For me, gratuitous shock value in a show’s first episode is often a miss. Life’s assured my apathetic personality, so tugging at my heartstrings with violence or assault won’t elicit any strong emotions. That’s not to say a show can’t use emotional distress to draw me into a story. Many things cause me plenty of grief, and if a show plays to that pain, it gets my full attention. So, Sorairo Utility fully grasped my attention after it opened with the main character freaking out about an EOS (End of Service). I immediately recalled the miserable days that followed the EOS of my beloved School Idol Festival All Stars. That was enough to invest my attention, and I’m over the moon that it did. Sorairo Utility also seems poised to be my sleeper hit of the season.
¿Qué es Sorairo Utility?
As teenagers, we’re told that we can’t drink, adventure, or ho about because “we’re not developed enough.” Yet, we’re labeled competent enough to start planning our lives at that age. But figuring out what one wants in life is often so daunting that many reach the grave without figuring that out. Unfortunately, the pressure to find our calling is strongest during our teenage and early adult years. At that time, you’re expected to plan for tomorrow and urged to enjoy today.
This is the conundrum Minami Aoba lives through in Sorairo Utility. While she has distracted herself from thinking about her place in life through gaming, an EOS takes that luxury away from her. Heeding advice from her best friend, Izumi, Minami tries to join a club to find that spark that will make her shine. Hopefully, that spark will also save her from a life of obscurity. But her search proves fruitless after trying all the clubs her school offers. When her frantic search seems doomed, Minami spots an elderly gentleman needing assistance. Surprised that such a kawaii and lewdable waifu is helping him, grandpa-san decides she’s an angel and tries to give up the ghost.
To ensure that Masao “Masa” Tadokoro stays in this realm, she helps him walk to a gold driving range. And it’s there where Minami takes the leap from a self-described NPC to a tried-and-true heroine. One look at Haruka Akane swinging her golf club was all Minami needed to start finding her footing in life.
Why You Should Watch Sorairo Utility!
I’ve been aware of golf long before I got into anime. I’ve been into fly-fishing for about a decade. And my fly-fishing hobby often leads to golf invitations because those two go hand in hand. While I usually turn those invitations down, I tried it again after I watched Birdy Wing, and it was meh. But you can bet your preorder figure that after watching Sorairo Utility, I’m heading to a golf course. The show does a marvelous job of selling the hobby.
As protagonists go, you’ll immediately become attached to Minami. Her emotions and excitement are outright infectious. It’s undoubtedly one of those “power of friendship” shows but lacks the usual cringe. People have told me that golfers are an extremely accepting community. If that’s true, having old dudes and high school girls play a round together while laughing and vibing eloquently shows how it appeals to the masses.
Although I can’t shake the feeling that since old dudes and high school girls are in this show, doujin and Pixiv bros will be working hard. But who am I to judge? I keep looking at Minami the way the IRS looks at unpaid taxes. Horniness aside, the feel and scenery of this show relaxes you. One can run to this show after a low day. One look at the state of the world is enough to tell you that comfort is worth appreciating. And I can assure you, Sorairo Utility is a comforting show.
Production Values
Yostar Pictures has given us the most opulent show of the season. The art style of this show is so vibrant that it makes you want to jump through your screen. I’m smitten with that kira-kira cute-girls-doing-cute-things animation style, and Blue Sky Utility has that in spades. The OST of the show is perfect. Every score and song fits the vibe of the scene it’s associated with. The OST is to the anime what the word “baka” is to a tsundere: they’re meant for each other.
“Be The Hero” (Masayoshi Oishi and Airi Suzuki) should be Winter 2025’s top hit! Unfortunately, I know the song will fly under the radar since the show won’t appeal to the masses. But dear God! That opening song is catchier than COVID. If you’ve never done drugs, that song is what it feels like to face-plant a pile of cocaine. When the day comes that I turn into a picture in an obituary, I hope that this song guides my way to the other side.
Voice-acting-wise, this show is a wet dream. I abhor performances that poorly handle tone and cadence. That’s why I detest English dubs — no one talks like that in the real world. Don’t believe me? Compare a current cartoon against an anime, and you’ll easily spot the difference in vocal performances. One is natural, while the other is almost always a forced one. Unfortunately, I’ve noticed lately that even the original Japanese voices prioritize the audience hearing them over feeling them. That’s not the case here. Miyu Takagi (Minami’s VA) and Yurina Amami (Haruka’s VA) perfectly capture the nuances of a conversation between a newbie discovering something and a veteran trying to hide their excitement at it.
Random Comments
I unashamedly admit that I want people to watch this show. I fell in love with anime because of shows like this. Many might think that the only thing you’d get from anime is a way to waste time. But as someone who’s summited peaks over 10,000 feet due to Yama No Susume, I know how much anime can improve your mental and physical health. Sorairo Utility is the type of show you can follow where you might find a new outlook on life. I really believe that the biggest compliment you can give a show isn’t calling it a masterpiece. It’s calling it a gateway.
A masterpiece does nothing more than entertain. But a gateway leads someone to a life they would never even consider. We get this here. It’s a show a newbie to golf or anime will watch and then run into the rabbit hole. Blue Sky Utility is airing on HIDIVE. A 2021 short-form OVA is currently available on Crunchyroll.
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