Final Impressions / First Impressions / Kimi ni Todoke

Summary:

Kazehaya tells Sawako that she’s changed for the better and reassures her that it’s okay. He thinks that she gives off a good impression and even recalls how she smiled when they first met. From that, he thought that she was a good person, but she turned out to be much more. Kazehaya ends up getting embarrassed and suggests that they go line up for the shrine. All of this causes Sawako to think about how she wants Kazehaya to think that she’s cute, unaware that this is already how he feels. Meanwhile, Ryuu gets tired of waiting around and decides to go get some amazake before heading home. Chizuru goes after him and wants him to be a bit more sociable, so she tries to get him to say chi, but he refuses. He does tell her though to leave Sawako and Kazehaya alone because Kazehaya can handle things, and he shows her how things are going well for the two by the shrine. While waiting their own turn, Ryuu reveals that his brother is coming back again with his girlfriend, but Chizuru doesn’t mind and promises to come play. She also vows that if anything happens to Ryuu, she’ll be the one to comfort him this time.

The New Year soon arrives, and Sawako exchanges customary greetings with Kazehaya in person and with Chizuru and Ayane through text messages. After she and Kazehaya pray, he helps her down some slippery steps, and the two go to collect their omikuji. Unfortunately, although Kazehaya’s promises great fortune, Sawako’s promises bad fortune. Sawako does notice however that her fortune advises her not to hesitate romantically with the person she’s with. When Kazehaya sees her bad fortune, he decides to give his to her as a present and doesn’t care if she takes some of his luck. The two then leave the shrine together and on their way home, they pass by the spot where they met that spring day. Kazehaya eventually drops Sawako off at home, and they both express how much fun they had. Watching Kazehaya walk off, Sawako reads how the fortune he gave her advises to devote love for happiness. She thinks about how he’s her classmate and the guy who sits next to her but not her friend. Instead, he’s something farther than friends – he’s the person she likes.

Epilogue

Well that was an interesting finale. I enjoyed it for the most part, but it came up short at the end. I wouldn’t call it anticlimactic, but, as with last week’s episode, I had been hoping for something more significant to happen. It was great seeing Kazehaya and Sawako get even closer and have several very sweet moments together (Chizuru & Ryuu and Ayane & Pin too), but they didn’t get to the point of confessing their feelings or kissing or anything along those lines. I can understand that the anime writers are following the manga and that the story hasn’t progressed that far yet, but if you look at it just in terms of this anime, it makes the ending underwhelming and incomplete. I mean, the very last shot was of Sawako reaffirming that Kazehaya is the person she likes, and that finished things on a hopeful but rather bittersweet note because she was shown all by herself. Showing them back in school together or something would have made a happier ending, and this way just screams sequel, which is probably what they were going for.

Final Thoughts:

I know I might seem overly critical about this finale, but it’s because I had such high hopes for how things would end after how much I enjoyed the middle episodes, particularly with regard to how Kurumi, Ayane, and Chizuru helped shape Kazehaya and Sawako’s relationship. The series ended up with so many sweet moments between Sawako and Kazehaya that I was expecting it to culminate in something more. I still of course think that Kimi ni Todoke is a worthwhile series to watch if you enjoy romance and drama series – it’s got some great characters, a wonderful soundtrack, and quality animation by Production I.G. Just be prepared to wait for a sequel or to read the manga if you want the full experience.

40 Comments

  12. I have never seen a 25 episode anime that didn’t get another 25 episodes. Code Geass and Gundam 00 in recent memory. Though Kimi ni Todoke is not quite that genre, the pace in which they have been going is very accurate and meticulous to the manga. Also considering where the anime as ended, it would make sense to do a second season that covers the second year of high school, since that is where the manga is currently. I don’t know how much further the manga will go though as they have confessed to each other now. But I’m guessing that there will be some sort of miscommunication that leads to one of them (probably Kazehaya) believing that the other is cheating. That’s a common one in shoujo.

    Adrian
    Reply

  17. @Da5id

    There’s no toradora manga after the ending for the anime, considering kimi ni todoke does, there’s a chance, however, it may take years considering where the manga is standing.

    Kimi Ni Todoke
    Reply

  18. My wife used this series to fall asleep at the end of the day.. worked really well for her, I don’t think she got through most episodes (she said it was counting sheep).

    I found KnT kinda cute at first, but it quickly became tedious to watch (at times it was like watching paint dry to me). I’ll remember it as a barely-animated manga adaptation which progresses at a glacial pace, only to end saying “what? you were expecting a real payoff?”

