Kumamiko: The Complete Series

Based on Masume Yoshimoto’s 2013 manga, this anime series centers on Machi, a village girl who wants to move to the city, and her best friend and constant companion Natsu, a talking bear. In many respects their story would appeal to young children, as the relationship between girl and animal is sweet, but the lack of an English dialogue track, plus some sexual allusions in the later chapters, make this inappropriate for that age group. The narrative’s overall trajectory finds terribly shy Machi, who is incapable of mastering modern technology and is subject to panic attacks, repetitively being forced into public appearances by her cousin Yoshio, who wants to enhance their hometown’s image. Eventually Machi, who has suffered numerous indignities while trying to connect to the city, not only abandons her desire to escape her small village for the opportunities afforded by urban life, but she is also content to remain childishly unconcerned with the larger world and its complexities (a message that some parents might find unpalatable). On the other hand, Kumamiko does boast colorful animation and could appeal to older kids. Compiling all 12 episodes from 2016 in a Blu-ray/DVD Combo set, in Japanese with English subtitles, rated TV-PG, this is a strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)