Shouzou and Ine Saitou are an elderly couple that have been married for over 60 years. Many older people have thought about what they’d do if they were young again, but for these two, that has become a reality. A golden apple from the tree they planted when they got married gives them their youth back. You would expect this to shock their family and friends, and they certainly were surprised… just not as much as they should be. Life goes on, and just because they have younger bodies again doesn’t change the fact that they’re parents and grandparents, and have a role in their community. Most of those around them react positively to this news, especially their granddaughter Mino. Mino admires her grandpa’s new (or old?) look, especially since it’s coupled with the same, kind persona that she has always known. And she grows to respect her grandmother for being a charming but fierce woman who fought to have her man. But Shouzou’s son has more trouble dealing with the new situation. What will these young old-timers do with their newfound youth?
With a premise as interesting as this, even a half-decent execution should result in a worthwhile anime. And I’d say that watching the first episode was a very wholesome experience overall. The focus so far is mainly on the comedic aspect. I had some laughs, and although not all the jokes landed, I was still immersed throughout the whole episode. But due to comedy being highly subjective, your experience will probably be different. The reason this anime managed to interest me throughout is that very few series nowadays are about marriage and intergenerational relationships. Unfortunately for me, though, I don’t expect there will be a focus on drama. But even as a cozy and wholesome comedy anime, this series looks like it will be worth following.
I really appreciated the voice-casting for Shouzou and Ine. Shouzou is voiced by Shin-ichiro Miki (Kaiki from The Monogatari Series) and Ine is voiced by Mamiko Noto (Sawako from Kimi ni Todoke). They’re both very talented and have done great work in many different anime, despite being a bit underrated, in my opinion. The other aspects of the production are solid as well. I’m an anime-only watcher, so I can’t say much about the story yet. But especially because of the unique premise, I’ll probably stick around for more.
Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again is streaming on Crunchyroll.
