cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/50313498

The last four series I highlighted in my “education through entertainment” series were a bit dour. Let’s go way lighter for this entry with Dagashi Kashi.

Surprisingly, this manga-turned-anime may arguably be one of the “most” educational series out there. Much like in Cells at Work, each chapter (or half-episode in the case of the anime) centers around a different example of the premise’s topic; in the case of Cells at Work it was parts/functions of the human body, and in Dagashi Kashi, it’s the various products available at a Japanese sweets shop/snack store.

As the series explains, the Japanese word “dagashi” doesn’t really have an English equivalent, as it can refer to candy, snacks, drinks, and even toys… basically anything small, cheap, and (typically) appealing to children looking to spend their pocket change. Dagashi stores were once plentiful in the Japanese “showa” era (~1920s-1980s), but are much more of a rarity now, having been replaced by convenience stores, 100-yen shops, and online shopping. So while this series takes place in the 21st century, it has anachronistic vibe to it, mixed with a taste of historical fiction, stirred into a gag format, and served with a dollop of fan service.

Personally I find this series engaging because I love Japanese nostalgia fiction (I’m also a sucker for ultra-niche manga/anime, regardless of the topic), thus I’ve genuinely enjoyed the romp through literally hundreds of Japanese snacks (only some of which I even recognize, despite having spent years in Japan). However because Dagashi Kashi doesn’t offer much in terms of overarching plot, action, or character development, I could see where this series may prove dull for most audiences. (Granted trying to appeal to a mainstream audience has undermined many educational and “educational” series, so I see this as a positive trait.)

Is the “education” Dagashi Kashi provides trivia-heavy? Yes. Is the topic superficial? Definitely yes. Will I probably go the rest of my life without ever directly benefiting from having gained the knowledge? Probably also yes. Does the series sometimes feel like one long advertisement/propaganda effort to promote Japanese snack brands? Admittedly yes. But must I admit that I walked away from Dagashi Kashi knowing more about the world than I did before walking in? Undoubtedly yes.