Pita-Ten Review
Pro: Madhouse animation, memorable soundtrack, meanigful messages
Con: Reaptable running gags and antics
Full Review
Final Verdict: Its rather hitting close to the nostagia factor here but Pita-Ten is an inasley cute and memorable series for me in terms of anime/manga. Its not anything particulary special or something I would talk about intensely with other anime fans but it is something I certainly enjoy putting on from time to time.
Story: One of the real stegnths of the series is in its underlying message of losing and gaining loved ones wheter that would be friends or family. In reality the series should be "How do deal with losing loved ones". Instead of making it an intense overplayed drama the shows focuses on a group of kids (okay well sixth graders) and follows them as the grow together and spend their days interacting with one another. Thereare some real tearjerkers in here but they are few and far between making more room for simple character development and funny/cute hijinks. Because I mean who wants to foucus on the sad stuff all the time right. For me this show strikes the perfect balance much like anther favorite of mine Kobato. Even so since these are infact kids kobato is a much more mature take on the same kind of concept and is able to explore more of those elelments. So Pita-Ten is indeed good but not as deep as I would like to admit.
Characters: The characters are also quite enjyable here just not be so brief:
Misha: much like Kobato Hanato Misha strikes a good balance of motherly and childlish nativeyty. Many might find her annoying at the begining but she does grow on you when the series moves on.
Shia: Alomost the complete oposite of Misha responable and competent but not neearly as engergitic or active. They work well off eachother as you still feel the same feeling on screen as if they really are out of this world entities. Some of the best comedy comes from her as well especially when she is working off the determined sidkick nya.
Moreover Dai-chan is one of the funniest child chracters in anime. Him and his sister Kaoru are basically child versions of the Kuno twins in Ranma 1/2. Making them incerbily likable but still deeper and more caring than one would normally expcet. The series makes it clear that depsite their mature demior these are still in fact selfish kids at times and makes every attempt to show common soon to be adolescanet troubles.
Art: Studip Madhouse evetunally finds its niche when animating this series around episode 11 or so. Overall Koge-Donbo's art is well protayed here with some great varity in outfits and light pastel colors.
Sound: Very good the opening and ending theme are okay overall and do not hurt the series in anyway.
Final Score: 3 stars