Summer Time Rendering

Prepare to be enthralled as you traverse the realms of the unknown, where spectral echoes intertwine with the mortal realm. Mio's steadfast loyalty and Shinpei's unwavering resolve, driven by the ghost of his deceased loved one, form a potent alliance against the approaching darkness.

Will they uncover the sinister secrets that lie beneath the surface and bring justice to Ushio's memory? Or will they succumb to the insidious forces that threaten to consume them all? The answers lie within the heart of this captivating tale, where the boundaries between life and death blur and the quest for truth becomes a battle against an unfathomable darkness.

Summer Time Rendering is a Japanese TV Anime series based on Yasuki Tanaka's Manga of the same title. Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Movic, MAGES, Tokyo MX, Shueisha, Toy's Factory, and Bandai Spirits were the companies that produced it. Its central staff includes Producers Kurashima Mayumi, Nose Kazuya, Kojima Hiroaki, and Shimosato Satoru. In addition, Hiroshi Seko composed the series, Miki Matsumoto designed the characters, and the Music was made by Keigo Hoashi, Keiichi Okabe, and Ryuuichi Takada.

The series consists of 25 episodes, and each episode lasts 23 minutes. It belongs to the genres of Mystery, Supernatural, and Suspense, while its main theme remains Time Travel. It catered to the demographic of Shounen and was rated R-17+ for its violence and profanity.

Summer Time Rendering, written and illustrated by Yasuki Tanaka, ran from the 23rd of October 2017 until the 1st of February 2021 in Shueisha's Digital Magazine “Shonen Jump+.” The series was also simultaneously released on the Manga Plus app and website. Shueisha published its chapters in thirteen Tankbon Volumes from February 2nd, 2018 until April 2nd, 2021.

Mages announced a visual novel, "Summer Time Rendering: Another Horizon” (Another Horizon, Sam Taimu Renda Another Horizon), in July 2022. The game repeats the events portrayed in the Anime while also following six different stories, each with its own ending. The game also features a distinctive character named Kaori Koyuba, created by the series' author, Yasuki Tanaka, and voiced by Yui Ogura.

It’s pleasant to know that the Anime cast members also repeated their roles in the game. On January 26, 2023, the game was launched in Japan for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch, and its Limited Edition included an Official Guidebook and an Original Soundtrack CD. A Live-Action adaptation was announced in February 2021, after the completion of the series 139th and final chapter. Around the same time, the series also concluded with a real escape game.

Shinpei Ajiro grew up with the Kofune sisters, Ushio and Mio; after his parents died, he moved to Tokyo to live alone. He returned to his homeland on Aogashima Island, situated in the Wakayama Prefecture, two years later, in July 2018, to attend Ushio's burial after learning of her drowning. But he becomes skeptical when he learns about the strangle marks around Ushio's neck, which hint that she had been assassinated on purpose. He makes an effort to find out what actually happened to Ushio with the help of Mio and her "ghost" in order to possibly save other people from a strange, sinister conundrum.

As you’ve already guessed, Shinpei is the story's main protagonist. He returned to Hitogashima mainly to attend the burial of his childhood friend, Ushio Kofune. Because he lost his parents when he was a child, he was raised in the Kofune family and grew close to both Ushio and Mio as if they were his own family.

Ushio, the show's female star, will also shock you in many ways. She is such a great hero; I loved everything about this character. I also liked how the antagonists in this program, who were also portrayed as quite knowledgeable, tried to sabotage the main character's efforts to figure things out. It's fascinating how time travel operates and how everything resets after death, and this will keep your mind occupied. Without giving away the plot completely, the show does an excellent job explaining critical points so that viewers are not perplexed.

As for the Plot, it has masterfully integrated mystery, thriller, and supernatural elements into a neat balance. Although the Anime develops a lot in the initial stages, viewers will almost certainly be surprised by what happens in the last act. The implementation of the tale is the single most critical part of a mental thriller, and in terms of storytelling, this series excels with a fast-paced, action-oriented plot.

