FIRST LOOK – When I first started out watching anime, I was rather fond of the slice-of-life genre because of the way it interprets stories as it would play out in real life. It doesn’t go into the extremes and tries to keep itself real. Tsuki ga Kirei is one of those anime series.
Tsuki ga Kirei focuses on the characters Akane Mizuno and Kotarou Azumi, two third-year middle school students who become classmates the first time. It will depict how the characters will grow and connect with each other and to the people around them.
What I love about this first episode is that it doesn’t try to rush everything, the story runs at a right pace. It starts at the opening of a new school year and the meeting of the two main characters, Akane and Kotarou. The two are involved in the equipment team of a school event which will be the catalyst of their romance, the bread and butter of this anime series.
Akane is a very shy and timid girl. She has a plushie which she uses to calm herself down when she is nervous (adorable). I am really not sure whether the one with the romantic feelings is Akane or the male lead, Kotarou – but other than that, there is a romantic air around these two characters.
Kotarou is, from what I’m seeing, an aspiring writer. There is a scene in the first episode where he drops a brown envelope perhaps containing his novel’s manuscript. He is a very normal guy with his own set of friends
The thing about this series is that the scenarios and characters feel very real. We got a shy girl and a guy who tries to be a writer and is somewhat of a bookworm. They are in middle-school and are part of their own separate clubs. The two of them are part of a committee for a school event. It is just the perfect slice-of-life, romance format one could ask for.
The charm of this anime is from its realism. Every one and every thing feels so real and this series does not try too hard to accomplish that.
One example of this a scene where Akane’s family goes out to a cafe restaurant for their dinner. While ordering, Akane notices that Kotarou is there with his family as well. So it starts the usual “holy sh*t, there’s someone here that knows me – I gotta be careful on what I do” kind-of scenario.
And to my pleasure, a similar scenario does erupt. Akane’s older sister notices Akane being aloof and all that jazz, tips off their mother into probably “hey, she likes that guy on the other table” and then good ol’ mom just goes and interacts with the other family going all like: “I’m her mother, ain’t she pretty?” and starts to “sell” her daughter’s charm points to Kotarou’s parents.
Now that is something you’ll probably encounter or have encountered some time in your life and that would be highly embarrassing.
It is these moments that make Tsuki ga Kirei real and thus, entertaining.
The soundtrack, including the opening and ending themes, is soothing and syncs well with the spring atmosphere that the anime series is set in.
feel. has improved quite a lot from Oregairu with the incredible usage of the cherry blossom petals and vivid color palettes. The animation style fits the tone of the series very well. I still have to point out that the 3D CGI is not that bad and they will have to use them when animating crowds of people because other than that, 3D CGI will look really off with the whole animation style this series is pulling off.
I am quite excited for the second episode and how this series will develop the romance of the two main characters. The usual “boy-meets-girl” scenario is always a good one, depending on how it is executed. A classic, I might say.
Tsuki ga Kirei is showing off as a good slice-of-life series and I hope it continues to do so. If high school and romance is your cup of tea, then you are going to love Tsuki ga Kirei.
as the moon, so beautiful.
Miandro's Side 