Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou: Quiet Country Cafe

Skip these, definitely watch the first OVA set. The second set of YKK OVAs is significantly not as good as the first. Main reason: the dystopian elements of the world were absent. Here's this beautiful, water-covered world, and they mostly only show parts that may as well be current-day Japan. The art is just bog-standard and sub-par. There's nothing you haven't seen 100 times before and drawn better elsewhere. Also, there's the lingering ass shots. They even introduce Misago in the second half of the second of two OVAs, just so the show can have some boobs. She has no lines, interacts with no-one, and the only acknowledgement of her existence is a random line from other characters. I don't know whose idea it was to frame so many shots as potential fanservice, but they fundamentally didn't understand what YKK was about.

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou: Quiet Country Cafe (or just Quiet Country Cafe) is a sequel to Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou and an OVA adaptation of the manga of the same name. Having been made four years later, in 2002, and by a different studio (SME Animation Works, which would later become Aniplex), there are quite a few noticeable differences between the two OVAs as well as from the original manga source material. Story: 9 (Great) The story doesn't necessarily pick up from the previous OVA, and can stand alone on its own without having watched the other OVA before hand. Alpha Hatusueno is a very human-like robot in the form of a young woman, who has befriended Kokone, another female robot much like her. Alpha runs a cafe on the outskirts of a Yokohama devastated by rising water levels as she waits for the return of her never-see owner; however, a strong typhoon approaches, and threatens to wipe the cafe off the map. Her human friend Ojisan comes to "rescue" her and wish her away to his gas station which can weather the storm better, but Alpha is still left to worry about the future of the cafe and of herself. After the typhoon, Alpha decides that it's time to leave Yokohama and explore what the world beyond has to offer. In her absence, some of her friends will move on and explore the world in their own ways, while others will not be so willing to let go and explore Alpha's world in her absence. The first episode corresponds to Chapter 62 Typhoon and Chapter 63 My Place in the manga, while the second episode is a massive condensation of what some fans like to refer to as the Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou (or Yokohama Shopping Log) arc, comprising the next 15 chapters, with more focus being given on some chapters than other (some chapters are compressed to just a few seconds). The second OVA also adds details not present in the manga - for example, focus is added to Kokone's relationship with Alpha, arguably changing the nature of that relationship in the process. The OVA also seems to suppose that the Misago is an Alpha-type robot, a notion Ayase shot down in the manga, plays up some of the dynamics between Takahiro and Makki (a welcome change) and other subtle changes YKK fans might be able to catch. The remaining things the OVA changes from the manga in regards to story are generally done very well. Through the dynamic subtleties and nuances added through animation, the characters and story flow are able to expand and show additional depth. Though the story does suffer from the massive compression, like the OVA before it brings to life the story of Alpha's journey. Speaking of which, Alpha's journey is given subtle yet significant changes as well. The manga presented it mostly as an exploration of Alpha's world through her eyes, but the OVA's presentation is set up more for exploring Alpha herself with her world as a backdrop (perhaps to compensate for the compressed time in which to characterize her). Personally, I actually like the OVA's presentation better in this regard, since Alpha herself is one of the reasons why I was drawn to the manga in the first place and why I find it so endearing. Also, +1, yay, overtly lesbian Kokone ;) Also, boo, -1 for seeing Alpha using the restroom :p Fun fact: Persimmons never grow to be that size, which, at best, are only able to grow to about the size of a grapefruit and are normally the size of tomatoes. YKK fans who have read chapters taking place after this would probably consider it an interesting clue as to some of the events responsible for Yokohama's devastation in the unseen past. Art: 9 (Great) In my opinion, the art doesn't quite match up with the manga and is even a slight retrograde from the previous OVA (despite being done four years later and by the predecessor of Aniplex, who would later be attached to such groundbreaking projects and personal favorites as FullMetal Alchemist and my favorite anime of all, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. The character designs are especially noticeable; don't get me wrong, they're still great, but somehow they strike me as being more "generic" compared to the manga. Not to mention, once again, for some reason, the colors still seemed washed out. The scenery and backgrounds do get some improvement and benefit from the digital art technology that was becoming more in-vogue and mainstream in 2002. It really is something to see these locales come to life, to the delight of any YKK fan. Sound: 10 (Outstanding) The sound is pretty much unchanged from the first OVA, including the soothing, calm gekkin music. We're also treated to a new ED song, Furawura, Furawura (Wandering, Wandering which is just an amazing musical piece, and definitely worth sticking around for (not to mention the story continues after the ED, and even incorporates the ED into the storytelling). It is a rather saccharine scene to watch Alpha review her memories as the song plays. Character: 9 (Great) The characterization is overall great, and overall benefits from the transition to animation as with the previous OVA, but at the same time this OVA takes liberties to change perhaps the one key relationship in the entire manga. Particularly, the OVA goes out of its way to change the nature of Kokone and her relationship with Alpha; in the manga, for example, the relationship is presented in a rather neutral manner, allowing the readers to make up their minds on their own and fill in the details. There's an in-joke within the YKK fanbase that Kokone is a raging lesbian who has a hard-on obsession stalking Alpha, but for the most part their relationship is just presented as being on some level above a regular friendship. This OVA, on the other hand, takes the "raging lesbian" in-joke perhaps a little too seriously for some YKK fans to swallow - Kokone goes so far as to fondle sleeping Alpha's breasts in the opening of the first episode, and in the second episode appears to be having a little too much fun and anxiety (and perhaps even obsession) being in Alpha's room. Alpha, on the other hand, is treated with more respect, and we gain a true sense of intimacy with the character (the good kind, for us, not the kind Kokone apparently wants). The viewers really do begin to feel what kind of person Alpha is, what brings excitement to her life, what her hopes and anxieties are, and some of the loneliness and nostalgia she begins to feel as she decides its finally time to head home. Once again, the animation, for the most part, uses the new medium to its advantage to add and intensify the characters through movement and voice. Enjoyment: 10 (Outstanding) Quiet Country Cafe isn't perfect; it isn't a perfect transition to animation and it's not even quite as good as its predecessor, but we're still treated to more of what many YKK fans have been wanting since the end of the manga: more of Alpha and getting to know her rich character in greater depth. Whether or not you'll enjoy the somewhat re-imagined characterization of Kokone or the attempt to compress 15 chapters into 30 minutes, you'll still come away with a great feeling of warmth and satisfaction from what this OVA has to deliver. Final score for Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou: Quiet Country Cafe: 9: Great

