Ranked #662

Kimi-kiss ~ pure rouge

Wow. Just wow. After watching the last episode of Kimikiss, I can say that this was one of the best romance animes I've seen in a long while.

Story
The story is so simple ... it's about true love. We all chase it, but not all catch it. And that's what our two main guys are doing as well. Revolving around the typical high-school environment, two events of the first episode put a whole romance story in motion, a romance story you probably won't forget that easy. It seems so simple and human that you easy forget about this world and live the feelings of the characters involved in this story. As in all romance animes, the drama can't miss out, and you'll find many moments when you'll actually feel like crying if you put yourself in a certain character's situation (like I do, usually). One thing I didn't like was the ending, since I hoped I could see a bit of a "1 year later" story but it ended kind of abruptly. Well, nevertheless, the story is probably the greatest thing about Kimikiss.

Art
I've heard some people don't like the artwork from Kimikiss and I certainly don't know why, because I consider it pretty good. The characters are drawn good (even though it has a different style than other animes), the background scenery is pretty good as well so I see no reason why I shouldn't give it an 8. Plus, in episode 20, when they changed the art for the Kazuki-Eriko scene, it was very interesting to see that depth in the eyes, that facial expression that few animations can give, even for one episode.

Sound
Not much to say about this part. The OST is very good and the background music fits the anime like a glove. Not to mention the great OP/ED songs that can really make you sing along with 'em. "Aozora Loop" is one of my top 5 songs since the anime started airing due to the exciting feeling it gives you if you're actually in love. It's one of those songs that make being in love a happy, cheerful and awesome thing, like you forget all the bad parts.

Character
Character was one of the things that caught me from the first episode. The variety of girls fits a harem anime, yet one of the main elements here are the guys. It's the first romance shows I've seen that actually has 2 main guys, so two main stories at the same time. You can see them throughout the anime how they become from the inexperienced, lonely bums to guys that know how to face the facts and have the guts to get past the obstacles in their way. They fall in love, and that's what makes them stronger. I really think the characters made this show more worthwhile.

Enjoyment
I loved it. From the first episode that aired in the autumn of 2007 to the last episode in spring 2008, I loved this anime. Back then, when I saw the first episode, it captured me and didn't let me go. I still love it even now and I'll keep it because I'll surely watch it again someday, probably when love strikes me. Here's one anime that deserves a hats off. Good job, Lantis, Bandai, J.C. ... good job.


Final Overall Grade: 8.6, rounded up to 9 read more

A satisfying Rom/Com that focuses not only on a main boy & girl but on all the stars of the show. This series has a very casual feel to it, with a typical level of teenage angst.

KimiKiss ~ Pure Rouge is a Slice of Life, Romance anime about the daily lives of high school students. Unlike most of the “visual novels” – to – “anime adaptations”, this one does not carry an overall theme or concept but it’s just about normal daily lives of the characters. The story itself is very casual so some may get bored of it but as a person who’s seen numerous romance anime, I enjoyed the lack of comedy and intense drama. Seeing how there’s not too many relationship dilemmas that make it feel overbearing, all that is left to do is relax and enjoy the flow of the steadily paced story.

With no real emphasis put on the story, it's the characters that bring it all to life. Instead of being focused on the protagonist and heroine(s), like most shows tend to do, we get a bunch of teenage boys and girls that get a fair bit of time and development each. Of course there will be certain characters you’ll favor over others; it just feels good to have a choice.

The animation both had its good and bad points. The environments and backgrounds had a painted watercolor look, which made the superbly drawn characters stand out. Yet due to the lack of detail in the backgrounds, the bits of CG used really stood out but these are only minimal issues. The music was alright, I guess, but it felt uninspiring and the OP or ED themes aren’t something you’d really want to listen to either, until we get to the 2nd ED.

Overall KimiKiss ~ Pure Rouge is a surprisingly enjoyable Rom/Com to watch with its best merit being that it develops each of the different characters well and also their different relationships are also quite refreshing to watch. Being a Rom/Com there are bound to be some typical clichés but it still manages to do a good job in focusing on the various romances without getting too dramatic. So in the end this series has enough for romance lovers enjoy or feel content with but it isn’t good enough to convert non-romance anime fans.

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