If you’re like me, you decided that the 9-5 wasn’t for you sometime in 2003. Modernity excels at plenty of things. But if there’s one thing that it’s the best at, it’s sucking the joy out of life. Gone are the days when we celebrated men for sitting around and philosophizing about life. Now it’s “born, work, die.” That monotony leaves plenty of us yearning for something far freer. Humanity was born in the wild, and to the wild, it shall return. That’s why so many of us feel at peace when we’re in nature. That’s a feeling that the Solo Camping for Two anime champions. Based on Yudai Debata’s ongoing manga, Futari Solo Camp is an ode to the healing properties of the outdoors.
Unfortunately, SynergySP’s animation lacks the punch of the original manga. And with some directorial changes cheapening the value of the story, can Solo Camping for Two compete against the powerhouse that is Studio Bind’s Ruri Rocks? It can. But in an esoteric way.
What’s Solo Camping for Two About?
Gen Kinokura is a man who heeds the call of the wild. While most people his age enjoy the comforts of modern life, Gen-san seized every opportunity to venture into the mountains. Whether it’s a remote campground or a mountain plateau, if the place offered solitude, Gen-san was there. However, one day, Gen’s solo life went into the gutter after a novice camper interrupts his solo camping trip when she stumbles into his campsite after getting lost. Soon after Gen encounters the helpless Shizuku Kusano, she blackmails him into letting her join his solo camping trips. Now, with her in tow, Gen must learn to enjoy his accompanied solo camping adventures.
Where Futari Solo Camp Shines
I’ve mentioned before that I’ve always lived an unhappy life. I’m wholeheartedly sure that if anime and the outdoors had not entered my life when they did, I would not be here. My entire existence is thanks to waifus and pretty mountain views. I tend to fawn over outdoor anime because of that. Initially, I hated camping. The thought of crapping in the woods was sacrilegious. Millions died in the pursuit of progress. Millions died, so I could enjoy a toilet. To reject their sacrifice by pooping in the wild was a sin greater than I could fathom. However, due to Yuru Camp, that internal conflict quickly resolved itself.
Now, I get it. I understand why seemingly normal people spend days cursing at knee-breaking inclines and pretending that Omeals’s backpacking meals are edible. Nature heals you. We evolved alongside it. Man wasn’t meant to sit in a cubicle on a concrete slab. We weren’t meant for traffic jams, working 9-5, and AI slop on TikTok. We evolved along with nature, and that’s where we belong. Solo Camping for Two champions is that sentiment. Its manga is the most poignant representation of how the backcountry can have a positive influence on your life. That’s something most outdoor anime/manga struggle to truly convey.
We were meant to chase rainbows and the colors of a setting sun — that’s where our happiness lies. From its opening dialogue, Solo Camping for Two invites you to do just that. The anime asks you to indulge in the beauty of the world around you. Futari Solo Camp aims to enrich your life. Rather than simply showing the wonders of camping, it beckons you to join in and gently sings you a lullaby at the end of each day. We should celebrate that.
Where It Flops
An adaptation’s success depends heavily on the studio responsible for animating it. Unfortunately, for Solo Camping for Two, SynergySP did not quite meet the mark. While SynergySP has done a decent job on shows like Girlfriend Girlfriend and A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics, capturing the beauty of nature proved to be a much higher hurdle. Although the manga’s visuals are stunning (so much so that even the most lackluster imagination can vividly picture the scenes), the anime feels bland and uninspiring.
The original manga has a gourmet flair. Every meal stirs your hunger and drives you into a gluttonous frenzy. But the anime’s food looks like something that would be the topic of ridicule on Worst Chefs in America. In an anime like Futari Solo Camp, whose purpose is to invoke a sense of closeness with nature and show you that camping can be glamorous, this is a tragedy.
Without revealing the spoiler, the anime makes a change to the manga’s story. Unfortunately, this woefully cheapens the future character development. That is enough to make me cry. Shizuku and Gen’s development is a slow one, but it was a masterclass in affection. I’m unsure how the anime will tackle their relationship now. But I can’t see it being anywhere as special as it was.
Why You Should Watch It
Let me share a bit of Kashou lore. Some of my favorite moments are watching how people react when seeing a sunset/sunrise over the sea or mountains. Most people will find it to be a slightly exciting or novel experience and then quickly forget about it. But every so often, I’ll see someone’s life change. Seeing that happen is always a religious experience. When their eyes start to glitter, their body tenses up, and I hear them gasp — at that moment, I know that whatever was plaguing them is gone. Something about the grandeur of nature puts things into perspective. Solo Camping for Two builds on that experience. I believe this is a show that can and will save people. Somewhere, there’s a broken soul who is in desperate need of comfort and fighting to stay afloat. Futari Solo Camp will give them the comfort they need.
Camping and hiking (those two go hand in hand) can be expensive. Sadly, the outdoors remain a luxury that many of us can’t easily afford. However, anime like Solo Camping for Two helps us find ways to experience that luxury. And in cases where it still remains out of reach, it serves as a comforting placeholder.
This is an anime that encourages you to feel and process your emotions, and that’s truly invaluable. If that sentimental encouragement isn’t enough, Shizuku is a hottie, and there are fanservice moments throughout the anime!
Production Details
Kodansha’s Evening magazine serialized Futari Solo Camp between October 2018 and February 2023. When Evening magazine ended in 2023, the manga briefly moved to Kodansha’s Comic Days app and found its forever home in Morning magazine. The series boasts twenty tankoubon volumes and a live-action television drama. Kodansha’s K Manga service releases the English ePub version of the manga.
Crunchyroll and Ani-One Asia’s YouTube channel simulcast the SynergySP Solo Camping for Two adaptation.
©Yudai Debata, Kodansha -Solo Camping for Two Anime Production Committee
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