Ya Boy Kongming!
Even on our deathbed, life may grant us a second opportunity. Many cultures believe in second chances, even in second lives. In most Asian societies, rebirth is a possibility. Our globe is complex, comprising diverse cultures and vibrant wildlife. The human race is obviously the most complex of creatures, and we appreciate the blessings the universe has bestowed upon us. We have developed and modified our planet into what we see now through evolution, intelligence, and technology. That brings us to the present day, when a particular performance takes place. Paripi Koumei is a pop culture and entertainment-filled anime set in contemporary Tokyo.
Ya Boy Kongming! (Paripi Koumei?) P.A. Works produced an anime based on Yuto Yotsuba’s manga of the same name. On November 17, 2021, it was announced. Mainichi Broadcasting System, Kodansha, Avex Pictures, DMM Pictures, and Bit Gooove Promotion produced the series. Osamu Honma directed the series, with Yōko Yonaiyama supervising the screenplays, Kanami Sekiguchi creating the characters, and Genki Hikota composing the soundtrack. From April 5 to June 21, 2022, Abema and other platforms streamed it, and Tokyo MX, MBS, and BS NTV broadcast it. The series consisted of 12 episodes, each lasting 24 minutes. Its central themes are an adult cast, music, and reincarnation, and it focuses on the seinen demographic, with humor and musical elements. The anime was rated PG-13 (teens 13 and up) for its content.
Sentai Filmworks revealed at their Otakon panel in July 2022 that the series will receive an English dub, which will air on September 23, 2022. The opening theme song is “Chikichiki Banban” (“Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”) by QUEENDOM, which is the kind of opening you cannot bring yourself to skip and will ring inside your head for weeks. The closing theme song is “Kibun Jj” (“Feeling Good”) by Eiko Starring 96Neko.
Mr. Wolong (Sleeping Dragon) was a famous, brilliant, astute strategist and Shu Han’s chancellor during the Three Kingdoms Period. He died at the Battle of Wuzhang Plains, but on his deathbed he wished to be reincarnated in modern-day Shibuya, in his youthful appearance, and in a peaceful, bloodless place. He is reincarnated (in his youth) in modern Japan, emerging amid a Halloween costume party in Tokyo’s club district. The Shibuya partygoers (in Japanese, “Paripi,” a contraction of the English “party people”) entice him to a nightclub.
He meets Eiko by happenstance during her singing concert at the Halloween party, and she subsequently picks him up. After hearing Eiko’s songs three times, he chooses to become her strategist to help her accomplish her ambition of being a renowned vocalist. He swiftly adjusts to modern-day life after his rebirth there, thanks to his high IQ and intense quest for knowledge. Kongming then successfully arranged and supported the three big record firms, “SSS Music,” “V-Ex,” and “Key Time,” to collaborate in the large-scale music event “The Orion of 4 years ago” as an opportunity. Eiko and others founded the record label “Fourth Kingdom.”
Eiko is a young woman who made her debut as a singer and aspired to be a singer-songwriter; Kongming hailed her singing as “having the capacity to transmit your feelings to others.” Her father abandoned her mother to pursue his musical passion in the United States, prompting her mother to aggressively resist Eiko’s exposure to music. She also thought her mother had forced her father to leave their house, which alienated and strained their mother-daughter connection. As Eiko attempted suicide by jumping off the railroad tracks, Kobayashi rescued her. She was invited to listen to American songstress Maria Diesel singing at Kobayashi’s BB Lounge. She regained her optimism in daily existence, was strongly motivated to move people’s hearts as a singer, and regained her hope in life as she began working at the BB Lounge as its resident singer and store clerk.
When she first met Kongming, she almost gave up on her ambition, but with Kongming’s help, she gradually began to strive and progress. She became the primary singer of “Fourth Kingdom” after the formal creation of the record business. Her personas are named after Huang Yueying (Kongming’s wife), a Three Kingdoms-era figure, although her character settings are more like those of Liu Bei (Kongming’s Lord).
The opening is direct, executed well, and suits the animation’s general tone. The art and character designs taken from the original manga are incredibly stunning. The plot is essential, yet it fits within the broader scheme of Zhuge Liang’s use of his famed stratagems in the present day to aid Eiko and co. The background music and music genre effectively portray character traits and individuality.
Throughout the series, we watch Kongming adapt to contemporary life, expand his abilities, and help Eiko achieve her aspirations, all while building a profound relationship and developing her character. Kongming is unquestionably odd, yet few people can hope to be half as charming as him. There’s a particular appeal about him that I haven’t found in any other anime character, and it’s not just because he’s “a Chinese historical character in a Japanese anime.” In all seriousness, it’s a show about upcoming musicians, the challenges of the music industry, and, most importantly, what makes music sell.
Overall, a pleasant anime with a compelling narrative and visually appealing animation. The finest part of this anime is the music, which elicits emotions in the intended audience. The opening and closing themes are playlist-worthy. All of the tracks have become successful. So, grab popcorn and get ready to binge!
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