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A Genuine Masterpiece of Yuri; Or How Shoujo Become Adult

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After international success of "Koe no Katachi" (or, "A Silent Voice,") Naoko Yamada has been regarded as one of leading anime directors. In "Koe no Katachi," Yamada tried to adopt the adolescent's sense of guilt as a main subject and depict how the young overcomes their difficult time of teenage, which was highly reputed both by the folk and by the critics.

As the former work shows, Naoko Yamada tends to depict teenagers' mental conflict, sour-sweet love, and attitudes towards coming future, especially girls. This is true also in the latest featured anime, "Liz to Aoi Tori."

"Liz ... to Aoi Tori" is a kind of spin-off of Kyoto Animation's "Hibike! Euphonium" series. However, though all of characters on the screen are from the TV series, there is no need of watching it before you go to cinemas. Yamada created this movie as a completely independent work.

The protagonist is Mizore, a high-school student and good at playing the oboe. Though she is spending her last year of the school, she have not decided what she will do after graduation. What she always thinks of is Nozomi, her cheerful friend, and, a member of the school band like Mizore is.

For Mizore and Nozomi's final chance of winning the national competition, a coach selects an instrumental composition, 'Liz to Aoi Tori,' which is based on a (fictitious) fairy tale. As the best players of oboe and flute in the club, they starts to practice hard, but it seems that something between them becomes an obstacle to brush up the music, and after realizing that fact the two meet each other in a biology room.

In this work, both Mizore and Nozomi's emotions and standpoints are likened to the characters of the fairy tale, Liz, a lonely girl, and the blue bird, which transforms itself to a girl and starts to live with Liz to heal Liz's sadness. In the end of the tale, the blue bird leaves Liz's house, following Liz's advice. The director, Naoko Yamada, carefully treated this tale and accomplished to make it the framework of the entire anime.

At first, we might consider that Mizore is compared to Liz, for she does not have many friends and tend to bare loneliness. In contrast, Nozomi's gregarious trait easily connects to the cheerful blue bird, which is believed to bring happiness, in our brains.

This assumption leads us to one certain understanding: this movie may be about Yuri or even girls' love between Mizore and Nozomi. True, for Mizore Nozomi is her only friend. Mizore always stands just behind Nozomi and follows her. Such acts reminds us of many Yuri anime/manga.

However, "Liz to Aoi Tori" is not merely a Yuri anime; it depicts how shoujo leave their teenage-like traits, as the blue birds leaves the cage. We cannot deny that "Liz to Aoi Tori" is a masterpiece of the Yuri culture, but this work goes beyond this reputation.

Throughout the story, Yamada rarely depicts landscapes or incidents outside the school. For teenagers, it is school that isolates them from the society; school is the cage. As long as they remain in school, they can be shoujo and avoid from being adult. However, shoujo cannot be shoujo forever, because of request from the world, and of their growing. Someday shoujo will have to fly from the nest. Yamada has already realized it and includes this school - cage metaphor in "Liz to Aoi Tori" to express growing of Mizore and Nozomi after going through their conflicts.

As above, Yamada's ambition easily goes beyond our expectation. What is impressive here is that Kyoto Animation and staffs of "Liz to Aoi Tori" met Yamada's, and our anticipation with highly-refined techniques and unusual talents. Animators succeeded to live up to Yamada's fine direction plans, from where eyes focus to tiny actions of Mizore, which reflects transition of her emotions. Drawings of the fairy tale is also worth mentioning; you might feel as if you were reading an animated picture book.

Music and sound effects are memorable, too. Kensuke Ushio, a composer, again made an unique soundtrack mainly based on notes of piano. Like "Koe no Katachi," Yamada and Ushio used classical piano tunes effectively, which tells us the changes of characters' mind, their maturity and immaturity, and their growing. Sound effects helps such direction using music, so I strongly recommend you to see this work in theater.

With these sophisticated elements, Yamada tried to tell us something important. Back to the theme of this work, the director concisely showed how shoujo open a door to the world, that is, how shoujo leave their young days. As is often the case with Yamada's featured anime, words appeared in her movie are keys. At the beginning of the movie, we see an impressive word: 'disjoint.' Then, Yamada gives us another clue at the end of this work; again she indicates the word 'disjoint' and then she erases a prefix 'dis-.' Paradoxically, by disjointing we can joint; or, by jointing we can disjoint. It will not mean that in order to disjoint we have to joint something in advance; it just implies that jointing and disjointing are supporting each other. Shoujo can be mature women by jointing ties to someone and by disjointing it.

