Live action TV
Description
Two voice actors wearing white lab coats stand inside a recording studio, but the usual stack of scripts is nowhere to be found. This is the central premise of a unique variety program where animation is born not from pre-written dialogue, but from pure improvisation. Chief Researcher No. 001 Emiri Katou and Chief Researcher No. 002 Kaori Fukuhara, real-life voice actresses known for their work on Lucky Star, are joined each week by a guest researcher. Together, they are given only a basic setting and character traits, and must then ad-lib an entire scene from scratch. Animators then take their improvised performance and create the visuals afterward, completely reversing the traditional production process of Japanese animation.

The setting alternates between the real-world recording studio, where the voice actors are seen reacting to their own spontaneous creations, and the fictional world of Takamagahara. Inside this heavenly realm lies the Amatsu Katsuragi Academy, a vocational school for aspiring deities. The recurring animated segments star two underachieving students: the energetic and impulsive Raika, a trainee thunder god, and the quiet but sharp-tongued Fuuka, a trainee wind god who harbors a deep insecurity about her flat chest. During the first half of the series, the duo faces academic probation and must attend special classes taught by a revolving door of eccentric divine instructors, such as the sister-obsessed Daikokuten or the flashy, raccoon-suit-wearing Fukurokuju from New York.

The narrative undergoes a distinct shift after the first fourteen episodes. Having narrowly avoided being held back, Raika and Fuuka are promoted to the second year and begin a new form of practical training. They are sent down to the human world, specifically to the hometown of that week's guest researcher, where they must help people in trouble. This challenge is overseen by the guest, who judges whether the pair’s efforts result in a Nigimitama, representing success, or an Aramitama, representing failure. The series structure follows the guest list closely, with notable voice actors such as Takahiro Sakurai, Yuu Kobayashi, Daisuke Kishio, Showtaro Morikubo, and Ayumu Murase appearing as researchers who define the conflict for each episode. Over the course of thirty-eight episodes, the simple act of speaking without a net creates a varied narrative tapestry that blends comedy, slice-of-life, and the unpredictable energy of live performance.
Information
Ad Lib Anime Kenkyūsho
アドリブアニメ研究所
Type: Live action TV
Date: 10/15/2011
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Cast
Comment(s)
Staff
  • Theme Song Lyrics
    Aki Hata
Production
  • Broadcaster
    BS Fuji