Anime Recommendation: Sanrio Boys

The Sanrio Boys anime would seem, at its core, to be a very clever marketing plan from Sanrio. It certainly is a good way to reach a wider audience and get its products in front of more people. Sanrio has always been very good at marketing. But, the show itself is much more than a multi-episode commercial.

When I first heard about the show, I was intrigued. It was about a group of boys in high school who all love Sanrio products. I expected a typical slice-of-life, cutesy anime. There was surprisingly more angst than I expected, along with a very good message. The show illustrates multiple times how important it is to be true to yourself and that it’s okay to be exactly who you are. In fact, you’ll be happier to embrace what you love rather than trying to hide it. It doesn’t matter what other people think, as long as it isn’t hurting anyone, and it makes you happy. That’s a powerful message. Especially in a world where people try to tell us that boys or girls can only like certain things. Boys are told that they can’t like cute things. Well, why not? There’s nothing wrong with that.

The art in this anime is kind of hit or miss. The best display of art can be found in the opening sequence. Sometimes the characters aren’t drawn all that well and it can throw the viewing experience a little bit. But, when the art is good, it’s a beautiful and colorful show. There are plenty of shots of Sanrio characters which reminds you that yes, this company is trying to sell you a product. But, for the most part, it fits so seamlessly into the show. You don’t really end up feeling like you’re being marketed to.

The real value with this anime is definitely the storyline. It holds interest and ends up being a lot deeper than you’d expect from the show’s description. These boys have very real issues and coming together through their love for Sanrio gives them a great support group to get through the problems that they face. (All while displaying how important it is to be who you are and to accept yourself).

I definitely recommend this show to anyone who enjoys slice-of-life anime or Sanrio products, but I’d invite anyone to give it a try just for the unique message that it presents. It’s certainly worth a watch. Sanrio Boys is currently airing on Saturdays on Crunchyroll.

Author: Jessica Rae

Jessica has a BA in music with an emphasis in voice and spends her day typesetting, editing, writing, and moderating webinars. Jessica primarily reviews anime and comic book series. She also offers insights on various movies, books, games, and other geeky topics.

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