The Great Passage

The Great Passage is a captivating anime television series that made its debut on Anime Strike in 2016. It is based on the 2011 novel, Fune wo Amu, by Shion Miura, which had earlier been adapted into a successful live-action film in 2013. The series has been lauded for its distinct narrative style, mature themes, and detailed character development, setting it apart from conventional action or fantasy-oriented anime.

The narrative primarily revolves around Mitsuya Majime, an eccentric and introverted salesman who is socially inept, finding communication difficult due to his unique perspective of the world. Although he doesn't fit in the sales world, Majime's knack for words, precise memory, and insatiable passion for reading piques the interest of one of his seniors at Genbu Publishing, Masashi Nishioka, when the editorial team encounters a significant crisis. A veteran dictionary editor, Kouhei Araki, is considering retirement and the department is in dire need of a successor – and Araki believes Majime might just be the answer they've been looking for.

Nishioka recruits Majime into the dictionary editorial department to work on 'The Great Passage,’ a comprehensive dictionary meant to bridge the gap between people and words, helping them to understand each other's sentiments. Thus begins Majime's unconventional journey into the world of lexicon and linguistics, a world where words are a medium of understanding feelings, conveying love, and navigating the complexities of the human heart.

This show takes viewers through a unique journey and provides an unexpected perspective on life and communication. It brings the fascinating world of dictionary-making into the spotlight, a world usually hidden away behind the curtains of the literary scene, and turns it into an engaging, emotional drama. The creators successfully extrapolate a seemingly mundane theme and breathe life into it, making it a tool for character exploration and development. Majime, along with an eclectic team of editors, embark on a painstaking yet fulfilling journey to put together a "living" dictionary, a voyage that symbolizes 'The Great Passage' between the human heart and words.

The Great Passage does not rely on high-action sequences or fantasy elements to maintain viewer attention. Instead, it propels its story forward through intricate and well-rounded characters and their dynamic relationships. The series showcases how Majime's relationships evolve, his companionship with Nishioka, his mentor-disciple bond with Araki, and his blossoming love interest with Kaguya Hayashi, all of which underscore the theme of communication and connection, and inject life into the series.

Additionally, The Great Passage shows Majime growing from an awkward salesman into a determined editor, ready to face any hurdle in his quest to complete the dictionary. The resulting storyline that focuses on the realities of the publishing industry, the painstaking processes of dictionary compilation, varied editorial practices, and the trials and tribulations of the editorial team breathe life into the pages of the series.

In terms of visuals, The Great Passage adopts a more subdued and realistic art style, complimenting the mature and grounded thematic elements of the series rather than masking them in flamboyance. The animation employs soft pastel colours, simple lines, and low-key background art, providing a sense of calm that matches the narrative's tone. The sound design in the series is also noteworthy, with impactful voice performances that effectively bring characters to life.

Despite dealing with a relatively heavy and unprecedented subject matter, The Great Passage does not lack in comedy or heartwarming moments. It beautifully portrays the passion, joy, and grief experienced in the process of creating 'The Great Passage'. The show is an ode to the lover of words, an examination of life and love through the lens of language, and an exploration of what it truly means to understand one another - one word at a time.

To sum it up, The Great Passage is a hidden gem within the anime world, a poignant narrative about passion, purpose, and the power of language. It bridges the gap between words and hearts, transforming a simple premise into an extraordinary tale filled with hardship, love, friendship, and personal growth. The series is a testament to how words can become a vessel for human emotions, underlining the importance of communication in understanding ourselves and each other.