    Hogart
    Reply

  22. my queston: How can there not be a kiss? This show has been so cute and romantic and I was disappointed at the lack of a kiss…now I have to find new anime to watch because of the hole left by this show :[

    it’s been such a cute show and i think they should make a sequel or an ova

    Christina
    Reply

  23. I’m definitely not in the show’s target demo, so to me it became a lame parody of itself pretty fast. I remember seeing Kimi ni Todoke when I was younger, as my kid sister enacted idealized relationship fantasies with her plastic dolls. I suppose if you did the same this might have a warm feeling of nostalgia for you, but to me it feels as fake and embarrassing as my own childish fantasies.

    Topspin
    Reply

  24. … I’m so mad. ARGHHH!! I wanted an anime original ending… 🙁
    This will probably have a sequel of course, which I kind of don’t want. Chapters 29-39 in the manga are so utterly pointless and frustrating, I’ve become bored of the manga and see no use in reading on. I’d hate to see anything beyond this point animated. What a disappointment… Thank you, KnT.

    Steph.
    Reply

  25. Sadly my post for previous episode was right on. 🙁 *wails Not even suki da yo in words. just stares and now to wait for a second season. It was a nice episode but not a great season end. Yano and Pin rocks; and Ryuu and Chii seems closer. However Kazehaya thinking that he’s not confident? The popular guy from the class having second thoughts? That didn’t sit well with me; dakedo I’ll sure will watch the second season. We want that KISS!

    Island Esper
    Reply

  28. Awww, hey I liked it. :]

    I’m already a little emptier without my weekly Sawako, but I feel as though the journey has in retrospect given me so much more than that.

    Shojo isn’t for everyone; for example, I love good shojo stories, point being that when I see someone mention it’s boring to watch, I can’t even begin to comprehend how someone would think that.

    Even if you aren’t a fan of love stories, you have to accept it for what it is and open your heart to it, the way I saw Kimi ni Todoke is that it was being nice to me and I was glad to be nice to it back. Pacing? I feel the pacing was fine, because the way the series progressed is the way any manga adaption that wants to accurately convey the depth, and heart of each page should be done. I’m sure the author must be proud to watch this, which could be said differently for other manga-adapations, where when the pacing has been so sped up it deviates completely from its own origin. I.G. knew gold when they spotted it, and as homage to the great mind of the manga I’m personally proud of them for doing such a great job at producing this series.

    I’m kind of on the fence about the second season; some people claim the lack of an anime original ending hints at a second series but there have been cases where they simply ‘leave it at that’ (bokura ga ita). However, I will believe, with this fan-base, and quality, that a second season is highly probable.

    Kimi ni Todoke was a profound, touching, and ‘high school nostalgic’ of a ride for me. I wouldn’t change a thing about it. While not my all time favorite that I would run the streets screaming ‘masterpiece!!’ I feel as though that’s because I’ve been spoiled by much more dramatic and intricate plots of past anime–so as to contradict my self I do proclaim Kimi ni Todoke is a masterpiece in it’s own right. I simply couldn’t compare to anything else, and is indeed among my favorites. Lets keep our fingers crossed they can pull it off for S2 (else my impatience will win out and I’ll scramble for the manga :P)

    Thanks for everything Omni, I’ll miss reading up on all your blogs. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, and I know you can make it out there, just don’t do so at the cost of your own happiness…(blogging..cough cough :P)

    Dawn
    Reply

    1. That’s not a bad idea. I was wondering if I should just hit up the manga but waiting a little before I do that couldn’t hurt. Hopefully we’ll hear about it in an article somewhere. I’ll keep my eyes peeled at the Anime News Network. Unless there are other sources that might produce information on the lovely Sawako before ANN…?

      Le
      Reply

  30. I think it’s a pretty decent way to end the series. Esp as it leaves it wide open to a sequel which can follow the manga faithfully without any changes.

    It does lack some gravitas but it’s functional. It’s just a shame that I won’t be able to follow any potential sequel on this blog.

    gundamjehutykai
    Reply

  33. In a way, I’m glad they didn’t force a kiss at the end, but of course a part of me is totally like ‘RAGE!’ at a lack a happy ending. A simple Suki would have sufficed, but nah.

    Ah well, it was a fantastic ride nonetheless. I look forward to blogging a sequel, if there ever is one. But alas, where will I find my Romance Fix for this season now, eh?

    eharper256
    Reply

  34. Thank you for blogging this wonderful anime, I’ve read the manga so I think the ending was just fine but I’ll remember this as the last anime I followed on your blog…. u.u

    Miharu
    Reply

  35. I’m not itching for a sequel. It was a cute series but I can’t sit through another 25 eps unless the confession came early and the dynamic shifted somewhat. Kind of disappointed if there is never a confession, honestly.

    Have a good one OMNI. So long and thanks for all your great work over the years.

    Zro
    Reply

  39. Well, at first i didn’t know that it was the ending coz i didn’t see any sign at all. I too is hoping for something more, but I guess i’ll have to read the manga and wait for the 2nd season. There has to be a second season! >.<

    Will miss Sawako too :3

    Naoki Tamashii
    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *