Prima Doll

After the war's end, the advanced mechanical dolls known as Automata are trying to find a new purpose by working at the Black Cat Cafe. The Automata cannot relinquish their previous obligations, even though the war has ended and the era of peace has begun. Among the restored Automata is Haizakura, who lost her memories during a reset. Her past life or identity are mysteries to her, but one thing is sure: she likes to sing. Haizakura and the other Automata members are attempting to find a new purpose in this very different world under the direction of this new passion.

Prima Doll is an anime from the summer season of 2022. It’s part of a multimedia project created by Key and Visual Arts. Aside from the 12-episode anime, the project also includes toy figurines by Kotobukiya, a short story serialization, and a web novel. Bibury Animation Studio, best known for the anime and film The Quintessential Quintuplets, created the anime.

Given the high competition in the summer of 2022, it’s no wonder Prima Doll didn’t manage to top the charts. However, it was still thrilling enough for the seasonal viewers to catch on.

Prima Doll is the kind of anime that usually evokes mixed feelings, and it is hard to determine if it’s good or bad. Two factors specific to this show push people into this dilemma. The first one is that this is part of a multimedia project. More often than not, the anime series that are part of such projects are just cheap ways to promote the product. However, as flawed as it is, Prima Doll does not fall into this category, and this is more of an external effect that stops being relevant the moment you start the show.

Unfortunately, this is not the prime reason for such differences of opinion. The second and most significant problem with Prima Doll is the need for more content. By the premise, you could assume the general vibe of the anime and the idea: No longer used as weapons, Automata have to find a new purpose through singing and working in a cafe.

You would expect some heartbreaking story full of meaning and depth that depicts the post-war life of the ones that were made for it, and while Prima Doll is about that, more often than not, it’s just a slice-of-life comfort series with little to no content. There are large portions of the story where nothing significant is happening, and you kind of forget what the show is about.

While the start was pretty okay, as the series continued, the pacing got progressively worse, eventually becoming too fast, causing everything to look a little forced. By the end, it got messy, and all the drama that did not add to the story wasn’t as enjoyable as before.

These flaws are so visible because of the themes we have already seen in some great shows like Violet Evergarden and Vivy. Compared to these stories, it’s easy to see how Prima Doll eventually fell off without capturing the most critical segments of post-war stories, like the ultimate feeling of emptiness and active search for purpose. Even if the anime wanted to take a more calm course and focus on the progress characters can make working in the café, the lack of an active plot is too significant to go unnoticed.

However, while the plot did not meet expectations, the characters certainly did. The cute singing dolls dressed in lovely kimonos are far more than bait for fans needing child-looking characters. Every single girl has her own story and approaches the situation differently. Although the lack of plot and fast pacing affected their development greatly, they all managed to shine as individuals and as a team.

The four central girls have their moments to show different perspectives of the situation and their various roles in the war, but what’s so endearing about them is that they all support each other and grow together as a team. They are not necessarily codependent on each other but still significantly impact each other’s development.

Haizakura is the main character of the show and, therefore, the one we follow the most. What sets her apart from other Automata is the fact she has lost her memories, making her journey significantly different from others. She starts as an amiable and talkative girl who sees every day as a learning opportunity. But while being presented as carefree and talkative, Haizakura deeply suffers because of her memory loss but still manages to keep a smile on her face.

What makes her even more lovable is that, as much as she uses her words to help, she is more of an action-taking character, unafraid to do what needs to be done. This allowed her to make meaningful relationships with humans and Automata, taking on wildly different roles in life than her colleagues and showing them they are capable of things other than war.

Aside from Haizakura, three more Automata enormously impacted the show's quality and made it enjoyable, despite the lack of action.

Ratzel is the one who works alongside Haizakura and is one of the most interesting characters in the show. At first, she is presented as a friendly and polite girl ready to help, seemingly matching Haizakura’s energy. However, there is much more to her than we could initially see. Ratzel has given every ounce of herself to the duty she once had because of her loyalty and commitment to her mission.

She doesn’t understand the concept of this new peaceful world and therefore does not care about it. However, through working in the café with her new companions, Ratzel will get a unique perspective on the meaning of friendship and bonding with others in general. Among the Automata, Ratzel is the one that best represents the importance of proper guidance. If it weren’t for Haizukara and the Café, she would probably suffer a tragic end. However, thanks to those who understood her, she became compassionate.

Houkiboshi is a cook in the Café who works alongside her former squadmates. She is also nice and caring, but what stands out about her is her inability to talk properly because of the trauma she suffered in the war. As we learn more about her, we understand that Houkiboshi was the one who suffered the most emotionally and grieved greatly for the friends she lost in the war. Her journey is about ending the circle of grief and finally saying the words she wanted to say to her lost friend.

Karasuba is the classic serious and somewhat bossy character who keeps everyone in check. She appears strict and authoritative, but not arrogant. She may look annoyed, but she is friendly and ready to help people around her. With each episode, we learn more about her, and it becomes apparent she has a much softer side and values friendship with those she finds worthy.

Her bond with her master, Nagi, is quite admirable. It’s not one-sided dedication or blindsided loyalty that pushes her to help him, but the fact that he saved her and gave her a new role in life. However, as meaningful as this relationship is, Karasuba becomes too dependent on it over time. Hence, her journey is about relying on others and expressing her emotions better and more clearly.

Aside from the diverse set of characters, what makes this show so lovable? Characters depict their emotions and beliefs through singing, making songs the show's core. Aside from being absolutely fantastic, every piece describes the characters perfectly and allows us to look into their souls. While singing, characters bring out the deepest secrets of their hearts, making these moments much more meaningful. Great voice actors also added to the meaning of the sound in this show. But the Prima Doll is not beautiful only for ears but also for eyes. Even though there is no insane fighting choreography, the show still looks breathtaking, and the looks match the vibe.

Prima Doll is an uneven show that paid the price for its fast pace and lack of active plot development. However, its characters, music, and visuals made it an excellent series with numerous essential messages.