Shirobako (シロバコ, lit. White Box) is a 2014 24-episode (two 12-episode cours) workplace dramedy produced by P.A. Works, written by Michiko Yokote and directed by Tsutomu Mizushima.
Synopsis
Shirobako tells the story of five young women who were in the animation club at their high school getting their start in the animation industry.
- Aoi Miyamori, a production assistant
- Ema Yasuhara, a 2D animator
- Shizuka Sakaki, a voice actress and part-time bartender
- Misa Tōdō, a 3D animator
- Midori Imai, a university student and aspiring writer
The series chronicles the various personal and professional obstacles that they face as they navigate their way through ambitious projects, tight deadlines, and a whole lot of sleepless nights.
Appeal
One of the ways I sell Shirobako to potential viewers is this: Imagine if NBC’s Smash were about animation instead of musicals, and it wasn’t hot garbage. This is a workplace show through and through, and it’s interested in exploring its characters’ personal lives only to the extent that their personal lives are entwined with their work. The drama comes from the characters learning how to deal with setbacks and unexpected shocks in the workplace.
The other appealing aspect of Shirobako is that it’s educational. Are you curious about how modern anime is produced? Then Shirobako will walk you through it, from writing to storyboarding to drawing to animating to editing. And I assure you, it’s not dry or boring in the slightest. The show even manages to mine significant drama out of the process of contracting out animation work.
If you’re interested in how people working in the Western animation industry have responded to the show, then I recommend following along with Rooster Teeth’s (now-cancelled) Fan Service video podcast, which covered the series, 2 or 3 installments per week, from episode 22 to 32.
Downside
Honestly, I can’t think of much that would put people off from Shirobako. Some of the references are very specific and will go over most viewers’ heads, and the second cour occasionally leans a bit into what I would consider wish fulfillment, but other than that, this is basically a perfect series.
Conclusion
Weeb level: 7/10. I’ve decided to put a fairly high number here not because someone with no knowledge of anime won’t be able to follow the plot. If this is your first anime, I think you’ll still enjoy it. However, I think it’s best appreciated if you have more than a passing familiarity with the medium. This is a show made by people who love animation for people who love animation. Plus, as I mentioned above, there are a bunch of very specific references (including celebrity cameos!)
Fanservice: 1/10. Fanservice really isn’t in this show’s DNA. The only reason this is a 1 and not a 0 is a technicality: there are a couple of sequences that satirize fanservice.
Quality: 10/10. Shirobako is probably my favourite anime series, so I feel no hesitation in giving it a perfect score. If you’re an anime fan and the idea of a workplace dramedy about anime production appeals to you, then I urge you to give it a shot.
Where to Watch: All 24 episodes are available to watch subbed on Crunchyroll or VRV. You can also order the Blu-rays of both cours from Amazon.