Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season - Episode 11-12 (Completed)

To be honest, Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season could have comfortably finished last week and been timed absolutely perfectly, with any misunderstandings settled and Shouta and Sawako finally comprehending their feelings for one another properly.

Still, perhaps it isn't such a bad thing that we have this double-bill of episodes to wallow in the fun and happiness of this pairing finally coming to fruition, and these two episodes certainly do a good job of tying up all of the loose ends that I hadn't really thought (or particularly cared about) come the end of episode ten.

To that end, the series eleventh instalment takes us to the classes post-festival party, which unsurprisingly becomes a rather bizarre post-confession party instead with Kazehaya and Kuronuma at the centre of festivities as their new relationship gets thrust rather uncomfortably into the spotlight.  Of course, there's teasing aplenty aimed at both individuals, while even Sawako herself manages to find a way to tease and embarrass her new boyfriend via a perceived misunderstanding that is anything but.  All in all, this is probably one of the funniest episodes of Kimi ni Todoke yet, and a great change of pace after all of the drama and emotion that has underpinned a large chunk of this second season in particular.

A fair amount of this fun and frivolity extends into episode twelve, with the clean-up day after the school festival seeing yet another round of teasing, rumours and enquiries which leads to Kazehaya being forced into confessing to Sawako again in front of what seems to be the entire school, while Kuronuma's proficiency as a fortune-teller when it comes to romance is now a hot topic.  Of course, not all of the chatter surrounding Sawako is good, and there's a fair amount of jealousy bubbling under the surface, not least from the group of girls who bullied her early in the first series.  It's Kurumi of all people that does her part to diffuse the situation, although Yano, Yoshida and Sawako herself all have something to say too, before Sawako and Kurumi have their final "face-off" borne from a kind of mutual understanding.  In short, all's well that ends well, and come the end of the series we get to luxuriate in our new couple being fumblingly sweet and adorable on a date, thus proving that I'm really just a big, slushy romantic at heart.

So, that brings us to a gorgeous end for a fantastic anime - it has perhaps been slower in its pacing than the first season (or maybe it just seems that way because of the intense focus upon Sawako and Kazehaya), and I know the slow development of its primary relationship isn't for everyone, but for the record I loved every single minute of it.  It's been beautifully animated (more so than the first season from my memory), a fantastically entertaining blend of drama and emotion with light-hearted moments to break the tension when required, and I've loved each and every moment of it.  Would a third season be pushing the franchise too far?  I'm not sure having not kept up with the manga, but while my head says this is the perfect place to leave Kimi ni Todoke my heart has to confess that I'd love to see more.... and more... and more.  Like I say, I'm a big old romantic sometimes, and this particular show has grabbed me in all the right ways throughout to make it one of my favourites of the genre it resides within.

Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season - Episode 10

Despite what seemed to be even the most blatant love confession we could hope to see from this show's main characters last episode, we still weren't at a point where we could consider Kuronuma and Kazehaya "together" in any definitive sense.  Still, at least relations between the two of them were improved, leaving hope aplenty for this week's instalment.

So it goes that preparations for the second day of the school cultural festival are rather different for our main pairing compared to their classmates, with a lack of sleep borne of excitement rather than hard work and the night seeming to drag on rather than fly by (although Sawako does manage to be put in the position of dishing out yet more love advice, ironically).  Come the day of the parade and the festival's second day, Sawako and Kazehaya only get to talk briefly, but despite the best intentions of others it goes uninterrupted before closing with some all-important words from Shouta.

Once the remainder of the festival and subsequent parade are over (complete with some cleverly conceived but ultimately futile bribery towards the judging panel acted out by Sawako but inspired by Pin), it's time for the fun and after-party to begin for those involved - an occasion which also finally grants us our cut and dried, 100% authentic, genuine, misunderstanding-free expression of feelings between Kuronuma and Kazehaya.  Awwwww....

To be honest, this series could probably finish at this juncture and leave us all satisfied - it's been an entertaining ride and incredibly enjoyable throughout despite the frustrations thrown upon us by its leading duo on an almost weekly basis, and on top of that this second season in particular has been beautifully animated and directed too.  However, we still have a couple of episodes to go, and it'll be interesting to see what (if anything) this series plans to do with its newly forged Sawako-Shouta dynamic now that the tension and confusion that has powered the series thus far all seems to be over - watch this space, but I really hope it doesn't spoil things after giving us what surely seems like a perfect ending this time around.

Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season - Episode 9

After so many episodes of misunderstandings and our main pair of characters drifting apart, Sawako has finally decided to take action.... "and about time too!", I hear the legions of Kimi ni Todokefans shouting at the top of their voices.

So, we finally reach what looks set to be crunch time for Kuronuma and Kazehaya - just the two of them and an empty classroom, what can possibly go wrong?  Well, Sawako not even being brave enough to fully open the door and step inside isn't the most promising of starts, but soon enough conversation is engaged and a shaking Sawako comes out with everything; a full-blown and unmistakeable confession of love, which Kazehaya has clearly understood and comprehended as he pulls a by-now blubbing Sawako into the classroom for a hug.  Awwwww...

