[FIRST IMPRESSION] New Game!

Plot:

Fresh out of high school and straight onto the career ladder, Suzukaze Aoba lands a job at the same game company that ignited her love for character design. She’s introduced to her co-workers as she tries to find her feet as a new employee.  Aoba really wants to show that she’s a mature adult, but it’s tough when she looks about twelve. Learning how to make video games may not be easy, but she’s going to try her hardest to prove she can.

Impression:

While there have been a few anime about office work recently, this is the first one I’ve seen that seems positive from the start. Other series either begin negative, then warm up over the course of a few episodes, or the protagonist stays resentful towards their job for the whole season. But Aoba is so full of hope – uncertain and apprehensive – but hopeful nonetheless. This optimism could just rub off on the audience, and so far it’s definitely a feel good series. The art style is cute and while there are a few instances of jiggle physics, everything seems to flow with no cut corners.  The visuals are almost reminiscent of Lucky Star, using a similar style of comedy in a different context. It’s great to see an anime about game development starring a team full of girls, because it’s largely a male-dominated industry.  Each girl has a different personality but they fit together as a team and by the end of the first episode, I was really rooting for them to succeed.

Similar to:

Aggressive Retsuko – Ridiculously adorable protagonists navigate the social minefield of an office.

Sekko Boys – Starting your first job out of school is never easy, but it’s even less so when you’re a complete beginner.

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