Ano Natsu de Matteru

AnoNatsu is a strange case: a competent JC Staff romance anime, that works as an installment to an old series (the Onegai series), dealing with filmmaking, sci-fi, and summer holidays despite being a Winter 2012 anime.

Directed by Nagai Tatsuyuki (Ano Hana, Toradora!), this anime is a mix of the new and old conventions of romance anime: love triangles, genre fusion, and more. Kirishima Kaito (Shimazaki Nobunaga), who looks awfully a lot like Jintan from AnoHana, is your average geek interested in using an old film camera he found in the attic. Equipped with various ISO films, he practices cinematography along with his friend, ... Ishigaki Tetsurou (Ogihara Hideki). Tanigawa Kanna (Ishihara Kaori), a blue-haired Chie from Persona 4, joins to be closer with Kaito while Kitahara Mio (Asumi Kana), a quiet girl, helps out. Looking through the viewfinder, Kaito looks at the running field from his classroom and sees a girl with red hair, Takatsuki Ichika (Tomatsu Haruka), looking lost; his face blushes and we find ourselves watching a silly case of ‘love at first sight.’

I did not expect much from the work at first: anything by JC Staff, especially the art, these days frightens me. Yet, Nagai’s success in AnoHana shows no declining in this work; the animation quality does not falter below acceptable levels and sometimes astound me in the most dramatic episodes. Its art style is a rehash of AnoHana and yet, I don’t mind; it looks too beautiful. Does this work stop the negative perception of JC Staff? Of course not, but AnoNatsu is undeniably pretty; warm, saturated colors blossom everywhere and the summer season seems almost touchable.

Nagai shows his directing skills in AnoNatsu and excels in developing romances. What amazes me is how he puts all those boring, corny romantic scenes and twist it around into something different. Episode 3’s ending features the leads in a train station leaving; the sequence at the end may send Michael Curtiz, the director of the classic film Casablanca, packing. The editing and directing in most episodes are worthy of analysis; Kanna’s subtle gestures, like twiddling her hair, is a curious artistic touch. Anyone who enjoys observing the artistic subtle choices of directors and editors will have a fun time watching Ano Natsu.

AnoNatsu pays homage to the old romance works, especially its parent series: the Onegai franchise. If AnoNatsu goes to a cheese shop, it will be hard to differentiate parmesan and the work; it is after all a tribute to previous works. Romance can be as melodramatic as the ef series or cheesy as seen here. I admire its cheesiness; it’s honest and proud of it. I’d rather see a corny work once in a while than see the same ten melodramatic romance works. While I have not watched any of the Onegai works, it is worth pointing out that there are huge similarities: Yamano Remon (Tamura Yukari) is an almost direct copy of Morino Ichigo and some of the locations are a nod to the previous work too. There is something admirable about the cheesiness and homages AnoNatsu has.

Speaking of Remon, she and Kanna steal the show. Enigmatic Remon, a senior student, helps out filming and her antics are outrageous. Functioning both as comic relief and supporting character, Remon is an example of how smart a comic relief character can be. She can be seen as the mastermind behind the romances while having fun dipping her toes in the murky waters of love. Kanna, on the other hand, is how tsundere characters should act. Kanna steps beyond the stereotype and her character develops and hardens as the show goes on; she is someone you want to give a hug to. Kanna’s problems is woven inside the love triangles and her frustration and sadness show by the voice actress; I thought this was voiced by a professional, but she is voiced by Ishihara Kaori -- a singer in YuiKaori and somewhat new to the voice acting arena. She is one of the best finds in the anime industry and Nagai uses her skills wisely.

“sign” by Ray shows KOTOKO’s songwriting skills in full blast. As any KOTOKO song goes, the sounds of synthesizers undulate their way to your ears. The animation that goes with it doesn’t feel right; at the beginning of the OP, there are some great directing choices: a film reel shows Ichika smiling and cuts off while the title fades into view. As it goes on though, the animators get lazier and show the characters without inspiration: we see them sitting down, standing, turning around, and a close-up of Ichika’s breasts. It is disconcerting to see a KOTOKO song -- hyper, romantic -- accompany a botched work; this is the only sequence of animation that you can say, “Ah, it’s JC Staff.”

“Vidro Moyou” by Nagi Yanagi -- yes, she’s from supercell -- does a whole lot better. Copying AnoHana, the minimalist ED is beautiful, dancing gracefully with its bittersweet, soothing music. I’m in love with the ED and it ranks up there in my top ten favorite EDs. It’s hard to say much because it’s so perfect. Just watch the damn ED.

In defense of AnoNatsu, I think it is fair to argue against other reviewers and viewers for one thing: AnoNatsu is not AnoHana; stop comparing them. After hearing talk from both sides of the spectrum, I’ve been raising my eyebrows on any mention of AnoHana when it comes to plot; both works look similar aesthetically, but that’s as far as that path goes. AnoHana is a bittersweet dramatic work that focuses on the aftermath of losing someone precious to you; AnoNatsu is a romance anime. See the difference? A more logical approach: compare AnoNatsu to Toradora!. I’m not a big fan of Toradora!, so I will not go on that route; nevertheless, it is frustrating to see stupid comments on how much “AnoHana is better omfg >:(“

What I cannot defend is AnoNatsu’s numerous flaws. People can get irate from the cheesiness; this is, of course, caused by difference in taste and opinion; I think it’s rational to argue in that perspective even if I disagree with it. What I can get behind is the talk on the personalities of the two leading characters: Kaito and Ichika. Their romance is genuine, but they themselves make me yawn. There are so many things going on outside the leading characters’ reach that we don’t really get to know them; instead, we know more about Kanna, Tetsurou, Mio, and even Remon. When problems between the two leads do exist, they aren’t interesting at all -- they bore me. Most of their scenes are lackluster. I was more emotionally invested into Kanna than anyone else. What I say previously is true: Remon and Kanna steal the show.

There is also an exhausting episode dealing with the most pressing problem in summer: which sexy bras should the girls wear? This episode comes out from nowhere and you ask, “Do you really need a beach episode?” It also introduces other female characters that distract the deeply stemmed love decahedron. While its next episode saves AnoNatsu from being a harem show through Nagai’s ever creative decisions as director, I find the setting of that episode pointless. Most, if not all, beach episodes should just die.

