Prologue: Just a dude looking to lớn get better at reviewing/analyzing anime. I hope you enjoy the review and the discussion that follows! Critiques are welcome.

Whether direct or not, we all eventually learn of a biological truth: “the birds và the bees”.

& for the ladies of Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo.

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STORY

In a normal town with a normal school, five young women are in their beloved literature club where they nội dung their favorite passages. Yet Kazusa, Rika, Hitoha, Momoko, và Niina are keenly aware of the more risqué words they read at times. It follows, then, that their thoughts drift towards that act which has saved lives & crumbled empires: sex. Minds now “tainted”, Araburu kicks off this wild coming-of-age story.

và it does so with poise và with expertise. For instance, the anime understands that such a topic cannot escape from inherent awkwardness, so it embraces its sillier side. Sharp comedic timing, wordplay, metaphors, & jokes offset the subject with laughs without taking away from its more serious dramatic elements.

Especially because this other half matters just as much to lớn Araburu. Yes, Rika providing newfound romantic wisdom, only for Momoko to reach the exact same conclusion in a few words of her own, strikes at comedy gold while simultaneously hinting at the simplified complexity these emotions carry. But that animalistic urge likewise becomes the very driving force for their individual troubles, any interpersonal conflicts, & the all-encompassing themes of the anime.

The drama most often revolves around their respective relationships. Be it Hitoha’s attempts at ill-fated trysts with Tomoaki or the difficult love triangle between Kazusa, Izumi, & Niina, the show creates scenarios ranging in tension và elation. Thus, where the comedy supplements those embarrassing parts, the drama reminds the audience of the realer, more grounded paths they take.

All the while, its themes on sex & maturity earn their writing chops, exploring as much as it can through definitive scenes & developmental milestones. Differences between sexual and emotional interest. Sexuality itself. What sex really is & means for those involved. Alongside confessions, advances, & even masturbation, the anime turns sex not into a commodity lớn sell but rather into a meaningful idea that most everyone can relate with.

Unfortunately, Araburu cannot quite stick the landing. Its last few episodes or so introduce some questionable last-minute dilemmas, they wrap up the various plotlines in a too-brisk fashion, và they seem to retread familiar ground already visited. Worse still, despite the themes và the romance and the sex talk everywhere, the plot plays out here in an uncharacteristically puritan manner. Not lớn say that the trang chủ stretch is terrible by any means, for it contains smaller moments that get the job done. However, when compared lớn what came before, it certainly does not reach the same caliber.

But the anime remains true khổng lồ itself until the end. Indeed, the mini-epilogue gives not only enough closure khổng lồ let the viewer rest easy that the ladies will be all right but also a concluding line that captures the soul of Araburu in full-circle narrative style.

ART và ANIMATION

Araburu may not exactly wow with its artistry, but it does what it can lớn bring an engaging presentation regardless.

For starters, the characters’ designs provide a look-see into them and their personalities. Rika moves away from her bookish, reserved choices khổng lồ a prettier getup that signifies the outward growth of herself. Niina has a stoic expression and a dull-white aura about her, lending well khổng lồ her general air of mystique & contrasting nicely with those rare blushes.

The others follow a similar notion. Hitoha can be more described as a tomboy, và so her defeatist view of her own femininity fits well with her design. Momo, in contrast, is cuter & more girlish, following her own arc và the perceived expectations of a lady lượt thích her. As for Kazusa, her plain-Jane choices give her a normal demeanor that go with her role as the protagonist of the bunch.

More impressive than the designs, Araburu selects larger contributions to the visuals khổng lồ reach loftier goals. The directing manifests its quick scenes and heavier moments with a simple yet rewarding efficacy. A bevy of reaction faces dot the expressions of the characters for another increase to lớn their comedic chops. & the softer style khổng lồ the coloring, lighting, và art stop the anime from swamping into rougher waters that wouldn’t benefit it.