After all, Mizore and Nozomi decided to help each other, though a tragedy has set on. It is that way that they will take to grow up, which indicates us what 'joint' and 'disjoint' mean. Both Mizore and Nozomi are Liz, though the two are also the blue bird. Supporting each other, shoujo will fly to another sky. Naoko Yamada achieved to express it finely. Definitely one of the best anime in 2018.

I've just finished watching all the episodes and now I'm full with satisfaction. This is definitely one of great anime ever.

A Japanese word 'Seishun' is a vague one. Many know a term 'Seishun' but no one can explain it. This is typical especially for teenagers, who are really in 'Seishun.' The young never understands what is 'Seishun,' eagerly hoping for enjoying it.

Mari, a protagonist of this work, is one of such female high-school students. Initially she was just dreaming of enjoying 'Seishun.' Then, after a bit odd encounter with Shirase, she decided to go to the South Pole. This anime depicts how Mari, Shirase, and ... other two heroines, Hinata and Yuzuki went through hardships and shined in a place further than the universe ('Sora yori mo Tooi Basho.')

Yes, 'Seishun' is a kind of light. Like spark, those who are in 'Seishun' emit something bright. This fact is the main theme of this prominent anime.

Throughout the series, four protagonists intentionally or unintentionally sparked so much. They all had trouble; some had a tragic episode with the South Pole, while some had retired high-school. Though so, by, or after, deciding to making a long journey, their lives dramatically started to change as everyone got surprised.

The only difference between heroines and other mobs is whether s/he rushes into one's dream or not. Protagonists never looked back ways they had passed; they just saw their common dream. They just ran through their young ages, shining vividly.

After all, 'Seishun' is presented to those who are trying something with enthusiasm. Mari and three heroines is telling us that fact.

This anime conveys us it in various ways. Direction and photography give us how protagonists shine with much amount of metaphor: blinking city lights of night Shinjuku, aurora, and so on. Splash of waves and crystals of ice could be counted, for they reflect light effectively and just for a instance they flash, like girls in 'Seishun.'

Even the ending song tells us their brightness. Memorable introduction is consisted of a notes of keyboard. Each sound contains much brightness and lightness than the ordinal piano, which give us impression of dazzling sparkles. We have to consider why this loop of keyboards always streams throughout the entire song.

Heroines were worn glittering lights by such techniques and step by step they solved their own problems, leading by the shine of 'Seishun.' Each episode has both comical conversations and a moving end. Every time we finish one of episodes we feel something warm in our heart. Watching over heroines' growing, we remember our young days and seize what is 'Seishun' without any word.

A work which tells us what we cannot explain verbally has tremendous value. In this sense, 'Sora yori mo Tooi Basho' is a genuine art; it is a masterpiece in today's anime culture. We should celebrate this rare appearance of the work, and praise excellent staffs of MadHouse, the studio.

I couldn't refrain from writing a review on this on-going series. In general, remarking on an anime which is now airing is not a good choice, for no one knows where the anime goes but creators.
However, sometimes there are some animes which need to be introduced by someone. Such animes usually do not get popularity; they are even not well-known among anime fans. These animes with high-quality elements are silently waiting for a time when you find them.

"Slow Start" is surely one of such animes.

Sadly, we have only a few reviews on "Slow Start" on MAL. I also checked Crunchyroll but there are also few ... reviewers there, too.

There are some reasons why "Slow Start" is unfairly overlooked, or, even ignored by anime fans.
First, in this 2018 winter, there are a lot of good animes. Maybe you have already decided to watch several animes: "DEVILMAN crybaby," "DARLING in the FRANXX" and so on. They all attract you with exciting battles and complex stories.
Also, even considering an anime maker, A-1 Pictures, by which "Slow Start" is created, has four animes in this winter, surprisingly. Even if you choose animes you watch by a company, "Slow Start" might be hidden by "DARLING in the FRANXX."
Moreover, it seems that "Slow Start" does not have its own features, I mean, does not has an unique point. This work is based on Kirara (I hope you know what is Kirara...... one of the most famous manga magazines in Japan; usually works on Kirara is about daily-lives of girls,) but this winter we have another Kirara anime; "Yuru Camp." In Japan "Yuru Camp" gets more popularity than "Slow Start," that is, it appears that "Slow Start" hides itself behind "Yuru Camp."

