Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens (Review)
Strange characters are to be expected when it comes to anime but Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens specializes in them. The series is an underworld crime drama filled with anti-heroes from all walks of life from information brokers to professional torturers to good old fashioned assassins. At first glance, Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens brings to mind other anime like Gangsta or Durarara!!! However, it never manages to make the same impression as all the other crime series due to the feeling that it doesn’t really know what it wants to say. Instead, Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens slyly ambles along, but when all is said and done, nothing’s really happened.
Based on the manga by Chiaki Kisaki and Hako Ichiro, the series takes place in Hakata ward of Fukuoka where supposedly 3% of the population are contract killers. Needless to say, the town is filled with eccentric characters, including a lackadaisical detective with a secret (Josh Grelle), a cross-dressing assassin (Daman Mills), a hacker who brokers information (Kyle Igneczi), and many more. These character’s stories all cross paths and intertwine over the multiple mini-arches that make up the 12-episode series. Without an overarching conflict for the heroes to focus on for the duration of the show, it takes on an episodic almost slice of life approach to its strange premise. There’s still plenty of action, seeing as how every other character is a professional killer, but instead of a race to the finish line, Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens is more like a lazy meander.
Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens is filled to the brim with strange and cooky characters, so much so that it gets hard to remember them all. Of course, there are a few characters that certainly leave an impression and they’re given special attention when it comes to their designs. However, many of the flourishes added are unnecessary for the plot of the series. I loved the idea of a cross-dressing hitman, but it turns into nothing more than a gimmick used to fill plot holes. When it comes to the supporting cast Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens spreads itself so thin that it feels like none of them get a chance to have their stories told. Instead, they simply become props to help move the story along when it starts to slow. The series tries so hard to make so many interesting characters that it fails to make any of them truly memorable.
Most anime usually have an end goal for their protagonist. Some quest that needs to be completed, a dream to be realized, or a villain to be defeated. While the characters certainly have their fair share of obstacles to overcome over the course of Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens, the series never thinks long term. Instead, it divides itself into three smaller story arcs that play out like chapters. The issue is that they’re chapters from a novel that’s incomplete. Instead, random exploits are tied together by a bizarre location and a colorful cast of characters. Now, I’m not against episodic anime and there are a few that are done surprisingly well, but more often than not they leave you feeling unsatisfying. Unfortunately, Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens does exactly that as it ends medias res, leaving audiences feeling as though it never affects any long-lasting change for any of the heroes.
This definitely isn’t an anime for everyone. While there’s certainly lots of action and even a few fun jokes tossed in there for fun. However, in case you couldn’t tell from the premise, Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens is a pretty dark and gritty anime. Now, I’ve seen a lot more intense and bloody anime in the past (Gantz, for example). The series still does it’s darndest to give itself an edge with morbid themes such as murder, torture, and even rape. It might sound pretty gruesome, but the series shies away from showing anything too gratuitous, which proves to be both a blessing and a curse.
Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens’ greatest sin is that it’s unmemorable. While the premise promises excitement, the series lacks purpose or direction. It never really has anything to say or offer, and instead feels like a pale imitation of vetter ensemble anime. That being said, it’s not an unpleasant experience. It’s just one of those series that was easy to get through and easier to move on from. Fans of the types of series that Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens wishes it was will probably enjoy it, but more casual anime fans might find it to be uninspired.