The last three episodes feel rushed, giving negative vibes to anyone who has watched Angel Beats!. There is a huge amount of compression; AnoNatsu is a work that should have given itself more leeway and needs a few more episodes to make sure its ending makes sense. Episode 11 suddenly speeds up the pacing and it makes you wonder, “Am I watching a different show?” Some of the events presented in the final episodes are unbelievable because of the lack of buildup. For a cheesy straightforward romance show, it has one hell of a time confusing me.

AnoNatsu is imperfect, but it adds to the charm when I think about it. I’m a filmmaker and I know most student films suck. There are lovely shots, but everything else like story is terrible. There is beauty in creating imperfection though; the strengths are worth remembering for and we make nostalgic memories out of filming. We brush away the bad spots and think about the good things that happen; for example, there are scenes that has Kaito filming Tetsurou parodying Ultraman and Godzilla. They know it’s fun and games. There is something magical with the camera rolling when you see your friends acting; the fun of that is presented in the smiling faces of the characters.

Those smiles are the purest, untarnished forms of memories.

What happens when you run out of ideas? You take tropes from popular anime and mix them together. Harem? Check. Bad comedy? Check. Bad romance? Check? Love octagon? Check. Then you get Ano Natsu de matteru, the anti-thesis of good writing. A show so creatively bankrupt that it should never be watched by anyone.

The story starts out with a big breasted "alien" girl with glass who comes to earth. She tries to get back to her planet, and until then, she fits in with the humans. Little did she know, the ugliest guy with glasses and a camera fetish develops a crush on her. She ... greatly effects her group of friends. Now if you have seen anohana, clannad, or any litany of other romance shows, you will never need to see Ano Natsu de matteru. It sucks. It does not develop any subplot or character substantially and is a great waste of time.

The story mostly revolves around glasses guy and alien girl who have an awkward attraction but never speak on it, thus leading to many generic misunderstandings. And then, you have the friends, which concidentally all have crushes on each other leading to predictable drama. The show becomes so banal, so boring, so pointless that you will want to drop it after episode 3.

The characters are all very bad. They are never expanded more than, we like each other. They are bland, boring, subpar and uninteresting. The characters have the romantic chemistry of a dildo and toilet bowl. In other words, they have none.

This is just a quick review to deter anyone from watching this tripe. Thank you.

"A picture is worth a thousand words"; I've never quite believed that saying as much as I did after seeing the last scene of this anime.

Ano Natsu de Matteru is an anime about a group of friends spending their summer vacation hanging out and filming a movie. Sounds simple, yes? Not quite. It doesn't take very long for the romance and the drama to kick in, where Ano Natsu is most focused. In fact, that STILL might be an understatement. Within the first 4 episodes, all of the love interests of the main characters are well established and/or heavily hinted at, and there is ... indeed one hell of a messy love polygon. However, this love polygon is not like most; there is actually a couple that is established (pretty much from the beginning), which ends up leaving every other character stuck in a rut.

Perhaps the most frustrating part of Ano Natsu de Matteru is the fact that the creator seemed to ship his own characters, while disregarding the feelings of everyone else. That leaves a disgusting feeling in many viewers' mouths, including mine. Why establish a love polygon if it is not going to contribute to the plot at all? Honestly, most of Ano Natsu de Matteru was slice of life, more so than romance, and even when there was romance, you were never really in doubt as to who was going to get together. That lack of suspense (especially for a romance drama) is puzzling, to say the least.

With that out of the way, I must say that both the art and sound of Ano Natsu are two highly redeeming qualities. Really vivid colors to truly capture the essence of an anime about summer, and a great opening/ending to match the mood throughout the series. The characters themselves are actually really great (especially Remon-senpai, oh that rascal). They'll seemingly always put a smile on your face, no matter who it is.

A respectable romantic drama that is unfortunately kept from greatness by the aforementioned problems, Ano Natsu de Matteru is also plagued with an awkward Sci-fi element that derailed my interest. I think most would agree that including heavy amounts of aliens/robots/lasers in a slice-of-life anime is quite contradictory. That element certainly turned me off, as it made a lot of the scenarios seem so unrealistic. Towards the end of Ano Natsu, I was getting really afraid that the anime was going to have an open ending. Thankfully, that was not the case, and this brings me back to my original point.

That final scene provided all of the closure in the world to secure a solid rating for Ano Natsu. Up to that point, I was a bit disappointed with how the plot turned out (to say the least), and it left a sour taste in my mouth. The producers completely saved this anime by including those last few seconds. All in all, despite its various shortcomings, Ano Natsu de Matteru is a solid member of the romance drama genre, and gets a recommendation from me for its great characters, art, sound, and satisfying ending.

Considering how Onegai! Sensei went, I was expecting the same because it is of the same author however, I am honestly surprised by this anime.

What surprised me was that I was expecting it to be yet another anime close to the harem line where none of the characters will actually get to confess to anybody and the plot will be left hanging at the end of the series. But no. It didn't go that way.

For a 12 episode series, the anime covered the storyline pretty well despite the short episode allocation and not only that, it wrapped up the relationships between all the characters very ... well. Also, I have noticed that recent romance animes will have some (excuse the use of the word, but there are no others to describe it) bullshit like "Oh out pops a childhood friend from thin air that transfers to the school to complicate matters." but for this anime, it surprisingly stuck to it's small cast and developed the relationships between the characters very well.

In summary, the anime is short, sweet and it was a good one with a well rounded ending which is left for the viewers to develop their own opinions of. As for myself, I would say the ending was well-done with the tiniest of hints that the protagonist and the female lead did end up together in the end albeit the events that happened. This is indeed a definite must watch for viewers who want to break away from the general Japanese romance animes where nothing ever gets to anywhere.

For the ratings, here are my reasons:

8/10 for the Story. Why? Simply because it was pretty much similar to Onegai! Sensei. Normally I would give it a lower rating because of it's lack of originality, however, it was good and sweet until the end that I gave it the rating that it is due.

8/10 for the Art. Why? The art was good. However, the lack of originality yet again by the author by making the characters look almost the same from both series force me to give it an 8 instead of a well deserved 9 or even a 10.

9/10 for the Sound. Why? This is to my own bias. I love piano music. The anime lacked enough music that could have pulled on our heart strings more but since it included piano music, my bias tells me to put a 9 instead of an 8 or 7.

