Anime often blends realistic emotions, stakes, and character development with out-of-this-world action, bonkers superpowers, and nigh-immortal protagonists. But sometimes anime can get a little bit too real. We’ve all watched at least one show that hit us in the chest like an emotional freight train, be it through a controversial moment, a heartbreaking plot twist, or an unbelievably accurate representation of mental health. Crunchyroll is making anime fans go through that feeling all over again, as the streamer just dropped its darkest anime in years.
Takopi’s Original Sin is a new anime adaptation of the titular manga by Taizan 5. TBS produced the new anime adaptation of the controversial and unforgettable manga. The first episode recently dropped on Crunchyroll, and across its 40+ minute runtime, the episode pulls no punches in its depiction of tortured youth and bullying. What’s worse is that its incredibly harrowing subject matter is told through the eyes of the overwhelmingly positive alien, Takopi.
Crunchyroll Just Dropped Its Darkest Anime in Years (And Fans Weren’t Ready)
Content Warning: The following article contains mentions of depression and suicide. Resources and help can be found at the bottom of the article.
We’ll be diving into mild spoilers for the first episode of Takopi’s Original Sin. This won’t ruin the viewing experience, but if you’d like to go into the series blind, then watch Episode 1 and come back to this. The first episode of Takopi’s Original Sin is a tough watch. For those who haven’t read the manga, the series plays a cruel trick by lulling you into a false sense of security. We’re introduced to Takopi, an alien who comes from Happy Planet, and was sent to Earth to help people smile more. Sounds wholesome enough. After Takopi’s ship crashes, they meet Shizuka, an unsmiling school student. Takopi sees Shizuka as their first project, and promises to help Shizuka be happy.
The first ten minutes build a sense of unease. Takopi is relentlessly positive and bright, and is in extreme juxtaposition to the muted and realistic world around them. The contrast between Takopi and Shizuka is just the foundation of Takopi’s Original Sin’s dark storytelling. We learn that Shizuka is being bullied by some of the other girls at school. We then find out that her home life is even rougher. Her mother works as an escort, and her father is presumed to have abandoned them.
The tension and unease build and build over the first 10 minutes. Takopi’s optimism becomes unbearable in comparison to Shizuka’s situation. Shizuka’s bullying gets worse, and Takopi cannot even comprehend the idea of bullying. The alien offers her a pink ribbon, which is said to reunite two arguing friends, believing this will solve her bullying problem. But, 11 minutes in, when Takopi hasn’t seen Shizuka all day, they go to look for the school child, only to discover she has taken her own life with the ribbon.
The scene hits you like a shotgun blast, and lets you know that nothing is off limits; nothing is too realistic to be shown in the series. It’s a remorseless look at the realities of depression, bullying, and the human experience, cruelly told using the fish-out-of-water trope.
Takopi’s Original Sin Isn’t Entirely Depressing
The scene leads you to believe that Takopi will move on to another person. But, thankfully, Takopi’s Original Sin isn’t a wholly nihilistic series. While the moment was shockingly dark, the overall message of the series is a positive one. One of Takopi’s gadgets, the Happy Camera, which they took a photo of Shizuka with earlier in the episode, has the ability to transport Takopi back in time to when the photo was taken.
Takopi uses that ability to try and prevent Shizuka from killing herself. Thus begins the true arc of the series, and Takopi’s head-first dive into the complexity and reality of human emotions. Takopi was sent to Earth to make everyone happy. But, instead, they learn that emotions are fluid and complicated, and sometimes very negative for a variety of reasons.
If you are in a strong enough headspace to watch Takopi’s Original Sin, the first episode is currently streaming on Crunchyroll. New episodes are released on Saturdays.
If you or someone you know has been affected by the contents of this article, help and more information can be found at the 988 Lifeline and Youth Line websites.
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