Ballroom e Youkoso

UNBIASED WELCOME TO THE BALLROOM REVIEW (Minimal Spoilers) "If there was only one thing. Something that I could say that I really love. Then maybe I could change" I have watched Welcome to the Ballroom since it came out and I was really excited of what it can become in the future. Having seen the studio doing this anime (Production I.G) I never thought of the possibility of having lower than great animation. I was just expecting a nice and comfy ride with hype moments, the shounentard that I am. So this is my overall thoughts in Welcome to the Ballroom. Story 8/10 I'm not really a professional in rating a story, but I'd say it's very good. It's about accepting who you are and fight through the struggles of life with a smile. Strive to succeed no matter what it is and enjoy every moment as much as you can. Our MC, Fujita Tatara, is a boy without a clear direction in life. Growing in a broken family of sorts, he only lives with his father and is really secretive about himself. It all changed when he met Sengoku, a pro dancer, after saving him from bullies. He is now recommended by Sengoku to try dancing and it began changing his life. The start may be cliche, heck it may sound like the start of a "certain" sports anime out there from the 2000's (you'll know if you watched alot of sports anime". But it has it's charm and can pull the audience to the dancing world. Art 7/10 Coming from the team that made Haikyuu, I expected this series to have great animation and art while maintaining consistency. I was kinda wrong because the first half of this series is really inconsistent. Consistency wise, the first 5 episodes were really good with its animation, but when the competition arc approached (except the finale ofc) , it became a little unsteady resorting to still frames.. (alot of em). the second half really improved. It's not the ABSOLUTE worse don't take it wrong but I expected a little more if you know what I'm saying Sound 10/10 Yuki Hayashi is back with a phenomenal soundtrack that screams dancing. The use of vocals in this anime, though not much, makes me hyped as heck. As expected from the composer of My Hero Academia, he understands what works and what doesn't and he is not afraid to diverge from his previous works. Some might say that people can't actually hear the ballroom music playing because it is substituted by Yuki's soundtrack and I understand but it not the soundtrack at fault but the direction the staff took. Character 8/10 Aside from the few shounen tropes the series has, the diversity of the characters are really good. I like almost all the characters in the series. Even the MC has his differences with other shounen protagonists. (minor spoilers) Tatara's second partner is also interesting herself which makes great chemistry. You might start to hate the MC a little (I did) because of his gutlessness (if that's a word) but upon finishing the series up I finally understood him a little and became proud of what he has become at the end. Overall: 8//10 Though slow at times, I really recommend Welcome to the Ballroom. It is a series that can make you feel inspired and try new things that you yourself haven't thought about doing. The characters are well diverse and likable. The animation is a little inconsistent in the first half (especially the final arc of the first half) but regains itself in the second half. The last 4-5 episodes of the series was really good and if there was a second season announced, you know I'll be there.

Ballroom e Youkoso revolves around a boy named Fujita, Tatara who ended up stumbling upon a dance studio and learning about Ballroom dancing. This review will be coming straight from another dancer who is more than familiar with Ballroom dancing. Story: 10 Fujita is an third-year middle school who is unsure what to do with his life. He gets harassed by delinquents and ends up at an dance studio. This can seem like quiet a typical anime where the main character is unsure what to do with his life and ends up stumbling upon something that can fill this hole. However, the story goes at an nice and accurate pace leading to Fujita actually believing this is the "something" that will fill his hole. The learning of the style Ballroom in this anime is done correctly as it starts with the basics and includes many of the most important details when it comes to learning Ballroom. Fujita who does not have many friends makes friends along the way. The story is not predictable and includes quiet interesting arcs. The first arc introduces Fujita and his problems as well as the introductions to the friends he will soon make. The second arc is mainly his competitions and his meeting with Chinatsu. Art: 10 The art was very well done. The animators did an amazing job with the movements of the dance. They made the dance visually beautiful adding factors of intensity and elegance with their art style. Throughout the anime the art stays consistent and they make the dances progressively more beautiful with the addition of their own symbolism. The last episode has the best art as the final dance is performed the best therefore making it the most visually stunning out of all the previous ones. Sound: 10 Music in the anime is very accurate. The music that goes with the Foxtrot, Swing, Waltz, Tango, and Quickstep is very accurate and sounds amazing. The openings and endings as well are done well. The 2 openings for the anime both have more upbeat and faster pace to them compared to the endings which are a bit slower pace compared to the openings. Character: 9 Tatara: He is quiet shy and awkward in the beginning of the story but is changed with dance. Dance helps him to break out and be more out of his shell. Chinatsu: She is introduced after half of the anime is done but her impact is memorable. She becomes Tatara's partner and helps him to break out of his shell and helps him transform into the dancer he is. She is quiet hot-tempered at times but is a nice person overall. Shizuku: She is the partner of Hyodo. It could be said that she is only good because of Hyodo's leadership skills.Shizuku doubts Tatara of his skills in the beginning but Tatara looks up to Shizuku and her dancing skills and in the beginning wants to dance on the same stage as her or with her. Hyodo: He is Shizuku's partner. He has been dancing with Shizuku since he was very little. Hyodo is very experienced in dancing and believes that Tatara is capable of a lot when it comes to dancing but just needs some guidance. He does give Tara guidance here and there when it is seen fit. Mako: Is the partner of her brother. She is the whole reason for the first arc. Mako slightly helps Tatara break out of his shell when he enters one of his first competitions. She is kind and has a naive and innocent style to her character Enjoyment: 9 Overall the anime is very enjoyable. It leaves you waiting to see more and really gets you interested. The story goes at a smooth pace. People who mainly will enjoy this anime is probably people who are into sports animes and competitive anime. Overall: 9 Overall I will give this anime a 9. The story is a bit lacking when it comes to some character development or backstory for some of the characters but does keep you waiting for the next episode and it was so sad to end it! (Hopefully there will be a second season!)

