Hanamaru Youchien

"You're hitting on me!" I facepalmed. Onto my desk. With full force. That is the last thing you'd expect to hear in a show about kindergarteners. But Hanamaru Kindergarten is full of comments and moments where you stop and think to yourself, "What are the children of humanity learning these days...?". At least, that's what I was thinking the entire time. Anyways, Hanamaru Kindergarten is a sickeningly sweet anime that I just happened to find on Crunchyroll one day, and decided to watch it, thinking that it was about time I stopped watching action related shows for a while. So I watched the first episode. In the beginning, I was taken back by the cuteness of the show, which was at a very high level. So I continued on, got some good laughs, and ended up finishing the show a few weeks later in my spare time. My initial thoughts were that I had found a cute and slightly rom-com anime. I was correct of course, it was well worth my time I put into watching it. As for a story, Hanamaru Kindergarten is one of those shows without a main plot. If you think of Azumanga Daioh, Lucky Star and Acchi Kocchi, this show runs along the same lines. A kindergarten girl falls in love with her new teacher, you know, the usual. Oh, wait, never mind, that's unusual. Every episode is filled with random comedy, moments of pure denseness, and just plain old fun. They failed to end the series with a good finale, it seemed like a completely normal episode to me, but overall I enjoyed it. When I told you I was taken back by the cuteness, I really was. It's one of those animes where you AOL (Aww Out Loud, not that crappy internet service). The cuteness is bombarded with comments that may make you spit out your drink in either laughter or sheer disbelief, but either way, they managed to make you wish for a daughter or a son that looks as cute as kindergarteners appear to be in Hanamaru Kindergarten. Other then the characters, they made the actual Kindergarten look like a place that you would have been dying to attend back when you were 5 years old, it is truly a kid's paradise. Equipped with a slide going down from the second floor, an amazing playground, and classrooms with fun everywhere, I'm kind of wishing that the school I attend now was like that. Fantastic way to make students jealous. There is no English Dub for this show, and frankly, I thank God for that. It's hard to imagine what all 40 of the 5 year olds in this show would sound like if they were dubbed over, and I really wish not to, as they are loud and have high pitched voices. But thankfully the Japanese Dub tones the realism down a little bit, making them all sound cute and unobnoxious most of the time. I liked most of the voice actors and actresses, they played their parts well, overall a good job. Watching this made me excited to have kids. I'll probably be regretting it when the time comes around in certain moments of my life, but the characters in the show are portrayed in such a way that you wish all kids were like this. Anzu, the energetic romantic in the group manages to bring most of the comedy into the show due to all the fantasizing she does about the day she marries her teacher, while at the same time comes up with problems in her head that have absolutely no need to worry about. Then there's Hiiragi, the genius in the group, and I mean genius. She's smarter then most seniors in high school, maybe even college. She's the reason I now know what a Lunula is. At the same time, she also has a cute side to her with all of her costumes, mostly Panda Cat. And the last one is the shy and insanely adorable Koume. That's pretty much it. She's the kid that every parent wishes to have. Then there's Tsuchida-sensei. Frankly I'm wondering who goes to look at "adult magazines" and drinks until he passes out, yet is still able to become a Kindergarten Teacher. I like him, he's funny, but seriously. I think the part I most enjoyed about this show was the Panda Neko dance. I was laughing so hard, due to the sheer hilariousness of it, and the absolute adorableness of it. I still have it stuck in my head. Overall, insanely cute show, got a lot of good laughs in there. Could have had a better ending, but it was worth watching.

