is a Japanese
''yuri'' science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...
novel series written by Iori Miyazawa and illustrated by shirakaba. Inspired by the novel ''
Roadside Picnic
''Roadside Picnic'' (Russian: , ''Piknik na obochine'', ) is a philosophical science fiction novel by Soviet-Russian authors Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, written in 1971 and published in 1972. It is the brothers' most popular and most widely tra ...
'' by
Arkady and Boris Strugatsky
The brothers Arkady Natanovich Strugatsky (russian: Аркадий Натанович Стругацкий; 28 August 1925 – 12 October 1991) and Boris Natanovich Strugatsky ( ru , Борис Натанович Стругацкий; 14 A ...
,
Hayakawa Publishing have released seven volumes of the series since February 2017. A
manga adaptation with art by
Eita Mizuno
(born 17 January) is a Japanese manga artist and illustrator, best known for illustrating the '' Spiral: The Bonds of Reasoning'' series.
Works Manga
* '' Spiral: The Bonds of Reasoning'' (story by Kyō Shirodaira)
* '' Spiral: Alive'' (st ...
has been serialized since February 2018 via
Square Enix's
''shōnen'' manga magazine ''
Monthly Shōnen Gangan
is a manga imprint owned by Square Enix Holdings. It originated as a manga imprint for Enix before the company re-branded as Square Enix. It publishes manga in several anthologies aimed at different reader demographic groups in the Japanese mar ...
'', and has been collected in nine ''
tankōbon
is the Japanese term for a book that is not part of an anthology or corpus. In modern Japanese, the term is most often used in reference to individual volumes of a manga series: most series first appear as individual chapters in a weekly or ...
'' volumes. The novels are licensed in North America by
J-Novel Club
J-Novel Club is a publishing company specializing in the translation of Japanese light novels into English. It streams light novels and manga in regular installments before publishing finalized e-books. As of August 2021, J-Novel Club has license ...
, while the manga is licensed by Square Enix. An
anime
is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...
television series adaptation by
Liden Films
is a Japanese animation studio and production enterprise headquartered in Kamiogi, Suginami, Tokyo, and has animation studios in Kyoto and Osaka.
Establishment
Liden Films was founded on February 22, 2012 and, shortly after, joined joint-holding ...
and
Felix Film
is a Japanese 3DCG-focused animation studio founded on May 14, 2014 in Mitaka, Tokyo
260px, Inokashira Park in Mitaka
is a city in the western portion of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 190,403, and a popu ...
aired from January to March 2021.
Synopsis
College student Sorawo Kamikoshi explores "doors" which randomly lead into the Otherside—parallel worlds in which internet
creepypasta
Creepypastas are horror-related legends that have been shared around the Internet. Creepypasta has since become a catch-all term for any horror content posted onto the Internet. These Internet entries are often brief, user-generated, paranormal ...
and urban legends are brought to life. Sorawo nearly dies in one of these worlds while encountering a creepypasta monster, but is rescued by Toriko Nishina, another young woman who is skilled with guns and is looking for a lost friend.
Sorawo and Toriko, with the help of another woman named Kozakura, return to the Otherside to bring back artifacts and defeat the monsters, but the two are increasingly affected by the conditions of the worlds, meet other humans who are trapped in them, and find themselves increasingly affected by each other.
Characters
;
:
:A sophomore at a university in
Saitama Prefecture. She loves and has a wealth of knowledge about urban legends and real-life ghost stories. She enjoys exploring abandoned buildings, and discovered the existence of the Otherside through a door she found while doing so. She doesn't have many friends, but Toriko, who she met in the Otherside, invites her to go there to explore, research, and earn money. Her mother instantly died in an accident, and her grandmother and father became devoted to a cult afterwards, causing her to repeatedly run away from home and explore abandoned houses to escape her disintegrating family, which was persuading her to join the cult, but after her grandmother and father died, she is now attending college on a scholarship.
;
:
:A woman who searches the Otherside for her missing friend Satsuki. She appears to be a college student. Both of her mothers have passed away; one was a soldier in
Joint Task Force 2
Joint Task Force 2 (JTF 2; french: links=no, Deuxième Force opérationnelle interarmées, FOI 2) is an elite special operations force of the Canadian Armed Forces, serving under the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command. JTF 2 is known to wo ...
, a
special operations force
Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
of the Canadian army, so Toriko is familiar with firearms. She has long blond hair and is, in the opinion of Sorawo, "extremely beautiful". Her character in the story is very positive, but she has a tendency to isolate herself from others, and has no friends other than Sorawo and Satsuki, who was Toriko's tutor.
