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Odd Taxi is a new anime series that aired in the Spring season of 2021, and despite becoming one of the highest-rated anime series of all time on myanimelist.net, the series did not really manage to gain the popularity that it deserves. Well, that was to be expected as all the characters are animals, and the show has a very simple and cartoonish art style.
Odd Taxi is by no means a complex and in-depth anime that will be remembered for years to come, but it is just perfect for what it is – a short and simple story consisting of different plotlines that intertwine with each other. The anime has been executed in the most masterful way possible, which makes it a treat for anyone who craves a good story filled with mystery.
In this review of the series, I’ll tell you guys exactly what makes Odd Taxi so special and, hopefully, convince some of you to go give it a watch.
Plot of Story Progression
The plot just centers around a simple taxi driver named Odokawa Hiroshi. This quiet and reserved person doesn’t really have any major hobbies and lives alone. Odokawa also seems to be suffering from some kind of mental illness as he has to see a doctor named Ayumu Gouriki.
Odokawa meets all kinds of interesting people because of the nature of his job; some of them being a gangster named Dobu, a boy named Taichi Kabasawa who really wants to go viral on social media, a mysterious nurse named Miho who seems to have a crush on Odokawa, the comedic duo named “homo sapiens” and the manager of a pop idol group named Fuyuki Yamamoto. Oh, and there is also the news about a young girl going missing being told on every news channel, and some people seem to suspect that Odokawa is somehow connected to her disappearance.
All these people seem to be quite different from each other, but as the anime progresses, we slowly find out that their stories are somehow connected. Our boring protagonist somehow ends up becoming a part of the lives of all the different characters in the series that are struggling with the problems in their own lives.
Characters
The characters of Odd Taxi are some of the most impressively written anime characters that I’ve ever seen. The personalities of these characters are simple and easily understandable, but they seem authentic.
Some of my favorite characters in the series are:
Odokawa Hiroshi:
Odakawa is our main protagonist, who seems to be wise and oblivious at the same time.
Dobu:
Dobu is someone who seems to be the main antagonist, but he is actually not really that evil.
Ayumu Gouriki:
Ayumu is the doctor of Odokawa, who can also be described as his best friend.
Fuyuki Yamamoto:
Fuyuki is a manager who, just like Odokawa, accidentally ends up becoming a part of something bigger and dangerous.
Art Style and OSTs
If you ask me, the art style of Odd Taxi is what truly elevates the story. The anime seems to keep it simple yet beautiful with colorful backgrounds and cartoonish characters. The OSTs are another thing that I really loved about Odd Taxi, especially the opening theme.
Conclusion
Odd Taxi can be described as a puzzle. This puzzle is not too complex, but it is also not too easy to understand. Odd Taxi makes more and more sense as you watch through every single episode. The satisfaction that you get when everything connects and makes sense in the ending is unlike anything else.
Odd Taxi is a must-watch short anime that is perfect for mystery lovers. I’d personally give this anime a rating of 8.5/10.
