Name: Kimi ga Nozomu Eien: Next Season
Genre: Drama
Episodes: 4
Aired: December 21, 2007 – December 19, 2008
Based On: Kimi ga Nozomu Eien visual novel
Director: Hideki Takayama
Produced By: Brains Base, Bandai Visual
US Distribution By: Not Licensed

Cast

Review

Kimi ga Nozomu Eien: Next Season is an alternate ending OVA series to the Kimi ga Nozomu Eien (aka Rumbling Hearts) TV anime series, in which Takayuki chooses Haruka instead of Mitsuki to be with at the end.  Of course, it’s not as easy as that, as Haruka starts to fear that she’s being nothing but a burden to Takayuki and attempts to break off their relationship.  Akane, in disbelief over the two’s apparent separation does everything she can to try to get the two back together.

This OVA might be a nice set of episodes for those who are just so distraught over Takayuki not choosing Haruka at the end of the TV series that they’re in outright denial, but other than that, this OVA doesn’t seem to have all that much to offer.  The storytelling was only mediocre, it seemed to focus almost more on Akane, despite it being a series about Haruka (in theory), and it took a dip in production values all around.

Given how short this series is, it probably isn’t so bad that you’ll wish for those 2 hours of your life back, but if it was much longer, you might think that.  If you’re a hard core KimiNozo fan, you might like to check this out, but for anyone else, this probably isn’t worth it.

Scores

Story: 3/5
Animation: 3/5
Music: 4/5
English Dubs: N/A

Overall: 3/5

First Watched: December 2007 – December 2008
Do I Own: No
Do I Recommend: No

Haruka wakens from her collapse at the end of the last episode, and asks Akane to continue with what she was saying about Haruka and Takayuki. However, Akane can’t continue to talk about that after Haruka collapsed and runs off. Akane runs into the hospital doctor, Dr. Kouzuki while wandering around town. Dr. Kouzuki ends up telling Akane that, just like Haruka, Akane is steadfastly following her dream. However, following one’s dream has a cost: often in the form of letting loved ones drift away. She explains that this is happening to both Haruka and Akane.

In the meantime, Haruka’s mother asks Haruka what’s going on with Takayuki, since Haruka hasn’t been cheerful lately. Haruka reluctantly explains that she’s scared of being a burden on Takayuki, and mad at herself for continuing to follow her dreams while Takayuki had to ditch his, as well as blaming herself for everything that’s gone wrong. However, her mother tells her that things like that is all part of being family and being in a relationship, and there is nothing to be ashamed of, mad at, or scared of because of it.

Haruka decides to call Takayuki just as he gets off work, and tells him that she’s at the station – at the very spot of the car accident, saying that they have to “start anew” from there. Takayuki rushes to the station and finally meets up with Haruka and the two renew their lovey dovey relationship.

I don’t know if I’m the only one who thinks this, but this episode seemed to have an awfully lot of Akane in it for it to be the final episode in a series about Haruka. Meanwhile, I don’t think we’ve seen Hayase at all except in flashbacks since the 2nd episode, begging that the question be asked: what was the purpose of having an nearly a whole episode dedicated to her if she was going to get ditched afterward?

I figured that Haruka being scared of being a bother to Takayuki was what caused all this, but we seemed to take a rather roundabout way of getting to the end of it – especially when all it took was a short conversation with her mother for Haruka to seemingly get over it.

That’s not to say that this series wasn’t OK (I’m kind of loathe to actually call it “good”). I was afraid at the end of the last episode that much of this episode would be Haruka being back in a coma and going through all that stuff again, but luckily that didn’t happen (though I was right about Akane being all angsty over Haruka collapsing again). Maybe I need to watch all 4 episodes at once to get an overall feeling for the series. It has taken about a year for all 4 episodes to come out, after all.

As for overall thoughts for this episode speciically: it was nothing particularly grand, and there wasn’t any real big dramatic “big choice” ending. It’s not like I actually expected Haruka to be in another accident, though it may have actually made the episode a little bit more interesting if it almost happened again. I just think that this episode, like this series generally, has largely ridden the rail of mediocracy pretty much all along.

Go Straight to the Screenshots | Go Straight to the Review

• After swim practice one day, a boy at school asks Akane out, but she turns him down and runs away, presumably because she still has feelings for Takayuki (where’s Jouji Gouda when you need him? Nevermind, we don’t need him). Afterwards, Akane and her friend Chizuru talk about stuff on the way home like how Akane has changed recently, how Akane is planning on going to America, and about relationship matters, etc.
• Meanwhile, Akane wonders what’s going on between Haruka and Takayuki, given that he hasn’t been visiting or calling at all recently. Akane asks Haruka about it, but Haruka tells Akane that he isn’t able to visit anymore due to changing shifts.
• Akane decides to visit Takayuki at work, where he ends up telling Akane generally what’s been happening between him and Haruka.
• Akane then has an apparent flashback to an argument she had with Mitsuki over her relationship with Takayuki, where Mitsuki blows Akane off since “she can’t understand since she’s never truly loved someone before.” However, back in the present, Akana remarks how Mitsuki is wrong about her not loving anyone.
• Akane, trying to dig deeper into what’s going on, decides to call Shinji and ask him about it. Shinji ends up telling Akane about the event at the train station where Haruka initially broke things off with Takayuki. However, he adds that he has faith in both Haruka and Takayuki that they can work things out in the end.
• After all of this, Akane confronts Haruka at home that night about what’s going on with Takayuki. Haruka tells Akane that she wouldn’t understand what’s going on, but Akane just tells Haruka that she’s being selfish. All of this causes Haruka to collapse…

So, we thought that this would be the last episode, but apparently Brains Base decided to make us wait until August 22nd for Episode 4 (and I can only assume that’s the last episode).