;
:
:A researcher of the Otherside who has a residence near
Shakujii Park. A friend of Satsuki's from her college days, she was concerned about Satsuki's investigation of the Otherside because it was dangerous and had warned her many times. When Satsuki ignores her warnings and continues with her research, she goes missing, which makes her angry and frustrated with Satsuki. When Sorawo first meets Kozakura, she looks so young that she gives off the impression of being in grade school, but she appears to be older than Sorawo and Toriko, and is shown drinking and driving a car. As a hobby, she has created an avatar named on the Internet and has been streaming videos. The image of Yozakura is based on that of her friend Satsuki. In the past, she created another avatar based on her own image, but destroyed it due to the increase in the number of fans who disagreed with her intentions. For Sorawo and Toriko, she is a client of the goods they obtained during their exploration of the Otherside, and is in the position of a consultant. The artifacts that Sorawo and Toriko have acquired in the Otherside are purchased by Kozakura, while the funds to purchase them are provided by the DS Research Encouragement Association, a research organization that Satsuki and Kozakura joined to conduct research on the Otherside.
;
:Kozakura's peer who was exploring the Otherside. She disappears three months before the start of the story. She is a tall woman with long black hair and thick-rimmed glasses. She invited her friend Kozakura to be her partner in order to expand her investigation of the Otherside, but Kozakura was afraid of the Otherside and refused, so she went to search for a promising replacement partner. Toriko Nishina was one of them.
;
:
:A freshman student studying at the same university as Sorawo. She is a karate practitioner and won the prefectural tournament in high school. She is from
Saitama, but lives alone in an apartment because her parents moved away for work reasons. Her personality is bright and curious.
;
:A man who serves as the Director General of DS. Although he is not a researcher himself, he once went to Central America during his adolescence because of his devotion to
Carlos Castaneda
Carlos Castañeda (December 25, 1925 – April 27, 1998) was an American writer. Starting with ''The Teachings of Don Juan'' in 1968, Castaneda wrote a series of books that purport to describe training in shamanism that he received under the tu ...
, and he has a tattoo of
Maya script
Maya script, also known as Maya glyphs, is historically the native writing system of the Maya civilization of Mesoamerica and is the only Mesoamerican writing system that has been substantially deciphered. The earliest inscriptions found which ...
s on his arm. He is skilled in the use of firearms, traps, and torture, and has a personal connection to a
private military company
A private military company (PMC) or private military and security company (PMSC) is a private company providing armed combat or security services for financial gain. PMCs refer to their personnel as "security contractors" or "private military ...
, making him a man of many mysteries.
;
:
:Akari's childhood friend and confidant. After graduating from high school, she did not go on to higher education, but instead works at her family's garage.
Media
Novels
''Otherside Picnic'' is written by Iori Miyazawa and illustrated by shirakaba.
Hayakawa Publishing have published seven volumes since February 2017, while
J-Novel Club
J-Novel Club is a publishing company specializing in the translation of Japanese light novels into English. It streams light novels and manga in regular installments before publishing finalized e-books. As of August 2021, J-Novel Club has license ...
have released seven volumes in North America.
Manga
A manga adaptation by
Eita Mizuno
(born 17 January) is a Japanese manga artist and illustrator, best known for illustrating the '' Spiral: The Bonds of Reasoning'' series.
Works Manga
* '' Spiral: The Bonds of Reasoning'' (story by Kyō Shirodaira)
* '' Spiral: Alive'' (st ...
was announced in November 2017. The manga began serialization in February 2018 via
Square Enix's
''shōnen'' manga magazine ''
Monthly Shōnen Gangan
is a manga imprint owned by Square Enix Holdings. It originated as a manga imprint for Enix before the company re-branded as Square Enix. It publishes manga in several anthologies aimed at different reader demographic groups in the Japanese mar ...
'', and has been collected in nine ''
tankōbon
is the Japanese term for a book that is not part of an anthology or corpus. In modern Japanese, the term is most often used in reference to individual volumes of a manga series: most series first appear as individual chapters in a weekly or ...
'' volumes. In July 2020, Square Enix announced that they would publish the manga in North America.
Anime
The 12-episode
anime
is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...
television series produced by
Liden Films
is a Japanese animation studio and production enterprise headquartered in Kamiogi, Suginami, Tokyo, and has animation studios in Kyoto and Osaka.
Establishment
Liden Films was founded on February 22, 2012 and, shortly after, joined joint-holding ...
and
Felix Film
is a Japanese 3DCG-focused animation studio founded on May 14, 2014 in Mitaka, Tokyo
260px, Inokashira Park in Mitaka
is a city in the western portion of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 190,403, and a popu ...
was announced on March 5, 2020. It was directed and written by
Takuya Satō.
Ayumi Nishihata designed the characters, and Takeshi Watanabe composed the series' music. The series aired from January 4 to March 22, 2021 on
AT-X,
Tokyo MX
JOMX-DTV, branded as Tokyo MX (officially stylized as TOKYO MX), is an independent television station in Tokyo, Japan, owned by the . It is the only television station that exclusively serves the city. It competes with Nippon TV, TV Asahi, NH ...
