I didn’t use a more self-explanatory picture just to be on the safe side, but be warned: spoilers ahead.
Much like my opinion of True Tears as mentioned in my last post, Kimikiss proved itself as far more than a typical VN adaptation, except this time, I knew it was brilliant right from the first episode. With an unbelievably girlish yet unbelievably catchy OP, a light, easy art style that feels almost shoujo at times, and a casual yet occasionally dramatic slice-of-life setting, it quickly propelled itself to the top of my list, making it one of my fondest moments in anime; and I daresay that it’s one of my fondest in more than just the past year.
The ending of the show, admittedly, wasn’t something that I agreed with. There weren’t any characters that I disliked, and I’m all for siscon (er…), but to put it simply, I preferred Hoshino over Mao. Maybe that was just my personal preference, maybe it was my bias against the older sister type (and toward Hoshino’s moe-inducing reserved nature), but had I been in Kouichi’s shoes, I know that I would have chosen differently.
However, a decision that I disagree with does not necessarily make a bad ending.
Looking at the story as a whole, I felt – and still feel – as if the characters were real and believable. On one hand, some of their actions were a little illogical at times, but since when is love logical? If anything, the constant swaying between endings and the indecision faced by the final couple was more believable than anything else. So even if the conclusion technically left me with a bitter taste in my mouth, I knew that the show was excellent regardless, and I still view it as one of my favourite anime of the year. Scrolling through the final episode to get the above picture, I felt the familiar nostalgia of a lighthearted school romance that was more than just a predictable escapism-filled visual novel, and I found myself wishing that I would one day find another series that could invoke the same feelings. It’s one of those shows that I’m truly thankful for, and one of those moments that I sincerely enjoyed looking back upon.
…Sorry, that one’s been bugging me since I first saw it.
~ ETERNAL
つづく
