in New Game.I enjoyed that the ending of new game concludes all the story elements and also told the future development of the game company. ANIMATION(9/10)(10%) The animation of New game is surely pleasant to watch because of high quality of art.Bright colour visuals and the character designs are cute and pretty,which fits the comedy style of this anime well.But if they could use more special visuals on the background or the environment,it would be better. SOUND(8/10)(10%) New game could able to use little amount of soundtracks but it's inadequate.If they could able to add more soundtracks,which fits the the theme,it would add more relaxing and hilarious elements in it. Fortunately,the op and ed of New Game are the most remarkable songs in the whole show.The fast and smooth lyrics with fast-paced soundtracks inserted inside both songs could really take off your negative emotions.Op and ed will also change too when the style or the main idea of the story changed,which also fits the theme well. CHARACTERS(8/10)(25%) Characters in new game act as characters in a hilarious drama,their reaction towards every moments could able to add hilarious elements inside the comedy,which makes the whole show full of laughing moments.The characters inside the show also grow as well.The characters in New game inspires each other and they will make changes immediately,which Im pleasant to see characters growth in this anime. Some of the story events also revolve around the likes and dislikes of a certain character.For example,Yagami likes to wear pants when no one is in the office at night,which shows Yagami likes to do whatever she wants without any limitations and hardworking.Such events could let me know more about characters in an interesting way.Therefore,I like this kind of character development. Though I think the characters design are a bit simple and the side characters,like hajime and Aoba,are likely needed more description,such as:adding some more flashbacks and their past,it'll be better but the overall character development is still laudable. ENJOYMENT(9/10)(20%) You just can't miss this anime because of how enjoyable it is.Hilarious moments,relaxing op and ed,you just can't miss this one out.This anime works out perfectly when you are in depression or stressed after your busy life and may also give you positive feelings as well.Though the plot isn't the most thrilling and inspiring,you should give New game a try.It may give you a new impression towards daily life.Therefore,if you're feel bored,try New Game :D Overall:8.3/10(A)<Outstanding>

A few seasons back I watched a rather subpar show about a group of high schoolers making a game. So I guess someone decided it was about time to do another such show, but utilizing pros this time. What results is propaganda so ridiculously fake that you might as well be convincing someone that cheesecake is in fact ice cream cake. New Game! depicts the not-so-realistic game studio Eagle Jump, which apparently has a reverse-discriminatory hiring practice as not a single guy shows up in the entire show. It follows recent high school graduate Aoba as she learns about office life from her sempai. It feels very much along the same vein as shows such as Working! and Sore ga Seiyuu! Know that despite the 4-koma tag, these episodes are actually full length. If you want to laugh at a show as it attempts to sell you on the fun of staying up all night doing work, dig in. Likewise, those who enjoyed girls' club shows such as K-On, Tari Tari, or the like may also enjoy this. If you're like me and tired of the same moe format being applied to every conceivable setting, then you'll probably want to skip this one. Animation: The animation is standard fare moe material, most of which takes place in a relatively bright and happy office. Expect pretty good detailing in the studio, the narrow building entrance and certain details definitely feel fitting based on my time in Tokyo. I mentioned Shokomeza earlier, and honestly, despite the characters here being supposedly older these characters act and behave even more childish. There you have it, a show with middle-school aged characters working in a supposedly professional gaming studio. The animation highlights of this show for me include the cute yet obviously uninterested hedgehog Sojiro and Hifumi's true smile - about as moe as you can get, ok fine they got me on that one. Sound: The show opens with a playful song by the VAs that somehow reminds me of Working!, and no it's not because of the exclamation point. The ED is a likewise cheerful piece though it isn't as catchy, and the first part is pretty low in pitch (sounds like it's out of the comfort zone for some of the VAs). The BGM is mostly unobtrusive though also rather fittingly upbeat. Aoba and her cubicle mates are all voiced by relatively junior VAs. Their performance is fine though Megumi Yamaguchi stands out more because of her character than her performance. However, the managerial level is full of veterans including Eri Kitamura, Ai Kayano, and Youko Hikasa; the latter two deliver very strong performances. Overall, expect a very light and cute sound package throughout. Story: The show follows Aoba as she learns how to design and create 3D models for a game, which happens to be a sequel to the game that she first fell in love with as a child. The plot is pretty simple and follows the company as the workers seek to master up. In addition to getting us closer to the looming deadline, each episode has a particular focus, be it Aoba's first nomikai (drinking party), or her first paycheck. It's trivially easy to figure out what the episode is going to be about, just check the episode title. The show builds to a natural and predictable climax and resolution. There is a tiny bit of tension right at the climax but really, this isn't a particularly exciting show. Overall, I got a handful of laughs along the way, but honestly speaking this is not a show that you'll want to chain. Character: If all you need from a show are cute girls interacting, then this is pure bliss. If you're more interested in dynamic characters reacting to changing situations or romance, then this is probably going to be a waste of your time. My main complaint here is, again, how immature everyone acts. I get that things are typically overstated in anime, but seriously, these characters are in the wrong setting; the management are more like babysitters than company leaders. That said the character chemistry isn't bad. Aoba is an inexperienced but hard-working newbie. Hajime is your brash, playful otaku who spends all her money on figurines. Yun is your Kansai-accented, goth loli who is uber-sensitive about having flabby arms. And Hifumi is, ironically, a shy, secret cosplayer. They really put thought into giving the characters a bit of depth and not spamming the viewer with a ton of supporting characters, both points that are greatly appreciated. The show really could do without Nene though, maybe I'm still recovering from Flora from Asterisk but loud, childishly-whiny kids really rub me the wrong way. Value: Honestly, this is a fair watch but probably the first show of the year that I will forget; there's just nothing significant that happens. On top of that, the plot isn't particularly exciting and the setting is even more far removed from the reality of the workplace than the Working! series. I really have no idea how this is considered seinin but regardless, there are other shows that are much more worthy of your time.

Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m a pretty shallow person when it comes to picking the next anime to watch. And by that, I mean the opening theme pretty much determines what I watch. New Game caught my eye and I decided to watch it. I’d already watched Shirobako, and according to recommendations, it seemed quite similar, so I thought why not? And after finishing these 12 fun episodes, I have to say that I pleasantly enjoyed New Game. Game production has always intrigued me for a while so New Game felt like a nice show to cover that topic. It does cover the main aspects of the game making fairly well, but truth be told, I’ve seen it better done on other shows. It’s not like the show doesn’t cover anything within the gaming industry, I just felt like (and this is coming from someone who has never had experience within the industry, so never take my opinion as final) it could’ve gone deeper. The protagonist’s department that she works on actually seems to get a fair amount of attention, however other areas are only touch on lightly and I would’ve wished that they would’ve received more depth. But, I still have to put in perspective that the series was only 12 episodes long and it can’t do everything in that amount of time, though. The show falls under the slice-of-life and comedic genre and it truly does live up to it. The show is quite laid back and that creates the more light-hearted feeling when watching it, in my opinion. Some episodes do appear to be more serious than others, but it still does feel nice watching them. The art definitely helps the show. The colour schemes shown throughout are extremely bright and vibrant, making the entire environment that the show is set in feel much more alive and buzzing. The inside areas more or less felt the same but the outside scenery is what really caught my eye. It wasn’t spectacular in the way that other anime have done it, but everything felt … fun. I couldn’t help it but love watching the show. The episode plots were, whilst not conveying too much story progression throughout, helped massively by the characters of the series. I appreciated the fact that most if not all were introduced by the end of the first couple of episodes mainly because of the fact that I knew I had a longer timeframe within the show to learn about each personality. However, there were some minor problems I had with the characters, one of which mainly ties into the plot. Whilst I did say before that I was looking forward to lots of insight into the characters, some just didn’t feel that they had that much attention during the span of the show. In a way, I felt like those characters’ personalities were sort of being used as an excuse to not be given more detail, as it could’ve possibly have been contradicting what they were like. In terms of another season to go into the characters in more depth, I would probably have to say that’s probably not likely. Not because I don’t want it, but mainly because of the ending, which I won’t spoil doesn’t really open up for another season. On another note, sound I thought was a very good aspect of the show. The music used was extremely catchy and upbeat, definitely fitting comfortably into the general theme. The opening and ending themes I thought were especially good, fitting well with the crazy mood that the show sets. All in all, I found New Game to be an extremely enjoyable anime and I recommend you watch it if you haven’t already. If you’re fans of shows like Shirobako then New Game might be a good choice since they are quite similar in theme. To conclude, great show, hampered slightly by lack of development of characters but sound and art for example more than make up for it, creating an extremely well made show.

