To say that it has been a protracted look forward to the anime sequel of Kimi ni Todoke – From Me to You is probably an understatement. To place it into perspective, final spring, See began publishing the tender sequel to the unique manga, Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You: Soulmateby which Sawako and Ume are in school. This third season doesn’t go fairly as far, and even to the top of the unique manga, but it surely nonetheless provides a pleasant journey again into the world of the story, full with an ending that, whereas not definitive, provides us hope for the way forward for the characters and lets us know that issues are removed from over.
As a substitute of a sequence of ten or twelve episodes, BECAUSE consists of 5 full-length episodes, plus an enigmatically numbered “episode six” that it is best to watch first. Episode six is a fifteen-minute recap of crucial factors from the primary thirty-eight episodes, so when you really feel such as you want a refresher, that is an excellent place to start out. (Although I ought to point out that each seasons one and two are streaming on Netflix (on the time of writing.) Episodes one by way of 5 comprise the third season correct and, considerably disconcertingly, are throughout an hour and 6 minutes lengthy, with one clocking in at an hour and twelve minutes. In case you’re a binge-watcher, this shall be tailored for you, however when you desire to binge-watch an episode right here and there, the prolonged runtime might really feel ponderous, forcing you to take awkward breaks from the story at awkward factors within the episode’s runtime. On the plus aspect, the ending theme picture is exclusive to every episode and it’s clear that loads of assets have gone into making this nearly as good as it may be.
The story is notable not just for its sweetness, but additionally for the way in which it makes no try and replace issues. It is nonetheless 2011, and the plot unfolds in a method of shojo romance that feels a bit of dated nowadays. That is an excellent factor, as a result of followers of the sequence in all probability will not reply effectively to makes an attempt to modernize only a third season, but it surely’s additionally pleasantly nostalgic in style phrases, particularly because the unique manga was, I think, many readers’ first publicity to this type of romance. shojo romance. It helps keep the innocence of the story, with little particulars like kisses and unbuttoned prime buttons given outsized significance, and a scene the place Kazehaya and Sawako agree to make use of one another’s first names reaching harmful ranges of cuteness. There’s a cute innocence that we don’t see fairly often nowadays, and even viewers with out heat fuzzies for the primary two sequence might discover themselves feeling these issues with this one.
The plot is roughly divided between three {couples}: Kazehaya and Sawako, Chizu and Ryu, and Ayane and Kento. For the reason that first couple is established, their storyline follows their romantic development. Along with the beforehand talked about components, certainly one of their largest obstacles is Sawako’s father, who comes throughout as overprotective, however within the last episode is revealed to be genuinely afraid of dropping his daughter as she grows up. Kazehaya tries his finest to show that he’s genuinely in love with Sawako, however this runs into his issues, particularly that he feels trapped by his picture as a wholesome man. He feels that he should stay honest and largely asexual on the subject of Sawako, and he turns into actively afraid of his emotions. He need to to kiss and contact his girlfriend, however a part of him thinks that is not what he is presupposed to do—he isn’t presupposed to be that sort. He is simply as caught on this thought cycle as Sawako was within the nickname Sadako, and it matches Ayane’s storyline in a really natural manner.
As you might recall, Ayane has a fame as a lady who can deal with something. She’s had a number of boyfriends, and on this season she confesses that she’s by no means actually felt romantically drawn to any of them. She doesn’t know what it’s prefer to be in love, and it bothers her, particularly as she watches Sawako’s relationship blossom. At one level, she begins courting a boy in one other class who makes loads of assumptions about her and what she’ll do with a boyfriend, bodily talking. Ayane begins to understand that she doesn’t need to be that particular person anymore, however a part of her is caught as a result of she doesn’t see herself as somebody who can have what Sawako has. She’s trapped in individuals’s perceptions of her, and whereas I wouldn’t say she feels ashamed, she does begin to really feel uncomfortable. Like Kazehaya and Sawako, she has to understand that she’s greater than what different individuals assume she is, and that not solely is that okay, it’s her alternative.
Essentially the most exemplary storyline is Chizu and Ryu’s romance, which performs carefully to the trope of childhood pals. That does not imply it is not good, and their prolonged flashback in episode three is among the strongest sequences within the sequence, serving as each a backdrop for his or her emotions and an exploration of the grieving course of. Their relationship ends the sequence on the least settled word, however that is sensible with Chizu as a personality. She has romantic emotions, however she’s not romantic and never fairly able to be snug with a relationship. It matches with the present’s total themes of social vs. private expectations, which we see in numerous methods all through the season, with one of many nicest surprises being that the so-called Kento Ladies (his self-proclaimed fan membership) aren’t imply women or bullies in any respect. Nobody will be judged by their appears to be like or perceived reputations, as a result of nobody, not even the supporting characters, is one factor. (Besides perhaps Joe. He’s a catastrophe as an individual.)
Kimi ni Todoke – From Me to You‘s third season is all the pieces you can hope for, particularly episode 5. It could not resolve all the pieces that is nonetheless hanging within the steadiness, but it surely exhibits us that these characters are nonetheless alive and transferring by way of the world, giving us hope that all the pieces will work out for the perfect for them in the long run. Life would not cease when these characters get collectively, and this does an excellent job of reminding us of that with out neglecting the joyful “ending” we had earlier than. With glorious performances from each the English and Japanese returning casts, cleaner character designs and animation, and distinctive ending pictures for all 5 episodes, this can be a worthy sequel and one which was definitely worth the wait.
