One of the few anime harems where the blue-haired girl childhood friend actually has the biggest chance of winning.
"Ai Yori Aoshi" is a slice-of-life, comedy, romance anime released in 2002. The second season, "Ai Yori Aoshi: Enishi," was released in 2003. The anime is based on the manga of the same name that ran from 1998 to 2005. Warning: Link embed has suggestive material.
"Ai Yori Aoshi" also got a visual novel release for the PlayStation 2 and Windows 98 in 2003, in English in 2005. The visual novels cover events not included in the anime, although I don't know if they appear in the manga or not.
I hope this sets the highest expectations for this anime.
Both seasons were created by animation studio J.C.Staff, who have animated many popular anime, such as "Toradora!," "Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?," and "Food Wars!." As you can tell, they really love anime with titles that end with a mark of some kind.
I had no idea why this caught my interest at first, it just looked neat. Then I realized in Japanese the title is "Bluer Than Indigo." My blue obsession transcends languages.
I watched the dub of "Ai Yori Aoshi" with a friend who made a speedy recovery from when we watched "Anime-Gataris." Although, he seems to have contracted an Eatten now.
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Our story starts with college student Kaoru Hanabishi helping the traditional Aoi Sakuraba look for her childhood friend. I mean, who can say no to this face?
However, helping Aoi, she realizes KAORU'S the childhood friend. At first Kaoru pushes Aoi away due to an understandable misunderstanding, but realizes Aoi genuinely loves him, beginning their relationship.
However, Aoi's family has a reputation to keep, so as a compromise with Aoi's mom, Kaoru, Aoi, and Aoi's based guardian Miyabi Kagurazaki live together while keeping the relationship secret. However, more girls move in including Kaoru's good friend Tina Foster, fellow club member Taeko Minazuki, and more.
[Credit: Funimation; Studio: J.C.Staff]
From what I've skimmed through in the manga, the anime is faithful to the manga's story with a few deviations... At first. However, Tina's introductions cause a lot of major deviations, namely with the order of events.
For example, Tina reunites with Kaoru in the manga first before meeting Taeko. In the anime, Kaoru meets Taeko first then reunites with Tina. Tina's reunion with Kaoru is also less in your face.
Literally. A bigger deviation occurs with episode 20 of the anime covering the events of chapter 17-19. In the manga, the last two main female characters weren't introduced, but they were introduced before episode 20 in the anime. So, the anime incorporates them into a scenario that didn't originally involve them.
[Credit: Funimation; Studio: J.C.Staff]
It's strange so much is switched around. My best guess is that they wanted to improve or change up the pacing.
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While this is a harem anime, the show has a beautiful focus on Aoi's and Kaoru's relationship and how it develops. Both characters are incredible and what makes them work so well is their relationship.
While Kaoru falls in the "generic harem protagonist" group, being kind and oblivious to signs of affection, it is played into his flaws as a person. Due to being kind and oblivious, he can end up hurting Aoi when he doesn't mean to, but the anime always makes sure he learns his lesson. When he makes a mistake, he doesn't repeat it.
[Credit: Funimation; Studio: J.C.Staff]
Kaoru truly matures a lot in both personality and appearance in season one. Then there is Aoi, my favourite character. She's sweet and hospitable towards others, speaking formally. All this just makes her even more adorable.
[Credit: Funimation; Studio: J.C.Staff]
Aoi is also extremely understanding, leading to some romantic misunderstandings not escalating. However, Aoi has devoted so much of her life to Kaoru, she didn't devote that time to herself, resulting in her being kind to everyone but herself.
She's quick to blame or belittle herself while worrying that Kaoru hates her for doing something. However, that's sort of where Kaoru completes Aoi, as Kaoru always comforts her and reassures Aoi that it isn't her fault. Kaoru is the confidence boost Aoi needs. Likewise, Aoi gives Kaoru purpose and a way to overcome the scars from his past.
[Credit: Funimation; Studio: J.C.Staff]
Kaoru is the Joe to Aoi's moma. Their flaws and how they communicate creates an authentic relationship that you can't help but root for when trouble comes their way. The romance between the two is easily the best part about "Ai Yori Aoshi."
That's not the only awesome thing about "Ai Yori Aoshi," there's also a few of the side-characters such as Miyabi, who is based. Miyabi gets subtle development and is so damn loveable, wanting the best for Aoi.
She also really likes to crush watermelons. Would it shock you if I told you this is normal in comparison to the rest of the cast? Like Tina, who is such an American stereotype that it's genuinely hilarious with how blatant it is. She even has a southern accent in the dub.
Tina's moments are comedy gold, but they're blended with serious moments that work well. Taeko is also neat, being really kind and well-meaning, but incompetent with her job.
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At first, the romance is perfect, being centered around Kaoru and Aoi. At first, Tina and Takeo don't even seem romantically interested in Kaoru, with based Miyabi having no interest at all. It's just a bunch of female homies, which is honestly refreshing to see-
Yo, what up Satan? Unfortunately, that doesn't last as Mayu Miyuki is introduced, with a blunt crush on Kaoru. Even worse, her crush causes Tina's crush on Kaoru to become clear, creating a love rivalry. Chika Minazuki, the final main female character, also gets herself and another character in the harem.
By this point, the anime struggles to balance itself because it's balancing five characters who are in love with Kaoru. This means less time is focused on Kaoru's and Aoi's relationship, which "Ai Yori Aoshi" tries to balance, but it just can't properly.