Of course there are some who have been paying attention to "Slow Start" before it started to air on TV, included me.
I decided to watch "Slow Start" in last autumn because its staffs were famous and had created some excellent animes.
A director is Hiroyuki Hashimoto. He is famous for its directing of "Gochuumon wa Usasgi desu ka?" and some other animes. He is regarded as one of experts who can create good Kirara animes.
A main screenwriter (Series Kousei, in Japanese) was also involved with "Gochuumon wa Usagi desu ka?" So we could easily imagine that "Slow Start" would become a good anime before we really watch it.
I also noticed that Masato Anno made character designs. He was (is) also a chief director of animations (Sou Sakuga Kantoku, in Japanese.) I got really excited to get this news because I thought he was one of hopeful animators in Japan. He was once involved with "Flying Witch," which is a excellent TV series and is about daily-lives of some witches in rural areas in Japan.
Therefore, we can say "Slow Start" is a daughter of "Gochuumon wa Usagi desu ka?" and "Flying Witch."

Still, how many people of you are interested in staffs of anime? Maybe one in ten anime fans, at most. So, it is natural that "Slow Start" is buried by a great amount of TV animes (over 50 titles!) in this winter.

However, "Slow Start" goes beyond my expectation.

There is a possibility of "Slow Start" being a milestone of animes which focus on daily-lives of girls, including Kirara anime.
That's why I started writing a review of "Slow Start."

At first, I didn't understand the meaning of "Slow Start" (actually, it has a hidden meaning revealed in the very last scene of the episode 1, but of course it has more implication.)
However, I noticed the concept of "Slow Start" when I was watching the episode 1.
"Slow Start" has an advertising phrase (in Japan it is called 'Catch Copy'):

"Shiawase wa, yukkuri hajimaru."

(Happiness starts slowly.)

Clearly, this phrase is based on its title "Slow Start." Some of you might think this phrase too simple. I have the same idea.
As I said above, Kirara animes are usually about daily-lives of girls. Such lives depicted in Kirara animes are free of busyness and responsibility, and girls are safe from the approaching shadow of time. It is widely said that Kirara animes have gotten popularity because anime fans require the anime world to be so, as in the real world we are afraid of time.
In Japan, such lives girls in animes live are called 'Slow Life' (actually in Japanese slow life has a different meaning from that of this context --- in this review, I mean, life is 'slow' and it does not refer to what the Japanese usually calls 'slow life.' Therefore I capitalize 'Slow Life.') So it is too natural that "Slow Start" depicts 'SLOW Life' because it is a Kirara anime.

However, when the episode 1 went to the end, I realized that "Slow Start" was (and, is) trying to express something different.
In the latter half of the episode 1, a protagonist, Hana, goes to a street stretching to a station, where trees of cherry blossoms are beautiful. Initially she did not have an intention of going there, but as her new friends, Tamate, Eiko and Kamuri, called out her she decided to do so.
Under beautiful cherry blossoms, Hana walks slowly with other three characters. And then, here comes an important cut.
All of four are in the cut, but I feel it a little strange. They walk through the street, but Hana is depicted smaller than other three. It means that Hana is walking BEHIND other characters, not WITH.
It is strange. Usually, in Japanese anime, cherry blossoms (sakura) are really important and therefore used in important scenes. Such important scenes are usually set for a protagonist, or, at least, a heroine in love stories (if you get confused, please watch "Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata" and you can easily grasp what I mean.)
"Slow Start" does not do so. While Tamate, Eiko and Kamuri are all cheerful and glad, Hana's emotions are left in anywhere in the world, it appears, because Hana is depicted too small and we cannot see her facial expressions. It implies that she is hiding something, and due to something hidden she covers her emotions.
Hana has serious anxiety of making good friends. She is actually very glad to making new three friends, but because of her complex pasts she has to be behind them.
Then, we again see the advertising phrase.

