Ano Natsu de Matteru Release Date: Jan. 9th 2012 Studio: J.C. Staff Genre: Romantic Comedy
Initial Thoughts: This one is sort of a mixed bag. The talent involved seems more than up-to-snuff; I will always love the production studio, J.C. Staff, for making Azumanga Daioh, and director Tatsuyuki Nagai and screenwriter Yusuke Kuroda have worked together before on Honey and Clover II. However, romantic comedies and I tend not to get along. If the romance is presented in an interesting way, and I think the people working on it might be able to pull this off, then I might just give it the time of day.
P.S. I was heartened by the fact that Nagai worked on last year's Anohana, until I saw that he also worked on the horribly bland Kaitou Tenshi Twin Angel. Here's hoping that this show is more the former and less the latter in terms of tone and sophistication of narrative.
Post-credits Verdict: Well, that was a pleasant surprise and I didn't even have to wait until the opening credits to get it! It seems like my wish has been granted and Nagai is going for more of an "Anohana" feel with this one. The main character, Kaito, has the same emotional vulnerability as Anohana's Jinta, and often narrates with confessional inner monologues. Also similar to Anohana is the smartly-written, believable dialogue. These kids talk, act, and joke around like real high schoolers. However, it's the story itself that invokes the strongest sense of familiarity in people who have watched Anohana. A mysterious outsider has come into the lives of a group of young adults, and will probably end up changing them in profound and moving ways. While Anohana had more of a supernatural vibe, this time there's a more sci-fi angle. That's all I can say without spoiling the story, and I won't do that because I encourage whoever reads this to watch this show to the end. I certainly will be along for the ride.
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