8/10 for Character. Why? The plot was well done and the characters elaborated enough. Should the anime have been a 25 episode series, I'm sure character development would have been much better and would have earned a 9 or a 10.

7/10 for Enjoyment. Why? Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the anime very much. However, I despise endings that does your head in and lets you imagine for yourself. I like definite HAPPY endings. Period. The ending dropped a hint of a happy one at the very end and that's what bumped up my rating to a 7 otherwise I would have given it a 5 or a 6 because... I hate endings that are sad/let's the viewers imagine what it should end like.

Overall, apart from the lack of the character design originality and initial story from the author including the "It's up to you to imagine what happened if I drop this scene here." ending, the anime was indeed a very good one and it's an enjoyable watch. Short, sweet and nice. Definitely something worth to give a watch.

Ever seen the anime Onegai Teacher? Ano Natsu de Matteru is basically a remake of that anime. Though its only had one episode I've already compared the characters from each show. So far each one of them is like the other. The only difference between Onegai Teacher and Ano Natsu de Matteru is the alien girl is younger. Instead of being a teacher in Kaito's school, she is a transfer student. Also, Kaito is making a movie. That definitely sets the two anime apart from one another.

Story 8/10 - I give it this score because it feels kind of like a rip off of ... Onegai Teacher. Now that isn't a bad thing. The story was pretty good and this is living up to my expectations I've set for it already. I'm drawn in by this story and I hope it continues to amaze me.

Art 10/10 - I really love this animation style! It totally reminds me of Toradora! Everything is crisp and breathe taking. Definitely gets a perfect score from me!

Sound 10/10 - Ano Natsu de Matteu uses a cute soundtrack. Yes I said cute. It has a good easy going feel to it. Now just because it sounds cute at times it also has the proper music for most scenes. It flows perfectly. Also! The op was done by KOTOKO. That is my number 1 fav when it comes to Japanese Artists.

Character 8/10 - The reason i've given this an 8 for characters is because again it kind of copies Onegai Teacher's characters a bit. I'll break it down for you as to who I think is like one another.

Kirishima, Kaito vs Kusanagi, Kei
The main character to both of their respective series. Both wear glasses, meet some alien girl, girl becomes close to him because she saved him and moves in with them. Of course it is a bit different for Kei as he doesn't really have Mizuho move in with him, he just gets married to her. Also they both have some rare condition.

Takatsuki, Ichika vs Kazami, Mizuho
The two are both aliens. Or at least I think Ichika is so far. I could be wrong. Mysterious transfer into the main characters school. Only difference is Ichika is the student and Mizuho is the teacher. Both girls are interested in the main character. They both also have a weird creature that runs their ship and does stuff for them.

Yamano, Remon vs Morino, Ichigo
This is a strange comparison. Unlike the ones I've already discussed, Remon and Ichigo are the same exact character! Every single detail is the same. Both look very young for how old they really are. Both of them have that strange laugh and they pretty much make things go the way they want to. It also doesn't help that they look the same.

Tanigawa, Kanna vs Herikawa, Koishi
Okay so they both like the main character. Both of the boys don't really show interest in them. They kind of act the same. Not exactly an exact comparison but they are like each other in some ways.

Kitahara, Mio vs Misumi, Kaede
Just like Ichigo and Remon, Mio and Kaede are also basically the same character. Though it seems Mio is more outgoing with the way she speaks about ecchi stuff where as Kaede surprised us with it.

Lastly we have Ishigaki, Tetsurou vs Magumo, Hyosuke
The bestfriend to the main characters. They both are perverted and push the main character into situations they aren't comfortible with. Besides that I don't have anything else to compare between the two.

Enjoyment 10/10 - Now just because its like Onegai Teacher doesn't mean i'm going to enjoy it less. This series took off on the ground running like it had a purpose! I'm totally hooked and I know will definitely watch this series to the end.

Overall 9/10 - It's early to give it a rating but right now it feels like a 9 on my rating. I really am taken with this series. Everything about it makes me love it! Please don't disaappoint me Ano Natsu de Matteru.

Understanding this poem,
Is like understanding why leaves fall in the autumn,
To comprehend why the age fades away so faintly,
You'd have to first understand its beauty,

I will never forget that one summer, 
When one of my friends suggested me Ano natsu de matteru,
They told me it was a 10/10 classic drama, 
But I decided that was all dogma,

... So I started watching it with an attitude, 
Through the entire anime I felt I was secluded in a water tube,
By the end of the tunnel,
I'd have to say I felt pummeled,
This bittersweet taste almost as if a precision meant to be,
But it's all interpretations meant for different viewers to see,
To what extent would someone do to meet,
That special someone you stand next to but cannot breathe,
All dies but mutability,
Yet still they fight until the end without any supernatural abilities,

Complex love triangle twists,
So complex it seems like a mist,
Not everyone will receive bliss,
So then Ano natsu de matteru told me this,
Time will always run out so treasure your current state,
As long as you're with your loved ones you should always stay,
But wait,
Even if your lover is from out of space,
One should still always fight  in their place,
For a simple drama to display this complex math,
What can I say it's directed by J.C. Staff,
But Ah, what a disgrace,
It was for the human race;
Ah, what a pity,
For this anime not the go at a steadier pace,

All the tension for romance is built at first,
But after a few resolves the plot  details just clutched ,
In the first episode there's already fan service,
But from then on its all just seems like cooking Crab meat for breakfast,
Too much richness in contents for the viewer to consume, 
Yet at the same time it's safe to assume;
It seems the director always presumes,
That all the detailed must be zoomed,
Into so much depth,
That it was as deep as death itself,
But to put this matter in a nutshell, 
The characters' backgrounds stand as intriguing as plots by themselves,
The ending was a bit rushed,
But hey, just hush,

With likable characters this anime deserves praises,
All the setting's animation even blazes,
The character designs in their own way all shines,
I wish real life people like them could be mine,
Oh my,
Comedy never seems to be unoriginal through all of this,
Corny jokes, cheesy plot lines, character bloopers all those tricks,
Before it was too late I asked myself,
What if this series was copied off of something else,
Well,
That's not the case so why stress,
Nothing about the characters were a mess,
Unlike other anime you'd actually want to meet them,
They're such congenial people you'd want to befriend them,
Huh?
Nagi an ex supercell member sang the Ending theme,
The song makes other Jpop stars look like some poser it seems,
Melo-dramatic or light-hearted background music fills the air,
Always befitting with the mood, now that's scarce,

Ano natsu is recommended,
For anyone of you left out there stranded,
Waiting for a great drama without too much frustrations,
Unless you disapprove of murky jokes, a bit of fan-service, love-triangles, or a bit of manipulations,
Don't ask me why this poem rhymed,
For even shishi-za doesn't even know why,
I will never forget that one summer, 
When I finished watching Ano natsu de matter..