"Shiawase wa, yukkuri hajimaru."

(Happiness starts slowly.)

Yes, happiness starts slowly. We can paraphrase it as "You walk slowly to get happiness."
True, "Slow Start" is one of Kirara animes and depicts 'Slow Life.' Still, Hana's standpoint is a bit, only a bit behind than that of other characters.
"Slow Start" is now trying to express how Hana and other several characters approach happiness. She never wait for happiness; rather, she has decided to walk again. It seems that this anime wants to tell us that we should start to walk to Happiness slowly. At least, I received a power of doing so from "Slow Start."

The director, Hashimoto, and A-1 Pictures' staffs including Anno made great effort to depict such a concept.
You may find as soon as you start to watch episode 1 that characters move vividly in the anime. Yes, this anime contains as much amount of pictures as we are dazed.
Not only the quantity of pictures and inbetweens, but the quality of them is also impressive. Especially in episode 1 animators succeeded to catch characters' movements precisely and trace them finely. Human beings cannot move their legs or arms without moving other physical parts. Staffs of "Slow Start" understand this fact well and use it in order to depict characters as if they are really living in the world.
Storyboards are also worth mentioning. Especially in episode 6, where the director Hashimoto makes a storyboard, Hashimoto uses his skills and talent fully, creates an unique story and gives the episode its own 'rhythm' of storytelling. You might feel as if you watched an extra episode of "Gochuumon wa Usagi desu ka?" when you watch the episode 6 of "Slow Start."
Characters are in warm atmosphere the director and other staffs create, and they are given real 'anima' ...... of course the origin of the term 'animation,' by talented animators.

Before I finish to write this review, I would like to cite lyrics of ending theme, "Kaze no Koe wo Kikinagara" by Sangatsu no Phantasia.
Sangatsu no Phantasia is a music group who is now getting popularity among anime fans in Japan. The vocalist's voice is so clear that we feel our hearts are purified by their songs.
Her gifted voice is prominent also in "Kaze no Koe wo Kikinagara." She accomplishes to sing its warm lyrics carefully.

Chippoke na kakushigoto wo hitotsu

(I have a secret, no one knows but only me.)

This line seems to refer to Hana, or other characters, or even us, as everyone has at least one secret.
Yes, this song is for Hana, but also for us, as "Slow Start" is about Hana but also for us.

Kaze no koe wo kikinagara
Kawariyuku kisetsu wo omou
Itsuka chiisana himitsu
Hanaseru hi ga kuru yo ne
Aserazu aruite ikou

(Listening to the voices of winds
I think of transition of seasons.
I'm sure the day will come
When I tell a tiny secret to firends.
I will start to walk without hurry.)

The song tells us that sharing a secret is a symbol of deeper friendship...... some would argue that it is by sharing a secret that we MAKE firendship, though.
Whether Hana will tell her secret to her friends in the end is a tiny matter. I won't mean that between Hana and others there are only a fake-friendships; their bonds are really strong.
What is important is that even bearing a secret and hard pasts we can be happy by ourselves. "Slow Start" tries to describe such an essence of life by depicting 'Slow Life.' This tough challenge makes "Slow Start" special.

NOTE:
Cited from:
Kaze no Koe wo Kikinagara/ Sangatsu no Phantasia
Lyrics, composed & arranged by 40mP
Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.
In Japan the right of citing is guaranteed if citation is used for creating literature or writing criticism.

I strongly recommend you to watch "Konohana Kitan," especially those who are interested in "yuri" culture but still hesitating to get involved with it.

I know some of you avoid "yuri" culture, saying 'I'm not interested in it,' or, 'I don't know well what is yuri.'
True, "yuri" culture is a one which is not well-recognized also in Japan. It is often misunderstood. Furthermore, even among "yuri" culture fans there are some conflicts over the definition of the term "yuri." Some says that "yuri" is equal to a term "girls' love" or "lez (shorten form of lesbians)." On the other hands, others argue a word "yuri" focuses ... on spirituality of girls and therefore sometimes includes friendship while sometimes excludes "girls' love." It is a confusing problem, so I won't talk about it here.
What is sure is, although there are some groups in "yuri" culture, all of them admit that "Konohana Kitan" is a genuine "yuri" work.

