Kino’s Journey is a nice, calming episodic series. The show mainly consists of the titular main character Kino, an androgynous girl donning a trenchcoat and a pistol and her talking motorbike named Hermes. Together, they travel to various places, each governed by their own strange cultures and philosophies.
A brief synopsis and analysis of the first episode
While I could try and explain the appeal of the show, I think you’re better off figuring out whether you like it or not by going through an episode.
One place that Kino and Hermes come across is filled with robots and machines. The town itself seems to be functioning automatically with no problems, as demonstrated by the fully operational hotel Kino stays at. Eventually, once Kino finally manages to stumble upon another human, we learn that each of the original residents had been introduced to an elixir that could allow the person who ingested it to read the minds of others. Thinking that it was a good idea, every single resident drank it. What ended up happening was that everyone learned of the pain and misery other people were thinking about and ended up letting other people’s pain consume them as well. This pain became so unbearable for these people that they ended up isolating themselves from each other by choice.
I’m not going to touch on all of the themes in this episode (that’ll be saved for a full episode analysis) but one that strikes out to me here is the importance of privacy. We see a relationship between two close lovers break up in a matter of days, simply because the husband thought her wife was overwatering flowers too many times. Humans are beings that are capable of producing extremely impulsive and rash thoughts. But by using our brains, we go through all of these impulses, and choose to only externalize what (we think) is best for the situation at hand. The elixir bypasses this editorial process, immediately externalizing thoughts as they come to light. Overall, this episode exemplifies the import role that privacy has in maintaining the social structure of our society.
Aesthetics
As an atmospheric romp, nailing the aesthetic side is critical for a show like Kino’s Journey. And there are definitely some positives in that department. Kino’s design is great, and reinforces her character visually. The directing is very good - there’s some particularly gorgeous shots. The backgrounds are... less impressive, with many simple and generic buildings but work when they need to. When something does receive attention, it’s usually because it’s directly related to the plot. I wish the smaller things had care put into them too, it’s the little details that go a long way.
Another complaint I have about the presentation is its use of a murkier color palette. It works for some of the darker moments, but overall it makes many of the setpieces forgettable and generic.
Final Thoughts
Kino’s Journey is not a show for everybody. If the premise doesn’t captivate you, then I highly doubt you will enjoy the show, as the presentation isn’t the strong point of the show. The interesting part is getting immersed into these little worlds and discovering their unique customs and the ways in which they operate. It’s a show that demands further analysis of its episodes to get the full experience. If that sounds like your type of show, then you’ll definitely enjoy it. If not, I’d recommend passing on this one.