It is a travesty that there isn’t yet (and probably will never be) S2. I hope the mangaka gets better, though, and can tell the story as they fully envision it; though selfishly, I do wish they could have passed their plans onto the anime team and let us see further into the future of these characters… The art style threw me a little at first (feels so 2000s!) but I actually think the accentuated proportions and poses, etc. really lend themselves well to just how alien dance and dancers can seem. I liked the characters (found what little fanservice there was offputting but unimportant and uncentered, so thank you for that ig). The growth felt realistic; and all I wish is that we got to see it continue more. One of the last sentiments expressed is that Fujita has reached the starting line — I want to see his journey from there, too. Really a lovely show, it just feels like the beginning of a great arc-ridden story (that I fear we won’t get to see).

If I were to say just one thing about this anime, I would just say that the last episode left a big smile on my face. I think sports anime are usually a little more boring than normal, but this was different, the story was handled well, it made sense for them to give the finale so they didn't add fake new seasons just for more money. In my opinion, this anime is one of the best sports anime I have watched. At first it seems like there is no point in ballroom dancing, but anime gives you the feeling of happiness that comes after your efforts.

Why do people dance? On occasions like marriages, school events, competitions,etc people dance. But why? In its purest form it is an expression-- of joy, sadness, and other feelings of the dancer. It is also a sport. Dancing is tiring. Another question, why don't some people dance? Is is because they are too tired? Probably not. Most common reason is that people don't want to make a fool of themselves while dancing, they don't want to be judged. Fear of public speaking/dancing is second only to fear of death. In the anime-- Welcome to the ballroom, we see Tatara Fujita, a middleschool kid who has no direction or ambition in his life. he is disappointed in himself. Tatara wants to change, he wants to be visible, he wants to be seen. One day he discovers a dance studio. Ballroom dance is a unique sport. Posture is everything. His posture improves really fast, and so does his confidence. (initially he keeps his dancing passion a secret.) Story 8/10 Simple story. Another coming of age anime. But done well. With style, and substance. And centered around dancing, a topic I haven't seen yet. Art 8/10 I loved the art. The long arched necks, the dance routines are explained well enough with visuals. Even a noob like me could enjoy the dance sequences. The metaphors where dance takes a deeper meaning of life were great too. Like the 4 legged horse. Sound 8/10 I absolutely loved the music for the dances, it is so pleasing. Especially the 12episodes, that theme is epic. The anime would've been a much lesser piece if not for the beautiful background score. Characters 8/10 I like Tatara, and empathise with his feelings. Not having a goal is so so frustrating. And then he find something that keeps him spellbound all day, everyday. Something he can devote himself to. That is a beautiful feeling, shown really well. Sengoku is like Takamura(from Ippo), a legendary dancer who introduces our protagonist to dance. Tatara is gifted but still, Sengoku is many leagues above. The other guys are likeable too. Chi-chan was someone I thought I'll never understand. Maybe I won't, maybe Tatara won't either. An guess what, we don't have to. Just dance in harmony, that's all you can do, rest will com e later. I liked that dynamic. Enjoyment 9/10 I had a lot of fun watching this series. Maybe one day I'll take up dancing too, it seems fun. There is no action, horror, or power of friendship here. It is more seinen than shonen. Romance is also not the primary concern. This is a slice of life, coming of age anime, done well. Loved it. Highly recommended. Must watch. Thank you for reading! This is a light, happy anime. One of the few cases where I haven't read the manga. So I can't compare between the two. This was so inspiring, I highly recommend watching Welcome To The Ballroom!

I wasn't expecting to ever write a review but after watching this anime I couldn't not do it! Ballroom e youkoso really surprised me, at first i thought "an anime about dancing? How good can that be?" but i soon realized how wrong i was. Now the synopsis of this story is kinda basic for a sports anime but the execution is done in a exceptional way! I love all the emotion that the characters bring out and the fusion between that, the music and the animation is really something else! The characters are really fun and to me they seem like normal people with good and bad traits. The art is gorgeous (although at first i was a bit alarmed by the long necks but i got past that really quick). For those who don't know, the animation is the same as Haikyuu! a well known volleyball anime so if you love that you probably are gonna like Ballroom e youkoso as well. This anime kept me at the edge of my seat and the adrenaline it gave me was crazy, i would never imagine an anime about dancing to "shake me up" like that. I couldn't wait to watch the next episode. I'm really glad that i got to watch this the ending for me was super emotional and cute, i wish we had a season 2 but you can also read the manga to find out what happens next! I hope this review got you to watch and enjoy Ballroom e youkoso! <3 P.S: I want to point out that this anime for me is a 10/10 but for typical reasons i gave it a 9/10. This is also my first review so keep that in mind. Have a nice day!

