Episodes 1-3 – Dance Dance Danseur

Dance Dance Danseur isn’t going to work for everyone. The anime does a staggeringly impressive job of adapting the art of manga creator George Asakura, a style characterized by heavy-lidded eyes that give all the characters an almost dreamy-like quality. It’s uncharacteristic of most character designs we see in anime right now, and I expect viewers will either embrace these long-limbed, sleepy kids or bounce off of it. Then there’s the niche interest of ballet, something I have no professional background to offer other than watching performances with my mom around Christmastime and any residual respect I’ve picked up from knowing a few dancers in my time. Dance Dance Danseur has the hurdle of selling ballet to a seinen audience with a male lead. It’s that launching point that infuses the series with its primary conflict, because Jumpei’s denial about his passion for dance is…