Ai Yori Aoshi, Vol. 1: Faithfully Yours (2003)
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Based upon the manga by Kou Fumizuki
Written by Kenchi Kanemaki
Directed by Masami Shimoda
Character Design by Kazunori Iwakura

Features:

• Music video
  
• DVD credits
  
• Trailer
  
• Art gallery
  
• Reversible cover
  

Dindrane's Anime Warnings:

• Weird American
• Panty and booby shots, of course
• Obsessed heroine

Released by: Pioneer
Rating: 13+
Region: 1
Anamorphic: N/A; appears in its original 1.33:1 format.

My Advice: Check it out today.

Ai Yori Aoshi tells the tale of young Kaoru Hanabishi, a nice guy who was in the right place at the right time. Stopping to help a girl on the subway in Tokyo, he finds out that this stranger is no stranger; she is his long-lost childhood friend, Aoi Sakuraba, who was engaged to him eighteen years ago when they were both children. She has come to Tokyo now in search of him and plans to become his wife. But there’s a snag--Kaoru has run from his abusive family, making him essentially nameless and poor, not a fit fiancé for the daughter of a family like the Sakurabas.

This story starts out one way, very serious and moving, and then, around episode three, takes a sharp left turn and becomes much more what you would expect in a romantic comedy. This is almost a shame, as the soft, stunningly beautiful look of the show truly would suit a more introspective Romeo and Juliet-type of tale. But the comedy works too, and these two golden-hearted kids will win you over either way.

The voices in both Japanese and English are great. Aoi is the kind of character that is sometimes cast with a squeaky cheerleader voice, but not so here, thank goodness. The characters also look a bit unique: attractive, but not exactly like you’ve already seen in a hundred other anime titles. Just wonderful.

The art is, as I’ve said, quite marvelous. The look of the characters is only part of it, with the backgrounds and small details very well done...almost theatrical and very artistic. Look for some of the detailed and clever "camera angles" in the first few scenes of the disc especially.

The extras are also pretty decent. We have a nice art gallery featuring the lead characters that shows off the fine art of this show. You’ll only wish there were even more images. There is also a music video for the opening theme, “Towa no Hana,” sung by the well-known and liked Yoko Ishida. This is a fun addition that lets us see more about how the Japanese handle their musical icons and anime music in general. The trailer is good for you fans who love to see those, and I like to see the full DVD credits--these people work hard and deserve to have their names listed somewhere. I’m also a sucker for the pretty reversible cover; again, I like how proud the artists are of their work, and here it’s well-justified.

Basically, even if you tend to prefer standard shonen fare or at least not romantic comedies, give this one a shot anyway. The storytelling is so fresh and fun, and the characters truly are so engaging, that you just might find a new genre to enjoy, and that’s always good. I can’t wait to see the next discs in this story, and you will feel the same.