The Fantasy Comedy Adventure Anime That Will Win Your Heart Over

On the surface, The Night is Short, Walk on Girl has a simple and boring premise. It’s simply a story about a girl who has an incredible and long night of partying where she meets various people and has many fun experiences. However, underneath this premise, there is so much more.

This animated film explains that life is short and that you must always keep walking and experiencing new things. By showing the vastly different experiences the two main characters, Kurokami no Otome and Senpai, have throughout the night, the movie also shows how our fears, perceptions, and expectations change our experiences.

The Night is Short, Walk on Girl is a surreal anime. The director, Masaaki Yuasa (Mind Game, Tatami Galaxy), is known for his more unusual movies that push the bounds of storytelling and animation, and he goes all in with this film. Thanks to the unique color palette, the visuals make it feel like the viewer is experiencing the night along with the main characters.

When watching the movie, you’ll likely recognize many of the voices. Kana Hanazawa (Demon Slayer, Psycho-Pass) plays our main character, while Gen Hoshino (Mirai, Saint Young Men) plays the Senpai. Hiroshi Kamiya (Break Blade), Hiroyuki Yoshino (My Hero Academia), and Kazuya Nakai (Blue Exorcist) also show up in some roles throughout The Night is Short, Walk on Girl.

While The Night is Short, Walk on Girl has a score of 8.19 and a rank of #383 on My Anime List, it’s not popular. The popularity ranking is #1748. Its surreal style and unique animation make for an anime that isn’t for everyone.

For example, me. While I get the premise of The Night is Short, Walk on Girl, it didn’t leave much of an impression on me besides confusion. I’m more than willing to admit that I struggled to follow the story and didn’t quite get the point.

But then again, I’m likely not the target audience. I’m not someone who enjoys socializing, and I’ve never had a wild night out in the town or have ever wanted to. This anime speaks heavily to people who find something special in city nightlife and being a part of the crowd or those who want to be and can’t quite manage it.

REVIEW SCORE

In some ways, the story feels like a poem. It is not about people, love, or parties but about the night and its magical qualities. Those whose emotions are stirred by a good poem might find this film to evoke similar feelings.

Unfortunately, I realized too late that this anime wasn’t for me. Despite its high ratings, I give The Night is Short, Walk on Girl a 3 out of 5. I think a niche group of people will enjoy the show and how the movie breaks apart and highlights all the parts of humanity, but it’s not an anime for everyone.

If you want to watch The Night is Short, Walk on Girl to see its weird but inexplicitly human story, it’s available to stream on Max.