I was mostly just desperate to find a new sports anime when I found Welcome to the Ballroom, but it definitely exceeded my expectations. Story: 7/10 In terms of storyline, this show followed the stereotypical sports anime plot. Someone who is not the best at the sport finds their unique talent, which allows them to flourish and amaze everyone around them. The season was basically split into two arcs, changing to the new arc at episode 12. I definitely enjoyed the first half more than the second. You really got to watch the main character, Fujita, come to understand himself and the world of dance. It was adorable watching him be so passionate about something, but in a realistic war. The second half definitely felt a little more rushed. I feel like I didn't get to understand the new characters all that well, and I was uninterested in the ones that were given a background. You could definitely tell the first half was for character development, and the second half was to show the growth in dance, both on the floor and behind the scenes. I won't spoil competition results, but I must mention they felt very skewed to me. You wouldn't expect the results that come based off of the reactions of viewers. And while the audience is not the same as the judges, I feel like they should give a better insight to how the competition is going in general, but they felt generally unrelated. Art: 7/10 The artists for this show definitely knew what would be catchy to the eyes. While the characters were dancing, there was a nice fluidity to their movements. And the dresses during competitions flowed beautifully with motion. But in the end, I will only give it a 7 because I felt most of the beautiful art was just meant to be show. Like how a real dancer wears beautiful clothing to accentuate their dance, it does not mean much when the art itself is not that amazing. What really drew down my score for the art in this show was the way they drew the body. One of the major things they emphasize in this show is posture, and the posture was God awful throughout the entire show. I am not sure how much the artists knew about proper posturing, but most of the time the characters were arching back, which is the complete opposite of slouching forward. There is a common misconception that this is better posturing, but it demonstrates equally poor form. The body proportions were also a little too off for me during some dances. The characters limbs were all ridiculously slim and long. While I understand most dancers have bodies like this, even the short Fujita had surprisingly long limbs that I felt did not belong on his body. The characters also all had giraffe necks. No matter how much you stretch your neck, it really shouldn't be almost the same length as your head. Sound: 8/10 I absolutely loved the intros to this show. Every time they came on, I wanted to get up and dance. The outros, in my opinion, were not quite as catchy, but they were very lyrical. I think it suits the show since there are quick tempo songs and slow tempo songs. Being able to have the balance is important. Even though I personally enjoy quick tempos better, I can appreciate the way the intro and outro were so cohesive to this idea. Something that is all important in the sound of a show is being able to make viewers forget there was any sound at all. And this show did a great job of that. The sounds were simple and subtle, but so well-suited for the action going on. The heel clicks, the foot steps, etc. They were subtle noises but made a world of a difference in bringing you into the dance. Characters: 7/10 I really appreciated at round and dynamic the characters were in this show. You initially get the feeling that Fujita is a scrawny coward, but as the show progresses, you see many more facets to his personality. I would say that most of the characters in general felt well-developed and very realistic. There is a quote in the show about how you can act like you understand someone, but in the end it's only acting and you can never truly know the person. I thought it fit the show very well because you truly couldn't understand some of the characters' decisions. And yet the decisions didn't feel out-of-character for them. One thing that I struggled with was the age of the characters in the show. They're all supposed to be in late middle school or early high school, but they felt like they were late high school or older to me. Even with interactions with adults, I felt like they were at the same mental and maturity level. Which a child that age could never be, no matter how mature they are for their age. It didn't help that most of the adults treated the dancers like they were the same age. Like, a rivalry between someone out of college and a freshman in high school? The adult needs to show some restraint. Enjoyment: 9/10 Well, I am such a sucker for a sports anime. I must admit. But this show was extremely cute. Everyone was so passionate about the sport, but not in a creepy war. Like I said before, it was realistic. Like when you have something you do out of love, not because it is the only thing that matters in the whole world. Fujitia's adorable character in the beginning, also drew me in so well. There were definitely some moments while I was watching the show were I thought, "Ah, yes. This is an older anime." I was somewhat surprised when I found out it was released in 2017. The nose bleeds and overly awkward reactions to girls is something I haven't seen in a while in the anime I watch. It gave me late 2000s ecchi vibes, but not necessarily in a lewd way. Overall: 8/10

before I start this review I was pleasantly surprised with this anime I haven't been this surprised since the anime Food Wars. lets start the review lets start with the story the story follows a Main character named Fujita, Tatara he is a 3rd year in middle school student who always gets bullied but then by accident he was introduced to ballroom dancing I give the story a 7/10 because I have never seen an anime like this one and it was executed really way and took a huge gamble with an anime focused on ballroom dancing. because this anime could of failed big time but it did not. next is the characters in this anime started out kind of weak because they had there own personality but there was no back storys for any of the characters for a while then towards the last 5 episodes I say then u started getting some good back story for the characters I give the characters a 7/10 next is the art/sound the art wasn't my cup of tea so to speak in the beginning of this anime but it started to grow on me and actually enjoyed the art style the art gets a 7/10 now last is my personally enjoyment gets a 7/10 I enjoyed it but I have watch anime I enjoyed more so the overall score is a 7/10 this is the first anime to get the same score on ever category because this anime did not really have anything that was standing out bad or good this anime did everything well but nothing was standing out good or bad overall a really good anime I would definitely check it out if you are curious the anime is ahead of the manga because the author is having some health issues so its been put on hiatus so nobody knows when it will start up again kind of sucks because I really enjoyed this anime hopefully it starts up again soon.

