#studio graph

Little by little, Tatsuki Fujimoto has become my favorite mangaka from his generation, and this anthology perfectly encapsulates everything that made me fall in love with his work. There's this inherent quirkiness to his concepts and writing, which instills his stories with an explosive personality that, to put it simply, can't be imitated. But the best of it all is the sensitivity and heart that awaits at the core of each and every one of his works. He always finds the way to pack an emotional wallop that leaves you floored, even in these short stories. And all of it comes with an irreverent sense of humor that hits the perfect spot. Fortunately, this anthology knows how to breathe life into these one-shots. All the episodes are a beauty to behold, even if some have better animation than others. Obviously, not all shorts are at the same narrative level, but that's to be expected from any anthology. Even then, the average quality is sky-high; like, I can't even pick a favorite right now. To sum up, Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 is probably the best anime anthology I've ever seen and one of the best shows of the year.