There's nothing ground-breaking or amazing about this show, but it succeeds in the sense that I'm left with a silly grin on my face when watching it. I typically don't like slice of life shows, but I must say I really enjoyed New Game. It benefits from a refreshing environment, namely the office environment, instead of the school setting that has been recycled over and over again. There are many moments where I burst out laughing, but what surprised me was the presence of a few scenes with real emotional power too. Without resorting to any stupid melodrama, the show manages to be really touching at times. My only complain is that if you're looking for a depiction of a realistic work environment, you won't find it here. There's no office politics. Every one is more or less pleasant and nice to each other. The main character, Aoba, is genki and hardworking and has no flaws to work on. There's also some fanservice but nowhere near outright sexual and it can be overlooked. The characters are all likeable. In particular, as someone with social anxiety, Hifumi was really relatable. I think she's one of the few realistic depictions of social anxiety in anime these past few years. In fact, she's the reason why I was drawn to the show, before I gradually became attached to the other characters. Don't be fooled by my 7 rating; I don't give out high scores lightly unlike most of the people on MAL. By 7, I don't mean average or so-so, but a really solid piece of work. Definitely best anime of 2016 Summer season along with Konobi and Planetarian. If you're a fan of the slice-of-life genre you'll definitely love this show, and even if you're not, I would say this is one of its better offerings. Just go into it without raising your expectations too high; this is just a show that is nice to watch for half an hour every week, nothing more, but it's good fun and never tries to be pretentious.

New Game is like a more comedic Shirobako meets video game developing. There is a large cast of women and all of them have a passion for video games. Because so many people were introduced in the beginning and the audience doesn't have a good grasp on their personalities yet, it was difficult to tell them apart for a while. Around the 3rd or 4th episode, the writers started developing each character and illustrating how well they work together. I love that there's no ridiculous pettiness or rivalries between the girls. It's the exact opposite—there's a ton of really intimate moments in each episode that I wasn't expecting! The girls share each other's passion for video games and truly enjoy spending time together. Each character has something quirky about them but their entire personality isn't centered around the oddity which is good. I also appreciate that there's a brown character among the cast and she's just as quirky and important as any of the others. There were times when a few characters got self-deprecating for the wrong reasons; like they're all skinny and the writers dedicated a whole segment on characters feeling chubby. If there was anything to focus on, I would've preferred it to be the joys and the nitty gritty process of game developing. There were also times when the girls would randomly be sexualized. For example, there's a character who hates wearing pants (I share that sentiment) and she had an ass shot that lasted 5 seconds too long. It was awkward to watch. There's a lot of ship-teasing between the women which is fine because I enjoy romantic fluff between girls. I can only hope that the ships actually lead to something more concrete in the second season. The video game references are very subtle and fun to spot out. Overall, New Game is a fresh take on the shoujo ai genre. In some ways, it reminded me of Shirobako with how hard they work and how much passion the girls have for game development. It's a strong jumping off point for the second season and I'm excited to see where they run with it!

