Gakuen Babysitters, a.k.a. School Babysitters, ran during winter 2018, but I didn’t pick it up then. Similar to my experience with My Neighbor Seki, I only learned of this anime and was compelled to watch it after seeing cute and funny clips of it shared on Facebook.
Gakuen Babysitters follows a teenage boy named Ryūichi Kashima and his toddler brother Kotarō, who are left orphaned when their parents are killed in a plane crash. They aren’t on their own for long, however, as they are soon taken in by Yōko Morinomiya, the Chairwoman of Morinomiya Academy, who also lost her son and daughter-in-law in the same plane crash. In exchange for her guardianship, Ryūichi has to enroll in Morinomiya Academy and then start the school’s babysitter club, in which he and any member he may somehow recruit must help in the daycare.
The daycare is where some of the female teachers leave their infant children as they work for the day. A young alumnus named Yoshihito Usaida serves as its caretaker. Although kind and capable, there’s a part of him that’s unmotivated and somewhat unreliable, as he prefers to just sleep and let the children do whatever they want.
Due to his experience with taking care of Kotarō, Ryūichi effortlessly learns how to manage the toddlers, win their affection, and enjoy their company. Kotarō, meanwhile, who now have to join them every weekday in the daycare, is quick to become friends with them, too. Eventually, Ryūichi’s school friends also become regular visitors of the daycare, being drawn to his pleasant personality and the little children’s cuteness.
Considering that it revolves around babies, one may assume that this anime is adorable, wholesome, and heartwarming. And one will be correct with this assumption. The combination of cute character designs, believable voice acting, and quirky antics immediately makes these baby characters utterly lovable, constantly providing the show a sense of charm and fluffiness. An episode doesn’t end unless it makes you go “awww” at least once.
It’s also a generally funny show. The comedy mostly hits. However, the clips I saw in Facebook already contain many of its most remarkable gags. Still, this didn’t lessen my overall amusement.
Meanwhile, it also gets pretty poignant at times. These occasional moving moments aren’t particularly profound, but whatever simple dramatic clichés that its narrative tackles are executed with superior sensitivity and emotional potency. Loss, the value of human connection, and familial conflicts and bonds are some of the themes that are handled quite effectually. I admit that this anime made me teary-eyed a couple of times.
All in all, School Babysittersis exactly what I expected it to be – a thoroughly feel-good anime. Droll and delightful, it’s certain to leave a smile on your face and an uplifting feeling in your heart.
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