Uramichi Oniisan (Life Lessons with Uramichi-Oniisan) – The Hilarious Pain Behind an Adult’s Smile

If you’ve been living in the adult world for long enough, you know entirely too well that sometimes you just have to smile even though you’re dying inside. It might be a personal survival strategy, a courtesy to other people, or even a requirement of your job, but it’s a fact of life no matter what. Life Lessons with Uramichi-Oniisan, a new comedy anime for the Summer 2021 season, is all about a burnt-out children’s show host who embodies that particular type of forced happiness with every ounce of his emotionally frazzled body. Let’s take a look at how his story plays out!

Perfectly Pitch-Black Comedy

31-year-old former gymnast Uramichi Omota (voiced by Hiroshi Kamiya, of Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei fame) is the fitness host for a low-budget children’s TV show. He tries his best not to let the kids see how exhausted and overworked he is, but sometimes the mask slips and he murmurs something like, “Don’t give up on your dreams unless you want to end up like me in 20-odd years.” We can’t get enough of his lovingly detailed fake smiles and the truly impressive lengths he goes to in order to get back at his obnoxious co-workers who constantly tease him despite being a bit scared of him.

For example, his college kouhai Usahara gloats about being toasty warm in his rabbit costume during a frigid shooting day at the beach, so Uramichi sticks his cold hand between the gaps of the suit and purposefully swings just next to Usahara’s head during the watermelon splitting contest. Then, with a grin plastered on for the camera, he leans in and whispers, “Understand that you just escaped death.” We could watch this all day!

More World Building, Please!

Since this anime is based on what was originally a Pixiv comic, we’re a little worried that it might focus too much on short gags instead of building up its characters and world. We want to know how Uramichi fell from grace as a gymnast and ended up with this public access kids’ show gig. We want to see his college life with the kouhais he bullies every day. We need more of Mamoru Miyano being a mature singer senpai who laughs at dirty jokes like a teenage boy! As it stands, Life Lessons with Uramichi-Oniisan is a fun little anime that reads like the front page of r/me_irl, but if it develops its world some more, it could be legendary. After all, knowing the characters better will make the gags hit even closer to home.


Final Thoughts

We’re so happy that an anime finally came along that captures the true essence of what it means to be an adult in the modern world. Life Lessons with Uramichi-Oniisan specifically pokes fun at the toxic aspects of Japanese work culture, but no matter where you are in the world, this series will resonate with you. We can’t wait to see more hilariously depressing adventures throughout the season!

What did you think of our overview? What’s your favorite scene from this anime? Let us know in the comments, and thanks so much for reading!

Uramichi-Oniisan-Wallpaper Uramichi Oniisan (Life Lessons with Uramichi-Oniisan) – The Hilarious Pain Behind an Adult’s Smile

Editor/Writer

Author: Mary Lee Sauder

After the hard-hitting East Coast lifestyle hit me a bit too hard, I started pursuing my passion as a writer in my cozy home state of Ohio. Aside from that, I spend my time cooking, cosplaying, collecting anime merch, and being an improv comedy actor. I also love sneaking alliterations and stupid puns into my writing, so be on the lookout for them! 😉

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