This Anime is a major disappointment. First off, when I picked up this Anime I simply expected it to be simply slice of life but in the very first episode you have the added twist that two new girls in the group are an alien and someone else with a big secret. The Anime doesn't really flesh that out. In fact, it really doesn't focus on them making the film but instead focuses on the relationships between the characters. Some of the moments were great and enjoyable but other times it felt like I was hitting my head against a brick wall.

Then there is the ... matter of the art work. In the first few episodes the animation was stiff and not very good. Not to mention the character designs weren't strong either when it came to the main characters. I know the two main characters are supposed to be geeky, but the way they were drawn honestly clashed with the designs of all the other characters who had more details and more realism put into their designs. The sound was all right, but nothing that stood out for me.

The characters are very likable and this is the shows strong point, but it is also why this show is such a major disappointment. We have these wonderful characters with wonderful personalities that just aren't allowed to be themselves. There are times they are stiff and at times the show is over wordy, not to mention painful to watch. Some of the interactions are also just not believable and feel forced. I'll state again, this Anime is a major disappointment for me.

I admit, I'm pretty much skeptical at first when I picked up this show. It was on my 50/50 list (50% drop, 50% pick-up). Good thing the female lead was hot. Oh well, time for the review:

Story: Expect the unexpected with this series. The synopsis says that "...a group of friends are trying to make a movie." so I gave this series a try. It started with a nerdy male playing with his old school camera then suddenly something from the sky fell and, wait-- just watch the show to know what happened next. Just give this show a chance, even two episodes will do. ... If you drop it after that then I won't blame you but I'm not saying that you won't regret it but rather, I AM SAYING THAT YOU WILL REGRET IT.

Art: Oh well, as usual, Geneon Universal Entertainment and J.C. Staff never failed to surprise me with their character illustrations. The female lead was drawn so good that I'm amazed by her facial expressions (her smile exactly). Also, the female lead's pet was a little unique. It's so kawaii that I want a plush toy of that pet for myself.

Sound: I'll skip this since I haven't really listening to the music part of this series. I focused on the story part. :D

Character: So we have a beautiful female lead who is supposed to be from "out of the country" and suddenly, she chose to live in a nerd's house. That's everything that I'm gonna tell you since I don't want you to get spoiled. Character development in this series is a bit amazing because everybody's given a chance for love.

Enjoyment: So I didn't dropped this show. After the first two episodes, I got hooked instantly that I always wait at commie fansubs website every Saturday for its weekly release.

Overall: you might call it a cliche but when it comes to love stories, this anime got gold! Like I said, expect the unexpected with this series. You can't go wrong with this.

Ano Natsu de Matteru is the follow up work by Tatsuyuki Nagai (myanimelist.net/people/8539), the same director of AnoHana (myanimelist.net/anime/9989). For me, this was reason enough to jump right on it.

[Story & Character]

In short: A bunch of strong characters stuck in a lackluster story.

It's summer vacation and a group of friends decide to shoot a film together. The romances are the focal points here, no pun intended, and the vacation and the film brings all the characters together episode after episode. It's not a plot-driven show. The viewers have to care about the characters and their emotions in order to enjoy watching this. If you're one ... of those people who have trouble watching slice of lifes because 'nothing ever happens,' this show is probably not for you.

That said, the character design is unique, they are well voiced, and there is attention to detail even in the minor characters' gestures and behavior. The characters are definitely the strong point of this show, and they almost carry it to success. We care about the characters because we like who they are, but we can't empathize and really be moved by them because, unlike in AnoHana, we don't understand and see where the characters have come from in the past. Even though the characters' feelings and responses to heartache are well crafted, the drama has no history, is unsupported by story presented to the audience that can make them understand the unique and dizzying weight of love, and therefore lacks depth.

[Art & Sound]

The sound is average -- not so good that you feel particular tracks move you even as you are watching, not so bad that it's intrusive upon the scene. Stock, unoriginal, unobtrusive, average. The anime equivalent of elevator music.

The art is another standout for this show. The animation is fluid, and even when they are cutting corners, they do it with such artistry that it's hardly noticeable.

[Enjoyment & Overall]

No doubt that there are moments of brilliancy in this show. When the characters confront each other or themselves in some way, you get the feeling of a great underlying potential. However, this potential is unrealized or drowned out by an excess of unnecessary scenes, beating around the bush, irrelevant storytelling that tries to pass off as character development.

While well animated and sporting a cast of wonderful characters -- Kanna, in particular, just makes my heart _melt_ -- AnoNatsu fails in creating the same efficacy of storytelling as AnoHana. I understand it is a different story and deserves a different style, but it lacked elegance and tact in its presentation of this new style.

A 6 out of 10. Which I think is generous, and is mostly for Kanna.

Ok , just 1 more episode to go and we'll probabaly know other details such as:

Is Remon really an alien?

Is there a connection between "Onegai Teacher" and this anime?

............Well, we do know that this 12 episode anime is a remake of "Onegai Teacher" (already stated in MAL's info and in forums). The thing about remakes is that it follows the plot but it doesn't imitate the entire setting and story, in short, it is a complete modification of the orginal show, so that's why we see the chiquita (female lead) being a senior student instead of a teacher and that the muchacho (male lead) is ... a healthty freshman instead of somebody who's prone to be comatos, but it still follow the same romatic sotacon arc... you know, mature lady to young boy kind of relationship and there is still the ET girl meeting human boy kind of thing. But unlike "Onegai Teacher" this is a pure romance kind of thing with a bit of drama and less of the comic on the sides, so for the stoy, I'll give it a "Good" 7.

Art: Mediocre 5.

Don't ask.

Sound: Fair 6.

Well, if you'll compare the opening themes of Onegai taecher and this anime they have the same singer which is KOTOKO, end.

Character: Good 7.

