Normally i do these after i finish a season but after receiving the second premium volume of this series from Nippon Ichi Software America (NISA) i heard there would be a third part.... and after finishing the second volume i wasn't sure about how i felt with this series.
now after finish it all i'm still not entirely sure... hmm this is going to take some explanation.
Kimi ni Todoke: From me to you is about a girl named Sawako whom everyone calls Sadako because she looks like and sometimes gives of the same aura as the girl who's trapped in the well from "The Ring"
however Sawako is really just an awkward girl who tries really hard to not bother others and help out, she loves cute things and is terrible at expressing her own feelings for fear that it may trouble someone.
On opening day of their first year attending high school she helped a lot classmate who couldn't figure out the best way to get to the school, he thanked her without any fear and is apparently the first person to ever do this to her so she immediately starts admiring him.
Lucky for her they are in the same class.
Also lucky for her he happens to really like her as well but no matter what gets said there seems to be some kind of misunderstanding... will they ever get together?
well this IS shojo so i think we all know the answer....
so the plot is pretty straight forward... why am i still unsure if i like this story or not? I'm pretty sure i didn't dislike it.... but i feel like some opportunities were missed.
The good:
The show is really pretty, all the backgrounds have this watercolour feel and it's just a pleasure to watch.... i also like the art direction since it's got a style that pretty unique compared to that standard Moe look we've been getting at of late.also the intros and endings are really interesting to watch.
The music is really good, some of the best shojo music i've heard in a while cause it's really subtle.... also the power in the second ending just makes me smile cause it starts to soft then suddenly boom.
The best friend characters are a blast... they feel like real people who want to help out and they have flaws and miss things and sometimes take things too far.... i just find it really works.
also i love the rival character... shes a bit 'evil' but not vindictive.... she's just upset at someone else getting as close to the boy she likes as her.
the show has a nice pacing to it except for one part which i will touch on later.... and the story is really really cute.
the not so good:
Sawako and Kazehaya - the two main love interests. yeah thats kind of a big one in a shojo series to not like either of the main characters.... but i have reasons for it.
Kazehaya is really possessive and easily juealous.... um... hate to break this too you Shojo anime... those are not good traits... when the girl is talking to a friend and they are smiling and just happen to be opposite genders.... that does not give the male the right to run past, snatch her hand and drag her off... this is not romantic.... yes he has some good points but those two always put me on edge with him cause i just feel lik it's not a trait you want to glorify.
Sawako is so stupid that she's a pain in the ass to watch... she is ALWAYS crying.... yes she tries really hard at everything and that is good but her entire universe seems to revolve around how she feels about Kazehaya... yet she can barely talk to him half the time which leads to more misunderstandings yet if either of them had just spit out what they were saying instead of talking so cryptically then maybe things would have been different!
the side characters are not nearly given the attention they deserve... maybe i just feel this because i didn't completely like SawakoXKazehaya... but to be honest the only arc that made me cry was Chizuru and Ryu.... that felt real... like something that could really happen... and it was heartbreaking... but you culd feel the friendship and the amount of time they spent together to the point where they consider each other family.... but all you get is a few episodes and a tiny bit at the end.
Also Kento does not get enough screen time... he feels shoved in there as a "antagonist for antagonist sakes" but honestly i felt like he and sawako had more of a connection... it felt like he had more to his past that made him see Sawako the way he does.... he seems like one of the most caring cast members and he is constantly pushed to the side, berated and called a D bag... cause how could he POSSIBLY honestly like Sawako? such an honour is only bestowed on Kazehaya.... he must have ulterior motives! but no.... i don't think he ever does.... he does one thing that could be seen as ulterior motives but in the end he didn't know fully what he was talking about... and he feels so bad after he barely speaks to her ever again....
however i still did enjoy the show i just wished it had focused more on the side characters and way less on Kazehaya... he was okay it's just... theres never any reprocutions for his bad traits despite the fact that he knows he has them... but he does try to be decent so i guess thats the best i can get.
the show is for sale from NISA... the boxes are so pretty but kinda big... check it out and make your own opinion since my own personal experiences and biases are clouding my view of the main love interest so yeah.... check it out.
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