Ano Natsu de Matteru / First Impressions

「先輩の気持ち。」 (Senpai no Kimochi.)
“Sempai’s Feelings.”

Well it’s reassuring to know that my read on anime hasn’t completely deteriorated over the years and that I can still pick up on some subtle signs when I see them, as the reason for Kaori’s sudden feelings for Kaito was pretty much what I was thinking. It was a bit of a stab in the dark, but not a pattern I haven’t seen before in all types of media, so it seemed like the most probable explanation at the time. Kaori was rejected and went on a trip with Chiharu to Okinawa to try and forget about it, where she bumped into Kaito and found herself looking to him for a rebound. Execution-wise, it was all really well done though, as the writers gave us enough to suspect that might be the case, and then surprised us by having Kaori be the better person and realize she shouldn’t be interfering with Kaito and Ichika’s budding relationship. They went even a step further, by having Chiharu know when to take a quiet leave, as things absolutely catapulted forward in the Tetsurou x Mio department — all thanks to going commando. Hats off to the producers for taking something that looked like a perverted joke and putting a sentimental spin on it — to the point that we actually got a confession out of it. I figured Kaori and Chiharu were going to be catalysts in the main cast’s relationships, but never did I think it would be to this degree. I guess this is just another case of Ano Natsu de Matteru showing everyone how a romantic comedy is done.

As for Kaito and Ichika, it’s nice to see our alien sempai just let herself fall in love and figure out the implications later (which look like they may be somewhat complicating judging from Rinon’s reaction and the sight of her spaceship flying off). She finally gave him a sign that it’s okay to approach her in that way and our good ‘ol Kaito actually hopped on the opportunity and boldly went where no male anime lead has gone before — at least not this quickly anyway. I kid you not when I say that’s applause-worthy plot development right there. As for our drunken cosplaying Kanna, it looks like one of my most “feared” scenarios is well underway with Kaito and Mio both taking the initiative and acting first, leaving our poor Girl C in the middle with no one to turn to. There’s little doubt in my mind that Remon foresaw this and did Kanna a favor by getting her drunk with spiked Mountain Dew Dynamite Drinks, as the latter would’ve been absolutely heartbroken if she truly realized what she was witnessing. I feeling sorry for her already, but I get the feeling that the confessions here are only a preliminary thing and the emotions of our five leads will get intertwined even more as we go on — like at a festival that Remon suggested they all go to.

* Note: I’m backlogged and very, very exhausted, so I’ll be keeping my posts relatively brief and to the point unless an episode calls for a lengthy discussion.
* Full-length images: 18, 27.

 

Preview

74 Comments

  2. Divine, thanks for your thought provoking post. Take care of yourself.

    All I can say is: I felt heartbroken for Kanna the moment Kaito and Ichika held hands. Bittersweet. I’m sure all of us felt this. I am constantly surprised by how this series turns out.

    skylion
    Reply

  6. Well, good for Mio and Ichika, but KANNAAAAAAAA. At least she seems to be making a move next week…if that does anything.

    This was good as a two-parter. It seemed very appropriate development for the middle of the story, since characters simply let their feelings out make their respective impacts. I ended up kind of feeling bad for Girl F (Kinoshita) in the end. Girl G…may need to work on her boundary issues, but she got the vibe eventually. Anyway, this is what’s charming and endearing about this story. It doesn’t ask a lot of understanding, gives a ton of likable characters (so many that you’re actually not sure who to root for, you really want all of them to be happy), it makes the relationships clear by the 2nd or 3rd episode, and just lets things go through to their natural progression.

    If you think about it, the story’s beginning, middle and ending arcs are pretty clear. The first four episodes were all about setting things up, these four makes sure everyone knows who like everyone else. So 9-12 are likely to be about making decisions on who ends up with who. I’m aware that’s just basic story logic, but this kind of story really makes it clear. It’s kind of like eating a ham and swiss sandwich with nothing on it. At first, you’re surprised at how simple it is, but it ends up being just the thing you asked for.

