Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! (2020) - REVIEW
"If you want people to appreciate your work, it needs to see the light of day."
An anime adaption animated by Science Saru, the mad-lads behind other anime like Devilman Crybaby, Ping Pong: The Animation, and that Adventure Time episode: Food Chain. It was directed by Masaaki Yuasa, who very often directs projects for Science Saru, and used to be their president. Prior to Science Saru, Masaaki had directed projects like Mind Game, Kaiba and The Tatami Galaxy. Since Science Saru, he's directed Works like Ping Pong, Devilman Crybaby, and Japan Sinks.
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! is a story all about a group of three girls in school who try to form an animation club and make their own short film for the school. While it absolutely doesn't lose its focus that these are just a few kids trying their best to understand a new craft and keeps it under that lens, it does manage to make a lot of insightful critiques of the anime industry itself, including just how difficult it is to get the level of artistry you want done in your finished product while going up against a strict deadline, leading to reluctantly cutting corners, simultaneously showing the guilt of doing that knowing you're not putting up your best work, and fearing how people will respond to it.
The anime utilizes the medium to the fullest potential when showcasing the animation the girls are working on - it blurs the line between reality and fiction within the narrative, focusing on bringing the animation to life in its world to emphasize the feeling one might get when watching an incredible story and feeling sucked into that world. When using this mechanic, it'll often make you question whether or not the animations coming to life and affecting the real world are ACTUALLY happening, or just being exaggerated to drive that point home, but in actuality the question itself doesn't matter, since, just like the mechanic itself, it's more about the feeling you get while watching it unfold than anything else.
In the midst of telling the wonderfully endearing story of three girls trying to make an anime, it still manages to take the time to really push the point that inspiration from art is everywhere around you, and in everything you do - from the details on the area you live in, to the way the liquid and body moves when throwing tea from a cup, and everything in between and more.
There is a meta-narrative behind the scenes playing out throughout this as well, given the studio behind this anime. Science Saru have been the quiet forerunners of the anime industry for over a decade. While their studio has always been given the accolades they deserve, their works don't always reach mainstream success, which can be seen in titles like The Heike Story, Ping Pong: The Animation, and even Eizoken. Despite this, they've revolutionized animation techniques that have gone onto not only define their in-house style, but influence how anime is made across the board. For them to then take on an adaption all about the love of animation, and have an entire episode dedicated to all of the fine details of animation, and how while not everyone will appreciate those tiny details, it will be for those that do see it and appreciate it - it makes the real world story of Science Saru as a studio all the more palpable.
On a personal note, as someone who always has creative ventures going on, from writing comic books, to running a YouTube channel, to now opening up a Pokemon store that I'm also running a YouTube and social media for, these type of anime always hit home. But this one specifically, when it dives not just into the technical process of it, but also the business and marketing side of things, really takes the cake.
If the Definitive Top 100 Greatest Anime of All Time list were based just on merit, this would already be a contender for the Science Saru and animation aspect of it all. Thankfully, though, this anime has so much more packed into it with the story of these three girls following their passion from different sides of it to bring their visions to life. It goes without saying, but the animation is absolutely breathtaking. Despite the setting itself being mundane, every corner is filled with life, and the scenes in which their animation literally pops off the page have better looking sequences than whole shows dedicated to that subject. Each of the characters are incredibly lovable and nuanced, with genuinely unique quirks and backgrounds. The comedic timing of the entire show is pitch-perfect. Everything about Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! is so tightly made, it undoubtedly lands itself on the Definitive Top 100 Anime of All Time List.
My Current MAL Rating: 8/10
Top 100 Contender: Yes
Current Top 100 Ranking: 30/100