Actual animation tends to do fine as well when running, grabbing, and other major actions become the norm for their dramatic interactions. Unfortunately, Araburu has slight decreases in quality near its middle and middle-end sections. Not anything blasphemous, but noticeable enough that it can’t quite maintain a fair consistency for its entire run.

CHARACTERS

As a character drama, Araburu puts a lot of stock into its cast. Niina, Rika, Hitoha, Kazusa, and Momoko address the onslaught of sex và sexuality in personalized fashion. The culmination of their efforts resulting in a lot of intriguing writing.

Niina earns the đứng đầu spot as the most complex character in the anime. Her semi-aloof attitude paints her as an esoteric và independent person. In reality, however, she’s simply a lonely, lonely girl.

She takes after her manipulative mentor, trying her hardest to steal love for herself in a selfish way after realizing her imposed complacency, causing her fall from a would-be anh hùng to a pitiable villain lớn become downright fascinating. Thankfully, she punches her past, accepts her present, và looks forward to her future. Lượt thích her or hate her, she’s the most vital piece of the Araburu puzzle.

Rika undergoes the most development as a character, instilling her arc with the most satisfaction. Intelligent và bookish, her poetic word choice & her immense aversion to lớn illicit relations exudes from her an arrogance that pushes others away.

But through the sincere care of a boy, the wisdom of an unlikely friend, and her own ability to read situations, she beats back this ostracization. She embraces her prettier side. She learns different viewpoints on love. She comes to lớn accept that it’s perfectly okay to be “dirty” now and again. Altogether, her growth from start to lớn finish is praiseworthy.

Hitoha, unable khổng lồ write compelling erotica, pushes for what she wants. But, much lượt thích a hard-covered book, her outward toughness masks an inward fragility. So it is then that Araburu tests her tensile strength, involving a blackmailed teacher & an unbeatable “rival” to lớn explore her personal struggles.

She hates her perceived lack of charms, và constant losses on this và similar fronts force her to lớn endure the largest amount of negative emotions among every character. Her amicable conclusion sees her giving up her lãng mạn pursuit. Unfortunately, her impact is nowhere near as fascinating as Niina’s & not even close khổng lồ as satisfying as Rika’s, so she doesn’t achieve the same cấp độ of fame as these two.

Kazusa is technically the main protagonist of Araburu, yet her journey also hits at a lower spot than perhaps desired. She is best friends with Momoko, and she is in love with her childhood friend Izumi. His presence drives and influences her on her quest khổng lồ understand both him & herself.

Much of her character revolves around her inaction, how she often fails to vì chưng what she must, be it speaking her mind or going for it, due to a misplaced sense of inadequacy. She spends the most time with the other characters, and, thanks to their input, she finally starts lớn take those actions. Again, though, her arc somewhat stagnates, gliding her towards a welcomed happy ending at the cost of average execution to get there.

Momoko is not so much saved as the best for last as she is the one with the least amount of clout. For about the first half or so of the season, she stays on the sidelines, save for her occasional worries for their group & the dude-disliking subplot.

This combination has her discovering her own homosexuality, a thread that fits well within the overall themes at play. Sadly, the anime doesn’t vị the best job of incorporating this thread, having focused on the other four much more until it was too little too late. Nevertheless, she drops the cuteness for blunter honesty, offering an outside-looking-in lens that, at the minimum, saves her from being outright lost.

In total, not every character within the anime stands on a spectacular pedestal, but they collectively demonstrate that intriguing writing mentioned earlier

MUSIC và SOUND

The OP for Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo can be heard here.

The ED for Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo can be heard here.

Araburu continues its notable execution with a wonderful phối of audio decisions.

“Otome-domo yo”, the opening track for the anime, is not only a stellar piece but also one of the best OPs of the year. Fanciful piano, acoustic strings, và soft drums meld with violins & chimes lớn create a song filled with feelings of empowerment và optimism that match the undercurrent of the show itself. The female vocalist adds an extra emotional texture to the song, too, & the flow & the pacing of the composition has tons of variety as the music rises and lowers throughout. The metaphorical book-centric lyrics also connect well with the context of the story. It’s layered, catchy, và beautiful. A powerhouse of a track.