From the very start it is obvious that it going to be a Ichika and Kaito arc and that Kanna is gonna be left on the sides..........but, I'll stop here before I get get arrested by the spoiler police (you know who you are), anyway though there a acretain predictability with the charcters, it still deserves a 7 rating.

Enjoyment and Overall: Good 7.

I'd say that it's good all the way, as much as I want to say more, it'll be better to wait for the final episode.

“We are only truly gone from this world when all memories of us are forgotten, that is true sadness”

Ano Natsu de Matteru is definitely one of the more quirky shows I have seen in a while. It is a harem themed show, but its take on humour is a bit different from most other harem shows and as a result it certainly was a thoroughly enjoyable watch. In English it translates as “Waiting in the summer”. The show first aired in Jan 2012 and after 12 episodes, ended in March. It was produced by Sentai Filmworks, who notably have made highly acclaimed shows such as ... AnoHana and it follows in the same vein as this in terms of themes and art style. This show could be classed under comedy, romance, slice of life, shonen and sci-fi, with the sci-fi element adding that extra bit of quirkiness.

Let’s start with our main character, a high-school student called Kaito, who is a very keen and passionate mini-film maker. He is always carrying his trusty little camcorder and likes to film the smaller moments in life and those small, fun memories. Pair this with his sticking out hair and glasses and you’ve got a perfectly chic looking film-maker. He has some other friends, together with whom he plans to make a short film over the summer to make some fun memories. All these characters have been friends for a long time and have very typical relationships with each other. There is nothing special to add since they seem a very ordinary bunch compared to most anime friendship circles.

There isn’t really an objective to the story of this anime, it’s one of those shows where you can just back and almost observe someone else’s life. This anime is less about its actual storyline, which mainly just includes the friends sorting out their relationships, but more about the feelings it may evoke in different people as the story moves on. The turn of events that tend to unfold are usually quite surprising and while there is no overarching main plot, the show still manages to throw up some quirky situations.

What makes Ano Nattsu de Matteru different from all other such shows with similar themes, is the use of the sci-fi theme and the characters. I’ll start off with the characters, since in a show such as this you can ill-afford a weak casting and with a generic storyline, they are the one of the few highlights you would remember the anime by. The group is comprises of four main characters, Kaito, Tetsurou, Mio and Kanna, the show really starts off when we are introduced to a fifth character, Ichika. Kanna clearly likes Kaito, however the situation changes a bit when Ichika arrives on the scene, you can probably guess the rest. There is also another important character, Lenon, who is introduced early on as well; she attends the same school as the others. She is a quiet but strange character who has a rather mature sense of humour and is also a little mysterious as we don’t get much explanation for her.

Despite the occasional bit of friction, the group are usually functioning well. The show isn’t really split into smaller chunks of changing day-to-day activities, instead it’s broken down into larger segments with each “chapter” having a distinct role to fulfil. In a 12-epsiode show where it’s difficult to really develop a story very deeply, this method of splitting the story up into larger, more meaningful chunks makes the show feel much longer and the characters are done justice. It’s not the kind of show that seems to be over before it’s even started.

Now, onto the part that I’ve mentioned a lot about but haven’t explained, the sci-fi. So far you might be wondering what’s so special about Ano Natsu de Matteru, isn't it just another romance drama and how good can the story and characters really be? Well, the element of sci-fi is actually hinted at straight away in the show from the first episode and it slowly builds up in terms of importance. The normal situations which most dramas tend to have turn into a much more entertaining chain of events thanks to the sci-fi link. In the end, it means perhaps the most bonkers ending to an anime I have ever seen and interspersed in between more serious events, the show really does need this sci-fi element to keep viewers interested. Without this link it really would just be another good show, but it wouldn't give you that nostalgic, special feeling that all great anime do.

I should mention at this point that the use of the sci-fi might not be to all viewers liking. The fact that they’re mixing it in with a romantic drama might take the seriousness off the events. I can understand why some people feel that it’s out of place and in some ways a cop out from making a seriously good middle part to the show. However if you watch it without any reservations from the start and while just coasting along while accepting it’s not all realistic, the show seems to come to life. It gives you that little extra of magic and in the end it helps achieve something that would otherwise be very difficult, even for a normal, full on drama.

The art-style is very similar to that of AnoHana and other works by the same studio. It has a bright and vibrant feel to it, the colours are made a little brighter and bolder to give that summery feeling. The attention to detail is also sufficiently good enough to convey the atmosphere across. The voice acting was average but it was as one would expect. Sounds and music were again well spread out and used well, nothing spectacular here either. OP was good, however I would like to give a special mention about the ED which was superb and complemented the series and summery overtones really well, easily in my top 5 EDs of all time.

So overall, I would like to recommend this show to anyone who likes to just sit back, kick up their feet and watch a show to relax-no deep storylines or tales. This show is more like a wonderfully written chapter in a book, you don’t need the whole story but just a really well done execution.

For recommendations if you like this show or want to see something a bit similar, as I’ve mentioned before I would recommend AnoHana. They are both similar in terms of art-style and also the summer feel. AnoHana is a much deeper tale and in my opinion much better too, so I would probably suggest watching it afterwards.

"I don't want to be chased. I want to be the one chasing. I want to chase the girl I like"


Ano Natsu De Matteru is a short anime that kept me watching episode after episode. I finished it in a single day. In short: Ano Natsu De Matteru is a story about a group of kids making a summer movie. There's love in the air but I think where this anime excels is the parts in which the use of the filming camera by the main character is used in an intelligent way and where messages about life are present.



Story: 8/10


The story gets ... an 8/10 for me. Nothing out of this world but also nothing mediocre or terribly cliche (though it has its cliche moments). The main plot surrounding the making of the movie is interesting and probably where this anime separates itself from others. There are bits of Sci-Fi in this anime along with a reference to pop culture- which made for slightly comedic scenes. The Sci-Fi bits are well done and it isn't your stereotypical anime when it comes to Sci-Fi cliches. It's well done for what it tries to be.




Art and Sound: 7/10


I won't go too into detail about this bit. They have nothing particularly bad or amazing about them. They're above average but I wouldn't say I particularly liked either. The art-style reminded me of Anohana and the sound was decent, but nothing to remember down the line.



Character: 8/10



The characters are well made and actually have decent development for such a short anime. The main character has a likeable awkwardness about him, and most of the supporting characters are also likeable and relate-able. Here are my only issues about the characters:


Kaito looks like a nerdier version of Jintan from Anohana, probably because of similar art-style that I've mentioned earlier.


