OP: “Megane wo Hazushite (メガネを外して)” by noa (乃紫)

I’m still reeling over this week’s announcement that Bokuyaba will be ending after the next volume (so roughly 8-10 more chapters). Few manga have impacted me so much as that one. Some had predicted that Sasaki Norio would end the series after the protagonists graduated middle school – that was certainly one obvious possibility. Maybe it was wishful thinking (well, no maybe about it), but I really thought Norio might continue it to high school and even beyond. The franchise has never been more popular and it’s the most interesting romcom couple animanga has seen in years – there’s certainly plenty of room for further exploration with them.

That’s obviously going to leave a massive crater in fans’ lives. There’s no way I would expect a series like Seihantaina Kimi to Boku to fill it – Boku no Kokoro no Yabai Yatsu is a generational event. That would be an unfair expectation, to say the least. But never will we need good romcoms more than now, and the fact is that Bokuyaba fans generally love this series. I’d never read any of it, but I know it’s well regarded. As is mangaka Agasawa Koucha’s other series Koori no Jouheki (The Ramparts of Ice) – a shoujo (this is shounen) – which is getting an adaptation in the spring. To say it’s a big year for her would be an understatement.

It’s only one episode, but I get it. Why Seihantai is popular, and why popular with Dangers in My Heart fans specifically. It’s not Bokuyaba – this is painting with primary colors while its all subtle shadings and grayscale. But that’s fine – and among mortal romcoms, this is extremely charming. The characters are instantly likable, and the premise is relatably true to life. The production is also excellent, while obviously not lavishly budgeted, With a relatively unproven studio in Lapin Track and director in Nagatomo Takakazu, it was hard to know what to expect. But this was clever and witty, and the OP and ED are excellent both musically and visually.

Things click right from the cold open, a montage of teens on their way to school as Suzuki Miyu (Suzushiro Sayumi) dons her daily coat of paint, set to a breezy track by tofubeats. The guys are being goofs and the girls are bubbly and giggly, much in the way of high schoolers the world over. Miyu’s friend circle seems to consist mainly of even-keeled Satou Aoi (Hirabayashi Konatsu) and genki girl Watanabe Manami (Taniguchi Yuna), but also a boy – Yamada Kentarou (Iwata Anji). Miyu is clearly popular but her main focus from mirror-rehearsal time has been Tani Yuusuke (Sakata Shougo), the impassive glasses boy who sits next to her.

You may notice in that list of names that you don’t notice any names. That is to say, this is a cast largely free of the usual suspects and as a result, the voices all feel pretty fresh (and some of the seiyuu are actually teens). I like that – maybe they’re not as polished as the big names, but there’s a certain self-awareness that’s lacking too. Miyu’s semi-teasing pestering of Tani-kun is instantly recognizable to adults as overcompensation for a major crush, but to inexperienced kids not so much. And Suzuki-san is obsessed with hiding her true face from everyone – the idea of anyone (much less Yuusuke) knowing how she actually feels is horrifying to her.

The banter amongst the kids is fun to listen to (the “Sudaken” bit had me rolling) but there’s a certain vicarious embarrassment in seeing Miyu make a fool of herself (which she’s well aware she’s doing). Yuusuke is certainly a sphinx – one-word answers, expressionless – so much so that it feels like a breakthrough when he actually asks Miyu a question in response to  her babbling. But the joke’s on her, because Tani-kun is sharper than we – or Miyu – expect. He suspects something of her true feelings, to the point where when she playfully asks him to go to “King Burg” (“just kidding”) he accepts. And then momentarily grasps her hand.

Miyu is so wigged out by this that her mom lets her oversleep and she doesn’t wake up till 11:15 (her obsession with punctuality is part of her obsession with keeping up appearances). She’s been spotted going home with Yuusuke, and he walks in just in time to hear her vehemently denying they’re dating. She’s perfectly justified here – she can’t be sure how he feels and doesn’t want to speak for him – but of course Yuusuke takes it the wrong way. She blurts out her true feelings to her friends, and Yamada urges her to go after Tani. Which she does, and is so invigorated by finally revealing her true self that she then flat-out screams the truth to him.

Of course it’s much more organic and realistic for this to happen slowly, as it does in Bokuyaba. But hey, nobody can make that process be as mesmerizing as Norio can – and here, we get to see the relationship evolve right from the first episode. Seihantai na Kimi to Boku is finished and only eight volumes, so we should get a complete adaptation here. Agasawa-sensei has certainly showed me that she can depict the prequel portion of a romcom with style and charm, but what comes after is obviously a whole different kettle of fish. It’s pretty critical that we see things from Tani’s perspective next time as well. But based on the quality of its intro and the high regard people seem to hold for it, it’s easy to feel confident that Seihantai can close the deal.

ED: “Pure feat. Eriko Hashimoto (ピュア feat. 橋本絵莉子)” by PAS TASTA