,
SUN
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. The Sun radiates this energy mainly as light, ultraviolet, and infrared radi ...
, and
BS11. The opening theme song is performed by CHiCO with
HoneyWorks
is a Japanese VOCALOID musical group. The group started uploading their original VOCALOID songs online to NicoNico in 2010 and began to collaborate with singer CHiCO in May 2014 (CHiCO with HoneyWorks), which they maintain to this day. They made ...
, while the ending theme song is "You & Me" performed by
Miki Satō.
Funimation
Crunchyroll, LLC, previously known as Funimation from 1994 to 2022, is an American entertainment company owned by Japanese conglomerate Sony as a joint venture between Sony Pictures and Sony Music Entertainment Japan's Aniplex that specializes ...
had licensed the series and streamed it on its website in North America and the British Isles, in Europe (minus Germany) through
Wakanim
Wakanim SAS was a French subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by U.S.-based Funimation, a joint venture of Sony Corporation of America's two subsidiaries: Sony Pictures Television and Sony Music Entertainment Japa ...
, and in Australia and New Zealand through
AnimeLab
Crunchyroll Pty. Ltd., trading as Madman Anime, is an Australian distribution company focused on anime and Japanese media. The company handles licensing and distribution of anime in Australia and New Zealand. Originally part of independent film ...
. On November 14, 2021, Funimation announced the series would receive an English dub, which premiered the following day.
[ Following ]Sony
, commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professiona ...
's acquisition of Crunchyroll, the series was moved to Crunchyroll. In Germany, the series is licensed by KSM Anime. Medialink
Medialink Group Limited is a content distributor and licensor based in Kowloon, Hong Kong specializing in the distribution of Japanese anime and brand licensing. Its offices are located at Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.
Registered from Hong Kong ...
has licensed the series in Southeast Asia and South Asia, and streamed it on their Ani-One YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
channel and Bilibili in Southeast Asia.
Reception
Constance Sarantos of CBR says that the series breaks the mold of the yuri Yuri may refer to:
People and fictional characters
Given name
*Yuri (Slavic name), the Slavic masculine form of the given name George, including a list of people with the given name Yuri, Yury, etc.
*Yuri (Japanese name), also Yūri, feminine Jap ...
genre, avoiding common stereotypes of the genre and creating a unique narrative, defying, in their view, "expectations for a yuri anime" as it delves into the horror genre and has a "Relationship built on crime and survival" rather than a slice of life
Slice of life is a depiction of mundane experiences in art and entertainment. In theater, slice of life refers to naturalism, while in literary parlance it is a narrative technique in which a seemingly arbitrary sequence of events in a characte ...
about "interpersonal romantic drama
Romance films or movies involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their journey ...
." Sarantos also said that the series shows how well the sci-fi and yuri genres can mix, combining themes of fear and romance, something which isn't often used in yuri anime, with the protagonists having to "work together to defeat frightening foes." Even so, Sarantos stated that while the anime doesn't "deconstruct the yuri genre" it shares storyboarding which "emphasizes intimate moments and loneliness" with '' Bloom Into You'', ''Just Call it Love'', ''Fragtime
is a Japanese yuri manga series by Sato. It was serialized online via Akita Shoten's Manga Cross website between 2013 and 2014. It was collected in two ''tankōbon'' volumes. The manga is licensed in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment ...
'', ''Liz and the Blue Bird
is a 2018 Japanese animated drama film directed by Naoko Yamada and written by Reiko Yoshida, based on the ''Sound! Euphonium'' novel series written by Ayano Takeda and its eponymous anime television series adaptation by Yamada and Tatsuya Ishiha ...
'', and '' Adachi and Shimamura'', among others, utilizing the "emotional scenery one would expect from a yuri series." In that respect, Sarantos said that it is similar to ''Kemono Friends
is a Japanese media franchise created by manga artist Mine Yoshizaki. The first project was a mobile game developed by Nexon, which ran from March 2015 to December 2016. A manga by Furai was serialized in Kadokawa's '' Monthly Shōn ...
'' and ''Girls' Last Tour
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tsukumizu. It was serialized monthly through Shinchosha's ''Kurage Bunch'' manga website from February 2014 to January 2018 and collected in six ''tankōbon'' volumes. An English release ...
'', adding that there is an expectation it will "nail the aesthetic of yuri" even though it is an "unconventional yuri narrative."