    Da5id
    Reply

    3. From the beginning I suspected Kanna is going to be left as the fifth wheel. Don’t worry though, I bet if there is sequel ever made, Remon will get her someone to hook up with…
      By comparison, Mio that started form similar position of unrequitted love is now getting into proper relationship – all due to the power of going commando!

      ewok40k
      Reply

  9. Oh man, talk about being cock-blocked. Still, my fav hope to be couple (MioxTetsurou) got something rolling. Despite not being a nudist, I did feel for Mio because what she considers normal is not normal by the public majority. I just wanted to hug her while she poured her heart out. But dam, go Kaito for being brave and taking his inch to the mile! For some odd reason I imagined The Little Mermaid “Kiss the Girl” song being played during the almost kiss scene lol.

    darkkodiak
    Reply

  10. Plot development, character development, relationship development, nudists, cat-eared maids… this episode is win!!

    I feel for Kanna, but I can’t help but be happy for Ichika and Kaito. They’re just so good together! At least she got to cock-block their kiss thanks to Remon getting her wasted. She’s allowed one drunk cock-block!! And Mio just blurting all that stuff out… it was so sweet and cute it couldn’t be awkward… well, it couldn’t be AS awkward 😛 Whatcha gonna do now, Tetsuro?

    Now is it Arisawa landing on Rinon last episode that set off some sort of alert that has Rinon freaking out or is it actually to do with Kaito and Ichika? Either way, I doubt this is gonna be good 🙁

    Aex
    Reply

    1. I’m inclined to believe that Rinon accidentally sent out an alert of sorts to Ichika’s family/home planet and that the ship shown is on its way to Earth to get Ichika, rather than Ichika’s ship departing.

      Especially with the opening monologues every episode where they’re narrating the past (what we see) from a future point of view, I have a sneaking suspicion that Ichika isn’t exactly supposed to be on Earth and that the directors are leading us to a bittersweet ending where Ichika has to leave. Nothing an happy ending epilogue or OVA won’t fix but still, I’ve got a bad feeling about this…

      Kyuusei
      Reply

    2. Haha that was just golden mix of everything yummy on a scene..

      When he moved in, I thought so many things but the last was
      oww noooo!!! the glass! take off the “CLINK” glass….. orz

      Reminded me when I was just a newbie megane… that happened, good thing he had kanna there, cuz that is one of the things that can just break a moment, specially if one of the parties just break down laughing…

      Irecinius
      Reply

  14. Unbelievable, a main lead who is neither completely indiscriminate nor a ball-less excuse for a man. Just alone for that this puts this show head and shoulders above all the rest of the romantic comedies. It’s the best romance since True Tears.

    bearzerger
    Reply

  15. It’s refreshing to see a J.C. Staff series that doesn’t suck or rip off an already sucky premise. The same applies to Xebec and their handling of Lagrange (minus the fanservice), if only Production I.G. could say the same.

    I have to praise the director here: The attention to detail, the subtle changes in mood and the extraordinary amount of character development has made Ano Natsu my all time favorite romance series. NO other romance comes close, as expected from the guy who directed Ano Hana (notice Kaito and Jinta look very similar..)

    I would hate Kanna for cockblocking Kaito and Ichika in ANY other romance, but her character development has been wonderful. Plus, it’s hard to hate a character who’s drunk and uses “nyan” like crazy. 😀 Seriously, everyone deserves a happy ending unless master troll Remon tries to derail that (most likely).

    webkid94
    Reply

  16. Holy crap! How did they cram so much into one episode? It’s amazing how much story telling they can get done in such a short time. And it doesn’t seem forced or contrived… well, except for the free trip to Okinawa. The point is you don’t notice those things because the rest of it is so good. Kuroda really knows how to write these romcoms.

    Is that Ichika’s spaceship flying off? Or is it another coming to get her? I thought her spaceship was damaged beyond repair? She said as much in episode 2.

    bertman4
    Reply

    1. Well maybe Lemon isn’t the only one manipulating the situation..

      (Or maybe Lemon has a “rinnon”Artifical life form, of her own, and hacked into their system sendig false alarms..)

      Irecinius
      Reply

  19. My favorite scene was where Ichika nervously takes Kaito’s hand. It was simple and subtle but terribly effective. A moment not unlike real life. At least for me, AnoNatsu just keeps hitting them out of the park.

    Xatanas
    Reply

  20. Even though I knew it would happen, I’m sad to see Kinoshita go. She’s an awesome character both in design and in personality. Probably could make a season out of her character easily!

    Shurai
    Reply

  21. Ohh girl C…I hope they introduce Guy C into the story some time soon because I really like her and think the episode where she falls out of love with Kaito and in gets her heart stolen by another guy will be so cute <3

    SlushiZ
    Reply

  22. I dunno. On a scale of 1 to 10, this show is working around fifty!

    The writers (and everyone else) are doing an excellent job with this story’s execution.
    We have very real males in this series in so much as males generally express their closeness
    to a female in an aggressive/assertive manner (read protective), thus the amazing appeal of this
    series and this episode specifically, IMHO.