Of course, things can never be that simple - while Yano and Yoshida manage to keep Pin from tracking down Kuronuma, they can't prevent Joe from barging into the classroom to find Kazehaya, in turn sending Sawako running and Kazehaya missing another opportunity to explain his own feelings in return.  Still, as the rest of the episode progresses Sawako receives some wise words from Pin of all people (who seems to be making a habit of such things), calming her down at just the right time as Kazehaya finally seems to have comprehended what he needs to do to end any confusion once and for all.  Do we dare genuinely believe that these two will actually end up dating?

Contrived though its interruption of the big classroom confession may have been, this was a sweet episode that also managed to blend enough decent comedy into its innards to ensure that it wasn't simply a saccharine slush-fest, giving it some much needed rounding out.  Yet another potential misunderstanding between Sawako and Kazehaya strikes fear into my heart, but at least on this occasion it doesn't feel like one that will be overly elongated or played upon too heavily at all - a real relief with just three episodes to go because let's face it, we all want this pairing to get together properly before the series is out.

Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season - Episode 8

Although last week's episode seemed to be bringing both Sawako and Shouta's realisation that there might just have been a bit of a misunderstanding between them closer towards the light, there's still an undoubted gulf between them as episode eight kicks off.

While Kazehaya still seems convinced that he thought too much of himself and Kuronuma still hasn't completely got a grip on her feelings at all, there's little time to spare to ponder such thoughts as the school's culture festival looms large, taking us into a good old-fashioned montage (featuring the show's really quite wonderful opening theme) as the days count down and the hard work ramps up, with Chizu's birthday sandwiched somewhere in the middle of it all.

Eventually, the big day arrives of course, and Sawako's black magic cafe seems to be doing a roaring trade in jealous, bitchy girls preoccupied with their various love rivalries, leaving Sawako herself in the rather odd position of counselling said girls in how best to go about their romantic business; something she seems to be rather good at truth be told.  Still, although these discussions with her "clients" perhaps help to grease the wheels of her mind, it's Ken (again) who sees fit to stick his oar in with a rather rambling monologue which as per usual makes it hard to determine who (if anybody's) side he's actually on.  Still, for all of that rambling he does point out one very important thing - that it's Sawako who has built up a wall between herself and Kazehaya, deliberately or otherwise; a fact that finally seeps into her brain and leads her to a very determined and un-Sawako-esque conclusion.  Is there really a love confession on the horizon?

Of course, that question is one we'll have to leave until next week's episode as it teases us once again with a cliff-hanger - something that Kimi ni Todoke really seems to be revelling in doing this season.  Not that I'm complaining, as once again this was an enjoyable episode - absolutely beautifully animated at times, and effortlessly entertaining even though this particular instalment wasn't packed to the rafters with drama or comedy, rather allowing itself to just drift along under its own steam.  Of course, if we're honest it's that closing scene is what lifts this episode up from the average into something entirely more important, but now I shall have to simply take a deep breath and being another week's wait to find out what ridiculous misunderstandings will emerge from Sawako and Kazehaya's latest conversation... assuming they actually get as far as speaking to one another, that is.

Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season - Episode 7

The previous episode of Kimi ni Todoke was, put simply, a disaster of gigantic proportions in terms of the relationship between its main characters, borne of a misunderstanding that bordered on the ludicrous.  Still, at least some strong words from Yoshida at least started to put Sawako in the correct frame of mind when it comes to dealing with this problem which is at least partially of her own making.

As this seventh episode of the series progresses, we reach the point where pretty much everyone else within Sawako and Kazehaya's orbit seems to have realised the nature of the misunderstanding between them.  The next to fathom it out is Kurumi, who put two and two together and reaches the correct sum before having a few choice words of her own to put Sawako's way - not to dissuade her, but rather to express disappointment at the stupidity displayed by her supposed love rival.

From here, both Ryuu and Pin both put the pieces of the current situation together as they hear more of the story about what transpired last episode from Kazehaya, in turn giving their own unique reactions which (in Pin's case more than Ryuu's) perhaps begins to shift Shouta's mindset ever so slightly in the right direction towards realising he may have made the mistake.  By the end of this instalment things have become decidedly more awkward, with some ill thought-out words from Ken causing a commotion in a corridor at just the wrong moment and indirectly causing another moment of friction between our leading pair, the fallout of which causes Ryuu to have a brief word in Sawako's shell-like before an impromptu meeting between Yano, Yoshida, Kurumi and Ken brings its own set of drama.

Truth be told, this week's episode of Kimi ni Todoke was never going to pack the punch of its direction predecessor, leaving it as no surprise that proceedings were rather more muted this time around.  Overall, I think this decision to back away from the drama in the in-series hours following such an upheaval proves to be a good one, allowing us to monitor as the emotion of the moment drains away and (coupled with some sage advice or hints from others) allows for some more well-defined and crystal clear thought.  Is taking some time out to think about what they've just said and done, or more importantly what they haven't said or done, going to be enough for either Sawako or Shouta?  Well, probably not, but regardless I shall be waiting with bated breath for the next episode as per usual.

Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season - Episode 6

Oh Kimi ni Todoke, will you ever stop tugging on my heartstrings?  In fact, will you ever stop tearing them out and brutalising them for my enjoyment and entertainment?  On the evidence of this episode, quite possibly not.

Things were quite clearly about to get messy come last week's cliffhanger, with Kento and Kazehaya all set to face-off over a bawling Sawako... and so it goes, with Shouta demanding from his possible love rival just what Ken has done to make her cry.  As if this wasn't tricky enough, a bunch of Kazehaya's friends show up at this moment, pointing out that this looks like some kind of love triangle and thus pushing a terse confession to Sawako from Kazehaya himself - not quite the stuff from romance novels that's for sure, and with so many conflicting voices present it perhaps isn't entirely surprising that Sawako simply doesn't understand exactly what Kazehaya is trying to say.

As Shouta storms off in a huff Sawako gives chase, giving rise to a more private conversation between the two of them - even given this direct exchange, things somehow manage to get worse rather than better, with both individuals somehow managing to misconstrue the other's meaning of how and why the like the other so that the two of them both leave the conversation thinking that they've been rejected.  Ouch.  When neither party turns up for afternoon registration it's pretty obvious to the rest of their class that something is up, especially as rumours of this lunchtime entangle pass through the school, so of course it's up to Yano and Yoshida to try and at least attempt to clear up this whole mess - surprisingly, it's the latter who says what really needs to be relayed to Sawako, that being that she effectively needs to stop feeling sorry for herself and assuming that everyone looks down on her when it's no longer the case.  Is this enough to light a fire under Sawako?  Quite possibly, although this show being what it is it's unlikely that things between herself and Kazehaya will be quite that simple...

Although part of me wants to moan a little about the misunderstandings between Kazehaya and Sawako in this episode being too contrived, another part of me remembers when I was a shy teenager who point-blank refused to believe that anyone fancied me even when I had 100% reliable information that suggested they did, so perhaps what we see here isn't so far-fetched after all.  Anyway, before I start with my outpourings of teenage regret this was another top-notch roller coaster of emotion, bringing me close to tears on the one hand before soothing those tears with depictions of wonderful friendships, then throwing in a bit of comedy to add some laughter to proceedings too.  It's an eclectic mix which sometimes shifts from joy to tears ridiculously quickly yet still manages to pull it off every time.  Unlike the characters in this show, I'm not afraid to confess my love for Kimi ni Todoketo all and sundry, and right now it certainly seems to be at another high point when it comes to chaining and enslaving me to its romantic cause.

Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season - Episode 5

Throughout Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season thus far, it seems as though the distance between Kazehaya and Kuronuma has been increasing almost as fast as time has been flying in-series, with this episode zipping forward again to take us to the end of mid-term exams and the beginning of preparations for that old anime stable, the culture festival.

With exam results proving to be impressive all-round for Sawako's classmates courtesy of her revision sessions, it perhaps isn't all that surprising that her "unique" charms are the first thing that springs to mind when it comes to deciding what the class should do for the school festival.  Thus, before we know it almost the entire class has voted to hold "Sadako's Black Magic Cafe" - yes, that's right, a Sawako themed cafe which makes the most of all the rumours about her which are renowned throughout the school.  This odd mix of persecution and popularity is certainly an improvement for our heroine however as she finally finds herself fully accepted into the fold.

Of course, all of this is little more than a distraction from the real issue of Shouta and Sawako's disintegrated relationship - with Yoshida in particular worried that her comments to Kazehaya are at least partly to blame she recruits Ryuu only semi-successfully to try and put things right with Kazehaya.  Ironically, it's actually Pin of all people that does more to spur Kazehaya into action than anyone else thanks to the usual torrent of acerbic comments - the realisation that even this dolt of a teacher knows more about what's going on than he does is enough for him to go running off to find Sawako.  Is he too late though?  He could well be, with Kento continuing to lie (or rather, not tell the whole truth) and manipulate as his own end-game appears to be coming into sight.

Not for the first time with this show do I find myself suddenly realising just how heavily invested I am emotionally with its characters, finding myself moved almost to tears by Sawako's own devastating disappointment at the end of this episode - not bad going for a character who couldn't be much further from my "type" in terms of likeability.  That aside, Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season continues to get just about everything right in terms of its characters, all the way from Yano and Yoshida's way of handling things through to Sawako's delight at being included as an integral part of the class even though it's still largely at the expense of poking fun at her reputation - I swear every class I was ever in at school had one person who managed to tread that fine, indiscernible line between popularity and ridicule.  In terms of romantic drama, this episode certainly looks like it has everything nailed, leaving me to contemplate an entire week of having to wait for that intense cliffhanger to be resolved.  Even if I were to try distancing myself from it, I fear Kimi ni Todoke will always know exactly how to push my emotional buttons and manipulate me into loving it.

Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season - Episode 4

Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse in terms of misunderstandings between Kazehaya and Sawako... things promptly go and get worse.

This further breakdown in relations is instigated, rather interestingly, by Kento - after pulling Kazehaya aside to talk to him "man to man", he effectively proceeds to tell Kazehaya to stay away from Sawako as his attentions towards her will only make life more difficult for her as it incites jealousy and the like.  Kazehaya brushes off Ken's questioning and line of thought (and we still can't be entirely sure what he's playing at himself), but nonetheless the ideas posited towards him clearly stick in his mind and further increasing his belief that perhaps he doesn't understand Sawako and what she wants at all - a frame of mind made worse still by some ill-thought out throw away comments from Yoshida.

Thus, in the course of a few hours, the distance between our leading pair of characters grows markedly, and come the next morning Kazehaya appears to be outright avoiding Sawako from her point of view - a scene witnessed by Yano, who finally steps in to quiz Sawako on exactly what's been going on.  So, the full story of the recent thawing in relations between Kazehaya and Sawako comes out into the open, tears and all, allowing Ayane to deliver some much-needed advice to Sawako like some kind of drill sergeant of love.  Effectively, Sawako needs to stop feeling sorry for herself and worrying about the whys and wherefores of the situation and get on and do something instead.  Will she be able to take this information to heart?  Who knows, but before the day is out Yano has also kicked Kazehaya's ass (literally, not figuratively) and patiently explained the whole scenario to a clueless Chizuru like some kind of agony aunt.  With Yoshida still having a part to play in proceedings and Ken continuing to work to his own unfathomable script however, I wouldn't want to bet on what happens next.

So, it's that time of the week where I sound like a broken record and extoll the virtues of Kimi ni Todoke once again I suppose, and rest assured this Wednesday will be no different - this was another expertly delivered episode that flitted effortlessly from emotion (you'd have to be heartless not to feel for a tearful Sawako) through to humour (the exchange late in the episode between Yano and Yoshida was fantastically realised both visually and in terms of dialogue) while still carrying the story along at its own slow yet admirable place.  Thus, I continue to love this series and count down the hours until I get to watch each episode, and Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season's expertly served slice of fun, romance and drama hasn't disappointed me yet.

Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season - Episode 3

First February, then April, and now May - its primary relationship may not be moving very fast, but Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season is certainly cracking through the months if nothing else!

Even a month after the rather awkward conversation between Kazehaya and Sawako, both parties still seem to be suffering from the fallout caused by their own actions and their interpretation of the other's intentions - a tension certainly not helped from Kazehaya's viewpoint by the continuing and slightly flirtatious banter coming from Sawako's school desk neighbour Kento.  For anyone who has ever criticised Kazehaya for being too much of a "perfect" character, this episode is an ample reminder that this isn't actually the case as his jealousy, selfishness and unwillingness to accept help all come to the fore, although at least he does have enough guts to admit his feelings for Sawako to Ryuu.

Against this backdrop, Ken certainly seems determined to swing some kind of plot surrounding Sawako into action, although his exact intentions are anything but clear despite his constant assertions that he's a good guy in current proceedings.  Good guy or not, Kento sets up Sawako for an after-school crash guide to the forthcoming mid-term exams on the back of some comments going around class; before Sawako knows it she's the centre of attention, surroundied by fact-hungry classmates who marvel at her obvious teaching ability.  This takes us to another empty classroom meeting between our two lead characters, and yet another mass of misunderstandings and unspoken thoughts which makes for an emotional climax to the episode - although with Ken waiting behind to speak to Shouta things only look set to get more complicated still.

So, another episode brings little direct progress in its key relationship, but once again Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season brings plenty of entertainment and small yet beautifully delivered drama to the table to more than make up for that.  The little flashes and moments of comedy are just enough to amuse without becoming boring, while the emotional crux of the show delivers itself effectively without slipping into outright melodrama.  Put simply, I still love this series - its pacing might not be for everyone, but I can't get enough of it, and it keeps reminding me that I really need to get back into reading the manga after lapsing a couple of (altogether excellent) volumes in.

Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season - Episode 2

After all of its chocolate-based drama last episode, this week's instalment of Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season moves us forward to April and Sawako and company's second year of high school - not that this means that the goings-on of Valentine's Day are forgotten, mind you.

First things first though, a new year means new class assignments, and of course it's a huge relief for Sawako when she finds that she remains in the same class as all of her friends... and Kazehaya, of course, albeit once again not seated as close to him as she might like.  As well as those regulars however, we also see some new faces in the class, most notably Sawako's new seating neighbour Kento Miura - the interesting, energetic and out-going individual we saw briefly last episode, and a guy who seems to have no qualms about chatting with and even toying with Sawako's hair on a whim, much to Kazehaya's astonishment.

