After The Rain | Anime Review | Pinnedupink.com

After The Rain

So many Fantasy, Isekai, Sci-Fi, and Action anime are being released this season. These are abundant in anime, but now and then, we want to settle down onto a cozy seat with a cup of hot coffee and treat ourselves to heartwarming Slice of Life anime. Romance is a regular aspect of this genre, so prepare to feel all fuzzy inside during the experience. Is it the rainy season for you?

We all live in different countries with varying climates, seasons, and weather, but if it just happens to be drizzling outside these days, the below series might be the perfect anime for the occasion.

After The Rain Anime Review Anime Review

“Koi wa Ameagari no You ni,” also known as “After The Rain,” “Love is Like after the Rain,” and “KoiAme” is a 12 episode TV anime series. It aired from the 12th of January until the 30th of March as a Winter 2018 title.

The series was produced by Aniplex, Dentsu, Fuji TV, and DMM Pictures, licensed by Sentai Filmworks, and brought to life by Wit Studio. The primary staff behind it are Okada Maiko as Producer, Ebina Yasunori as Sound Director, Watanabe Ayumu as Director, and Kaburagi Hiro as Episode Director and on Storyboard. Featuring Slice of Life, Drama, Romance, and Seinen and received a rating of PG-13 for teenagers 13 years or older.

The anime is adapted from the Manga of the same title, which ran for ten volumes from the 27th of June, 2014 until the 19th of March 2018. It is the work of Author and Artist Mayuzuki Jun, Serialized in Gekkan! Spirits and featured the genres of Romance and Seinen. It won fourth place in the “Kono Manga ga Sugoi!” ranking within the male readers’ category in 2016. Additionally, it was licensed in English as “After the Rain” by Vertical Inc., in Spanish by Ediciones Tomodomo, and in Italian by Star Comics.

After The Rain Anime Review - Pinnedupink.com

The story is centered around Protagonist Akira Tachibana, who is a very reserved high school student. She used to be an avid track runner but had to give it up after experiencing a severe foot injury. Her life had just not been the same since then, being unable to race like she used to.

Despite being regarded as highly attractive by her fellow classmates, she shows no interest in any of the boys in and around her school. While adapting to her life after her injury, she works part-time at the Garden Cafe restaurant. Here she begins to develop feelings for her manager at the cafe, a 45-year-old man named Masami Kondou. Despite their significant age gap, seeing Kondou show genuine concern and kindness toward the customers of his Cafe every day draws Akira to him more. While others view their manager’s behavior as signs of softness, weakness, and vulnerability, Akira cannot help but feel more attracted.

The two spend more and more time together at the restaurant, growing progressively closer and further strengthening her feelings. Yet Akira is left conflicted and weighed down by her own uncertain emotions and social conventions before finally confessing to Kondou. The result that lies ahead is as unclear and unsure as her emotions…..

After The Rain emphasizes how complicated human feelings can be and how difficult it is to understand someone, even oneself; when someone is attracted to another, your mind and emotions will go haywire. Seeing it through to the end is almost always a challenge.

This tale is a roller-coaster of emotions but starts pretty slow as it establishes the general premise of Akira Tachibana and her background. She is not very approachable to the general populace, but her inner self is visible when she interacts with Kondou. The series takes us through her life and relationship with him, while much more gets revealed along the way.

Now, the idea of a romance between a high school student and a man in his mid-40s can be a turn-off for many people at first. It sounds like an unhealthy relationship, but the truth is that there is so much more to this story. It showcases the many trials of human feelings that occur in the real world on a daily basis—the main point: how complicated human emotions can be and how jarring their problems are.

From the onset, Akira harbors feelings for Kondou, shown in her reactions, behavior, expressions, and emotions. Some viewers may find this cheesy, but it is also pretty realistic. A girl like Akira is still young and cannot fully comprehend love yet. For all she knows, she feels connected to him. On the other hand, Kondou is more mature, responding to certain feelings and expressing his own.

The two connect in an extraordinarily heartwarming and appealing way as the series progresses. As they learn and understand each other more, viewers may start to expect a sappy happy ending for them, but the feelings portrayed in this anime are far more complicated than that. There is so much drama, so if you enjoy this aspect of anime, this is the series for you. The title “After the Rain” symbolizes depression in literature, but there is light comedy here and there as well.

After The Rain focuses a lot on characterization, with many background stories and character focus, this applies to the supporting characters, like Haruka, Chihiro, Kase, and Yuuta. Compelling storytelling and prominent character connections reveal more about the main cast and their personal lives. While the central duo carries the series forward, the others play invaluable roles that influence meaningful choices.

The character personalities remain faithful to the source material through and through. One of the best aspects of the series is the chemistry between Akira and Kondou. Even if they aren’t the main focus of a particular episode, they are prominent throughout. The anime only adapts the first part of the Manga, so a solid conclusion is nonexistent, but the drama, emotions, moments are impactful. The subtle details also play a significant role in characterization, so it won’t hurt to pay close attention.

In terms of Art and Animation, After The Rain fares pretty well. The backgrounds are well-polished, the settings are realistic, and the detailing is immense. They serve to set the melancholy tone of the show as well. The animation and choreography can be compared to a moving painting.

They manage to convey the emotional scenes very impactfully with just the right tones. The animation sequences of the Opening and Ending themes are very creative and visually stunning as well. The character designs are masterfully done, too, so the production quality deserves praise.

The Sounds and Music are commendable as well, especially the voice acting. Sayumi Watabe portrays Akira perfectly, bringing life into her character while showcasing her delicate side. For a story with heavy drama, the Ending theme "Ref: rain" by Aimer is nothing short of perfect. It is beautiful, memorable, sad, and fits the themes to the maximum. The Opening theme, "Nostalgic Rainfall" by CHiCO with HoneyWorks and the OSTs, is pretty decent and enhances memorable moments.

Overall, After The Rain is a great series that effectively delivers a realistic story with real human feelings; what starts simple grows increasingly complicated, adding more and more depth to the account. This anime feels very real and can make for an excellent watch for any type of Anime fan. “After The Rain” is highly recommended, especially if it's raining outside and you're ready for a barrage of feels.