Numerous shonen anime have become huge hits over the years, especially as anime has had an international resurgence in global popularity. This has made it to where just about any action-adventure series could become a hit and be remembered in one way or another. At the same time, there have been a few shows that have slipped through the cracks of the mainstream, and sometimes not due to a lack of quality.
Tegami Bachi, or “Letter Bee” was one such series. Based on an unconventional Weekly Shonen Jump manga, this show was quite different from most traditional manga for the shonen demographic. Spawning two seasons and two OVAs, the tone, atmosphere and storytelling make it stand out among its brethren in a good way.
What is Tegami Bachi?
Tegami Bachi began in 2006 as a Weekly Shonen Jump manga by Hiroyuki Asada. It was given an OVA special adaptation by Pierrot+ studio in 2008, one year before the first season of the true anime adaptation from the same company would begin airing. The show is incredibly unique not only in its setting and concepts, but also for just how “un-shonen” it is.
The setting of Tegami Bachi is the world of Amberground, which is kept in an endless loop of nighttime and illuminated only partially by an artificial sun. In this work, people’s feelings and emotions are sent through letters, with the deliverers of these messages being called “Letter Bees.” Threatening the lives and livelihoods of these individuals are ravenous giant insects that feast upon the emotions contained within the heartfelt messages they carry.
The protagonist is Lag Seeing, a young boy who previously lost it all when his mother was taken away. Becoming a Letter Bee with Gauche Suede, Lag comes to idolize him, only for Gauche to go missing and lose his memory. When he’s recovered, Gauche has no knowledge of his previous self and begins sympathizing with an anti-Letter Bee faction known as Reverse. While trying to restore the memory of his hero, Lag also searches with his friend Niche to find out the truth about what happened to his mother.
What Made Tegami Bachi So Good?
Tegami Bachi is classified as a steampunk series, but it doesn’t feel steampunk in the traditional sense. From its physical world to its tone and atmosphere, Tegami Bachi is incredibly unique in a way that’s hard to define. It certainly doesn’t feel like its contemporaries such as Naruto or One Piece, namely due to much of its action and extensive battle sequences/power-ups being absent.
There’s also the protagonist and the character designs, which would almost feel more at home in a shojo-based anime. This sort of flowery Gothic vibe is similar to shows such as D. Gray-man, and fittingly, it contains all manner of subtly dark undertones and themes beneath its beautiful exterior. The animation is to this day absolutely gorgeous, even when compared to newer shonen titles such as Demon Slayer.
Speaking of designs and characters, Lag doesn’t look or act like the hero of a shonen series whatsoever, and this only helps the series. While many shonen anime protagonists can have their thematic lineage traced back to Goku from the Dragon Ball series, Lag is something completely different. Soft featured, frail and in no way a fighter, he’s about as far away from a battle anime protagonist as can be.
In fact, Gauche is the character who viewers would think is the protagonist, so flipping this and having the veritable crybaby be the real hero is definitely unexpected. Add in the themes of “bugs eating the hearts and emotions of letters,” and it’s plain to see how distinctive the story of Tegami Bachi is from others of its kind.
Sadly, the series isn’t really remembered now, despite how much it stands out from among its peers. This could have been because it aired right before the current resurgence of anime, especially in terms of shonen anime popularity. Nevertheless, Tegami Bachi can still be enjoyed now via both Crunchyroll and VRV.
