Otherside Picnic (original) (raw)

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Japanese novel series

Otherside Picnic
First novel volume cover, featuring Toriko Nishina (left) and Sorawo Kamikoshi (right)
裏世界ピクニック(Ura Sekai Pikunikku)
Genre Adventure, science fiction, yuri[1]
Novel series
Written by Iori Miyazawa
Illustrated by shirakaba
Published by Hayakawa Publishing
English publisher NA: J-Novel Club
Imprint Hayakawa Bunko JA
Original run February 23, 2017 – present
Volumes 10
Manga
Written by Iori Miyazawa
Illustrated by Eita Mizuno
Published by Square Enix
English publisher NA: Square Enix
Imprint Gangan Comics
Magazine Monthly Shōnen Gangan
Original run February 10, 2018 – present
Volumes 15
Anime television series
Directed by Takuya Satō
Produced by Shouta WataseYasutaka KimuraMitsutoshi OguraRikimaru MizoguchiRyuuji AbeTomoyuki OowadaTsuyoshi AidaNobuhito HayashiYouhei KikuchiYoshihiro Ishikawa
Written by Takuya Satō
Music by Takeshi Watanabe
Studio Liden FilmsFelix Film
Licensed by Crunchyroll[a]SA/SEA: Medialink
Original network AT-X, JAITS (Tokyo MX, SUN), BS11
Original run January 4, 2021 – March 22, 2021
Episodes 12
icon Anime and manga portal

Otherside Picnic (Japanese: 裏世界ピクニック, Hepburn: Ura Sekai Pikunikku) is a Japanese yuri science fiction novel series written by Iori Miyazawa and illustrated by shirakaba, inspired by the novel Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. Hayakawa Publishing have released ten volumes of the series since February 2017. A manga adaptation with art by Eita Mizuno has been serialized since February 2018 via Square Enix's shōnen manga magazine Monthly Shōnen Gangan, and has been collected in fifteen tankōbon volumes. The novels are licensed in North America by J-Novel Club, while the manga is licensed by Square Enix. An anime television series adaptation by Liden Films and Felix Film aired from January to March 2021.

College student Sorawo Kamikoshi, in the midst of engaging in her hobby of urban exploration, stumbles upon a strange door in an abandoned building which leads into the Otherside—a mysterious and terrifying world seemingly populated by locations and monsters from internet creepypasta and urban legends. Sorawo nearly dies in her attempt to explore it, but is rescued by Toriko Nishina, a young woman who is skilled with guns, more experienced in regards to the Otherside, and is looking for a lost friend.[2] Sorawo and Toriko, spurred by the payments delivered by a researcher named Kozakura, return to the Otherside to bring back artifacts and deal with the monsters best that they can. As time goes on, the two are increasingly affected by the byproducts of being involved with the Otherside, meet some humans who are trapped within it, and find themselves increasingly affected by each other.

Sorawo Kamikoshi (紙越 空魚, Kamikoshi Sorao)

Voiced by: Yumiri Hanamori[3] (Japanese); Madeleine Morris[4] (English)

A sophomore at a university in Saitama Prefecture. She loves and has a wealth of knowledge about urban legends and real-life ghost stories. She enjoys exploring abandoned buildings, and discovered the existence of the Otherside through a door she found while doing so. She does not have many friends, but Toriko, who she met in the Otherside, invites her to go there to explore, research, and earn money. Her mother instantly died in an accident, and her grandmother and father became devoted to a cult afterwards, causing her to repeatedly run away from home and explore abandoned houses to escape her disintegrating family, which was persuading her to join the cult, but after her grandmother and father died, she is now attending college on a scholarship.

Toriko Nishina (仁科 鳥子, Nishina Toriko)

Voiced by: Ai Kayano[3] (Japanese); Emily Neves[4] (English)

A woman who searches the Otherside for her missing friend Satsuki. She appears to be a college student. Both of her mothers have died; one was a soldier in Joint Task Force 2, a special operations force of the Canadian army, so Toriko is familiar with firearms. She has long blond hair and is, in the opinion of Sorawo, "extremely beautiful". Her character in the story is very positive, but she has a tendency to isolate herself from others, and has no friends other than Sorawo and Satsuki, who was Toriko's tutor.

