Summary: Chitose Karasuma is an up and coming anime voice actress stuck in a rut. She's had nothing but minor roles for the last year, though admittedly she's only been in the industry for a year. Finally, her chance has arrived, and she has the opportunity to voice the main role in an upcoming anime! Can Chitose nail the job, the boost herself to stardom, or will this be her last, and only, chance for success.
Review
Plot: The story follows Chitose as she tries to become a star voice actress in the anime world. In that lens, the plot focuses on two separate aspects. The first is Chotose's relationships with the people around her - namely her manager and brother, Gojo, and the other four actresses who star in the series 'Millennium Princess' alongside Chitose. The second is the anime industry in general, as the different actresses have different views of their careers and current job. Also, the viewer discovers that 'Millennium Princess' is actually an anime with awful production values and budget issues. It's a well done story that balances the different aspects of Chitose's, and the other voice actresses, life - family, friends, and career.
Characters: The characters are an excellent mix of real people. Though there are some anime-esque traits, every character in Girlish Number is believable as a real person. Chitose is a new voice actress who has been in the industry for a year, and has never had a leading role. She is bitter about her lack of opportunities, and desperately wants to succeed, Despite that, she has a hard time giving things her best. She easily makes friends with others, but can't help but resent them at times as well, especially when they succeed past her, and she doesn't like the fact she feels that way. It's a complex character that is decidedly human, and relatable, to many viewers. The other characters are also well developed, but none of them to the same extent. Yae is a graduate of the school as Chitose, and views her as a role model of sorts, while also understanding all her faults. Koto is a slightly older actress who is an otaku, and had all but given up on ever being more than an extra. Momoka is a idol voice actress who comes from voice acting royalty (of sorts), but she has difficulty dealing with the expectations put on her by her own pedigree. Kazuha wants to work in real acting, or voice serious and dramatic roles. She is a consummate professional, except when she has a bit too much alcohol. Gojo is Chitose's older brother, and her manager. He's good at his job, and wants his sister to succeed while being exasperated by her attitude at the same time. The various managers and producers of the anime are also given realistic personalities. One only cares about his image and making money, while another wants to produce a quality show, but knows it won't be possible with the problems his boss is causing. I can't say enough good about how realistic this cast is, while also being anime characters.
Presentation: The only real negatives I have with Girlish Number come from its presentation values. At times, it feels like the show is the exact type of screw up 'Millennium Princess' is supposed to be. Some scenes look great, but others have rough edges or uneven animation. Character faces occasionally look slightly off (ie. an eye is tilted wrong). These issues are almost entirely in the middle of the series, almost as if the bulk of the budget went to the beginning and end. The music works for the series, and the opening and ending animations are cute and fit. That said, they aren't special, rather average work that is perfectly set to the series it appears in.
Entertainment Value: Fans of slice of life and comedy should be very happy with this show that takes a fun look at the anime industry. There are some great humorous moments, but those are also offset by enough drama to make the show worthwhile as more than just a gag anime. The catch though will be the characters. If the viewer enjoys the character of Chitose, and can root for her, or just wants to see what she does, this show has immense value. However, if the viewer can't stand Chitose this will be a long slog of an anime - so don't bother watching the whole thing. I was in the former group for sure.
Rating: 7.5/10 - A very good and realistic (sort of) view of the anime industry with a great cast, but uneven production values.
Girlish Number - 12 episodes
Note: Girlish Number is based on an ongoing light novel by Wataru Watari that has two volumes to date. There is also an ongoing manga by the same author with one volume so far. The anime has been licensed by Sentai Filmworks in the US. I watched it in Japanese with subtitles on Crunchyroll.
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