© NEGAPOSI-ANGLER PROJECT
One unavoidable aspect of fishing is its unpredictability, and ironically, fishing anime ends up being one of the most entertaining shows of the season. Negative Positive Angler has yet to disappoint me. It still looks good, weirdly realistic CGI fish and everything. The writing is humorous and comprehensive, with enough detail to stand out. Each character is different and interesting. It doesn't break the mold. However, at this time of year, I need to regularly watch the odd light-hearted and realistic TV series to soothe my 4pm sunset blues. Last fall forced me to join Overtake!. This fall attracted me to the NegaPosi Angler.
Fujishiro is this week's featured character. If we're going from least to most caricatured character design, it makes sense that he should follow Ice's episode. Hiromi Taniguchi drew him as a really refined funny little guy. Glasses. Head shape. Crazy grooming. I love his middle-aged vibe. Appropriately, he is also the most mysterious member of Everymart's staff. They cast him in a series of increasingly outlandish mythos that read like a G-rated version of a Bill Brasky SNL skit. I liked that the episode didn't resolve any of those mysteries. Life is full of colleagues and acquaintances whose lives do not intersect with yours, and there is a cosmic beauty in realizing that. To quote Serious Man, sometimes you just have to accept the mystery.
Hiro has a lot to accept this week. His little fishing experience turned him into the model for the Dunning-Kruger effect, which the narrator and narrator do their best to attack. I don't think it's too mean either, because we're meant to sympathize with both Hiro's naive overconfidence and the dry advice from the voice of experience. The great thing about NegaPosi Angler is that you don't need to know anything about fishing to understand it. I know all too well the enthusiasm of a new hobby and the subsequent sobriety.
Hiro's mistake was thinking that he needed to be good at fishing to have a good time fishing. He aggregates the largest number of catches to get the best catch. Sardinella are small fry; only the big bluebacks are worth his time. To facilitate this, he separated from the main group. He imagines himself as the main character in his own fishing drama (and can I just say that the scene of him and Takaaki watching the laptop together is too cute). However, when the narrator is none other than Fujishiro, Hiro's arrogance becomes the real problem of the day. He fumbled his fly, lost his bait, and failed a basic knowledge test that any seasoned angler would recognize. Combined with Fujishiro's humorous and low-key commentary, it makes for a hilarious and wonderful display of Hiro floundering out of his depth.
Hana stopped with temporary salvation, putting Hiro where he should have cast the bait and that moment of kindness finally got him back on track. When he finally hit a shot, he realized that there was no one to help him put it in the net, and he lost anyway. His return to the group was not marked by discouragement, however. Everyone was having a good time and they were all happy to see him. There's joy in the intrinsic nature of fishing—Kozue makes an apt comparison to gacha, and Hiro is no stranger to the lure of gambling—but its real value here is in the community its. Even Fujishiro, who went his own way in his camper, stayed close to the main group. Everyone has their own rhythm. Hiro, of course, is on his search, but he's surrounded by friends who want to help him do it.
I'll summarize some of the other good scenarios and endings. I like that the anime continues to pair fishing scenes with eating scenes. This emphasizes the common nature of the two and the shared meals especially signify the family aspect found in the story. Takaaki as host makes total sense, and it also syncs with my earlier point that everyone's life is multifaceted. In the end, I think it's a little too cold now, but I'm getting dangerously close to trying to fish. Between this show's usual educational blocks and the cheerful anime characters holding their catch, brainwashing is taking place. Watch NegaPosi Angler at your own risk.
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NegaPosi Angler is now streaming on Crunchyroll.
Steve is currently using Bluesky and he's fine with that. Fish are certainly not afraid of him. You can also see him chatting about trash and treasure on This Week in Anime.
