“Tsukigakirei” Anime Review: So Cheesy yet So Beautiful

A Picture of Teenager’s Life in the Modern Era

Kotarou is the type of guy who loves to be left alone in his own world. He’s not the popular type, but is someone who loves literature. He’s also very rebellious against his parents. In the other hand, Mizuno is a track athlete, but is not a very tomboyish type; she is very feminine. She gets nervous a lot and always carry a toy mascot to calm herself down. What bonds both of them is their chats via LINE.

This is how romance works in the information age. It is easy to talk to other people through our social media, and also very cheap. People nowadays build their relationships using the Internet. Of course there’s no better way to connect other can direct face-to-face communication. But LINE, as a social media platform, holds a big role in this series. And it stays true even more after the series has ended because of their situation.

This anime also represents how people act in school, where nobody is actually a moe anime girl. This aspect adds more realism to it. Nobody is actually super pretty or handsome or cute or strong. Everyone is basic like a normal human being. They talk to each other, using the mainstream line ‘We can still be friends, right?’ after their graduation. Even though they will still get separated, and lost contact eventually.

But still, There’s no denying that this anime is very cheesy and cliché. It does a good job in depicting the life of teenagers in this era, but it still feels like how someone older would see the world of teenagers. Many of the scenes are very cliché, such as when the problem started in the later episodes. The plot presents common problems that have been shown many times in romance movies. There are also many cheesy lines over the series, which makes the story can be figured out easily. This is not meant that the series wasn’t great, but it can be very tiring.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Little Background Stories at the End of Each Episodes

Other than Akane and kotarou’s relationship, in the end of each episodes, they also tell a short story about the supporting characters in this anime. This makes them more alive and shows that, even though Akane and Kotarou’s relationship is the main focus, the world doesn’t revolve around that couple only. Other people have stories too, which are as well worth to be told.

So Cheesy, yet so Beautiful

It is Cheesy, and very cliché. The story is not the best as the plot is overused in many romance stories, so it’s easy to guess how things would turn out. This series is not the best romance series out there.

But still it’s worth to watch. Even though it is very cheesy, this anime shows the beauty of a first love as a teenager. Kotarou and Akane were young and innocent, and have yet to understand what awaits them. The last episode is a roller coaster of emotions. They manage to show that love is a beautiful thing, and it is not complicated. As long as you trusted each other, it can last, no matter what kind of obstacles are in on your way.

Kotarou and Akane has proved it, and it is such a beautiful thing.

Facts and Figures

Indonesia Anime Times | Written by Eru Ds