So, it is common knowledge that the Japanese will make an anime series on practically ANYTHING. I mean, there’s one that delves into the fascinating world of….being a public servant! And I saw another one about the struggles to create….a new dictionary!!!! (Be still my beating heart. It is hot in here or what?) So when I ran into this one, “Chio’s School Road” (“Chio-chan no Tsūgakuro”, or “Chio’s Commute to School”), I was ready for the caliber of boredom usually reserved for things like being trapped at the Cleveland Airport for a week. Boy, was I wrong. I mean, about the show, not the Cleveland Airport.

For most of us, you walk to school, maybe deal with a crazy person on the corner, try and beat a light so you aren’t waiting at some smoggy street corner or figure out a way to slide under the radar if you are late, right? Real excitement. However, for Chio-Chan (the glasses), it is akin to Indiana Jones, trying to outrun a rampaging boulder or hordes of killer ants. Seriously, how DOES she get to school at all?

So understand that no matter how early she starts out, she is going to get delayed, snarled, tangled up in blue, waylaid by some issue that she can’t do anything about, but she is unable to walk away from it and delayed for the most exotic of reasons..

And we aren’t talking mundane issues, like helping an old lady across the street. One day, she parkours her way to class. Another time, she takes on a tough from a motorcycle gang. Or a puzzler, like how do you buy a BL manga when your friend works at the store that sells it?

The only thing mundane about this show is the capsule description for it: “High school girl Chio Miyamo walks from her house to her school.” Do NOT let this show escape your grasp. It is funny and strange and bizarre and doesn’t make a lick of sense, but that doesn’t matter. For some, life may be a highway; for others, it is an adventurous walk to school.

Also, because of her unfathomable unflappability, she starts to get an entourage, people who want to be with her and maybe BE her, so they watch each and every move she does, much to her mortification, as she ‘just’ a high school girl. And Babe Ruth could ‘kinda’ hit a baseball.

This is another strong candidate for plowing through, as you can see how energetic and involved her days are, day after day. There was a concern it is more of the same, but that’s the key. Yes, her days are involved, but it’s something new every day and you had best adapt to the changing landscape, or you’ll find yourself under it.

On a scale of 1 to 10:

Artwork           8 (Good use of standard artwork)
Plot                  9 (More than you expected)
Pacing              8 (Hits the pedal unexpectedly)
Effectiveness   8 (How does she stay on top of things?)
Conclusion      7 (It reaches a ‘coupler point’, but hasn’t ended)
Fan Service     3 (A similar show would be “Maburaho”)
Bingeability    9 (You have to see the daily adventures)

Overall            8 (Sometimes a bit much, but worth it)

And remember, it’s first run until you’ve seen it. I’m gonna be late!