Among all the premieres that sneak into the anime seasons, it is quite difficult to keep up with everyone, especially if we get into big series. But from time to time we can find some very interesting and adorable releases that slip between the most petonic titles.
‘Deaimon: Recipe for Happiness’ is a fairly modest series that we were able to see on Crunchyroll last spring, but despite not having any electrifying battles or a harrowing story, it is a charming anime perfect to spend some time relaxing and letting go. Because the truth is that many times we do not need anything else.
Between guitars and rice cakes
‘Deaimon: Recipe for Happiness’ It is set in a small traditional Kyoto confectionery that has been run by the same family for many years. Nagomu Irino He is an only child and left the family business ten years ago to follow his dreams of becoming a professional musician, but when he finds out that his father is in the hospital he doesn’t think twice and returns home to take over the pastry shop.
When he arrives, it turns out that the situation was not so serious and that a competitor has also emerged to inherit the business: Itsuka Yukihiraa ten-year-old girl whom his parents have taken in while he was away.
Itsuka at the beginning of the story is not amused at all that Nagomu has suddenly returned, least of all because he tries to become his false father. Although she seems like a textbook, little by little we are discovering that the girl has a quite complicated history of family abandonment, but that thanks to living in the Ryokushō pastry shop she has been opening up more and more and she takes her position of “future heiress”.
Article: ‘Deaimon: Recipe for Happiness’ deals with several very heavy themess, such as child abandonment or accepting that our adolescent dreams are not going to come true and that it is time to mature. But still, It doesn’t feel like a tear-jerker drama.
It is a very calm and relaxed animewith day-to-day stories in which you get to know the Ryokushō employees and all the love and work they put into their creations.
It is full of details, especially when explaining the processes of the sweets and their ingredients and meanings, making it a perfect setting that gives you that everyday feeling how well do many animes. And if you weren’t hungry before starting ‘Deaimon’, some of the plans will surely leave you wanting to have a snack and try their traditional cakes.
If that it has its moments of drama, of course, although many times they are resolved very quickly and without consequence. The first quarter of the series precisely puts a lot of emphasis on Itsuka’s insecurities and Nagomu trying to win her parents’ trust back, but the series manages to vent them too quickly to simply get a much calmer tone and let the relationships of the characters flow.
This makes part of the series stay with a taste of introductions by including more and more characters and put aside what looks like it’s going to be the main story, but you also have to accept that for now ‘Deaimon: Recipe for Happiness is what it is and it’s not going to give us a high tension family drama. What he gives us is mochis and cakes, a family that loves each other very much despite not having blood ties, and some protagonists who try to improve everything they can.
the sleeve of Rin Asano It’s been out since 2016 and has 13 compiled volumes and is still in print, so we’ll have more story to adapt in the future.
The truth is that the series leaves the door quite open and there are many plots left to closeespecially around Itsuka’s family, but for now the anime of Encourage Films delivers just what it promises: a charming and very calm story to put you in a good mood.
The animation is very simple and has almost no stunning momentsbut the moments of humor are very well measured and it is perfect for the type of story slice of life. But it is still full of details, especially in the explanations about Ryokushō preserves.
Surely we will have more than ‘Deaimon: Recipe for Happiness‘ in the future, but we’re going to have to wait very patiently and maybe reach for a pack of mochis in the meantime.