Song of the Heart: Anime Review on "Myself; Yourself"

Myself; Yourself is as thirteen episode romantic comedy that tells the story of Hidaka Sana, a sixteen year old boy who returns to his home town of Sakuranomori. Returning after five years, he is surprised that much hasn’t change in his home town. Taking a detour to the local temple, he makes a prayer and notices a beautiful long haired girl in shrine clothing watching him. As he attempts to get closer, the girl moves away and disappears.

Heading straight to his landlord’s place to get the keys to his apartment, he is surprised to see his childhood friend, Oribe Aoi. Much to Aoi’s dismay and Sana’s embarrassment, he doesn’t recognize right away ‘Aoi-chan’ for the sudden growth in ‘certain’ areas of her body. The following day at school, he finds out that he is the same class with two other of his childhood friends, Shusuke and Shuri Wakatsuki. While talking with Shuu and Shuri, Sana sees that the long haired shrine maiden is one of his classmates as well. Trying to introduce himself, the girl suddenly slap in the face. Being slap for no apparent reason, Sana quickly reacts and sees a sakura bracelet on the girl’s wrist, and realizes that the girl is Yatsushiro Nanaka, another of his childhood friends.

From then on, Nanaka gives him the cold silent treatment and one instance, leaves him at the library when both of them are suppose to go to class representatives meeting— of which the two of them have been elected class reps of their sophomore class.

Even though Myself; Yourself is a romance comedy, unlike numerous anime comedies which are often harem romances involving one guy surrounded by numerous girls. In Myself; Yourself the story focuses primarily on the relationship between Sana and Nanaka, with the rest of the other girls being nothing more than supporting characters. Sana Hidaka, is a live person that has an actual personality, not like Hiroyuki of To Heart and Wataru of Sister Princess— the stereotype male protagonist in most harem type anime/games, which often doesn’t say much and generally agrees with whatever a girl says. Also, Sana harbors a phobia for bloody knives— or anything that pertains to blood, thus showing a male protagonist with flaws just like any regular guy, and really speaks. But Sana is still the typical nice guy who helps out anyone— which is often the cause for Nanaka’s jealous streak throughout the series.

Although a romance comedy, the series has some sub-episodes relating to the rest of the other female characters in the series. With the exception of two episodes which focuses primarily on the Wakatsuki twins, most the episodes have Sana along with one of the other female characters— as a sympathetic ear ready to listen. I enjoyed the two episodes that involved Hinako Mochida, a ten year old middle school girl who joins the cast in Episode 03. The series starts out as the typical romance comedy with all the mishaps and misunderstanding between the two, but at the near end of the series, the tone gets serious and dramatic as the reason for Nanaka’s cold demeanor is reveiled piece by piece.

When Tomorrow Comes Today: Review on "Asatte no Houkou"

While most animes we get out of Japan, are either mecha series on world dominance or peace, or romantic harem-type comedies, either way an excess of the two is enough already. So it's good to see a series that sticks more to a good storyline without the excess sugar or overly rehashed formulas on world conquest, peace, or whatever. Asatte no Houkou (translated: “A Direction of the Day After Tomorrow”) is a slice-of-life anime on the interesting twist of fate that affects the lives of Iokawa Karada, an eleven year old girl, and Nogami Shouko, a young woman of twenty. The anime begins on a quiet sunny day, while Shouko is taking a stroll along the countryside she meets a young girl praying in front of a small shrine on the side of the road. Upon asking what is the girl praying for, the girl introduces herself and states that is a secret. Karada’s brother, Hiro(which she calls ‘Hiro-nii’ throughout the series), and Karada finds out that Shouko went to the same university her brother studied in while in the United States. Upon impulse, Karada invites Shouko to the beach on the coming Sunday. Shouko tries to refuse, but a hint from Hiro convinces her to come along.

On the day of the trip, they are joined by Karada’s classmate, Amino Tetsumasa, and his older sister, Touko. Through out the entire trip to the beach, Shouko stays aloof and doesn’t join in on much of the activities. Later on, Touko makes a passing joke at her about her relationship to Hiro. At which Shouko quickly denies, embarrassing the both of them. Doing some last-to-the-minute shopping before going home, Karada shows to Shouko a pair of white hair ribbons that Hiro bought for her. Shouko makes a snide remark at her which sends Karada running in tears. Later on, after sending Karada home, Hiro confronts Shouko about the incident, reveiling that they were more than friends in the US. Shouko slaps him in the face, this time she is the one running in tears.

She finds herself back at the shrine where she first met the two and meets Karada again, praying in front of the shrine. They stare at each other in the light of a full moon, a cloud passes, and in a instant, Karada becomes a grown woman of twenty and Shouko reverts to an eleven year old girl. Based on a manga series written by J-ta Yamada and published in Comic Blade Masamune in March 2005. It was adapted into a twelve episode series, directed by Sakurabi Katsushi, character design by Ito Ikuko, and produced by J.C. Staff. The series was aired in Japan on October 05, 2006.

I like the series cause it didn’take on a comedic stereotyped approach to the age-switch scenario. In most other anime series, the idea of an age-switch— or any other switch for that matter— would have been a one-episode with the usual formulated slapstick comedy. Asatte no Houkou takes more of a plausible and serious storyline approach, as Karada gets her wish; she realizes that although she is a grown woman physically, she is still a child with limitations to what she can do on her on. Shouko, on the other hand while reverted to a body of the child, maintaining an adult’s reasoning despite the change, comforts Karada as she breaks down and cries.

