So what is Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World about? The story focuses on Kino, a young dark haired girl and her talking motorrad named Hermes, as they travel from country to country, experiencing the abstract and hyberbolic customs and traditions of each land, staying only three days in each country before moving on to a different one and repeating the process.
So lets start with the setting. Kino's Journey has arguably the most impressive world building that I have ever seen in an anime. Every episode (with the exception of one 2 episode long country) we are treated to a new country with traditions completely different from the previous one. The lands that Kino and Hermes arrive in show off the different aspects of the human condition brought on by the circumstances of each country. It is jarring to comprehend this show's ability to create such distinct and fleshed out setting and to be able to do it as many times as they do during the course of the show.
The soundtrack in this show is and interesting point to discuss since music is seldom used. The saying "less is more" is something I would use to describe the way music is used throughout the show, when music is used so little during the show, you really feel the magnitude of the moment when music is used. It really captures the crucial moments in the series. Kino no Tabi's soundtrack is seamless and the music chosen is chosen perfectly for each part.
The story is not a character driven one because the events themselves are what put forward the anime's heavy messages. Because of this we get very little insight into Kino's motives, aside from episode 4 where we learn about her past, she still remains a fairly static and mysterious character. Hermes, Kino's talking motorrad, acts as Kino's voice of reason and for the most part serves as an extension to Kino's character and allows for dialogue throughout the story since Kino and Hermes are the only major characters we see. despite what may be thought of a talking motorbike as a major character, Hermes is not by any means a comic relief character and offers realism in situations where Kino is challenged. I think that character is this story's weakest point, but is by no means bad. Static characters are okay when the story does not rely on character development to present it's themes.
The art style is really quite simple, you wont get anything spectacular from the visuals but you won't be disappointed either. The colours chosen are deliberately dull and plain. The art takes a back seat to the story and serves as a canvas to convey the more important messages.
Overall, Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World is an elegant dissection of the characteristics that compose human existence represented by foreign lands and exaggerated cultures. If it sounds like a lot to comprehend that's because it is, this is a story that must be paid close attention to in order to comprehend it's depth. Every episode raises a heavy existential question that will leave you lying awake all night trying to figure out it's meaning, that's my favourite part about it and these are the reasons that I think Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World deserves it's 10/10.
