Takopi's Original Sin anime review: Does this 6-episode series deserve Anime of the Year 2025?

In a crowded anime season, Takopi's Original Sin has emerged as a standout, surpassing Solo Leveling to deliver 2025’s highest-rated anime episode. This six-episode miniseries transcends its manga roots with exceptional production quality, earning widespread critical acclaim and emotional engagement online.

Praised for its mature, sensitive storytelling and visual mastery, the adaptation turns every frame into an emotionally resonant experience. What truly sets it apart is not just the powerful source material but also the painstaking attention to detail that transforms it into a cultural phenomenon. It solidifies its place as one of the most impactful anime of the year.

Disclaimer: This review reflects the writer's personal opinion and may include spoilers from the manhwa.

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Takopi's Original Sin: A production analysis

Takopi's Original Sin’s direction, production, and narrative excellence

Shizuka and Marina as seen in Takopi's Original Sin anime (Image via ENISHIYA)

Under the careful guidance of Shinya Iino (Dr. Stone), Takopi's Original Sin is a masterwork of poignant storytelling. Produced by Studio Enishiya, the animation honors its manga heritage while trusting the emotional intelligence of its audience. In just two episodes, the series has already demonstrated remarkable scriptwriting, pacing, voice acting, and animation.

Iino skillfully blends Takopi’s naive perspective with the harshness of human existence, using the limited six-episode format to address serious issues without hurrying. Keita Nagahara, the character designer for A Silent Voice, preserves the manga's look while incorporating delicate animation flourishes, bringing visual sensitivity that heightens emotional impact.

Through subtle visuals, Nagahara's designs enhance the narrative by reflecting the inner lives of each character. These elements work together to produce an incredibly moving and technically superb adaptation.

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Art, animation, and visual storytelling

Shizuka and Takopi as seen in Takopi's Original Sin anime (Image via ENISHIYA)

Takopi's Original Sin's animation quality is a testament to Studio Enishiya's technical mastery. With a unique creative style that balances mature subject matter with infantile simplicity, the production and animation are one-of-a-kind and worth seeing for themselves.

The series uses a complex color scheme that shifts dynamically in response to the emotional beats of the story. Takopi's viewpoint is accompanied by warmer, brighter hues, but scenes involving the hardships of the human characters are dominated by muted, cooler hues. Without resorting to overbearing symbolism, this visual contrast strengthens the thematic tension.

Meticulous attention to detail is evident in animation sequences, particularly in the body language and facial emotions of the characters. The animators are aware that each frame must advance the plot in a film that deals with such sensitive subjects.

Small gestures, like a character's hand trembling slightly or avoiding eye contact, convey a great deal of emotion and show how well the production crew understands visual storytelling.

The show's masterful use of composition and negative space results in moments of visual poetry that are memorable for a long time. Scene transitions are expertly managed to preserve the narrative's flow while letting the emotional beats completely reverberate.

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Voice acting and audio design

Shizuka and Takopi, as seen in Takopi's Original Sin anime (Image via ENISHIYA)

The series' emotional core is anchored by the voice actors Kurumi Mamiya as Takopi, Reina Ueda as Shizuka, Konomi Kohara as Marina, and Anna Nagase as Azuma. While Ueda adds incredible depth to Shizuka's nuanced emotional journey, Mamiya's portrayal of Takopi captures the character's otherworldly purity without veering into sugary territory.

The voice direction shows remarkable attention to the tonal requirements of the source material. Given the series's emphasis on childhood trauma and resiliency, it is essential that each performance feels genuine and age-appropriate. The actors' ability to skillfully traverse challenging emotional terrain prevents their performances from ever becoming exploitative or manipulative.

With sound effects and musical cues that enhance rather than overpower the story, audio design flawlessly combines with visual storytelling. The series creates potent moments of meditation and thought by knowing when quiet is more appropriate for the plot than music.

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Adaptation excellence and manga comparison

Shizuka and Takopi as seen in Takopi's Original Sin anime (Image via ENISHIYA)

While making wise decisions about what works best in animated form, the adaptation exhibits a remarkable adherence to the original manga of TAIZAN 5. The series reimagines scenes using animation's own storytelling qualities rather than merely translating panels to the screen.

The temporal aspect of animation helps to highlight important emotional moments, enabling viewers to feel the impact of challenging events in real time instead of at their own reading pace. This temporal management preserves the manga's fundamental impact while producing a more engrossing emotional experience.

The series uses anime-original scenes sparingly, enhancing rather than detracting from the original content. The production team's thorough awareness of the advantages of each medium is evident in these enhancements, which flow naturally from the story.

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Final assessment

Takopi, as seen in Takopi's Original Sin anime (Image via ENISHIYA)

Takopi's Original Sin is a heartbreaking yet masterfully crafted anime that proves production excellence can elevate powerful source material. Tackling difficult themes with emotional honesty and technical sophistication, the series stands out through its direction, animation, and voice acting, not shock value.

Every element serves the story’s emotional core, offering a cathartic, necessary experience. In a medium often critiqued for prioritizing style over substance, Takopi sets a new standard and is a strong contender for Anime of the Year 2025.

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