Ichika can be a little annoying, especially in the beginning.


Mio seems underdeveloped compared to the others. Though that may just be reflective of her quiet personality. It just seems like she got less time than the others on the show.


I definitely found myself loving and relating to Kanna the most. Tetsurou was also a favorite.




Enjoyment: 8/10


While I loved watching episode to episode, this isn't the most enjoyable anime. There are things that could have been done better, but overall this anime left me feeling pretty satisfied. I'm glad I watched it and I would recommend others to watch it too.




Overall: 8/10


Give it a watch if you're looking for a slice of life highschool anime with some romance and sci fi involved! The ending is satisfying and I doubt you'll regret watching this.

Coming into the winter 2012 season, I had two definite shows on my radar: Nisemonogatari and Guilty Crown. I tried out a few more shows but noticed I didn't have a romance anime slated in (I try to have one to balance all the action/comedy out). I caught wind of Ano Natsu de Matteru and decided to give it a go. Not familiar with the individual works of director Tatsuyuki Nagai (Anohana) or Yousuke Kuroda (Honey and Clover), or their collaborations (Onegai Teacher/Twins), I dove in. What I came away with after three months was a ride I wasn't expecting; many manly tears were shed ... in various episodes, and an anime I came in with no expectations ended up becoming my favorite romance anime.

Story: 9/10
Ano Natsu de Matteru really didn't break any barriers or do anything new in terms of storytelling; it was just its execution that really made it a great experience in all its happy highs and heart-wrenching lows. The main character Kaito falls in love with an alien who crash lands on Earth and almost kills him, though he doesn't know that. Yes, an alien. Before you think Ano Natsu is just another cliche "they're gonna fall in love, and she's going to have to leave Earth", consider how other animes of this nature are done, and then watch how Ano Natsu progresses. The feelings of the characters and the chemistry between them drives the story, and this works out beautifully. Every episode grips you, not simply because of the subject matter, but because the growth the characters go through is very similar to the love and friendship pains that you and I have experienced in our lives. In the scenes that truly touch your heart (episode 9 is one in particular), you will find yourself smiling and feeling like Kaito (during the happy times) or teary-eyed and distraught (during the sad times). Yes, people usually watch anime to escape reality, but Ano Natsu hits home and reminds you of past loves, or friendships, or the growing pains and conflicts that come with adolescence and falling in love.

As amazing as the story is to me, I was sometimes disappointed that, yes, Ano Natsu was as cliche as it could get. Granted, often times the story would make up for it, but the fact that you could see certain things coming was a tiny bit off-putting. All in all though, this story will still strap you in a roller coaster of emotions and each episode ending on a cliffhanger will keep you wanting more. This and Nisemonogatari were the two shows that I would be looking forward to all week.

Art: 9/10
The art is beautiful. The character design is great, but in my opinion, leaves more to be desired. This may be because I'm used to more elaborately drawn characters; however the simplicity of the character design does make sense. The settings are drawn well: beautiful skies that reflect the mood, exquisitely drawn lakes, etc.

Sound: 9/10
The soundtrack of Ano Natsu de Matteru is simply amazing. The background music in scenes really accentuates what the characters are feeling and add extra emotion to already extremely emotional scenes. All of that adds up to emphasize the feelings each character in a scene is feeling. The opening "sign" by Ray is a decent song to me, but the ending "Vidro Moyou" by Nagi Yanagi (formerly supercell's singer) is amazing. An instrumental version of the ending would begin to play at the climax of an emotional scene at the end of each episode, which would ultimately build up to a cliffhanger. It is an amazing use of a peaceful yet emotionally charged song to drive home the emotions of the story.

Characters: 10/10
The driving force of this show is the characters and the chemistry that exists between them.

The main character Kaito is your average high-schooler, a shaggy-haired, thick-glasses-wearing photographer/videographer who ends up maturing faster than I've seen any main character in a romance anime.

Ichika, the deuteragonist, is the aforementioned alien, whose shy nature and naive innocence toward love, and eventual lovey-dovey demeanor is portrayed perfectly by Haruka Tomatsu.

Tetsurou, Kaito's best friend, seems like a playboy but is hung up on love just as strongly as the next character I will mention.

Kanna, Kanna, Kanna. She is Tetsurou's childhood friend and completely head-over-heels in love with Kaito. In my opinion, she is the strongest character in Ano Natsu for all she goes through, but the next character I will mention gives her a run for her money.

Mio, who is good friends with Kanna, starts off as the meekest character in the show but eventually becomes one of the strongest and most mature characters in the show.

And then there's Remon-senpai. The trollest troll character I've seen in awhile. She adds the comedy and entertainment to the all the people in love, by either getting them drunk and egging them to make moves, and in some cases even helps characters get over their fears and self-restraint in order to show their true feelings.

The love and relationships between the characters creates the emotions, tensions and conflicts that help keep this show's story so heart-wrenching and powerful. Kaito loves Ichika. Ichika begins to love Kaito. Kanna loves Kaito. Tetsurou loves Kanna. Mio loves Tetsurou. Remon looks over this chain of love like a trolling overlord.

There are a number of scenes that reflect the tensions of love that each character endures, and the one that sticks out the most to me is in episode 2. One can relate to the unrequited love that each character feels, and subsequently feel the turmoil that they do. Even the side characters who only make a few appearances contribute to the plot in major ways.

Enjoyment: 10/10
Like I said before, there were only two shows that I impatiently waited for and was extremely excited over in the spring 2012 season, and Ano Natsu was one of them. I haven't been this excited over a romance anime since Toradora, and I feel like this surpassed Toradora in terms of my sheer enjoyment of it. I loved the roller coaster of emotions that hit me every episode. I loved the cliffhangers that made me ponder what was going to happen next. It was an amazing experience, and even watching the ending brought me to manly tears.

Overall: 9/10 (more specifically 9.5/10)
Ano Natsu wasn't the perfect romance anime; it didn't break any new ground, but it didn't need to. The excellent writing and execution of scenes, as well as the character-driven plot made this anime go. The emotions of love, happiness and heartbreak that each character felt hit close to home, even if I never fell in love with an alien before. The ending wasn't what I expected it to be, but I still loved it. To me, the emotional ride was similar to Toradora but I actually really felt all the feelings of every scene. I can't say that I felt the same for Toradora (which was my favorite romance anime before I watched Ano Natsu), but I also was constrained from really reflecting on the show due to the fact I was pledging a fraternity during its airing. That being said, I believe that Ano Natsu de Matteru is an experience that every anime fan, whether a romantic or not, can relate to and can love.

