493rd G-View: Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night

Needed to sleep and clear my thoughts before reviewing this one so here we are. Let us get right to discussing Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night.

Alternate Title: Yoru no Kurage wa Oyogenai (Japanese)

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Music, Yuri

Themes: Coming of Age

Number of Episodes: 12

G-Rating: 9/10

Plot Summary: The young artist Yoru Kurage has been on hiatus ever since a certain incident. In reality, her name is Mahiru Kōzuki. She became traumatized by the pressure of being “special” and instead decided to live a normal, standard high school life. However, things change when she meets former idol Kano Yamanōchi. The strong-minded Kano “graduated” from center position in the Sunflower Dolls idol group, where she was known as Nonoka Tachibana. Along with fellow outcasts Kiui Watase and Mei Takanashi, the girls come together to uncover who they really are.

From left to right: Kiui, Mei, Yoru and Kano.
Discussing the show is not difficult because it revolves around its main theme: Four girls ostracized by society for being different, not fitting with social norms or being too weird to be taken seriously by others. They either succumbed to the pressure of “being normal”, rebelled in secret or changed themselves entirely. Obviously I cannot tell readers which is which, as it is best discovered by watching. The beauty of the show is all four girls’ journeys are relatable to many out there during their teenage or even adult lives. The challenge of being someone the world will not easily accept and someone you yourself are comfortable with no matter what others say. You are you, detractors be damned. It of course is easier said than done. The journey to acceptance is an arduous one full of doubt, fear and anguish, whether to embrace one’s talents for one’s own good or stick to being just another cog in the machine so as few people as possible get on your case. Not everyone is strong enough to take that first important step. Seeing the girls try their best to change back to their true selves AND accept who they feel they are meant to be and what exactly they are fighting for is a very exciting, emotional and as mentioned a relatable viewing experience.

Besides our heroines there are various side-characters who over time have their own fascinating stories to tell. Most of these other ladies’ experiences play a role in aiding the main quartet find their own answers. Be sure to keep an eye on as many side-characters as possible because even some in the background play a vital role.

As the genre tags imply their journeys are full of laughs, triumphs, heartache and redemption, all compelling to watch. How many of them viewers like is entirely up to their personal preferences. It is difficult to describe all of them individually because they all share one thing in common. On the outside they are very fun friends to be around but on the inside they are emotional wrecks struggling to accept themselves and their role in the world.

Kano is the cool and charismatic hottie. Yoru can be both the main protagonist or co-protag as she has traits that qualify her for either role. Mei is the energetic mega fangirl while Kiui is the sharp tongued sassy one. It is just as fun watching their friendship grow as it is experiencing their journeys.

The presentation surprised me. Initially it was very colorful and everything flowed well but then there are moments like this that stopped me in my tracks with their awesomeness. I like to think the animators had the most fun in these scenes along with the musical performances. Speaking of, they were quite nice. Mostly chill jams with strong messages to relax to. I dug them.

Now for the usual main event. Most of the Yuri, main dish and side-orders, were very good. Kano and Yoru’s relationship was similar to another musical main duo’s in their highs and lows, just without the “one argument per episode” shtick. They of course had their differences but over time their true feelings for each other shined through and continued to grow as they both puzzled over how exactly they felt about each other. Same goes for Mei’s and Kiui’s own Yuri tales. I already mentioned Mei being a mega fangirl. That already gives viewers hints of her story. Meanwhile Kiui’s may take a sharp eye to fully grasp the gayness. It is certainly an interesting one that had me all the tingle. Longtime readers of mine can take a guess what that means.

Which brings me to the conclusion. Without spoiling anything it was solid. Most of the gaps were filled while some things could have been elaborated a bit more with a 13th episode. As for “you know what”…longtime Yuri veterans can guess what to expect from the ellipsis. All I will say is that it was not bad.

Overall Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night was a mostly excellent viewing experience. The main girls’ journeys were full of excitement, sadness, pain and triumph. Most of the side-characters also have fascinating stories to tell. The presentation was wonderful and the Yuri mostly delivered. Recommended to most viewers who enjoy a little extra in their Girls’ Club/Band shows.