Spring 2025 Anime: Mono

Synopsis

Satsuki, a high school freshman, is taken by surprise on her first day when a senior enthusiastically photographs the entire freshman class, including her. Inspired by the senior’s dedication, she develops her own interest in photography—though her passion lies in phone photography. Fast forward, and Satsuki is now the president of the Photography Club, which is on the verge of disbandment. Meanwhile, another club, the Cinema Club, faces a similar fate. To save both, they decide to merge, forming the Cinephoto Club! United as one, they explore high-tech gadgets beyond photography and cinematography, embarking on a journey to capture the beauty of Japan.

Comments

Cakra Bhirawa (The Indonesian Anime Times)

After watching Insomniacs After School over the past couple of days, I was pleasantly surprised by the focus on photography throughout the anime. Having the time to watch the first episode of Mono anime gave me a nostalgic feeling, almost like revisiting Insomniacs After School. Especially when they captured the process of taking a long-exposure photo—it felt like a charming déjà vu moment. Haha!

Anyway, let’s talk about Mono. It’s another slice-of-life anime that falls into the “cute girls doing cute things” genre, this time revolving around the theme of photography. Unlike the common photography anime, which tries to showcase a more “DSLR/SLR” camera as the main use, Mono convey the photography by a more common user form of photography, such as smartphone photography and even 360-degree cameras.

While my initial interest in this anime was mostly driven by its adorable art style and character designs—which are undeniably charming—I was pleasantly surprised by the content. From lighthearted comedy to surprisingly educational insights into photography, it’s been an enjoyable watch so far. For now, Mono seems like the perfect anime to relax and unwind with over the weekend.

Facts and Figures

Screenshots and Trailer

The Indonesian Anime Times