    Tetsurou x Mio was handled so well and I did not expect the nudist aspect at all. He defended her
    by telling her he is there for her. Beautifully done when you consider the subject matter.
    I mean, how many times has a girl confided her shyness to you due to being raised a nudist?
    What would you say??? Yeah – me too, I’m sure I’d screw it up, too.

    Kaito’s taking a stand by saying that he wants to be the “chaser” threw me because he immediately
    begins to act on those words. Wow! None of this BS that we’ve seen in other series where the
    X’s simple wiggle out of their awkward situation with stupid humour.

    Her reaction is well done too, except that I only thought the Japanese only said “no” when they really
    mean “no” otherwise it’s a weak “yes”. If someone has some insight into what she’s actually saying
    just before their lips are about to touch, I think it’s shed some light on the dynamics of that scene…

    We told that Kaori’s feelings for Kaito were indeed real (even reignited from the rebound), but she
    lied to save face as she admits when she says the this was the second (rejection) this summer.

    With where we’ve been taken so far, I excited to see how this series will wind up!

    mac65
    Reply

  24. i am simply just gonna comment what everybody has been saying all along~ the 2 males leads for once are not cowards or regular/traditional/boring/repeative that we usually watched. The way they pace 2 of the relationships are really really nice~~

    and damn i have a hate/love feeling whenever the ED song plays…. CANT WAIT for the full version T_T

    Sapphirearcz
    Reply

  25. Pure win, this episode was, pure win. I don’t even know where to begin. ( Though Mio’s “I’m a nudist” confession being particularly explosive in its revelation. lol )

    Both Kaori and Arisa played their catalyst role to the full, but as they are both likable well-intentioned good girls, I wish the best for them in their romantic endeavor.

    Much like how Divine correctly predicted that Kaori was in Okinawa to escape the depression of getting dumped, my own anime-watching 6th-sense told me that Kaito’s attempted kiss with Ichika was so going to get interrupted, and I was not disappointed. Remon’s trolling couldn’t have come at a better time.

    Who knows, perhaps poor Kanna needed a bit more trolling from Remon to get her mind from the depression of being the one left behind? Remon x Kanna yuri anyone?

    BTW I’m more of the opinion that Rinon fired home a homing beacon that would get Ichika’s folks coming to Earth to look for her, though it’s also possible he’s accidentally fired Ichika’s spaceship off into the stars, leaving her marooned here.

    Kinny Riddle
    Reply

  26. My guess is , it’s her brother or fiancé or some childhood friend who is coming… I mean.. everything is perfecT, we have a girl [Kanna] who can mess things up between Kaito/Ichika or even Mio/Tetsuro but no boy still in sight… So yes, this one who is coming, well I hope so, is a long awaited alienboy ;D

    Papaiya
    Reply

    1. Oh please not a fiancee… Ichika just doesn’t give off that kind of vibe of having someone like that unless unwillingly, so a brother or childhood friend would be so much better! If a fiancee comes along I half-expect Kaito to fold life a house of cards >.<

      Aex
      Reply

  27. Divine brought up a really a good point that it really sucks for Kanna, because as the pairings develop, she will be the only one without a partner, seeing as the direction of the series is going for a Kaito X Ichika and Tetsuro X Mio, with her stuck in the middle or serves as a catalyst for the pairs, ah poor Kanna.

    X
    Reply

  28. Thank you Divine for your post. It’s always fun to read those and I fully support you in cutting down on post lenghts :D. Please do not overwork yourself anymore than you are doing now. That new job of yours really is priority number one. Maybe you should (even though I’ll probably get some downvotes because of this)drop some series on your current schedule. As I saw your Thursdays and your Sundays are very very full in terms of blogging. Even though I can very well understand if you do not want to cut down on your blogging. Maybe it’s a good idea to go to another blogging schedule. My idea would be something like you did a few years ago with a few series. You blogged 2 or 3 shows in one post and all post would be something like 300 words a bit like the manga reviews atm. This way you would be able to cover all your shows and cut down on time spending on writing I guess. Well it’s only an idea. Best of luck to you in your new job and in blogging Divine.

    PS I couldn’t find an example of what you did a few years ago but I guess you would know what I’m talking about.

    Tonameki
    Reply

  29. I feel so sorry for Kanna, but then again, I’d also feel sorry for Ichika if it was the other way around. I can’t choose between those two lovely girls. As for drunk Kanna, she got me laughing out loud, still laughed when I rewatched that scence for the fifth time.