This review contains mild spoilers. I just finished it and I felt the urge to write a review. Not feeling like doing an aspect-on-aspect one tho, I just wanna let my emotions flow, so, oh boy, was this a compelling series, at the start, little did I know that it would grow this much on me, I even thought of it as an Ippo rip-off, not because of nothing, the start of both series is pretty much identical, Tatara is a bullied, shy guy with nothing quite remarkeable in his school life, saved and inspired by a pro-sportsman and introduced to his practice in a way that makes him think about becoming someone with it, the same as Ippo did, looking up to a contemporary too. But then the series started progressing, and quietly started to demolish my expectations of it, the character dynamics, facilitated by the sport, became something absolutely important, and while Tatara was still a weak person, you could start to see his progress as his new experiences guided him, and that his relationship with the characters appearing, specially Mako, were something that the show took a big time in evolving and letting the viewer get what each of them felt in every step they took. It was fascinating to see all those eyes put in this totally incomplete person, but for all the wrong reasons! The series doesn't have problem acknowledging how bad Tatara is, and that's what made his development something so special, he doesn't get better by himself, but by this character dynamics I talked about before. You can understand, by the things he passes through (and not in some intense training animation sequences), the way he goes building his dancer life, and that works pretty well with what Hyodo says about Tatara being someone who dances through his emotions; the people in his life construct him, and it was kinda beautiful to watch, not magical improvement here. But hey, that was the first half, and it was good, but while the characters keep being so important, the second half is superior in all ways, giving Tatara a partner was something necessary, but giving him such a partner, such a human being was a perfect move by the writers, we as an audience get to know Tatara defied by something so different to everything else he has handled, and even if he keeps being that humble guy, his dynamics with Chinatsu are complex and well explored. That theme became the main plot point of the second half, and god was it resolved, the climax reached in episode 23 was absolutely satisfying, watching them finally become a couple after all that character study in the previous episodes made me feel rewarded and hit me hard, I was foolish at comparing it to Hajime no Ippo, the relationships here evolved in a way the individual sport of boxing cannot characterize, and well, I should stop comparing since both shows went in opposite ways, so hell, the way they embraced their feelings and finally accepted their differences and problems felt absolutely as their completion of their way to the start line, and it gives proper conclusion, but also a new start to hope something big. The pacing of the show is consistent, the exposition made in the dances may put some people off, but I think the way they did it made them achieve their objective of getting to know their characters at all their faces. Not saying this is a perfect piece of media though, the dances don't feel like dances most of the time, and the animation does its job greatly just like 4 times in the whole series, there are some horrible cgi models that appear in every damn dance, and sometimes the sound, while beautiful, isn't put in the most desirable way, given the possibility of using that many genres and styles, I hoped they gave the music some big importance, but they didn't, it just affects the way the dance must go, and sometimes they'll put their background music over dances that don't have anything to do with it. Apart from that, those 4 scenes were spectacular, and the background music is cute and the Openings and Endings are all great. Overall, sure it is somewhat flawed as any audiovisual composition, but it is incredibly fulfilling, and incredibly great at the things it knows how to do. Loveable AF.

Okay so a new anime about Ballroom dancing, sounds good right? Well the problem is you won't see much dancing in it. Right from the start the show begins with an attractive shounen style of a boy who doesn't know what to do with his life and suddenly dancing becomes his ambition. So down to the business, after a good start, the show becomes more repetitive and the art becomes really sloppy. Expect main characters to have necks longer than their heads -literally-. Remember some shows when they had 15 minutes of talking and 5 minutes of fighting? In this case you will see an average 3 minutes of dancing per episode, without many dancing moves and being repetitive. The overall story was good, the only thing that kept me from dropping it. Characters were attractive and their introduction was good. Art was decent and chrisp , but the animation had a lot of flaws. For a dancing anime you expect to hear a lot of music, in this case the music was barely heard with the characters talking. At the end, don't expect a lot from it. There aren't many dancing shows right there and this one did a fair job, but could've been better.

