Anime Reviews (2010-2019): Girlish Number - Complete Collection (2016)

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TITLE: Girlish Number – Complete Collection

YEAR OF RELEASE: 2016

DURATION: Episodes 1-12 (300 Minutes)

BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, Subtitles: English

COMPANY: Sentai Filmworks

RATED: TV 14

Release Date: June 27, 2023

Original Creator: QP:flapper, Watari Wataru

Original Character Design: QP:flapper

Director: Ihata Shota

Series Composition: Watari Wataru

Music by Kikuya Tomoiki

Character Design: Kinoshita Sumie

Art Director: Mineda Yoshimi

Anime Production: diomedea

Featuring the following voice talent:

Senbongi Sayaka as Karasuma Chitose

Satō Amina as Sakuragaoka Nanami

Suzuki Eri as Sonō Momoka

Hondo Kaede as Kugayama Yae

Nakai Kazuya as Kuzu-P

Horiuchi Kenyuu as President Namba

Ōnishi Saori as Shibasaki Kazuha

Eguchi Takuya as Assistant Producer Towada

Matsuoka Yoshitsugu as Matsuoka Jūzō

Ishikawa Yui as Katakura Koto

Umehara Yuichiro as Karasuma Gojō

Chitose Karasuma wants to make it big as a voice actor, but while she looks and sounds adorable, she’s also self-absorbed, inattentive, selfish, and lazy. However, since her manager is also her big brother, she’s still getting bit parts and dreaming of landing the big role that will make her famous.

Unfortunately, karma bites Chitose in the worst way possible when her big chance finally arrives, because the producers who’ve hired her are even more clueless than she is! Now, she’s trapped in a nightmare production where nothing goes right, the ratings are in the toilet, and swimsuit photos and live stage shows take priority over making quality programming! Can Chitose and her fellow trapped actresses turn things around and save their careers? Or will they all go down with the sinking ship?

In 2016, ASCII MEDIA WORKS’ “Dengeki G’s” Magazine launched the serial novel “Girlish Number” written by Watari Wataru and illustrations by QP:flapper and Yamcha.

“Girlish Number” would receive a manga adaptation and a 12-episode anime television series.

And the anime series is available on Blu-ray courtesy of Sentai Filmworks.

“Girlish Number” is a fascinating anime series as it focuses life of a voice actress (in Japan, voice talents are known as “seiyuu”). In this case, the story revolving around Karasuma Chitose, a voice actress who worked in the anime industry who is pretty much a newbie and wanting to make her mark by being involved in a series of one of the lead roles in “Millennium Princess × Kowloon Overlord”.

Karasuma gets her opportunity and is now in an anime series alongside other professional anime voice actresses and needing to be part of a seiyuu idol group but also dealing with her low self-esteem as she sees her peers showing off their true talent and while she believes she is talented, she wonders if she can measure up and is deserving to be one of the lead roles.

This is a very interesting anime series as it goes into the background of the production of an anime series and how it ties into the voice actresses. But also behind-the-scenes takes of it.

I’m not sure if Watari Wataru was able to gain insight through actual talent, but I do know that voice acting in Japan involves fierce competition. And the feeling of trying to become better, but also knowing that with each passing year, there is also up-and-coming talent that are being discovered that know how to attract fans.

For Karasuma, it’s a bit tough because she considers the anime industry to be rotten. In her mindset, being part of this new series with other seiyuu, we start to see a side of her that may break her.

For the most part, the series is short and fun to watch. But what makes this anime series much more interesting are the people that surround Karasuma.

Karasuma Gojo – Chitose’s older brother and her manager at Number One Produce. Was a seiyuu but quit after getting a big role. He is often triggered by his sister’s lack of seriousness at times. But also believes in her.
Yae Kugayama who comes from Number One Produce who knows Chitose very well, worries about her but doesn’t mind speaking her thoughts about her; Chitose. She plays on of the heroines, Mao for the anime series.
Katakura Koto – She started the same time as a seiyuu with Karasuma Gojo. She is one of the heroines cast in the series and is also part of Number One Produce. Plays Ria, one of the heroines in the anime series.
Sono Momika – A musician and idol from Voice Enterprise. She is the daughter of famous seiyuu Sono Sakura. Will play Yuzu, one of the heroine lead roles in the anime series.
Shibasaki Kazuha – A voice actress from Iroha Production and one of the oldest of group. She wants to be cast in a serious anime series and her demeanor seams cold at times.
Suakuragaoka Nami – A high school student from Number One Produce who is up-and-coming and looks up to Chitose.
Kuzu-P – A producer of “Millenium Princess x Kowloon Overlord”. Could care less about the quality of the anime series. He just wants to make money.
Namba – The President of Number One Produce. Energetic and similar to Kuzu-P at times and wants to cash in on the light novel to anime series trend.
Towada-AP – An assistant producer and subordinate to Kuzu-P.

For the most part, this is a satisfying anime series and I enjoyed it because it deals with the industry through the voice talent perspective. And you rarely see that. Quite often we see the creator side of things, but I like how it deals with seiyuu’s and the emotional thoughts that go through their heads. Granted, this is a story based on seiyuu but I have no doubt that it was inspired by real seiyuu who feel down on their luck of wanting to get lead roles.

“Girlish Number – Complete Collection” is recommended!

Click here to purchase “Girlish Number – Complete Collection” on Blu-ray