The Drama

What is it with me with anime series based on H-games lately? This latest one I’ve seen is called Kimi ga Nozomu Eien, translated as “The Eternity You Wish For.” I’m glad to say that it’s not a Hentai. I’m also surprised to say that it’s a school drama that isn’t really a school drama – it’s done more in the style of a soap opera or chinovela – and it really, really works. I’m not spoiling anything, but the series has one of the best introductory episodes in an anime, rivaled only by the introductory episode of Saikano.

The series starts with Mitsuki, Haruka and Takayuki, three friends in high school. Mitsuki’s on the swim team and is best friends with Haruka and casual friends with Takayuki. Haruka’s in love with Takayuki, and ever the good friend, Mitsuki even helps her with her confession. Takayuki, on the other hand, is ambivalent as hell and can’t make a decision. Everything settles down, however, until one single event changes everything.

The series deals with character interactions, and there are lots, and they are sad, even depressing as hell in some parts. I found myself at different points in the series saying “Oh, the Drama!” thanks to the sheer dramatic impact of some scenes. These characters are put into different levels of mental and psychological anguish so many times that it’s hard not to feel sorry for them.

One thing that interests me is how love scenes were inserted into the storyline without compromising their integrity. This is based on an H-game, after all. The sex, however, is not explicit and could be in an R-15 movie. It also brings depth and complexity to the stuff that’s happening to the characters – something that’s very admirable, considering the many ways this stuff can turn out to become.

The director of the series obviously intended to infuse a sense of realism in the telling of the story, and his efforts come as a bit of a pleasant surprise. There aren’t any world-destroying aliens or mutants or anything else to deal with, there are only people - damaged people at that - and their wounds are deeper than any physical scar could inflict.

The series has an atmosphere of despair hovering over it; I won’t be lying to you if I said this show was sad. It is, and very much so. It’s not an anime that everyone will like either – people looking for solid drama and something a little different from normal anime fare can look here.