This is a show that feels like it doesn't entirely commit to a lot of things, but it still manages to accomplish some things. Whether it's intended or not, though, this series goes into such horror territory that it's easy to take as intelligent and almost unimaginably dark. It may just be more honest than I'm used to, and it did resonate in a number of ways, but doesn't it seem like they're in hell?
In any case, the Japanese voice acting is very good, and well cast. The premise is easy to understand, if you've ever seen any of these programs that are usually aired for mothers and young children to watch. The songs are also well-performed.
This is also one of the parts where the series doesn't commit completely to anything, so it's highly interpretable. Are the kids aware of how bleak things are, and the problems with their adult idols whom they believe have got it all figured out? It depends on the episode and what they wanted to say. Is the song really like that, and the kids don't understand how horrifying the words are but like the sound of it? Some of them seem like it, and others don't, but either way, it's deep in horror by that point.
It's funny and even cute sometimes, but then it immediately becomes extremely heavy and honestly depressing. The final episode really seems to double down on the horror, or ease in interpreting things that way. It's weird, because in some ways, it seems almost uplifting, but then the question follows, because it doesn't like to really commit in any particular direction.
It has some nice moments with different kinds of people, who are either archetypes you know well, or ones you haven't really seen exactly like this, so it can throw you off if you're expecting an easy go because you were assuming this was a silly comedy.
It's one of the only things I've seen in a while that made me think this much about what story it was trying to tell, and the characters were most all very understandable, often likeable. The production overall is very solid, and it's a series that doesn't overstay its welcome, really. I can always appreciate something that when it's done, I still want a little more. This was like that. But it's also something where, perhaps thanks to its lack of commitment, I don't feel I should ever revisit it. Nonetheless, I think it's worth watching once, though if you're extremely depressed, maybe try to find something else. This will definitely upset you a lot.
