Music has a long history in anime. From K-on to FLCL, there’s no shortage of anime in which music is either the main focus, or a big influence. One such anime that doesn’t get the coverage it deserves, is Carole & Tuesday.
Shunichiro Watanabe is one of anime’s most known and respected directors. He’s behind classics like Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, and even weirder shows like Space Dandy. Carole and Tuesday is his latest project, and was released back in 2019, commemorating the 20th anniversary of Studio Bones and Japanese record Label FlyingDog. The show takes place on a futuristic Mars, long colonized by humans. Its greatest strength comes from its overflowing love of everything musical, from the main characters and their musical journey to even small details like every episode bearing the name of a famous song.
The Story of Two Musicians
Carole Stanley is an orphan refugee from earth, trying to survive through dead end, minimum wage jobs. She likes to skateboard and plays her piano on the street after long days at work. Tuesday Simmons is the daughter of a rich, influential politician, who is growing tired of her neglectful home. She loves the guitar, but never found much support for her dreams outside her favorite CDs. What unites these two? What do they have in common? A love for, and desire to create music. When the two of them meet, they begin a sonic partnership that promises to shake up all of Mars’ music industry.
Over 24 episodes, the show follows the pair as they make their way through life as up-and-coming musicians. Like any good story of young, passionate dreamers, their story leads them to new friends who believe in their cause, rivals gunning for the same goals, and various unforeseen obstacles. And of course, a tournament arc.
It paints a painfully accurate picture of what it’s like to be an indie artist; playing small, unknown venues and trying your best to make it big on social media. Every small step on their journey is a celebrated victory. The two form the emotional core of the show, and are so instantly likable that even music haters would stick around just to see their climb to success.
Humanity vs AI
One of the unique challenges Carole and Tuesday face in their world is the conflict between human musicians and AI musicians. In Carole and Tuesday’s future, most music is produced by AI programs, and the most successful singers and DJs perform AI-produced songs. While Terminator imagines AI as world-ending threats, this story imagines them as career-defining in a new high-tech landscape.
So, when Carole and Tuesday come on the scene with a rustic, genuine appeal, writing their own songs in Carole’s attic apartment without the need for AI, they struggle to be taken seriously. It’s not bad enough that the technology is against them. The idea of human-made music in itself is seen as bizarre. What use is there for human production when even warmth and heart can be programmed into a song with a few flips of a switch?
Carole and Tuesday insist on showing the world that no matter how advanced technology might get, there will always be something about music that comes from genuine experiences that strikes a chord with people, and makes them want to listen.
Why You Should Watch It
The first thing you notice about Carole and Tuesday is the stunning artstyle. Everything is lit with a warm light that makes the whole world seems bright and hopeful, even in the darkest of moments. The show also makes use of 3D in clever ways, allowing detailed animation of intricate guitar and piano playing. Being a Watanabe production, it also shares a lot of the spirit of his other works, and could be seen as his opportunity to fully express the love of music that was evident in Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo.
The real star of the show though, is of course the music. Artists Nai Br.XX and Brianna Knickerbocker lend their voices to Carole and Tuesday’s singing respectively. They do a perfect job selling the pair’s warm, inviting musical style, and convince you that the two rising artists are exactly the talent the show portrays them to be. Their songs are genuinely catchy, well written, and lend the show its own unique flair.
The music written by the show’s other artists doesn’t fall behind though. It brings in many real-world artists, from Mocky who composed the show’s music, to guest artists like Denzel Curry, and Thundercat. So the show not only produces stellar original music, but also acts as a gateway to some impressive artists. All in all, the show goes above and beyond to make itself into a music lover’s dream anime.