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anime: Natsuiro Kiseki
Jul. 7th, 2013 08:23 pmNatsuiro Kiseki is a 12 episode anime about 4 friends-Natsumi, the goodhearted athlete, Saki, who is very down-to-earth and prickly, Yuka, the hyperactive one who is the impetus for most hijinks in the series, and Rin, the sleepy, laid back one who gets pulled into all of Yuka's plots and antics-who discover that the giant rock behind the shrine Rin's family cares for is magic, and that if 4 friends make the same wish while touching the rock, it'll be granted. (Later, it only takes 1 or 2 of the girls to do it.) There's a bodyswap episode, an accidental invisibility episode, a timeloop episode, an episode where two people have to touch at all times, a clone episode, etc.
However! This is not what the series is actually about!
Because right before they discover the magic rock really is magic, they learn that Saki's father has taken a job as a doctor elsewhere, and that they'll be moving at the end of the summer, and the series is actually about the 4 of them getting the most they can out of the last summer that they'll all be physically together. (Because the internet and public transportation exist, so thankfully it isn't GOODBYE FOREVER.) The magic rock hijinks (largely caused by Yuka-at one point, Natsumi calls Saki, wondering if she should be worried because Yuka hasn't caused any chaos in a few days) mostly serve to give the girls adventures to fill the summer with, and while some magic rock adventures are played for the lulz, almost all are used for introspection and life lessons, but without getting preachy or overly sentimental (by anime standards). There's also a subplot where Yuka wants them all to participate in a competition to become idolsand so contractually stay together foreverandever and be just like Four Seasons, a group they're all fans of, though Yuka most of all.
Technically speaking, there's nothing really innovative or original about the series, but I found it to be very enjoyable and fulfilling, and despite the magic rock adventures, more realistic in it's depiction of growing up and teen friendship than most anime.
There's also a very short OVA that takes place 4 years later when they reunite and catch up with each other's lives.
However! This is not what the series is actually about!
Because right before they discover the magic rock really is magic, they learn that Saki's father has taken a job as a doctor elsewhere, and that they'll be moving at the end of the summer, and the series is actually about the 4 of them getting the most they can out of the last summer that they'll all be physically together. (Because the internet and public transportation exist, so thankfully it isn't GOODBYE FOREVER.) The magic rock hijinks (largely caused by Yuka-at one point, Natsumi calls Saki, wondering if she should be worried because Yuka hasn't caused any chaos in a few days) mostly serve to give the girls adventures to fill the summer with, and while some magic rock adventures are played for the lulz, almost all are used for introspection and life lessons, but without getting preachy or overly sentimental (by anime standards). There's also a subplot where Yuka wants them all to participate in a competition to become idols
Technically speaking, there's nothing really innovative or original about the series, but I found it to be very enjoyable and fulfilling, and despite the magic rock adventures, more realistic in it's depiction of growing up and teen friendship than most anime.
There's also a very short OVA that takes place 4 years later when they reunite and catch up with each other's lives.
