- Last Online5 hours ago
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- BirthdayApr 21, 2001
- LocationMexico
- JoinedApr 24, 2019
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Aug 2, 2022
Slight spoilers
Ao Haru Ride is a series that stands out among the shōjo genre; yes, shōjo isn’t a genre, but a demographic, I get it. Now, the fact that even with the vast number of titles in the medium, Io Sakisaka manages to write a unique story that breaks the mold of shōjo. Not because it has an original concept, after all, it is full of melodramatic moments that one would expect from a school romance; but because she uses those same clichés to her advantage to explore the characters and give them purpose, without limiting them to a predetermined archetype.
Characters
In my opinion, it is
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the strongest point of the series. Kou is your typical arrogant and nefarious boy, which at first made me almost drop the series, having seen the same gimmick been used before, I simply wanted to crack the boy's neck every time he breathed. But the series takes the time to actually explain Kou's personality and the circumstances that led him to that point. On the other hand, Futaba our protagonist, is also taken to consideration where the manga slowly but surely unwraps her feelings, and we as we the reader con see the sequence of thoughts in each of her internal monologues, to understand the reason why she likes Kou, and not just a vague “love at first sight”.
But personally, the aspect that I liked the most about the manga were the secondary characters. Their roles are not limited to serving as support for the protagonists. The author pays special attention to the person of each one of them. From the love triangle with Yuuri (the cutest of the county), and later with Kikuchi, are executed satisfactorily. Among all, Kominato is without a doubt my favorite. Usually the "friend" of the male protagonist is usually a clown, the joke of the class and only appears for comic effect. The fact that he had a genuine friendship with Kou was fundamental in his character development, and certainly a breath of fresh air for the series.
Enjoyment
Now, if you like drama, you’ll like Ao Haru Ride. It sure has its ups and downs, but if you are not used to reading shōjo, this may not be a good starting point. As for me I enjoyed reading each chapter. I suffered, laughed, got frustrated and celebrated with the characters. The artwork was a crucial element for this, being able to convey the emotions of the characters just by seeing their faces, is something that I will never get tired of. My only complaint is that the series ends when they end up together, when I would’ve love to see what their life as a couple would be like. Overall, this manga has become one of my favorite shōjos, and will definitely recommend it if you like this “demographic” well.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 10, 2022
With Kitagawa, Marin sweeping the popularity polls in the spring season, many speculated who would be the new face of summer; and Shikimori-san was a strong contender.
Keeping it simple, Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san is a slice of life / romcom in its purest form. The series starts with our protagonists in an already established relationship, with this, the first chapters focus on showing us the role of each one within it yet, a lot of people didn't like the dynamics this duo. Shikimori-san would be the dominant one in, whereas Izumi was much more passive (a bit too passive). It seems that the series
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would only show us the same formula: Izumi, a pathetic and miserable being, would be safeguarded by his girlfriends assertiveness (AKA "she's so cool"), but it couldn't be further from the truth.
The plot is simple, being a slice of life, the story revolves around mundane events, but relevant for are characters; you know, we got the school festival, the summer vacation trip, the sport festival, the "date" episode"; where even the smallest moments take a big roll for its narrative. There really are no major conflicts, though some chapters have a deeper tone with little drama, but ultimately is resolved in a satisfactory way; In addition, it does a great job exploring side characters, which already is a huge improvement for a lot of slice of life animes, being more than support cast, the viewer actually cares for them.
As if that were not enough, visually it is very striking, with vibrant colors and very well done backgrounds, it also has great directing in key moments. That, accompanied by a spectacular opening, make this anime one, if not my favorite anime of the season. Definitely recommended if you like slice of life.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 18, 2021
When I first saw the trailer for the movie with Eve's "Ao no Waltz" as the closing theme, it immediately caught my attention. Josee to Tora to Sakana-tachi is just another anime romance, that is, if you just go by the synopsis. One way or another the film manages to tell an emotional story, with the main focus being our two protagonists Josee and Tsuneo. It wastes no time elaborating, the dynamic between them flows without feeling rushed, and it lays the groundwork in just the first half. From here the story shifts to a more dramatic tone.
Josee is a wheelchair-bound girl looking to
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explore the outside world, passionate about the sea and an excellent drawer, a cold personality at first, she has a hard time relating to others due to her lack of interaction with the world. While Tsuneo, a responsible guy who works in a dive store to study in Mexico and fulfill his dream. The dynamic in their relationship progresses as they spend time together. I'd be lying if I said I didn't smile like an idiot as I watched them playing on the beach, and other key moments in the story.
To tell the truth the secondary characters don't stand out much, they exist for the sole purpose of serving as an emotional support to the main characters.
Personally I like drama, but when it lacks substance the result is often (how shall I put it) flat. It's a double-edged sword, on the one hand it gives continuity to the story, depth to your characters, but if this is not resolved in a satisfactory way, it often ends up hollow. And therein lies the difference, in the execution. Since in this case it doesn't stop the general flow, you could say it's resolved in a rushed way, but in my opinion it's compensated by seeing the detail and heart behind it.
All in all I really enjoyed watching it, and would recommend it to anyone who wants to see an emotional story, with exceptional art, that makes Josee to Tora to Sakana-tachi one of my favorite films.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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