Compared to the OVA prequel this OVA has more to give the viewer. Absolutely stunning environments and great character movements almost brings it alive in front of me, and somehow I wish that I was able to jump into the screen and just be lying there on the grassfield and watch up on the blue sky, counting the white clouds that move by. Just like the prequel, this is just the right anime to watch when you want to relax and get the pulse down. Accompanied with a hot cup of coffée you are definitely on the right track!

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this after watching the first one. The animation in this outdid the other. The backgrounds were absolutely gorgeous; the swaying of grass, the smooth water, trickling waterfalls were all animated beautifully. The characters were nicely rendered as well. Like the OVA prior, it is again completely relaxing and pleasing to the eye. Nothing much happens as well, except for through the everyday life of Alpha a typhoon hits and she decided to move out of the comfort of her abode and explores more of the world. Now after watching this I want to go read some more of the manga. Even though I find the manga bit better, now I see that such a nice feeling doesn’t come off as well from paper and ink. The animation is just too beautiful in this… it’s certainly Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou’s best aspect. The sound is nice, too. I like the background music especially. It reminds me of a barbeque... don't ask me why.. maybe it's because it reminds me of music we'd play on the records when we'd have a barbeque. (That makes me sound old but actually I'm still of adolescence XD). I think I still like the old OVA better. The second one’s animation is much better, but I like the way the characters come off as in the first, and what happens, for some reason. Not so sure why myself. Anyway, if you want something nice to watch, if you’ve had it with violent shows, or you just had a bad day and need some relaxing time, this is the anime to see.

