Xiaraith

Friendship through the power of board games - a board-gamified review of Houkago Saikoro Club (this review is structured and meant to be read as if it was a board game manual) -- General game info -- > game idea and concept by Xiaraith > inspired by LIDENFILMS > original story and art by Nakamichi Hiroo > for any player count, age 13+ > Playing time: 5 minutes, potentially leads to another game of 276 minutes-- Game Material -- > models of 3 girls, board game shop, manager > locked boxes to be opened when instructed > decision board, pawn -- Game Setup -- Prepare the game by taking the two models of the introverted (Miki) and the cheerful (Aya) highschool girls out of the game box. Initiate their starting situation by allowing them to meet, which results in them starting a quest that they'll try to achieve for the foreseeable future. As trivial as it might sound, this quest is an adventure to learn about fun and friendship. The remaining unlocked models are now added to the mix (the board game shop+manager and the class representative girl named Midori). After making the three girls meet in said shop, the main bulk of our game (and the actual anime) commences. Prepare a way to note or remember your personal score (which starts at zero), place the decision board in front of you, and the pawn on the first spot. -- Course of Play -- The rules are simple and straightforward. You control the pawn and move it forward on the board, one step at a time. On each spot, you decide whether or not you agree with the statement written on it, and if you do, add or subtract the respective points to your personal score. Once you reach the end of the board, your final score will determine the outcome of the game/review. +2 -- I value the depiction of a growing friendship +1 -- rather innocent and curious girls are someone I enjoy watching +1 -- cute girls for the win -2 -- cute-girl anime mustn't feature any males in order to be enjoyable +1 -- looking for a slice of life setting that, next to hobbies, also deals with daily problems and interactions in school +1 -- I don't mind if characters in slice of life anime try something new/engage in activities not commonly seen in anime +1 -- plot progression in slice of life anime exists, and it happens via character development +1 -- a colourful/comfortable/picture-book art style gets a thumbs up +1 -- people are happy and grow to each other by connecting via shared activities +1 -- having a vivid imagination is no foreign concept to me and/or I enjoy gamifying parts of my life +1 -- terms and names such as Spiel des Jahres, Alex Randolph, Catan, Eurogame/German-style board game, mean something to me +3 -- I am interested in what an upcoming board game author needs to worry about, some of the steps required for a board game idea to take form, and perhaps I even tried my hands on an own game creation +1 -- modern board gaming is something that fascinates me or that I want to learn about -1 -- traditional games such as Monopoly, Risk or Clue feel decently complex and are all I need +1 -- when I hear the term "gaming", I picture things that aren't related to video games +1 -- in case I am German, I like to feel good about my nationality and/or want to experience something that my country has historically been, and nowadays still is, worldwide known for -- Game End and Scoring -- Your pawn has moved forward, has moved to the final spot, netting or losing you points. Whatever happened, your final score now determines how this game actually concludes: (10+) If today is the first time you've heard of "Houkago Saikoro Club", then let me tell you, it might just be your best day of the entire month! In any case, engage in this anime's world and get blissfully treated ^-^ (7-9) Well played, and a worthy score for someone who might be looking for something comfortable to watch in order to calm down or explore the world of gaming. This anime is able to offer the desired variety. (Treat this review as if it's rated 7 instead of 9) (4-6) If you are one of MAL's rare board game enthusiasts, Houkago Saikoro Club will almost certainly give you a blast of a time. And if you feel good about cute art and slice of life vibes while also being open to new ideas, this anime is a legit option too. In the end, you'll likely not have to worry about ending up with major things to criticise about this show. (Treat this review as if it's rated 6 instead of 9) (Less than 4) Hmm, even though it might have come down to poor luck or other unfavourable circumstances, the chance of Houkago Saikoro Club not living up to your anime expectations has to be feared. The thing is, while this anime does offer a lot to those who scored highly or are otherwise intrigued by its vibes and themes, there isn't exactly much to find here for the rest of the anime populace. But hey, rather some specialised entertainment than everything trying to please everyone. (Treat this review as if it's rated 4 instead of 9) -- Credits -- First things first, you probably wonder what the locked boxes contain and how/when to open them. Well, do you like to be surprised? LIDENFILMS's adaptation of a comfy manga will introduce characters and games that you might have not expected, but which all add to the entire concept. A game needs to be played after all in order to fully realise the special emotions and interacting mechanics, and same goes for this series. All games in the anime (aside from those created by voiced characters of the show) are real existing games, and details of all the game boxes are all legit. The genuine interest in board games by the mangaka, Nakamichi Hiroo, is easily noticeable in both the anime and manga, thus having the board game topic is not done in a cheap way as quick attention grab, but to provide a window for everyone to realise that board gaming is a thriving hobby. Speaking of which, modern board gaming is in a very healthy spot these days, and people like me can easily spend hours daily just to read about new games or play some with friends/family/coworkers/etc. Board gaming isn't physically demanding, which is also why virtually every age group from young to old can enjoy it, something we also notice in the anime. And you know, speaking from personal experience, I've noticed board game friends (those who generally don't know about the existence of anime) share trailers and details about Houkago Saikoro Club, and some of them did start watching it. A broader appeal is absolutely there, which I can't say about a lot of other anime/manga that feature certain sports/hobbies as their main activity and quirk. If there is something I've got to criticise, then that the episode length doesn't allow for actually complex games to be part of the anime, even though I would have loved to see some of those. Well, reason enough for me to get a hold of the manga and see what else we get gaming-wise. And isn't this what a good anime tries to achieve, making you want to deal with its source material~ May these girls and everyone else keep enjoying the activity of board gaming. Its potential is infinite!