Gainax’s most recent production seems to have been greeted with either one of three responses. The first is that of simple pleasure found in watching an anime that has well-structured episodes and that make good use of humor. This is the view I have adopted, as each sub-episode contained within an episode is well planned and carries subtle undertones of moral conventions contrasted with and against accepted social attitudes. The anime itself is a set of twelve episodes, each containing two sub-episodes, that are loosely tied together through a plot-line based on the unrequited feelings of romance a kinder garden student, Anzu, has towards her teacher, Tsuchida ‘sensei’, and the subsequent events that occur in their lives when together and apart. Anzu’s friends include Koume, a shy and gentle character, and Hiiragi, a cos-playing child prodigy. Strangely, yet with good reasoning, no other characters raise an objection to this blase relationship between student and teacher, and there is even some degree of acceptance, understanding and even support, especially by those that would normally be apposed to this behavior, such as the child’s parents. However, everyone manages to best live their lives alongside an almost sadistically humorous love triangle between Anzu, Tsuchida and the beautiful Yamamoto sensei. The second response to this anime is that it is boring, having no sufficient development in the storyline and lacking in length. This response is largely due to the viewer’s lack of understanding; yes, the episodes are loosely strung together by a thin plot, but this is not the defining point of the anime, such as it is with those that follow the gradual changes in characters. Rather, the two sub-episodes cover a specific time frame during one of the main character’s lives that makes others and themselves change and grow, yet cuts out all the unnecessary in-between events, delivering only the relative material to the audience to best outline the idea or value that is to be portrayed to the audience in that sub-episode, hence the room for split stories in one twenty minute time block. Also, another point is that this type of anime utilizes a stasis plot, which is used correctly in this case to allow the episodes to branch off into smaller sub-plots yet still retain a link to the main story. The final response is rather negative; heavy criticisms that are based on art, storyline and the characters of Anzu and Tsuchida. My views on storyline have already been outlined, so I shall proceed directly to the critiques on art. Once again, these criticisms are caused by lack of understanding. True, the artistic style used to draw the children is over-exaggerated, and detail is lost in the drawings of the adult characters and scenery. However, this is done to really drive home the idea of the distance between children and adults in society, and to present to the audience the view of the world from a ‘young child’s’ perspective, having alliterations to a child’s drawing and it’s innocent representations of character, giving rise to an almost childish drawing style that takes into account these factors. Though it involves many adult characters, this story is ultimately based on the idea of children living in an adult world. This is why Anzu can show unseemly displays of romance towards an older character and not be ostracized by society, and also why she has a very mature personality for her age that is readily accepted by the other characters. Though viewers may disagree with the anime on moral grounds, this is still a personal bias that doesn’t affect the quality of the anime. If taken into account the understanding of symbolism and important conventions that are often overlooked or mistaken as incorrect development, then the anime would truly have no criticisms. Of course, the average viewer does not consider these things when watching an anime for enjoyment, however it is important to note that harsh criticisms should be made after careful analysis. Though not on this site, I have seen many blatant reviews that dismiss this anime for the reasons mentioned above. Because of that, this review may seem like an over-endorsement or over-hyped defense of the anime, however all I wish to do is present a more deeper view into the some of the aspects of the anime that have been criticized too unfairly in ways that would put off someone from what I believe to be a very good anime that I have been looking forward to every Monday for the past twelve weeks. I also look foreword to the making of a second season, and hope that it will be as deeply satisfying as the first.

Somehow, I feel as though Hanamaru Kindergarten is a giant lesson in hypocrisy. So many people have preached that it's all about being cute and fluffy. Loli not pedo, that kind of stuff, but is it really? The focus of the grand majority of the series is about Anzu in love with Tsuchida and Tsuchida in love with Yamamoto. While I reasoned Anzu's attraction to Tsuchida was nothing but an innocent crush, her tenacity and attitude as the series progressed genuinely began to frighten me to the point where brushing this off as an innocent childhood experience was no longer an option. Anzu really loves Tsuchida... and to make that the focus of the series is just creepy. In many ways, I can easily see where Hanamaru could have succeeded with its characters alone. While Anzu, Hiiragi, and Koume are all the standard genki girl/smart girl/little wife archetypes, they are neither overpowering in their prescribed personalities nor are they entirely cliched. Their mannerism and attitudes still reflect a great deal of their childishness. This only disappears when they start talking about matters of love, which unfortunately is at the core of this series. While some innocent talk and "kids say the darndest things" conversation is to be expected, the series pushes it repeatedly until it eventually reaches the point that I question what their parents are exposing them to at such a young age, especially Anzu's mother who is so liberal when it comes to her daughter's crush I don't think she even realizes how her daughter is interpreting her messages. Because of this, the story comes across very similar to the heavily controversial Kodomo no Jikan. However, because the little girls resemble blobs more than they do humans (how do they support their body on those twiggy legs?!), no viewer can really take it as seriously as KnJ's portrayal of the topic. This doesn't change the fact that this is a show about a kindergartener in love with her teacher. The story could have gone in one of two directions; follow Anzu and her friends on misadventures, or focus on Tsuchida and Yamamoto's relationship with some gentle humor provided by their students on their relationship. This series decided to do both and connected them in the most unsettling of ways. It's sad when you think what this show could have been and what it turned into in the end. The art is bright, cheery, and adorable. I have no problem with Anzu and her class being moeblobs as it highlights a lot of their innocence and how much they have to grow both physically and mentally. I also love the design of the kindergarten itself. I think we all wish we had gone to a kindergarten is awesome-looking as this one was. The soundtrack, playing with a lot of xylophone and percussion was pretty cute, though I don't know how I felt about needing a new ED every week. They peaked rather early with the epic second ED and after that they ranged from okay to bad to just plain inappropriate for a series of this nature. Kei Shindou as Anzu was a welcome treat. So often she plays brats so to hear her as a happy genki girl was a treat. Of course, only Erino Hazuki could pull off Yamamoto's effervescent brand of happiness with a shred of possibility of it being believable. Anyone else would have made that role unbearable, so kudos to her for her handling of an incredibly difficult role to make acceptable to the audience. Despite all of Hanamaru's many bright points, there's too much weighing it down to give this anything higher than a 7. This is a cute and fluffy show, but it's a cute and fluffy show about a kindergartener in love with her teacher. The fact that they try to make it as cute and innocent as they can despite Anzu being very set in her ways makes it just that much more unsettling. Kodomo no Jikan worked because there were psychological issues at hand that played well into the unsettling aspect of it, but Hanamaru has nothing to defend why a 5-year-old wants so desperately to marry her teacher. I could have done with a show about a kindergarten teacher who falls for his colleague, and I would have adored a show about kindergarteners being kindergarteners like a moeblob version of Rugrats, but this form of execution is just wrong, wrong, wrong. Overall, I give Hanamaru Kindergarten a 7 out of 10.

