Anime Review: Natsu no Arashi

Review Natsu no Arashi Written by Warpshadow Rating good/ very good

Natsu no Arashi is a strange sort of show that is kind of fun to watch simply for it’s oddness but It also is a very clever show if you look at it closely enough.

Hajime is year old boy who has been sent to spend his summer vacation in the boondocks with his uncle. His supposedly boring vacation is turned interesting when he met an older girl who went by the nickname Arashi. While Arashi looks a bit older than Hajime the difference is actually in decades since Arashi is actually a ghost from the 1940’s. Arashi has taken a liking to Hajime especially when the two of them join hands they can actually travel through time.

Natsu no Arashi is an interesting sort of show made really strange by very odd and very obvious directing choices. If you know of Akiyuki Shinbo either like or dislike the directing is something that you can’t really escape or ignore in this show and will be the show’s primary make or break decision. Other than that this show runs like a somewhat ordinary romantic comedy with a strange fascination for nostalgia of a short that is for the most part is unknowable to an English speaking audience. The fact that Hajime is only thirteen and in a romantic comedy with an older girl is written in a way that makes what would be weaknesses in another show, namely his immaturity and how the relationship doesn’t move forward in thirteen episodes, seem more believable. Also to be mentioned is how this show has a very interesting look on how time travel works. Overall I found this to be an interesting show that if for nothing else makes for a good diversion.