Stark700

The foundation of Houkago Saikoro Club (Afterschool Dice Club) is based on tabletop games in the form of card games, board games, and of course, dice games. Chances are that you played a tabletop game at least once in your lifetime, whether it’s between friends or family. Hiroo Nakamichi manages to create a manga about tabletop game culture and to my delight, this is a slice of series I can recommend to just about anyone. To start off, you don’t need to be a fan of tabletop games to really enjoy the show. I haven’t played tabletop games in a long time but had no problemlooking into interest from the very first episode. We meet Miki Takekasa, an antisocial girl who has trouble finding fun in her life. After meeting Aya Takayashiki and Midoro Ono, she discovers a world of fun and excitement with tabletop games. Welcome to the Dice Club. This club is more than just an experience at games. It’s a social connection that bonds together characters such as Miki. Indeed, character connection is an important element from the very beginning. Miki started off as being socially awkward but begins to grow out of her shell after joining the club. This is thanks to the friendly characters she meets including Aya and Midori. Both characters may be different but they manage to bring together the fun of experiencing with board games. From the show itself, we have cockroach poker, roleplaying tabletops, and even popular real world games such as Bunny Kingdom. However, it would seem a majority of the games are based on European tabletops than ones from North America. Ironically, a foreign character does later join in the show named Emilia. Known for her Irish descent, she brings in new excitement for her friends as she also experience the joy of board games. Like I said before, Houkago Saikoro Club delivers the social experience of people together rather than high stake competitions. As a slice of life, the story flows in an episodic structure without a complicated plot. Character development is minimal although Miki’s growth is exceptionally noticeable the more she plays with her new friends. Every episode introduces games with different rules to keep the show refreshing. Sometimes, we even get episodes taking place outside of the store such as at the beach or school. During these times, the club members experience the teenager dream – being able to hang out together as normal people and enjoying life. With the light comedy, the comedic humor is generally tame that’s usually based on character personalities than dry humor. That is to say, this anime isn’t trying to make you laugh. It’s here to show how board games can change people’s lives. Watching the series from start to finish, I do have to say that the male character cast is generally underwhelming. Characters such as Aoshima and Shouta are easily forgettable and fits the role of stereotypical school roles. The only guy in the show I commend on being noticeable is Kinjou Takeru, the store manager. With a bald head, apron, and intimidating sunglasses, you’d least expect him to be someone who would run the store. Thankfully, the anime also introduces Maki Kyouko. She may not be featured as much as the main cast but to me, she is a breakout character. From the moment she was introduced, Maki displays a free spirited attitude and loves making friends. In one particular episode, she and Aya goes on an outdoor adventure of their own to enjoy themselves. And that’s the same attitude you should have when watching Hokuago Saikoro Club. Enjoy this show with an open mind with a free spirited attitude. Hokuago Saikoro Club’s art style is very manga-like with the drawn characters. The anime brings their character designs in definitive form with enhanced quality. Every character in the show stands out with the vibrant look. Character expressions is usually demonstrated with interactions than reactions. It aims to show how characters bond together with a common interest in games. To my delight, studio Liden Films even manages to make impressive appeal to the board games themselves. With each game featuring unique styles of gameplay, the show itself looks and feels different every episode. I don’t think there’s much more need for a slice of life such as Hokuago Saikoro Club. From the very beginning, it knew what the audience wanted and delivered on almost every aspect of their goals. It seems nowadays, slice of life has taken on many forms. A show about a group of friends playing tabletop games together and experiencing the creative excitement is most welcoming.