Ano Natsu de Matteru News

Welcome to Winter Watch, a look at the latest anime season. The Ano Natsu de Matteru story comes to an end... I promised myself I wasn't going to cry!

Episode 12: Waiting There, in the Summer
Summary: Some unexpected allies have joined the cause to help Ichika and Kaito, and they pack firepower. But if Ichika and Kaito make it to the spot in her dreams, what will they do then?
Air Date: Mar. 28, 2012 / Available on Crunchyroll for Free Users: Apr. 4, 2012
Run Time: 23:42

Warning: This article contains spoilers. We suggest you watch the episode HERE first. Afterwards, come back here and share your thoughts.

*Spoilers*

I am going to limit my episode recap to very ambiguous terms so that I don't spoil anything. In the previous episode, things began to heat up as Ichika's friends continue to help her against the pods that had come to take her away. The group separated so that they could deal with an interstellar crisis of their own. That's not all, Remon's mysterious past is revealed as well as who Manami Ogura's husband is. Kanna goes on running on foot until she finds Tetsuro's sister and rides away in her car. Mio and Tetsuro hit are stumped when thier motorcycle is out of gas. The chase continues for everyone except Remon as she pulls off ways to fight off the alien ship. At the same time, Ichika and Kaito search of the link that proves aliens have roamed the Earth before so that she can stay. Sadly, they don't exactly find what they were looking for...

Climax

The anime's creators were very smart about the ending. You get a happy ending, but at the same time you get a tragic ending, but at the same time you get a surprise ending. If you followed the series all on through, like I did, then you can tell that this finale catered to every single type of person. It isn't until the last two episodes that we get to see so much action and drama combined. The animation was great and the performance of the animators and voice actors was perfect. Rinon, as usual, played an amazing part in the resolution of the show's events. I also liked how some of the things I speculated -like the series' connection to Onegai Teacher!- were never confirmed but were left up to interpretation. If you have not watched this episode, be sure to stick around for the scene after the credits.

Verdict

Specifically speaking about this episode, I think it wrapped up the previous episode's cliffhanger quite nicely. From the moment that this began to the final scene in the credits, my expression showed glee. I love positive progression and this series demonstrated just that. It started off as a hit/miss anime, but ended as one of my favorite anime ever. Thank you Tatsuyuki Nagai and Yosuke Kuroda for such an amazing and entertaining ride.

Watch on CrunchyRoll

-- Geo (sora_thekey) 24/7 geek! -- Follow me on Twitter: @Geo_sorathekey

Welcome to Winter Watch, a look at the latest anime season. The Ano Natsu de Matteru story continues threatening the happy ending of the two protagonists.

Episode 11: Don't Go Senpai
Summary: Emika is on Earth to take Ichika home. Ichika has broken many interstellar laws and things get worse the longer she stays on Earth. Can Kaito go with her? Can Ichika stay on Earth? Can anybody stop Emika from taking her home?
Air Date: Mar. 23, 2012 / Available on Crunchyroll for Free Users: Mar. 28, 2012
Run Time: 23:43

Warning: This article contains spoilers. We suggest you watch the episode HERE first. Afterwards, come back here and share your thoughts.

Searching

Positive progression. That's the best way to describe what this show has successfully achieved. After the romantic resolutions we got to see in previous episodes, we finally get to see an extraterrestrial climax. Ichika's sister, Emika, has arrived on Earth to take Senpai away. The distress signal that Rinon sent out while the group was in Okinawa caused more trouble than any of them could imagine. Emika explained that a rescue team of drones would try and take her back to her home planer because of all the interstellar laws she has broken. This means that she andKaito, her human boyfriend, will have to be separated.

My Favorite Part

Mio, Tetsuro, Kanna, Remon and even Emika decide to go up against this outer space police in order for Kaito and Ichika to stay together. How? Well, you have to watch the episode to understand that! The whole odyssey is connected to that place that Ichika came to find in the first place. With no time to loose, the group of friends set out to search for the place and succeed. The only problem is that Rinon can no longer teleport them. This leads to a car chase of epic proportions as Remon tries to outrun a spaceship, and Ichika's friends attempt to cloak her bio-signature by using themselves as bait!

