Storyboard artist: Takashi Sakuma
Episode director: Takashi Sakuma
Scriptwriter: Yoko Yonaiyama
Animation director: Miyachi
Frankly, I can’t remember the last time I had a drink with someone (though, I’m not exactly solo-drinking these days either). But no matter. Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk is finally here, which means I can spend the rest of the anime season experiencing such social pleasures vicariously through a finely-animated, yuri-flavored slice-of-life anime about college girls and alcohol.
Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk follows the residents of a cozy, house-like college dormitory, among them the titular, first-year student Botan Kamiina. The first episode focuses on her interactions with two of her seniors: the dorm leader Ibuki Tonami, who looks like an older clone of Encouragement of Climb’s Aoi, and the elegant Kanade Gujo. And, of course, there’s quite a bit of drinking to go with the exchanges as well.
Already, there are strong hints of Botan and Ibuki becoming more than junior and senior in the future. Ibuki prefers to consume alcohol alone due to the ensuing hiccups, and in the beginning, she has snuck away from the group to enjoy some solo drinking during the day. Botan finds her, and through her pleasant and forward nature, slips through the wall Ibuki has put up and assuages the older girl’s self-consciousness about her hiccups. Botan also drops some lines that make Ibuki’s heart skip a beat, because the conceit is that drinking causes Botan to become a little uninhibited, and I really don’t blame Ibuki for pondering on some of Botan’s words at the end of the episode.
Through Botan’s time with Ibuki and Kanade, there is a through line of getting to know each other better — like Ibuki observing how alcohol affects Botan or Botan taking notice of Kanade’s smoking and interest in Ibuki — and of enjoying each other’s presence. The resulting feeling isn’t exactly “comfy,” but it’s definitely one that is reminiscent of lounging around with friends (although here, the characters are palpably still getting to know each other). The cute and soothing character designs help make the girls good company to be with.
Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk’s animation doesn’t feel as outrageously polished or showy as Mono, the previous title produced by animation production studio Soigne, but it’s still a highlight. Aspects like Botan’s energy (and alcohol-fueled mischievousness) and Kanade’s grace are conveyed very well through their movements and poses, and the general quantity and quality of character motion make even basic actions appealing to watch. Combined with the soft color palette, the tangible impression left by cast’s outfits, and the aforementioned character designs, the visual experience is a very pleasurable one (and while I don’t usually comment on aspects like eyecatch illustrations and opening/ending animations in episode reviews, I have to say that Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk’s are all stunning). Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk won’t get me drinking again, but the quality of its premiere tells me that it’ll be one of my favorites of the Spring 2026 anime season.
Adaptation or original: Based on the manga by Hei
Series production credits
• Director: Takashi Sakuma (16bit Sensation: Another Layer)
• Assistant director: Shuntaro Tozawa (Undead Unluck Episode 4 storyboard artist and director et al.)
• Character designer: Ko Yoshinari (White Album animation designer, Made in Abyss creature designer)
• Sub-character designer and main animator: Miyachi
• Prop designer and main animator: Yusuke Matsuo (Encouragement of Climb character designer)
• Series composer: Yoko Yonaiyama (A Sign of Affection)
• Music composer: Kana Hashiguchi (Classroom of the Elite Season 2 and 3 co-composer)
• Sound director: Jin Aketagawa (Re:ZERO)
• Animation production: Soigne
Cast
• Sayumi Suzushiro as Botan Kamiina
• Yoshino Aoyama as Ibuki Tonami
• Yurina Amami as Akane Yusa
• Miyu Tomita as Yaeka Kitamori
• Minako Kotobuki as Kanade Gujo
• Maki Kawase as Chin-Lan Chang