It's arguably this interaction which fuels Kazehaya's decisions later in the episode, but before all of that we see Yano proving herself to be as perceptive as ever when it comes to other people's relationships as she notes the growing distance between Kuronuma and Kazehaya, although when it comes to the latter of those two characters she soon learns that trying to stick her nose into matters gets her nowhere (although she could arguably have done so a little more forcefully than the vague pondering we see from her here).  Still, it seems that Shouta has made a decision to rectify whatever has broken down between himself and Sawako, resulting in a meeting between the two in an otherwise empty classroom come the end of a school day.  Of course, this being Kimi ni Todoke even this interaction doesn't go smoothly, with Kazehaya's pseudo-confession of sorts leaving Sawako simply unable to respond as she over-thinks the situation as always, leaving our leading man leaving the room with arguably the wrong impression about what Sawako things of him - an encounter noted at least in part by Miura, as his influence on things doubtless looks set to increase.

As per last week's proper opener, this was another carefully considered, slowly paced outing that certainly shows no signs of wanting to rush its story, instead taking its time to pick through every emotion, every comment and every reaction to the point where it quite clearly luxuriates in them as it creates its little bed of romance and drama.  To be quite honest, that's fine by me - yes, it's frustrating watching two people who like one another not say a word about it week after week, but isn't that exactly the point, and more importantly doesn't that simply mirror a lot of disastrous teenage crushes of our own?  Somehow something rather enjoyable to watch is borne from that frustration, as you realise it only annoys you so much because you genuinely like the characters and want them to get together, and when that's smoothed out by some nicely realised slice of life tales of friendship and everyday school life, it seems like Kimi ni Todoke is going to be one of my highlights of the coming weeks.

Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season - Episode 1

After what I suppose you could call a false start last week, Kimi ni Todokefinally kicks off its second season properly - and it's Valentine's Day too!  You can probably see where this one is headed without any further explanation...

...except of course I'm basically here to provide exactly that kind of unneeded explanation.  Before getting into the meat (or rather, the chocolate) of this big day, we get a brief review of what's changed since the last season of the series ended - namely a new term and school, and another set of seating plan changes that has seen Sawako make some more casual friends while also making things a little tougher when it comes to spending any time with Kazehaya as they find themselves separated.

Still, Valentine's Day is a great opportunity to close any rifts that have appeared, right?  If only these things were so easy - despite even subconsciously loading her hand-made chocolates for Kazehaya with more goodies than those for her friends and the like, or perhaps you could say because of this very fact, Sawako spends the entire episode struggling with her nerves and emotions in the hope of overcoming them and giving him the gift of sweet stuff that he surely deserves.  The longer the day stretches on, the tougher her task becomes, but as the school day ends and Kazehaya gets held up in other things, it seems that an empty corridor finally presents the perfect opportunity for a romantic chocolate-giving moment.  At least, it does until Kurumi shows up, beats Sawako to the punch, and then lands her with some verbal food for thought with a topping of bitchiness into the bargain.  So, Sawako's mission has failed, and my heart has been rent asunder only one episode into this series.  Damn you, Production I.G!

Seriously, here I was expecting a sweet and cheerful opener to the series to fulfil my "fluffy mental cushion of love" quota for the week, yet instead Sawako's long, protracted internal monologues only led me down a road of loneliness and despair.  In truth, I'm not really complaining here - yes, some will hate the glacial pacing of a series that has an entire episode devoted to handing over some diabetes-inducing confectionery (and imagine if Kazehaya suffers from a nut allergy? Ye gads), but I largely lapped up the drama, the emotion, and the slight tinge of nostalgia that comes from those memories of teenage moments where you can't quite pluck up the courage to talk to the girl you really, really like.  Of course, these elements were offset by some nice touches of humour which all worked well, while the actual production of the episode was gorgeous - again, some will hate the frequent shifts to super-deformed character representations, but some of the shots and the "cold" lighting in places fit perfectly not just with the winter aesthetic, but also as a barometer of Sawako's own feelings.  Yes, I'm glad Kimi ni Todoke is back, and very much so; now, if you'll excuse me I think there are some pieces of my poor, shattered heart around here some place...

Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season - Episode 0

So it's new anime season time again!  That said, this is looking like a pretty quiet one for me at first glance, so judging by what tickled my fancy writing the new season preview I'll probably only pick up half a dozen shows this series at best.  That said, first out of the bag is probably also the one I'm looking forward to the most, that being a second season of Kimi ni Todoke.

Of course, as you might have gathered from the title this isn't the start of the new series in the strictest sense, instead we're re-introduced to the show via some wistful monologue and flashbacks from Kurumi (or Ume, if you prefer).  In other words yes, this is pretty much a recap episode.

That said, if you're hoping that you can simply skip watching the first season (if you haven't already seen it, you philistines!) via this recap then prepare to be disappointed - this episode is far more a vehicle to ease existing fans back into the swing of things rather than an introduction to anyone new to the franchise.  Thus, Sawako's character and its development is barely touched, it's tough to get any real feel on why Kazehaya and Sawako are so close, and most of the other supporting characters are ignored entirely in favour of focusing on the rivalry between Kurumi and Sawako as it grows, peaks and boils over, suggesting that we'll be seeing more of this as the second season gets underway properly no doubt.