"Konohana Kitan" is about bit-strange lives in a Japanese hotel (actually 'Kitan' stands for 'a strange story,' but in this title a Chinese character of 'ki' is different from that in usual use.) A protagonist, Yuzu, is a new face of nakai (waitress.) She spends a bit odd but calm days there with her colleagues.

The main theme of this work is to express growing relationships between a few pairs of couples: Yuzu and Satsuki, Natsume and Ren, and Sakura and Kiri.
These three couples are all "yuri," that is true, but they are different from each other, and that's why I recommend beginners to watch "Konohana Kitan" first, for by doing so you can understand the framework of "yuri."
The first couple, Yuzu and Satsuki' s relationship is a typical one, I mean, it is popular in "yuri" culture. One is an innocent, gentle girl and friendly to anyone, while the other is strict but actually kind. In such cases the strict one has often already noticed actual feelings of oneself towards the innocent one. In this specific case, thanks to Yuzu's effort and personalities, Satsuki, the strict and stubborn one, gradually opens her mind towards Yuzu. "Konohana Kitan" precisely describes the change of Satsuki's attitude towards Yuzu throughout a episode and the series, which is highly reputed among "yuri" culture fan, included me.
The second pair, Natsuki and Ren, is a little easier to grasp, for a girl is obviously in love with the other. A boyish one seems to be childish, not to understand girls' emotions. The girlish one sometimes gets angry to the other, but in the end she again falls in love to the other. This structure is similar to that of shoujo manga, so you might get to be familiar with this relationship sooner. Of course, this relationship is also "yuri." A bit complicated?
The last one, Sakura and Kiri, is a so-called 'oneloli' couple, I suppose. Why I cannot declare is that it is a bit far from the mainstream of 'oneloli' today. 'One (not a number!)' is a shorten form of 'oneesan (=an elder sister, an elder woman),' and 'loli' means, you know, 'a girl, especially an elementary school student.' This relationship focuses on <mothership,> a personality of being mother or an elder woman, and on traits of really a young child. It is different from the relationship of real mother and daughter, so please be careful. Kiri is just a mature woman, and Sakura is just a child, which is the epitome of 'oneloli.' This is a difficult couple to understand, but you might gradually get familiar with it.
As above, each couple has its own features. What is excellent is that "Konohana Kitan" has succeeded to describe all the features of each couple. It is not an easy task; rather, a tough challenge. The creator of the original work understand "yuri" culture deeply and also anime staff makes effort to reproduce the atmosphere the original has. The very fruit of such works is the anime series of "Konohana Kitan."

Anime staffs have really tried hard to reconstruct the original. Character designs are almost the same to those of the original manga. They also focus on background arts: using CG carefully, they makes backgrounds full with Japanese traditional sense, such as washitsu, a Japanese garden and so on.
Japanese cultures are also found in many parts: "Konohana Kitan" pays attention to the change of four seasons, and express it with plots, backgrounds, and detailed BGMs. "Konohana Kitan" carefully describes a tiny tiny transition of girls' delicate emotions with sophisticated aura which is created by each element.
Totally, "Konohana Kitan" is also a quality-guaranteed anime. This is also a reason why I would like you to see it.

I want to stress that "yuri" is not a merely "girls' love," not even friendships between girls. In Japan there are an amount of "yuri" manga whose protagonists are matured women (mainly 20~29 years old.) This fact implies that "yuri" is not so strongly connected with ages. I know this fact may confuse you. Such difficulties are causes of avoidance. However, I also feel that it is plenty numbers of sub-categories that have been promoting today's growth of "yuri" culture. I hope you comes in contact with "yuri" culture by watching "Konohana Kitan." It is only you who know the answer to this question: 'what is a funny point of "yuri" cultures?' It's time for you to search for your own answer.

Kyoto Animation is a leading anime maker in Japan. Its overwhelming techniques of inbetweens, CGIs and photography sometimes become symbols of Japanese high-quality animations. These days in Japan, there are some critics which argue that Kyoto Animation won't pay attention to plots. However, this 2016 film "Koe no Katachi ('A Silent Voice' if translated)" wipes away such misunderstanding.

