Review of Days with My Stepsister

The step-sister romance concept is a common trope in the romance genre, but this anime takes a different approach by focusing on slice-of-life moments and dialogue as its essential elements. Some people might find it boring due to the excessive dialogue in each episode, but that's what makes it stand out from the rest. The dialogue is what I love about this anime, seeing how the characters, Ayase and Asamura, slowly open up to each other. It's like communication is the key to getting closer and more intimate with someone. The visuals are also on point, especially during the flashback scenes. It's rare to see ananime that executes flashbacks so uniquely, making me feel like I'm reliving the past. The visuals might not be as stunning as other anime this season, but they're still enjoyable. There are some unnecessary details, like the movie scenes, that feel a bit excessive if they're not relevant to the main storyline.

The pacing is slow but consistent from start to finish. Seeing Ayase's character development from being closed-off to slowly opening up and eventually falling in love is amazing. You can see it in episode 3 where she starts showing her feelings, and it's reinforced in episode 7 where she experiences jealousy. Same with Asamura, I don't remember which episode, but he starts developing feelings for Ayase during the pool scene. It's a sweet and heartwarming ride until the ending, where they finally confess their feelings and commit to each other. I love this kind of storyline, it's cliché but not bad. I'd recommend this anime to those who enjoy easy-to-follow plots without too much conflict, it's like 'Tsuki ga Kirei' but with a deeper approach (through conversations). Overall, 8.3/10