Kozakura (小桜)

Voiced by: Rina Hidaka[5] (Japanese); Sarah Wiedenheft[4] (English)

A researcher of the Otherside who has a residence near Shakujii Park. A friend of Satsuki's from her college days, she was concerned about Satsuki's investigation of the Otherside because it was dangerous and had warned her many times. When Satsuki ignores her warnings and continues with her research, she goes missing, which makes her angry and frustrated with Satsuki. When Sorawo first meets Kozakura, she looks so young that she gives off the impression of being in grade school, but she appears to be older than Sorawo and Toriko, and is shown drinking and driving a car. As a hobby, she has created an avatar named "Yozakura" (夜桜) on the Internet and has been streaming videos. The image of Yozakura is based on that of her friend Satsuki. In the past, she created another avatar based on her own image, but destroyed it due to the increase in the number of fans who disagreed with her intentions. For Sorawo and Toriko, she is a client of the goods they obtained during their exploration of the Otherside, and is in the position of a consultant. The artifacts that Sorawo and Toriko have acquired in the Otherside are purchased by Kozakura, while the funds to purchase them are provided by the DS Research Encouragement Association, a research organization that Satsuki and Kozakura joined to conduct research on the Otherside.

Satsuki Uruma (閏間 冴月, Uruma Satsuki)

Kozakura's peer who was exploring the Otherside. She disappears three months before the start of the story. She is a tall woman with long black hair and thick-rimmed glasses. She invited her friend Kozakura to be her partner in order to expand her investigation of the Otherside, but Kozakura was afraid of the Otherside and refused, so she went to search for a promising replacement partner. Toriko Nishina was one of them.

Akari Seto (瀬戸 茜理, Seto Akari)

Voiced by: Miyu Tomita[5] (Japanese); AmaLee[4] (English)

A freshman student studying at the same university as Sorawo. She is a karate practitioner and won the prefectural tournament in high school. She is from Saitama, but lives alone in an apartment because her parents moved away for work reasons. Her personality is bright and curious.

Yōichirō Migiwa (汀 曜一郎, Migiwa Yōichirō)

A man who serves as the Director General of DS. Although he is not a researcher himself, he once went to Central America during his adolescence because of his devotion to Carlos Castaneda, and he has a tattoo of Maya scripts on his arm. He is skilled in the use of firearms, traps, and torture, and has a personal connection to a private military company, making him a man of many mysteries.

Natsumi Ichikawa (市川 夏妃, Ichikawa Natsumi)

Voiced by: Miyuri Shimabukuro[6] (Japanese); Michelle Rojas[4] (English)

Akari's childhood friend and confidant. After graduating from high school, she did not go on to higher education, but instead works at her family's garage.

Otherside Picnic is written by Iori Miyazawa and illustrated by shirakaba. Hayakawa Publishing have published ten volumes since February 2017, while J-Novel Club have released nine volumes in North America.[7]

