Look at that face. That is the face of a man in love.
I always go into noitaminA josei shows with sky-high expectations, and this did not disappoint in the slightest. The setup is easily the biggest draw here, distinguishing itself while still leaving a lot of room for character development. The only show I can think to compare it to at the moment is Ano Hana, since it uses the ghost in a way that's far different from the horror-cliche norm. But even before that came up, I was sold. In just the opening scene the two key players are immediately relatable and likeable; dude might have a constant poker face, but he buys flowers every day just to talk to the girl he likes! The apartment crowded with plants told me everything I needed to know.
That said, I think that this show might have revealed too much of its hand in this first episode. A guy competing for the affections of a woman against the ghost of her dead husband is more than interesting enough for a first episode, but it feels like we're already peering into the psyche of the characters barely after we get to meet them. Shimao is described as the opposite of clingy, yet he obviously is since he's haunting the place. Even after getting confessed to, Rokka can't move on. It's great for the oddball romance setup we've got going on here, but some of the topics discussed are usually saved for when we've got a better idea of who the characters are.
But that's hardly a complaint, since this setup is so well done. The battle lines are clearly drawn and there's a high possibility that so much was discussed in this episode because there's a lot to cover. It doesn't feel rushed though, and still takes time for humor. Having Rokka's dead husband's legs slowly drop into sight while Hazuki is trying to have a normal conversation with her was hilarious to me. I'm really excited for this show, even more than before.
Images from Crunchyroll.com.
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