Armed with my camera, one of my favorite things to do in moments of stress, if just for a change of pace or routine, is to travel somewhere new and explore. I sometimes plan these longer excursions from the bustle of Tokyo, but even without a clear goal in hand, there’s something about wandering through the serene countryside in silence and embracing the beauty of the world around, whether alone or with others, that’s rejuvenating. While I’ve not had as much time in recent months to do this even with the change in seasons making the weather perfect for adventure, two anime from the current season have been able to plug the gap: mono and Zatsu Tabi: That’s Journey.
In mono, Satsuki Amamiya at first has little interest any after-school activities when entering high school but finds herself inspired to join the photography club after noticing a third-year student taking photos at her induction ceremony. One year later, the graduation of the third-years leaves the club lacking both members and purpose, with a similar fate befalling the cinema club and its lackadaisical now-president Sakurako.
The two clubs merge to form the cinephoto club, the new joint circle spending their days traveling and taking photos and videos using freshly-purchased action cameras. They take their new toys traveling in order to photograph and document their prefecture of Kofu alongside new friends and an older woman and self-proclaimed 'sponsor' drawing their experiences for a new manga.
Zatsu Tabi: That's Journey has a similar concept, albeit removed from the familiar high-school environment to follow the stressed new-graduate mangaka Chika Suzugamori. Unable to catch a break with all her manuscripts rejected by editors, she impulsively decides to take a trip via shinkansen to a new place to get away from her worries. In doing so she discovers a love for travel, with each episode taking us to a new place either alone or with friends.
While I was anticipating both anime thanks to my shared kinship for travel and photography enhanced by my love for Yuru Camp, the other ongoing slice-of-life camping anime adapted from mono mangaka Afro, it’s easy to understand why these two series have been overlooked amidst a bustling Spring anime season. For all these are charming series whose vibe matches the changing weather, these are series lacking the flashy fights and animation or the intense storytelling of the more typical smash hits for the season.
Besides, series like these that can be neatly summarized as "cute girls pick up a new hobby" are a formulaic staple at this point. Most are mediocre or outright bad, and many are forgettable at best. Who cares about yet-another series following this same-old routine?
The moment I watched the first episode of mono, memories or prior journeys across the Japanese countryside came rushing back. For example, last Spring, tired of the stress of work and life wearing me down, I chose to get on the train and travel far from central Tokyo. This wasn’t an entirely-unplanned journey, but it was a last-minute decision. I wanted to go somewhere new, and didn’t want to stump up the cash for a shinkansen. Thus, I decided to do something I’d wanted to do for some time, and rode to Iwafune.
There’s not much in the area. It’s a small town with a shrine on a route where trains pass just once an hour, lacking any real landmarks. The reason I chose that town specifically was to recreate the journey taken by Takaki during the first chapter of Makoto Shinkai’s 5 Centimeters Per Second. I didn’t regret it for a second. I stumbled up the towering steps of the shrine, took photos that sought to replicate scenes from the movie referenced against a book of storyboards for the film I picked up a few weeks prior. I returned refreshed and inspired, relieved to see somewhere new and finally visit a place from a movie I loved so much.
It’s easy to get wrapped up in the daily grind, and many have no choice but to submit to the machine of work. Long hours five days a week leave cramped weekends fueled by exhaustion for even the contemplation of a tiring journey. I’m lucky that my work as a journalist offers me flexibility to get away from it all like this. With this journey, it was a reminder to slow down and appreciate the world around me, rather than my typical breakneck desire to find something new before it’s too late. A message to myself that there’s more out there to explore.
The reason many of these slice-of-life anime remain forgettable and formulaic, and thus are easy to overlook, is that they often fail to offer anything beyond a carnal desire for nostalgic reminiscence wrapped in a cute exterior. Yuru Camp soared to mainstream appeal, earning multiple series and even an original movie, by blending compelling characters with a genuine love for camping and the joy the outdoors can bring. It’s a legacy these two not only embody, but enhance with a message of self-love and joy for the smaller things in life.
At its core, beyond the goofiness of a NEET-like mangaka taking trips with these young girls for inspiration and a few photo novices buying action cameras and strapping them to kites to act like a drone, the compelling core of mono is in how it uses these fun excursions to celebrate the joy of photography. Everyone wants the perfect photo, and there’s an intoxicating thrill that comes with taking a cool photo, but the ultimate joy is in the back-and-forth between subject and artist. To take great photos you must have fun and truly see what you wish to take, whether that be a person or a place.
You must learn to love and appreciate your surroundings and understand your place within it if you are to truly see it and capture its true beauty. Amidst its comedic excursions, obsession with cats and bouncy, charming characters and animation, this is the joy that mono embodies, turning it from an also-ran to a compelling, relaxing and somewhat inspiring window into photography.
Zatsu Tabi is a bit more of a mixed bag, at times falling a bit too far into documantary-esque informational videos on locations than about the reasons Chika wishes to travel and visit these places. At its best, particularly in her solo-expedition to Aizuwakamatsu in the opening episode, we see that a trip to a new place allows for a mental reset that puts the setbacks of life into perspective. It’s a chance to take in the past and present when you’re otherwise pushing yourself forwards at such speed you forget to remember that being alive and present in the moment is half of the fun.
By visiting an onsen and climbing way too many steps to a shrine that doesn’t even have a good view to show for it, disappointment is replaced with the pride of stepping out of your comfort zone and doing something for yourself, not others.
Both series succeed because, at their heart, there’s a message of self-love and appreciation for the world we often overlook in a narrow-minded pursuit of a goal that reminds us to step back and appreciate what we already have over what we want. After you have fun spending time with the manic energy of the chaotic crew of mono or take it slow with the mature women of Zatsu Tabi, go have that fun yourself.
Sure, this new anime season offers you the chance to watch superheroes or visit fantastical kingdoms. Escape from the current world to somewhere more exciting. Perhaps you should instead turn off the TV. Go outside, touch some grass. Take a photo, write a journal, see something new. Live in the moment. There’s a whole world to explore.