No. Title Original release date English release date
1 Their Strange Exploration Files Futari no Kaii Tanken Fairu (ふたりの怪異探検ファイル) February 23, 2017[8] 978-4-15-031264-0 September 23, 2019[9]978-1-7183-5998-7
File 1: "Kunekune Hunting" (くねくねハンティング, Kunekune Hantingu) File 2: "Hasshaku-sama Survival" (八尺様サバイバル, Hasshaku-sama Sabaibaru) File 3: "Station February" (ステーション・フェブラリー, Sutēshon Feburarī) File 4: "Time, Space, and a Middle-aged Man" (時間、空間、おっさん, Jikan, Kūkan, Ossan)
2 Resort Night at the Beach of the End Hate no Hamabe no Rizōto Naito (果ての浜辺のリゾートナイト) October 19, 2017[10] 978-4-15-031264-0 January 11, 2020[11]978-1-7183-6000-6
File 5: "The Operation to Rescue the U.S. Forces at Kisaragi Station" (きさらぎ駅米軍救出作戦, Kisaragi Eki Beigun Kyūshutsu Sakusen) File 6: "Resort Night at the Beach of the End" (果ての浜辺のリゾートナイト, Hate no Hamabe no Rizōto Naito) File 7: "Attack of the Ninja Cats" (猫の忍者に襲われる, Neko no Ninja ni Osowareru) File 8: "Little Bird in a Box" (箱の中の小鳥, Hako no Naka no Kotori)
3 Yamanoke Presence Yamanokehai (ヤマノケハイ) November 20, 2018[12] 978-4-15-031351-7 April 12, 2020[13]978-1-7183-6002-0
File 9: "Yamanoke Presence" (ヤマノケハイ, Yamanokehai) File 10: "Sannuki-san and Karateka-san" (サンヌキさんとカラテカさん, Sannuki-san to Karateka-san) File 11: "The Whispered Voice Requires Self-Responsibility" (ささやきボイスは自己責任, Sasayaki Boisu wa Jiko Sekinin)
4 Overnight on the Otherside Urasekai Yakō (裏世界夜行) December 19, 2019[14] 978-4-15-031408-8 December 27, 2020[15]978-1-7183-6004-4
File 12: "The Matter of That Farm" (あの牧場の件, Ano Bokujō no Kudan) File 13: "Pandora in the Next Room" (隣の部屋のバンドラ, Tonari no Heya no Pandora) File 14: "The Inviting Hot Springs" (招きの湯, Maneki no Yu) File 15: "Overnight on the Otherside" (裏世界夜行, Urasekai Yakō)
5 Hasshaku-sama Revival Hasshaku-sama Ribaibaru (八尺様リバイバル) December 17, 2020[16] 978-4-15-031448-4 August 18, 2021[17]978-1-7183-6006-8
File 16: "Pontianak Hotel" (ボンティアナック・ホテル, Pontianakku Hoteru) File 17: "Looking at the Past in the Diagonal Mirror" (斜め鏡に過去を視る, Naname Kagami ni Kako o Miru) File 18: "Alone Together in a Mayoiga" (マヨイガにふたりきり, Mayoiga ni Futari Kiri) File 19: "Hasshaku-sama Revival" (八尺様リバイバル, Hasshaku-sama Ribaibaru)
6 T is for Templeborn T wa Tera Umare no T (Tは寺生まれのT) March 17, 2021[18] 978-4-15-031476-7 November 15, 2021[19]978-1-7183-6008-2
File 20: "T is for Templeborn" (Tは寺生まれのT, T wa Tera Umare no T)
7 Funeral of the Moon Tsuki no Sōsō (月の葬送) December 16, 2021[20] 978-4-15-031509-2 June 7, 2022[21]978-1-7183-6010-5
File 21: "A Midterm Report on the Mysterious" (怪異に関する中間発表, Kaii ni Kansuru Chūkan Happyō) File 22: "Toilet Paper Moon" (トイレット・ペーパームーン, Toiretto Pēpāmūn) File 23: "Funeral of the Moon" (月の葬送, Tsuki no Sōsō)
8 Accomplices No More Kyōhansha no Owari (共犯者の終り) January 24, 2023[22] 978-4-15-031542-9 August 22, 2023[23]978-1-7183-6012-9
File 24: "Mujina Attacks" (ムジナ・アタックス, Mujina Atakkusu) File 25: "Learn Your Lesson" (オモイシレ, Omoishire) File 26: "Accomplices No More" (共犯者の終り, Kyōhansha no Owari)
9 The Fourth Kinds' Summer Holiday Daiyonshu-tachi no Natsuyasumi (第四種たちの夏休み) May 22, 2024[24] 978-4-15-031573-3 March 24, 2025[25]978-1-7183-6014-3
File 27: "The Lion's Divination" (獅子の卦, Shishi no Ke) File 28: "Kaidancraft" (カイダンクラフト, Kaidan Kurafuto) File 29: "The Fourth Kinds' Summer Holiday" (第四種たちの夏休み, Daiyonshu-tachi no Natsuyasumi)
10 Ariuru Subete no Kaidan (あり得るすべての怪談) March 19, 2025[26] 978-4-15-031590-0 –
File 30: Ura Hizamakura tte Shitteru? (裏膝枕って知ってる？) File 31: Ariuru Subete no Kaidan (あり得るすべての怪談) File 32: Andāguraundo Pīpuru (アンダーグラウンド・ピープル)