The first episode begins with a serene but solemn summer setting as Shinpei returns to the island where he grew up, but they also throw in several humorous moments. For example, Shinpei falls headfirst into a set of breasts in classical Anime style. At the same time, another childhood friend gets into a minor bike accident and ends up flashing him with her underpants while getting soaking wet in the water. Despite how ludicrous this may all seem, stick with the show because these occurrences become relevant in an exciting way later on, though I won't go into it here.

Our protagonist attends the funeral as the day progresses, and the setting becomes tense. Shinpei learns a little about mythical fantasy beings known as Shadows. Towards the end of the episode, he stumbles across a Shadow, essentially a clone of Mio, who murders Mio and then him.

The plot would have stopped there if there hadn't been a time loop, and the entire plot from this point on becomes a story about Shinpei retrying the same event over and over until he wins or is permanently killed. Does this sound familiar? While the notion is not novel, I commend the execution of it all.

Many of these time loop Anime don't correctly address the benefits and downsides of time travel; instead, they downplay the ludicrous advantage time travel brings by dumbing down the protagonist, or they cheapen losses and any adverse effects due to the nature of unending repetitions. Rest assured, that is not the case here.

The characters are crucial elements in this Story, and thanks to them, we continue to appreciate it. We, as viewers, have less reason to keep following them if they aren't interesting or captivating to our eyes. Still, if the opposite occurs, we will gladly continue to study their every move and become concerned about their fate.

I simply must comment on the character designs, though, because they are all highly original and pleasing to the eye. The animation is quite fluid as well. Here’s a tiny visual spoiler, too: you’ll probably grow to appreciate how the Shadows have Red on their bodies to help viewers distinguish between real individuals and Shadows. I know it's been done before, but the red adds a much-needed spooky touch.

Moving on to the rest of the production, this Anime is just stunning. I knew this show would be visually stunning from the moment I saw the Animation for the sauce rolling over the Katsu dish at the Cafe in Episode 1. The backgrounds, objects, camera work, animation, and character designs are superb; no complaints. We have a gorgeous island landscape with well-crafted foliage, caves, and a realistic little island village. Food, weaponry, cars, and everyday home goods like kitchen equipment and phones are all portrayed quite realistically with little to no CGI. What more can you ask for from this department?

Plenty of the fight scenes are on par with top-tier action anime, and several well-known animators, including the person who animated the Beast Titan fight in Attack on Titan, worked on these scenes. The fights with the Shadows are particularly impactful, and they constantly feel very thrilling because of how the Anime conveys a slew of hazardous scenes and how they symbolize body damage.

For example, a character getting injured on a specific part of their body causes them to slow down visibly or not use that particular body part, while being hit in the face has actual repercussions such as a loss of vision or balance. The best part? The characters maintain their unique, eye-catching designs through it all. The girls are all lovely despite having somewhat plausible body types, and the guys have distinctive features that distinguish them without being ludicrous.

This Anime's Sounds and Music are dreadful, in the best way possible. The Opening themes are "Hoshi ga Oyogu" by Macaroni Empitsu and "Natsuyume Noisy" by Asaka, and the closing themes are "Kaika" by cadode and "Shitsuren Song Takusan Kiite Naite Bakari no Watashi wa Mou" by Riria, all of which follow the general vibe of the series. For me, the spoiler-free initial Intro and a few of the OSTs are absolute bangers.

In the Horror mystery genre, the background score is a common aspect, and Summertime Render surpasses our expectations with horrifying, compelling, and hauntingly silent music that considerably enhances our experience. The intriguing sound design enhances the overall horror vibe. I also appreciate the conversations and the accent in which the dialect is handled because I am a fan of the Japanese country-type dialect. The Voice actors have done an outstanding job of conveying the emotions behind every scene, which is especially tough in horror settings.

Considering all these criteria, what more reason do you need to watch this show? It has a solid story, fantastic visual production, decent sound, and a terrific cast. As much personal satisfaction as I derive from this anime, it has flaws. But hey, such is life.

I still think this is a great watch and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys Anime's dramatic and mystery sides. Why? Because this was such a fantastic series to experience, this is just how Mystery Anime should be written and portrayed. I strongly recommend this one!