Remon Has Most of the Driver's Licences

This might shock everyone, but throughout the whole series I rooted for Mio and Tetsuro to be together. Asking Mio on a date while you're on the verge of dying at the hands of an interstellar rescue drone is probably the best thing Tetsuro has ever done. That was definitively my favorite part. Before I write the next sentence, I want to assure people I have not seen the final episode yet. I have a new theory about Remon. In the past, she told Manami that she was forever seventeen. In Please Teacher!, Kei Kusanagi and Ichigo Morino both had a medical condition called standstill that prevented them from aging. Maybe Remon has the same condition. Is it possible that Remon has some tie to Kei or Ichigo that would explain her knowledge about Ichika's immigration status?. Plus, what the heck was up with that van she was driving?!

Verdict

The creators of this anime have done a great job to make characters I actually care for. The relationships that have been established are great and are actually the highlight of most of the episodes. In this case it is also true. Even with two spaceships/rescue pods attempting to "abduct" our female protagonist, the best parts were the tidbits of bonding between this cast. Sadly, this anime is closely coming to an end and I can't wait to watch the next and final episode!

Watch on CrunchyRoll

-- Geo (sora_thekey) 24/7 geek! -- Follow me on Twitter: @Geo_sorathekey

Waiting in the Summer (Ano Natsu de Matteru)

Watch on CrunchyRoll: HERE

"Introducing Senpai" (Episodes #1-4)

I Can't Senpai Kirishima Kaito, currently in his first year of high school, holds an 8 mm camera in one hand and views the scenery around a lake through its viewfinder. But then a strange light from the sky comes down, and a blast of wind plunges him into the lake. The next time Kaito opens his eyes he's lying in bed in his own room, for some reason. The same day a red-haired girl named Takatsuki Ichika transfers into Kaito's school... Article

Together with Senpai After explaining the situation to Nanani, she suddenly invites Ichika to stay at their house while she is on her trip. Kanna is floored, and informs the group about this new development. Article

Senpai Says... Kaito keeps imagining bad things about what happened with him an Ichika the night before, so he decides to skip school because he's so embarrased. Ichika doesn't understand why he's staying home so she starts to worry. Meanwhile, Kanna starts to worry about Kaito, as well, and goes to see how he's doing after school secretly, but ends up being followed and recorded by Remon's 8mm camera. Article

Senpai was Amazing Kaito and Ichika try to act like nothing has happened, but it proves hard. After school, Kaito is picked up by a dark haired beauty. Ichika’s imagination goes into overdrive and she becomes fiercely determined to save Kaito! Article

"Summer with Senpai" (Episodes #5-7)

Senpai is the Heroine It is the first day of summer vacation and the first day of the movie shoot. Remon tells the crew that the movie is about an alien, who comes to earth, and has an encounter with a boy. After a tough day of shooting, Tetsurou drops a bomb on Kaito. Article

Senpai Has a Rival The group receives a free trip to Okinawa courtesy of Manami. While there, Kaito runs into a childhood friend who claims to be his fiancé. Tetsuro gains a stalker that stirs some jealous feelings in Mio. Article

Senpai's Feelings The members who slipped away from the filming return, and the movie is underway again, though the atmosphere is awkward. Tetsuro is sent running as Chiharu chases after him, while Kanna consults with Remon. Finally, Kaito receives a message left at the hotel by Kaori... Article

"Senpai's Revelation" (Episodes #8-10)

Senpai's Pinch Kaito and his friends are going to the town’s festival. Ichika sees it as a learning experience, Remon is using it to gather more footage, and Kanna wants to get closer to Kaito. But plans change and hearts are broken when an unannounced visitor shakes things up. Article

Senpai... Now that the secret is out, Ichika has been avoiding Kaito. But with advice from Remon he tries to understand what Ichika is going through. Kanna bares it all to Ichika knowing in the end, she will be the one heartbroken. Article

Senpai and Our... Ichika and Kaito are official, but there are some who haven’t let go. Those hearts must be crushed and crushed again before they can finally move on. Article

"Senpai Must Leave" (Episodes #11-12)

Don't Go, Senpai Emika is on Earth to take Ichika home. Ichika has broken many interstellar laws and things get worse the longer she stays on Earth. Can Kaito go with her? Can Ichika stay on Earth? Can anybody stop Emika from taking her home? No Article Yet

Other Blogs

• Wiki Project -- Waiting in the Summer by sora_thekey & Daniel_Newton

-- Geo (sora_thekey) 24/7 geek! -- Follow me on Twitter: @Geo_sorathekey