It doesn't help that the harem is pointless. Kaoru already has a romantic partner; Kaoru already agreed to marry the best character So... What's the point of rooting for the other characters and Satan to get with Kaoru if the winner is obviously Uzume?
I'm not even sure the tropes of the blue-haired anime character/childhood friend not getting the guy even existed at this point. Damn you Satan!
Okay, hyperbolic Satan comparisons aside, Mayu isn't a bad character. Her backstory and reasoning for loving Kaoru is great. When she's taken seriously, she's wonderful. Problem is, most of the time, she's a spoiled brat and comedic relief. As a result, she's annoying most of the time.
[Credit: Funimation; Studio: J.C.Staff]
Chika Minazuki is the final main female character who not only also gets another character in on the harem, and even she ends up falling for Kaoru. However, that aggravates me because LOOK AT HER!
SHE'S JUST A KID- FIRST YEAR HIGH SCHOOLER! KAORU IS AN ADULT! I mean, as a character she's fine, but she has no place in the harem. Additionally, this anime has a ton of fanservice, and Chika isn't immune to it, which is just uncomfortable.
Both characters just don't add a lot to "Ai Yori Aoshi," because despite having good drama, it doesn't have as much impact as the drama with the other characters. I don't even think that the "Ai Yori Aoshi" composers like Mayu and Chika since they don't even have themes.
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I don't often roast characters with a soundtrack, but when I do, the soundtrack is a bop. "Ai Yori Aoshi" has a fantastic soundtrack with catchy and fitting tunes that elevate so many scenes in the anime.
Tennis Time is easily my favourite for how catchy it is. When I heard the opening for a mid-episode card, I instantly fell in love with it.
The presentation is also visually pleasing with nice animation. There are plenty of wonderful shots that honestly speak for themselves. However, the animation isn't anything mind-blowing.
[Credit: Funimation; Studio: J.C.Staff]
The dub voicework is also nice. While iffy in places with some line deliveries, it does the job well and helps to add a lot to the characters, especially Tina with her southern accent.
The OPs and EDs are also wonderful. They have great animation, look amazing visually with the angles & shots, and reflect elements of the show beautifully. Unfortunately, I can only find the first OP & ED, but the second OP & ED are even more amazing.
One weird thing watching this anime on Funimation though was the dub subtitles. They're in all-caps, have multiple baffling mistakes, and some necessary subtitles.
Thank you "Ai Yori Aoshi" dub subtitles, very cool.
The character designs are also fantastic as they're grounded but are still distinct. Their clothing is an improvement from the manga, where some characters wore revealing outfits. One example is Miyabi's first outfit in the manga, where her top is a mini-corset and jacket.
Although, that feels so uncharacteristic of Miyabi to wear. There's a reason she's first seen in a suit in the anime, she's a strait-laced rule follower that is all business. It's also why she has the least incidents of fanservice. So, a revealing outfit like that just doesn't fit her.
The manga has more fanservice which the anime removed/toned down. While I'm not one for censorship, I honestly prefer the removal of it in the anime as it's seriously distracting seeing the manga doesn't understand how bras work. Look at the first volume cover of "Ai Yori Aoshi" to see what I mean.
Most of the nudity was also removed minus one instance. They even went as far as to remove the part of the female breast babies like the most in one scene. I mean... That's one way to do it, I guess.
Honestly, my praises and criticisms go for both "Ai Yori Aoshi" and its second season "Ai Yori Aoshi: Enishi."
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There isn't much to touch on with "Enishi" given my same praises and criticisms are present here. However, that's both the biggest strength and weakness of "Enishi."
On one hand, it has the same quality comedy, presentation, characters, and romance. There's even some heavily gripping drama to boot, being some of the best drama in the entire anime.
However, the harem is still prevalent and Aoi's & Kaoru's relationship is focused on even less now. Almost all the characters also don't get meaningful development except for one. I can't help but find "Enishi" weaker as a result.
Don't get me wrong, there are still amazing episodes. One of my favourites in the series is the cast investigating a ghost in their house, which instead of being full of ghosts, is full of comedy gold.
However, then you have episodes like the second episode with a character making an easily solvable predicament much harder on herself because tension. And no, this episode doesn't star Tina... Or Mayu...
The biggest problem is that there's little new stuff, apart from the last three episodes and the addition of Chika's school friends.
However, I'll admit that I love the inclusion of Chika's friend, Chizuru Aizawa, since the main cast is so supportive of her. Even Mayu is supportive of her, and not to please Kaoru. Chizuru makes it clear she's slow and "Ai Yori Aoshi" takes it seriously when it needs to. It leads to some of the most feelgood and wholesome moments in the show.
I'm glad "Enishi" exists since, hey, more "Ai Yori Aoshi" is always good, and it even includes my favourite song in the score. However, it's lacking substance until the last third.
Overall (A-)
"Ai Yori Aoshi" feels like an anime I should be mixed on. The romance is incredible, but the harem overshadows it. Half of the cast is awesome, the other half ranges from okay to nearly unbearable. I love the jokes, but not the fanservice. The second season has awesome stuff, but only in the last third, the rest is nearly pointless.
The only thing I'm not split on is the presentation, which is consistently great. However, despite my problems, I can't help but love "Ai Yori Aoshi." To me the romance; comedy; and cast members like Tina, Aoi & Miyabi are so strong, the negatives don't bother me as much as I think they normally would.
One day I plan to read the manga without skimming through it, but I'm in no rush. Season two ends on a satisfying note, being conclusive enough to tide me over for a while.
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