I love this Anime, and I think anyone looking into it may also like it as much as I do. Story The story was well put together, and interesting. I have never, and maybe it's just me, seen an anime over the life of game developers. It wasn't rushed, and kept a nice steady pace. This anime also had a great ending, and gave me a sense of completeness. (Be sure to watch after the credits.;) ) Art The art may not be one of a kind, I'm sure you'll see it another show, but it was meant to be cutesy, as it was, and really fits with the stories concept. The coloring and style of all the characters was amazing and very different from eachothers. Sound The voice actors and their vibe fit with all the characters and their personalities. ALL characters were voiced well. The Opening and Ending Song Really fit the peppy lives of the group. The background music also fits the scenes, when it was meant to be awkward, it was, when soft and heart warming, it was, and so on. Characters The characters, were all unique, and as you watch will get to know a lot more about their personalities, and traits. Their reactions/actions to different things were realistic and you might find yourself doing the same things as they did in certain situations. Though the anime did not go as deep into some of the characters lives as I wanted to. It pretty much sticks to their lives at work, with some exceptions. But all characters were alive and the 'supporting' ones (They were all mains in my opinion.) really helped make the show fun! I can't bring myself to pick a favorite, because I like them all so much, but I would like to cosplay Ahagon Umiko, one of few great characters. Enjoyment Now I can loosen up a bit and talk to you as a friend and fan! This anime was amazing! It kept me hooked, and looking forward for the next episode to come out. It kind of reminds me of kiniro mosaic which is another favorite I have. I may not rewatch the series, which I don't usually do anyway, but I may in the far future to refresh the memory of their lives. I do hope to read the manga, hopefully in the flesh, but if not online definitely. I would also hope to buy the series once it on dvd, or something related to it, when/if I have the money! *cries* Lastly, I do hope that you watch the show, don't take my word about this, amazing, Anime, see for yourself. It's funny after seeing the show it kind of makes me want to try Aoba's Occupation.

This is the first anime I've seen where nothing in particular happens; there's no antagonist, no Big Evil to repel, and no mountain for the characters to labor up. It's a bunch of cute grills being cute while making a video game (with varying degrees of authenticity, as expected). The only clear "message" in New Game! is that it wants young people to get a job, since a large chunk is dedicated to explaining what to expect from "the real world." It's also an absolute joy to experience. 90% of my watch time was spent with a grin on my face because it's all so effortlessly cheerful and never really lets up. There's only a couple occasions that deal with "serious topics," but they're always over so fast that the positive vibe isn't spoiled. I've seen so many shows and films over the years that start great but plunge in later acts as the comedy makes way for drama and all momentum is ruined. New Game! doesn't do that whatsoever, which in my book shows the cleverness of its writers. This is a fantastic production from beginning to end. Highly recommended if you just want to enjoy some fun times.

New Game is based off of an ongoing manga by Tokunou Shoutarou. The manga started in 2013. The anime came three years later and was brought to us by Doga Kobo. Yes, the same studio that brought us Yuru Yuri. So, we know they can do high quality slice of life comedy. Let's see if that happens here. Story: We open with our protagonist, Suzukaze Aoba, starting an exciting new job as a graphics artist for a game developer. More impressively, she's right out of high school (do game developers hire people right out of school like that? I thought you had to study at the university level) and it's not under the thumb of a trash publisher like Electronic Arts. They provide her with some training and give her her first tasks, modelling characters for the latest sequel to her favourite game series. We basically watch as Aoba interacts with the quirky people at the office and they try to bring the game to light. The biggest issue I have with this series is that they feel the need to explain very basic video game terms that every gamer knows. You know, just in case someone who hates games is watching this slice of life that revolves around games. And we are talking very basic terms like “NPC” or “FPS.” Even non-gamers know those ones. That being said, the comedy in this series is really damn good. It really takes advantage of the setting with a lot of jokes revolving around the launch, the testers looking for the kinds of exploits that actual gamers would and other such things. It helps that a lot of its set ups are vague enough that there are multiple directions for them to go with the jokes, leading to punch lines that work but aren't obvious. The comedic timing is spot on. There are jokes that aren't uproariously funny but there aren't any that aren't enjoyable or that just fall flat. Characters: This is one of those comedies that doesn't have the most complex characters, but it has ones that mesh very well for a comedic series. I will also give it credit for having some really strong interactions that aren't comedic. The final episode, for instance, has a really good conversation betwixt Aoba and Kou. I shan't spoil it, but it's actually really heart-warming. Art: The artwork is cutesy and definitely one of the areas where this series resembles that other Doga Kobo work. I will give this series credit on a few counts, though. First off, the trailer they have for their fictional game is really well done. It looks like the kind of trailer that would get you excited for a game. The cubicle decorations are really good too. Each of the major girls has decorations for her work station that really reflects on her. My only real issue with the art is that there's some pointless fan service because... you can't have a series about women without getting fan-servicey. It's literally against the law. Sound: They got some strong actresses for this. We've got Toda Megumi (you may know her from Sakura Trick,) Hikasa Yoko (k-on, yuri kuma arashi,) Kayano Ai (Anohana) and quite a few less prolific actresses who still do their roles really well like Takada Yuuki and Yamaguchi Megumi. Hyakkoku Hajime's soundtrack is excellent. Which is to be expected from the bloke who did the music for K-on. Ho-yay: Honestly, I think this entire game company is populated by lesbians. To the point where Eagle Jump might as well just merge with the lesbian coven across the street. Rin blatantly has a crush on Kou and there are some strong indications that it's reciprocated. Yun mentions that she would fall for Kou if she was Rin, which really says something about her. Hazuki flirts with other women constantly. Mifumi really wants to get close to Aoba. In a way she isn't close to anyone else. Actually, Umiko seems oddly interested in Aoba too. And when Aoba meets Kou there are hearts and sparkles everywhere.  Final Thoughts: New Game is a really good series. It has some relatively minor issues, but it's thoroughly enjoyable with a strong comedic sense, fun characters and it's definitely an example of a slice of life comedy that does it right. My final rating is going to stand at an 8/10. Next week I'm looking at Black Lagoon: Roberta's Blood Trail.

