Voices That Build a City? REVIEW Kamitsubaki City Under Construction

When I started watching Kamitsubaki City Under Construction I didn’t really know what to expect. The title already hints that the city is “under construction,” but I didn’t imagine that this would be the feeling throughout the whole anime that sense of something being built as we watch it. What caught my attention was the idea of mixing music with action and fantasy. I’m the type who gets excited about new concepts, so seeing five girls, the Witchlings, using their voices as a form of magic to fight monsters sounded promising.

It felt different from what I’m used to seeing in the seasonal anime lineup.

Right away, I noticed the series wanted to present itself as something bigger than just an anime. There’s an entire multimedia project behind it, created by Kamitsubaki Studio, with games, music, and even characters who are already known as virtual singers. That’s pretty cool because it makes the universe feel alive beyond what’s on TV. At the same time, I felt that this hurt the pacing a bit. It seemed like they relied on the idea that the audience already knew these girls from somewhere else, so they didn’t worry much about introducing each character’s personality right from the start.

For newcomers like me, it felt like we were late to the conversation.

Even so, the concept of a destroyed world trying to rebuild itself and of music serving as a beacon of hope is really compelling. The city of Kamitsubaki, even without showing everything, carries a melancholic atmosphere that matches the story’s tone. I liked how some of the backgrounds convey the feeling of a place that has suffered a lot but hasn’t given up on moving forward. I think the art direction nailed that aspect. The soundtrack also helps maintain that mood, and when the characters sing, it genuinely feels like the music has weight in the story.

Unfortunately, the animation doesn’t live up to that ambition. I’m not the type to complain about any use of 3D, but here it really fell below expectations. In the battle scenes, the monsters called Tesseractor and even the main characters sometimes look stiff and lifeless.

It takes away some of the excitement from moments that should feel intense.

It’s a shame because the concept is good, you can tell they put thought into designing creative monsters, but the execution makes it all feel cheaper than it should. This was one of the aspects that bothered me the most.

Another thing that left me conflicted was the story’s pacing. The first episode gives you that feeling that it’s about to reveal a world full of mysteries, but then the narrative moves too slowly. At times it feels like nothing significant happens, and when something finally does, it doesn’t hit as hard as it should. I understand they wanted to build atmosphere and give space to the characters, but it ended up feeling like filler. I watched two episodes in a row waiting for some big reveal that never came. By the time things finally started to heat up, I had already lost some of my enthusiasm.

Speaking of the characters, I liked them, but I felt they lacked development.

Each Witchling has different traits and attitudes, which is great, but the show doesn’t give us enough time to truly connect with any of them. Some personal dramas are merely mentioned, not explored in depth. It feels like they had good ideas for each girl but couldn’t fit everything into the few episodes. That’s frustrating because you can tell there’s plenty of potential that just wasn’t fully tapped.

Despite these issues, I don’t regret watching it. I think Kamitsubaki City Under Construction has charm and a unique premise, even if it’s not everything it could have been. I enjoy anime that try to bring something new to the table, and the mix of singing, fantasy, and a post-disaster world is still something you don’t see every day. You just need to go in with adjusted expectations. If you’re hoping for flawless animation or a super deep plot, you’ll probably be disappointed. But if you’re open to something experimental, with a strong central idea, you might end up enjoying it.

In the end, I see this anime as a promising draft. It’s like the team had a diamond in their hands but didn’t have the time or resources to polish it properly. Maybe in a future season or with more investment, they’ll be able to deliver something more solid. I hope so, because the world of Kamitsubaki has room to grow. Even with its flaws, it made me reflect on the power of music to unite and heal, and just for exploring that theme in a different way, it deserves some credit.

For those who are on the fence, my suggestion is simple: watch the first three episodes.

If the vibe doesn’t grab you by then, chances are the rest won’t change your mind. But if you’re drawn in by the aesthetics, the soundtrack, and the idea of singing girls fighting monsters, then it’s worth sticking it out until the end. It’s an imperfect anime but one that tries to deliver something beyond the standard, and I respect that effort.

I’d give it around 7/10 as my personal score. Not because it’s technically amazing, but because it made me curious, made me think about the connection between art and reconstruction, and has moments where it shines despite its flaws. If you like multimedia projects, virtual idols, and dystopian worlds, you’ll probably find it interesting enough to give it a shot.

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