A manga adaptation by Eita Mizuno was announced in November 2017.[27] The manga began serialization in February 2018 via Square Enix's shōnen manga magazine Monthly Shōnen Gangan, and has been collected in fifteen tankōbon volumes.[28] In July 2020, Square Enix announced that they would publish the manga in North America.[29]

No. Original release date Original ISBN English release date English ISBN
1 August 22, 2018[30] 978-4-7575-5805-2 August 31, 2021[31] 978-1-6460-9106-5
"Wriggler Hunting I" (くねくね ハンティング I, Kunekune Hantingu I)"Wriggler Hunting II" (くねくね ハンティング II, Kunekune Hantingu II)"Surviving the Eight-Foot-Tall Lady I" (八尺様 サバイバル I, Hasshaku-sama Sabaibaru I)"Surviving the Eight-Foot-Tall Lady II" (八尺様 サバイバル II, Hasshaku-sama Sabaibaru II)"Surviving the Eight-Foot-Tall Lady III" (八尺様 サバイバル III, Hasshaku-sama Sabaibaru III) Special Story: "Ms. Yozakura's Late-Night Livestream" (夜桜おねえさんの深夜配信, Yozakura Onee-san no Shinya Haishin)
2 January 9, 2019[32] 978-4-7575-5973-8 August 23, 2022[33] 978-1-6460-9107-2
"Surviving the Eight-Foot-Tall Lady IV" (八尺様 サバイバル IV, Hasshaku-sama Sabaibaru IV)"Station February I" (ステーション・フェブラリー I, Sutēshon Feburarī I)Station February II (ステーション・フェブラリー II, Sutēshon Feburarī II)"Station February III" (ステーション・フェブラリー III, Sutēshon Feburarī III)"Station February IV" (ステーション・フェブラリー IV, Sutēshon Feburarī IV) Special Chapter: "Late-Night Chicken and a Gorilla" (真夜中のチキンとゴリラ, Mayonaka no Chikin to Gorira)
3 August 9, 2019[34] 978-4-7575-6235-6 December 27, 2022[35] 978-1-6460-9108-9
"Station February V" (ステーション・フェブラリー V, Sutēshon Feburarī V)"Station February VI" (ステーション・フェブラリー VI, Sutēshon Feburarī VI)"Station February VII" (ステーション・フェブラリー VII, Sutēshon Feburarī VII)"Time, Space, Man I" (時間、空間、おっさん I, Jikan, Kūkan, Ossan I)"Time, Space, Man II" (時間、空間、おっさん I, Jikan, Kūkan, Ossan II)"Time, Space, Man III" (時間、空間、おっさん I, Jikan, Kūkan, Ossan III)"Time, Space, Man IV" (時間、空間、おっさん IV, Jikan, Kūkan, Ossan IV) Special Chapter: "Night of the Cornered Bird's Visit" (窮鳥来たる夜, Kyūchō Kitaru Yoru)
4 March 12, 2020[36] 978-4-7575-7000-9 April 25, 2023[37] 978-1-6460-9109-6
"Time, Space, Man V" (時間、空間、おっさん V, Jikan, Kūkan, Ossan V)"Time, Space, Man VI" (時間、空間、おっさん VI, Jikan, Kūkan, Ossan VI)"Time, Space, Man VII" (時間、空間、おっさん VII, Jikan, Kūkan, Ossan VII)"Time, Space, Man VIII" (時間、空間、おっさん V, Jikan, Kūkan, Ossan VIII)"Time, Space, Man IX" (時間、空間、おっさん IX, Jikan, Kūkan, Ossan IX)"Time, Space, Man X" (時間、空間、おっさん X, Jikan, Kūkan, Ossan X)"The Kisaragi Station Marines Rescue Operation I" (きさらぎ駅米軍救出作戦 I, Kisaragi Eki Beigun Kyūshutsu Sakusen I) Special Chapter: "Before Night Falls" (夜が降りて来る前に, Yoru ga Orite Kuru Mae ni)
5 December 11, 2020[38] 978-4-7575-6548-7 June 27, 2023[39] 978-1-6460-9130-0
