Don’t forget about the little clueless transfer student. So many good series this season, so many of them relationship driven – Saturday through Tuesday is a real murderer’s row of them. This humble little adaptation about grade schoolers by a Pierrot (who basically hold the patent on unheralded great adaptations) spinoff doesn’t have a chance to draw as much attention as its competition. But it does so many things incredibly well, this series. It was never a sleeper for me because I knew how good the manga is, but it’s definitely one of this season’s stealth fighters.
As I’ve noted before Jijou Tenkousei definitely accents the “com” half of the genre tag. By necessity – these kids are in fifth grade. It leads with humor most of the time, but there’s an underlying bittersweet element that cuts through that even during the comic moments. Basically, imagine what things would be like if Taiyou weren’t around – especially for Akane. And the next thing you do after you imagine that is realize that was exactly what things were like for her before he transferred in. For me at least that’s rather sobering, even as Taiyou is thrashing sadness to within an inch of its life with his fists of positivity.
Yes, this series can do serious – genuine seriousness, not bittersweet comedy. This is the first example of it (at least this extended) in the manga, and while there aren’t a lot of them, it isn’t the last. Akane is off to visit her Grandma (Itou Miki) in the inaka ((in Wakayama, judging by the cat train), and initially she asks Taiyou and Daichi if one of them can watch Kuro for her. But they can’t – Takada-kun is off to visit old school friends and Daichi’s building doesn’t allow pets, only tank tops (though he did talk them into a hamster). So she loads Kuro up in a carrier and he takes his first car ride (which, as with most cats, he’s not real thrilled with).
The first really heart-squeezing moment here is seeing how happy Akane is around her grandmother (that little spin, I could plotz). She can be called cute and be unironically happy about it, she can finally talk about a friend and not be BS-ing. However, Kuro gets out because Papa isn’t much of a cage-builder, and Akane blames herself because that’s what Akane does. Eventually he’s found – by Taiyou, of all people. Not only is his old school in Granny’s little town but she knows him (and has a very good time torturing Dad about Akane’s friend being a boy). Taiyou was distracted from playing Pokemon Go by hearing Kuro’s name, and – as is his wont – immediately came to the rescue.
Sure, it’s a huge coincidence but I’d ride along with Akane (she just thought it, Taiyou blurted it out) on this and just say “fate”. Honestly, Akane – loving her Grandma notwithstanding – has been daydreaming Taiyou the whole time so there’s no doubt the two of them are going to go off and frolic together. At some point Dad seems to realize that Taiyou wouldn’t hurt a flea and passes his daughter off to him as they’re off to visit the family grave. Akane takes Taiyou there later, where she impresses him with her knowledge of procedures (I never knew about that “don’t blow out incense” thing). Then she drops the bomb – she’s mainly there to visit her mother’s grave.
All I can say is this – Taiyou’s reaction says everything you need to know about him. His instant and immediate reflex is to he horrified that he’s been calling Akane “Grim Reaper” when she lost her mother. I think he would be horrified to learn that he’d been causing pain to anybody, because he’s a bundle of pure kindness and the mere idea would horrify him. That he was hurting his angel, of all people, just makes it unbearable. Taiyou is no fool (as I often reflect when I watch him work) – his personality is genuine but he gets more than he lets on. Akane is insistent that it’s fine, she’s never felt slighted by him in any way, but he’s so distraught that she basically has to lead him home by the hand.
That scene with the two of them walking home on dark mountain paths and streets – the fireflies, the street lamps, the stars – accompanied by an unusual inclusion of narration from Akane is really powerful. This moment has brought them closer together than ever, there’s no question about it. There’s still the question of that “Shinigami” nickname, which the other kids will keep using even if Taiyou foreswears it, to consider. But this relationship has never been about that, so in the end I don’t think it matters all that much between the two of them.
Rob Barrett
April 24, 2023 at 10:40 pmPowerful chapter in the manga, made much more powerful by being acted and animated.
Snowball
April 24, 2023 at 11:37 pmIf all the series of spring were competing for the best episode 4 of this week, this series would be the winner for me. The tone was well conveyed and the imagery was beautiful.
Nicc
April 25, 2023 at 5:54 amThis is the only anime I’m watching on Sundays and so it’s been an easy keep for me. It may not reach the correct target demo, but it’s been a treat for those sticking around. Things did get serious in the second half, but is starts out with the SoL stuff.
Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother’s house we go… It’s not Christmas, but it still works. Akane is not able to get somebody to pet sit Kuro and so he tags along in the car. It’s a long drive through the idyllic countryside and I expected the kiddos from “Non Non Biyori” to somehow show up. It really was something to see Akane in such high spirits as she’s never like that at school. She’s bored, though understandable as she’s been playing with Daichi and Taiyou throughout the summer. It does seem like fate that Kuro escapes, is found by Taiyou and is brought home. It sounds like Taiyou is from the area and grandma already knows that rapscallion.
Of course, it’s off they go as Akane has already been daydreaming about this, as you said. The next day, the both head on over to the family grave. That’s how Taiyou learns why Akane has been nicknamed “Grim Reaper”. He doesn’t take it well, thinking that he’s been hurtful to her all this time. We know that Akane no longer has issues with that and that’s thanks to Taiyou. Still, Taiyou is feeling terrible about it and the finale with the both of them walking home together was powerful. According to the preview, her nickname is going to be addressed immediately in the next episode as summer vacation ends and they head back to school. It’ll be very interesting to see how Taiyou treats it.
Folcwine P. Pywackett
April 26, 2023 at 4:20 amWalked head first into this anime without any prior knowledge, thinking the whole time that Clueless will be a sweet, cute story about 5th grade crushes. Then EP 4 hit and blew a whole hole through my heart. We aint in Kansas anymore! This anime has now bolted into first place on my watch queue, because now with the contradiction of its own title, Taiyō Takada is no longer clueless, and that in the next 9 episodes, the relationship must change, and I am there for it! I loved the moment of clueless realization, when the solemn gong of the Shrine Bell strikes and our hero suddenly becomes aware as if my mystic influences. That ending was Natsume Yūjin-chō worthy in the field of feels, and with the bullying and the monsters at the school (mean kids as Silent Voice monsters), the comparison is apt. I don’t think an anime has ever done this to me, causing whiplash of the heart! Am totally invested in this story