In any case, onto the episode itself. We get lots of Akane angst in this episode. She’s tired of people telling her that she wouldn’t understand what’s going on and tries to bring Haruka and Takayuki back together, despite her own feelings for Takayuki. Of course, now she’ll probably get to be all regretful about Haruka collapsing again and all, so I’m sure we’ll get more Akane angst in the next episode too.

We finally get to see Ayu-Ayu and Mayu-Mayu in non-cameo roles as well (which I’ve been waiting for). Not that they add much to the episode besides comic relief, but it’s still nice to see them (all we need now is the Mayu-Ayu theater, or whatever).

The other thing about this series, which luckily is rare, is having flashbacks to scenes which I don’t recall being in the first KimiNozo series (aka Rumbling Hearts). The flashback scene in this episode was like that. It looked like we entered the flashback mid-argument, but I’m not exactly sure what the rest of the argument was about (other than Mitsuki’s relationship with Takayuki). Maybe it ultimately doesn’t matter, but it just kind of irks me in a way.

It’s probably obvious to say this, but how the next (and presumably last) episode goes will largely determine whether this series as a whole will be good or not. I think it’s been decent so far, but I’m concerned that we’ll just kind of have a “we’ve seen this before” ending with Haruka collapsing.

I guess we’ll find out in a couple months.

Go Straight to the Screenshots | Go Straight to the Review
The highlights of this episode:

• Mitsuki is making dinner in her apartment when her female roommate comes home from work. Mitsuki’s roommate, whose name is Tsujimura, asks Hayase if she’s found a job yet, but Hayase says she hasn’t and may start looking for part-time work so she can help pay her part of the rent. As it turns out, Tsujimura is a former swimming teammate of Mitsuki’s who happened to run into her when they were both looking for apartments in Tokyo.
• Meanwhile, Shinji enters a bar to meet Takayuki after the incident with Haruka at the train station. Shinji asks Takayuki what he plans to do about Haruka, and Takayuki tells him that they’re going to “stay apart for a while.”
• Back in Tokyo, Tsujimura asks Hayase whatever happened to Takayuki, guessing that they have broken up since Hayase is in Tokyo. Hayase confirms this, also confirming that she came to Tokyo because they broke up. Tsujimura ponders why Hayase wasted her swimming potential by dating Takayuki, but then remarks that she’s not one to talk since she quit the team soon after Hayase did as well. Tsujimura also tells Hayase that allowing Hayase to room with her is kind of a way to clear her conscience for thinking bad things about Hayase at the time.
• Back at the bar, Takayuki explains to Shinji that he thinks Haruka wants some time off because she’s worried that Takayuki hasn’t found a full-time job yet and that he’s having to choose between work and her and feels guilty about it. So Takayuki has “agreed” to time off so that he can get time to get a good footing and make Haruka feel more secure.
• Back in her apartment, Hayase starts telling Tsujimura how Haruka and Takayuki started dating, but that Haruka got in a car accident and went into a coma and how Hayase blames herself for it. She explains how Takayuki became almost obsessive about staying by Haruka’s side to the point that Haruka’s parents asked him to stop for his own good, which sent him into a depression. Hayase started caring for Takayuki and dragging him out places and eventually Takayuki got better until Takayuki invited Hayase out to go to the Aquarium for a thank you, but the two ended up dating afterwards. Then Haruka woke up and Hayase became desperate to keep Takayuki, but that the two ended up breaking up in the end.
• After Hayase finishes with her story, Tsujimura tells her that she’s a victim too, and the person really at fault was the person driving the car that wrecked into Haruka.
• Back at the bar, Takayuki tells Shinji that once he finds a full-time job, he’ll move into a place together with Haruka. He explains that he wants to do things carefully and in the right way this time instead of rushing into it and making the same mistakes again. Shinji then notes how much Takayuki has changed from his whiney pitiful little self back in KimiNozo.
• Back at the Suzumiya residence, Akane remarks how it’s been a while since Takayuki has visited…

Well, in my write up for the last episode I asked “I’m also wondering how much of Rumbling Hearts gets axed.” The answer from Hayase’s timeline of events appears to be “quite a bit.” I’m not sure if that’s because there are the events that happened on Haruka’s route instead of Mitsuki’s but there is a noticeable difference – namely that in the original TV series, Takayuki is in a deep depression and the visit to the aquarium is the real turning point in him leaving it. Meanwhile in Hayase’s timeline in this episode, the trip to the aquarium is more of a celebration of his recovery from his depression.

