Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’re checking out a fresh new production, as we screen the first episode of the currently ongoing Kamiina Botan, or in full adapted parlance “Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk.” The show follows a university student who is apparently introduced to the joys of drunken revelry when she moves to a new dorm, and befriends her alcohol enthusiast dorm leader Ibuki Tonami.
That’s not really much to go off! By premise and tags alone, it seems like we’re in for either college-oriented iyashikei or yuri romcom, with both director Takashi Sakuma and composer Yōko Yonaiyama possessing sturdy but relatively unexceptional credentials. Things get a bit more intriguing when we run down to the animation department, which appears stuffed with strong new-gen animators who’ve lent their talents to all sorts of acclaimed productions. That all seems like a fine combo to me, so let’s see what’s in store for us with Kamiina Botan!
Episode 1
We open on a scene of families wandering among fields of vibrant flowers, all enjoying the apparent bright spring day. Quite lovely backgrounds here, conveyed in soft watercolors with irregular linework that gives the whole scene a gentle, handcrafted tone
We then jump right to our first-year protagonist Kamiina, who is called over by her fellow dormmates. The pastel colors and character designs give me a sort of Encouragement of Climb feel, which is a strong reference point for these sorts of shows
The camera avoids Kamiina’s eyes, which creates a sense that she’s actually sort of hiding, and not yet sure of her place within this group
Generally excellent animation so far; there’s a nice bounce to Kamiina’s hair as she runs, and the mid-distance shots maintain a strong clarity of body language
We’re then introduced to our RA, who’s ordering a whiskey highball at the adjacent food stalls, and reflecting on how she always drinks alone. She’s actually a dead ringer for Encouragement of Climb’s Aoi
Her thoughts are self-deprecating and lonely; she imagines herself incapable of change, and also unable to appreciate all the natural beauty around her
Classic slice of life opening beat as Kamiina intrudes on her sanctuary, immediately expressing her enthusiasm for Ibuki’s private passion. Essentially the same dynamic as something like Laid-Back Camp, with our solitary drinker having her world invaded by some kind of enthusiastic Pink Thing
Wow, this OP is truly exceptional. It’s essentially framed as a series of incidental home videos filmed by the members of the dorm, catching random moments in their daily lives. The use of soft and racking focus, the play of light across the compositions, the accidental Dutch angles and unsteadiness of the frame – every possible mechanical tool is at play ensuring this feels like a genuine set of nostalgic half-taped memories, with even the largely everyday, undramatized subject matter of each cut emphasizing the intimate, unscripted nature of these moments
Really impressive simulation of an amateur handheld take in this movement-out-of-depth cut, with the shaking of the frame clearly evoking the footsteps of whoever’s holding the camera
Yeah, apparently this OP was boarded by China, a modern animation ace who’s worked on a bevy of exceptional recent productions
Kamiina mentions Ibuki’s hiccups, which apparently stirs some traumatic memories of previously being ostracized for her behavior while drinking. Jeez, if your friends are getting on your case for hiccupping, you need some better friends
“Did I really make it look that good?” Quite a goofy play on slice of life convention, with the “you really come alive when you engage with activity” beat applied to drinking rather than camping or music or board games
Thus Kamiina takes a generous sip of the highball herself, assuring Ibuki that everyone hiccups before getting right back to the glass
“You’re really cute.” Uh oh. Well, I think we’ve found out what kind of drunk Kamiina is. And now I get the pun of the title – Kamiina “fully blossoms” into a yuri lily. I suppose all that flower imagery should have given the game away
“Seriously? Are you drunk already?” Sorta funny that even in the drinking-focused anime, characters still get Anime Drunk (one sip and you’re swooning)
“That’s how everyone greets each other in college.” This self-consciousness about what it means to be a college student feels well-observed; when uncertain of our personal growth, we search for external signifiers that prove we’ve really matured. That said, outside of the drinking, I’ve yet to really be convinced these characters are acting their age