One of the things that makes Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou a beautiful piece of work is how Hitoshi Ashinano meticulously draws the minimalistic lines that visualize a post-apocalyptic world slowly coming to a silent state of peace. Despite how effortless it may look with the natural flow of curvy lines his pen traces, you could very well see the thought put into every bit of detail within a single panel or illustration. The second OVA, Quiet Country Cafe, may not have consideration of how important these factors are into exhibiting the transient effect of the manga, and the end result is something that falls below average than what the source material has much to offer. Being two episodes adapting several chapters from the manga, it aims to have a theme about Alpha temporarily leaving the cafe after it being swept up by a large typhoon, albeit the other chapters that were adapted doesn’t really bear any connection to this beginning-and-end motif. The Misago even appears briefly with regards to a segment adapting Takahiro’s perspective, yet with no relevance whatsoever. In this mishmash of random chapters being adapted it sadly takes away the fact that no matter how slow or lacking in story YKK is, it has a clear direction with each chapter meant to complement the other, yet standalone in its own right. It may have to do with this OVA consisting of simply 2 episodes, but the previous OVA also had the same amount but is structured and executed better according to its themes—a presentation of what Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou is. Quiet Country Cafe lacks none of these, making up a messy, out-of-context set of stories. With a watercolor palette, the background art of Quiet Country Cafe is remarkable, blending well with the relaxing atmosphere accompanied by the Choro Club’s very playful pieces. The distinctiveness of the music plus the softly-colored set pieces within this OVA may as well be an unforgettable combination of audiovisual stimulation...if not for the lacking animation direction and jarring character models. Ashinano’s character designs, specifically his female protagonists definitely live by curvy—from the body to the face to the eyes—but the OVA takes it too far. Alpha looks like a blob, with neon green hair that is not even remotely close to her manga shade of green. In addition, the animation goes for some sneaky fanservice shots here and there, which would be fine in a normal anime, but this is supposed to be Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou—a work void with these elements. It takes away the wistfulness of the passage of time and distracts you with primal instincts. I do not discredit fanservice, but there are times when something needs to be put in its place, and it absolutely does not belong here. The true saving grace of this OVA lies in its soundtrack—as mentioned, with the Choro Club’s anime debut, their rendition of Cafe Alpha and several entries to mix along with the environment establishes the atmospheric mood it’s aiming for. It may be arguable on which of the two soundtracks between the first and second OVA stands out, but it’s undeniable how both have contributed to the simple and laid-back feel in the animation. As for personal preference, Choro Club’s depiction of Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou sounds a bit too similar to their work in the Aria series, which is why comparisons between two iyashikei works abound more. Another thing worth praising about Quiet Country Cafe is Hekiru Shiina’s reprisal of Alpha, which I believe did a fantastic job of portraying her—cheerful, yet also composed. Much of the voice cast did their characters some justice, although not to the same level Shiina has managed to justify Alpha. Quiet Country Cafe may not be a wholesome successor to the first OVA, but in its portrayal of what composes the source material is remarkable. There may not be much to gain from this series in terms of technical and artistic prowess, but if you love the manga, it is more than enough reason to give it a try.

Don't get me wrong, I love YKK. I've read the manga, and I'd give it a 10 any day (this may be a sort of bias). I also liked the first set of OVAs, but haven't watched recently enough to say much about them. I immediately noticed that the animation in this set seemed more crisp, and was optimistic. I didn't remember the specific sequence of alpha and kokone riding their bikes from the manga, and was put off when kokone grabbed alphas boob(?). The pacing was ridiculously slow. The still shots and pans of nature, while pretty, made me feel like I was watching a manga. I'm not inherently opposed to a lack of dialogue, but the silence wasn't really used to do anything. A short chapter or two from the manga were stretched out to fit the form of a thirty minute OVA, and it really showed. The lack of source material was compensated for with several original shots, many of which focus on Alpha's figure. I get the notion that (although I have no knowledge of the original OST's commercial success) the studio saw a seemingly dull, conflictless OVA sell, and assumed that it sold because of its characters sex appeal. I've heard some people complain about the music, but I like it for the most part. There is a certain scene when a song playing from the radio seems too loud, and it took me out of the experience. This certainly wasn't horrible, and I wouldn't say it was a waste of time to watch. It is still calming and easy on the ears. The second episode is definitely less slow than the first. I would strongly recommend reading the manga before watching these.

Oh boy, there's a lot to talk about here. Quiet Country Cafe is the successor to the previous OVA, YKK. It continues the little story YKK began, and reintroduces us to familiar faces and new places. However, despite YKK being a masterpiece, QCC absolutely did not live up to its previous OVA. First of all, the animation and art isn't the best. It might be good or better than average, I don't know, but compared to YKK, it's pretty much a downgrade in every way possible. Here, the characters, especially Alpha, are extremely rounded and simplistic, almost appearing childish in their design. The animation is pretty good when it comes to animating the characters themselves. However, it decides to completely stop animating the little plants & leaves that YKK used to do, making the world feel as basic as modern anime do. (However, do keep in mind that this OVA was made right at the beginning of the big switch from hand-drawn animation to modern computer animation, and obviously learning a new medium of art will trip some people up. So it may not be right for me to insult the art & animation, but whatever) Second of all, the fanservice. YKK had next to none, part of what made it so amazing. However, now, for whatever reason, they decide to add a bunch of less-than-sneaky camera shots in places that are definitely not necessary. They even add Misago, a full-on naked woman for no reason other than to appeal to the gooners of the world. The only thing Misago ever does is stare at the characters, leave, then have the characters mention her name and bring up the nudity. That's it. All it seemed to be was a quick way to give the animators boners. Usually I'm fine with fanservice, but it just feels wrong having it in this OVA, I don't know how to describe it. Of course, the story and characters are still pretty lacking. Still a very patient anime made to make you appreciate the finer details, so if you're expecting action & fast pacing then I recommend not watching. By itself, Quiet Country Cafe is a mid OVA. When compared to YKK, it's even worse. If you've watched YKK, skip this one, as it's not all that important to watch. However, if you have an hour to waste and don't mind jumping into the middle of what little story YKK has to offer, then go for it, I guess.

