FUTARI SOLO CAMP

DESCRIPTION

CAST

MANGA AdventureFutari Solo Camp

REVIEWS

• 

  Niijishima

  55/100
  This show isn't bad but it isn't good either. It is the definition of medicore

  When this anime was announced I was really excited as a Laid-Back Camp fan to see another camping anime but with adults this time but I couldn’t imagined that this 24 episode long anime ends as one of the biggest nothing burger I have watched so far. In this review I will not compare it to Laid-Back Camp but judge it by what it is and it is is not in particularly bad, yet i can't call it good either. Spoiler warning ahead:

  Let’s begin with what I actually liked and that were the characters, especially the protagonists Gen and Shizuku. At first I didn't like Shizuku at all. She was supposed to be an unexperienced camper who can’t take any responsibilities, which isn’t my criticisms on her but how she was portrayed at the beginning felt not that natural for her. Especially how she forced Gen to take care of her is in retrospect out of character because she is actually pretty shy and not that brave. That she took of her pants at a strangers camp fire without any permission just doesn’t fit her.... or anyone (why would you do that....). At least her development was kinda good and beliveable. In addition she had lots of cute moments, so I ended up liking her. Gen on the other hand was from the very beginning a beliveable character and I adore how this show gives him a fleshed out backstroy so we can understand how he feels and thinks. Those flashbacks were always a highlight for me. The side characters were all fine. I liked the dynamic between Akihito and Gen although we didn’t see them that much together. There is another side character I really adore but I will get into her later.

  Let’s talk about why I called it a nothing burger. This show is obviously about camping, so they talk a lot about camping. You can learn so many new things about this topic which is cool on paper but this strength became its biggest weakness. Every time they talked about camping stuff in detail, it became a very long lecutre and at some point it wasn’t fun at all listening to it, I started zoning out and hoped for it to end. The biggest problem with the nonstop yapping is that most episodes are build with the same formular: Gen and Shizuku are going camping - they yapp - they eat - repeat. Nothing else, no sightseeing, no other activities. It was almost always the same so it got boring really fast. The show needed some other activities or showing the environments/campsites more to be actually entertaining over the course. For example like in between episode 13 and 17. That was my favorite part of this show were I genuinely enjoyed it because here they actually broke out of the formual to some extened and mixed it up with new character dynamics and focused on good story progress as an example. The side character Yui Hoshizaki who got introduced in that part was the main reason for my enjoyment. Her character felt similar to Shizukus beginning with her being a bit pushy towards Gen but she was charming and self-confident in it and brought in some variety, so I don’t fall asleep. Sadly she and this middle part didn't save the show for me but without Yui I might even would have dropped this show.

  Let’s talk about the story which includes the romance as well later on Gen's dream of building a campsite. The campsite storyline had so much potential and I know you cannot realize such a project in a short time but that Gen only collected some ideas after 12 episode this storyline was introduced was disappointing. I whished they would have focused on it more, because it was a missed chance to bring in more variety. The romance was actually not that bad. Sometimes I expected it to get trashy with some triangle shenanigans but it was pretty healthy. They talked about misunderstandings fast and there was no real fighting between Shizuku and Yui, infact they became friends which is cool imo. However the pacing was so slow. Gen and Shizuku flirting around for lots of episode but not coming together until the end was hard to watch at times. In the end the romance was fine but it had no big impression on me. The actual ending however was the cutest thing the anime offers and a good conclusions to the romance story.

  On of the issue that it didn’t have an impact was the presentation of this show. For example episode 20 should mark a highlight between Gen and Shizuku where Gen finally tells Shizuku about his dream but the execution was so lackluster, I didn't feel anything. I mentioned earlier I like the characters. I was invested in them but the anime has difficulties to deliver the emotions of the scenes most of the time. In a show about camping you should feel why camping feels so special to the characters but the show failed to create an investing atmosphere a lot of times. Episode 1 and 13 are some good examples of how it should have been imo. I felt the beauty of nature and fun in camping with friends in them but they are exeptions sadly.

  All in all this show had the potential to be great. Characters are good and the story was okay for a slice lf life show. But the lackluster presentation and the repeating episode formular made it to a mid experience for me. And with mid I don’t mean it in a harumful way, it was just purely medicore at the end. However what it made really sufferable for me is that this show got 24 episodes. I watched many slice of lifes this year which deserves more than 12 but this got 24 episodes yet turned out to be a nothing burger in the end, makes me so disappointed and angry...

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• 

  Vargavinter

  72/100
  The romance that teaches you how to camp.

  To introduce Futari Solo Camp, two things need to be highlighted: First, it's not the kind of anime that draws crowds with its overwhelming romance, and second, the anime is filled with monologues about what's called "modern camping," which, besides entertaining, also teaches safe camping, respect for nature, and practicality, even if it often overshadows the initial premise, which is the romance between the protagonists.

  The plot revolves around the story of Gen Kinokura and Shizuku Kusano. Gen is a 34-year-old solo camper, antisocial, grumpy, and a country bumpkin, who seeks in camping an escape from his daily life and the pleasure of being alone. Shizuku, on the other hand, is a 20-year-old with a determined, cheerful, and kind personality, who, in the prime of her youth, always seeks to learn new things, even in the most careless way possible. The clash of these personalities unfolds when Shizuku accidentally enters Gen's camping space after a disastrous attempt at solo camping without the proper equipment. Despite his reluctance, Gen eventually agrees to help Shizuku, and after succumbing to her resilience, accepts the curious proposal of going solo camping once a month, but "just the two of them," thus inaugurating the "modality" that gives the anime its name.

  Despite the initial formality between the two, feelings surface as Gen teaches her about the philosophy and stoic beauty of solo camping. Shizuku, in turn, also notices Shizuku's culinary skills, creativity, and passion for gastronomy. A mixture of mutual respect and admiration begins, making them question whether they are merely camping companions.

  In terms of technical aspects regarding animation quality and concept art, considering some things I've seen, the anime sometimes falters, but it delivers good work. Even with some highs and lows, it has coherent animation and a well-structured character design. There's nothing exceptional here in this regard, nothing at all. Everything is very "common," which is somewhat compensated for by the cinematography and the illustrated natural landscapes—nothing breathtaking, but it complements the work in a decent way.

  The work doesn't have many characters, and the few it has aren't very well-developed, making them seem totally obsolete or appearing to have been included as part of some idea the author perhaps decided not to continue with. The clearest example is the protagonist's ex-girlfriend, Kana Serizawa, who arrived causing a stir and ended up leaving the story abruptly and without any reason. For your information, she isn't even credited in the character list on this site.

  In terms of sound and soundtrack, the anime has no flaws; everything is very well placed and the equalization has precise inputs. The opening and ending themes are excellent, with special mention for the second opening and the unique ending, which are songs made specifically for the anime, a real plus.

  Final Considerations: Futari Solo Camp isn't the kind of anime that will warm your heart with its romance, nor is it the kind that will leave you introspective because of its plot, nor will it make you fall hopelessly in love with the personality of any of the characters, but it's a good anime with an authentic and believable story. It's a great choice for those who want to watch something in between seasons of their favorite anime, or if you want to watch something more relaxing to pass the time and have fun, but don't expect anything more than that.

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