I’m old enough to when mono was about photography. But that was so long ago that dinosaurs still roamed the plains. Now, Afro-sensei’s work seems like it’s in a spirited rivalry with Atto’s Food for the Soul to be this season’s foodie anime. That sounds like hyperbole, but mono Episode 6 dedicated half its episode to pursuing a comforting meal. That’s not a complaint. I’ve long believed that the only things you should chase in life are stunning vistas, comforting food, and stiff drinks. Life’s about finding what you like and letting it kill you.
Mono Episode 6 — There’s No Such Thing as a Round Stone
Haruno is the only person in this show who’s doing what they said they’d do in the first episode. I’d bet my Miku figures that’s because Haruno is a stand-in for Afro-sensei. Sacchan had an existential crisis over the photography club closing, then proceeded to take about 5 photos and call it a day. If that’s not an insight into the youth of today, I don’t know what is.
Social commentary aside, as Haruno prepares for another manga she again recruits the high school crowd. Her grand idea for a manga relates to round stones called Maruishi Dosojin. That might not sound like a winning idea, but we can all think of at least three manga that should have been canceled ages ago and are still popular. At least seeing everyone (sans Kako) adventure around Yamanashi gave us some comedic moments.
Though all I could think about for this portion of the episode was Renge and Shiori’s roundness conversation in Non Non Biyori Nonstop. For the unenlightened, it was a way-too-trippy talk on how nothing is round because round things have imperfections.
The Quest for Curry
Like its predecessor, mono Episode 6 was food-oriented. But instead of dry-cured ham, we got curry. While the pursuit of curry sounds straightforward, luck looked at Haruno and said, “Not today.”
Haruno must have racked up some really bad karma in a previous life to always have such bad luck. From hauntings, to missing her dead lines, to no curry, no life — Haruno lives under a bad moon. But at least she has the fortitude needed to persevere. If I had that much bad luck in one day, I’d either turn into a pinata or “Pumped Up Kicks” would start to play.
On a positive note, Haruno’s speech about adversity making the payoff more satisfying was an awesome tidbit of advice in this episode.
Mono Episode 6 — Random Thoughts
I consider myself a foodie, and I’ll always travel to get a dish I’m craving. I’m not alone in that sentiment; many others do too. And more importantly, many others enjoy content about this.
Gourmet/foodie anime is well-liked, and it appeals to a wider demographic than photography-oriented shows. With mono leaning heavily into food-based adventures, it should have focused on that instead. Mono is my favorite show of the season, but I need to reiterate that in of hobby shows, this is less Slow Loop and more K-On! Mono could have done what Insomniacs After School did and presented a better blend of the photography and slice-of-life moments. But for what it is, it’s enjoyable.
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Mono & Kite Aerial Photography — An Interview With Evan Reinheimer
Screenshots: Crunchyroll
© Afro/Houbunsha, Aniplex, Soigne
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