‘The World Is Dancing’ series review: Lose Yourself to Dance
The anime series 'The World Is Dancing' is reviewed as a compelling coming-of-age story set in 14th-century Japan. It follows the childhood of Zeami Motokiyo, a historical figure who helped define the Noh dance-drama tradition.
Why it matters
It provides insight into the intersection of historical education and modern animation production techniques.
The World Is Dancing has been the only anime this year that has consistently given me goosebumps across its 13-episode run. Adapted from Kazuto Mihara’s completed six-volume manga and produced by Cypic with Shochiku and CyberAgent, the series takes the childhood of Zeami Motokiyo, the actor, playwright, and theorist who became one of the central architects of Noh (the Japanese dance-drama tradition), and reconstructs it as a coming-of-age story about a boy who cannot understand why anyone would devote their lives to dancing.
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