Kids on the Slope anime combines a person's passion for music and breaking out of their shell.
Based on the popular manga of the same name, this anime feels like being on a wild ride called life.
Plot Overview
Kids on the Slope follows the story of three young teenagers: Kaoru Nishima, an intelligent but introverted high-school student that's very talented in playing the piano: Sentaro Kawabuchi, a delinquent but talented drummer, and their female classmate, Ritsuko Mukae.
It was the first day of high school, and a newly relocated student, Kaoru Nishima, met Sentaro Kawabuchi. The two of them didn't initially connect because of their contrasting personalities. However, Sentaro's love of jazz music catches the interest of Kaoru. They soon begin their friendship as they practice multiple sessions at a record shop owned by Ritsuko Mukae's family.
Things don't go as smoothly as planned, as the three friends' closeness is tested by their daily struggles and activities.
Characters
Kids on the Slope is a slice-of-life anime featuring friendship, passion, romance, and happiness themes. Let's look at the main characters:
Kaoru Nishima - the anime's main character. He starts off hiding in his shell and doesn't want to interact or socialize with everyone. He initially played classical music on the piano, and when he is introduced to jazz music, he begins to open up, and we also learn more about his past. His character is interesting because his character development is obvious.
Sentaro Kawabuchi - the secondary character. Sentaro is a wild one. His outgoing and rough personality brings joy to everyone. His character development is quite unexpected. His drumming skills are out of this world.
Ritsuko Mukae - she is the one that always stands in the middle of Kaoru and Sentaro. She has a bubbly personality and is a close friend of Sentaro to the point of developing feelings for him. Her character development changes midway through the story when she develops feelings for Kaoru.
Review
What Kids on the Slope surprised me is the detailed animation. I know it is hard to animate hand movements on the fast beats when drumming.
The slice-of-life story of this anime is very relatable and personal. I do not know if the creator experienced a similar story, but it certainly felt like this is something close to the heart.
The story would not totally blow you away like any other anime, but its simplicity and reliability make it enjoyable. It's a perfect couch anime because anyone can enjoy it. There are tearjerker scenes that will tear your heart out, and other sequences will make you smile.
Overall, Kids on the Slope is an easy-to-like anime. It's imperfect, and some parts are too slow or fast.
A good 3.5 out of 5 stars.
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