"The Kisaragi Station Marines Rescue Operation II" (きさらぎ駅米軍救出作戦 II, Kisaragi Eki Beigun Kyūshutsu Sakusen II)"The Kisaragi Station Marines Rescue Operation III" (きさらぎ駅米軍救出作戦 III, Kisaragi Eki Beigun Kyūshutsu Sakusen III)"The Kisaragi Station Marines Rescue Operation IV" (きさらぎ駅米軍救出作戦 IV, Kisaragi Eki Beigun Kyūshutsu Sakusen IV)"The Kisaragi Station Marines Rescue Operation V" (きさらぎ駅米軍救出作戦 V, Kisaragi Eki Beigun Kyūshutsu Sakusen V)"The Kisaragi Station Marines Rescue Operation VI" (きさらぎ駅米軍救出作戦 VI, Kisaragi Eki Beigun Kyūshutsu Sakusen VI)"The Kisaragi Station Marines Rescue Operation VII" (きさらぎ駅米軍救出作戦 VII, Kisaragi Eki Beigun Kyūshutsu Sakusen VII) Special Chapter: "And Then Night Falls" (やがて夜になる, Yagate Yoru ni Naru)
6 March 12, 2021[40] 978-4-7575-7150-1 August 22, 2023[41] 978-1-6460-9149-2
"The Kisaragi Station Marines Rescue Operation VIII" (きさらぎ駅米軍救出作戦 VIII, Kisaragi Eki Beigun Kyūshutsu Sakusen VIII)"Resort Night at the Beach of the End I" (果ての浜辺のリゾートナイト I, Hate no Hamabe no Rizōto Naito I)"Resort Night at the Beach of the End II" (果ての浜辺のリゾートナイト II, Hate no Hamabe no Rizōto Naito II)"Resort Night at the Beach of the End III" (果ての浜辺のリゾートナイト III, Hate no Hamabe no Rizōto Naito III)"Resort Night at the Beach of the End IV" (果ての浜辺のリゾートナイト IV, Hate no Hamabe no Rizōto Naito IV) Special Chapter: "Ms. Yozakura's Food Spam Livestream" (夜桜お姉さんの飯テロ配信, Yozakura Onee-san no Meshi Tero Haishin)
7 October 12, 2021[42] 978-4-7575-7525-7 October 24, 2023[43] 978-1-6460-9168-3
"Resort Night at the Beach of the End V" (果ての浜辺のリゾートナイト V, Hate no Hamabe no Rizōto Naito V)"The Attack of the Ninja Cats I" (猫の忍者に襲われる I, Neko no Ninja ni Osowareru I)"The Attack of the Ninja Cats II" (猫の忍者に襲われる II, Neko no Ninja ni Osowareru II)"The Attack of the Ninja Cats III" (猫の忍者に襲われる III, Neko no Ninja ni Osowareru III)"The Attack of the Ninja Cats IV" (猫の忍者に襲われる IV, Neko no Ninja ni Osowareru IV)"The Attack of the Ninja Cats V" (猫の忍者に襲われる V, Neko no Ninja ni Osowareru V) Special Chapter: "The Tanuki Guards the Night" (狸は夜の番人, Tanuki wa Yoru no Bannin)
8 March 11, 2022[44] 978-4-7575-7807-4 December 19, 2023[45] 978-1-6460-9197-3
"The Little Bird in a Box I" (箱の中の小鳥 I, Hako no Naka no Kotori I)"The Little Bird in a Box II" (箱の中の小鳥 II, Hako no Naka no Kotori II)"The Little Bird in a Box III" (箱の中の小鳥 III, Hako no Naka no Kotori III)"The Little Bird in a Box IV" (箱の中の小鳥 IV, Hako no Naka no Kotori IV)"The Little Bird in a Box V" (箱の中の小鳥 V, Hako no Naka no Kotori V) Special Chapter: "A Friend Who Works Nights" (夜仕事の友人, Yoru Shigoto no Yūjin)
9 September 12, 2022[46] 978-4-7575-8133-3 April 23, 2024[47] 978-1-6460-9229-1
"The Little Bird in a Box VI" (箱の中の小鳥 VI, Hako no Naka no Kotori VI)"Yamanoke Presence I" (ヤマノケハイ I, Yamanokehai I)"Yamanoke Presence II" (ヤマノケハイ II, Yamanokehai II)"Yamanoke Presence III" (ヤマノケハイ III, Yamanokehai III)"Sannuki and the Karate Kid I" (サンヌキさんとカラテカさん I, Sannuki-san to Karateka-san I) Special Chapter: "A Daytime Guest" (白昼の客, Hakuchū no Kyaku)
