Friendship: it’s a concept that has been done to DEATH not only by anime, but also by virtually every other form of entertainment known to man. When you think of cliché themes that TV shows and movies have senselessly bashed into our skulls repeatedly to the point that it becomes sickening, it doesn’t take long to think of “friendship”. However, One Week Friends (“Isshuukan Friends”) is proof that an over-done concept can still be very enjoyable and extremely effective when presented in a fresh and outside-the-box manner. At the risk of sounding much more like a girl than a guy, this anime can really be summed up in one word: cute. Not in the disgustingly moe, in-your-face kind of cute, but in a very pure and genuine kind of cute that lulls you into a state of tranquility. While I am normally someone who doesn’t enjoy slice-of life shows, I don’t need to be in order appreciate the good writing and well-constructed characterization of what is definitely the best anime I watched during the Spring 2014 season (granted I only watched 6, so take that for what it's worth…).
Synopsis: A girl named Kaori Fujimiya has a psychosomatic condition that causes her to forget every positive memory she makes with other people outside of her family every week, rendering her unable to make friends. This causes her to become cold and detached from all things social. Hase Yuki, a boy in her class, decides that he will break through her cold exterior and become her friend. Even after he learns the truth, he is still determined to be friends with Fujimiya.
The storyline of OWF is amazing to me because it avoids the two things I hate most about slice-of-life anime: shows with no plot what so ever (some people are into that, but not me) and shows that have a plot, but are ridiculously melodramatic. This anime is special because it finds what I consider to be the perfect balance; it has an engaging plot, but very little over-exaggeration. The show has a charming enough tone and good enough characters that it doesn’t need to show people breaking down in tears for some petty reason every episode in order to maintain the interest of the viewer. Not an episode went by in which I wasn’t charmed by the well-written characters and their adorable dialogues. However, like any slice of life, OWF is NOT a plot-driven show and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that it starts to drag out a bit towards the end (starting around episode 8 or 9, I believe) and the pacing during the 2nd half could have definitely been better. Overall though, I was very impressed with the plot. The ending especially did a fantastic job of bringing the show’s message full circle in a natural way that never felt contrived.
The quality of the storyline may exceed the average slice of life show, but what about the characters? As we all know, if the characters in this sort of show are bad, the show itself is bad. Luckily, OWF delivers with its characters as well, providing strong lead characters in addition to well-written side characters. Fujimiya and Hase, the two protagonists, are surprisingly complex for this kind of anime. Hase can admittedly be annoying and cowardly at times, but his internal struggle of wanting to help Fujimiya yet not knowing quite how to do it was the driving force of the show. He has legitimate and believable emotions that really allow the viewers to get behind him and feel exactly what he is feeling. Also, it’s rare that I come across a male anime character that I would describe as “cute”, but Hase is one of them (then again, basically every character in this show is cute. Like I said, this entire show is just absolutely adorable). Fujimiya is also a well-written character. She doesn’t have as much of a personality as Hase, unfortunately, but her innocence and kind-hearted nature are part of what makes the show work so well. When Fujimiya is hurting, so are the viewers, and that proves how effective her characterization was. I also feel the need to mention the spectacular side characters, including the most adorable anime character I’ve ever seen: Saki Yamagishi. This girl is just INHUMANLY lovable. Every fiber of my being tells me that they laid the “cute” on too thick with her and were simply trying too hard to make her likeable, but those negative thoughts evaporate the second that Saki pops up on screen. And I don’t mean that only her appearance is cute, her personality is the thing that sells it. Coming from someone who is usually immune to “cute”, the writers of this show definitely knew what they were doing. Shogo Kiryu also stands out as a relatively complex and well-written character. Even Fujimiya’s mom makes a good impression in a very small and limited role! So in short, this is a very strong cast of characters and they truly make the experience of watching this anime worthwhile.
Something that is also worth mentioning is how instrumental the animation is in creating the amazingly pure and relaxing tone of OWF. The art style often gets compared to watercolors; everything is very soft, but vibrant at the same time. I can’t imagine a more fitting animation style for this show. The OP is also very fitting for the show as is the ED; I got goosebumps several times when that piano from the beginning of the ED came in during the backround of a somewhat dramatic scene. The only thing in terms of aesthetics that fails to stand out is the OST, which isn’t that memorable. The above average voice acting makes up for that slight disappointment though.
Overall, One Week Friends is a touching, relaxing and effective entry into the slice of life genre to the extent of which that people who aren’t fans of this type of anime can still enjoy it to the fullest (i.e. me). This show is a master of a writing technique that I consider to be very underrated; tone. OWF’s irrefutable feeling of tranquility and innocence was masterfully achieved through strong characters and a plot that knew exactly what it wanted to be. What else can I say? OWF is just delightful in every way despite its minor flaws. I would recommend this show to all people of all ages; it really is a worthwhile experience. Now excuse me while I go rewatch Black Lagoon and bathe in my own testosterone so I can feel like a man again.
