There is no way that Mizuka Tsurumaki will work at anything having to do with a circus. The visuals may fill us with wonder, the music may be epic, the chief performer may mention how there’s a smile on every face, but she is not buying. You see, Mizuka is the daughter of a legendary acrobat known as the Black Lotus, but whenever he comes up, she gets stressed and sees little green viruses all around. Thus, she has nicknamed him “Paramecium.” Apparently, the intense training from a very young age and the irregular lifestyle of the traveling performers have made her hate everything related to circuses. But when he suddenly stops sending funds and tells her that people in a certain location will take care of her, he does not even consider that the place is hundreds of miles away and she has no means of transportation, which is an even bigger problem considering that we are in 1950s Japan. Classic Paramecium move! Fortunately, two girls rescue Mizuka when she collapses next to the road. The only problem is that these girls belong to the Sunflower Circus, an all-female troupe made up of young orphans and strays. No thanks, says Mizuka, and prepares to take her leave. But, as it turns out, this is the place her father sent her to. Mizuka is still leaving, though. She’ll risk living on her own. But as she walks outside, she sees how Ouka, the star acrobat of Sunflower Circus, is performing her number, and detects that something is not working as it should…

And that is how I feel too. The concept works, the talent is clearly there, but some things are holding back the performance. For one, I’d imagine that few people know how Japanese traveling circuses in the 1950s were supposed to work, so many details about the setting are confusing to me. This is set five years after the end of World War II, which all of the characters would have lived through. Is this why it’s okay to adopt ten or so orphaned girls and have them be part of your circus troupe? True, it seems that everyone is happy to be here, but hey, look at what happens to Mizuka. Or were circuses just big and popular in this era? Whatever the case, the rest of it is well-executed sports anime fare: The lackluster team. The inventive coach who is manipulating the reluctant prodigy. The duo that can do wonders, if they learn how to work together. Those who are hostile to the newcomer, and those who are welcoming. If they become more professional, will that spoil the cozy family dynamic they have going on? Admittedly, this is a bigger deal than in other stories, since the girls cannot exactly leave: This is their family, their livelihood, and everything they have. But should we, the audience, take this aspect of it seriously or just go along with the fantasy of friends living on their own and doing their thing? The show doesn’t seem completely sure. Because of this, potentially cool character moments feel a bit ambivalent to me. I think we are missing something in the visual spectacle department too: Outside of the first few shots, nothing is too memorable, which is important for a show about the arts. Beware some annoying obscured nudity too. Then again, perhaps the series will up its game as the team becomes better. Nevertheless, much like its cast, the show is promising and unique, and I’m willing to give it a chance. So, here we go!

Grow Up Show: Sunflower Circus is available at Crunchyroll.