Reviews

If you looked at the MAL page for this anime, then you probably already figured out exactly what this anime is, but just in case... Chio's School Road is a Comedy/SoL(primarily comedy) anime about Chio's everyday walks to school, and, while that is the most accurate way to describe the anime, that description still really downplays just how hilarious this anime is. Chio is an absurd high-school girl; she's the type of character that says she wants one thing, but all of her actions seem to send her hurtling in the other direction. Primarily, Chio wants to just be a below-average girl who fades into the background. It isn't that she doesn't want social interactions, but she doesn't want the anxiety that can accompany those interactions, and even more so, she wants to avoid any situation where she is the center of attention. Nonetheless, Chio manages to constantly do things that would obviously make her way more likely to stand out, like deciding to climb on top of roofs to use them as a short-cut since her usual route was blocked by construction.

Story: 7, As with a lot of comedy-heavy shows, I have split my score for story into story (3/5) and comedy (4/5). The simple reason I do this is because comedy-centric anime don't need a strong story to be entertaining, but I usually keep story as part of the criteria because comedy-focused anime with a strong story should shine out amongst those that are simply funny, but have no story (in my opinion). While Chio's School Road definitely doesn't have a plot to write home about, its not one to be ashamed over either. There is nothing conclusive to the anime, and it doesn't feel like its building towards a goal, but it also feels like every comedy-bit is built well. They aren't overly long, as in one episode usually contains multiple skits, but they're built in a manner that isn't overly predictable. It's not really a surprise to me, but after watching so many comedy anime I've found myself at the point that I sit there thinking about what will happen next, and while there are certain scenes that have me saying, "Somebody better pick up that phone, because I fucking called it!", there were also a significant number where I got it wrong, which was a pleasant surprise, as I'm usually less likely to laugh at something that I found overly predictable.

Art: 9, Similar to other Comedy anime like Nichijou, Chio's School Road uses its art to really make the most out of its comedy, and while I'd say Nichijou probably still takes the cake for the "Best Use of Art in Comedy" award (that I totally didn't just make up), Chio's School Road could easily take home the silver medal. The art-style is pleasant to look at, and excluding the stylistic changes to emphasize and enhance the comedy in certain scenes, it stays consistent in both style and quality. Also, the OP is quite the visual spectacle, and I greatly appreciated it, regardless of how I feel about the...

Sound: 8, I wasn't a huge fan of the song in the OP, as in, it wasn't my cup of tea, NOT that it didn't fit the anime, because it definitely fits, and to further that, I'd say that all of the sounds, music and voice acting (English dub) were done very well, and if I had to point the finger at which of those were the best it would probably have to be the voice acting. I was tempted to give a 9 in sound, but I decided to drop a point since I felt that the OSTs didn't really stand out, and while I would define everything Chio's School Road does in this category as, "Good", I wouldn't go to the extent of calling it "Outstanding".

Character: 8, Chio's School Road excels at making characters that feel well-defined without too much effort. Chio, our absurd protagonist, has no impulse-control and gets so wrapped up in the problems in her own head that, rather than approach the problem directly, she'd do something absurd like "accidentally" trip and roll into a pile of garbage just to attempt to avoid making a scene... Mañana is the kind of girl who gets blinded easily by her own greed, specifically in terms of a chance to join the "popular kids", and she is blinded to the point that she'll treat her friends, um, let's say, "less than spectacularly", but she's not a total scumbag--she just needs a reality check every once in awhile to restore the balance. While I'd like to dive into a few of the other characters, the rest have a lot less screen time, and I don't want to just fill this review with spoilers, but I will say that I think the minor characters are handled very well in this; they are a few I disliked, but they're just there for one skit, nothing more, so they're acceptable enough.

Enjoyment: 9, I binged this all the way through, only stopping to make myself food, that I proceeded to eat while I continued to watch. It wasn't an anime I wanted to put down, and quite frankly I really hope that another season comes out in the future.

Overall: 8, Personally, I can see several different ways this could've been better, like if there were more overarching plot-lines, but if you're just looking for something to laugh your ass off to, then look no further. Chio's School Road is hilarious, and while comedy is (in my opinion) probably the most subjective genre ever, I think its hard not to laugh at this, unless you have a whole-bundle of sticks shoved up your.... ANYWAYS, the point is, if you want to laugh watch it, if you're looking for anything other than a comedy, well I'm confused why you made it to the end of this review, but congrats.