Review of Koi Kaze

Robert's Too Late Reviews coming at ya! As usual, we're dealing in the dub version. This time we're not going to be able to do a spoiler free review, as the very subject matter that Koi Kaze covers is integral to whether or not its appropriate for your tastes. The quick of it is that if you don't mind uncomfortable taboos, then there's a solid story to be had here, and I recommend it with the taboo reservation, if you want to go in 'blind'. Will the siblings of Koi Kaze make the RTLR wall of indecency? Let's throwdown this hoedown. Story: 8 Let's get thebig two issues out of the way. First there is a 12 year gap between the lovers. Secondly, they are blood siblings. This is where many of you can make a judgment call on whether or not to watch. I don't mind taboo settings, as I thumbed up Yosuga no Sora, but I have to say, this series is so much better in how it handles the entire concept. It treats the difficult parts of the narrative with deft maturity that seems to be lacking in many anime. This is NOT a incest=wincest anime, and if that's what you're looking for, move on.

A little background on me. I'm currently single (ladies!) and have been for a good while. My last relationship was with a woman 13 years older than me. I was 21 and she was 34, and we lasted nearly 13 years before it ended. There are some inherent difficulties in such a relationship, but it's manageable (as long as you're not a jackhole like I was). Now I do NOT support a relationship between a 27 year old man and a 15 year old girl, of course. However, given a little more time, especially on the girl's part, and the relationship would have, for me, moved out of the 'gross' phase, as between adults age differences can be a non-factor.

The teen girl is well written, and is not your typical airheaded kid. She is mature and understanding, save for being confused by her feelings and what is happening around her. Even better is the older brother, who reacts in a manner that one would well expect someone in his position to react. Instead of slobbering over the teen sister, he actually is quite hateful to her, trying to drive his own lustful feelings from his head. He is so adamant about not allowing himself to like her in any capacity that he even leaves his father's household where the teen sister lives. He does everything in his power to forget her, to avoid her. This fails in the end, as the girl finds that she has the same feelings as him, and cannot stay away from him due to her incestuous love for him. While in the end they give into their desires, it's not played off as 'stimulating' in any manner, and the brother explains carefully the border they are about to pass and how there can be no turning back for either of them.

This show does remind me of Yosuga no Sora in asking the question of who gets to decide who we love and why. While even after examination I cannot support incest of any form, it still challenges me to think on why I believe this way. Any series that can make me think, even if it doesn't change my mind, is one I enjoy.

Also of note is that this anime does NOT shy away from some other kind of uncomfortable areas, such as sniffing underwear and some repeated references to masturbation. In fact one of the big joke scenes revolves around masturbation. If these kinds of things make you squeamish, you might want to give this one a pass.

There is also an interesting dynamic in that the meaner the older brother gets, the more interested the younger sister seems to become. She seems to start with the intention of trying to patch up with him over whatever offense she thought she had given him, but as time goes by she gets mad back. Sometimes anger keeps a person on your mind, and it might not be perfectly 'healthy' but that can sometimes lead to romantic feelings in my experience. That's why little boys pick on girls they like. That kind of thing.

If you are looking for a story about forbidden love written with characters that feel real, instead of horny old men and hyperactive sugar-laden 10 year olds, then you might find something here to like. This is not a story of siblings bouncing in bed as fast as possible, this is the story of them discovering they truly have real feelings for each other, and acting appropriately.

The biggest knock I have against the story is the rather flimsy premise. The older brother's parents divorced over a decade before the story, and he has no real memory of his sister. He mentions going to visit his mother ("I make time to see Mom") but isn't aware of his sister's stage of growth? That seems a bit odd to me, was she at a sleep over EVERY time he came to see Mom? Why did they not recognize each other at the amusement park they visit before learning they are siblings? Beyond that, they should have recognized each other on the train at the very beginning. There's a line in the dubbed version where the girl explains why she has a different last name than her older brother, but maybe it was just me, but it didn't make a lot of sense. And that's coming from a man that has a different last name than my own siblings. Other than these weaknesses that appear at the beginning, we otherwise have a pretty solid story.

Art: 6
The lines were simple and while clean, were of the old school styling, which is one I've yet to completely adjust to. The background colors are earthy and seem fitting, and I will admit that the little sister's appearance adds to her overall innocence, as I'm sure was their intention. I can't complain, but it's no Violet Evergarden in the art department. I begrudgingly admit that the art was fitting for the story.

There are instances of distant and background characters that are poorly drawn, barely passing for people at times, but the focus is set so tightly around the siblings, a few friends, and their father that these moments don't stand out, and might have slipped past me if not for actively looking for them. It wasn't bad art, just not the same as modern titles have led us to expect.

Sound: 7
The older brother's VA is very good, he is the same actor that played Raul Creed in Ergo Proxy, so he has a deep baritone voice, and sounds very mature and manly. The VA for the little sister is also well cast, as she doesn't sound like your average teenaged airhead, but instead has a quiet introspection evident in her. Considering the very adult decisions she makes later in the series, this aspect is very welcome indeed. She seems intelligent and even when confused about what she wants, doesn't seem ditzy about it. Their father's voice is a bit grating, as he seems to either be weeping or worrying incessantly, and doesn't show much range.

