Anime Review! Waiting in the Summer (2012)

 

 Konnichiwa, Otaku Puppies! It's your boy, Jrockfreak, back with another anime deep dive. This month, we're tackling a show that promised summer romance, maybe a little sci-fi, and a whole lot of confusion, at least for me; "Waiting in the Summer," from 2012.

 So, "Waiting in the Summer," or "Ano Natsu de Matteru," kicks off with our main dude, Kaito Kirishima, a first-year high schooler who's super into film. He’s out testing his camera one night when BAM! Blue light, explosion, the whole shebang. He gets knocked off a bridge but is saved by a mysterious hand. He wakes up the next day, perfectly fine, with zero memory of how he got back. Classic anime setup, right?

Then, enter Ichika Takatsuki, a new transfer student. She’s an upperclassman, and Kaito feels this weird sense of familiarity with her. Kaito and his friends are planning to make a movie over summer break, and his buddy Tetsuro invites Ichika and her friend Remon to join the project. We also have Kanna and Mio joining the cast to round out the group.

 Right off the bat, I was intrigued. The premise screams classic anime shenanigans: summer, friends, a film project, and a mysterious girl. What more could you need? The first episode sets up the mystery pretty well. We see Kaito's camera mishap, the introduction of Ichika, and the formation of the core group. There's an instant connection between Kaito and Ichika, but there's also this underlying tension and intrigue.

Ichika is clearly hiding something and immediately is given a place to stay at Kaito's house after his sister leaves for 3 months. Then she kisses Kaito when he passes out and it was just a lot packed into a short 20 minute episode.

 But here's where things get… interesting. Episode two gives us a glimpse of Ichika's secret: she's an alien! She came to Earth searching for a specific scenery she's only seen in her imagination. Her ship crashed after hitting space debris, leaving her stranded.

Now, I’m not against sci-fi elements in my anime, but the way it was handled felt a bit clunky. The reveal wasn't super impactful, and it felt like they rushed into it. Kaito’s sister Nanami even has a dream about Kaito being hugged by a naked girl in a ball of light! Anime sure is something, huh?

 The second episode has the introduction of alcoholic drinks made by Remon, which Kanna is negatively affected by. Kaito passes out and Ichika uses a kiss to solve it. It felt so out of place but that may just be me.

Episode three focuses on Kaito's frustration over his feelings for Ichika. He tries to confess, fails, and then ditches school. Kanna visits him, and they end up on a date, which Ichika witnesses and follows. We still are not sure what the aim of the anime is or if its just a bunch of random things occuring with no over arching plot involved. There's more chaos and awkwardness that culminates in an informal confession from Kaito to Ichika when he films her.

 Episode four introduces even more complications. Manami, Tetsuro's married sister, takes Kaito shopping, causing Ichika to follow them, even teleporting using her assistant Rinon. There’s a clash, some misunderstandings, and eventually, Ichika apologizes by offering to help Kaito study for his finals.

I'm not against relationship drama, in fact it can make a anime worth watching. However, there was seemingly no clear objective of the anime which is why I could not get through it.

 So, after four episodes, I decided to drop "Waiting in the Summer." It wasn’t necessarily bad, but it felt… lacking. The plot was meandering, the characters felt like archetypes, and the sci-fi elements felt tacked on. There were moments of humor and potential, but overall, it didn't grab me.

The artwork was decent, I have to say, and the animation was good for its time, but the plot was what really killed it for me.

I am going to have to give it a 5/10, it just feels like an average anime that attempted to be unique but didn't hit the mark.

 So, what do you guys think? Have you seen "Waiting in the Summer"? Did you enjoy it more than I did? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for tuning in to the Otaku Puppy Podcast, and I’ll catch you next month with another anime adventure!

Anime Review! Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (2011)

 Hey Otaku Puppy Podcast listeners, it's jrockfreak here, and today I'm diving into a review of Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day. Now, this is one of those anime that's constantly recommended, praised for its emotional depth, and known for making even the toughest anime fans tear up. So, naturally, I had pretty high expectations going in.

The story centers around a group of childhood friends in Chichibu, Saitama, who are torn apart by the tragic death of Menma. Years later, we find the former leader of the group, Jinta, now a recluse, haunted by Menma's ghost. She needs help fulfilling a forgotten wish so she can finally move on. To do this, Jinta has to reunite his estranged friends, forcing them to confront their shared past and hidden feelings.

Now, before I get too deep, let me preface this by saying I'm a big advocate of the "three-episode rule." If an anime doesn't grab me by the third episode, I usually drop it. It's just too easy to get caught up in finishing a series out of obligation, even if you're not really enjoying it. And unfortunately, that's exactly what happened with Anohana.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate anything about it. The premise is intriguing, and the underlying themes of grief, friendship, and moving on are definitely there. However, the characters just weren't clicking with me. I struggled to connect with them on an emotional level, and the episodes felt somewhat bland.

I know, I know, Anohana is super highly-rated, and I can understand why people love it. The potential for a deeply moving story is definitely there. But for me, it just missed the mark. Maybe it was the pacing, maybe it was the character dynamics, but something just felt off.

The good news is, I watched the dubbed version, so I might revisit Anohana in the future and give it another try with the original Japanese audio and subtitles. Maybe a different viewing experience will change my perspective.

So, should you watch Anohana? Well, if you're looking for a potentially tear-jerking anime about friendship, loss, and second chances, it might be worth checking out. Just be prepared for a potentially slow burn. As for me, I'm putting it on the back burner for now.

That's it for my review of Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day. Let me know what you think in the comments, and until next time, happy anime watching!

Anime Review! Angel Beats (2010)

Anime Review! Angel Beats (2010)

 Alright, Jrockfreak here, back again with another anime review for the Otaku Puppy Podcast! This time, we're diving into the 2010 series, Angel Beats! Now, this is one of those shows that’s been lurking on my watchlist for ages, and I’m kicking myself for not checking it out sooner. Set in this bizarre high school in the afterlife, a sort of limbo for those who've had rough lives, Angel Beats! follows Otonashi, an amnesiac who stumbles into this rebel group called the Afterlife Battlefront, or SSS. They're led by the fiery Yuri, who's basically waging war against God for their crappy pasts. Their main target? The mysterious Angel, the student council president with crazy powers. It really does have some Suzumiya Haruhi vibes, which, for me, is never a bad thing. We get a pretty interesting cast of characters. Hinata the co-founder, Iwasawa from the Girls Dead Monster band, and the boisterous Yui. I enjoyed the cast so much, and it was very engaging.

The show does a great job of blending action with some surprisingly emotional moments. Otonashi's journey of rediscovering his memories while questioning the SSS’s actions, is really captivating. And, let's be real, Episode 10, "Goodbye Days," with Hinata's confession to Yui, that hit me right in the feels. It's a great example of the emotional depth this show can achieve. Now, I’ll admit, the middle of the series felt a bit inconsistent at times, like the pace faltered slightly. But man, the show really kicks it into high gear towards the end. The revelations about the true purpose of the afterlife, the shadow entities attacking, and Yuri's emotional breakthrough, it all works so well in bringing the story to a wonderful conclusion. The final goodbye scene between Otanashi and Kanade is so bittersweet that is had me all choked up. Overall, Angel Beats! is a fantastic watch. It’s not a total tearjerker like a Clannad, but it’ll definitely tug hard on your heartstrings. I felt it was an incredibly enjoyable anime, with loveable characters and a fascinating story. I think if you've not seen it before you should definitely add it to your watchlist!