For those of us who are already fans of Kimi ni Todoke, this interesting angle of attack as recap episodes go worked well enough - it certainly refreshed some of the show's great moments in my head which is always welcome, while also acting as something of a taster for what's to come.  That said, a recap is still a recap, so with that out of the way let's get straight back to where we left things back in March of last year!

Kimi ni Todoke - Episode 25 (Completed)

So, it comes to an end at last, with Sawako and Kazehaya closing out their year, and this series, together for their New Year's shrine visit.

Needless to say, a large portion of this episode is dedicated simply to the dialogue between and inner thoughts of this particular pairing, although Kimi ni Todoke's finale also doesn't forget to move things on just a little between Chizuru and Ryuu while also finding time for the usual brief doses of comic relief.


In a way, it needn't have worried about the comedy, as were all watching in rapt attention to see what (if anything) would happen between Sawako and the apple of her eye - Of course, this series being what it is we don't get some heady conclusion, yet all the same it feels at least somewhat satisfying as progress if nothing else, with the lots of genuinely sweet dialogue mixed up with the odd moment of head in hands stupidity when Kazehaya opens his mouth before entirely engaging his brain. Still, we've all been there and done that, and overall the series closes out leaving us with the warm and fuzzy feeling we were most likely looking for from this particular show.

It has to be said that I wasn't expecting too much of Kimi ni Todoke when I began watching it six months ago - Sawako seemed like exactly the kind of girl I'd have little interest in cheering on through life and love, yet somehow this series managed to play me like a cheap fiddle and within weeks I was welling up with tears at Sawako's sorrow and grinning with joy at her small but notable successes as her life was turned around. Kimi ni Todoke managed to do this with a simple blend of great characterisation and beautifully plotted episodes that managed to introduce drama and emotion that felt so tangible and real you could almost touch it - Something often forgotten by series of this ilk in favour of cheap thrills and more intense story lines. Even though I couldn't always relate to the characters and what they were going through I could still understand their pain or happiness, and at times the way it was portrayed was breathtaking in its simplicity, forgoing dialogue for nothing but silence or crashing waves at a dockside.

In short, this is how romance should be done in my book - Not just in anime, but in any visual medium. If you ever find yourself feeling cynical about love and human relationships, sit down and watch Kimi ni Todoke; it might not make everything alright, but it could just serve to remind you that life can be beautiful, even if it isn't as often as we might like.

Kimi ni Todoke - Episode 24

I think it's fair to say that Sawako is having a pretty good birthday so far, and as Kimi ni Todoke hits its penultimate episode surely it can only get better thanks to Yano and Yoshida's carefully engineered plans?


With Sawako left alone with Kazehaya, everything looks all set for the pair to get closer, but if there's one word to describe the first half of this episode it would be "awkward", with Kazehaya singularly failing to do anything right and simply wandering around rather sullenly with Sawako in tow. It takes a phone call (and a moment of utter hilarity) from Chizuru to at least somewhat bring him to his senses, and as the couple warm up thanks to some amazake, so the mood also warms up as the two actually start to converse.

From here on in, a similar one-word description of the second half of this episode would be "sweet", with Sawako and Kazehaya starting to have some (admittedly still slightly stilted) discussions which make for some good old-fashioned bonding between the two of them as they both begin to open up to one another.

While this episode is perhaps slower in its pacing than previous instalments, once again the entire scenario was given a sumptuous treatment - I've rarely seen an anime make such good use of simple silence to convey emotion, but this episode of Kimi ni Todoke manages to do it again here, while time is still made for some genuinely amusing comic relief away from Sawako and Kazehaya's "date". While the start of this episode is immensely frustrating on account of Kazehaya's clumsy reticence to so much as say a word, it feels oddly believable and brings both relief and a warm, fuzzy feeling once the two begin to communicate and get on with one another. Quite simply, it's adorable to watch, and I make no bones about getting all mushy over it myself. It's quite rare to see quite this level of clumsy yet elegant romance in anime, and to be honest I've been eating it up almost from the very start.

Kimi ni Todoke - Episode 23

Christmas might be over, but it seems like for Sawako I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day has become something of a reality, as she awakes to find that she's still overjoyed at her latest presents from both her parents and, of course, Kazehaya.


However, as it's now the last day of school before winter break, Sawako is preparing herself for a relatively lonely time, even though New Year's Eve is her birthday... of course, she still hasn't quite gotten the hang of this whole "having friends" thing, so she remains as surprised as ever to find that Yano and Yoshida still want to hang out with her outside of school.