Hanamaru Youchien revolve around Tsuchida, a clumsy person who has always been good with children. After leaving home and starting living on his own, he decides to work in a kindergarten. Although Hanamaru Youchien isn't a masterpiece, it's certainly outstanding. As the series goes on you find out more about the children their parents and all kind of fun story that will surly make you laugh and smile :} together with its fantastic art style, unique endings, fabulous background sound, and of course its funny and super kawaii(cute) characters, it may not be the best series out there, but you wont regret watching it! :}

Story: So you look at the plot summary and think its just another show about a teacher and his students, however this show is much more than that. Although some issues of this show tread on some people's line of morality, it shows what a crush really is in its purest form in both of a child and an adult. Each side plot is filled with good jokes and a small moral lesson, while maintaining a light hearted feel in the show. Those who don't like too much happiness should stay clear of this show. Art: The animation for this show completely suits the light hearted feel this show tries to convey. It brings out simplistic drawings, and making them very cute. One key thing they did in this show was to make the children look unlike a real child and more into a cute lump of moving flesh. This turned possible perversion, into a cute first crush. Sound: The vast amount of ending songs was almost the highlight of my week. I was so excited every episode to see a new ending song, each with a laugh of its own. The background music helped the very light hearted atmosphere within the show. Characters: For the adults, they pulled out stereotypes and made a new standard for them. All the characters were used to never get old. For the children, every one showed a pure heart, and really gave a feel of real children and their emotions. Although the lead female kinder gardener was slightly forward in terms of her wishful relationship, what could have been perverted, was made so it just seemed like a joke. Enjoyment: This was my feel good anime every week. I would laugh out loud, and re-watch every episode right after I finished it for the first time. If you are looking for a show to sit back and smile, then you should watch it immediately. Overall: All the strings came together into the ultimate perversion-free romance comedy (when i say romance I mean using dating jokes). At first you might be a little discouraged by the animation as it might seem childish, and a little to bright and happy, but once yo adjust, I assure you will enjoy this show.

I have very mixed feelings about this anime. Some moments were heartwarming, others just didn't add anything to the story. Hanamaru Youchien shows us the everyday life of a couple of toddlers and their teachers, how they overcome hardships and how they share their fun moments. Love is also a very important theme in the series. At some points the characters really drag you into their lives making your heart pound faster whenever something important happens. On the other hand there are many episodes were this feelgood-feeling just isn't present, making them random and unnecessary. Story: 5 Hanamaru Youchien doesn't have much of a story. It's a slice of life anime which tells about the adventures of three toddlers with Anzu and Tsuchida as the main characters. There is a lack of realism which disturbed me, like 5-year olds running through town on their own and crawling on to people's shoulders. The strange thing is that in the episodes were the story becomes a little more serious, the script-writers really succeed into creating an emotionally strong anime. I don't understand why they didn't take more advantage of this, because Hanamru could be such a tearjerker. And even if they went for a more lighthearted story, it still could have been a lot better than it is. Maybe the end was disappointing for some. It could have been an episode in the middle of the series too, but that didn't bother me too much. Art: 5 Nothing special here. Shading was very poor, facial expressions were alright. Nothing unique about the camerawork either though everything is shot from close against the floor. Mainly because the toddlers were very very small compared to the adult characters. The kindergarten was cute and well thought of. All of the other surrounding shots weren't too impressive. The toddlers did have something cute about them and the colorpallet was enjoyable. Sound: 3 The version I watched had very poor sound quality so I can't say I enjoyed the intro nor any of the ending songs. And even though every episode had its own ending theme there wasn't any I really liked. Aside from the ending songs the soundtrack fitted the anime, though overall I did find it a bit boring. As for the voices they were alright at the beginning but at the end I couldn't help but get a headache. This goes especially for the kids and their teacher Yamamoto, whom sounded more like squirrels then humans. Character: 5 I liked the characters but sometimes they were really annoying. Anzu brings the energy into the anime. She's madly in love with her teacher Tsuchida and very determent to marry him in the future. Tsuchida is a young man who starts working at the kindergarten and falls in love with another teacher, Yamamoto. He tries to confess his love to her but fails time after time. Hiiragi is Anzu's friend and the series' own Einstein, and Koume is the shy one who cries over nothing. Enjoyment: 7 Though Hanamaru Youchien has many flaws if was a lot of fun to watch. It had many fun moments, a few touching moments, romantic moments... and all of these pull you into the story. I enjoyed seeing the children into trouble as well as seeing how similarly the adults encounter trouble.This is the main reason why I decided to continue watching. Overall: 6 After watching the first episode, which is one of the best, I expected a great anime, and it was fun but not realistic nor too touching, which is why it doesn't get better grades. It did leave me behind with a good feeling. This feel-good vibe is most definitely the serie's trump card.

