Takopi's Original Sin (episodes 1–2) review (when cute goes catastrophically wrong)

Time of India

14-07-2025

Source: Crunchyroll.
You know those anime that lull you into a false sense of safety with big round eyes, floating mascots, and sparkly OP music?
Takopi's Original Sin
is not one of those.
It pretends to be.
Oh, it tries. There's a pink, doughy alien who talks like he swallowed a happiness manual.
There's a lonely little girl. There are gifts, rainbows, and even something called a '
happy camera.
'
But then it sucker-punches you in the soul.
Episodes 1
and
2
of
Takopi's Original Sin
, now streaming on Crunchyroll, are not here to comfort you.
They're here to dig up all your buried trauma, set it on fire, and hand it back to you in pastel wrapping paper. And yes, this emotional rollercoaster will continue with episode 3 dropping on
Friday, 11 July 2025 at 8:30 pm IST — and every Friday after that.
Set a reminder, and maybe keep a therapist on speed dial.
Takopi's Original Sin Episode 1: 'To You in 2016'
Source: Crunchyroll.
The series kicks off with
Takopi
, a squid-shaped alien from Planet Happy, crash-landing on Earth with a single mission: to spread joy. Within minutes, he's stumbling into the life of
Shizuka
, a quiet, expressionless schoolgirl with more emotional baggage than a therapy circle.
She's bullied, neglected, and practically invisible to everyone around her — except Takopi, who decides she needs his cosmic care package ASAP.
And for a brief moment, it works. A magical '
Happy ribbon
' boosts her confidence and makes her feel seen.
But this isn't a feel-good arc.
What follows is one of the most shocking twist endings in recent anime memory: a suicide that completely redefines the tone of the series. That's right. Episode one ends not with a sparkly life lesson, but with a silent scream that echoes long after the credits roll.
It's haunting. And brilliant. And somehow... still adorable? How?
Takopi's Original Sin Episode 2: 'Takopi's Salvation'
Source: Crunchyroll
Takopi is determined to undo the trauma he (accidentally) enabled.
Enter the '
Happy camera
' — a device that lets him time-travel and fix mistakes.
The problem? He doesn't understand pain, boundaries, or, well, humans in general, his version of help is pure chaos in bubblegum form.
As he rewinds time, he tries to 'save' Shizuka by inserting himself into her life again — only this time, armed with awkward cheer and shiny gadgets.
The bullies don't exactly appreciate the alien interference.
One stabs Takopi in the eye. Literally. And still, he insists: 'Let's all be friends!' Bless his squishy optimism.
Takopi might look like a distant cousin of
Doraemon
— a round, robotic helper from another world with an infinite gadget pouch.
But where Doraemon fixes things with calm logic and good timing, Takopi stumbles through grief with no clue what sadness even is.
He's Doraemon if you stripped out the tech support and gave him an emotional blindfold.
What's working (and working hard)
Source: Crunchyroll
Visual whiplash:
The art swings between Studio Ghibli softness and grim realism. Pastel skies and chunky lines meet dark alleyways and blank stares. It's jarring — and totally intentional.
Sound design:
Sparse music, lots of quiet — the kind of silence that makes you realize you're holding your breath. When the score does hit, it hits hard.
Brutal honesty:
The show doesn't flinch from its
themes: bullying, neglect, suicide, the limits of empathy, and how good intentions can pave roads to hell — or heartbreak.
Character writing:
Shizuka isn't just a victim — she's complex, unpredictable, and heartbreakingly numb.
And Takopi? He's both comic relief and tragedy in a single, blinking eye.
Final verdict:
Source: IMDB
A pastel-dipped panic attack you won't stop watching
Takopi's Original Sin is that rare breed of anime that looks like it should be airing after school — but should come with a trauma warning instead.
The first two episodes pack more emotional weight than entire seasons of fluff anime. It's heavy, it's horrifying, it's oddly wholesome — and it'll keep you coming back, morbidly curious and low-key crying.
Remember, next round of pain drops on
Friday, 11th July at 8:30 pm IST,
and every new episode lands on
Crunchyroll
every Friday
at the same time.
Friday night plans = sorted. And possibly emotionally ruined.
Recommended for:
Fans of Made in Abyss, Wonder Egg Priority, or Oshi no Ko.
People who can handle their heartbreak cute.
Anyone who enjoys staring into the emotional abyss while being hugged by a squid.
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