As soon as this pair find out about Sawako's birthday plans, and after Chizuru invites her along for the traditional New Year shrine visit, a rather more cunning plan is hatched by the duo - To get Sawako to invite Kazehaya along, and then make sure that she gets to spend some quality time with him while looking as eye-catching as possible. So it goes that their plan swings into action effortlessly, leaving us hanging come the end of this episode as Sawako and Kazehaya are left alone to visit the shrine as a couple. I feel so girlie getting excited about this prospect, but I just can't help it!

Away from that rather sweet little ending (aside from Kazehaya's complete inability to complement Sawako on her looks - There's shyness, and then there's being a bit of an ass), this was perhaps one of the most happy, fluffy and generally funny episodes of Kimi ni Todoke we've seen - Almost the entire episode was spent just enjoying Sawako's looks of utter glee and joy as her life comes together splendidly, a far cry from some of the emotional hardships we've had to watch with damp eyes earlier in the series. This made for a rather joyous occasion, full of amusing moments that really lighten the mood after a long day, while I think I actually soaked in a big chunk of vicarious happiness from seeing life going so sweetly for the show's female protagonist. Now I just have to wait with abject impatience to see how Sawako and Kazehaya's impeccably crafted "date" goes....

Kimi ni Todoke - Episode 22

With Chizuru's issues more or less resolved last episode, Sawako gets to re-take centre stage in episode twenty-two of Kimi ni Todoke... and just in time for Christmas too.


However, this festive season ends up bringing something of a dilemma for Sawako, as she finds herself torn between spending Christmas with her parents (something that they love to do, largely on account of Sawako's birth being due at that time of year) and a party with her classmates arranged by Kazehaya for all and sundry to attend. In the end, her parents win out simply on account of the fact that she feels that she can't let them down, but it's a decision she finds herself unable to make without holding a plenty of regrets. Eventually all's well that ends well however, as it turns out that Sawako's parents have recognised her need for independence more than even she's realised, and thus she also gets to at least meet Kazehaya and exchange Christmas presents if nothing else.

Despite its pretty simply premise, this is again a genuinely enjoyable episode of that does a nigh-on perfect job of mixing humour and emotion without ever getting too bogged down in one camp or another, and while once again moving Sawako and Kazehaya's relationship forward another small step into the bargain. It seems like this series has gotten better by the week of making the most of even the smallest plot points by playing them out almost perfectly, and despite starting out watching Kimi ni Todoke with little interest in Sawako's life, I now can't help but find myself rooting for her week in, week out, and enjoying every minute as I do so. With only a couple of episodes left to go however, you can't help but wonder how they're going to finish this series.

Kimi ni Todoke - Episode 21

After all the tears and heart-break for Chizuru of the past couple of episodes, it seemed as though everything was back on track as she slowly but surely reverts to her normal self, even though she still isn't on speaking terms with Ryuu.

However, after an evening of karaoke and generally having fun as a final pick me up, who else should Chizuru bump into out of the blue but Tooru himself. As he invites her to take a walk with him, so she leaves Sawako and Yano behind to go on what turns out to be a nostalgia packed stroll for the both of them. Despite the obvious difficulties Chizuru faces upon meeting up with her unrequited love out of the blue like this, all's well that ends well, as she finds herself able both to accept her proper place in Tooru's life while also reconciling herself with Ryuu.


While this is certainly a slow-paced episode of Kimi ni Todoke that doesn't thrive on any overblown drama or love rivalry, that doesn't stop it from being a rather subtly beautiful piece almost throughout - While watching Tooru reminisce about the times he's spent with Chizuru were quite sweet in their own right, it's when this instalment gets to its emotional crux points that it really shines. In fact, there are a couple of big moments in this episode that are almost eerily and solemnly beautiful - There's no over the top emotional music or long stretches of dialogue, just the wind blowing a character's hair or their breath hanging in the cold winter air in a way that somehow tells you everything you need to know without saying a word. Kimi ni Todoke is hardly a series that has made me sit up and take notice in terms of its animation style before, but this was a definite exception, and it added measurably to the two most emotional scenes of the episode, turning them into near-perfect examples of "how it should be done". Indeed, it's those two scenes which turn this instalment as a whole into another example of just how fabulous this series has been, as yet again it manages to bring me close to tears almost effortlessly.

Kimi ni Todoke - Episode 20

While it outwardly seemed as though Chizuru was unaffected by the news about Ryuu's brother last episode, it hardly took a genius to figure out that all was far from well in her world after seeing the guy she loved announcing his engagement to someone else out of the blue right in front of her.


Despite her inner melancholy however, Chizu finally grabs enough initiative to at least go and give Ryuu his present after his brother is gone.... only to be met by some seemingly snide and snarky comments that throw her into an upset rage. Thus, the rest of the episode consists of an uncomfortable silence between the pair of them, only to have everything flare up again into yet another row (well, as much as anyone could "row" with Ryuu, it's always a pretty one-sided argument) when Ryuu finally tries to confront her about things.

In the midst of all this, there isn't exactly a rainbow of happiness from Ayane and Sawako either, as they both spend their time fretting about their heart-broken friend and beating themselves up for being useless and unable to do anything about the situation, a depressing state of mind that only some kind words from Kazehaya help to dissipate, albeit only slightly.

