Reviews 5x6c4j

Odd Taxi is really good, but its reception is a little warped, as it seems to have found itself in this weird situation of being fairly obscure, but also highly overrated by those who actually know about it, and this is dangerous because it leads to a hugbox where no one is willing to offer negative critique. Odd Taxi is a refreshing and clever mix of genres and styles, and it tells a complex but ultimately grounded and human story steeped in its well-construed mystery. Many have compared it’s conversational tone to that of Quentin Tarantino films, and as long as they’re referring exclusively to Reservoir Dogs, The Hateful Eight, and perhaps just a tiny bit of Pulp Fiction, I might have to agree, and much like those movies, this was seemingly written by a prodigy. It’s not often you see something like this, but the person behind Odd Taxi’s incredible dialogue and pacing is a writer with no other credits to their name, so either they’re a genius, or their beginner's luck is working insane amounts of overtime. With all that being said, however, Odd Taxi is no masterpiece, and it’s ironic too, because some aspects of the show are so strong, they’re almost held back by other elements which don’t quite pull their own weight. It’s themes of self-esteem are very mature and perceptive, but they’re almost too ingrained in seemingly irrelevant and thereby misleadingly innocuous visual symbols, so one would hardly be at fault for assuming this show had nothing to say at all until the very end when it clearly explains itself to anyone not paying close enough attention. It’s subpar voice acting almost undercuts how good the dialogue is, and visually, the ugly CG cars make the otherwise perfectly constructed atmosphere of the show feel less complete then it had any right feeling. And speaking of the mood, the music is often some of the best around, but then during some casual conversations, it’ll play this obnoxious semi-comedic track which just kills the realism the script worked so hard to instate.

But these are borderline nitpicks. Forgive me for feeling the need to selfishly impose my worldview like this, but personally, I believe that while idiots who call dog shit a masterpiece are just funny to laugh at, people who call quality entertainment a masterpiece when it doesn’t quite deserve it are worth challenging, because we owe it to the creators of good and thoughtful anime to offer their work good and thoughtful critique. Provided this, it’s time to gush. Odd Taxi is great, and personally, I found it shockingly compelling. It’s comedy is not only genuinely funny, but it never overstays its welcome and is weaved through conversation naturally. It has a real sense of wittiness, and constantly capitalizes on its ability to establish unique and diverse character personalities one after another. The main character, Odokawa, is this autistic, jaded, contrarian, middle-aged asshole, and having realized this was a show which was actually going to have real-feeling characters, I immediately knew it’s praise was warranted, because as basic of a feat as this may seem, little TV can achieve even one character who is this well-realized, and Odd Taxi has countless. It’s just so good at capturing subtle fluctuations in awkwardness and intimacy in conversation that every personality feels well-balanced and sensible, and despite its ostensibly silly character designs (which scream their thematic relevance), the actual characterization is nothing if not lifelike. The art design and backgrounds aren’t mind-blowing, but they’re far better drawn, more detailed, and more aesthetically adherent than 99.9% of anime airing these days, and overall, it remains a lovely little show throughout all its twists and turns. While I hope this review can distinguish itself from the mass of overtly unbridled praise many of its fans are showering this show with, I must it I very quickly began to adore this show, and I believe anyone who can appreciate a script which is honestly too good for its own good will feel the same way.

Thank you for reading.