Reviewers for Anime News Network shared the sentiment of Sarantos. Caitlin Moore called the series "one of a kind" and a welcome addition to a series of yuri anime about "teenagers falling blushingly in love for the first time", with neither of the protagonists, Sorawo or Toriko, based on stereotypes. Even so, Moore said that the chemistry between them "could have come through stronger", called the visuals a "mixed bag" and said that there has been "a real lack of queer genre fiction in anime" recently, meaning she is "all the more excited to explore it." James Beckett, on the other hand, said that he was only lukewarm to the anime and said that while he is "not asking the show to answer all of my questions upfront", he would like "a little more context" and that he hopes that it "manages to live up to its potential." Similarly, Nicholas Dupree said that he feels the show lost him the premiere, even while he called the two protagonists a "charming central couple", and can't "click with the episode as a whole" while Theron Martin was more positive, saying that the series could be "worth watching" just for the interactions between the two protagonists. Just as positive was Rebecca Silverman, saying that the series was fascinating and creepy, saying it will likely be a faithful adaptation of the yuri manga it is based on, while saying there are "a few little missteps" and would like to know more "about the whole urban legend/internet myths piece" too. Hannah Alton of CBR argued that the series stands apart from the "usual fare" of the isekai
is a Japanese genre of speculative fiction—both portal fantasy and science fiction are included. It includes novels, light novels, films, manga, anime and video games that revolve around a person or people who are transported to and have to ...
genre because it is a yuri series, with the protagonists not trapped in the other world, but can easily move from the real world to the fictional world known as the Otherside, with the danger within the Otherside, which is "populated by monsters from Japanese urban legends" which can't be killed unless someone looks directly at them.
Alton further says the two protagonists standout in the genre, with Sorawo as a college student who "keeps to herself" and Toriko who is experienced at using a gun, something which violates existing Japanese law, which tightly controls firearms. Alton concludes by saying that while the anime falls into the isekai genre, it is different "from the usual high fantasy
High fantasy, or epic fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy defined by the epic nature of its setting or by the epic stature of its characters, themes, or plot.Brian Stableford, ''The A to Z of Fantasy Literature'', (p. 198), Scarecrow Press, ...
adventures in empowerment." Others have praised the anime, along with Moyasimon and Genshiken
is a Japanese manga series by Shimoku Kio about a college club for ''otaku'' (extremely obsessed fans of various media) and the lifestyle its members pursue. The title is a shortening of the club's official name, , or "The Society for ...
, saying that this prove that college anime can "offer a different take on "coming of age" storylines than the standard high school tropes" while focusing on "serious adult issues" like interpersonal conflict, struggles over identity, and mental health
Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, influencing cognition, perception, and behavior. It likewise determines how an individual handles stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making. Mental hea ...
. Additionally, Christopher Farris reviewed the anime's fourth episode for Anime News Network, noting that the vibes and ideas of the episode fit the series, while pointing to inconsistencies with the storytelling, and stating that within the theme of fear, everything else "works wonderfully", praising the sound design and how it taps into people's fears. Jordan Ramée of GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
praised the anime for starring adults, unlike most anime, calling it a "a refreshingly wonderful series" which has a "pretty cute and wholesome romance."
Erica Friedman had a mixed view of ''Otherside Picnic'', which she reviewed on her blog, ''Okazu
''Okazu'' ( or ; ; ) is a Japanese language, Japanese word meaning a side dish to accompany rice; subsidiary articles of diet.''Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary'', They are cooked and seasoned in such a way as to match well when eate ...
''. She praised the novel series as "an overt mix of Japanese netlore, science fiction, action and horror tropes and a big scoop of Yuri", but she was a "little disappointed" in the anime, specifically criticizing the animation style, disliking what she described as "comedy-action" in the series, and the pacing. Even so, she called the anime "very enjoyable" and praised the voice acting as "superb". Ultimately, she called the animation "unsatisfying", said the story was not "compelling", criticized what she saw as "pointless service" in the series, and said that the anime "feels like a children's version of the novels", giving the anime an overall rating of 7 out of 10.
Silverman reviewed the ''Otherside Picnic'' manga for Anime News Network, writing that it does not have "some of the issues that plagued the anime version," with more of a focus on horror, and gives readers "a little more yuri," saying it tells a unique story while "remaining true to the source novels." She argued that it feels like a "a statement on the isekai
is a Japanese genre of speculative fiction—both portal fantasy and science fiction are included. It includes novels, light novels, films, manga, anime and video games that revolve around a person or people who are transported to and have to ...
craze of recent years," and concluded it was a "solid adaptation...worth reading all on its own."
Notes
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Otherside Picnic
2017 Japanese novels
2020s Japanese LGBT-related television series
2021 anime television series debuts
Adventure anime and manga
Anime and manga based on novels
AT-X (TV network) original programming
Crunchyroll anime
Felix Film
Gangan Comics manga
Girls with guns anime and manga
J-Novel Club books
Japanese LGBT-related animated television series
Japanese science fiction novels
LGBT speculative fiction novels
Liden Films
Medialink
Science fiction anime and manga
Shōnen manga
Yuri (genre) anime and manga