Imagine thinking up a story that involves a military strategist dying, being reborn in modern times, and using their strategies to help someone achieve singing stardom. Now, imagine that story being fantastic and working in every single aspect. Your imagination has just birthed Ya Boy Kongming! Congratulations, your imaginary child is beautiful.
What is Ya Boy Kongming!?
Ya Boy Kongming!, or Paripi Koumei is a manga series written by Yuto Yotsuba and illustrated by Ryō Ogawa. It was later adapted into an anime by P.A. Works, the same studio behind Angel Beats and Charlotte, two shows with beautiful animation. The animation studio shines immediately with the opening alone. The opening song Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by QUEENDOM is an absolute banger and earworm. The opening title sequence features swag, culture, and a great glimpse of what the show has in store. The song is a cover of Ciki Ciki Bam Bam by Jolly, which was already an earworm. The ending is a banger too, and it adds more and more to it as the show goes on, so keep your eyes and ears peeled.
The show follows the titular character Zhuge Liang, courtesy name Kongming, after he wishes to be reborn into a peaceful place without war and bloodshed. He wakes up in a back alley in modern Japan rocking his iconic fit. It’s Halloween, so everyone assumes he has an accurate costume. After meeting some chill clubbers, they bring him to a club that will serve as the team’s home base. He hears Eiko Tsukimi singing, and this is where his new life of being Eiko’s strategist begins.
Eiko and Kongming are the foundation of the show. Eiko inspires Kongming, and he believes the reason he’s been reborn and brought here is to help her win her battles as he helped win battles a millennia ago. By using his battle tactics, explained by the show in detail, and incorporating them while utilizing modern technology, he strives to help Eiko reach her dream of becoming a professional singer-songwriter. It’s a dream that seems much too high to grasp at the start. But maybe she needs someone who can hold her up so she can reach it.
Why the Show Works
The show’s premise sounds like it shouldn’t work. It sounds like it would be silly or a throwaway, but the way the characters are written is mature with just the right amount of outlandishness to create a compelling story. The animation is gorgeous and shines right away in episode one when Eiko tunes her guitar and plays it while she sings. Since she’s an aspiring singer, her singing voice has to be enough to move her audience in the show and move us while watching. 96neko, a singer and YouTuber/Vtuber, provides Eiko with a singing voice that’ll pluck at all of your heartstrings. Also, the show has a few rap battles, which automatically makes it a banger.
Another reason the show works is that the main characters are all adults. There’s no high school or middle school setting, and the characters feel more mature. A central theme of the show is finding a reason for what you want to do. That’s something that any adult can relate to, and I, the writer of this article, relate to myself. Kongming and his mannerisms, strategies, and general attitude spoke to me and the characters in the show alike. This is a show with a fantastic soundtrack and performances by Eiko and other performers in the show, quality voice acting, and a premise that only makes more sense as it continues.
Ya Boy Kongming! is a show that took me by surprise. I started watching it because the name “Ya Boy Kongming!” seemed like such a meme that I had to check it out. It easily ended up being one of my favorites in the last few years, and after its 12-episode run, I predict you’ll feel the same. That’s a little bit of my strategic mind at play.
You can watch Ya Boy Kongming! on HIDIVE and if you do, be sure to always reach for your dreams. You might have a Kongming waiting in the wings to get you a little closer.
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