English Title: In Search of the Lost Future
Japanese Title: 失われた未来を求めて
Director(s): Hosoda Naoto
Screenwriter(s): Kawamata Rie
Studio: Feel
Released: 2014
Runtime: 12 episodes, ~24m each + OVA ~27m.
Starring: Terashima Takuma, Takada Hatsumi, Mizusawa Kei, Tamiyasu Tomoe, Tomonaga Akane, Yamaguchi Kappei
My Verdict: High school slice-of-life romance drama with time travel. Not a particularly original premise but still decent production and execution.
● Adapted from the visual novel of the same name, this anime is essentially a sci-fi premise in the form of a high school slice-of-life romance drama. Although the game can be classified as eroge, the anime does not adopt that approach.
● Sou and Kaori are childhood friends and members of the Astronomy Club. Also part of the club are Airi, Nagisa and exchange student Kenny. The date is superimposed on the screen so the timing of the events is clear. On a particular day, Kaori is killed in an accident…
● But then we rewind to day 1 and there is an “earthquake” whilst the group is hanging out in the club room. They investigate and Sou and Kaori find a naked girl who is barely conscious. She remembers her name, Yui, but nothing else.
● Instead of calling an ambulance, the group keeps it to themselves and Nagisa, being rich and having connections, organizes Yui to stay with her and have her enrolled as a new student. With glimpses of what appears to be an adult Sou working in a lab, time travel is obvious.
● The setup is a bit convenient and not particularly original but that is the premise. The series is still moderately intriguing.
● The plot is essentially a countdown to how Yui will attempt to prevent Kaori’s death and the story is about how Sou and Kaori deal with their feelings for each other.
● So, despite the sci-fi premise, the series is also a high school slice-of-life romance with its quirks. Nagisa is the final-year student who is rich and very perceptive. Airi is the martial arts expert who can take on anyone, so the Astronomy Club is often requested to act as enforcer. And Kenny always has a picture of Jennifer with him, a round but faceless woman. True to the genre, they hang out together and prepare for the school festival.
● As Kenny is a minor character, Sou is in effect at the center of what is also a harem premise even though not all four ladies are into him. Nonetheless, these characters and their relationships keep it interesting; it avoids focusing on just Sou and Kaori for the entire series.
● The visual style is consistent to some visual novels with big eyes, and clean and solid colors. The linework is a little fuzzy in some shots. The environment and backgrounds are nicely done even if they are sometimes too clean and simple. On balance, it mostly looks good.
● Even for those who do not like time travel and time loops, this is a decent anime. Whilst the first half of the series is arguably slow, it picks up in the latter half. Ultimately, it is a high school slice-of-life romance but with the added urgency and dramatic tension associated with the time-travelling mechanics. Thankfully, it does not try to be emotion porn and the ending is satisfying even though there are a few points that remain not entirely answered.
● The OVA Episode 13: “In Search of the Lost Summer Break” is a minor addition that borderlines on pointless. In this alternate timeline, the group spends their summer break at Nagisa’s villa. It begins as a poor excuse for the girls to be at the onsen and beach. Taking shelter from a storm, the group explores the nearby dilapidated war plant owned by Nagisa’s family. Whilst it provides some background exposition, it doesn’t answer the few unanswered points.
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