This anime follows two groups of characters: the adult kindergartner teachers centering on Tsuchida, and the kindergartners themselves centering on Anzu. Right away a bridge is established between the two groups, with Anzu being a flirt and madly in love with Tsuchida. It is very cute and endearing to start off with, but quickly becomes old and boring. The show even goes so far as to lay out exactly what the love triangle and love arc of the show is at one point. The sound gets a worse score here than it probably should, mainly because all of the kids make a squeaking noise with every step they take. The characters are well done for what it matters, but I personally find the story lacking and too cliche driven, even for a genre made from cliches.

Story - 7 - Series of mini stores - adequately paced - almost never boring - very character driven - interesting look into the life of an anime Kindergarten teacher - Not really completely about the Kindergartners which I liked very much, there are some part with the adults as well Art - 8 - outstanding art for this type of anime - characters would not be the same without the art - epic kawaiiness - Every ED theme is different, what really makes it interesting is the art style they used to anime it. I've watched all the EDs for all 12 episodes. Sound - 7 - The OP was pretty nice, unfortunately nothing special - The ED themes are good enough to listen through, not much without the animation - Voice acting was nice, never found any problems with it Character - 8 - Introduces the characters at a steady pace - Even though there is a whole class of characters the anime doesn't sick so low as to pull a Negima - Sympathize with the characters, you feel some sort of attachment - The personalities of the characters are nicely used for humor (my favorite yakuza stereotypes are used very nicely, I laughed plenty because of them ) - Yakuza? In a Kindergartner anime? Yes! Just shows the diversity. Enjoyment - 8 - Finished the whole thing in a day - Never lost the urge to watch the next episode - really good way to spend my free day, I don't regret watching the whole thing in one shot at all. This is really worth checking out! It's like an extremely innocent version of Mitsudomoe. Plenty of laugh moments, and a minimal amount of suspense Aw hell, you can't help but to smile! Overall - 8 Don't be afraid to watch the first episode now!

This anime is probably a goto anime for those who wanted to watch an adorable, funny and moe ass fuck kind of anime. This is one of them. And despite the many "how the fuck", and "wtf" moment. It's quite intriguing and cute as well. And probably the best thing about this anime would be the voice actress/actors acting for the kindergarten kid in the anime. It was on point lmao. Even so, the anime is a pretty passive one with no and slow character/story development throughout the anime. So if you're not a big fan of an anime that has a very slow story progression and development but always teases you into thinking that it might happen. This may not be the anime for you. But i gotta say this too, the anime itself is kinda promoting or contains alot of this... forbidden love thing. If you dont like that then just dont watch it ;)

Watching one episode of this will make you realize you're about to embark on a journey that involves delving into the sanctimonious epitome of the the word "kawaii" the very essence that runs japans economy (jk). One thing I'd like to say to everyone who expects this to be another "taboo" filled series like kodomo no Jikan.. trust me it ISNT .. THIS SHOW IS NOTHING LIKE KODOMO NO JIKAN (yes I have to write it in capitals in case people just skim through this review). Kodomo no jikan was downright perverse, the sort of relationships between adults and children in this anime are comical at the most, none of them are taken seriously, its just all in good humour, so all of you lolicons just stay away .. unless you're into kindergarten students, which I hope you aren't cuz that'd be downright disturbing. Anzu chan Hiragi and Koume Along with the staff of the nursery are the main characters. The show centres around Tsuchida Sensei a newly employed teacher who falls in love with one of the other teachers consequently Anzu chan falls for him, the children's antics grow increasingly cute and more random, and as a viewer you can't help but feel attached to every single character (at least thats how I felt). I don't want to drag this review on but this show is definitely worth a watch, I feel sorry for every single person who writes it off as a kodomo no jikan clone and doesn't give it the time of day (JUST WATCH THE FIRST EPISODE AND YOU'LL SEE WHAT I MEAN)!!! NOW GET WATCHING

