best episodes of Barakamon poster

After punching a famous curator in the face for criticizing his work as "textbook and lifeless," Handa Seishuu is sent to Gotō Island to calm his nerves and find new inspiration for his calligraphy. Growing up in the city all his life, though, Handa must adapt to country life while meeting an assortment of quirky people during his tenure.

1 Seasons
12 Episodes
Ended
Animation Comedy
Cast & Characters
episode image I am in Tokyo
8.9/10 (110 votes)

#1 I am in Tokyo

S1:E11

Handa has returned to Tokyo, to show his new "STAR" calligraphy to the gallery director he had punched and ask for forgiveness. However, Handa doesn't feel quite right about the work, and ends up smearing it before the director can. Could some inspiration from his time at the island help him create an even better work before the deadline?

episode image Glad You're Back
8.8/10 (109 votes)

#2 Glad You're Back

S1:E12

With his calligraphy exhibition entry finished, Handa wants to return to the island and the people he cares about there. Unfortunately, his mom is dead set against it. How will he convince her to let him go?

episode image Onde
8.5/10 (112 votes)

#3 Onde

S1:E8

It's Naru's birthday, and Handa wants to present her with a new rhinoceros beetle. However, Kenta not only refuses to help him catch one, but also declares a battle to get Naru the best bug! Later, Handa is invited along for a visit to the Kotoishi family gravesite, but finds the local Obon customs unusually cheerful.

episode image Almost Got Badly Hurt
8.2/10 (102 votes)

#4 Almost Got Badly Hurt

S1:E9

It's only two weeks until the Naruka Exhibition. Handa waits for inspiration as he deals with a broken bath heater and various scuffles with the kids. Unfortunately, not long after inspiration falls, so does Handa...

episode image Dacchi Ikode
8.2/10 (100 votes)

#5 Dacchi Ikode

S1:E10

After Handa submits his "Star" calligraphy despite some trepidation, he gets roped into helping to build a stone wall and then into taking the girls to the summer festival. Meanwhile, Kawafuji gets the exhibition hall director to agree to welcome Handa back to Tokyo. How will he bid farewell to the kind islanders who've taught him so much?

episode image Mochi Thrown in Celebration
8.1/10 (109 votes)

#6 Mochi Thrown in Celebration

S1:E3

Tama hides a deep, dark secret, and meeting Handa may have led her to reveal it. Is it too late for her to save her reputation? Meanwhile, Handa is suffering his own angst after not placing first in a calligraphy competition. Maybe a friendly mochi-picking session with the villagers will cheer him up...

episode image Guys From Tokyo
8.1/10 (105 votes)

#7 Guys From Tokyo

S1:E6

Handa's only friend, Kawafuji, arrives with a kid named Kanzaki Kousuke in tow, but their trip to Handa's house ends up being very roundabout. Why does Kousuke want to meet Handa so badly, and why did Kawafuji agree to bring him?

episode image A High-Grade Fish
8.1/10 (102 votes)

#8 A High-Grade Fish

S1:E7

To make up for the turmoil of the previous two days, the village kids and Handa treat his guests to a fun day of fishing before bidding them farewell.

episode image Going Swimming at the Beach
8.0/10 (105 votes)

#9 Going Swimming at the Beach

S1:E5

After the job from Miwa's dad breaks his artist's block, Handa's ready to get writing! But some distractions come up, in the form of the girls demanding penmanship help, a day taking the kids to the beach, and Naru's Grampa's addictive pickled daikon...

episode image Cheerful Child
7.8/10 (132 votes)

#10 Cheerful Child

S1:E1

Handsome young master calligrapher Handa Seishuu has been exiled to a far-western island for punching a critic. He plans to focus on his writing in solitude, but rambunctious little Naru won't leave him alone...

episode image Island Dads
7.6/10 (110 votes)

#11 Island Dads

S1:E4

After his computer and cell phone break, Handa's only link to the outside world is the phone at the general store. He decides to focus on his entry for the upcoming Naruka Institute competition, but hits a wall. Can a job from Miwa's gangsterish dad help him break through it?

episode image Annoying
7.5/10 (116 votes)

#12 Annoying

S1:E2

A week after coming to the island, Handa is trying to focus on improving his calligraphy. However, he keeps getting interrupted by Naru and her friends, including middle-school girls Miwa and Tama, who want their old base back!

Cast & Chracters

character image Sei 'Seishu' Handa (voice)

Sei 'Seishu' Handa (voice)

Actor: Daisuke Ono
character image Naru Kotoishi (voice)

Naru Kotoishi (voice)

Actor: Suzuko Hara

The highest rated episode of Barakamon is "I am in Tokyo" (S1E11) with a rating of 8.90.

This episode received 110 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Annoying" (S1E2) with a rating of 7.50.

This episode received 116 votes.

The highest rated episode is "I am in Tokyo" (S1E11) with a rating of 8.90.

This episode received 110 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Annoying" (S1E2) with a rating of 7.50.

This episode received 116 votes.

Name Department Job
Hiroshi Kato Art Art Direction
Izumi Hoki Art Art Direction
Kumiko Watanabe Art Background Designer
Naoko Yanagita Art Background Designer
Nozomi Imamura Art Prop Designer
Yu Wakabayashi Camera Director of Photography
Masaki Tachibana Directing Series Director
Hitomi Sudo Editing Editor
Hiroyuki Ueno Production Producer
Junnosuke Ito Production Producer
Koji Taguchi Production Executive Producer
Manabu Tamura Production Executive Producer
Marina Sasaki Production Producer
Mutsumi Fukushi Production Executive Producer
Toshio Nakatani Production Producer
Eiko Morikawa Sound Sound Effects
Fumie Ishikura Sound Sound Mixer
Kazuhiro Wakabayashi Sound Sound Director
Kazuhiro Watanabe Sound Music Producer
Kazunari Sengoku Sound Music Producer
Kenji Kawai Sound Original Music Composer
Hiromi Miyawaki Visual Effects Color Designer
Maziro Visual Effects Supervising Animation Director
Naoya Kinoshita Visual Effects 3D Artist
Yuu Karube Visual Effects 3D Artist
Pierre Sugiura Writing Series Composition
Satsuki Yoshino Writing Comic Book

Similar Shows You Might Like