Dance, an artform, a competitive sport, a form of social interaction, a way of communication, a look at human history and evolution, a way to rediscover a different side to someone you already know, and a way to rediscover one’s self. Welcome to the Ballroom was nothing short of spectacular. I was already aware of how taxing and strict dancing is but never have I enjoyed seeing a dance as enjoyable as watching the whole anime. Welcome to the Ballroom begins with Fujita Tatara and his quest to find something that he can love and give his all for. The boy is filled with drive and passion but has no means to channel it nor has no way of knowing which direction he can take it. That is until he was saved by a man named Sengoku who forces him to watch a dance class. After seeing Sengoku dance in a DVD that was forced on him, he had found the direction he had so longed for. Tatara may be a weak-willed guy that has a lot of negative traits about him but if anything, he is a very real person in my eyes. He can be overconfident, a nervous wreck, and a fool but that is just like who we humans are at many points in our life. But the thing that shows us that he can be someone we can root for is that Tatara has potential and even Sengoku and the other very experienced dancers can see it and are often at times mesmerized by his dancing. He makes many rivals along the way who in turn would also become his friends as they not only respect his ability (though not at first) but they are also infected by his emotions when he is on the dance floor. Tatara can be quite creepy for them as they are amazed by the things that he can do and also the fact that he can’t be trained in a normal way. But once he knows what to do then all he needs is one practice to show that he has the steps down pat which is nothing short of amazing. Throughout the show, Tatara becomes a couple with a few girls and it is there that he forms bonds with them and on the dance floor he forms bonds with the males in the anime as they eventually acknowledge him as someone to watch out for especially during competitions. When he paired with Shizuku he lit a great fire in one of the greatest young dancers in Japan, Hyoudou (Shizuku’s partner), and it elevated his dancing to new heights. When he paired with Mako, Tatara turned her into a blooming flower at his sacrifice of the leader role into a full support role and it gave her newfound courage and respect from her partner who is also her brother. In the 2nd half of the series, Tatara finally gets his own partner and it was actually the most difficult partner anyone could ask for as it was like trying to control a wild but beautiful horse but in the end they somehow made it work. It should also be noted that the key characters in the 1st half don’t get as much screen time as they did in the 2nd half as the focuses was less on their issues but changes direction on to Tatara, his new partner, and his new rivals. It should also be noted that there are a few romcom scenes but there really isn’t much of a mention of anything romantic between any of the characters at all though save for one guy but one can easily notice the tension between each one of them. The anime really goes into a lot of detail about the many types of dances and the techniques and training required in order to execute them. It was also very informative about the roles of the dancers, the leader and follower. For anyone who has an interest in dancing, this anime may be able to give you some pointers should you ever decide to go into that world. The animation was definitely dazzling and intense as they really showed how expressive the dancers are and their faces are pretty accurate for how I imagined it would be if I was ever at their shoes. There were even plenty of times where they changed the animation to something that looked like it came from a famous painting just so they could illustrate how chaotic the dance floor actually is. Even the subtlety of the lighting was beautifully animated though it can be hard to notice. The art was also very well done as the dancers looked amazing especially on the dance floor, not to mention the beautiful dresses our heroines were wearing. Even the necks which looked kinda weird looked cool as that is probably how it looks even in the source material. Also the intensity in their faces was also quite notable and even their expressions can be somewhat erotic in a way but it fits with the theme and emotion of their dance quite well. The way the art looks for the character’s eyelashes was also quite something unique and was the center of focus of my eyes almost all the time the camera is close up on their faces. The OST that was used matched the show very well as the music was engaging and something that I believe we can all easily dance to. They even changed a few notable sounds to fit with the mood a particular scene of the anime was going for. The 1st opening was amazing and something I expected nothing less of UNISON SQUARE GARDEN who makes me wanna dance to almost all of their songs. The 1st ending was also something that I could dance to but it wasn’t as catchy or as fevery as the opening. The 2nd opening felt more dramatic since the series was going for a different direction anyway and the 2nd ending just didn’t leave much of an impression with me. Overall, Welcome to the Ballroom is an anime that is intense, passionate, and every bit of a sports anime as any. It is also one of the few sports anime that has gotten me interested in a sport even though this one doesn’t have an Olympic event. The 1st and last one that influenced me to take the sport was Slam Dunk and I have never regretted loving basketball since but this anime just may make dancing my 2nd sport. I just want to see more of this anime and learn more about dancing right now. Just like in the anime, I can feel the infectious emotions of the dancer and it might also infect you. P.S. You can also read my review here and some video game reviews if you're interested: sirusgaming.com/2018/01/anime-review-welcome-ballroom/

Ballroom e Youkoso, adaptação do mangá de mesmo nome pelo estúdio Production I.G, foi uma grata surpresa em diversos aspectos, desde sua produção à execução de sua proposta, que vale dizer é bem incomum e interessante. Acompanhamos um jovem cabisbaixo por não possuir algo que realmente goste de fazer, quando um certo dia é convidado a praticar dança de salão, e é então que encontra algo que realmente sinta vontade de exercer. Vendo por cima, parece apenas um história em busca de autoconhecimento que possui elementos clichês característicos de Shounen. Entretanto, este não é seu único gênero, temos: Drama, Romance, Comédia e, em foco, Esporte. E é então que Ballroom e Youkoso brilha, misturando de forma coesa todas as suas naturezas de modo excelente, sendo resguardado por pontos de produção bem executados: direção, trilha sonora e animação. Ballroom e Youkoso trabalha bem todos seus elementos, como o desenvolvimentos dos personagens centrais e o ritmo da trama em relação à sua proposta de esporte, que é criar competições que gerem emoção no telespectador, além de representar o esporte em si. Em favor disso, temos o ritmo da obra: extremamente agradável, além de fluida. O anime executa sua história de forma com que seus episódios fiquem movimentados e que prendem a atenção. Muito disso deve-se ao fato do material original, que por sinal é bem avaliado. Mas temos um probleminha: o anime adaptou todo o mangá, sendo necessário que a autora passasse o final da história. Por conta disso, sentimos momentos de aceleração na narrativa, mas nada que prejudique a experiência. Em relação à seus aspectos técnicos, tem-se uma trilha sonora que empolga e emociona nos momentos certos, por mais que não bata com a dança que os personagens estão fazendo. Fato que é um demérito em relação à sua natureza de esporte, que é dança de salão, pois se a obra pretende abordar uma atividade que tem um de seus pilares nas músicas, logo se não podemos aproveitá-las, o anime peca. Em contra partida, como dito anteriormente, emociona e empolga, fato que é um mérito. Na parte de animação, o estúdio Production I.G entrega algo muito acima da média, com um Character Design detalhadíssimo e sequências lindas, que são pontuais durante o decorrer da história. Uso de CG em pequena escala e em momentos em que a animação tradicional não daria conta. Além de quadros estáticos belíssimos. Quadros Estáticos. Frisei tal ponto porque nas danças tem-se uma mistura coerente entre quadros estáticos, animações fluidas e pseudo-estáticas, além de CG. Vamos lá: sim, os quadros estáticos estão presentes, e em grande quantidade, fato que gerou incômodo para aqueles que buscavam uma representação fluída das danças. Entretanto, os outros pontos técnicos compensam e disfarçam estes quadros, colocando efeitos visuais, trilha sonora pesada e intercalando entre cenas mais bem animadas. A animação não respeita o gênero de Esporte, mas age com perfeição com o Drama e o Shounen, portanto, dependerá de você o quanto você busca pela representação da dança em si, mas saiba que o anime não decepciona na animação e direção. História envolvente, bem aplicada e executada, com pontos altos em todos os seus aspectos. Sua forma de narrativa não decepciona, porém utiliza de alguns clichês do gênero Shounen. O que seria um demérito, mas um "porém" ainda maior surge: quebra clichês em maior quantidade do que os utiliza, o que é um ponto muito positivo da obra. Possuindo um final satisfatório. E então chegamos em um dos pilares principais do anime: o desenvolvimento dos personagens. Consistente, interessante e bem trabalhado. São essas palavras que definem o desenvolvimento dos personagens de Ballroom e Youkoso, sendo visíveis os pontos de mudança e foco para cada dupla formada com o protagonista, além dos personagens ao seu redor. Foco para a personagem de cabelo vermelho, sendo a que mais possui personalidade. Os personagens são gostáveis, alguns mais do que outros, assim como o grau de importância e participação nos arcos, além de serem bem trabalhados. Ballroom e Youkoso foi, como dito anteriormente, uma grata surpresa. Incomum, interessante e muito bem feito, vale a pena dar uma conferida. História: 9 Arte: 8 Som: 8 Personagens: 8 Aproveitamento: 9 Geral: 8 Meu primeiro review, espero ter ajudado!