I remember watching Hanamaru Kindergarten when it first came out, and while I liked it to an extent, I kind of forgot about it. I found it to be fun and cute, even if it never reached any highs for me. But I was bored one day and decided to rewatch it for the purposes of reviewing it, and...I'm honestly shocked at how much went over my head when I first watched this in high school. Yes, really. Anyway, the show is about a guy named Tsuchida who becomes a kindergarten teacher. On his way to his job, he comes across a little girl, Anzu, waiting for her mother, but Anzu thinks he's hitting on her. This isn't the case, obviously, but Tsuchida later finds out Anzu is the daughter of a girl he went to school with years ago. Anzu takes the whole flirting thing way too seriously and decides to become Tsuchida's wife...and her mother is totally okay with it for some dumb reason. And thus, the anime focuses on Anzu's day to day adventures with her friends and teachers. Did you know that Gainax worked on this series? Yeah, I bet you never expected Gainax of all companies, directed by the guy who worked on Gundam 00 and Fullmetal Alchemist, to make a light-hearted slice-of-life comedy series about cute kindergarteners and their teachers having fun every day. I mean, I'm all for trying out new things, but this was unexpected, and in a good way. The animation itself is okay, and I like how every ending theme has different styles, genres, and soundtracks, with some bordering on parody. I do think the soundtrack can be way too saccharine and treacly at times. My opinions on the characters are kind of mixed. Other than one character, the adult characters are pretty well written and nicely fleshed out. Tsuchida is pretty much your typical male anime lead, but he actually has a personality beyond just being a befuddled loser, actually has things he's good at, and his dynamic with the other adults allows his character to evolve rather than keep him as a stereotype. The other adults are great as well, and the series shows us why they decided to become teachers, their backgrounds, and their motivations, and they don't feel shallow at all. In that aspect, they actually trump the kid characters in the series...because let's face it, the kids in this show don't act like children. They're moeblob stereotypes shunted into toddler bodies, and they don't act like how four-year-olds typically act. For one, they talk way older than they should, are constantly harping about forbidden love, seem to understand concepts that no four-year-old should really know about, and while the fun role-playing and adventures they get into are entertaining to watch, Anzu in particular can really grate on your nerves. Also, why do the girls look like they're wearing oversized diapers? The kids aren't the only stereotypes in this, as Yamamoto, the female love interest, is basically a walking cliche amped up to eleven. I mean, how has this girl not sprouted wings and flown into heaven yet? Her whole character is that she's angelically nice and is such a ditz that she absolutely cannot figure out that guys are asking her out no matter how blatant they are about it. That cliche is overdone, and Yamamoto is the one dark spot among the adult cast, even though she does have her moments to shine here and there. But those aren't the only issues Hanamaru Kindergarten has. For one, its attempts at drama come across as really shallow, mainly because they rely on stock cliches that have been done to death and it doesn't try anything new with them. Hanamaru also seems like it wants to have romance between two of the main characters, but puts this brick wall between them and doesn't even bother to do anything more with it, even at the end. However, my biggest issue with the anime is this: Much like CardCaptor Sakura, Hanamaru Kindergarten has a pretty accepting view of age-gap romances, almost to the point of idealizing and romanticizing them, much more so than the former does. Anzu's mother dropped out of high school to marry her art teacher, and is pretty okay with her 4-year-old daughter chasing after her teacher, even encouraging it, and the show doesn't make the case that she's just humoring Anzu either. But they really shouldn't be encouraging Anzu's behavior towards her teacher. I know age-gap romances are more accepted in Japan, but in America, if stuff like that happened, the guys involved would be arrested, and I have no idea why Hanamaru Kindergarten is trying to make age-gap romances seem like a good thing when they really aren't. Of course, the series does succeed in being sufficiently entertaining, what with the show going buck wild with the kids' imaginations and showing off their crazy ideas, oftentimes using them for homages and parodies of Gainax's previous works. Hanamaru Kindergarten doesn't try to be anything more than what it is, and that's okay with me.

Remember Kindergarten Cop? Well Kindergarten teacher part aside, this isn't really like that at all... Tsuchida is a typical bumbling guy, he's awkward but somehow has a real knack with kids. He decides to become a kindergarten teacher and meets the daughter of his high school friend. Funny thing is, little Anzu-Chan takes QUITE the liking to our main guy Tsuchida. Surprise surprise, she's also one of his kindergarten students!! This show is a strange mix of slice of life comedy, and in a REALLY weird way, a romance love triangle as well. Tsuchida falls head over heels with another teacher at the school, but little Anzu-Chan doesn't like that scenario at all. The show is a mix of short 10-15 minute "episodes" within an actual episode of the show. While Anzu tries all she can do to win Tsuchi over (despite the glaring age gap), Tsuchi tries to keep from hurting her feelings all while trying to confess his love to Yamamoto. Hilarity ensues, and boy does it ever... Art is nice and I'd like to point out something I felt was very responsible of the animators. My sister pointed out that the padded-out clothes for the girls was a way to ward off crazed lolicons, something I found to be an excellent choice. Now the grown ladies are most ASSUREDLY where the fan service comes in, there were plenty of bouncing chests (ample ones at that) to go around. I'm glad there wasn't any focus on the little girls like that, but I do feel they tried to use a loophole. In several scenes Anzu will either imagine or talk about herself as an adult. We are now transported to scenes where she is a busty young woman and trying to win over Tsuchi who still looks the same. A little awkward since her voice really doesn't change and you get that sort of mental image like in Big with Tom Hanks, it's a child trapped in an adult's body. That part kind of irked me, but other than that everything was spot on. You have to check your ego at the door and admit that the kids are cute as hell in this show, they did a real good job making them lovable and adorable. You wanna just pick em up and give them a hug!! Watched the subbed version, which seemed good enough. Voice acting seemed fine and the music was pretty good as well. Not much to comment on, got a 9 since nothing musically REALLY stood out to me (it's not K-On!, ya know?). Character was a tough one to call...lot of them aren't very original characters, but you love them anyways. The kids (like Hiiragi) really saved the rating on this, because the adults tended to be what drug the show down. You liked the adults anyways, but the kiddos could honestly have run the show all by themselves. Comedic elements of blending the adults and kids was used well, it just got bland when it was the adults and nobody else. Archetypes are nothing foreign to SoL comedies, but a little deviation would have been nice. As I said, soooo glad the kids are as fun and animated as they are. This totally deserved the 10 on enjoyment, it's a romping good time and I can't overstate how heartwarming the show is. The Anzu obsession with Tsuchi borders on creepy sometimes, but her coming over to take care of him when he's sick and other episodes are really sweet, kinda wish that was the focus of it more than some of the creepy innuendos. It's a great show to just sit down and watch, I could see myself watching it over and over again much like Azumanga Daioh. Not the manliest show to admit liking, but come on, real men can enjoy a show full of cute kids and still feel like a man. A really cute show that's funny and easy to sit down and enjoy. If cutesy stuff isn't your thing, you probably want to skip this. Not a lot of super deep storylines or action sequences, it's meant to be enjoyed like an Atari game. You don't need to invest a lot of time to sit down and have fun with it, and you can pick it back up again at any time. I think they toed the line with some of the Anzu grown up scenes, but for the most part they seemed to do well "protecting" the kids in this, nothing really uncomfortable comes up. It's also refreshing to see a story like this, a guy who feels he's a loser but his kiddos think the world of him. If you're a person who has kids, nieces/nephews, or little sibs this will be a nice thing to watch. If it's not your thing, I'm sure you can find an episode of OnePiece to watch ;)

