Dagashi is a story about a girl, who clearly has some mental issues, who for some reason needs to get a candy store owner to join her family's company. Unfortunately, the owner refuses unless his son, our protagonist, agrees to give up his mangaka dreams and inherit the store. At this point, I'm thinking oh wow we have an instant girlfriend series with a candy-based twist. Oh how very wrong I was.
In actuality Dagashi is a show about candy, all sorts of various candy including regional specialties- oh, and a bit of Ramune. The characters are there just barely more than a story is present in a hentai- i.e. literally just enough to get you to the next scene er... candy. If you like learning interesting random facts about candy and can stand a story that basically goes nowhere, then Dagashi Kashi is the show for you. If you're looking for something with a bit of romance, character development, or depth, you're looking in the wrong place.
Animation:
The animation in Dagashi is definitely unique, you have to look no further than the OP and its rather wild style. The ED's play on Alice in Wonderland is also pretty creative. It isn't a particularly serious show so colors are more vivid than your typical show, and backgrounds aren't particularly important so expect a lot of blurry scenery. That said there is a ton of various candies, which is drawn to a very good level of detail. The character styling is likewise unique in the show. Hotaru has crazy eyes that match her infatuation with candy and for some reason Saya has tiny pupils. Our protagonist Kokonotsu, hereby nicknamed Coconuts, often wears a bored look that, along with his outfit, reminds me of the protagonist from Sankarea.
The show doesn't really have any real action but does have imaginary scenes borrowing some ideas from other shows such as Gundam, and occasionally features various candies as talking characters. There is a bit of light ecchi as the show makes use of Hotaru's generous proportions. It's often a result of Hotaru's lack of self awareness, leading to many bloody noses from the male cast.
Sound:
The music of Dagashi is likewise unique. The show opens with a funky and playful tune; it's fitting though I don't particularly like it. The ED is sung by the VA for Hotaru, it's a likewise playful tune that honestly is a bit more catchy than the OP. The show's uniqueness continues in the BGM, if anything I'd say it has a bit of a Latin flair; some of the songs sound like they'd go well with a tango dance. Though the BGM is more playful than your average show, there are long periods of just conversation, which can still put you to sleep.
The VAs do a good job considering the specific nature of this show and the rather long sections of nothing but conversation. Ayana Taketatsu gives Hotaru a fittingly overpowering personality, and is pretty much the selling point of the show. Our protagonist is voiced by Atsushi Abe, whose somewhat soft voice reminds me of Touma from the olden days of Index.
Story:
Dagashi doesn't really have much of an actual story; it really is just a bunch of episodic content centered on different Japanese snacks. The focus ranges from the well known to the rather obscure regional delicacy. As a person who has spent less than three weeks total in Japan, a lot of the show is rather hard to relate to as I haven't had the pleasure (or horror) of trying some of these snacks. I will happily report, however, that this show doesn't induce hunger attacks like other food-centric shows (such as Gourmet Girl Graffiti).
The show's premise of crazy-girl Hotaru convincing Coconuts to take over the family shop isn't done in a convincing manner. Her attempts basically boil down to a bunch of challenges that happen to deal with candy, whether it's eating super-sour candy or a tug of war with gummies. Though the challenges are comedic and often bring up random references to other famous anime, one has to question the importance of Coconuts father, given the amount of time and effort Hotaru is spending in a rather rural town. As the story doesn't have an actual central plot, I wouldn't expect much of a climax or conclusion either. Really if you're looking for anything beyond a candy-centric slice of life, this story isn't going to yield much.
Character:
There aren't many characters in the show assuming you don't count the candy and occasional mascot. Our protagonist happens to know many random facts about candy and is often found staring at Hotaru's generous bust. He is accompanied by a comedic-relief sidekick named Tou, who is often on the receiving end of violent retribution when he teases his sister Saya, who happens to have a crush on Coconuts. Enter in the well-dressed and energetic Hotaru, who is literally crazy about snacks.
The show establishes the relationships between the characters early on but then leaves them set for the duration of the show. Though there are some interesting exchanges between the characters, don't expect any plot depth from the relationships. Sorry to harp on this more but seriously, Hotaru is in love with a snack mascot?
Value:
Though this may sate the comedic needs for some viewers, I am not in that category. Furthermore, there is virtually zero romance in this show and zero story depth. Yes, there are a lot of candy references that I'm sure will be completely useless to me lest I make another journey to Japan, but that isn't really what I'm watching shows for. It does score some value for being unique in theme, but I just wish the story actually went somewhere. Overall, Dagashi was a fair watch, but way overrated considering the amount of initial hype surrounding it. Perhaps just like the show's topic, Dagashi is good in moderation.
