Who is the main character? How will this story end? Even after seven episodes, the fact that we’re no closer to answering these key questions than when we started is what sets Natsuyuki Rendezvous apart from other shows and one of the reasons why there is a special place in my heart reserved for it.
Who is the main character? Normally, most shows answer this right out of the gate, sometimes even before the first episode has even aired. And rightly so, as it is especially crucial for a romance to know who the main character is because the story essentially revolves his or her quest to find love. For the first several episodes (before Hazuki gave up his body basically), it appeared that Natsuyuki was going down this same road – boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, and after several trials and tribulations, they live happily ever after. Not that there is anything wrong with this formula though. It is the journey, not the destination, where the story is truly told.
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Yet this series has chosen to change the blueprint altogether. These past two episodes with Shimao inhabiting Hazuki’s body have blurred the lines between the two of them and leave us wondering just who exactly the main character is. Each man is beginning to understand the other’s point of view as the result of almost literally stepping into his shoes, and because of this, our own understanding of them is much more thorough and in depth than before. Both of them could be the Little Mermaid in Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, with Shimao playing the role of the mermaid out of the water to spend time with her love, and Hazuki as the Little Mermaid back in the water, longing to be with her love once again. The breadth of emotions that we can empathize with continues to broaden as the series progresses, and it’s becoming harder and harder to decide which character is the main one. Who is the man that deserves a happy ending with Rokka, or even just a happy ending, period? Is this series more about the one final romance that helps Shimao move on? Or is this a story about a new romance that helps Rokka move on? Or is it the romance that I originally believed it to be, one where Hazuki’s relationship helps both Shimao and Rokka move on?
It is without a doubt that Shimao has been the character fleshed out the most by the soul-swapping. He may be childish and vain, but seeing him struggle with his selfish desires while spending one more day with Rokka gave his character a new depth that I could not only understand and appreciate, but also empathize with. While most of us might not have lost the one we love to an eternal slumber, we might have lost them in ways that are completely out of our control. I know that if I could have just one day to spend with the person I loved after being separated from her, I’d probably end up doing the same things Shimao is doing, or at the very least, go through similar thoughts and issues as his. It’s likely I’d make the same mistakes he’s making as well. When you’re with the one you been in a long-term relationship with, it’s easy to relax, let your guard down, and just be yourself. Knowing this, it’s easy to understand why he slipped up the times he did.
However, I’d strongly wager that not all of Shimao’s mistakes were unintentional. I think it’s definitely possible that even if he began to write the character to his name accidentally, he deliberately left it there so Rokka would see it and begin to wonder about the possibility that Shimao’s soul was somehow inside of Hazuki’s body. At that point, he probably already was planning on telling her anyway, since he went back early to clean up his stuff and to leave Rokka the flower arrangements (which was a touching, beautiful, and sad way to at once tell her the truth but also say goodbye). Maybe Shimao hoped that by planting the possibility in her head, once she realized the truth it wouldn’t have hit her so hard.
What I can’t wrap my mind around is what Shimao was trying to accomplish. By telling Rokka the way he did, moving on only becomes easier for himself. He has said what he wanted to say, said his goodbyes, and all he needs to do is walk away and never see her again. Rokka doesn’t have it as easily however, and I’m not sure if he realizes this or if he’s just being selfish. For her, she is probably happy to have met him again, but more hurt and heartbroken at the pain of losing him a second time, and there’s a chance that she’ll keep clinging onto a small shred of hope that she’ll see him again which will prevent her from moving on. Fortunately, it looks like the story won’t end here, but I really have no idea where it will go either.
How will this story end? As long as I can remember, this is the first time that I cannot predict how this romance, this love story, will end. Every possible outcome seems equally likely: Hazuki ending up with Rokka; Shimao taking over Hazuki’s body permanently and ending up with her; neither man ending up with her; or even everyone dying in a freak accident and becoming some sort of messy ghostly love triangle. Natsuyuki has done a wonderful job of ending each episode on a cliffhanger, but the tension that comes from anticipating the next episode is really ramped up compared to other shows by the complete inability to predict how the story will play out next. Oftentimes, the best you can come up with is nothing at all – and there’s something inherently satisfying about being taken for a ride where the destination is a complete mystery.
- You know you’ve found someone who loves you because when even your self-esteem and confidence wavers and falters, they do not become discouraged and instead, go out of their way to cheer you up – either with a kiss, and maybe more…
- Hazuki has had a minor role as of late, but I am beginning to respect him more and more – he really does love Rokka and would do anything for her, and I think he would make her very happy. The conversations he has with Thumbelina/The Little Mermaid have been all sorts of insightful, and I’m actually glad we will continue seeing him in these fairy tales at least for the next episode, if not more.
- The plant that Shimao took with him is the same plant that is planted in the OP. What could this mean?
- Full-length images: 07, 08, 09, 11, 12, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 26, 29.
Preview
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[flv:Natsuyuki_Rendezvous_07_Preview.mp4 550 310]
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Hey there Verdant! For me the main character has to be Rokka, the one constant in the relationship with either man. We see her all over the place, in both the real and spiritual world. In a quest for salvation, redemption and love she is the key factor! Just meh two cents :D.
