I don’t like to start a finale piece on what was unquestionably an uplifting series with a downer.  But the fact is there was a bogus (for now at least) rumor that a second season of Tonikaku Cawaii was announced, which of course I didn’t investigate closely until after I watched the episode.  So I went through the finale believing there would be a sequel, only to discover that an OVA was all that had been confirmed.  That’s certainly better than nothing, and a S2 could still happen – the manga is reasonably popular and the anime has been well-received.  But sequels for shows I like are so rare (the lack of a Hanako-kun S2 absolutely baffles me) and of ones I don’t so common, that this was a bit of a blow.

To be sure, ToniCawa has a tremendous amount of story left to tell (and there’s plenty of manga left to adapt).  To say we’ve barely scratched the surface of the larger mystery is an understatement (and the finale was riddled with teasers).  But the real meat of Tonikaku Cawaii is the chronicling of a marriage, and in the hands of a writer as perceptive as Hata Kenjirou that pool is likewise immensely deep.  If a smart and sweet look at two good people sincerely and genuinely in love with each other appeals to you, this series is Nirvana.

Hata does like his tropes – the anime cold being no exception – but he has an ability to put his own spin on them that somehow elevates them above cliche.  Kaname is a good example of this – she’s a cliche side character in so many ways, but a real charmer.  One can look at Tsukasa’s reaction to Nasa’s cold and draw certain conclusions (above and beyond her offhand “I don’t get sick or hurt”).  She sounded like someone who’s felt the pain of losing people she loves on many occasions.  Her advice to Nasa-kun to “know when to hit the brakes” is one lots of Japanese would do well to heed (and ironic in an industry where young animators have literally worked themselves to death on multiple occasions).

We don’t need to dig too deep into this for now, but Tsukasa’s perspective adds an extra level to what’s already a pretty poignant look at the feelings of one person genuinely caring for another.  “I don’t want you to die” is such a simple and obvious phrase, but it’s as profound a distillation of the feeling of love as there is.  I was really moved by Nasa’s reflection on how wonderful – and rare – it is to have people worry about you.  If you’re ever had one of those moments where a thing hits you like a truck (pun intended) you know what it feels like when this realization does so.  It’s powerful – and it makes us appreciate those close to us that much more.

It was also nice to see Nasa get “frisky”.  Frankly, I don’t know how he can stand it – to be in close quarters with a Goddess (shh) like Tsukasa constantly and not act on it must surely be torture for an 18 year-old libido.  That doesn’t mean he doesn’t appreciate the deeper aspects of being in love (he certainly does, as does she) but the explosive immediacy of passion is a big part of the experience of being in love when we’re as young as he is.  Hata’s perspective is a big part of why this works – he can capture that sense of immediacy well, but he’s also quite clearly come to understand the feelings as it mellows into something mellower and subtler.

Of course that would be the  yukata Kaname chooses for Tsukasa.  And indeed, she looks absolutely stunning in it.  One gets the sense that the natsumatsuri is a lap she’s run a few times, but if she’s done so in the company of a man she loves she does a good job of making this time seem very fresh.  I never tire of watching these two together – their love is so genuine and transparent.  They don’t hide their feelings, positive or negative (rarely on the latter).  The euphoria of being close to someone you’re in love with is a feeling quite unlike anything else in the human condition, and rarely do you see it captured as beautifully as it is in Tonikaku Cawaii.

Maybe being in love really is all about the other person stopping you from eating ramen three times a day and blogging about it, I don’t know.  It sounds silly but it says a lot.  Caring about the other person unreservedly is what true love (and not just romantic – Nasa’s parents would feel the same way, undoubtedly) is, surely?  That, and asking the Gods to make sure your partner’s net doesn’t break when they’re scooping goldfish.  If you have someone who cares about you enough to do those things, you can pretty much handle anything life throws at you.

And now, we wait (as ever).  There’s always the manga of course, and it’s a pleasure to be sure.  But Tonikaku Cawaii is one of those series that seems to flower in anime form  – seeing these two in motion and hearing their voices gives their love an immediacy that the printed page does not.  It’s always a joy when an adaptation we know and assume will be very good turns out even better, and so it is with ToniCawa.  As sweet and charming as I knew it to be, seeing it come alive on screen has brought home just how deceptively deep and profound it is – a tribute to Hata-sensei’s writing, surely, but also to Ikehata Hiroshi and the anime staff and cast.  If there’s no second season it will be a real shame, but it won’t diminish how wonderful this series is.