Non Non Biyori: Nonstop S3 Collection Review

4 star conclusion to an idyllic slice of Japanese country life.

Non Non Biyori Nonstop contains episodes 1-12 of the anime’s third and final season, directed by Shinya Kawatsura, plus Our Club Worked Hard OAD. Usual spoiler alerts apply, this series is the conclusion of the story so watch the first two before reading this one! It is based on the Manga written and illustrated by Atto and adapted for anime by Silver Link (No-Rin, Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya).

It is available in the UK on Blu-ray from 7th August 2023, in the original Japanese with an English dub, courtesy of MVM Films.

“You know, since Hotaru chan’s in fifth grade, I thought I should treat her like an elementary schooler.”

A year has passed at Asahigaoka Branch School and the students are getting on with their day to day lives. Renge (Kotori Koiwai – Psycho Pass) is avidly practising her recorder with a little help from neighbour Konomi (Ryōko Shintani – Puella Magi Madoka Magica) who plays the flute. Konomi, who attends a nearby high school, is also helping out an underclassman, Akane (Aimi Tanaka – Tokyo ESP, Absolute Duo), who is nervous around strangers.

To help her, she introduces her to Natsumi ((Ayane Sakura – Your Lie in April), Konami (Kana Asumi – A Certain Magical Index) and Hotaru (Rie Murakawa – Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?), who make her feel welcome.

As the girls enjoy the summer holidays, another character is introduced, Shiori (Misaki Kuno – Noragami, March Comes in Like a Lion S2) a young girl and the daughter of the local police officer. Renge helps her when she is lost and the assumes the role of big sister.

The school friends continue their adventures, planting vegetables and watching them grow, making dolls from tape and toothpicks, camping and completing summer projects, as the adults around them begin to realise that they are starting to grow up.

“Don’t actually use surefire kill finishers, idiot.”

As with the previous seasons, this is an enormously chilled out and enjoyable anime to watch. The most angst and peril that occurs is the occasional broken plant pot, or a bit of bickering, always resolved and never anything too stressful. As always, big brother Suguru is there in the background to provide silent and hilarious comic relief. The addition of a couple of new characters keeps things fresh and moves the story along nicely.

It’s as beautifully animated as the previous series and concludes this delightful peek into the lives of these students in glorious and funny fashion. An excellent series and one not to miss if you enjoyed the rest of them.

“What a rough day. I wasn’t expecting to be mistaken for a wild animal while playing hopscotch.”