10 March 10, 2023[48] 978-4-7575-8465-5 July 9, 2024[49] 978-1-6460-9261-1
"Sannuki and the Karate Kid II" (サンヌキさんとカラテカさん II, Sannuki-san to Karateka-san II)"Sannuki and the Karate Kid III" (サンヌキさんとカラテカさん III, Sannuki-san to Karateka-san III)"The Whisper Is At-Your-Own-Risk I" (ささやきボイスは自己責任 I, Sasayaki Boisu wa Jiko Sekinin I)"The Whisper Is At-Your-Own-Risk II" (ささやきボイスは自己責任 II, Sasayaki Boisu wa Jiko Sekinin II)"The Whisper Is At-Your-Own-Risk III" (ささやきボイスは自己責任 III, Sasayaki Boisu wa Jiko Sekinin III) Special Chapter: "Getting Lost in Self-Loathing" (自己嫌悪で暮れてゆく, Jiko Ken'o de Kurete Yuku)
11 September 12, 2023[50] 978-4-7575-8785-4 November 5, 2024[51] 978-1-6460-9304-5
"The Whisper Is At-Your-Own-Risk IV" (ささやきボイスは自己責任 IV, Sasayaki Boisu wa Jiko Sekinin IV)"The Whisper Is At-Your-Own-Risk V" (ささやきボイスは自己責任 V, Sasayaki Boisu wa Jiko Sekinin V)"The Whisper Is At-Your-Own-Risk VI" (ささやきボイスは自己責任 VI, Sasayaki Boisu wa Jiko Sekinin VI)"The Whisper Is At-Your-Own-Risk VII" (ささやきボイスは自己責任 VII, Sasayaki Boisu wa Jiko Sekinin VII)"The Whisper Is At-Your-Own-Risk VIII" (ささやきボイスは自己責任 VIII, Sasayaki Boisu wa Jiko Sekinin VIII) Special Chapter: "A Whisper in the Dead of Night" (夜半の髪さ, Yahan no Kami sa)
12 March 12, 2024[52] 978-4-7575-9095-3 April 1, 2025[53] 978-1-6460-9368-7
"The Whisper Is At-Your-Own-Risk IX" (ささやきボイスは自己責任 IX, Sasayaki Boisu wa Jiko Sekinin IX)"The Whisper Is At-Your-Own-Risk X" (ささやきボイスは自己責任 X, Sasayaki Boisu wa Jiko Sekinin X)"About That Ranch I" (あの牧場の作I, Ano Bokujō no Saku I)"About That Ranch II" (あの牧場の作II, Ano Bokujō no Saku II)"About That Ranch III" (あの牧場の作III, Ano Bokujō no Saku III)"About That Ranch IV" (あの牧場の作IV, Ano Bokujō no Saku IV) Special Chapter: "Flashback to That Night" (あの夜のフラッシュバック, Ano Yoru no Furasshu Bakku)
13 October 10, 2024[54] 978-4-7575-9467-8 November 18, 2025[55] 978-1-6460-9436-3
Tonari no Heya no Pandora I (隣の部屋のパンドラ I)Tonari no Heya no Pandora II (隣の部屋のパンドラ II)Tonari no Heya no Pandora III (隣の部屋のパンドラ III)Tonari no Heya no Pandora IV (隣の部屋のパンドラ IV)Maneki no Yu I (招きの湯 I) Special Chapter: Yoru wa Nidzukuri de Fukete Iku (夜は荷造りで更けていく)
14 March 12, 2025[56] 978-4-7575-9731-0 — —
Maneki no Yu II (招きの湯 II)Maneki no Yu III (招きの湯 III)Ura Sekai Yakō I (裏世界夜行 I)Ura Sekai Yakō II (裏世界夜行 II)Ura Sekai Yakō III (裏世界夜行 III) Special Chapter: Yozakura Onee-san no Chichibu Ryokō Itte Kita yo Haishin (夜桜おねえさんの秩父旅行いってきたよ配信)
15 September 11, 2025[57] 978-4-301-00052-5 — —
Ura Sekai Yakō IV (裏世界夜行 IV)Pontianakku Hoteru I (ポンティアナック・ホテル I)Pontianakku Hoteru II (ポンティアナック・ホテル II)Naname Kagami ni Kako o Miru I (斜め鏡に過去を視る I)Naname Kagami ni Kako o Miru II (斜め鏡に過去を視る II) Special Chapter: Sōchō no Afutāmasu (早朝のアフターマス)