“Look. Look. Look at me!” There are times when we want others to notice us. To praise us. Accept us. We’re real people and we crave interactions. But sometimes we’re unable to understand one another. We fight and argue, kiss and make up, then return to war again. Relationships are complicated. Maybe even delicate. In this sports drama, relationships are a focal point, but not the entire point. While what’s on the surface may be a show about dancing. Underneath, there’s much more. The story centers around a middle school boy named Tatara. He’s shy, timid and doesn’t really stand out. When his teacher asks him for his career plans, he can’t answer. Because he has none. No dreams, no aspirations, nothing. So it surprises him when he overhears another student, Shizuku, in the same situation, and thinks she can relate. On his way home after school, Tatara coincidentally sees Shizuku and follows her to a building called the Ogasawara Dance Studio. He comes across a tall, blonde man as well. His name’s Sengoku. He’s a professional ballroom dancer and an owner of this studio, which just opened. Short on students, and possibly cash, Sengoku drags Tatara through the door where he forces a free trial of ballroom dancing lessons on him. Inside, Tatara pairs up with Shizuku to learn because this artistic sport requires a couple, usually of opposite genders. The man is the leader. The woman is the partner. A better way to describe this partnership would be like a framed flower painting. The man is the frame and the woman is the flower. “The frame shall enhance the beauty of the flower and should never let it wilt.” When the trial is over, Tatara observes Shizuku practicing by herself. Her movements are graceful and enchanting. She’s no amateur. She’s a competitive dancer with hopes of going pro. And Tatara’s shocked to discover that, unlike him, she’s the opposite. She has dreams and aspirations. A future. Tatara storms off, feeling embarrassed for thinking they were alike. At home, a dejected Tatara finds a DVD tucked inside his school bag. It’s a copy of one of Sengoku’s old ballroom competitions. Curious, he watches it in a dark and cold room. As the TV flashes on, a wave of warmth light washes away the frozen shadows behind Tatara. It dazzles him. He sees Sengoku dance. He hears his thoughts, and he feels his emotions. But more than that, he’s welcomed to the magical realm of competitive ballroom dance. It speaks to him. It hooks him. And so Tatara, who has nothing, resolves to change. The story goes on to track Tatara and his struggles to learn ballroom dancing. His goal? To change from nothing to something. To become a pro ballroom dancer like Sengoku. And to stand on the same floor as the other dancers he meets. There’s Shizuku, of course. There’s also her partner, Hyoudou, a dance genius with a cold and icy personality. A brother and sister couple: Gaju, an athletic freak that behaves like a dog, and Mako, a gentle girl who appears to love her brother too much. And finally, there’s Chinatsu, a bold and fierce female dancer who’ll become Tatara’s equal. Although these characters are interesting and do undergo some development, the focus will become mostly fixated on Tatara. It’s especially visible in the second half of the series, where the other main characters are relegated to commentators – albeit to still keep them involved while we see and understand certain intricacies of ballroom dancing through their eyes. A particular thing that does stand out is the drama among each partner couple. To clarify, each leader and partner dance pair squabble like husband and wife. Because beneath this layer of endless fighting lies a theme about marriage and separation. At one point, Sengoku even compares dance partners to married couples. Likewise, Tatara’s family doesn’t appear much throughout the series. There’s his father and his grandma, but no mother present. Later, it’s revealed that his parents divorced, and the one memory he has of his mother is her cold departure out the door. Another theme that’s more apparent is transformation. Several of the characters experience a range of change, but Tatara’s the most obvious. He develops physically and spiritually. There are even visual cues that help illustrate the development, such as flowers and doors. Flowers help demonstrate the dancer “blossoming” on the floor. Doors show the character locking away his real feelings; when unlocked, the character opens up and shows his true self. Now, if there was a weakness in this anime, it might be pacing and animation. Some parts seem slow, other parts feel fast. For instance, most of the dance sequences during the competitions are breezed by with still frame shots until the last round, where only a few glimpses of a routine can be seen animated. Even then, there are things added to the dance scenes that disrupt the flow and momentum of the performance, such as too many flashbacks and too much commentary by other characters. Additionally, the show is dominated by dancing one thing after the next – practice, competition, practice, competition. Often times, it looked like there wasn’t much room to breathe. It needed a break amidst all the dancing. Maybe further interaction between Tatara and his classmates at school, or his family at home. Anything. Because, other than that, the setting takes place almost entirely inside dance studios and stadiums in Japan. Sound may be one of the anime’s strengths. The voice actors really do a fine job embodying their roles and adding life to their characters. For example, Tatara sounds like a nervous child at the start, but grows to sound more like a confident adult by the end. Even some of the minor and supporting characters exhibit a nice vocal color. Plus, the music compliments the dance scenes elegantly and powerfully. It’s composed and arranged by Yuki Hayashi, who’s also worked on the original soundtrack for Haikyuu!! and Boku no Hero Academia. If the music does one thing adequately, it’d be synchronizing with the dancing in a way that builds and intensifies the emotions. All in all, the show does a fair job presenting ballroom dancing to a new audience. But “Ballroom e Youkoso” is not just a story about dancing, but about self-discovery. It’s about finding a passion and a purpose. About taking the first step to changing and transforming. About finding inner happiness and loving oneself. Perhaps, it can be best expressed by the words Tatara himself repeats at the beginning and references in the end: “If there was just one thing. Something that I could say I loved. I feel like I could change.”