The music wasn't my cup of tea in the beginning but I do admit the opening theme grew on me after a few episodes. The ending theme is really interesting. You will likely either really like the unique vocals or despise them. It's sang in a manner that I've not heard before, and is very cool from where I sit.

The background music is well done. It helps heighten the mood, especially in the 'sweeter' moments, and to bring tension to the difficult ones. It does the job without sticking out any. I keep notes on what I watch, and see that I didn't even make note of the background music being out of order, so we can accept that as being completely serviceable to pretty good. I remember it working well in the series.

Character: 8
This is the meat of the story, as it is a character driven show. The older brother seems detached and uncaring or at least ambivalent about love after being dumped by his girlfriend. This girl seems to be a fairly long relationship as he has a key to her place that she asks for him to return. She then asks him if he ever truly loved her, and he really doesn't have an answer. This all changes with first his chance meeting with little sister, and later as he learns who she is. His reaction for the most part comes across as real and true. He lashes out at the little sister, desperate to convince her, and even himself that he cannot have feelings for her. In fact he comes across as a complete ass for most of the series, in the little sister's eyes. As the audience we are privy to the private torment he is experiencing as he tries everything he can to shake his infatuation with the little sister. He is constantly questioning himself over his feelings, even as he cant help but fantasize about her as he pleasures himself, leading to him feeling more guilt. Its through his anger that he actually pays the little sister compliments at first. Even when he moves to stay away from her, he cant keep her off his mind, even though he tries. In the end we see that he truly loves his sister, and is a good guy caught in a very troubling situation.

The girl that dumps the older brother is beautifully drawn, but is a total bitch. She seems to dangle things in front of him only to snatch it away. Thankfully the brother does not fall for her tricks. She might have meant to honestly tempt him, but he really doesn't have feelings for her, and would only think of taking her bait purely for physical release, which if he did so, would make him an awful person.

The brother has a coworker, a woman, that seems to be somewhat on to him and the situation, and tries to help him in her own way. She's sweet enough, but for whatever reason is not the brother's type, as nothing romantic truly ever happens between the two. She even goes so far as to claim to be brother's girlfriend to discourage the budding incestual relationship. Obviously she fails. She's cute, and well acted, but in the end, of little consequence.

There's a male coworker with the brother that has a *serious* issue with high school girls. He seems to openly want to 'cradle-rob' as its said to the point it's really creepy. He's meant as comedic relief, of that it is obvious, but considering falling in love with a highschool aged sibling is the primary thrust of the show, his antics are too on point to be funny. Instead it comes off as a mockery of the plot, and is not funny in the least. The show would have worked just fine without this character.

The little sister is taken by her brother from the beginning, to the point she is teased at school for having a 'brother complex' though she adamantly refuses this to be the case. She is presented as an innocent, yet somewhat serious character, not chattering her mouth off, nor being wrapped up in the 'omg' social structure that most teen girls fall into. She's mature in the sense she sees what's important and what's not. She is constantly stymied by her brother's actions, unable to figure out what she had done wrong. She slowly learns the truth as the brother accidentally blurts out things like that he worries about her, and in anger saying she is pretty. These things in her measured mind makes her realize how much he cares for her, and she realizes she cares for him too. Even after he moves out, she can't help but try to keep up contact with him until they both are able to admit how they truly feel for each other, and she finally sees the softer side of her brother that she so desperately was seeking. She does make some very mature decisions that I'm not sure she's ready for the consequences for, but her character's level-headed demeanor speaks to the fact she will likely deal with them in a graceful manner. She really is innocence and trust as a character.

Enjoyment: 8
There is a lot in this anime to make one uncomfortable. The thing is, these issues are presented in such a manner to make them palatable. While I would not support such a relationship, you can see the pair is committed to making it happen, and are serious about it. I think with a stretch if I met a sister that I didn't know was my sister and she was of appropriate age (something they BARELY make, if they make it at all) I think I might understand having an obsession over this new person in my life. I do NOT think incest would come into my mind, but the manner they present it in Koi Kaze, it's not that much of a stretch. It really is a story of love conquering all, it just features the dual whammy of August/May relationships and incest. The characters are nuanced, tortured by their feelings, and feel real to life. I disagree with their choice, but that doesn't mean the story is no good.

Best Girl: Surprise! Kaname Chidori. And no, not the one from FMP! I'm talking about the coworker that senses the odd relationship between the siblings. She's cool and collected, and is the voice of reason in the series.

I do think that taboos can be interesting, and I don't find the age thing to be much of a taboo, except for the little sister's age. Make her 20 or so, and it becomes a non-issue. I find it interesting to think about things that are considered forbidden in our society, if not any other reason than to challenge myself and my conceptions of the world. While my stance did not change, I think considering the question of how I feel about taboos like incest helps me grow in a manner. If we aren't challenged by new ideas and alternate viewpoints, how can we truly decide what we believe? I think the same is relevant in American politics. If you don't know the other side, how can you be sure of your own views? Only by challenging the status quo can we truly understand our own feelings. As for the zombie RTLR wall, no new entries. I give it a reserved thumbs up, only if you can handle the taboos presented.