Despite the reflective tone of the series, and this being an anime, moments of comedy still occur. While going shopping, Shouko jealously realizes how big of a ‘bust’ size Karada has. A puzzled Hiro and Shouko wonder why Karada is still standing on a kids chair just to turn on the kitchen exhaust fan. And Hiro, despite knowing that is it still his little sister, gets embarrass when Karada leans towards him to remove a piece of lint off his shirt.

It is a journey of sorts for the two of them as they get to live with each other. Shouko realizes that despite Karada’s age, she doesn’t want to be treated as a kid and takes up adult responsibilities at home such as, buying the groceries, doing the laundry, and cooking. Karada starts to admire Shouko and becomes close to her.

A light anime drama that looks into the relationships of people and how despite the difference within ages, people can be either grown men and women on the outside, yet hold still a child’s heart on the inside, and vice versa. Asatte no Houkou is anime series that touches the heart without any mushy and sentimental clichés. A well-written anime with a good solid storyline, great character design, and a rustic sound score to match— you might even think adding the ending song ,“Sweet Home Song”, to your iPod or any music player gizmo you have. Asatte no Houkou is a gem of an anime series worth adding to ones DVD collection as a future classic.

"School Days" Are Here To Stay, a Review

"School Days" is a gripping, slice-of-life anime that tackles the darker aspects of high school life normally not portrayed in Anime. The story revolves around Makoto Itou, a freshmen student at Sakakino Academy, who is in love with Kotonoha Katsura— a girl in the same year as he is and travels the same train he rides on. Watching from a distance, he only gains the courage to talk to Katsura through the help of Sekai Saionji— a female classmate of Makoto's, who unknown to him, is secretly in love with him.

You would think upon first glance, this would be the typical best-friend-in-love-with-friend-who-is-in-love-with-another-girl love triangle. Makoto does fall for Sekai as well, but this is not in the bitter sweet confusion of love. Even before Makoto's and Kotonoha's relationship could even deepen into a real relationship. Makoto's feelings begin to slip as he starts to complain of how tiring it is to be with Katsura and not as fun as he thought it would be to have a girlfriend. His attention turns to Saionji, whose offer of 'practice' with her turns carnal. Instead of escorting Katsura home from a group date at a indoor swimming park, Makoto leaves Katsura at the station and goes to Saionji's place. Makoto sleeps with Saionji.

Now in a relationship with Makoto, Sekai guilt-ridden cause of her betrayal of trust with Katsura, tries to convince Makoto that they should tell Kotonoha of their relationship. But Makoto unwilling to face Kotonoha, tells Sekai that they should wait for a better time to do so. Which only worsens the situation, Sekai's friends— Setsuna Kiyoura, Hikari Kuroda, and Nanami— convinced of their relationship, begin to despise Katsura; seeing her as desperate woman trying to steal away their bestfriend's boyfriend. Katsura gets further abuse in her own classroom, as Otome Kato— a former schoolmate of Makoto in middle school who is secrelty in love with him— and her gang bully Kotonoha into doing additional work for the school's cultural festival.

A far dry from the usual genre of romantic comedy animes based a dating sim game or H-game. Wherein one guy is surrounded by a multitude of doleful-eyed, sweet, and kawaii girls and can’t make up his mind who is the girl of his dreams. “School Days” instead tackles the darker aspects of high school life such as bullying, date rape, and pregnancy. Highly sensitive topics considered taboo in mainstream anime.

Makoto from the sweet, sincere yet hesitant guy, who you would think at first glance appreciate the deeper sentiments of love, turns the complete opposite. Like the average teenage guy those idea of having a relationship with a girl is having his way with her; in-experience with the deeper aspects of having a relationship. You would get irritated by Makoto’s naïve and ignorant idea of a relationship. But as you go on watching the anime, this irritation slowly turns into loathing and disgust, as Makoto ignorant and impatient with the current pace of his relationship with Katsura, turns his attention to Saionji, those offer of ‘practice’ leads him away from Kotonoha.Trading the deep, sincere, and sweet love of Katsura for Saionji’s blind willingness to have his way with her.

What makes the anime repulsive is not because Makoto is the sly, ultra-bishonen playboy typically type-casted in any anime. On the contrary, he is the complete opposite, friendly, shy, helpful, hesitant, you would never expect him to turn into a manipulative sex fiend. Naïve about love and all the feelings attached to it, Makoto, like the typical dolt of a guy, thinks more with his hormones than his heart. Dealing with the darker pathos of love and its flaws, “School Days” presents us a dark nightmare wherein ignorance, lust, and blind desperation to attain one’s heart desire can lead to fatal ends.

In someway, you will both hate and pity Sekai, in her blind love for Makoto have his way with her, because she loves him. Kotonoha, on the other hand, aware of Makoto’s infidelities, turns a blind eye, keeping faith in him despite of it all. Beautiful, kind, sincere, and loving, you can only feel sorrow for her as she sinks into madness.

Dark as the anime may be, I can’t help but give praise the producers of “:School Days”— both Overflow(for the game) and Studio TNK(for the anime)—, while most anime deal with sweet yet hilarious die of love with all the mishaps and misunderstandings. “School Days” shows us a bitter yet dark truth about high school life. Even Love in all its purity can turn bitter and cruel when we mistake lust for love, and blind willingness as a sign of selfless love. Dark, tragic, and grim as it is, I highly recommend it to any guy who happen to think that getting into a relationship is getting into a girl’s skirt— and to any girl bfore she makes that mistake that loving a guy is just letting him have it all.