UlasanAnime.com – There’s a distinct sense of nostalgia associated with Ano Natsu de Matteru. It’s reminiscent of the Tommy Lee Jones commercials, even those where he portrayed an alien. This brings to mind the question: why not include him in the series finale?
Spoilers ahead.
It’s fair to say that Ano Natsu de Matteru distills the essence of what the team behind Toradora contributed. Whether it’s superior or inferior is subjective and depends on your appreciation for Toradora as a 26-episode anime adaptation of a light novel. I believe the appeal of Ano Natsu de Matteru lies in its elements that deviate from Toradora – a heartfelt tribute to Ano Sensei from a decade ago. This, for me, is the brilliance of Ano Natsu de Matteru; it evokes memories of THAT SUMMER. It’s about I’ve Sounds, that charming Japanese countryside with THE LAKE, and seeing various spellings of POCKY on screen, chuckling at the predictable romantic and magical girlfriend tropes before TV Tropes became a thing.
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Furthermore, an original tribute often feels more genuinely wholesome than a reboot or sequel. We could certainly use more of these.
The crucial question then becomes: is there anything else to appreciate in Ano Natsu de Matteru if you strip away all of that? Likely, it’s an enjoyable romantic comedy romp. However, in this regard, I feel the original two series might have had a slight edge. I had anticipated that at least one other pair within the romantic polygon would have solidified their relationship, beyond just the main couple. I often wonder whose idea that was originally. The “good girl” character was excellent, and the sidekicks were amusing and engaging. The comedic mishaps were appropriately over-the-top, but only if you were in on the joke. I suspect that without that shared understanding, the Ichigo/Remon dynamic might not have been nearly as entertaining.
Conversely, I must admit my personal lack of enthusiasm for Toradora. While acknowledging it as a great show, it didn’t quite live up to the immense hype for me. In that context, the distilled essence of Toradora found in Ano Natsu de Matteru felt and tasted similarly… well, distilled. The analogy of vodka comes to mind: it might be perfectly fine in a mixed drink (like Toradora), but I doubt anyone would order a screwdriver solely to appreciate the subtle nuances between different top-shelf vodkas. I suspect that the few who genuinely enjoy this genre are so starved for content that they overlook minor details. For the rest of us, those less dedicated to this specific sub-genre of romantic comedies, your enjoyment will likely vary based on how much you appreciate watching the distilled essence of Toradora.
To clarify my meaning of “distilled”: it implies the filtering out of certain, more vibrant flavors.
For me, unfortunately, it remains an intriguing execution in terms of subtle plot twists, character development, and the application of wit. On these fronts, I find Ano Natsu de Matteru inspired, but still falling short of excellence. Much like how it’s comforting to be embraced by Taiga and Yuuji’s relationship, akin to a warm blanket on a cool afternoon, you probably wouldn’t wear it, or similarly Ichika and Kaito’s fantasy, to the prom.
After all, who brings a warm and fuzzy romantic relationship to a fight against aliens? At the very least, bring a robotic van.