Verdant, thanks for the long post… those are some serious thought provoking words… After marathon all 7 episodes, I have to say this show is really good and interesting 🙂
all I can say here is I feel so bad for Hazuki, he was so screwed over by Shimao… and what Shimao did to Hazuki’s appearance somehow gives me a villain vibe… (maybe it is those glasses)
and Shimao didn’t think what kind of reaction he will leave Rokka by doing what he did with Hazuki’s body… I really feel like Shimao is the villain here… (I do realize that I am just letting my emotion gets the better of me)
This episode is sure depressing… Hazuki, you better get your body back soon…
I guess we can say Rokka – and her trying to move on after Shimao and to find new love – is the main heroine. After all in Andersen’s tales it wasn’t prince that was hero… It was both Thumbelina and Mermaid that were “active” characters…
Still, the cliffhanger is almost painful, we have no idea where do we go from here – reflecting the characters themselves feeling lost. This is one of most realistic portrayals of love in anime, despite the supernatural element involved, because we see people struggling with their own feelings, unsure of them, and conflicted internally…
I’m guessing Shimao was trying to wish Rokka-chan happiness with the flower arrangements as well as saying one last goodbye, but just like you said, it’s possible this move might make Rokka have a harder time moving forward.
Thank you so much for covering this series! I’m so glad this series is getting the attention it deserves.
Seriously i can’t be the only one who wants Hazuki to come back and kick Shimao’s ass. Yes i know it’s physically impossible but since both are on a spiritual lv now it can happen.
Also i stated a few eps back wondering if it would be NTR if Shimao has sex with Rokka in Hazuki’s body. Well since it looks like it’s happened im waiting for my answer.
only 4eps left wonder how end up?
give wonder how hazuki will feel if get body back & notice his bodt re-design got “laid” with rokka as well sorta 3 version way on it?
https://randomc.net/image/Natsuyuk%20Rendezvous/Natsuyuki%20Rendezvous%20-%2007%20-%20Large%2017.jpg
Oh my.
“some sort of messy ghostly love triangle” XD. hehe, that’d be interesting, although perhaps more suited for a comedy or a 4koma perhaps ;). Overall a very good episode, but equally clueless on how things can or will resolve. Guess I’ll just have to keep watching o3o…
This show is surprisingly stressing me out.
It’s actually a good thing this series only got 12eps, I don’t think anyone could keep up with such high level of tension for longer than that >. independently from his love life, Hazuki’s got his own life, his family, friends, studies etc.. Shimao taking him over would be simply awful.
This show is surprisingly stressing me out.
It’s actually a good thing this series only got 12eps, I don’t think anyone could keep up with such high level of tension for longer than that
As for a conclusion, the most ‘logical’ outcome would be for things to go back to their ‘rightful place’: the dead with the dead, and the living with the living, Shimao staying in Hazuki’s body forever would literally be ‘murdering’ him, I don’t think the show will go that way personally > independently from his love life, Hazuki’s got his own life, his family, friends, studies etc.. Shimao taking him over would be simply awful.
Yikes. I’m not happy with Shimao. In the past episodes I had a watch and wait attitude to this body take over business of him. But he is stealing from Hazuki, first he took Rokka’s confession and now he had sex with her (unless they pull a: “we sleep naked together but did nothing” on us later on)! Those are two thing that Hatzuki deserve to experience first hand. What is Shimao gonna do now? “eto… btw Hazuki you got confessed and had sex already”. Not only that Shimano had to make Rokka suffer with the flower arragement left in the store! That’s selfish, possesive and playin dirty.
Is it really made in the name of love? Is this his idea of liberating her? The funny thing is that all this is really thought provoking: we all have to die but if we can come back how will we react? Too bad no one can answer that for us (any mediums out there will like to share? Where is John Edwards when we need him!) I’m not really sure what will I do myself. Logic dictates that I should leave my widow alone and allow her to enjoy her new found love. But will I be able to just sit back and watch her in another man’s arms? Should I come back and make her suffer by losing me a second time? At this point in life I have no regrets and really don’t want to come back once I’m gone; but life is so fast, that I really can’t tell…
Need more episodes now; waiting for next one is breaking me apart. Shimao needs to pull a great move for me to understand/accept what he has done so far.
I think the thing that really makes this show difficult is that we have no clue what event actually needs to happen. We know things like “Rokka needs to move on”, “Shimao needs closure”, “Hazuki needs to get out of the fairy tale” but we don’t actually know what event would trigger any of that. It seems like Rokka *has* moved on, as she has fallen in love with Hazuki (before she had any inkling of the odd nature of the possessor of the body). I think that’s all we can expect of Rokka. Despite Shimao’s deathbed urging, she’s not going to forget him, and noone would. Hazuki seems to be in a place that’s completely out of his control: a barren seabed, an upturned flower pot he can’t budge, talking to an avatar that wouldn’t seem to have control over anything in the actual world. He may learn more about how to be with Rokka after he finally gets out of there, but it seems as if he’s powerless to do anything at the moment.
So it comes to Shimao, and we can’t figure out what he’s doing. He’s had his moments with Rokka. He’s now selfishly left her a signal of his existence (even as he was avoiding that up to this point). Hopefully we’ll find out what he’s doing soon.
I can’t believe people actually had sex in a anime. Props to Natsuyuki Rendezvous.
Wow man you must have either started watching anime recently or just never had the luck of coming across one that had sex in it. I Recommend Yousuga no Sora if you want see and anime with sex and a story. The story isn’t as deep as Natsuyuki Rendezvous but its pretty detailed.
LOL, even in Shakugan no Shana we get (implied offscreen, just like in Natsuyuki Rendezvous), pretty evident Keisaku X Margery. In the final of Inu Yasha we see Miroku and Sango have friggin kids! There are loads of anime where sex not only happens but is major plot point (off the top of my head, Yosuga no Sora, Nana, Peach Girl)
And finally then there is entire realm of hentai.
Rokka-chan must’ve been yummy.
f*ck shimao. I hate u now.
As stated before….I hated him before it was cool.
This is it, folks.
This is the summer of romance anime where a character will kick his own balls using someone else’s foot, while another character will try to impregnate his widowed wife using someone else’s balls.
so much rage against this ghost