This anime was great BECAUSE it was unique in a beautiful way. The main characters are deep and you can watch Ichikawa struggle with feelings of insecurity in later episodes, while Yamada has a lot to her (such as moments of bursting into tears, snacking whilst being a model, being smart but aloof, doing certain things carelessly, and trying to be close to Ichikawa but hiding her feelings) that make them both very vibrant characters.
We need an anime like this.
It's very honest, for one. It shows the difficulty in finding a relationship. It shows how, especially for middle school students, trying to understand somebody else in relation to yourself is not easy. Both characters are unable to clearly communicate how they feel, and it never cuts to the chase- In a good way.
It has the perfect amount of tension. I'll be honest-- just from a personal perspective, I'm not big on slow burns. They can lose my attention very quickly. This anime was the exception.
It lets moments be for just the perfect amount of time, so you can feel what's happening between them and really absorb what's going on. However, it's still interesting. It doesn't abuse this with a lot of filler. The long moments aren't pointless, they're meaningful. Every single time.
My only complaint was the secondhand embarrassment in the more cringey scenes (which there weren't an overwhelming number of, but they did create a bit of... uncomfortability.) I understand that it's meant to be, since it's that weird middle school time and things seem to feel like that. The inherent horniness of a boy going through puberty. Though, I don't think these were bad enough or common enough that they took away from the anime itself.
The story is beautiful. It's heartwarming, refreshing, and always leaves you craving more.
There've been some complaints about Ichikawa (not attractive, a coward, short, whatever else) but it's very important that his character is different like this. That's not a flaw of the story, it's a feature. Ichikawa is not the kind of conventionally attractive romance main character you'd find in any romance anime. But that doesn't mean he should be. He isn't good socially, he's insecure, and from the first episode it feels he's given up on the world. Retreated to an edgy shell to protect himself. He's very important because this anime showcases that self-doubt, and that struggle. It's very important to recognize that it's not uncommon to feel that way. And you get to see him try to deal with and overcome his social struggles. He doesn't know what he's doing! But he's trying, he truly is trying to make sense of his life and what's happening with Yamada-- but what he's learned about himself has convinced him that it can't be what he wants it to be.
It's beautiful. He has that depth, that relatability that makes him such a good character. We need more anime like this one. More anime that gives us something we didn't expect. More anime that shows us characters that are hurting and insecure. More anime with characters that really feel flawed and HUMAN.
This anime has another dynamic different to the one usually offered. They're equals, but Yamada takes on more of a caring, protector role. Ichikawa has to learn to understand that he is really an equal. That'll likely be big part of the story.
It's so normalized to expect the man to be in control. For the man to do everything. The man should make moves. This anime defies that. And it should!
TLDR; This anime is a great, heartwarming watch. It's cute and unique. The characters are deep, flawed, and feel human.
