If comfort were a song, every person would hear a different melody. Much like day and night are part of the same cycle, something that can be destructive to one person can build up another. I have a soft spot for drinking. The combination of a good drink and a serene view has kept me from the noose more times than I care to admit. Likewise, many of my fondest memories involve an SSR company and a drink. It’s those experiences that endear me to Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk.
Golden Week has arrived in Japan, and J-List is celebrating with an extra-awesome sale for you! Through May 13th, you can get 15% off all in-stock items shipping from Japan. Just think of the amazing stress-relief toys, ero lotion, or hentai manga you can pick up. No code to enter, just start browsing here!
I know that an article about Studio Soigne’s sophomore anime attempt seems out of place in J-List. But not quite. We covered Bartender Glass of God! So, I’m here to bring some spoiler-free yuri and drinking into your life! But drink moderately. The more you drink, the less time you have for doujins.
Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk
Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk is what you get when you mix CGDCT anime, a Japanese bar, and college girls. That’s an uncouth way of putting it, but it’s also an honest way of putting it.
Either way, let’s get the synopsis out of the way. The anime follows Botan Kamiina, a 20-year-old college freshman. While Botan resides in a college dorm, she’s yet to make friends with any of her dorm mates. But when their dorm’s resident assistant, Ibuki, wanders off to drink alone, a curious Botan follows. And when Botan learns that Ibuki drinks alone due to alcohol-induced hiccups, instead of laughing at her, Botan joins her in a drink. That drink was Botan’s first, and with that, friendship (and yuri-ness) bloom.
For an anime that can easily be explained, Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk excels at its storytelling.
“Show, don’t tell” is a writing tenet branded into writers. We’re not supposed to state — we have to show and convey it. Everyone in Botan’s dorm is aware of Ibuki’s propensity for solo drinking. But they’d all like to get closer to her. So, when the newbie of the group manages to break that barrier, her dorm mates notice. And their actions demonstrate the nuanced nature of this anime. Subtlety is gently woven into the story. Feelings aren’t lavishly thrown your way — like the ingredients in a cocktail, they’re carefully measured. And like a cocktail, every ingredient elegantly balances the next.
I’m so thankful this show airs on Fridays — it’s the perfect “take a drink and unwind” anime.
Slice-of-Life Galore
When I saw Botan Kamiina’s initial visual, my first thought was, “Huh, Komari from Non Non Biyori is old enough to drink now? Is she wearing contacts?” Then my mind started to math, and I realized that Komari was thirteen when Non Non Biyori aired in 2013, so she’s twenty-six now. JESUS, I’M OLD.
That aside, fans of Non Non Biyori and Yama no Susume will love Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk. Apart from the eyes, Botan is a ringer for Koma-chan. Ibuki is an older version of Aoi from Encouragement of Climb. That sounds like hyperbole, but Botan Kamiina and Encouragement of Climb S3 and S4 share the same character designer, Miyachi. Make of that what you will.
Either way, if Kamiina Botan, Yoeru Sugata wa Yuri no Hana’s first episode is an indication of what’s coming, we’re in for some comfy watching. Soigne’s art style is soft, warm, and welcoming. It’s ironic that Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk premiered in spring, because it’s reminiscent of perfect-temperature spring days.
Botan Kamiina and Drinking Japan!
Every country has a drinking culture. Emphasis on EVERY, in that sentence. Even dry countries have underground drinking cultures. An ex-boss of mine recently traveled to Saudi Arabia and was surprised when his fly-fishing guide offered him a beer. While he initially thought it was a trap, he gave in, caught an Indo-Pacific permit, and had an enjoyable day.
The moral of that story is that you shouldn’t always believe the narratives you’re given. However, if you want a truthful starting point for gauging how a culture approaches certain things, asking locals or engaging with its media is the right way to go.
While individually, drinking is on the decline in Japan (as it is in most places), the country has a strong drinking culture. In fact, there’s a word for it — nomikai. Nomikai can be translated as “party drinking.” Think of all those scenes in anime with coworkers or group dates at a bar. That cultural penchant for social drinking is why Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk makes Ibuki’s solitary drinking seem odd. In a land where izakayas and laughing crowds comfort weary souls, the lone digger is a confusing existence.
I haven’t read Botan Kamiina‘s source material, so I’m unaware of how detailed it gets about Japanese drinking culture.
Will the anime teach us that we’re supposed to pour other people’s drinks? Will it show that “kanpai!” is a necessity and that at plenty of places you need food with your booze? Only those who watch the anime on Crunchyroll and Muse Asia will know. All I know is that I sure as hell ain’t paying ¥500 for a whiskey highball at my local bars. That’s at least ten quid, minimum.
Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk Deets
Hey writes and illustrates the Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk manga. Akita Shoten has serialized the manga through its Champion Cross manga service since March 2019. They have compiled the ongoing manga into seven tankoubon volumes. There’s no official translation for Kamiina Botan, Yoeru Sugata wa Yuri no Hana.
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Golden Week has arrived in Japan, and J-List is celebrating with an extra-awesome sale for you! Through May 13th, you can get 15% off all in-stock items shipping from Japan. Just think of the amazing stress-relief toys, ero lotion, or hentai manga you can pick up. No code to enter, just start browsing here!