Quick take: Purely slice-of-life, the second set of OVAs continue to explore the concept of learning to find the beauty in everything around you and learning to understand what it means to live. Whereas I felt sad most of the time in the first set of OVAs, I felt much more “at peace” and optimistic about YKK:QCC. We see that Alpha has moved on in search of experiences and her personality and emotions grow. It seems that in order to make this move and discover life, she needed a push. Through this transformation and symbolic destruction of her previous life, we experience new emotions with her; worry, fear and optimism. I still enjoyed the art, much like I did in YKK. It felt like an 80’s anime much of the time, despite being released in the early 00’s. I was given some satisfaction from slight use of richer colors compared to YKK, but would've liked to see more. Sadly, YKK:QCC seems to have abandoned the world detail and lighting that made YKK so unique. The art is overall slightly worse, andtwith the loss of the detail and lighting, I can’t rate it as high as the first part. Sound is great throughout the OVAs. Acting is well done (Japanese) and the music branches out into bossa nova and some classical while still retaining smooth jazz. In my opinion the music remains a perfect compliment for this slice-of-life show. The music was much more plentiful and enjoyable compared to the first OVAs and I will likely be adding some to my relaxing playlist on Spotify. In my review of YKK, I talked about my concept of “surface characters.” This idea carries along to many of the characters again. In reality, this remains something that is not bothersome as the story really revolves around Alpha learning the meaning of life. Speaking of which, her growth is much more apparent and enjoyable in the second part, making the second set of OVAs more agreeable. Although the storyline continues to move slowly, it doesn’t feel nearly as slow as YKK due to this aspect. So why did I get more enjoyment out of YKK:QCC versus the original, YKK? I’m sure partially because I was a little more prepared with what to expect going in. More than that however, is that the use of additional music and a more complete feeling of growth in Alpha makes the second part more tolerable. The situations are much more interesting and even the minute long scenes of her enjoying a moment feel more relaxing to watch. So would I recommend this anime? Yes, still with, but slightly less, reservations than YKK. You’re treated to better relaxing music. Well drawn scenes are still present, although not as good or detailed as the first two OVAs. The storyline moves a bit faster, making it more tolerable and the story feels much more optimistic about the future. Most of this makes YKK:QCC slightly better than the first part in my opinion and worth a watch if you're looking for a slice-of-life anime.

(Review originally from Letterboxd) From the director of the criminally underrated coming-of-age nostalgia piece Ocean Waves comes a full-on animated tone poem about a young woman living a quiet life in a quasi-post-apocalypse. To say that Quiet Country Cafe is understated would be itself an understatement. The dialogue is sparse, the story can be summarized in two sentences, and the worldbuilding is so vague that the sci-fi elements could be completely missed if not for one specific scene. It's all about the mood, and it works marvelously at evoking that tranquil feeling, warm yet tinged with an inner core of sadness. Exploring the world, hearing the wonderful soundtrack play out, watching protagonist Alpha see new things and figure out what she wants with her life... it's nothing new or revelatory, but it still left lingering feelings of-- something-- inside me long after the credits rolled (with a lovely ending theme song too). Unfortunately, the entire production is marred by the major factor that the animation budget is just too small, and the story is cut a little bit short for what it seemed to be aiming for. It's a two-episode OVA, so even with the ending theme songs added in, it's barely seventy minutes in total, just over the edge to be a feature film. It felt like it really wanted to go further, and I imagine there is probably a manga version of this story that goes on much further anyway. I didn't want it to end! And, sadly, because of the budgetary limitations, a lot of the beauty isn't that well-captured; the animation just isn't good enough to compensate for the scope. Also, it's mostly in the first half of the first episode, but there's a lot of creepy pervy camera angles and pans that made me uncomfortable; they were completely out of place and really detracted from the tone poem feeling of the rest of the movie. Please don't do this, animation directors. If you like quiet, country, and coffee, look no further than this movie here. It's short and beautiful even if it doesn't reach the fullest of its potential. Honestly, I'd like to see this remade somehow, either in a feature film adaptation or a live-action adaptation from Korea/Taiwan or from an indie director in the U.S., or maybe even a video game? It's definitely the kind of story that would translate very well to other mediums and other styles of storytelling.

The second pair of YKK OVAs feels quite different, and worse. There's an attempt to emulate the meditative qualities of the first, but the sort of chibi-fied character designs and flat coloring feel like artistic sacrifices made for the sense of "more" animation, and this ends up not being the case at all, so... what happened there. The soundtrack and background paintings have also taken noticeable hits, even if the original OVA wasn't always a looker it had a sense of atmosphere. Here there's a lot of surprisingly uninteresting scenes which fail to take advance of YKK's unique setting and instead seem to be going for a "comfy small-town show" vibe. There are also some attempts to inject titillation into the story, which seem really misguided.