The plot is based on a comic by Yoshitoki Oima. A protagonist, Shouya, by chance meet again a girl, Shouko, who has a hearing impairment and was heavily teased by Shouya in their elementary-school-days. Shouya has been blamed for bullying for Shouko for a long time and in ... return was teased by others, too. After such a hard time, he completely lost vitality. This film focuses on how Shouya and Shouko re-find the meaning of lives.
The director, Naoko Yamada, is famous for "K-ON!" and "Tamako Love Story." Her talent has been already obvious before the film was released. If you see Yamada's featured anime, you would feel you have watched a film, not an anime. It seems that Yamada aims to make her work a film to some extent.
In "Koe no Katachi," you also find such features in many scenes. It appears that Yamada's strategy was completed, thanks to the techniques Kyoto Animation has. For instance, skills of photographing processing make Yamada's movie as if it was really a film.
Yamada fully uses these techniques and depicts Shouya's, the adolescent's sufferings precisely. She succeeded to trace such complex emotions.
You are sometimes confused by characters' behaviors except for Shouya's. It is not clearly described in the film. However, paradoxically, it IS Yamada's plan. Yamada adheres to Shouya, and her camera is always next to him (actually Yamada confirms this fact.) Hence what Shouya cannot understand is not recorded. It means that you never grasp why other characters, especially Shouko, behave as so. It also implies that Shouya at first could not catch others' deeper feelings. By depicting Shouya's immaturity in detail, Yamada accomplishes to make a dramatic ending.

I cannot underestimate the effect of music, too. Kensuke Ushio deeply understand what Yamada wants to express, and makes an unique soundtrack. If you can get a Blu-ray, please watch this film with special soundtrack, and you will seize the essence of "Koe no Katachi." I also strongly recommend to watch this film with superior acoustic equipment, for Ushio and Yousuke Tsuruoka, a chief of sound effects, made effort to reproduce the world the hearing impairment hears.

Some may say that this film is far from the original work. It is true that Yamada and Reiko Yoshida, a screenwriter, boldly reconstruct the original and omit many episodes irrelevant to Shouya and Shouko. However, I strongly stress that by doing so Yamada achieved to extract the essence of the original manga.
One would die without any traces or insinuations. People would not understand each other. However, though the world is even full with loneliness, there is a chance of living together for everyone. This film confirms such an optimistic idea and give us "the meaning of life." After watching this film. you might say to your dearest one, "please help me to live."

There are many works which are said the masterpiece of Japanese anime. However, if asked, ' what is the masterpiece?' by those who have just started to watch anime, I will recommend them this 1973 work, "Alps no shoujo Heidi (or, just 'Heidi')."

It is based on a fiction 'Heidi' by Johanna Spyri, but the staffs of "Alps no shoujo Heidi" made some changes. They focused more on the way Heidi lived in Alps and in Germany, and on the relationships between characters, that is, the staff depicted the daily-lives of characters.
This TV series was directed by Isao Takahata, famous for "Panda Kopanda," "Hotaru ... no haka" and so on, with Hayao Miyazaki, also famous for academy-award-winner "Spirited Away." It is not a well-known fact that Takahata and Miyazaki in their younger days made this work. The fact implies that "Alps no shoujo Heidi" is not only reputed as a well-made work, but it has a historical value. If you are interested especially in the history of Japanese anime, this title is must.

Speaking of its historical worth, I cannot overlook the work of Miyazaki. He helped Takahata well and drew all the layouts of this 52-episode anime series. This is a surprising fact.
(NOTE: in Japanese, 'layout' means 'the very important drawing in the cut, included background'; in anime animators do not depict backgrounds but layouts include background. Usually 30-minute long anime is composed of 300 cuts, so there are 300 layouts in one episode.)
Miyazaki's work is also found in many parts of this anime. He was also involved with direction. Therefore you can easily understand how great Miyazaki was, and still he is, by watching "Heidi."
There are more historical achievements in this anime, but I cannot write down all of them, so if you got interested, please check them.