“Yume Cinderella” represents the ending track of Araburu. It isn’t as noteworthy as its OP counterpart (which was going to lớn be tough to do anyway), but it still has strengths. The vocal warmups, the harmonizing, & the back-and-forth singing sets the song as more lighthearted in nature, and this lightheartedness can be heard thanks to the trumpets, what sounds like bass in the background, & the daintier instrumentation in general. It’s a fun, simplistic tuy nhiên that serves as a neat lead out for nearly every episode.

Lastly, the original soundtrack và the voice-acting performances earn high marks, especially so for the latter.

The OST brings along a range of pieces to tư vấn the comedy & the drama that Araburu regularly flits between. Piano melodies, kookier arrangements, & ambient moods are just a helping of the swell tracks it has on display during the show. Plus, the infrequent insert songs are used khổng lồ great effect.

As for the VA performances, the leading ladies pinpoint the mannerisms and the subtleties of the characters extremely well. Hiyori Kouno as Kazusa, in one of her first-ever major roles, channels the naivety necessary for the budding character. Sumire Uesaka as Rika expertly weaves through the difficult sentences the smart lady produces. Tomoyo Kurosawa as Hitoha lowers her pitch khổng lồ better affect her tomboyish tone. Momo Asakura as Momoka, also a relative newcomer in her field, delivers a dễ thương cadence. & Chika Anzai as Niina allures with her calm and mysterious way of speaking.

ENJOYMENT

I really lượt thích this anime a whole bunch & then some.

For me, it has the intriguing foundation of writing that I often crave in the media I consume. Maybe not brilliant overall, but this anime certainly had the oomph factor that kept it in high spirits during the entire season.

I also could not get enough of both the comedy & the romance. The comedy had me in stitches, what with Kazusa và the others unable to lớn contain their reactions. As for the romance – with romance being my most-favorite genre – I was supremely happy with what it gave. Specifically, Rika và Shun’s relationship is a big ball of wholesome goodness, và I loved that their bond remained consistent in solidarity as the other connections went through their tumultuous times.

Speaking of Kazusa and Rika, I am a tín đồ of each character to boot. Rika is the best with her expansive vocabulary and adorable moments. Niina keeps me on the edge of my seat. Kazusa is pure, so her happiness is paramount. Hitoha tries her mightiest. Và Momoko is the rock of the group they rely on. They each bring a book to the table, and the show would not be as good as it is without them.

I also very much appreciate this project being a full experience, too. With so many sequels out in the wild, và the myriad of anime that remain incomplete or stop at a point that clearly dictates more on the horizon, seeing this tale go to completion is yet another enormous positive in my eyes.

All in all, this anime is one of my favorites of this year for sure.

Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo.

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SUMMARY

Story: Good, a coming-of-age tale with comedic wit, eventful drama, và strong themes on sex và maturity, held back only by a shaky home stretch

Art và Animation: Good, meaningful designs, nice directing, và solid movement offer an above-average visual repertoire even if it cannot always stay in tip-top shape

Characters: Good, Niina fascinates và Rika develops, Hitoha endures và Kazusa glides, và Momoko discovers

Music và Sound: Great, a catchy, empowering OP, a wide-ranging OST, awesome VA performances, và a lighthearted ED catapult the audio work khổng lồ the front of the line

Enjoyment: Great, tons of laughs, lots of emotions, nice romance, và appreciation for being a full, complete package

Final Score: 8/10

Epilogue: Thanks for taking the time to read my review. If you want, take part in the discussion below! Another cool full-circle detail I caught in the anime that I hadn’t seen mentioned anywhere was this shot of the word “purity” that is the very first shot of the show and this shot of the word “purity” that is effectively the finale. The coloring and the aggressiveness from one lớn the other speaks for itself! :3