DAYS

Episodes 1-3

DAYS, equal parts soccer and cute boys, is totally working that Odagiri effect.

For the uninitiated, this effect is named for Joe Odagiri, the stunningly handsome actor who starred as the titular character in Kamen Rider Kuuga, a show for kids. But as the show got increasingly popular, producers realized it wasn't just kids who were watching Kuuga's escapades, but their smitten moms too! Since then, shows for kids—and notably sports anime—have always had a healthy addition of fanservice for the ladies.

This service is usually fairly subtle, which is why I was surprised to see just how heavily DAYS skews toward that aforementioned female audience. During each eyecatch, one character is highlighted like an idol, along with his likes and dislikes and whether he has a girlfriend (of course, none of them do...ladies). The clincher for me was when main character Tsukushi collapsed during training, and Kazama held him princess-style to steady him while Tsukushi talked excitedly about how he's reserving his soccer cleats solely for when they play together. When Tsukushi practices scoring goals with the captain, his first thought is closer to that of an admiring viewer: “So this is what he looks like when he smiles.” While a lot of fanservice for women sneaks under the radar in sports anime, this feels much more overt. It's astounding how far this show pushes the envelope, but make no mistake, it's still about soccer first.

Well, sort of. Our main character Tsukushi has actually never played soccer before the start of the first episode! His character design doesn't belie any hidden greatness either. (“Is he the team manager?” other players ask.) But his eagerness to make friends leads him to accept loner Kazama Jin's invitation to play some futsal (indoor soccer) with his team. Tsukushi is predictably awful at the game, but rather than stressing out over how horrible he is, his apprehension manifests into a sort of joy in pushing himself to his teammates' standards. Tsukushi has never played before; he has no expectations or years of training to live up to. He lives in the moment and hurtles himself wildly at the ball. It's Tsukushi's impulsiveness, his inability to give anything but 110% because he doesn't know any better, that wins over teammates who might have otherwise just bullied him, one after another.

Before he realizes it, Tsukushi is the heart of the soccer team. He may be awful at kicking and passing, but he runs until his feet bleed and breathes life back into this team of pent-up soccer geniuses who can't stop focusing on their own neuroses long enough to enjoy the game anymore. “When did soccer become a chore?” Kazama thinks to himself, while watching Tsukushi grin widely as he runs himself into the ground.

Similarly, Tsukushi is the heart of this show. These first three episodes have a hopeful feeling with music that's alternately gentle and high-energy, bold primary colors, and strong line art that follows the arc of the soccer ball as it's passed and kicked into the air. The storytelling treats even the plot's darker moments, like when Tsukushi loses a toenail on his first night playing or when other soccer teams attempt to cruelly bully Tsukushi, as set-ups to jokes that laugh with him. Tsukushi sees the world through glasses as rose-colored as his cheeks, and the show follows suit. It's the story of an underdog, and everyone loves an underdog. He might never amount to a soccer champ, but he wins everyone over one at a time. There's a bit of danger that he'll become a manic pixie dream athlete, but right now I'm embracing the corniness along with this lovable idiot.

Moving forward, the success of the show rests with whether these moments of Tsukushi's pure joy playing soccer despite his shortcomings will continue to make hearts swell. We'll also have to see how this show depicts a serious soccer game, and whether it's suspenseful or yawn-worthy; so far we've only seen training and scrimmages. We'll have to see more of how the team continues to open up toward Tsukushi and protect him, giving us the character development that good sports anime needs. Finally, DAYS needs to decide just how far it's going to take that Odagiri effect—and run with it.

Rating: B+

DAYS is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.