Thanks to Miyazaki's effort, and other talented staffs including Yoshiyuki Tomino and Yoichi Kotabe, "Alps no shoujo Heidi" made a big success.
As for storyboard, it is still one of good models of anime today. "Heidi" could express Heidi's innocence, Peter's cheerfulness, Clara's agony, and Uncle's conversion. With precise backgrounds (thanks to a location hunting, which is the first one in Japan's TV anime history,) you can feel as if Heidi and other characters really smiled and cried.
As I said, the plot mainly traced the original, so I won't mention it in detail. Takahata and Miyazaki's success is that they succeeded to describe tiny changes of emotions with delicate directions, animations and the story. This success influenced (and, still influences) the later works, I mean, Japanese animators became to depict daily-lives of characters, not a Hollywood-like spectacle. In this sense, "Heidi" is the most important work of all.

Of course, you sometimes find its old-fashioned aspects, such as the designs of characters, recordings, and other technical constraints. However, this work for certain contains the essence of anime. You will soon notice that only a few titles can perfectly imitate "Heidi," and there are an amount of anime which aimed to "Heidi."
After 25 years, it is still a key work in Japan's unique anime world. It is when you notice the excellence of "Heidi" that the time you became interested in anime anew comes.

These days, the number of anime(s) which focus on relationships among the young, especially teenagers, has been increasing. Behind this phenomenon there is strong effect of "Tamako Love Story," which was once pointed out by the producer of "Tsuki ga kirei."
Anyway, this work is also about love between high-school students. Amazingly, it succeeded to describe teenagers' complicated and delicate emotions.

I had been interested in this anime since it had been revailed, for the director was Seiji Kishi. He is famous for "Seto no hanayome," "Yuki Yuna wa yusya de aru," and so on. In Japan he is recognized as one of the great directors in ... this age. Therefore, it is natural that not only I but many anime-funs payed attention to this work.
However, while I was really looking forward to it, I could not deny that there was a little anxiety. It is said that it is difficult to depict a school-life as if it really exists in our world, especially a love-romance between a boy and a girl. Also, the director, Kishi, had not created such TV animes yet. So, having worry, I started to watch this series.

Fortunately, my worry gradually disappeared as the story went on. Kishi and writers carefully describe many characters with precise background arts, detailed animation (not anime, I mean, the arts of animation,) and some songs.
The protagonist, Kotaro, had a difficult time: the things wouldn't go on as he wished. He couldn't achieve anything no matter how much effort he made. He sometimes got frastrated, as YOU once experienced.
In this story, such frustration was delicately depicted with many Japanese novels; maybe the most difficult part to understand for those who aren't familiar with other Japanese cultures. As Kotaro likes to read Japanese literature, he often cites its phrases, especially those of Osamu Dazai. The Japanese understands easily that also the title "Tsuki ga kirei" is influenced by Japanese literature. As the title implies, Kotaro's adolescence is decorated with such novels which are now thought as masterpieces. The writers succeeded to describe Kotaro's life as novelists in the Meiji or the Taisho era might write.
Such atmosphere is strengthened by background arts. Many articles which includes interviews state that the stuff over and over visited Kawagoe, where the story takes on, and made effort to imitate antiquity of its landscape. Thanks to such detailed backgrounds, the story is enveloped by smells of Japanese traditional cultures.
The stuff, mainly composed of Feel. (an anime studio), also work hard to animate characters. I was surprised by its precise animation. Kotaro smiles slightly, runs hardly, and dances seriously. Of course other characters "LIVE" vividly in the world of "Tsuki ga kirei." It is a kind of shock in the industry of TV anime at the time, really.
It is worth pointing out that some tunes of Nao Toyama also enforces staging of this title. Her warm voice certainly watches over characters' growing-up.
Yes, characters grow up through the series. As I mentioned, this title focuses on relationships between boys and girls. They are confronted by many difficulties. The success of "Tsuki ga kirei" is that it does not depicts only love affairs but through love it describes many aspects of adolescence: suffering, sadness, agony, and, joy. Going through hard experience, they step by step become adult. You may remind of your younger days and feel sympathy.

It is difficult to trace the way the young in Japan loves, cries, and lives. However, the stuff of "Tsuki ga kirei" made it.
There are no magic spells in this story, but for certain there is a magic Kishi and Feel. stuff make. It is one of milestones in the 50-year history of Japanese TV anime.