Re Review

Ano Natsu de Matteru is the same creator as Onegai Teacher. Also the same director as Toradora and Anohana( which i was told). Also the character design is so similar too. The story of Ano Natsu de Matteru is about a group of High School kids who want to make a movie over summer vacation. Kaito( Main Character) sees an object in the sky and it crashes in front of him. The next day he is magically healed and alright. At his school we meet a new transfer student Takatsuki Ichika( 3rd year). Kaito has this mysterious ... connection to her. Kaito decides to let ichika in their group and they plan to make a movie over summer break. He also decide to let Ichika stay over with him and then we find out she is an alien. Hope to see more episodes in the future. 10/10

Story 9/10:
If you are looking for an anime with a soft story with a good love drama. You must watch Ano Natsu de Matteru. With a plot that makes you be looking forward for the next episode, Ano Natsu de Matteru tells a story of a group of friends, new or old ones, that intend to record a movie during de Summer Holidays. But, they are not just friends. Each one has a tipical feeling called love toward another. With this, the plot of the story keeps developing with the intrigue of a girl that love a boy who loves another girl that loves a ... boy that loves the first girl.

Art 10/10:
Ano Natsu the Matteru has a scenario soft that matchs perfectly with the plot. The countryside scenario makes the story look very calm and nice of watching.

Sound 10/10: The opening and ending plus the soundtrack are the winning points of the anime. They give the rhythm to the plot. The opening is fantastic mixing the calm and soft rhythm with a eletronic beat.

Character 9/10: the characters are totally fitted to their posititions inside the plot. They are charismatic characters that makes you keep watching the anime.

Enjoyment 10/10:
I recommend this anime without any doubt. It makes you feel lighter after watching. It's a medicine to our souls.

Overall 9,6/10.

A work inviting the nostalgic elements of the unforgettable Onegai series, Ano Natsu de Matteru broadens the original idea with surprising dramatic elements, twists on cliché comedy, and realistic maturation of stock characters. This is difficult to do with the highly-abused romantic-comedy genre in 21st century anime.

In the beginning, the main character, Kirishima Kaito, films the evening sky pondering the wabi-sabi of afterlife. Suddenly, Takatsuki Ichika, bursts into his empty life with a quirky, sci-fi brilliance. A summer of teenage passion and emotion ensues, all backed by a camera, questionable beverages, men in black suits, horny siblings and alien invasions. Ironically, ... I doubt I’ve surprised anyone so far.

And I don’t intend to do so. What is surprising is that by cramming all of these elements into a half season was actually able to work! Though it is not difficult to throw a teenage romance into any science fiction, Ano Natsu’s atmosphere is significantly more down-to-earth; it is more like throwing science fiction into a teenage romance. This style requires a significant plot and meaningful dialogue, as without it the audience would be more inclined to learn all the goodies about aliens and the appeal of space travel. Ano Natsu survives this potentially fatal topic change by honing in on the simple, cliché questions about love and commitment. In the same regard as Onegai Teacher, love steals the stage from science fiction, setting the series apart from either genre.

At first each character is stock and uninteresting. The main character emulates the undersexed, over-emotionalized egoist that brands any action by his female counterpart as doing something in consequence of him. I grew weary of him quickly, as this is one of the tenants of a male protagonist in Japanese romance, and it drives me utterly insane. Unexpectedly, this weakness is examined thoroughly in one early episode, and the audience starts to see a more three-dimensional character as the plot thickens throughout the series.

Ichika resembles Mizuho from Onegai Teacher a bit too much. I am certain this is partially fanservice to the drooling mob (which I’m included in) that picked up this series. Her character flaws are typical of a stock heroine throughout the entire series, though she throws a surprise here or there to make her seem more authentic. Kanna, too, shares typical flaws of her character type whilst throwing a curveball here or there.
I found Mio to be the most unique character, with Remon coming in a close second. I find it sad that even their characters are becoming a standard in the anime market. Mio’s actions and interests were kept well hidden, leaving me guessing quite a bit about her. Remon’s antics and creepy laugh kept me rolling on the floor, preventing the mood from becoming too melodramatic. Without them the series would have crashed and burned halfway through.

I find now that I only give top scores to experimental animations. Ano Natsu’s animation stays true to the shape of the Onegai series—no evident increase in the standard size of eyes, consistent body shapes, and simple effects. Daydreaming scenes add a little haze of glowing colors, and there is diminution of water droplets or goofy eyes which are prevalent in most romantic comedies. While this is a nice getaway from the standard of this genre, there is little to be breathtaking in terms of artwork.

The opening is reminiscent of KOTOKO’s “Shooting Star,” as is the ending to I’ve’s “Love a Riddle.” Over the years I’ve become an intense music critic, and I cannot say that hardly anything impressed me musically. The lush pop rhythms and consequential music do give a nice flair to the series, but they are commonplace in today’s anime music. The voice acting was superb, although I do miss Kikuko-sama’s gentle, mature voice for the female lead (especially in this genre.) I do find it exciting that the great idol Horie Yui got a small part towards the end of the series, which is perhaps why I am selfish enough to bump the score from as low as a five to a six.

"Ano Natsu de Matteru" - though translated as "Waiting in the Summer," is strange gramatically. "Ano” usually refers to something in the distance (usually in the past), though the verb “matteru” is best translated in the present participle. I’ve found no discussion on it, and simply asking a Japanese results in an “oooohh…I see” and a smirk to deny clarity on it. My best guess has to do with a specific time in the past that is presently being “recalled” by Kaito’s narration.

Since I am a fan of this subgenre, I obviously enjoyed it. This might be okay for those who have significant others, but it would be a big mistake for those who want a colossal plot and complicated characters. Thus, I recommend this to the lovesick, teenage-to-young-adult males who want a few good laughs and gushy romance.



SIDE-NOTE: This is my first review on MAL, and I am pleased to contribute after years of feeling uninspired to express my opinion of anime via the internet. I hope this will be useful for somebody.