    Shrubbery
    Reply

  30. It’s very refreshing to see a male lead who’s not a wimp when it comes to romance. Though I’m shipping Ichika X Kaito and Mio X Tetsuro, I can’t help but feel bad for Kanna seeing how the anime plans to advance. I also applaud the producers for making Kinoshita and Chiharu understanding. I can’t help but love all the characters!

    The Story You Don't Know
    Reply

  31. I have been meaning to watch this episode earlier, but Another, Rinne and Mouretsu all comes after my batch of Guilty Crown, Nisemonogatari and Zero No Tsukaima downloads. Subbers has no sense of schedule…. 🙁

    Anyways it’s a complete LOL for this episode as Guy D and Girl E’s segment in the love polygon just launched. I’ll be rooting for them for now on. And with this I, too, feel sorry for Kana. But who says that Ichika and Kaito is a sure thing anyway? They might pull our pants down and ship Kaito and Kana in the end.

    Production is good and that nostalgic feel persist up to this episode. If done right, this and Another might play against each other for best romance of the year. While Another plays the “love in the middle of a crisis” ploy, Ano Natsu has played that slice of life love comedy with non slice-of-life elements that caught older viewers’ eyes.

    The Moondoggie
    Reply

  32. OK I think future episodes based on Onegai Teacher will have this following: Either; a duo of relatives one who favors this Earthling x Alien relationship and another who absolutely hates the Earthling but will slowly either turn or decide to keep quiet for Ichika’s happiness. OR; we get an extremely annoying and strict relative probably an older sibling or one of the parents who would try to take Ichika back by force making me believe that the climax of Ano Natsu will be a LOT heavier in content than Onegai Teacher ever was.

    gawrshness
    Reply

  33. It´s been a while since I had so much watching a well done romantic comedy, even better, because it has the capacity to adress serious themes about the relationships betwen the charcters. This series has turned out to be millon times better that I had hope imagne. By the way, I think I speak for everyone out there when I say; God bless Chiharu for helping Tetsurou realize Mio is a girl, talking about being clueless.

    haseo0408
    Reply

    1. It still too early to say this but for me, Ano Natsu already is one of the best anime i’ve seen (cross fingers).. Im really expecting more and more up to the final episode.. ^^

      Faint Smile
      Reply

  37. I don’t know why everybody assumes a tetsuro x mio pairing. We’re still on ep 7 and tons of things could still happen. Kanna doesn’t even know of Tetsuro’s crush yet.. I’ve always kind of shipped a tetsuro x kanna pairing so I might be a little biased. I practically bleed every time Tetsuro looks at Kanna while Kanna is looking at/talking about Kaito. At the same time, its really romantic (and yeah i’m a girl. obviously.)

    My ideal scenario: Kanna gets dumped. Tetsuro comforts her. Kanna gets better. Kanna inadvertently finds out Tetsuro likes her. An open ending that hints towards Kanna starting to like Tetsuro (like her holding his hand or something).

    leslie
    Reply

    2. I’d rather see Tetsuro with Mio. Kanna and Tetsuro getting together would feel like too much of a rebound if she was rejected, so I really wouldn’t find KannaxTetsuro convincing until the very end like you said. There’s also the “childhood friend” conundrum of if it was gonna happen why hasn’t it yet, plus I really want Mio to end up with someone all happy and lovey. This is the part that sucks about an imperfect ratio: there’s all great people you want to see happy, but someone is always gonna be odd-man(woman) out 🙁

      Aex
      Reply

      1. No, she’ll end up in a Remon! Why do you think she was keeping her away from the drama? Because she’s just a deranged puppet master?

        …yeah, actually that’s probably the only reason.

        Da5id
        Reply

      2. Ah Lol…

        I was referring to what happened to Girl C in Onegai Ticha, actually. Since this is a similar show I could just guess the next event by comparing it to the director’s similar past works.

        The Moondoggie
        Reply

  39. Is Lemon an uchujin too? Seriously- she seems to materialize out of thin air. When Kanna went into Kaito’s room there was no one there. It also seemed like they wanted to show an empty room before Lemon-senpai showed up. It also happened last episode when Ichika was talking to herself drinking tea. Boom- there’s Lemon.

    Kmainichi
    Reply

  40. About this episode….

    Crazy revelations, crazy confessions, crazy disappearance on screen, crazy heartbreaks – I just felt very awkward watching this episode to the point that I get worried that I might at one point actually dislike this episode, thank goodness it actually ended up quite well.

    Also, I don’t know what to think of Mio in the part when she revealed that she was a nudist I laugh hard there, I thought she was just making excuses but sooner I realized she is not actually joking.

    Ghostalker
    Reply

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