Mowalski

Largely unfamiliar with the source material, but I am aware of Fujiko Fujio's impact on the industry and their heraled success with the iconic Doraemon. Bones' 90th Anniversary re-adaptation of a hidden classic covers familiar ground, which I think play to the show's strengths. The episodic nature captures a nostalgic viewing experience, while using exploration of historical time periods as the main hook, i.e. Magic Tree House, Time Warp Trio. Plots revolve around travelling backwards in time to save an ordinary person from demise. It's not a wholly original concept, but it's one I'm fairly certain was much more of a novelty at the timeof the original's debut. Each episode's narrative has you being spoonfed retroactive tidbits of human melodrama in the vein of, say, To Your Eternity. Bon is a fairly simple-minded protagonist and acts as a decent conduit for a child audience (clumsy, slacks off, but bursting with heart); yet, the series does delve into a lot of historical violence that gives the impression of a family show with surprisingly more adult themes. Its exploration of said themes, however, feel mostly surface level, intent on the resolution of children's programming that resets the status quo, rarely dragging conflict into the subsequent episode, with some exceptions, including the finale. As a result, this is a difficult recommendation for the more hardened anime fan wanting a "mature" show, but its appeal is steeped in a nostalgic factor that is certain to capture the attention of audiences craving an accessible "comfort show" with mild educational value and a cutesy, "retro" artstyle thrown into the mix.