Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable‘s first season just had its finale this past week. The manga, which debuted in 2019, has been fairly successful in Japan, leading to anticipation around the anime adaptation’s release. As a manga reader for the series, I was eager to see if the anime would do the original work justice. I also wanted to hear about the experiences of newcomers to the series, especially the ones who might not be so familiar with Hokkaido, Japan’s most northern island in which the series takes place. In my thoughts, the series needed to appeal to not only people who are knowledgeable about Hokkaido and its culture but also to those interested in the romance/harem genre. With its likeable characters and wholesome scenarios, Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable is a relaxing but compelling anime to add to your watch list.
Tsubasa Shiki is a high schooler from Tokyo who starts his new life in Kitami, Hokkaido, almost 1000 kilometers away from his hometown. The entire first season consists of Tsubasa’s adjustment to such a different area of Japan and forming relationships with his new friends.
The immediate draw to this anime series is that the setting is not Tokyo, but rather Japan’s north, which is much less often a setting in anime. Many of the popular anime out today, like Jujutsu Kaisen, Lycoris Recoil, and Tokyo Revengers take place mostly in Tokyo, or some kind of representation of Tokyo.
In Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable, we follow a character who is just as clueless about Hokkaido and its culture as the average viewer may be. Through Tsubasa, we are able to learn about this fascinating part of Japan as his classmates and friends introduce him to the wonders of Kitami and Hokkaido.
My absolute favorite parts of the series are the Hokkaido cultural references and Easter eggs – and often times they aren’t so easy to spot. Within the series there is a delicate balance between teaching viewers about Hokkaido and placing references that enthusiasts will enjoy searching for.
Minami, the anime’s main female character, is passionate about her hometown and Hokkaido as a whole and recommends many specialties to Tsubasa such as Seico Mart fried chicken and Ribbon soda, both of which are real products you can buy in Hokkaido. The anime is a great introduction to those looking into visiting Hokkaido in the future and wanting to try things you can’t get your hands on in mainland Japan.
Most western viewers will pick up Hokkaido Girls Are Super Adorable not because of the setting of the series, but rather because it’s a romance/harem anime. Before the series aired, I wondered if the series would fail to engage viewers who are simply there for the romance. I’ve seen anime fail at this in the past; for example, the anime Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki focuses on the Japanese city of Nagoya but didn’t fare well with western viewers due to a lack of any other appeal.
Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable balances and blends romantic themes with Hokkaido culture in a way that I think even people not familiar with the region can appreciate. This is mostly due to the main character, Tsubasa, learning about Hokkaido as he delves into romantic situations with the cute gals that he meets.
I especially appreciate the slow conversations and intimate moments between Minami and Tsubasa throughout the series. I didn’t expect the anime to be as slowly paced as it was – the studio easily could have stuffed more content from the manga into season one, but I’m glad they instead decided to let us have enough time to get to know each character. The gamble of making the first season an introduction season will lead to much more compelling future seasons since we’ve grown to really care about the main cast.
While the animation and music for Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable are, admittedly, nothing special, I do appreciate that the art style and the order of events are extremely faithful to the original manga. Fans of the manga will be impressed and should definitely watch the anime. For everyone else, the first season is well-paced and leaves a lot of open doors for a possible season 2, 3, and beyond. There’s definitely more content in the manga that is yet to be adapted, so hopefully we won’t see an end to Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable in anime form any time soon.
Animation: 6/10
Music: 6/10
Characters: 10/10
Story: 9/10
Images via Crunchyroll
© Kai Ikada, Shueisha / Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable Production Committee