Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens

Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens(博多豚骨ラーメンズ,Hakata Tonkotsu Rāmenzu)is a Japanesenovelseries written by Chiaki Kisaki and illustrated by Hako Ichiiro.ASCII Media Workshave published fourteen volumes since 2014 under theirMedia Works Bunkoimprint. The novel won the Grand Prize at the 20th annualDengeki Novel Awards.
Amangaadaptation with art by Kisara Akino was serialized inSquare Enix'sshōnenmangamagazineG Fantasybetween July 2016 and May 2017. It was collected in twotankōbonvolumes. A second manga adaptation titledHakata Tonkotsu Ramens Dai 2-Shō, with art by Chiako Nagaoka, was launched on August 18, 2017 in the same magazine. It was collected in twotankōbonvolumes.
Ananimetelevision series adaptation bySatelightaired from January 12 to March 30, 2018.
Ananimetelevision series adaptation bySatelightaired from January 12 to March 30, 2018, as part of Dengeki's 25th anniversary.The opening theme is "Stray"(ストレイ,Sutorei), performed byKishida Kyoudan & The Akeboshi Rockets,while the ending theme is "Dirty Bullet" performed by the jazz band TRI4TH.Crunchyrollsimulcasted the series, whileFunimationproduced an English dub.
On June 18, 2020, the show was aired via Animax Asia on July 1.The show is streamed throughout India under Muse India.
The show receive a release in Japan via Blu-Ray and DVD with Volume 1 released on April 27, 2018.Volume 2 was released on May 30, 2018.Volume 3 was released on July 11, 2018.Funimation released the entire series on Blu-Ray and DVD on March 5, 2019.
Astage playadaptation premiered from July 13 to July 21, 2019.
The anime adaptation's first episode garnered mixed reviews fromAnime News Network's staff during the Winter 2018 season previews. Chris Farris solely reviewed the English dub version of the episode, criticizing the premise for lacking "punch and personality" to sell itself and felt the voice actors were "monotone" and weren't "distinct" enough with their performances (singling out Daman Mills' portrayal of Xianming as a standout), concluding that: "Ultimately, listening to this paradox just creates a feeling of surreal blandness." James Beckett found it to be a "dour premiere" that's "decent-looking" but lacks ambition and excitement to deliver its hitmen ensemble and their various storylines throughout the overall plot. Lynzee Loveridge found the production "middle of the road" but commended the crossdressing character of Xianming and was intrigued by the "interwoven threads" and "interlocking relationships" throughout the overall mystery. Jacob Chapman commended the handling of theRyōgo Narita-like "multitudinous subplots" that connect with each other but was critical of the serious tone clashing with the ridiculous setup, the cast of "blasé and unlikable characters" and the production having a "mediocre art design" and "stiff animation", concluding that: "Hakata Tonkotsu Ramensisn't a traditionally terrible show, but I don't think its lukewarm stabs at uniqueness made it any less of a slog to get through either."
Rebecca Silverman wrote that: "With a jazz-based soundtrack and a casual feeling about it,Hakata Tonkotsu Ramensstands to be an interesting puzzle to piece together. It's definitely going to be worth figuring out where it's headed, because there are a few directions it could take as of now." Nick Creamer was critical of the mediocre aesthetic quality throughout the art and character designs, but gave praise to the natural transitions between characters and subplots, saying "[I]f you're looking for a convoluted crime drama, you could certainly do a lot worse." Theron Martin praised director Kenji Yasuda for handling the concept by having a "well-organized" plot and an ensemble cast that gets equal attention and sets up various scenarios between them, calling it "one of the season's sharper new entries so far."
Martin reviewed the complete anime series and gave it a B+ grade.While giving note of some "distasteful story elements" and a lack of female representation in its ensemble, he praised the charm of its cast and their interactions with each other throughout the series and the production's "distinctive aesthetic" that gives them their visual appeal, concluding that: "If you can handle its graphic content, thenHakata Tonkotsu Ramensis a highly entertaining series that may have been overlooked during the Winter 2018 season, but is well worth checking out for fans of its unique sub-genre."Allen Moody, writing forTHEM Anime Reviews, praised the series for its "nicely complex" and "elaborately conceived" ensemble cast and their various stories being "very well paced" and having a "moral framework" to them, concluding that he would like a continuation with more focus on Lin and Banba's entourage.Silverman reviewed thehome videorelease in 2019 and gave it an overall B grade.She praised Lin's character development during the first and last arcs, the use of language and the balancing of both humor and dark elements, but was critical of how the show treats its female characters and the rest of the cast being just "one-note" quirky personalities, concluding that: "Although it can feel a bit uneven over the course of its four story arcs,Hakata Tonkotsu Ramensis a fun show overall."