Writing this review without making any spoiler is proving much harder than I'd predicted, especially without even mentioning the events in episode 1 or 2, so I suggest you just look at this anime for yourself as my review could well be inaccurate.

However, Ano Natsu de Matteru is the example of what experience, wisdom and a solid background in the setting you're using can accomplish.

The story is certainly among the strong points of Ano Natsu: the plot is enjoyable, fresh and most of all delivered through quite unique narrative devices. However, for how fresh and creatively delivered, I've found it to be a little predictable, ... which explains the -2 to the otherwise 10.

However, I'd say art is one of the big guns for this anime: the colours are vibrant, the photography well tought of, and the composition of the sceneries clearly and well planned: while there's no extremely new setting to praise, the outstanding execution of the sceneries is worthy of honors. The exact same goes for Sound: I wasn't emphatic, but I was impressed.

Characterization is AnoNatsu's focus, and I'd say it's pretty dead obvious. Considering the stakes were this high, you'd think they'd at least fall short of expectations.
Nope.
Each and every character is well defined, even while changing: change's among what makes us human after all, so the ability to keep a character in itself while changing should really, really be praised. Considering this, why didn't I give a 10 to characters? Simply put, I'd have liked to see some more dynamic guys.

Overall, I don't know how much of the anime I was able to convey you without spoilering any part of the story, so really have a look at it and eventually let me know how accurate you've found this review!

Ano Natsu de Matteru is a very strange show. It contains elements that have been done over time again and again. The story seems quite standard: mystery girl from space appears, main character falls in love with space girl leaving behind the short blue haired girl to uselessly follow the main character. You can tell quite a bit about the show from the first episode giving you a clear insight and understanding for this 12 episode series.
It's obvious that even though there is to be a love triangle going on, Kaito will fall in love with the blue haired girl (because the red haired ... girl is from space and will have to leave by the end of the show). The shy hot girl will fall for the hot guy with glasses, and Lemon will be left to wallow in pity for eternity. I already feell like I've known Lemon my entire life and for this I have rated the story a 6.
In terms of art and animation I feel that these are very important aspects to anything. That's why I don't watch anything older than 5 years old because animation quality suffered greatly due to technology being very bad. The very simplistic style of the art helps improve the smoothness of the animation making it seem more realistic. In addition, the opening and ending sequences aren't that good. I am giving the art a 9.
Next is sound. If you have ears this will be an easy show to appreciate. I made sure to turn off my monitor while I watched the first episode (the only episode out) again and it was just a whole new experience for me. I felt like I was there with the characters. But the song for the opening is bad and the ending one is okay. I gave sound a 5.
Now we have come to characters. The main character looks exactly like Jinta from Ano Hana. This makes me believe that this is just a parallel universe from that show. The red haired girl, Ichika, shares a name with the male protagonist from Infinite Stratos. I would like her to make me eat it, if you know what I mean. She also has large breasts which is good for any female character in any kind of show. I don't really like the blue haired girl or Kaito's sister. She seems like a tramp. I give the characters an 8.
I kind of enjoyed watching this show while I did. Especially when I turned my monitor off. So I'm giving it a 10.
Overall I think this is a very good show. They should have picked better songs for the opening and ending sequences though. Some people may think that one episode isn't enough to really go on for reviewing and judging a show (or anything for that matter). But that's all bull poopy. You can easily tell that this show may or may not be the best show of 2012 (or even of all time). So if you enjoy watching anime, I would recommend this show to you for sure. If you don't like watching anime, then you may or may not want to watch this show or read anime reviews.
6 is my favorite number so I am going to give this show an overall rating of 6. Now I feel content with this show in its entirety and don't have to watch the remaining 11 episodes that have yet to air. My duty to my fellow anime watchers is now complete for today!
Oh, and by the way, read the plot synopsis. It's at the top of the page for this show. You don't have to read the synopsis' that other people write in their reviews because people's opinions are like, just their opinions man.

I did not give a straight 10 due art and sound. But on all other aspects it is a straight 10!!! When I read somewhere this was a kind of retelling of OneTei I jumped to it, but I did not expected it to go extremely RIGHT on the aspects I did find fault on one of my best loved animes of all time (OneTei). The Art could have been more similar (Onegai Teacher is gorgeous in that aspect) as well as sound which were flawless on OneTei, but Ano Natsu de Matteru is simply delicious to watch and the plot/characters/story is so well done ... it made me watch it all at once! I went through it all in one go (after two weeks of training on my job that was a nice relaxing time) and it left me with a satisfaction sometimes not found after watching a series. The MIB references were really hilarious and this series rank among those were relationships are not taken in a shallow, idiotic way. All characters are interesting and not a single one is stupid or really infantile. Actions are taken with thought and intent, and there is no reasonlless drama like happened in OneTei at its end (the great flaw at the end of that series, although its manga goes right on that aspect) Characters are sincere and take real action, not wallowing on stupid, stalling drama and self pity or denying themselves like I saw on other similar series. We see characters going after their dreams and the main protagonists are like us, in their doubts and actions. Ok, at the end the action was offboard, but that was ok with the mood, and the Ichigo counterpart here, Lemon (aha, first a strawberry, now a lemon...nice twist if you get what I mean) was great to see in action.

The love entanglements were really well done and even a bit surprising with 3 characters, and really well handled. Had OneTei went like this in regards of the love dramas there it would have been perfect...but then it was close to that anyway.

Best of all, the end is what I was hopping for, and on that aspect mirrorred OneTei (I feared it would not be so but then the last scenes were gratifying and cute).

I would like to see an OVA depicting what came after...maybe not a series (not necessary) but an OVA could be nice, with room for some more comedy this time (so much room there, like Ichika's family, the MIB, the Federation....)

I love this little unpretentious Masterpiece and Ano Natsu de Matteru is for me one of my most loved series!

If you have seen Onegai teacher and thought it was great. This anime is for you. You'll love, but.....

If you have seen Onegai teacher and didn't think much of it or thought it was ok, this anime is probably not for you.

It is pretty much a clone of Onegai Teacher, remade for the 2012. Honestly, so far through 4 or so episodes, it's the same ole same and well, in my opinion it just gets boring.

To make a long story short, this anime is probably not worth my time. It may appeal to others who thought Onegai teacher was great, but I thought ... it was average at best and I don't want to bore myself to death so there you have it.