I’ve started to realize how blind loyalty
to anime studios is not the right way to enjoy
entertainment in this medium.
For this, I’ll be discussing studio Shaft
and, to a much more deeper level, the show
“March Comes in Like a Lion” to do so,
which I refer to here as “3-Lion” or just
“March”.
I may continue to fall in the traps I argue
against here but, if anything, it’s a reminder
to not follow in my footsteps, whether this
is heard by my future self or anyone else.
I realize I’m not saying something new here
– other anime bloggers, reviewers, what
have you, have argued this point, some even
better than what I hope to do here – nonetheless,
I’d like to share my experience into the
matter.
After all, I am interested in having a conversation
about this.
My history with Shaft shows has generally
been positive – I hold the Monogatari series
in high regard, Nisekoi was a great adaptation
and I look forward to sitting down to properly
finish Madoka Magica and any other shows I’ve
missed.
Usually, when I spot a show that has been
made by them on a seasonal chart, I pay attention.
It was no different when 3-lion was announced.
For those who don’t know, 3-Lion is a two
cour slice of life show made by Shaft that
ran from late 2016 to early 2017.
It follows Rei Kiriyama, a professional shogi
player whose struggling in his past life left
him scarred, living with depression.
An individual trying to make it in the world
of not just shogi, but of those around him.
His only solace is a family of 4 that gave
him the feeling of family, of comfort, of
warmth.
If I were to believe what the summaries say,
this sounds like a piece of entertainment
that aims to tackle a glum feeling and how
its portrayed in media.
While admirable, I’ve realized that the
appeal of 3-lion for me isn’t the premise.
This is where my issues begin, starting with
the main character.
I have a problem connecting with him.
I don't know what depression is like, let
alone fathom the idea of living with it.
Having a reminder that this show deals with
it frustrates me because it reminds me of
how helpless I am in helping my close friends
who suffer from this.
My role is reduced to lending them a shoulder
to cry on or an ear that attentively listens
to what they say.
But I want to do more.
I’d like to know a way to get them out of
that place.
Being straight with these people doesn’t
help, either, and can put them in a dangerous
situation.
There’s a lot I don’t know or refuse to
understand about depression and it sucks that
I can’t be something more.
One of the major elements of this show is
shogi, an ancient Japanese board game.
Whenever there’s a match, I sit there, staring
blankly at the screen.
For those who understand the rules of the
game, it’s a treat at how cerebral the scene
is, no doubt.
As someone who isn’t knowledgeable on the
rules, it completely loses me.
I fail to appreciate the complexity of how
a shogi match plays out.
3-lion has tried to show the audience the
basics – there was a segment in the first
cour where Momo wanted to learn how to play
shogi and it used the segue masterfully to
teach the audience the basics of shogi piece
movement by the personification of the shogi
pieces as cats.
It was cute, for sure, but I’m not too sure
as to its effectiveness.
I realize that suggesting the show based on
shogi teaches me how to play it is disingenuous.
Yet I think of Hikaru no Go, whose matches
were easier to follow, despite not understanding
the rules of Go.
You could argue that Hikaru’s intention
was to teach people how to play Go with a
thin veil of fiery shonen action behind it
and, even if it didn’t, its accessibility
was far more than 3-lion’s.
I believe it fails by focusing on an inherently
difficult board game and the anime should’ve
considered those who don’t understand the
game by at least included splash screens of
basic shogi moves & situations, even if the
manga did no such thing.
So far, I’ve talked about my issues with
the show – what does Shaft have to do with
this?
By the time 3-lion was brought to my attention,
I was a Shaft fanatic, willing to see anything
new they put out.
The summary provided enough information to
go on, but I was blind to the discourse - pretty
visuals and the eccentric Shaft style were
all I needed to pick this up.
I’m disappointed in myself for not going
the extra mile and I feel like I got burned.
All I’m left with is frustration with each
episode I watch, looking for something to
justify the time I have put into it.
I can’t help but think that, for instance,
if I have at least saw an anime adaptation
announcement discussion thread on Reddit,
I would be better informed as to what to expect.
I want to enjoy this because of who produced
it, but I can’t.
It’s not even a matter of the show being
bad – I’m sure those who liked it, liked
it intensely.
But I am one man struggling to find what’s
so good about this with characters I can’t
make any meaningful connection to.
If anything, this will teach me to look a
bit further into the shows that, from a synopsis,
interest me.
I’m willing to have a conversation and,
hopefully, see what you are seeing regarding
3-lion.
Let’s chat.
Thank you for watching.
Until next time, with nothing more to say,
signing out.