Society is the reality that every single person must inevitably face especially at the time after they finish attending a school or a university. The life of an adult is begrudgingly harsh and vexing, although it is utmost fulfilling (saying as someone who already has job experience). New Game! is a fun and colorful series that delves deep in a pragmatic world that revolves around the bright and cheerful Suzukaze Aoba. It is basically a Slice-Of-Life show with a certain game development studio as its cornerstone. As a whole, New Game! is a totally enjoyable series that boasts a realistic view of one side of society and presents how it works and processes. Although strictly speaking, not everything in this series is as practical as it would be in real life. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The sounds and music (especially) of the series are very exuberant. These elements give the sense of how the characters are and how they thrive. (For the record, I really enjoyed both the opening and the ending songs.) The art is very cute and animated. Doga Kobo (the studio responsible for making New Game!) did it again! I'll be honest, I really LOVE moe and gap moe characters, and of course, the art style and character designs for New Game! is undoubtedly outstanding! The characters of the series are consistent with a hint of gap moe. Also, character development in the series is not really the main endpoint, but it is evident from the main characters and that's one point that makes them likable (and lovable). --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don't miss out! New Game! is utterly an entertaining delight that can heal one's soul and calm one's mind. NOTE: A lot of people in the working part of society would actually relate to this series. My verdict: 9 out of 10!

Moe shows are not ones I watch often, but I decided to give this one a try after hearing good reviews. I was not disappointed. While moe shows are designed to be relaxing and heartwarming, "New Game!" also brings a great story and characters with it. Set in a video game design company, the show follows a girl who took the risk of foregoing college to design video game art. She is eager to enter the world of adulthood, but soon discovers that the joys of self-sufficiency also come with responsibilities. The show doesn't only seek to soothe the viewers with cute girls; it also possesses the qualities that good slice-of-life should have. Aoba has her struggles, as not everything works out for her at first, but she also struggles with the little things, like how to befriend her new coworkers, who all turn out to be interesting in their own right. That isn't to say "New Game!" is like other slice-of-life. It's still a cute-girls-doing-cute-things show, so at no point does the tone get dark or serious. This means it does lack the emotional impact other slice-of-life provide, but for a feels-good show, "New Game!" has a surprisingly substantial amount of content. Fans of moe shows should definitely give "New Game!" a watch, and anyone looking for a heart-soothing show will enjoy this as well.