I had resisted this show for some time. I have a hard time with music genres and sports genres, as they are quite similar in their approach: someone wants to make it, but the odds are long and the opportunities are short. The road before them is littered with the bleaching bones of those who went before and failed. (“Fortune favors the brave.” No, it doesn’t, Matt!) But, somehow, through diligence, talent, commitment and a bit of pixie dust, they can achieve their dream. Am I right? Right? However, the offering before us, “Ya Boy Kongming!” (“Paripi Kōmei” or “Kongming of the Party People”) tells this story in a most charming and interesting way.

It is the year 234 CE and we are in China during the Three Kingdoms era. At the Battle of Wuzhang Plains, Zhuge Liang (courtesy name Kongming), strategist for Shu Han, falls ill and eventually dies. His last conscious thought is that if he is reincarnated, he is born into a peaceful world, freed from bloodshed and war. He awakens in an alley in Shibuya in autumn and feels he has been cast into the depths of hell. He is also restored to his youthful form (he was 53 when he died), but is dressed in the garb of his day. It’s Halloween, so people just think he is a stunning cosplayer. Holy isekai, Batman!

Two new ‘friends’ take him to the BB Lounge for music and partying, where he hears Eiko Tsukimi sing (to his left). He is stunned by her singing, a calm oasis amid the seas of Hades. Upon leaving the club at, like, 4 am (you do have to clean up that mess, right?), Eiko finds Kongming sleeping it off on the street. She lugs him to her apartment, where she has to believe that he is this hero of 1800 years ago and knows zero of technology. However, he is a fast learner and decides to help her on her rise to stardom.

Eiko manages to get Kongming a job at the bar. Now it helps that Owner Kobayashi (far left) is a huge Three Kingdoms fanatic and is convinced that this is the real deal. Kongming will use his abilities as a tactician to help her make it. The show contends itself with how Kongming uses all that he has learned and just shifts the caliber of battlefield, to use things to his advantage, to make Eiko a star.

Now, I do have to talk about the other two people up there. The guy to Kongming’s right is the rapper Kabetaijin. He really has the chops, but is felled by his own indecision and ailments. However, forced by Kongming to examine his life, he reconnects with why he got into rap in the first place and forges his comeback.

On Eiko’s left is her new friend, Nanami Kuon, who she met while doing street performing. We learn that she is a huge rival for getting into the Summer Sonia Music Festival. So there is a lot going on. But is it music?

Personally, I enjoyed seeing Kongming at work, playing the people and turn them to his advantage without them knowing it. The only beef I had is for a guy confronting things like cars and computers and electricity, he gets into the groove pretty quickly. Hell, I’m still trying to understand my smartphone and he plays his like a guqun. Although we learn of the tactics he employed all those many years ago (presented at the top of the episode), it helps to explain how he uses the selfsame approach to win his latest battles.

This was a fun series to watch and listen to, as the music/rapping in integral, but does not overwhelm or sound boring and repetitive. And Kongming can show he can be as ruthless as those around him, but he pulls it off with great aplomb.

Binging? You bet your feather fan you do this. With the season over (and a new one promised), this is well worth seeing the caliber of battles that Kongming can do and succeed in. There is nothing so enticing as seeing a great plan unfolding to your advantage.

On a scale of 1 to 10:

Artwork           7 (People are odd, but the atmosphere rocks)
Plot                  8 (A great reboot on a tired story line)
Pacing              8 (Unfolds slowly, so be patient)
Effectiveness   8 (Things move a tad too smoothly)
Conclusion      6 (It reaches a coupler point, but hasn’t ended)
Fan Service     2 (A similar show would be “Okamisan”)
Bingeability     9 (Involving, compelling, intriguing)

Overall             8 (Some people are just too nice for this business)

And remember, it’s first run until you’ve seen it. I shall be your tactician.