“A Sweet Coming of Age Story”
Akebi’s Sailor Uniform, like the title suggests, follows Komichi Akebi, who is obsessed with sailor uniforms and has chosen her middle school based on their cute outfit. This leads Akebi to follow in her mother’s footsteps and enter the prestigious Roubai Academy in the countryside, known for its blue and white sailor uniform. However, despite being excited to attend school surrounded by her favourite style of outfit, during the opening ceremony Akebi-chan notices that everyone is walking around in black blazers whilst she has donned the traditional blue and white sailor uniform.
Akebi-chan stands out from everyone leading to lots of stares, but more importantly, new friends. The journey to develop relationships in her middle school career is heartwarming, with lots of comedic and Slice of Life aspects to be expected from an anime, detailed in stunning animation that follows a caricature art style. With a twelve-episode run having ended just before April, here is what we think of Akebi’s Sailor Uniform.
Contains Spoilers
A Goofy Character Makes Goofy Friends
Akebi-chan is an energetic and goofy character in herself, evident in her desire to continue wearing Roubai Academy’s old sailor uniform despite being the only one in the school, but the wide cast of schoolmates that come to know Akebi is just as unique. Standing out with her special sailor uniform and an embarrassing class introduction, Akebi is fast to make friends, such as the eccentric Erika Kizaki, who is soothed by the sound of nail clippers when nervous.
The narratives centre around the cast of characters interacting with Akebi-chan and learning something about themselves due to her influence, such as Oshizu Hebimori, who finally takes the plunge to learn the guitar on the promise that she will play for Akebi-chan someday. There is no end to the inspiration Akebi-chan gives to her classmates, giving the anime a heartwarming feeling as we watch character growth unfold through each narrative strain.
Smooth Art With Some Smooth Angles
The art from CloverWorks perfectly suits the ambience of the anime, with the bright palette perfectly complimenting the positive outlook of Akebi-chan. In the final episode, Akebi-chan gives a dance performance during the school festival accompanied by a score from Erika on the piano, and the animation is as graceful as the scene sounds. However, another aspect of the anime's visuals will either entice or turn off viewers, with the camera angles being strangely focused on the different character's feet. Though there doesn’t seem to be much sexualisation through this, it can be off-putting for some, depending on how much it catches your attention.
Final Thoughts
Akebi’s Sailor Uniform is a cheerful coming of age story, and the demonstration of how interpersonal relationships develop during youth is enjoyable to watch. The animation and music tie the anime together, with everything helping build a happy atmosphere around the growth of Akebi’s classmates. Despite some questionable camera angles, Akebi’s Sailor Uniform is a joyful watch, and we highly recommend it to any fans of Slice of Life anime. Have you watched Akebi’s Sailor Uniform? Let us know your thoughts on the anime in the comments section!
Author: Lewis Williamson