Life is filled to the brim with experiences to be had. There are so many things one can accomplish in this world that it can become easily overwhelming; a pestering question for each individual is who do they want to be in this world of overwhelming choices, what do they want to accomplish, and what are the things they can do to reach for that goal? Sometimes this abundance of choice can be so overwhelming that it's hard to choose. It's hard for one to determine what they love enough to pour themselves into; and sometimes you might not feel a deep connection with any one activity. The start of this anime conveys that exact thematic element when we are introduced to our main character Tatara. Tatara shares with the audience one of the many human barriers we face as we grow and learn to understand ourselves; not knowing what he wants to do, or where his place may fall in the world. He starts out apathetic, unmotivated, and not having a particular preference for any path in life. This is when Tatara finds dance. In a more specific depiction; Competitive Ballroom Dance. Through dance Tatara is able to find himself, to better understand others; and to immerse himself in a world more vibrant and colorful than anything he could have prior imagined. He finds his place, he finds his passion; and through it he finds his motivation to grow and not only become the best version of himself, but to help others achieve the same. Welcome to the Ballroom has consistently been one of my favorite shows since its release in the Summer season all the way up until the end of the Fall season. It's not only pushed its way through two seasonal bouts of anime but managed to stand above the rest consistently (at least, in my own opinion). It's because I enjoy this show so much that I decided to delete my preliminary review for it simply for the sake of being able to compose a review of the whole show; and, to start this newly composed review, I want to focus on my favorite part of this show: the characters. The characters in Welcome to the Ballroom were; in the best terminology I can think of, balanced. Competitive Ballroom Dancing is a coupled sport; meaning it involves both a man and a woman, and each must play their respective parts in order to excel. I've never seen a series that incorporates both the male and female roles so fluently; we don't simply see our lead character grow - we see his partners grow with him. We explore Tatara and what leads him to the world of dance, we experience his growth; but through the series we witness the growth of his changing partners; Shizuku, Mako, and Chinatsu as well. To be able to so thoroughly explore each character; male or female, is something I normally don't have the pleasure of experiencing in anime. I was able to fully relate to both the male and female, the lead and follow, and because of this was able to thoroughly enjoy the growth of both characters through dance. I was able to understand their world; how their worlds are different from each other; how their worlds are different from my own; and how those worlds combine in their dancing and my viewership. That's an absolute pleasure, and if I were to recommend watching this anime for any one reason in particular, it is this one. Aside from the depth with which the characters are fleshed out; the show does not fall short on story, art, or music either. The story follows a very standard sports show format, but the pacing is phenomenal and I was left each week feeling like I wanted to see more rather than underwhelmed with any sort of lack of content. The art was beautiful, and unique - given that with the many anime I have seen this was a rare art style to come across; and the music was in given moments exceptional. To comment on the OST I'd have to say I quite enjoyed the OP and ED, as well as the compositions that made the dance segments seem all the more engaging; there were times where the music wasn't of much interest, but this complimented scenes where the music was not suppose to take the forefront of the viewers attention; and when the music was meant to take a forefront... Oh boy. To say the least I quite enjoyed Welcome to the Ballroom; more so than many of the sports animes I've seen because of how the characters were incorporated, and far more than I had thought I would stepping into the anime. I highly recommend this show; and I hope others can unexpectedly enjoy the world of Ballroom Dance as I have. Now stand tall (or sit up straight(?)) - "Your posture reflects how people see you" - and go watch Ballroom e Youkoso.

SPOILER FREE this show is another excellent show on the sport genera from production ig. before talking about the plot and characters ill talk about the animation and soundtracks, as I feel these are important to this show almost if not as much as the characters and plot (ill usually forgive bad animation/soundtracks if the story and characters are well made). art (10/10): I really like production ig animation. in ballroom the animation was what I expected and was just great. this kind of art style appeal to me a lot and while it's a matter of taste I don't think there will be many people if any that will tell you the animation is bad. the only thing you might find weird is the long neck the characters have (a common thing in the dance world) and that they don't animate enough of the dance but rather more of one shots of it. I still found these one shots to be incredible and when they animate the dance it's beautiful. another thing I liked was the fact that even when the show do some dresses that are sexy you wont feel like this is a fan service unless the show wants you too (chi-chan dance half naked and it doesn't feel at all like fan service) but rather the whole thing feel like part of the dance (as it should be) and just something natural. the art work great for the show and help the plot and characters feel smother. sound (10/10): ill start with the voice actors. I think they did a fine job. not too many highlights but no bad parts really. the soundtracks and ops are wonderful. they fit the tone of the show and of course the dance. the show's soundtracks and ops will make you want to dance too. they are really good. it help the plot feel more alive and make you more invested n it. plot (7/10): I don't like to go to specifics about the plot. ill say this can be really interesting and great plot at times but it has it's downfalls. at some points I didn't really care about the plot and there was this one asspull (you know what I am talking about if you seen the show). overall, not the most interesting or amazing plot but not bad. characters (7/10): I wont go in details here as well. let's just say it's going to be a ride. some characters are good, some mediocre and some plainly bad (not a lot though). the mains got enough development but it could have been handled better. the side characters either got really good development (best example is kugimya), bad development (best example is akira) or were just left without showing up enough or get enough development (why did you leave hongou!). overall, some characters are great some are not so great. still worth watching. overall (8/10): the show is quite good and I recommend you to watch it. it's not a long show and is a nice ride. don't think this show is an amazing masterpiece but is indeed worth watching.

