Anime Set in Hokkaido
I finished watching Diamond Daydreams (Diamond Dust Drops) for the second time the other day. After watching the series over two nights it struck me that I really like Hokkaido as a setting. I’ve seen two other shows where I enjoyed the Hokkaido setting, Figure 17 and Noein. Hokkaido just feels like it’s from a slightly different time, rather than being just some other part of Japan. It feels cleaner, less preoccupied, and somewhat more pastel. I guess I could say the same thing about anyplace with lots of cows, such as rural Pennsylvania, but it’s more exotic when the farm hands speak Japanese (nevermind that I watch these shows dubbed in English, I still imagine they speak Japanese).
Actually during one of the extras on the Noein dvds, the director mentioned that he chose to set Noein in Hokkaido primarily because he felt the setting gave it a very different feel than if he set it in Tokyo. I might be putting words in his mouth, but that’s the impression I got, that it would be harder to convey the innocence of their friendships if it were set in Tokyo. That and he wanted snow.
Even though Hokkaido probably isn’t all that exciting, I’d love to visit there someday. It looks pretty.
What other good anime are set in Hokkaido?
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aka_ugly
on June 15th, 2007
A good anime set in Hokkaido is Saikano.
ojisan
on June 15th, 2007
The popular Hokkaido show is Figure17 - never did it for me, maybe I should try it again. Supposedly it features the area well -
Then there’s Noein -
And Hokkaido has some great walk-on parts in Honey & Clover - Takemoto’s great bike trek - and in Millenium Actress.
Otherwise, you’re holding it - Diamond Dust Drops -
tj han
on June 15th, 2007
True. Not sure if you’ve read the Shaman King manga, back when it was great and not crap. The Anna and Yoh arc, in book 19-21, was widely recognised to be awesome. And guess where it was set in? Aomori, the northern-most point of Honshu (not exactly Hokkaido but it’s doorstep lol).
Rikto
on June 15th, 2007
You watch dubs? ewwww >.>
Can’t think of any anime set in hokkaido atm other than what was already mentioned.
super rats
on June 15th, 2007
No wonder I was having a difficult time trying to remember anime set up there. I guess, there just aren’t many. Which reminds me I need to get back to reading Saikano…I stopped reading manga for a while. It’s been almost a year, I think.
Galen
on June 16th, 2007
I think _Goldfish Warning_ is set in hokkaido. And Nanako SOS has several scenes there. ESPer Mami goes to hokkaido in a few episodes with her father, so he can paint landscapes.
omo
on June 16th, 2007
Not set in Hokkaido, but try out Seraphim Call… Same vibes for me.
Ojisan basically nailed the other ones, though.
Marmot
on June 16th, 2007
Saikano, although the manga is better, ~IMHO.~
Jo smith
on June 18th, 2007
The bests (in no particular order):
1) Paprika
Bokurano
2) Honey and Clover (I & II)
3) Kigeki
4) Wolf’s Rain
5) Devil May Cry
6) Ghibli films
7) Death Note, Lucky Star, Darker than Black - all of those famous ones
9) Denno Coil
10) Sky Girls
11) List goes on
Note: Some are movies, while others are series, OVA, and short films
Steven Den Beste
on June 19th, 2007
One episode of Mahou Tsukai Tai (TV series) is set in Hokkaido. Sae’s parents have a ranch there where they raise race-horses, and she goes home for vacation.
super rats
on June 19th, 2007
I looooove Mahou Tsukai Tai.
Forgot about that one…something for my rewatch list.