ODDTAXI

Genre(s): Mystery, Drama, Comedy

Age-Appropriateness: 13+ (Violence, mild language)

Platforms: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 13

TheAwersome Rating: 9.3 / 10 (Masterfully done)

Premise: Eccentric and blunt, the walrus Hiroshi Odokawa lives a relatively normal life. He drives a taxi for a living, where he meets several unique individuals: the jobless Taichi Kabasawa who is dead-set on going viral, the mysterious nurse Miho Shirakawa, the struggling comedic duo “Homo Sapiens,” and Dobu, a well-known criminal.

But Odokawa’s simple way of life is about to be turned upside-down. The case of a missing girl the police have been tracking leads back to him, and now both the yakuza and a duo of corrupt cops are on his tail. Set in a strangely familiar city filled with unusual individuals, Odd Taxi is a bizarre story about a humble taxi driver and the mystery of a lost high schooler.

TheAwesome’s Thoughts: I was absolutely not expecting this piece. The writing, character development,  and cohesive directing of this is of such a high caliber that I was surprised it wasn’t a season of Breaking Bad or the like. Dialogue is intricate, interesting, and juicy with implications, hidden meanings, and new connections. Nearly every episode leaves you more invested than the last. While there is plenty of suspense and danger, it isn’t a stressful ride, which was a marvelous feat of its own. Going back for a second watch also reveals just how excellently all the seeds, hints, and clues are planted for everything, so there isn’t any sense of a deus ex machina twist or ending.

TLDR: An absolutely amazing mystery, crime, drama ride that simultaneously feels very comfortable and very dangerous.

There is a recap movie that will be reviewed later.

This show is remarkably fresh. There’s somewhat of an Aggretsuko flair in that we have an anthropomorphic cast and despite the simple and cute art style, a distinctly mature story with intricate, complex, and distinct characters. At first, I was completely satisfied with it being somewhat of a vignette piece of “Here are all the distinct and interesting people that a taxi driver could meet!” But then everything starts tying together in a masterful way that puts this in my collection of absolute favorites.

You’ll Likely Enjoy This if You Enjoyed:

• Anthropomorphic cast and mature topics of Aggretsuko
• “Doesn’t quite feel like an anime” vibe of Violet Evergarden, Castlevania