Kawaii-ness : 10 / 10 - My goodness, sugoku kawaii. comedy : 9 / 10 Romance : 6.5 / 10 - Little disappointing. Overall enjoyment : 8 / 10 In all honesty I started watching this because it just caught my eyes, but it turned out to be a lot of interesting than I thought. One thing hell of for sure that it's freakin' cute af. If you like cute stuff then this anime is definitely for you. Lastly comedy was amazing also, funny and hooking. Mixing a lot of dead inside- oh dear moments. Character for one I must say it was good, but could be much more improved. For all it is, I rate this overall 8 / 10, but to be expected it's not romance genre, so I can't really be that disappointed for it, but then why put it there in the first place?

Certainly an anime I was trying to come back to again and again, I finally decided to watch it when I forgot that it was in my to-do list. Also, this review does contain spoilers, as I was unable to elaborate on it properly without including them. But, it is an anime about little kids, so there is not much story involved anyway. Obviously, everybody is going to mention Kodomo no Jikan because it is more popular, but I did not think this anime was creepy. If anything, the only creepy part about it was how much intelligence Anzu had for age. It was understandable for the child prodigy, Hiiragi, but it made no sense for Anzu to understand most things adult. Oh, and maybe the fact that Anzu was the only one to share a passionate kiss with "Tsuchi" as he is called by both Anzu and Sakura, that brought back heavy memories of Kodomo no Jikan. That, and how similar he looks to Daisuke. Still, I just want to make things clear right now before you walk away from the anime and think it's about pedophilia. Yes, it is true that she is the only one to kiss him and yes, it was passionate. However, this was in a dream sequence where she was as old as he was. It did take place throughout the entire segment, though. It is also the only time that you see Hiiragi's eyes, too. So, take that in if you always wanted to know what they look like. One last thing I want to note about that segment is that I actually enjoyed that kiss, cause I honestly hate a romance anime that ends on a note where nothing happens whatsoever and, even if it was in an alternate realm, it was nice to see Anzu end up with Naozumi and for any romance to have any sort of ending. I hate watching an anime that is quite obviously a "romance," but ends on a very bland note where they are "better friends" or "something will happen eventually." They are just tedious at most and I have seen it too much to enjoy it anymore. At least, the ending part. Most of the buildups in them, alongside the comedy and drama that unfolds between them, is still enjoyable to me. Anyway, back to the anime. I thought it was ADORABLE. I do not care that Anzu was so mature for her age that her love for Naozumi could pass off as gerontophilic, those children were way too adorable and it was so nice to see an anime that is about those little characters. They are not even chibi, but actual children and they are just so adorable. I will be honest and admit that this bias aided its review score, but I do like it for more reasons. The romances, adult ones, were handled with care and very well written. I also enjoyed the very small teen romance between Hanamaru (funny how he is not a main character, despite his name being in the title of the anime) and Mayumi, despite how short it was. It still had a segment dedicated to it, which was nice. Oh, and I can not stress enough how sad it is at how little screen time Koume got. She is, by far, my favorite character in the entire anime. With very realistic mannerisms akin to a real child, innocence and a performance by Mako that is the most convincing Japanese child I have ever heard in an anime, up to the point where I almost believed a real Japanese child voiced her, she is for sure the most realistic child in the anime. And yet, she had so little screen time, but still had a few segments dedicated to her, which was very nice. Her brother was also a great character due to the unusual twist of him actually being very fond of his little sister, as opposed to having a disliking towards her like most anime brothers have with their sisters. Especially the race episode, which was indeed a big highlight. But, at the end of the day, the vast majority of the anime is pretty calm and there is not much else to talk about after I bring up the characters. There is no concrete plot and it simple follows the everyday life of kindergarten teachers. What more can I really say? It was still very enjoyable. Still, as you may have noticed when reading other reviews, the anime certainly hides a very peculiar plotline underneath all its innocence. As I first brought up, Anzu is quite obviously gerontophilic and I was meaning to save her as the last character I talk about because of the fact that she may be deserving of more time than the others. It is quite strange that, for an anime about kindergarten students, that one of them has a real obsession with their teacher. It honestly came out of the blue, too. I thought she was just a bystander that Naozumi greeted and would only see once, until I completely remembered that when I first saw a brief part of the opening (courtesy of a funny collab of the opening with a random rap song), she was in there. Though admittedly, I remembered this after she was clearly acknowledged to be the main character, so I am no grade A Sherlock here. It was also strange how her mom, Sakura, was encouraging her to go to him a lot (wondering if she meant it jokingly or for real, given her situation), even letting her walk a VERY long way to his apartment in one of the episodes (and yes, Naozumi himself confirmed that Sakura's own apartment was very far away from his) multiple times. And I am aware that Anzu walked, given Sakura was too busy with her work to do anything, let alone give her a ride. Then again, with Anzu having the intelligence that she has, it wouldn't surprise me that she could walk there by herself. Speaking of Sakura, yes I know I am bringing up another character after I said Anzu was the last, but I would like to elaborate on what I said in the parenthesis about her "situation." You see, Sakura married her teacher in high school, whom was noticeably older than her. And this leaves me to wonder if she wanted to test Anzu and see if she would love Naozumi until the day where she approached the legal age of consent (which, in Japan, is not very far away after all) to give herself to him for real. It would be sweet, but then it would just be a rehash of Sakura's own love story. So, overall, that is about all that I have to say about the anime. Very simple plot, VERY cute characters (honestly, I do not think any other anime will beat them in cuteness for a while) and I would definitely watch it again at some point. Only giving it a lower rating because it has so little episodes. I demand more episodes of this adorableness, or at least a few OVA specials. Can not recommend this one enough if you are a fan of cute characters. Oh, and yeah, the story is fine, too. A tad bit on the weird side, but nothing as controversial as Kodomo no Jikan was. Which, speaking of, still did very well. That anime was very good, too. I was expecting it to be worse. But, anyway, give it a go when you have the time.