Welcome to the Ballroom is an anime that has claimed a special place in my heart. I had never watched it because of my prejudice against an artistic sport like ballroom dancing, and I had always pushed it aside. There’s nothing else to say except that it was a huge mistake. The animation is beautiful, fluid, and incredible in certain scenes, while the characters and situations are often very exaggerated, with extremely long necks and lively expressions. At first, the animation style may seem strange, but after the first few episodes you get used to it right away. I found the characters truly wonderful, and the story itself very engaging. You don’t need to know anything about dance to watch it: you can enjoy it whether you’ve danced your whole life or have absolutely no idea what it’s about. In fact, knowing nothing about the world of dance, you’ll probably have an experience just as beautiful as mine, since I knew very little about this world. It didn’t reach a “perfect” score because it lacked that extra emotional or adrenaline-filled punch, which could have been achieved by maintaining an extremely high level of animation throughout the entire series. Even so, it still deserves a very high rating, considering the scale and beauty of this work. In the end, dance isn’t really that bad, is it?

I wasn't really expecting anything from this Anime but I do admit that I enjoyed this to the fullest. I never knew that ballroom dancing could be interesting and beautiful to watch as an Anime, I was so absorbed the whole time as if it was an art form, its such a delight and unexpected experience. The Characters were absolutely amazing, I love the aspect of being a partner or a couple because it shows the diversity of their personality and their relationship as partners. Just like any competitive sports they fight and argue but the most important thing is, even though there are miscommunication or misunderstandings towards each other they still don't want to be separated as partners. The Pacing is very consistent there is no moment where I wasn't out of my zone, I was always absorbed. I cant really find proper words to expressed how I thoroughly enjoyed this, I cant even make a proper review about it, I just love the aspect of being a partner with someone and enjoy the things you like. Just like any competitive sports (why do i keep repeating this line), there are always miscommunication and fights but that doesn't always mean that you hate each other, its just one doesn't rely on the other. Arguing or fighting with your partner shows how close both of you are, you cant really talk the same way with strangers unless your totally pissed of by them. If old me knew that I enjoy this show I dont think he would believe me. Anyways, this is 9/10 I enjoyed and savored the whole 24 episode and this is also my 600th anime. Thats it and thank you for reading this rushed and non informative review.

This anime is a masterpiece. There are only a few anime's that deserve a 10/10 but this one sure is close. Competition is ofc hard to display in a good way in anime, often people want to hard or to little to win, in this anime it is described perfectly. The story is really good, There is no real clichè or plot twist you would expect, except for a few but most anime have that and you cant blame it for it. The art and sound go perfectly well together with the anime. I love the music they chose, The classic dances that are done IRL are all displayed in here, and very well displayed. Characters where really good even though some are seen in other anime, with almost the same character, they where still really good. It's hard to get this kind of character right. While watching I instantly got sucked into the anime and It 's really enjoyable during the time I watched, even thought its a dance anime and I have nothing with dancing, its really good. Overall this anime is a 9/10 but sure as hell close to a 10/10 Perfect anime for anying who is into a bit of drama, sport and good character development. however I would recommend this one towards almost anyone.

Miro! Miro! Miro! The first episode where the video of dancers inspired Tatara, I was also captivated by it. The whole anime kept me interesting to watch till the end. It inspired me towards arts and my respect to arts increased. I want to be fit and try all the new things which I thought not my talent. Because life is all about living and doing things just for the heck of it. These are the thoughts that this anime left me with and felt so pumped. So, next time if I thought something interesting or find something is not meant for me but I wish I tried then first I will find people who are passionate about them, see them in action and give it a go.

Intimacy, trust, dominance, submission, anxiety, and bliss are all emotions that Welcome to the Ballroom conveys well via its subject matter (competitive ballroom dancing). This anime has lots of cute moments, mixed in with moments of drama, that keep the story entertaining. Some moments feel a bit over-the-top, as if they went a little too far trying to convey the feelings aforementioned. To be more specific it feels, at times, like a line is crossed from accentuating the feelings of the dancers, which is very important, to showing the dancers powering up a la shounen anime, which is silly. The basic premise of the story is that a late middle school age kid has no idea what he wants to do with his future, but comes to discover that he loves dancing. It becomes clear early on that he has latent talent for dancing that may, given time, put him beyond the skill of most other dancers. For example, he is a very good kinesthetic learner. If someone demonstrates the motions of a dance, he can quickly learn them, but only *exactly* so, and he has much to learn. The show explains that technical skill alone does not a dancer make. A ballroom dance is a cooperative performance that depends on one's ability to communicate with their partner.