A Complex Bouquet
- Episodes : 13+
- Genre : Romance, School, Shoujo Ai
- Airing Date : October 2018 to December 2018
- Studios : TROYCA
Contains Spoilers
Yagate Kimi ni Naru (Bloom Into You) Introduction and Story
-- Spoilers Ahead! --
Shoujo anime cater to a specific audience, especially when romance is thrown into the mix. 2018 launched with Passione' Citrus, a controversial series centering around an unintentionally unhealthy sexual relationship between two stepsisters. Now, in all fairness, Citrus has a couple of high points; however, the shoujo genre can do better! Released during the Fall 2018 season, Bloom Into You steadily gained media acclaim with each new episode. Has TROYCA produced a genuinely great yuri series? Or, are we dealing with another misfire?
Graduating to high school, the subdued Yuu yearns to feel a rush of passion typically seen in shoujo manga. While everyone else seems to be falling in love, the teenager's heart refuses to skip a beat! Yuu believes she discovered a kindred spirit in Touko Nanami, the student council's high school president, who also has yet to encounter love. However, Nanami becomes enamored with Yuu, leading to the girls forming a complex relationship built on honesty and self-control. Through her companionship with Nanami, Yuu hopes to experience love!
1. Nanami & Yuu
While not necessarily realistic or traditional, Yuu and Nanami's budding romance touches upon many challenges faced by relationships of all ages. Whenever partners are not equally invested in their future, their relationship faces the risk of becoming lopsided or even manipulative. Nanami adores Yuu, but the reverse does not hold true. That's not to say Yuu cares little for the student council president, but the younger girl takes the scenic route towards actualizing her emotions. Bloom Into You's maturity lies in the honest depiction of teenage romance, with the anime resisting the urge to lock Nanami and Yuu in a bedroom. Like the central couple's relationship, this is an anime that rewards patience! With the exception of a handful of scenes were Nanami crosses the line, Bloom Into You strives to offer far more than just cheap thrills.
2. Everyone Else
Unsurprisingly, Nanami and Yuu hog the limelight, but Bloom Into You's secondary cast compliment the central couple quite well. In a lesser anime, Sayaka Saeki might be reduced to nothing more than a romantic foil for Yuu. Nanami's oldest friend who also happens to have a crush on the student council president is Saeki. Saeki's confused sexuality dates back to a middle school relationship that abruptly ended when her partner decided they were too old to continue experimenting. Through her feelings for Nanami, Saeki validates her own earlier emotions, but the teenager believes nobody could ever break through the president's defenses. As Nanami and Yuu keep their romance a secret, Saeki's pining for the former is heartbreaking and dramatic rather than only the latter.
3. Show & Tell
Anime is a visual medium. "Show, don't tell" is seen as the basis of cinema and television; nevertheless, dialogue can often be the difference between a decent and a great story. Whether showing or telling, Bloom Into You hits the right notes! While not lacking in emotion, Yuu and Nanami's interactions are quite natural and free of melodrama. The characters do not constantly speak the truth, but the girls make their views clear from the start. Beyond the central romance, nearly every interaction makes sense within the context of the scene. If the dialogue is great, then the visual storytelling is immaculate! Packed with metaphors and punctuated by a moving orchestral score, Bloom Into You's direction and editing put countless modern series to shame!
1. A Quiet Moment
Inaugurated in 2015 and currently ongoing, Bloom Into You's manga has yet to reach a resolution. Consequently, TROYCA's adaptation stops on a bit of a lull in the story. Rather than opting to rush an ending to provide some closure, Bloom Into You simply bows out without making much of a fuss. On the one hand, Nanami and Yuu's excursion to an aquarium serves as the first real date between the couple, but there is nothing particularly revealing about the segment. If there is any justice in the world, Bloom Into You will earn a second season, but countless great series have failed to secure a sequel. While the ending may be somewhat anticlimactic, the anime is hardly ruined by its closing chapter. As part of a larger whole, it works quite well!
Final Thoughts
Bloom Into You's genre might discourage quite a number of people from taking the plunge. We recommend reconsidering. TROYCA's anime is a coming-of-age story that earnestly explores a complicated but satisfying relationship between two girls.
Do you agree with our review? Is Bloom Into You worth watching? Please let us know in the comments below!
Author: Mark Sammut
