We all make mistakes.
One is that i completely blanked out on the Yuru Camp/Laid Back Camp movie, despite basically worshipping the series, learning that it was coming later last year, even seeing a promo poster and the news that Crunchyroll would have it’s available for its worldwide release (as they did carry the entire series, OVAs and even the Room Camp spin-off)…. i somehow simply “forgor”.
Until the announcement of a third season woke me up and made me remember i somehow completely blanked out on the Yuru Camp Movie, so while it’s still Autumn (kinda), let me undo this stain on my campered soul. Let me do right by the Secret Society BLANKET.
(and yes, eventually i’ll get to the live-action adaptation)
What slice of life anime like these usually do when they get popular enough for a movie… it’s mostly treated as a big spin-off episode where they go on vacation, not that we have many examples in terms of tv-series that also get a movie after multiple seasons (slice of life anime movies tend to be more often than not adapted o), i can – mostly – think of K-ON and Non Non Biyori’s feature lenght movies (in hindsight i’m surprised Lucky Star never got a movie, despite its popularity and Haruhi cross-pollination) , where they – as i mentioned – they just go somewhere else on vacation.
Which makes sense, as the enviroment is a vital part of the show, it’s just as integral to the proceedings as the routine activities of the main cast of characters, which we can’t have slicing up zombies in this film iteration or any random pivot (or do we? School Live exists), so yeah, since the group of girls (it’s always girls, mostly) and their interaction is the focus, we have them enter a new location, better if it’s on a vacation of sorts, it shakes up things just enough.
So i was surprised to see the Yuru Camp movie do the opposite, as in, keeping the focus in the mountainside scenarios we’ve grown accostumed over the course of the series, but doing what’s an unspoken taboo in the slice of life anime series that – admittedly – have even more business in the “moe-ry”, as in it basically skips ahead to the girls in their 20s, having a normal job and adult life, while still keeping in touch with each other.
Yes, indeed, they’re not teens anymore, but it’s not handled how you might suspect (if you never watched the series, at least), they don’t do this to give them big bahonkadonkas, i’m pointing this out now because i know someone not familiar with the series might think this is case, but it’s not, the character design is actually a bit more on the realistic, so compared to their teens iteration… they actually look like what they would if 10 years passed by, as in they don’t look drastically different, people don’t just transform into evolutionary stages like frigging Pokemons (or become “old” when hitting their 30s), FIY.
The plot seems them meeting up for the first time in a while, and deciding to help a project Chiaki has been tasked with, as reorganizzing an abandoned area, eventually coming up with the idea of making a camping site out of it, and going about doing it, which includes the clean up, the salvage and repurposing of old facilities, figuring how to market the thing properly and what the demographics for the new camp could be, etc.
All serving as an occasion to get together, plan the requalification project into a small office/depository that’s actually just as big as their old Outdoor school club, and band together when the project hits an unexpected stop, reigniting their passion for camping and finding new ways to deal with it, from the slightly wiser perspective of young adulthood and what it entails.
It’s a very cozy reflection on growing up and it’s ups and down, and how ultimately it’s not that bad if you keep your passions and cultivate your friendships, though it’s Yuru Camp, don’t expect much in the term of aggressive conflict, there’s some conflict, but this is not the series you should look for much of it, quite the opposite, as it retains its titular qualities, being this a slice of life of the “iyashikei” variety (see the aforementioned, and boy does the movie delivers on the “healing chillax” qualities as well, being able to cleanse your rotten, broken soul with majestical soothe and potent tranquillity that you’d think you could actually achieve world peace with just a tent, some pegs, a pot, instant curry ramen and a gasburner. And cute anime girls.
If i have any niggles, is that they don’t play up some of the characters’ personality quirks (especially Inuko), but it’s kind of a given with this subgenre (as its the world and its feeling of communal tranquillity and soothe the real protagonists), and there are still some silly visuals in the series’ style, there’s still the pinecones saying “Hi” in squeaky voices when there’s one on screen, plus some new stuff i’m not gonna spoil. A little bit more comedy wouldn’t have hurt, though.
The animation quality in this case it’s easy to dismiss via the fallacy of “movie VS TV series”, but honestly it’s handled by the same studio, C-Station, and it’s just as good if not slightly better than the previous 2 seasons, though it’s hard to tell because the series itself looked good, and the movie just is more consistent and detailed, but in a way that’s not really noticeable at first, unless you keep eye for some very good photography that captures the view and feel of the mountainside living.
There’s also the same minimal use of CG for very brief vehicles/cars shots, but even those are slightly better in details and composition, and again, Laid Back Camp is not a series you watch looking for some “sakuga extravaganza” or battle choreographies, maybe they could have inserted an action scene for a joke, but it would run counter to the overall feeling of “healing tranquillity” the series is built around, the “art of nothing” of some might see it.
In a way, Laid Back Camp The Movie can be boiled down as more of the same with a nostalgic, coming-of-age reflection on adulthood and hot it impacts friendships and passions/interests, and the overall wholesome sense of community of the series it’s further elevated by the land requalification project at the center of the plot, which is also a good excuse for the girls to meet once again despite their busy adult schedules, and engage in a camping related issue that’s almost a vacation.
And it’s a joy just to see them back for more “comf”.
It could have been a little better, but even putting aside that just 2 mour hours of Laid Back Camp content is good in itself, i do wanna praise the fact the writers understood how important is not to change the world/setting for this kind of slice of life especially, and how they decided to “timeskip” the characters in a realistic and more relatable fashion that resonates better with the typically older demographic of these series, whom (myself included) have long past been teens.
Though, given the current state of affairs, i’d wager we all just crave more and more comfy, tranquil and relaxing anime shows about cute anime girls maxing and chillaxing like hyper adorable human capybaras.
Looking forward to Season 3, obviously, i’m gonna review that timely.
If i don’t forget. Again.
Wise Cafe (International) 