What would you expect if Nishimura Junji (Director of the Ranma series and the You're under Arrest Movie), Oshii Mamoru (Director of the Ghost in the Shell Movies, Jin-Roh and Angels Egg) and Kawai Kenji (Music for the Ghost in the Shell Movies, the Ranma series and many more) join together under the roof of Production IG (home of Bee Train and producer of the Ghost in the Shell - Stand Alone Complex series, Blood+ and the animated sequence in the first part of Kill Bill)?
That's right: something you wouldn't expect. Considered the past of these individuals, Oshii having mainly produced very experimental works like Ghost in the Shell or Angels Egg, Nishimura being involved in primarily funny and action loaded Anime like Ranma, Urusei Yatsura and Samurai Deeper Kyo, and finally Kawai who has produced an astoundingly huge number of soundtracks for many main stream productions like the Ghost in the Shell Movies, Maison Ikkoku, Otogi Zoushi or Patlabor, their combinated work on Fuujin Monogatari would come as a refreshing surprise. It is quiet, there's not much action, it is drawn in a very exotic style and the music is relaxing. To not be misunderstood: these are all merits of this fine work. Let's go into the details.
Animation
This is one of the points which really sets Fuujin Monogatari apart from other productions. The backgrounds seem like five-minute sketchbook drawings painted with a broad brush. The clouds (which are depicted very often) seem like they were ripped out from white paper and glued to the sky. Rooms, houses, whole towns and landscape are not very detailed but rough.
The character designs are draft like and expressive. Every character has his/her unique features and they sometimes seem much more realistic than the characters do in detailed and finely drawn works like Ghost in the Shell or Shin Seiki Evangelion. The arms and legs go from quite bold near the body to very thin at the finger tips and feet and are do often seem more like tree branches than body parts.
The character motions are average quality, maybe a little below in some scenes.
Even though both background images and character designs are very simple and rough they seem to be much more expressive because of that. Faces and smiles look more natural than if they had been drawn like most Anime. I think there are are some scenes in The Hakkenden which resemble this style, except that in Fuujin Monogatari this is a permanent feature. It is very experimental but I found it very appealing.
I think the producers chose this style because it allowed them to show wind in a much easier way to embed into the individual scenes. Because of the rough style you don't mind if there are suddenly lines floating through the air, changing their color while flowing past. (It could be that Ootori Minami on whose original idea this Anime is based used this style herself, but I couldn't find anything about it so I really can't say.)
I normally give points for animation based on the fluidity of the character motions and the quality of the character design (in special cases like Hoshi no Koe for the background images too), but this refreshing style earns at least a 9. If the motions were more fluid this would have been a 10 (but then again this could also have been an intention of the producers... well I think the point is clear).
Sound
I could have called it Kawai Kenji section too in respect for his work so far, but as the opening and ending songs where performed by others this would have gone too far.
The opening song "Kaze no Uta" was performed by YuU. It begins with a piano playing to a very soft female voice. Soon more instruments, like a guitar and (I think) a violin join in. The song is slow and quiet.
The ending "Yuuhi no Iro dake" by Windy-S is more like a pop song compared to the opening, but still very quiet compared to most J-Pop titles.
Kawais background music is relaxing, homely and happy. Some tracks are quite memorable, and overall they support the free and cozy mood of the series very well. It seems that Kawai could not compose his music as free to experiment as he could do in Ghost in the Shell.
As for the voice acting there is not much to say. The characters all sound very agreeable (and there isn't anything like a fight or any serious disagreement in the whole series) and believable. It may be the stillness of the Anime that offers no opportunity to a voice actor to show his/her potential.
There is nothing serious to criticize in the sound section but except for the mood supporting there is nothing to honor especially either. Therefore I give good average points.
Story
Even though the series covers a whole year in the (junior high school-)life of the main characters there isn't anything like a plot that would span from the first episode to the last. Nearly every episode stands for its own except the events of the first two episodes where Nao, Miki and Jun discover the existence of "wind users" and learn to use the wind for themselves which often aids them later on. Most episodes feature a unique topic which is more or less linked to the topic "wind" some featuring new wind users which never appear in later episodes.
It is the story of Ueshima Nao, her friend Miki with whom she founded the "Digital Camera Club" and who is the only other member. Nomura Jun, Mikis boyfriend, is also known as "Plus One" as he often helps them out. Last there are Yoshino Ryoko and their teacher Taiki-sensei who is a wind user himself.
After discovering a whole pack of flying cats Nao falls of the school roof and is rescued by Taiki-sensei who called the wind to soften her touch down. Nao, Miki and Jun then visit Taiki-sensei in his home town in the "Valley of wind" where they learn to use the wind. The later episodes show them and Ryoko in various situations like the approach of a Typhoon or the wind supported nightly can kicking of some young natural wind users.
The stories are easy to follow without any violent plot twists or bad enemies that have to be fought. Simple everyday life of someone who knows how to control wind. Nothing exciting but nonetheless well told tales. My oppinion: good.
Character
Ueshima Nao is the president of the Digital Camera Club. She loves to watch the clouds and the wind and often takes photos of them. She is a quiet but not shy girl who seems to live in harmony with her surroundings.
Her friend Miki (whose surname I couldn't find, maybe it was mentioned sometime) is vice-president and a little bit more outgoing than Nao. She has a boyfriend and is first to manage to control wind.
Nomura Jun is responsible for the whole school thinking that Nao's accident on the rooftop was a suicide attempt. Since then he is known as "Plus One" as he said he'd do anything to make up for it to Nao who has him help out in their club without being an official member. He is a little bit dense and sometimes manages to annoy Miki by misinterpreting the situation.
Yoshino Ryoko is a friendly girl (well so are all characters in this Anime) who feeds the stray cats that fly onto the school roof occasionally. She has a crush on Taiki-sensei who taught her to control the wind.
Taiki-sensei is a recently joined but popular teacher at Naos and Mikis school. Being born in the "Valley of wind" he is a wind user himself.
As I said before all characters in Fuujin Monogatari are agreeable and friendly which is of course a little bit unrealistic, but minding the free and positive mood of the series it would just degenerate to some standard series if it were otherwise. Even so I don't feel like giving this more than average points.
Value
In our hectic and stressful world of today this oasis of peace and slow flowing of time gives peace to the mind and enables the viewer to gain some distance to his everyday life. This is of course a feature that can be found in other works that share these characteristics (like Anne of Green Gables). Maybe I'm overanalyzing things but it seems to be quite indicative that such a work was produced in Japan whose cities are known as centers of stressful living without giving much thought to the feelings or ambitions of the individual.
Enjoyment
I've read the His dark materials-trilogy and watched Jungle wa itsumo Hale nochi Guu before seeing this which was very refreshing in both pace of storytelling and simplicity of plot. Of course it depends on what you've read or saw before. If you're a fan of fast and action-loaded stories this could be either an eyeopener or a complete waste of your time. As for those who like them quiet and slow this could be more of the same thing or another beautiful told tale. You see, it really depends on your preferences. I like deep stories and a good portion of humor and action but I enjoyed Fuujin Monogatari nonetheless. That means an 8 from me.
