Introduction

When any anime or medium begins by warning its viewers that themes within are very disturbing and to seek help for suicidal thoughts, you can imagine the series isn’t going to be a light-hearted affair. Takopi’s Original Sin, originally a manga by mangaka Taizan 5, is the anime that does just that in its first episode. Despite having an air of cuteness as we are quickly introduced to an alien from Happy Planet, Takopi’s Original Sin moves from the cute designs and themes to shift into a dark tale of bullying, child abuse, murder, and a laundry list of very mature themes. At only six episodes, I sat down thinking I’d binge Takopi’s Original Sin due to its short length but found myself feeling emotions I haven’t felt in quite a while. Were these emotions worth watching this strange series, or should you just watch a less dark anime this weekend? Time to find out in my emotional rollercoaster ride review of Takopi’s Original Sin. Please be aware there will be some spoilers in this review! Also, you can also watch Takopi’s Original Sin entirely on Crunchyroll!

Story

Takopi’s Original Sin follows an alien being from Happy Planet who crash-lands on Earth and quickly begins to discover this planet is very unlike its own. The Happian race on its planet are nothing but joyous all the time and live to make others happy too, which is the mission it’s been sent on. The alien meets a young girl named Shizuka Kuze and is given the name Takopi—a pun on octopus—which it takes happily. At first, Takopi just wants to reward Kuze’s kindness by using its Happy Gadgets and trying to make her smile, but despite its best efforts, they all fail. Making matters worse, unknown to Takopi, Kuze is being bullied relentlessly by a young girl named Marina Kirarazaka for reasons it can’t understand. One day, Takopi takes a picture of Kuze to hold the moment of her, and we learn this gadget has a hidden time travel feature. When Kuze’s bullying gets to extreme levels and her dog seems to be killed by Marina, Kuze in turn kills herself with one of Takopi’s tools, and Takopi attempts to redo time to save Kuze and avoid this dreaded outcome.

It’s hard to review Takopi’s Original Sin without spoiling the first few episodes. Namely, the first two episodes are where the show goes from dark to absolute nightmare. We have young girls suffering in their own ways—trust me, Marina is easy to hate initially, but the story quickly shows you why she acts the way she does—as well as several very real issues that torment many of us in the real world. I won’t deny, the beginning issues of bullying struck a chord with me as someone very bullied in my earlier school days, and seeing that in anime form isn’t easy to deal with, even as an adult. Yet, this is what makes Takopi’s Original Sin so powerful. Despite the premise of a silly Happy Planet octopus creature, the issues this short series deals with are scarily accurate and well represented.

Marina deals with an abusive mother and turbulent home environment, Kuze with a mother who is almost non-existent and a father who moved on to make a new life for himself. We then get a third character, Naoki Azuma, who plays into both Kuze and Marina’s worlds and is suffering from a strict mother and a desire to be perfect. Every character in Takopi’s Original Sin plays an intricate role in the bigger picture of this tale, and the story only darkens when their issues come to light after an… incident.

The story is almost perfect, and I think the only problem it faces is the very ending. I loved the last episode and the finale—don’t misunderstand—but it’s hard not to think that it plays out a bit too neatly, especially considering how the series progresses. Sacrifices are made, and it seems almost too convenient in the grand scheme of the story. Other than that, though, the story in Takopi’s Original Sin is fantastic and heart-wrenching. Be prepared to deal with your own pains as you watch… that’s my biggest warning to all who enter this short series.

Animation

Takopi’s Original Sin animation is top-tier and while simple in design, overflows with personality, uniqueness, and depth. The character designs at first seemed almost too simple and lacked punch, but when these characters cry or show their emotions both internally and externally, the anime shows it’s beyond simple. I do also love how Happy Planet is represented with an almost childlike form—sometimes utilizing Claymation or sketch-like designs—in comparison to the darker and almost chaotic planet Earth. There were some bigger animation sequences that caught me off guard several times, like the first major “accident” and a few moments near the finale—but those you’ll have to see for yourself.

Sound

When you have an anime that is all about emotions and feeling, the voice work needs to match for maximum effect. Without a doubt, Takopi’s Original Sin does just that and I bow to the voice actors and music team behind it. Every yell, shout, and tear seems to be expressed even stronger because the voice talent knows how to pull those emotions out despite being an anime. The music too is perfect and every scene is accompanied by the correct type of score. I can’t imagine an English dub being just as good—and I like English dubs with some anime—so I’d recommend sticking with the Japanese audio even if an English dub is released, which so far hasn’t been announced.

Characters

The characters are what make this six-episode series even more impressive. There is no hero or heroine here, folks. Every character in Takopi’s Original Sin is flawed, and it’s not always their fault. Just like people in the real world, the anime examines how home life and school life can drastically change someone’s life and alter their existence on various levels. One minute you’ll be rooting for someone’s demise, then later realize who truly is a villain—even though titling them as “villain” might be unfair too. Takopi is the core character, but its role is more like an observer that tries to get involved and does more harm than good most of the time. However, when the ending sequences occur, you’ll see Takopi’s original sin—and I don’t mean the title—is a very accurate way to describe this tale.

Manga vs. Anime

I originally only watched Takopi’s Original Sin in anime form, but I did dabble briefly with the manga. The two are almost identical despite some scene differences here and there. For the most part, though, I think the anime has a more emotional impact due to the voice acting and music, but that isn’t to say the manga won’t tug at your heartstrings and make you cry. I give props to any manga that can pull emotions from a reader with still images, and this series does just that. My advice: watch the anime first and then read the manga for two slightly different but equally excellent experiences.

Conclusion

Takopi’s Original Sin is a true examination of what happens when a person experiences trauma in their life and how that affects not just them, but those around them. I was left speechless when the credits rolled and found myself deep in thought about my own life and the various experiences I had that shaped me as a person. I can’t just recommend Takopi’s Original Sin to everyone as it deals with some rather dark themes—again giving viewers a helpline on start—but those who want a deep emotional tale that is executed almost perfectly will want to watch this anime.

ーAaron