I picked up Mayoiga because of its really intriguing premise. It's got a really mysterious feel to it. Synopsis-wise, it really caught my attention because of the village that seems to simply exist on urban legends - something people plainly talk about but somehow unsure of its real existence.
As you know, I like mysteries which is why I immediately jumped right into Mayoiga. Mayoiga is about a group of people who set on a trip to a village called Nanakimura which apparently doesn't appear on maps and can't be found by police. The village is surrounded by mysterious stories all of which seem so interesting yet somehow unrealistic. This group of people who met online decided to go to Nanakimura in order to start anew - leave the past behind because it's too suck-y for them (LOL)!
Aside from the really intriguing mystery surrounding Nanakimura , I'm highly interested at the possible psychological aspect of the story. Each person were briefly introduced in the first half of the show - some are completely mysterious, some aren't really interesting, and some are plainly stereotypical characters (what isn't stereotypical nowadays anyway? ugh). It really sets the atmosphere among the characters - who'll start trouble, who'll possibly stir things up, who have things under their sleeves.
Mitsumune (Sakai Koudai) is the main character. He's the typical anime thriller main character who'd try to befriend everyone - get to know them, talk to them, and generally just be the good guy around. He isn't very interesting until he shows some intriguing flashes/images/dream. What really made him join the trip will definitely be explored as the series go. He's obviously the good guy who's hiding something dark inside.
Here're a few things that are noteworthy about this episode or this anime in general: (1) all of the characters are either self-absorbed or just plain narrow-minded, (2) all the characters have ridiculous or meaningful names, (3) Masaki (Aisaka Yuuka) will obviously play an important role later one - Mitsumune's imagination/hallucination/dream && the opening said so, (4) the unlucky hippopotamus song definitely means something.
Let's talk about other aspects of the show now. Let me note director Mizushima Tsutomu for being the director of Another. What does this mean? Obviously, this means that Mayoiga will have a perfectly well executed atmosphere. I really love how this first episode turned out. Setting aside, the annoying 3D bus throughout the show, the atmosphere was well executed. It had that thrilling feel to it - like something could happen any second.
All in all, I'm really excited as to where Mizushima will take this story. Mayoiga has a really interesting premise that immediately hooked me. I like how it seems to show psychological aspects right at the beginning - their personal reasons, the stressed out bus driver, Mitsumune, Masaki. The art isn't perfect but the atmosphere is well set. While the occasional 3D scnes ruins the mood, the framing and music really makes up for it (or at least tries to make up for it).
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Title: Mayoiga
English Title: The Lost Village
Studio: Diomedea
Genre: drama, mystery
Episodes: 12
Anime Director: Mizushima Tsutomu (Another, Shirobako)
Adaptation: original
A shady bus tour of young men and women are headed to an elusive village called Nanakimura. A destination where people can partake in a utopian existence, free of the world's obstacles... or so goes the rumor.
Heading deep into the mountains, the bus is carrying 30 different individuals, each harboring their own expectations and troubled hearts...
What they had arrived to was an uninhabited village with lingering, faint scents of life and it was falling apart.
Just what is the secret of Nanakimura?
Source: MAL