I don't usually review the stuff I watch, as it's older things people have already seen. But I felt the need to review this one. I have seen a gif from this Anime so many times online and had to search for it until I found it. I originally thought it was just going to be a basic cutesy slice of life and didn't expect to really get as interested in it as I did. I liked it for the cutesy way the artists drew the kids and how the characters all conveyed emotion. It felt like something natural instead of forced. There are so many moments in the series where Tsucchi makes an embarrassment of himself or like with the children's' crushes, the things they say or the way they perceive things, they seem like natural everyday things. We're told a few different stories, but it's not so confusing that we don't understand what's going on and they all tie together. Throughout the series, you're waiting for the episode for the guy to get the girl as well as being taught that looks can be deceiving. My only complaint is it feels like I was left hanging at the end. An extra episode or two would have been nice.

This is probably what you'd call a "diabetes" anime. Overall it's just a slice of life, so you can't expect some crazy story or plots, but it's pretty consistent at fulfilling its purpose of being a chill anime. Genuinely funny at times, but I wouldn't necessasrily label it as comedy, it's more on the "silly" side rather than funny which makes sense as it's a childcare anime afterall. There's a recurring joke that Anzu, a girl in the kindergarten, has a crush on Tsuchi. It's not uncomfortable or anything, but it's a bit annoying and repetitive, it's one of the main themes of the shows, it's recurring in every episode. Sometimes the show tries to be a bit more than it is with the slightly annoying romance plot between Tsuchi and another kindergarten teacher. Maybe this tiny bit of spice was needed to make sure it's not completely bland, but the amount of screentime it took up falls short in comparison to how little it adds to the show. It's the same old jokes, their relationship doesn't really change throughout the show, it's just another angle on the "Tsuchi punching bag". If you're looking for a light, heartwarming and occasionally funny slice of life anime, it's really good.