Solid banter between the two, and Kamiina’s mess of a room also feels like a well-chosen detail. It’s easy to lapse into bad habits when you’re living on your own for the first time, much like how a 9 AM college class somehow feels far more intolerable than waking up for high school every day
Ibuki suggests they trade out the tea for some wine. I can’t say my own college experience was defined by day drinking and making out with my dormmates, but it seems like a rewarding approach
“Sure has been a while since I’ve clinked glasses with anyone.” Quite the awkward euphemism
“This is good. I expected wine to be less approachable!” It generally is more of an acquired taste, though the most accommodating wines aren’t too far off from particularly tart apple juice
“I’d love to make that tongue of yours mine.” GodDAMNIT Kamiina. She’s theoretically referencing Ibuki’s more refined palette, but that is the furthest possible thing from a neutral phrasing of that intent
“Kamiina-san, you act pretty differently when you drink.” I’d definitely appreciate more of a contrast, or perhaps some subject other than Ibuki with which to gauge her varying personalities. Right now the main contrast in her modes seems to be “Kamiina is into Ibuki” versus “Kamiina is very aggressively into Ibuki”
I suppose that’s a natural problem of having drinking be this slice of life’s chosen activity – drinking lowers inhibitions, but otherwise isn’t necessarily the most useful activity for exploring various facets of someone’s personality
“Botan Kamiina acts a little weird when she gets drunk. Or maybe everyone does, and I just don’t know it.” Yep, different people can handle inebriation in very different ways. Kamiina clearly falls on the boisterous, touchy-feely side of lowered inhibitions, while Ibuki seems to be the kind who sinks into herself, and becomes a quiet observer of others’ social dynamics
“Drinking with others is full of new discoveries.” To an extent. Unsurprising that she’d feel this way in college, but I feel like more generally, drunk people tend to act more predictably. And while the lowering of inhibitions is handy for an icebreaker, once you come to know someone, their inebriated self will probably not surprise you
We are then introduced to Gujo, another student at their dorm
She’s in a masters program, apparently something programming-related
Meanwhile, both Kamiina and Ibuki are in industrial engineering
Gujo apparently smokes, which Kamiina sees as a sign of her movie star-like gallantry. It’s an odd tone we’re getting here; theoretically part of the appeal of this show should be “a slice of life with older characters who engage in normal adult vices,” but the characters are all so self-conscious about smoking or drinking that they don’t really feel like integrated parts of their lives. Though I suppose that too is true of young college students, if a little less believable for Gujo
Kamiina says she recently watched Toy Story, and Gujo suggests a clear riff on Bergman’s phenomenal Wild Strawberries. A woman after my own heart
“A real movie for grown-ups. I don’t know if I’ll be able to appreciate it…” You gotta try, Kamiina! College is the perfect opportunity to expand your aesthetic horizons, and take bold swings in terms of engaging with challenging art
Lots of great expression work as Kamiina tries Gujo’s sake
“Do you think Ibuki would like this sake?” So Gujo clearly envies Kamiina’s effortless closeness with Ibuki
It takes Kamiina about five more cups to pick up on that subtext
And Done
Well that was perfectly pleasant! Strong art design, excellent animation, and a generally charming cast, though I’m not really feeling much of a hook so far. Drinking by itself just doesn’t feel that interesting of a core subject for me; though they sometimes felt tangential, I really did appreciate elements like K-On!’s music or Laid-Back Camp’s mountain climbing, which either resonated with my own experiences or offered an introduction to a wholly new potential passion, and either way offered something aesthetically distinctive and rewarding. So far “pleasant” really is the word for Kamiina – a generally agreeable watch, but nothing whose humor, characterization, or aesthetic appeal are so compelling as to invite further inquiry. I’m certainly happy to watch another episode, but keeping my interest will require something more than “let’s get drunk and flirty” as a pitch.
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