Final Impressions / First Impressions / Lamune

Summary:
Ever since Kenji’s accident, Nanami hasn’t been going to school, and is instead spending her time by his bedside. But despite how much she talks to him and wants him to wake up, he stays in his comatose state. Summer turns to fall, and fall turns to winter. Everyone seems to be moving on in their own way: Hiromi is making new friends at her new home, Hikari is studying for college, Misora is back at her own home, and Tae is getting ready to work after graduation. Finally, one snowy day in December, Nanami’s emotions burst as she cries and asks for Kenji to wake up because his debts have accumulated up to 100 (remember back in episode three when Kenji tapped Nanami’s hairpin, she took offense and said he owed her, and then in episode eight Kenji tried to present Nanami with the blue hairpin as compensation, but they ended up agreeing that when the debts accumulated to 100, one would listen to anything the other had to say).
When spring comes, Nanami returns to school again, having cut her hair short. But since she missed so much school before, she’s held back in the second year, though she ends up in Suzuka’s class. Spring becomes summer and Nanami hangs both hairpins onto a bell and hangs it up as a wind chime. She remembers one time in her childhood when, because of the 100 debt deal they made, Kenji told Nanami that he liked her and she returned the feelings. Back then, they both quickly took it back, but Nanami admits now that it was a lie because she really does love him. A strong wind starts to blow the bell, so Nanami goes over to close the window. But then from behind her, she hears a voice say that it’s a good sound – Kenji’s voice. With tears in her eyes and in disbelief, Nanami tightly hugs a smiling Kenji. In the aftermath, Kenji recovers and eventually leaves the hospital. We see he and Nanami are enjoying lamune on the beach, but Nanami is unable to pop open her bottle. Kenji does it for her, but accidentally squirts some on her face. She tells him that it’s another debt, and the two enjoy the view of the ocean and the sky, together as a couple.

How good was the final episode? It brought tears to my eyes…
They built up to the ending just right with the flashback, Nanami admitting that she loved him, and then her adjusting the hairpin bell. Coupled with the music, it really did make me all teary-eyed to see Nanami crying and the two finally reunited after almost an entire year. So the ending here is quite a happy one. We even get to see the developing feelings between Nanami’s mother and Kenji’s father, though that relationship seems a bit unnecessary.
I was a bit surprised that the debt thing became a recurring theme, and ended up tying together several of the main points of the storyline, including the epilogue with Nanami saying that Kenji owed her for squirting lamune on her. And of course, for a series named as such, they had to end with Nanami and Kenji together drinking Lamune.

Final Thoughts: Honestly, if I were recommending Lamune to someone, I’d tell them to watch episode one, the first few minutes of episode three, and episodes eight through the end. This is a show that, after the first four episodes of boring story and poor animation, I was ready to drop. But I stuck with it and am glad that I did because I really like how the last five episodes turned out, both in the plot and in the improved production quality. So, overall, Lamune is a good and solid pure-romance series about the growing love between two people.

26 Comments

  4. YES Huzzah!!

    This is going to be a good week (counting out the fact that Bleach or Shakugan no Shana aren’t airing). They even showed beyond the game (although only a tiny bit beyond) and still managed to keep the same heart swelling final scene. I’m so glad I kept watching this series. Lamune is now tied with D.C.S.S. in top of my romance anime list 😀

    Great stuff. Good job Lamune staff. Props to NekoNekoSoft, and here’s to the fact that Lamune totally kicked D.C.S.S.’s ending hard in the ass! And hopefully, Shuffle! will pull off as good of finale as this 🙂

    Rasmiel
    Reply

  7. The ending of this really left me feeling underwhelmed… I did not feel any sudden urges to cry at the end… It was more like… That’s it? The end just like that? Oh well… Here’s to hoping Shuffle will finish off with a bang!

    Joshua
    Reply

  9. Not really Fury. There was a bonus scenario in the game that showed Kenji’s dad and Nanami’s mom developing their relationship. Also Nanami and Kenji are the ones who helped the relationship grow. They do end up being a couple, although I don’t think showing two mid-aged parents having sex was really necessary ~_~

    Rasmiel
    Reply

  10. lol… anyway lamune ended the way i expected it to be eehehehe… i think his debt to nanami was 250+ to 50+?? hmm cant remember.. and no shuffle dont suck.. it is the best show all season… you cant say it sux just when it doesn’t end with your favourite character… anyway shuffle! characters are quite ok and i like all of them… it doesn’t matter who rin ends up with… as long as it is a good ending it is a great show… anyway back to lamune…. yea great show.. but a little boring =.=”” come on we need more angst!!! this is too little i expected more…

    cyw1988
    Reply

  13. Overall, I think this is the best “romance”(or h-game to anime) show. Man, no anime had made me cry this much since Kanon and Air (Yes, I do cry quite a bit, not just a tear). I wish all H-game to animes were like this, like one great emotional joy ride instead of just jokes and (somewhat) lame humor.

    Warukyure
    Reply

  16. umm…what the!!! lamune and da capo ss are already finished!!!?!??!?!? i thought they was still airing, probably explains why i don’t see them in the anime sites…can someone tell me where i can get lamune?

    Radenkan
    Reply

  19. this is must to watch anime for me
    wat u recommend on your final thoughts is definately true
    this is a very good anime in my opinion and seeing how this series ends makes me really happy
    yeah ~ lets hope to see another type of series which comes out something things

    congrats to Kenji n Nanami
    this couple is really funny especially Nanami
    hahaha

    jeffng9
    Reply

  20. Outstanding romance story … I’d say something about some of the posts but I think its intuitively obvious… . I wish more of these conversions would choose one story and follow it to conclusion: it translates to much better quality work. I sincerely hope this puppy is licensed for R1 because its on my list to buy.

    vexx
    Reply

  25. i thought it was not fair for kenji to owe her all of those favors while he was in a coma! she was like ‘let’s go to the movies!..you owe me one :)’ ‘let’s build a snowman!…you owe me a favor :)’ pft cheater 😛

    he should have been like ‘wtf?! i was in a freakin coma! no fair!!’

    😛
    still watchin this episode..

    mickel
    Reply

  26. Are there any animes almost like this one, but with some more romance in it?
    Like to know if anyone know some. I take anything exept with Yaoi *gross* and tragedy. If the ending is happy, I’ll take tragedy as well. Ayone seen AIRtv? thats so beautiful T.T 🙂

    krik-frik@hotmail.com, e-mail me answers 🙂

    Arigato 😛

    Ripper
    Reply

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