Review of Days with My Stepsister

Yes, Days with My Stepsister is nothing as wacky or trashy as the title may suggest. But no, this is not as heartfelt and thought-provoking as its first impression may suggest, either. The best thing about the anime is the "vibes." This is a slow and talky show, driven by conversations and internal monologues taking place in every-day situations. "Directing" is what stands out here above any one aspect of the anime. The pastel-tone colors. The visual and audio flourishes, like the old film projector effect. The tempo of scenes and conversations. The wonderfully soothing music. All of these seem carefully put together to givethe show a strong, distinct "feel." The style reminds me of Liz and the Blue Bird or even Shoushimin Series from the same season.

Unfortunately, unlike those two anime, the style is not quite backed up by the meat-and-potatoes of production. The animation is very sparse and stiff, the characters frequently go off-model or lose detail, and there are many cut-aways that conveniently avoid complex animation work. I have a feeling that the show could have been much more effective and enjoyable if it had more striking artwork and subtle details such as tiny changes in facial expression. The weakest link is the character art, which is extremely bland. Personally, it falls on the "irritatingly bland" side, rather than the "passably bland" side. It might be the eyes; these characters just look dead inside.

The show is completely focused on the two main characters: what kind of people they are, how they tackle their day-to-day and how their feelings slowly develop. Both Yuuta and Saki have a calm and thoughtful personality but are emotionally closed-off. I suppose that makes them "realistic," but not necessarily interesting people. All of their interactions are very formal and straightforward. So many thank-you’s, sorry’s and that’s-okay’s. They outright tell each other what they are like and what they are thinking. Or they say nothing, and we get to hear their inner thoughts. We see so much of these characters and their dialogue is so measured, but it never feels like there is much going on behind their blank expressions and their words.

The supporting characters get even less depth. Some of them, like the cutesy popular girl, come across as "anime characters" and awkwardly clash with the more grounded main duo. Others are so overtly direct and almost clairvoyant that they feel like they only exist to clumsily push the story forward.

The story revolving around these characters is minimal and simple. Thanks to their personalities, the main characters mostly avoid forced drama and silly misunderstandings. At the same time, there are very few surprises or creative twists to the story. These characters go through pretty much what you would expect anyone in their situation would go through, when they have limited experience with love and a family member they feel attracted to. Any situation that does arise is quickly resolved in a predictable and sensible fashion. How do you break the news to your classmates that that girl in the other class is your sister now? Think of the most mundane option.

I have not mentioned the subject matter until this point, because the show does not seem to have a lot to say about it. Of course, it is not expected to do so, but after it sets itself up as a refreshing, thoughtful look at a sensitive topic, it is disappointing that it just never ventures beyond "but it’s bad." Maybe it is simply taking its sweet time, to be continued in the next season. Why might a step-sibling relationship be okay? Why not? How will their relationship affect their family and friends? After 12 episodes, it does not feel like the show dug deep into its most interesting aspect at all.

This is the most frustrating show that I have watched in the Summer 2024 season. It is a slow but not unpleasant watch experience, if you do not mind slow-paced shows. Its approach to the subject matter, solid direction and its atmosphere are all interesting and deserve attention. However, the show does not deliver on much else that matches those strong points. The characters are much too dull in terms of the visuals and the writing, and the story does not take any interesting turns or provide insightful commentary.

After the first episode had me hooked, I was left unmoved and unsatisfied by the time the credits rolled in the last episode. I could not stop thinking that I should like this more than I actually do. Now, a week later, the show is already fading from memory. In the end, Days with My Stepsister is a simple, slow, inoffensive character drama, and that may be enough for some. It is just a shame that it could not become much more than that.