Review of Waiting in the Summer

A work inviting the nostalgic elements of the unforgettable Onegai series, Ano Natsu de Matteru broadens the original idea with surprising dramatic elements, twists on cliché comedy, and realistic maturation of stock characters. This is difficult to do with the highly-abused romantic-comedy genre in 21st century anime. In the beginning, the main character, Kirishima Kaito, films the evening sky pondering the wabi-sabi of afterlife. Suddenly, Takatsuki Ichika, bursts into his empty life with a quirky, sci-fi brilliance. A summer of teenage passion and emotion ensues, all backed by a camera, questionable beverages, men in black suits, horny siblings and alien invasions. Ironically,I doubt I’ve surprised anyone so far.

And I don’t intend to do so. What is surprising is that by cramming all of these elements into a half season was actually able to work! Though it is not difficult to throw a teenage romance into any science fiction, Ano Natsu’s atmosphere is significantly more down-to-earth; it is more like throwing science fiction into a teenage romance. This style requires a significant plot and meaningful dialogue, as without it the audience would be more inclined to learn all the goodies about aliens and the appeal of space travel. Ano Natsu survives this potentially fatal topic change by honing in on the simple, cliché questions about love and commitment. In the same regard as Onegai Teacher, love steals the stage from science fiction, setting the series apart from either genre.

At first each character is stock and uninteresting. The main character emulates the undersexed, over-emotionalized egoist that brands any action by his female counterpart as doing something in consequence of him. I grew weary of him quickly, as this is one of the tenants of a male protagonist in Japanese romance, and it drives me utterly insane. Unexpectedly, this weakness is examined thoroughly in one early episode, and the audience starts to see a more three-dimensional character as the plot thickens throughout the series.

Ichika resembles Mizuho from Onegai Teacher a bit too much. I am certain this is partially fanservice to the drooling mob (which I’m included in) that picked up this series. Her character flaws are typical of a stock heroine throughout the entire series, though she throws a surprise here or there to make her seem more authentic. Kanna, too, shares typical flaws of her character type whilst throwing a curveball here or there.
I found Mio to be the most unique character, with Remon coming in a close second. I find it sad that even their characters are becoming a standard in the anime market. Mio’s actions and interests were kept well hidden, leaving me guessing quite a bit about her. Remon’s antics and creepy laugh kept me rolling on the floor, preventing the mood from becoming too melodramatic. Without them the series would have crashed and burned halfway through.

I find now that I only give top scores to experimental animations. Ano Natsu’s animation stays true to the shape of the Onegai series—no evident increase in the standard size of eyes, consistent body shapes, and simple effects. Daydreaming scenes add a little haze of glowing colors, and there is diminution of water droplets or goofy eyes which are prevalent in most romantic comedies. While this is a nice getaway from the standard of this genre, there is little to be breathtaking in terms of artwork.

The opening is reminiscent of KOTOKO’s “Shooting Star,” as is the ending to I’ve’s “Love a Riddle.” Over the years I’ve become an intense music critic, and I cannot say that hardly anything impressed me musically. The lush pop rhythms and consequential music do give a nice flair to the series, but they are commonplace in today’s anime music. The voice acting was superb, although I do miss Kikuko-sama’s gentle, mature voice for the female lead (especially in this genre.) I do find it exciting that the great idol Horie Yui got a small part towards the end of the series, which is perhaps why I am selfish enough to bump the score from as low as a five to a six.

"Ano Natsu de Matteru" - though translated as "Waiting in the Summer," is strange gramatically. "Ano” usually refers to something in the distance (usually in the past), though the verb “matteru” is best translated in the present participle. I’ve found no discussion on it, and simply asking a Japanese results in an “oooohh…I see” and a smirk to deny clarity on it. My best guess has to do with a specific time in the past that is presently being “recalled” by Kaito’s narration.

Since I am a fan of this subgenre, I obviously enjoyed it. This might be okay for those who have significant others, but it would be a big mistake for those who want a colossal plot and complicated characters. Thus, I recommend this to the lovesick, teenage-to-young-adult males who want a few good laughs and gushy romance.

SIDE-NOTE: This is my first review on MAL, and I am pleased to contribute after years of feeling uninspired to express my opinion of anime via the internet. I hope this will be useful for somebody.