You're an individual who has a troubled past. You have been ostracized by various circumstances and nowadays, you don't give a damn what anyone thinks about you or your life. That is till you meet one of the hottest student at school who takes an interest in you. Your heart pounds and for the first time in your life, you give a damn about your life and those around you especially regarding that student. That, my friends, is where Sukitte Ii na yo shines. It's a discovery and it's a classic.
Sukitte Ii na yo (also known as Say "I Love You".) is an anime series adapted from the manga written by Kanae Hazuki. The animation studio, Zexcs handles its production which is already known for some of its past works in the romance department such as Da Capo, Fortune Arterial, and H2O: Footprints in the Sand. The series fits within the romance and drama side as opposed to a pure romantic comedy because of the story involved.
Like I mentioned before, the series is a classic for those into the shoujo medium. It is like a breath of fresh air to watch especially with the lighthearted backgrounds presented. For those into some school drama involving the typical high school life, it's like a journey all over again.
The series kicks off with a girl named Mei Tachibana. She is nothing special although she used to get well along with others. Unfortunately, it seems that events in the past has shut her down and made her an unsociable person. In fact, classmates who knows her describes Mei as a girl who keeps to herself with little words and a person stuck in her own little world. Yet at the same time, we can see Mei as an honest girl who is caring, loyal, and willing to help others when the time calls for it. But time isn't always on her side especially during a day when she bumps heads to heads with the most popular student at school.
Here's where the drama kicks in and his name is Yamato Kurosawa.
Yamato is one of the most popular guys at school and his name may even suggest a male version of Yamato Nadeshiko (no pun intended). He meets Mei in a very unusual way at school and later on so helps her with a problem involving a stalker. Yikes! Now, from there on and out, the two forms a bond despite Mei's stubbornness.
Now, the duo seems to very incompatible at first glance. I mean, Mei is one of the most plain looking girls at school with a plain way of dealing with her life. On the other hand, Yamato is the most popular guy at school who is idolized by many of the students. Sounds like living on the opposite of the world, right? Yet, what these two individuals share in common is their willingness to take on life itself with their ways of helping others and discover themselves. It's a pleasant watch and a rare gem we don't see too common in today's shoujo theme series. Later on, Mei and Yamato forges a relationship that seems to get quite the attention.
I honestly think the duo are quite compatible that balances out each other. We know that Mei is a plain looking girl who is clumsy yet very honest with herself and with others. Yamato often goes out helping his classmates as well by putting others above himself. We can see that he dislikes people who just likes him for his appearance. When Yamato realizes that Mei likes him beyond just his physical appearance, the two becomes quite compatible. Although loathed by some of the other students at school, they are a good match.
The other characters also plays their roles in the story as well that often brings forth new surprises and obstacles to the couple. That brings for the drama into the series.
On the male side, we have Kai Takemura who has very similar circumstances with Mei. Both of them had a past they wish they can forget but they manage to move on. After their encounter, Kai becomes part of the love triangle between Yamato, Mei, and himself. It's drama to the D especially when we see Yamato's jealous and defensive side. On the female side, there is Megumi Kitagawa. She is seen as an idol on similar status with Yamato and is possibly what Mei wants to be: popular and beautiful. Yet, we see behind that outer shell is a very insecure girl who seems sweet but is only aiming at her own goals, aka Yamato. The three of them is a love triangle that makes Mei once again examine herself and the relationship she forms.
The overall execution of the series follows that typical shoujo theme ways of portraying its ways, settings, and backgrounds. As such, expect some cliched and predictable moments especially between the duo of Mei and Yamato. Even from the pilot episode, it can be easy to tell where the direction the two are heading. The misunderstandings and some of the drama are also easy to see through especially involving Megumi. It's no surprising either that in high school, all sort of situations happen and love is may just be one of them. The series takes that love between the duo and drives it throughout each episode as obstacles and events are presented. It shows how much they discover themselves and how much they can change when they understand each other.
The artwork of the series is quite realistic and portrays the backgrounds with the school life setting. The various classrooms, playgrounds, and characters are real and needs to be in that way to convey to the viewers what high school is all about. Yuka Hirama (the art director) does a wonderful job of that crafting the characters. Mei is painted as a plain looking girl. Yamato is painted as cool looking guy. Megumi is painted as a school idol with a beautiful figure. Kei is painted as a guy that used to have a rebellious nature. It is all there and the audience can see how each of them fits within their boundaries within the artwork department.
Similarly, the soundtrack of the series is lighthearted. Although not too well known, Yuuji Nomi engineers the series' music with his skills to create a sense of being there. It's nothing too special because it mostly is lighthearted and hardly noticeable at times. However, it is a sweet melody that depicts the settings and the characters especially the opening song. "Friendship ~ for Sukitte Ii na yo" by Ritsuko Okazaki is a very lighthearted song that gives off that melody of sweetness which depicts the duo's sweet relationship. Similarly, the ED song follows the same suit to match the lightheartedness of the series.
All in all, Sukitte Ii na yo is a pleasant series to watch. The relationship between Mei and Yamato is quite warming and realistic to what some of us may have experienced during our teen years. It's heartwarming, sweet, and at the same time has drama to it especially involving the other characters. It is also a shoujo that fits within its boundaries without going over heels or trying too hard. Ultimately, it's a rare little gem that deserves praise for its beauty.