While this episode's humour was laid on a little thick and in an over-the-top fashion at times (quite a rarity in itself for this show, which normally gets the balance just about right), there was still plenty to like here when it came to both the emotional and inter-personal aspects of the instalment. Both Chizu and Ryuu were really "filled in" as characters during the course of this episode, with the former exhibiting all sorts of frailties beneath her seemingly care-free nature while Ryuu's outward simplicity gave way to a far more complex, honest and awkward character who is all but begging to be misunderstood.

In a way though, Kimi ni Todoke's real aim here was a take on friendship in difficult circumstances, and it's here that the episode really shone through - I'm sure we've all been the "helpless friend" who feel we can do nothing to console someone we care about at some point in time, all the while forgetting that simply being there as and when required is what's really needed, and letting someone have at it with their emotions rather than being "cheered up" constantly is often the best medicine. It's this aspect to episode twenty that will probably stick in my mind for longer, with Chizuru's finally breakdown genuinely moving me too (again, I think we've all been there as well), with that particular scene being played almost perfectly. It seems that even when Kimi ni Todoke doesn't quite get everything right, it still knows what it's doing when it comes to that emotional, human touch.

Kimi ni Todoke - Episode 19

After the last episode set the scene for our shift in focus towards Chizuru's relationship with both Ryuu and his older brother, so this instalment follows through on that storyline with rather predictable consequences.

Before that however, there's some excitement for Sawako in the form of her first ever sleepover with Yano and Yoshida, although this excitement is tempered a little by Chizuru's mood on account of some ill-thought words by Ryuu, who tells her to "stay away from his place" for a couple of days - An attempt to save her from the upset of what is to come, but expressed in the worst possible fashion.


Eventually Yano, Yoshida and Sawako go to pay Ryuu a visit, only to find that there's already a small party in full swing which includes the presence of Kazehaya. The party is soon halted however as Ryuu's brother Tohru puts in an appearance a day early... Along with his fiancée. So, the reason for Ryuu's concerns for Chizuru become clear (if they weren't hinted at heavily enough already), yet outwardly she appears to recover from the shock incredibly quickly and remains largely her normal quirky self. On the inside of course, things aren't quite so simple, although it's from Sawako that the first tears of sadness actually flow as she gets to see the pitfalls of unrequited love in front of her own eyes.

While this episode was handled pretty well, perhaps the revelation of Tohru having either a girlfriend or wife-to-be was made a little too obvious last time around, which only served to make this particular instalment overly predictable as we could see what was coming a mile off. This rendered a lot of this episode as somewhat moot, although it did still have some great moments of comedy and interplay between various characters (with Yano in particular standing out), and Chizuru's reactions throughout had a genuine feeling of realism to them against the sometimes overly dramatic stuff that anime can get dragged into on occasion. Still, it appears that the Chizuru and Ryuu story arc isn't quite over yet, so we'll have to wait and see what the next episode holds - At least we can be pretty certain that it'll be less predictable than this one proved to be.

Kimi ni Todoke - Episode 18

"So near but yet so far" could pretty much have summed up the climax to the previous episode of Kimi ni Todoke, but after teasing us with the near-kiss moment this eighteenth instalment of the series takes a rather different approach.

After having spent so much time focusing on the budding yet rather naive relationship between Sawako and Kazehaya, it's been easy to forget the trials and tribulations of some of the other major characters when it comes to love, and it's these goings-on which occupy the lion's share of this particular episode.


In sharp contrast to Sawako's blossoming feelings, Yano's relationship with a college student has long since passed that point, to where it's now reached the inevitable time where she's fed up of the guy. While this particular scenario only gets some brief moments of exposure during the episode, it's a stark contrast to all the idealised love and happiness floating around in Sawako's head, and serves as a much-needed anchor for the show's romantic leanings as a whole.

Yano's problems are pushed into relief however as Sawako concerns herself more with the relationship between Chizuru and Ryuu - Of course, Sawako already knows the latter's feelings towards Yoshida, but as the episode progresses she soon begins to learn that the relationship between this particular pair is far, far more complicated than she could possibly have imagined, and it appears as though things are only going to become trickier still next time around as Ryuu fails to find an opportunity to tell Chizuru something important.

While Yano and Yoshida's relationships simply aren't as interesting or unique as Sawako's for various (and mostly obvious) reasons, getting to spend some more time watching and analysing the pair of them, and Chizuru in particular, was actually quite refreshing; if nothing else, it goes to show how likeable these characters are as an important part of Kimi ni Todoke's cast. I can't pretend to get as excited about Yoshida's uncomfortable love triangle as the one between Sawako, Kurumi and Kazehaya, yet I still want to see it through to its conclusion, which I suppose is proof enough that this story arc is working on a fundamental level. If you're dying for more progress between the two lead characters this episode might prove to be a frustrating one, but personally I don't mind too much.