That’s a rather significant departure from the original timeline as in the TV series, Takayuki and Hayase basically got together because of Hayase’s guilt and Takayuki’s depression. In this new version, Takayuki ends up hooking up with Hayase basically “until Haruka wakes up” and Hayase pretty much admits as much. I don’t know about anyone else, but this makes Takayuki a far less sympathetic character overall.

My other note of concern is that I’m not exactly what the “problem” in this series is. If the main issue to be resolved is Haruka not wanting Takayuki to choose between her and his job, with the resolution being Takayuki just finding a full-time job, this series is going to end up sucking bad (though probably not as bad as Akane Maniax).

However, I’m wondering if Takayuki is giving Shinji the full story. The end of the first episode was hardly Haruka and Takayuki mutually deciding to “take time off” as Takayuki portrayed it, unless Takayuki and Haruka had spoken to each other since, and Haruka refusing to pick up the call from Takayuki suggests this isn’t the case. That may mean that the situation is more complicated than Takayuki is portraying it (yay! conflict!)

I’m also curious about Tsujimura and her past considering her response to Hayase’s story. It would be nice to learn more about it, but I’m not sure we’re going to have the time.

I’m still mostly “meh” about the animation as well. It still feels kind of Gunslinger Girl 2-ish to me (though not quite THAT bad).

I think this series can still end well, but I’m just afraid that this will just be another lame OVA spinoff of KimiNozo. I hope I’m wrong, though.

Go Straight to the Screenshots | Go Straight to the Review
The highlights of this episode:

• Haruka is finally released from the hospital after her accident in Rumbling Hearts and rides off with her parents, Takayuki, and Shinji. However, when she looks back at the hospital, she sees Mitsuki on the roof. When she gets her parents to stop the car and runs back to the hospital, Mitsuki is already gone from the roof. Haruka relates that Mitsuki told her that she would be leaving town for a while. Takayuki checks his voice mail, and has a message from Mitsuki saying that she’ll keep her promise one day (I’m trying to remember what promise this was…)
• Haruka starts to have nightmares about the accident from 3 years ago. Haruka also starts to worry that her catching up on her studying with Akane is hurting Akane’s swimming times, but Takayuki tries to comfort Haruka that it’s Akane’s choice to help her.
• Haruka and Takayuki go out on a date, but Haruka is still startled by cars, and is hesitant to even cross a crosswalk, and Takayuki makes sure that he is always walking closer to the road. The two go to a bookstore to pick up a study guide for Haruka, and Takayuki notes that they’ve done this before, before they started going on when Takayuki tried giving Haruka the picture book.
• The two then go to the aquarium to continue their date, where Takayuki recalls that this is where Mitsuki started dragging him out of his depression after Haruka’s accident. Haruka asks Takayuki if he loves Mitsuki, and after a little hesitation, he says he does, but Haruka remarks that she does too.
• Back at Takayuki’s apartment, he and Haruka are about to get it on when Takayuki gets a call from Sky Temple asking if he can come in early, but Takayuki declines. However, Haruka still worries that she’s in the way of Takayuki’s work. That night, Akane and Haruka work on homework, and Haruka laments how Takayuki feels obligated to spend time with her all the time and still has to work.
• A few days (and several dates) later, Takayuki and Haruka go on another date. This time Takayuki takes Haruka to the place of their first date. This time it is Takayuki who brings the meat pie, and the two chow it down. Haruka asks Takayuki what his dream is, and he tells her that it’s finding a better job so that he can support her better.
• When the two start to head back, Haruka stops just before getting on the train, and tells Takayuki that they should say goodbye just as the train doors close…

Well, Takayuki can’t seem to win. The creators hit the reset button him getting Mitsuki and sets him up with Haruka, but then she dumps him. Maybe he can get with Akane?

It seems that since the accident, Takayuki has become a bit overprotective of Haruka, and Haruka is afraid that she’s interfering with other aspects of Takayuki’s life (of course, she thinks she’s interfering with Akane’s life as well, so it’s not just because Takayuki is being pretty protective of her).

My guess is that all of this is from Haruka’s insecurity about being in a coma for 3 years and everyone having lived their lives in the meantime. Basically the same reason why Haruka decided to finally end things with Takayuki at the end of Rumbling Hearts. Obviously we have 2 episodes to turn this around.

I was kind of sad that Mitsuki, Ayu Ayu, and Mayu Mayu only got cameos in this episode. I assume Mitsuki will have a bigger role later. However, with only 3 total episodes, I’m not sure if there is much time to mess with the AyuMayu pair.

The animation kind of caught me off guard here. While the animation quality of Rumbling Hearts wasn’t all that great, the animation for this seemed more different than better. It just kind of seemed a bit washed out and not-as-detailed as it could have been, especially for an OVA.

I’m also wondering how much of Rumbling Hearts gets axed. Is it only that Haruka decides to be with Takayuki instead of he and Haruka breaking up at the end and nothing more? I’m kind of going on that assumption right now.

I liked the original series, and so I have pretty high expectations of this. I still think it has potential, but the first episode was a little, shall we say non-eventful, until the end to me.