English Title: Tsuki ga Kirei
Japanese Title: 月がきれい [as the moon, so beautiful.]
Director(s): Kishi Seiji
Screenwriter(s): Kakihara Yuko
Studio: Feel
Released: 2017
Runtime: 12 episodes, ~23m each.
Starring: Kohara Konomi, Chiba Shouya
My Verdict: Solid coming-of-age, slice-of-life romance. Can argue about plotting and pacing but it is emotionally realistic.
● This is a coming-of-age, slice-of-life romantic drama that follows middle school students Azumi Kotaro and Mizuno Akane set in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture.
● The word “moon” (月 [つき, tsuki]) in the title is a wordplay on the word “like” or “love” (好き [すき, suki]).
● The plot begins at the start of the academic year. Kotaro and Akane are now in their third and final year of middle school and in the same class. The two have presumably never met, at least not formally. Over time, their friendship and feelings develop.
● Kotaro is the typical calm male lead. In his case, he is an avid reader, likes the author Dazai Osamu and wants to be a writer. His character is basically a writer writing about a writer, which is fine. Akane is the more active track and field athlete but is otherwise somewhat timid. Both are pleasant even if they are socially awkward.
● Both are awkward around each other due to their raw attraction. Whilst this is realistic, the pacing initially is a bit slow. This does not ruin the narrative, it is the nature of the characters.
● Visually, it is good. The environment, whether it is the natural or suburban landscape, is beautifully rendered. There is no shortage of successive shots of the environment and everyday objects commonly seen in the slice-of-life genre. It pushes the envelope but it is never pretentiously arty.
● The characters, however, can be quite different. The highlights can be quite stark and the linework is deliberately a bit ragged. It is not poorly done but it is noticeable. Ultimately, it is a matter of personal taste.
● The music by Iga Takuro is nicely composed and what one expects for the genre with melancholic piano and acoustic guitars.
● As a slice-of-life romance, the plot follows the predictable arc: the couple are awkward, they make an effort, difficulties and misunderstandings get in the way but they continue to make the effort.
● It is hardly a spoiler to state that Kotaro and Akane must face a particular difficulty in the climax. [Potential Spoiler] The ending is predictable in that in some ways it ends well. However, given their age and the circumstances, the ending is unrealistic. It is not unheard of, but it is rare. Nevertheless, the plot progression has at least earned it by then.
● Despite whatever arguable weaknesses in the pacing, it is a solid anime series. It is relatable, at least for those who go about these things honorably: Kotaro and Akane are at an age where they are old enough to make their own decisions and to take things seriously but young enough to be naively motivated and, to some degree, awkwardly unsure of how to go about things. It is this earnestness that makes the story emotionally realistic, giving it the emotional resonance that overrides whatever plotting weaknesses there may be.
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