Last weekend, the highly talked-about and controversial anime Takopi's Original Sin started streaming.
It’s based on a manga published a few years ago that became a hot topic in Japan for its shocking content—and also grew very popular.
The story centers around a young elementary school girl and Takopi, a cute-looking octopus-like alien who happens to land on Earth. The manga opens with a jarring scene: the girl is being severely bullied and ends up taking her own life.
Takopi, however, has a special ability—he can travel back in time to the moment a photo was taken. So, he’s able to return to a time before the girl’s suicide. Being kind-hearted and friendly, Takopi tries his best to make the girl happy and prevent her tragic end.
But there’s a big problem: Takopi is an alien, and he doesn’t share human values or a human sense of ethics. That means he’s willing to sacrifice anyone else if it means saving the girl.
Although the main character is just a child, the story deals with heavy themes like bullying, suicide, and even murder—making it a truly controversial piece. Still, the fact that it's being released in the era of streaming really worked in its favor. Back when anime had to be broadcast on TV, this story probably wouldn’t have made it to air.
Even today, most streaming anime still follow the typical 25-minute episode format, since they’re also broadcast on TV. But this show isn’t being aired on TV at all—so the first episode is much longer, about 40 minutes. Because there’s no need to stick to a broadcast schedule, the creators had more freedom. It’s one of the perks of the streaming era.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen an anime that opens with a content warning saying the story may be disturbing. Here's a screenshot of that warning.
There are a lot of reaction videos on Youtube now.
This Anime Will Hurt People.. and I Love it! - Takopi's Original Sin Episode 1 Reaction!
The Most Disgusting Anime I've Ever Laid Eyes On...WTF Takopi's Original Sin Episode 1
10/10 anime, 0/10 my mental state - Takopi's Original Sin