Considering how I left this review on hold for way too long, I will make this short. Hanamaru Kindergarten follows a trio of kids and the main sensei in their time of school life, a time of which can be described as the early stages of life. The narrative is fairly simple, but it doesn't embrace the simplicity, it only shows it, which is what a lot of anime like so will do. Considering how this is also episodic, you could have said it missed the chance but really, it was fine as it is. Another thing to point out is how the events here aren't just forgotten as it moves on to the next short in play, everything seems to have some resonance somewhere down the line, which is nice to see as it makes for some nice little progressions for now and then to look back on. As for characters, they are one-dimensional, yes, but by no means bad, if anything, look at it as a way of praise, they aren't overly deep or complex for the sake of it, it's a simple story after all. They are a bit quirky but aren't anything different from regular tropes. I think the only thing I can say that is good about them is that they have some background that doesn't seem half-assed. Not exactly amazing, but enough to satisfy, hell, I still remember a few to this day. As for audiovisuals, the designs are pretty damn crazy for an anime like this. Those body proportions are something else and might have some getting used to. Other than that, fluid animation, sometimes wacky, and backgrounds are fine, for its time it is pretty good. Audio is fine as well, I don't think there was anything of groundbreaking quality. It had a wider variety of endings, something that I think does well depending on who you are, I came out remembering none but that is just me. On that note, OP is pretty good. Even when I randomly left this on hold for the longest minute for no real reason, I enjoyed this. I would say that this is for everyone looking for a somewhat cute and funny series that isn't too much to get from. I must also say that if you find the relationship presentations weird, you should stay away, you know who you are. Other than that, I don't really know any way someone could hate this, it is pretty inoffensive honestly. I would recommend this for sure, it is not really a hidden gem, but it is one of those titles that you don't hear every so often that seems to do as good of a job at giving what other similar anime do. So I would take this to pass the time with, only, you are enjoying what is on the screen, rather than just letting time pass like that. Overall - 6.2 (6) (Click "Overall Rating" for score breakdown) Imagine being 3 months late for a review. I should seriously stop leaving stuff on hold for so long goddamn. Ok bye.

When you were a child your perspective of the world and the things in it were very limited, as was your understanding of complex concepts like the feelings and thoughts of those around you. Hanamaru Youchien takes this idea of the mind of a child and builds on it through the story of a guy that just started his kindergarten teaching career with his old high school crush's daughter in his class, that begins to develop a crush on him. Getting jealous when she discovers his crush on another teacher. It's a fairly innocent idea, as a lot of children develop crushes on their teachers. This idea is dramatized and exaggerated from the child's perspective to make the show more amusing. There isn't much of a story outside of the character's histories and the many attempts the child makes to convince her teacher that they are getting married, while he tries to confess his feelings to his overly dense coworker. Sound is fine but characters voices and the music in some scenes gets annoying after a while. I did like that they went the extra mile with the EDs and had some variety throughout. The characters are all pretty plain and one dimensional. It's a super idealized take on people but I wasn't expecting complex motives and character arcs from an anime about a 5 year old and her kindergarten teacher. It's a pretty fun show if you want to just sit back and watch something for a while, there are some touching moments too but those are few and far between.

Summary of Hanamaru Youchien or Hanamaru Kindergarten in english is about a young teacher who's the first male teacher at his first teaching job at Hanamaru Kindergarten. There while teaching the kids and growing himself, Tsuchida or Tsucchi will try to court or attract the attention of Yamamoto sensei who's really clueless about hints while being all the while chased by Anzu(blonde and brunette haired little kid) whose being helped by Hiiragi (blue haired girl called Hii by others) and Koume (Brunette and shy girl) as well as her mother Sakura, who turned out to be a senpai of said Tsucchi. My thoughts on this one: A cute anime which can bring a smile to almost anyone(almost because it might not appeal to some) and really wholesome. No dramas or the sorts, just a really slow but good slice of life. You might be disappointed by the ending but it leaves you wanting for more which is what the animators might have wanted in order to make you go look for the original material. This anime is more for relaxing purposes for adults as well as children. Basically if you're looking for an anime which you can watch with your family, Hanamaru Youchien is a good choice though I'm sure it won't be the first one to pop up in your mind since it isnt as much popular as in the ranks of Naruto or Bleach or One piece but if you're looking for something when you've already watched other animes, then I would recommend this one

Hanamaru Youchien, a kindergarten related series and hahaha seriouly this is just off, way off what I expected it to be and here's what I think about this series Story : Here, when you actually think about kindergarten, of course kids but here I am awed with super adorable kids who actually really innocent and pure all the time. Like how a daughter looks and acts like her mother and now Tsucchi reaps what he sow in good and adorable way. I never expected that this series got me glued until I finish this like just two nights straight without stopping. From the kids in the kindergarten, it mellows my heart, I can't believe how many times I got diabetes from their cuteness hahaha and just how insanely not logic how kids already know about love and mature and even genius, being just a kid. But still, it gave me a good laugh and a good awe for the cuteness. It sucks a little bit because the ending still quite redundant I'd say but it's still great. Art : Art? it's great, it even mellows the stress of a day out of working if you are watching this as an adult hahaha Sound : Maybe cute is the right one for this one. It fits every character perfectly. Character : Also the same, cute and sometimes, even if new characters just popped in, you won't even notice it was there all along haha. Enjoyment : I enjoy this very much. As much as I would love seeing cute characters doing fun and cute things all the time. It mellows my heart so much I don't even realize I finished watching hahaha. For those of you would like to have a change of pace when it comes to these kinds of genre, I recommend this as a pace-changer. This could be quite a good start so that you can see that these kinds of genre is actually great and heartwarming. Well, for Hanamaru Youchien right here, get prepared to be awed for their super adorable and cuteness hahahaa.