The 12-episode anime television series produced by Liden Films and Felix Film was announced on March 5, 2020. It was directed and written by Takuya Satō.[3] Ayumi Nishihata designed the characters, and Takeshi Watanabe composed the series' music. The series aired from January 4 to March 22, 2021 on AT-X, Tokyo MX, SUN, and BS11.[58] The opening theme song is "Ugly Creature" (醜い生き物, Minikui Ikimono) performed by CHiCO with HoneyWorks, while the ending theme song is "You & Me" performed by Miki Satō.[59][2][60]

Funimation licensed the series and streamed it on its website in North America and the British Isles, in Europe (minus Germany) through Wakanim, and in Australia and New Zealand through AnimeLab.[61] On November 14, 2021, Funimation announced the series would receive an English dub, which premiered the following day.[4] Following Sony's acquisition of Crunchyroll, the series was moved to Crunchyroll.[62] In Germany, the series is licensed by KSM Anime.[63] Medialink has licensed the series in Southeast Asia and South Asia, and streamed it on their Ani-One YouTube channel and Bilibili in Southeast Asia.[64]

Constance Sarantos of CBR says that the series breaks the mold of the yuri genre, avoiding common stereotypes of the genre and creating a unique narrative, defying, in their view, "expectations for a yuri anime" as it delves into the horror genre and has a "Relationship built on crime and survival" rather than a slice of life about "interpersonal romantic drama."[80] Sarantos also said that the series shows how well the sci-fi and yuri genres can mix, combining themes of fear and romance, something which is not often used in yuri anime, with the protagonists having to "work together to defeat frightening foes". Even so, Sarantos stated that while the anime does not "deconstruct the yuri genre" it shares storyboarding which "emphasizes intimate moments and loneliness" with Bloom Into You, Just Call it Love, Fragtime, Liz and the Blue Bird, and Adachi and Shimamura, among others, utilizing the "emotional scenery one would expect from a yuri series". In that respect, Sarantos said that it is similar to Kemono Friends and Girls' Last Tour, adding that there is an expectation it will "nail the aesthetic of yuri" even though it is an "unconventional yuri narrative".

