Mono Episode 3 gave us the greatest cross-over in history, and I knew about it before I watched the episode. How did I know that you ask? Well, before I joined the Anime Corner family, I used to help various Latin American anime pages. And if I took anything away from that time, it’s the knowledge that LatAm loves Yuru Camp. So when the Yuru Camp’s heroines appeared in mono’s latest episode, over 20 past colleagues called me filled with joy over that development and that meant the world to me.

I can’t remember the last time I heard so many people so happy. Saturday, April 26, 2025, will always be a red letter day for me. Seriously, someone tell Afro-sensei and Studio Soigne that they’re fighting the good fight. We need more joy in life, and they’re bringing it.

Mono Episode 3 — One Hell of a Crossover

Thanks to Haruno’s publisher, the Cinephoto girls took a pilgrim trip around Yamanashi to visit all the campsites and places the Yuru Camp girls visited. While this episode gave us little photography/videography content, I doubt anyone would complain. Hell, every second post on my Facebook and X timelines is a mono/Yuru Camp post.

I don’t have to tell you that anime and manga pilgrimages are a hot commodity in the otaku world. Some people visit Japan solely for anime pilgrimages. Some may say that’s a waste of a trip; those are people you don’t listen to in life. Those are the type of people that suck joy out of living. Japan isn’t high on my ‘must-visit’ list, but you can bet all your cat-girl figures I’ll make it there for a Yuru Camp pilgrimage.

Production Thoughts

If C-Station is gone for good, studio Soigne, can you please animate the fourth season of Yuru Camp?

Anime studios seem to think that making their characters kawaii and giving us a slow plot is enough to sate slice-of-life enjoyers; that’s something truly lamentable. What makes shows like this so comforting is how they speak to you. Properly conveying the nuances and emotions in slice-of-life shows is a complicated achievement. But, for a relatively new studio, Soigne excels at this. The way they blend the show’s visuals and its overall feel is moving.

Where’s My Slow Life?

I always gain a sense of longing after watching a well-produced slice-of-life show. Career achievements and making a name for myself are things I find irrelevant. All I want from life is a slow, comfortable existence surrounded by mountain scenery and songs with fuzz-filled riffs. So it’s safe to say that everything about mono Episode 3 moved me.

Lately, I often find myself lamenting the state of the world. It seems that the places I’ve spent the bulk of my life fighting to defend what won’t survive the next four years. Life’s a headache, one that gets more tedious every day. I was born to cast a line and enjoy sunsets, not read about tariffs and cry that Good Smile Company canceled preorders. It’s not hyperbole to say plenty of people share that sentiment. And that’s why shows like this are so important.

Some may think seeing a bunch of kawaii waifus do normal things is boring, and for them that’s correct. But some of us don’t want grand adventures or a second chance in a magical world — we want the cozy life mono Episode 3 depicts.

Screenshots: Crunchyroll
© Afro/Houbunsha, Aniplex, Care
© Afro, Hobunsha / Outdoor Activities Committee