What makes a creator? It's a question that feels like it’s been done to death, but Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night (Yoru no Kurage wa Oyogenai) actually tries to answer it without the usual fluff. If you've spent any time on the creative side of the internet—maybe you've tried to start a YouTube channel or posted art on Pixiv—you know the vibe. It's lonely. It’s loud. It’s kinda terrifying. The jellyfish can't swim in the night characters are basically a love letter to everyone who feels like they’re shouting into a void.
Produced by Doga Kobo for their 50th anniversary, this show isn't just about "cute girls doing cute things." It’s about the brutal reality of being an anonymous artist in Shibuya. Each member of the core group, JELEE, represents a specific type of creative trauma. They aren't just archetypes; they're messy, impulsive, and occasionally a bit selfish. That’s what makes them feel real.
Mahiru Kozuki: The Artist Who Quit
Mahiru is the heart of the show, but she starts in a place a lot of us recognize: total burnout. She was a child prodigy. Her mural of a jellyfish in Shibuya was legendary. But then, the internet happened. A few harsh comments and the weight of public expectation crushed her. By the time we meet her, she’s "normal." She’s suppressed her identity to fit in.
This is a very specific kind of character arc. It’s not about finding talent; it’s about reclaiming it. Mahiru’s jellyfish imagery is crucial because jellyfish are drifters. They don’t have a "will" in the traditional sense; they go where the current takes them. Until they don't. When she meets Kano, that current changes. Her art style is vibrant and messy, a direct contrast to the sterile, organized life she tried to lead as a regular high schooler.
Kano Yamanouchi: The Fallen Idol
If Mahiru is the soul, Kano is the engine. She’s also the most controversial of the jellyfish can't swim in the night characters because she’s aggressive. She was "Nonoka" from the idol group Sunflower Dolls. Then she punched a teammate.
That’s a bold way to start a female lead's story.
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Kano’s struggle is with her voice—literally and figuratively. She wants to sing, but she hates the manufactured perfection of the idol industry. Her drive to form JELEE is born out of spite as much as it is out of passion. She needs Mahiru’s art to give her voice a face that isn’t the one the media tore apart. You see her constantly grappling with her past. She wears a mask, not just for anonymity, but because she’s terrified that her "real" self is inherently broken. Honestly, her relationship with Mahiru is the show’s strongest point because it’s built on mutual desperation. They need each other to be whole.
Kiui Watase: The Virtual Shield
Kiui, or "Nox Ryuugasaki" as her followers know her, is the VTuber of the group. She’s the tech wizard. But she’s also a shut-in who hasn't been to school in ages.
The show handles her social anxiety with a surprising amount of grace. It doesn't treat her like a joke. For Kiui, the avatar isn't a lie; it’s a suit of armor. She can be bold, loud, and charismatic as Nox because nobody can see the girl trembling behind the monitor. When she joins JELEE, she has to navigate the physical world again, which is a nightmare for her.
Her role in the group is interesting because she understands the "algorithm" better than anyone. She knows how to package Mahiru’s art and Kano’s voice to make it go viral. She is the bridge between raw talent and the digital audience. Without Kiui, JELEE would just be two girls singing in an alleyway. With her, they're a brand.
Mei "Kim Anouk" Takanashi: The Classical Rebel
Then there’s Mei. She’s a world-class pianist who’s bored out of her mind. She’s the "rich girl" trope, but with a twist: she’s a total fangirl. Her obsession with Kano is what brings her into the fold, but her musical contribution is what elevates JELEE’s sound.
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Mei represents the friction between traditional "high art" and modern pop culture. She’s been trained to play perfectly, to follow the notes on the page. In JELEE, she’s asked to improvise. To feel. She’s the one who adds the layer of professional polish to their tracks, but she also has to learn that music isn't just about technical precision. It’s about the messiness of the person playing it.
Why the Supporting Cast Matters
You can't talk about the jellyfish can't swim in the night characters without mentioning the people who push them.
- Yukine: Kano’s sister and the manager of Sunflower Dolls. She’s the "antagonist" in a sense, but she’s really just a realist. She represents the industry that eats creators alive.
- Miiko: Kano’s mother and a former idol herself. Her shadow looms large over Kano’s insecurities.
- The "Normie" Friends: Mahiru’s school friends serve as a constant reminder of the life Mahiru is leaving behind—a life of safety, invisibility, and mediocrity.
The Shibuya Connection
Shibuya isn't just a background; it’s a character. The neon, the crowds, the scramble crossing. The show uses the setting to emphasize how small these girls are. When they stand on a rooftop at night, the city looks like an ocean. They are the jellyfish, glowing in the dark, trying not to get swallowed by the blackness.
The animation by Doga Kobo really leans into this. They use real-life locations in Shibuya (like the Parco building and the Miyashita Park area) to ground the story. It makes the struggle feel less like a "cartoon" and more like a documentary of a specific subculture.
The Creative Process is the Plot
Most music anime skip the boring stuff. They skip the hours of drawing, the failed vocal takes, and the coding bugs. Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night doesn't. We see Mahiru struggle with her color palettes. We see Kiui fussing over video editing software.
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This focus on the work is what sets these characters apart. They aren't just talented; they are laborers. They have to sacrifice sleep, social standing, and mental health to make something they believe in. It’s a cynical view of art, but it’s an honest one.
Misconceptions About the Characters
A lot of people think this is a "yuri" (girls' love) show. While the emotional intimacy between Mahiru and Kano is off the charts, labeling it solely as a romance misses the point. It’s a "creative romance." They are in love with what they can build together.
Another misconception is that Kano is the "villain" of her own story because of her temper. If you look closer, her anger is a defense mechanism against a world that tried to silence her. She isn't mean; she’s guarded. Understanding that distinction is key to liking her character.
How to Apply the JELEE Mindset
If you're a creator looking at these characters and feeling a spark, there are a few things to take away from their journey.
- Anonymity is a Tool: Like the girls, you don't need to show your face to have an impact. Use the "mask" to find your true voice.
- Find Your "Other Halves": You can't be the artist, the singer, the editor, and the promoter all at once. Collaboration is how you survive the algorithm.
- Embrace the Mess: Mahiru’s best art happens when she stops trying to be perfect and starts being honest.
- The "Jellyfish" Strategy: Sometimes, you have to drift until you find the right current. Don't force a "brand" if it doesn't feel right.
The jellyfish can't swim in the night characters remind us that the internet is a cold place, but it’s also where the most beautiful, bioluminescent things can happen if you find the right people to swim with.
To really understand the impact of these characters, look at how the show handles the concept of "disappearing." In the digital age, being forgotten is worse than being hated. JELEE is a rebellion against disappearance. It's a loud, neon-colored "we are here" screamed from the top of a Shibuya skyscraper. Whether they "win" in the end matters less than the fact that they tried to swim against the tide in the first place.