Reviewers for Anime News Network shared the sentiment of Sarantos.[81] Caitlin Moore called the series "one of a kind" and a welcome addition to a series of yuri anime about "teenagers falling blushingly in love for the first time", with neither of the protagonists, Sorawo or Toriko, based on stereotypes. Even so, Moore said that the chemistry between them "could have come through stronger", called the visuals a "mixed bag" and said that there has been "a real lack of queer genre fiction in anime" recently, meaning she is "all the more excited to explore it". James Beckett, on the other hand, said that he was only lukewarm to the anime and said that while he is "not asking the show to answer all of my questions upfront", he would like "a little more context" and that he hopes that it "manages to live up to its potential". Similarly, Nicholas Dupree said that he feels the show lost him the premiere, even while he called the two protagonists a "charming central couple", and cannot "click with the episode as a whole" while Theron Martin was more positive, saying that the series could be "worth watching" just for the interactions between the two protagonists. Just as positive was Rebecca Silverman, saying that the series was fascinating and creepy, saying it will likely be a faithful adaptation of the yuri manga it is based on, while saying there are "a few little missteps" and would like to know more "about the whole urban legend/internet myths piece" too. Hannah Alton of CBR argued that the series stands apart from the "usual fare" of the isekai genre because it is a yuri series, with the protagonists not trapped in the other world, but can easily move from the real world to the fictional world known as the Otherside, with the danger within the Otherside, which is "populated by monsters from Japanese urban legends" which cannot be killed unless someone looks directly at them.[82]

Alton further says the two protagonists stand out in the genre, with Sorawo as a college student who "keeps to herself" and Toriko who is experienced at using a gun, something which violates existing Japanese law, which tightly controls firearms. Alton concludes by saying that while the anime falls into the isekai genre, it is different "from the usual high fantasy adventures in empowerment." Others have praised the anime, along with Moyasimon and Genshiken, saying that this prove that college anime can "offer a different take on "coming of age" storylines than the standard high school tropes" while focusing on "serious adult issues" like interpersonal conflict, struggles over identity, and mental health.[83] Additionally, Christopher Farris reviewed the anime's fourth episode for Anime News Network, noting that the vibes and ideas of the episode fit the series, while pointing to inconsistencies with the storytelling, and stating that within the theme of fear, everything else "works wonderfully", praising the sound design and how it taps into people's fears.[84] Jordan Ramée of GameSpot praised the anime for starring adults, unlike most anime, calling it a "a refreshingly wonderful series" which has a "pretty cute and wholesome romance".[85]

Erica Friedman had a mixed view of Otherside Picnic, which she reviewed on her blog, Okazu.[86] She praised the novel series as "an overt mix of Japanese netlore, science fiction, action and horror tropes and a big scoop of Yuri", but she was a "little disappointed" in the anime, specifically criticizing the animation style, disliking what she described as "comedy-action" in the series, and the pacing. Even so, she called the anime "very enjoyable" and praised the voice acting as "superb". Ultimately, she called the animation "unsatisfying", said the story was not "compelling", criticized what she saw as "pointless service" in the series, and said that the anime "feels like a children's version of the novels", giving the anime an overall rating of 7 out of 10.[86]

Silverman reviewed the Otherside Picnic manga for Anime News Network, writing that it does not have "some of the issues that plagued the anime version", with more of a focus on horror, and gives readers "a little more yuri", saying it tells a unique story while "remaining true to the source novels".[87] She argued that it feels like a "a statement on the isekai craze of recent years," and concluded it was a "solid adaptation...worth reading all on its own."

  1. ^ In North America through Crunchyroll, LLC (formerly known as Funimation).

  2. ^ All English titles are taken from Funimation.[66]

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  11. ^ "Otherside Picnic: Volume 1". Kobo Inc. Archived from the original on March 6, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2020.

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  13. ^ "Otherside Picnic: Volume 2". Kobo Inc. Archived from the original on March 6, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2020.

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  25. ^ "Otherside Picnic: Volume 8". Kobo Inc. Archived from the original on August 24, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023.

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  28. ^ 裏世界ピクニック 10──あり得るすべての怪談 (in Japanese). Hayakawa Publishing. Retrieved April 1, 2025.

  29. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (November 11, 2017). "Spiral Manga Artist Eita Mizuno Launches Otherside Picnic Manga". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 12, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2020.

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