Let's fall in love because it's spring! A soft and sad cherry-red love story

Each season has its own anime that can be enjoyed only at this time of year!　Here are some good new and old works related to the topics of the season, introduced by anime writers. The cherry blossoms that color spring are like the hearts of people, shining with soft and warm colors while reminding us of the ever-changing transience of life. We have collected anime works on the theme of spring-like love that are cute, lovely, and a little sad. You will feel warm and fuzzy inside when you watch them.

First, let's start with an extremely royal coming-of-age love story.

Tamako Love Story" (released in 2014)

In this pure love story, Tamako Kitashirakawa, the daughter of a rice cake shop in a good old shopping street, becomes aware of each other when her childhood friend Mochizo Oji confesses his love to her before she graduates from high school. It is a sequel to the TV series "Tamako Market," but this film was released theatrically as an animated movie.

In a love story, there is some kind of barrier that two people have to overcome to make their love more exciting. But in this story, there are no special dramatic obstacles. What there is is the difficulty of finding the courage to confess one's feelings. And there is the reality of time passing.

In the TV series, Tamako, who was completely unaware of Mochizo's feelings, was a natural and insensitive girl in love. The change she shows when she discovers the feeling of love can be seen at ....... The feelings that she shows when she discovers the feeling of love are irresistible, and cannot be described as moe, embarrassment, or embarrassment!

Tamako is pure, but Mochizo is a really good boy, and even from a girl's point of view, his kindness to Tamako is very touching. As a viewer of the TV series, I am glad that Mochizo, who seemed to end up as a one-sided love character forever, got through to Tamako and I feel "I'm so happy for her. It's nice to see the love between childhood friends!

Kimi ni Todoke" (1st season/2009, 2nd season/2011 )

This is a coming-of-age story about Souko Kuronuma, who did not fit in with her class in high school, but gradually grows up after talking with Shota Kazahaya, a popular and non-judgmental student in her grade. Along with friendship and career paths, the story carefully depicts the changes in Souko as she becomes aware of her feelings for Kazahaya as "love.

What is so heartwarming about this story is that Souko is pure and Kazahaya is fresh. When two people like this are thinking about each other, you can't help but feel a little nervous and say, "I hope they get along! I would get nervous. However, the story also depicts realistic problems such as the lack of understanding by the people around them and the appearance of a rival in love, which keeps you on the edge of your seat in a good sense of the word.

It is heartwarming to see these two pure girls gradually develop their feelings for each other, despite the reality of their situation!　You can enjoy their youth as if every moment is a treasure. Not only love, but also the drama of friendship will touch your heart.

Let us introduce you to some works with a different twist that will make you fall in love with them.

Ouran High School Host Club" (broadcast in 2006)

The story takes place at a private co-ed high school where the children of celebrities gather. The main character is Haruhi Fujioka, a girl who joins the "Host Club," where beautiful boys who have too much time on their hands entertain female students who have too much time on their hands.

Although at first glance it appears to be a BL story, it is a very normal love story between Haruhi, who is dressed as a man and is the most popular girl in the Host Club, and the other members of the club (boys).

Haruhi, who has a neutral appearance and a simple personality, is quite clumsy when it comes to love, sometimes to the point of cruelty. The host club leader, Tamaki Suoh, who has feelings for Haruhi, is also very insensitive and unaware of her own feelings. Thanks to this, the love story makes no progress at all!

Rather than a love story, this is a coming-of-age story in which the main characters, the members of the host club, as well as Haruhi and Tamaki, overcome their own problems at home and emotional problems. It is comical and enjoyable without being heavy-handed.

Kami hajimetemashita" (1st season / 2012, 2nd season / aired in 2015)

This is a love story between a girl who has become a god of the land and a messenger who serves the god. However, the god is a high school girl and the messenger is a beautiful young man. There is nothing visually incongruous about them.

Nanami Momozono, a high school student who has been homeless since her house was taken away for debt, is saved by the god of the land when she is wandering around, and ends up living at a shrine and doing the work of the god in his stead. Tomoe, the messenger of the god, is a handsome, dependable man with a bad mouth and a stern attitude, but he also has a casual kindness to him. Nanami falls in love with Tomoe.

Tomoe has been alive for more than 500 years and has been through a lot in the past, so Nanami's love life is not going well. Even so, Nanasei is a positive, cheerful, and unmaybe girl, which makes you want to cheer her on in her earnest desire.

The contract with the divine messenger is a kiss, Tomoe saves her from a dangerous situation, and there are many other handsome demon characters in the story. The tempo is good and the characters are cute, so you will feel warm and fuzzy watching this anime. It is a highly satisfying anime.

One Week Friends" (aired in 2014)

Second-year high school student Yuki Hase becomes friends with his classmate Kaori Fujimiya, who has a disorder that causes her to lose her memory of her friends every weekend. Yuki kindly helps Kaori with her feelings and tries hard to build a new time and relationship with her.

This is an unusual situation in which the heroine's memory is an obstacle to love. The relationship between Yuki and Kaori, which begins with "Please be my friend," is love or friendship?　The relationship between Yuki and Kaori, which begins with "Please be my friend," is a subtle one, but the feeling of cherishing each other's company is nothing other than love.

Memories are the accumulation of memories of the time spent together. Such an obvious fact is miraculously precious. Seeing the smiles on each other's faces is the happiest thing of all.

This is a work in which no unpleasant people appear, including the love rival, Hajime Kujo. That is why Yuki, who cares for Kaori, is so earnest and tender that even the viewer is saddened.

In the end, I would like to conclude with this work for adults, which makes you feel the sadness of the endless passing of time even more.

5 Centimeters per Second" (released in 2007)

This is a movie directed by Makoto Shinkai. It consists of three short stories: "Sakuranasho," "Cosmonaut," and "5 Centimeters per Second. The film depicts the changing relationship between a pair of boys and a girl who have feelings for each other, transcending time and distance. The title means "the speed at which cherry blossom petals fall.

Takaki Tono and Akari Shinohara, who met at elementary school in Tokyo, had faint feelings for each other and continued correspondence after graduation, even though they were separated. When Takaki, now a junior high school student, is transferred to Kagoshima, he takes a train to see Akari, who lives in Tochigi, while he is still in Tokyo. Then time passed and ...... was born.

Each cut of reality is a beautiful scene that contains the characters' thoughts and feelings. The feelings one feels for Takaki and Akari, who are in love with each other, and for Hanae Sumida, who has a crush on Takaki, will differ greatly depending on the person who watches the film.

After watching the film, you will feel a sense of regret, but also a sense of cleansing.

These are six stories of spring-like love.

When the cherry blossoms fall, it is a very sad time. Stories depicting cherry blossom-colored love are not only sweet and gentle, but may also have a hint of bittersweetness in them.

(Text by YAMAYU )