His and Her Circumstances - Reviews

Alt titles: Kare Kano, Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou

sort
skylarwalsh's avatar
Jan 20, 2016

This was not at all what I expected, but the more anime I watch, the more I realize that this is normal. I'll try to break this down as easily as I can.

Story: This story had a lot of promise, but it definitely needed work. So much of this anime was spent recapping the ENTIRE series. I watched a DVD version of it, and a huge chunk of almost each episode was just recapping. Also, it would focus on certain characters' plot lines, then never revisit them again. Very disappointing. That being said, I did like the plot line for the two main characters. It didn't beat around the bush as much as a lot of other romances do. 

Animation: My husband would look over and see me watching this and say things like "Animation is expensive," because there were really long stretches of just stills or characters speaking and no animation of their mouths. Very strange.

Sound: The sound was fine. Not great, not terrible. Not much to say here.

Characters: The characters that were given the time to develop were great. There weren't any characters that I hated. The ones that I might have hated were redeemed by their later development. 

Overall: This story would have been much better had the creators spent more time telling it rather than recapping it. I think it would be great if they remade it now. It is quite old and the art is really outdated. I'm not sure if I would recommend it as a comedy, but if you want a love story, there are some parts of this story that are worth watching.

7/10 story
1/10 animation
5/10 sound
9/10 characters
6/10 overall
0 0 this review is Funny Helpful
FragKrag's avatar
Mar 15, 2010

Story: 8

Before I started Kare Kano, I had no real expectations, and I was fresh off watching some previous Gainax animes like Evangelion 1.0, and also just after finishing Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. All I heard about the anime was that it was a romance, so before starting it, I imagined it would be like Clannad or some other Romance/Slice of Life/semi-Comedy. 

I was pretty wrong.

The story is very well developed in the beginning, introducing both the main characters, and their flaws. Along the way, more characters are introduced, all with their own flaws, though some are delved into more deeply than others. Overall, I felt that the story pieced together incredibly well, which each episode contributing to the developing relationships between the characters. I felt like the anime portrayed the relationships fairly realistically. 

However, the main problem with Kare Kano in my opinion was the amazing amount of filler. Most of the episodes would have a 2 minute recap of what had happened, and I think that both episodes 14 and 15 were dominated by filler. Episode 25 was just terrible filler that I skipped after enduring 3-4 minutes of.

The comedy in the show was really a double edged sword. Sometimes it would actually fit, and I would love it. Other times, it would just be isolated from the story, and interrupt the storyline. Without the comedy, Kare Kano would be much more melancholic, but with the slight overuse of it, the story suffered.

The ending wasn't quite the ending that I had hoped for. It is a bit like Berserk in my opinion, for those of you who have seen Berserk. Things begin to gain momentum quickly, and the anime ends. I hated it, but while in Berserk's case (or any other anime actually), I wasn't actually enticed to read the manga, I just left it and started something new. I couldn't with Kare Kano, the story was enticing enough for me to actually trudge through manga (something I despise), and after reading the manga, I can't really see it ending in any other way.

So while it did end on a plot hanger, the story was still quite amazing, and very respectable.

Animation: 6

There really isn't much to say about animation. You could really tell that this anime was made on an extremely tight budget. In an episode, they actually just used cutouts of the characters, and in the last episode, they just cut from the manga. Pretty low budget, but when it wasn't at its absolute worst, it was enough to not get in the way of my experience, but then again I have pretty low expectations when it comes to animation, nor do I care much about it. If it's great, awesome, if not, whatever.

Sound: 10

I really cannot praise the sound enough. The beautiful, slow, melancholic piano pieces, the lively jazz, and everything else. The music was absolutely perfect for me. The music is one of the best things about the anime, and it enhances the experience and the mood of the anime. Every piece of music just fits, and compliments the scene. The music was able to lift my mood, and also enough to wrench at my heart. 

I got the soundtrack after finishing the anime, and I still love it. It has been playing essentially nonstop for the last 2 days, and it brings back the feelings that I felt during the anime when the piece of music was playing. It makes me want to rewatch the entire series again. 

The voice actors were perfect for how I imagined the characters, except for one. The tsundere girl had an annoying voice actor, but I just hate tsundere so I'm not in a position to judge.

Characters: 10

This is where the anime shines the most. The characters of the anime are the complete driving force of the story. The anime seems to be the exact opposite of Evangelion. Instead of bringing in seemingly 'normal' characters to break piece by piece, Kare Kano brings in troubled characters which it builds up piece by piece. The character development is phenomenal in the series. It introduces troubled characters, and it gradually builds them back up. Each character seems to have some personal troubles which can be as simple as wanting to be praised, or as complex as Arima's situation. 

Each character is given a significant amount of screen time to be analyzed and explored. Each personal background is explained, and the characters are given the time to change. None of the characters are the same in the beginning of the anime by the end. While there are the stereotypical development paths, most of the characters are developed in novel, and interesting ways.

I believe that the anime's ultimate triumph is Arima who in my opinion, is both the most interesting, and most troubling of all the characters.

Overall: 9

Kare Kano hit me hard. I loved so many parts about it, but there were also drawbacks to it. The characters and music were really able to pull the anime through the repetitive filler, and the oddly placed comedy. 9 might seem a bit high, considering the score I gave the animation, but to be honest, I just need the animation to actually be animation. The animation in Kare Kano was good enough so that it would not stop be from enjoying the characters, sound, and story. 

I love this anime. I love the sound, the characters, and the story. I would love it if they would air a season 2 of the anime that would include everything they left out, and I believe that was their original intention. 

8/10 story
6/10 animation
10/10 sound
10/10 characters
9/10 overall
0 0 this review is Funny Helpful
Bloncheta's avatar
Nov 22, 2019

Story:

The story begins with Miyazawa Yukino, a girl who loves to be praised for everything she does and Arima, a boy who wants to excel at everything to get rid of his dark past. Ok, what I just told you will be recalled EVERYTIME by LOTS OF recaps. I think there are at least 4 episodes which are just recaps... (Skip those)

Look forward to the comedy and not the romance. As a personal opinion I think Arima and Miyazawa's relationship turned a little bit toxic at the end (at least for Arima's side...). Nevertheles, this show tried too hard at comedy which is a pity.

Animation:

The animation was really original. At first it has a decent good looking animation with good camera angles and colors but then it changes. There are some episodes which are entirely paper based or real photographs of Japan. The last episode i even a mute episode with people narrating some events.


Sound:

The classical touch fitted really well with the themes presented. Really pleasant to listen to.


Characters:

Arima and Yukino had an interesting story and the anime protrays their family life and emotions perfectly. But, once you know everything about them there isn't anything else really...

Secondary characters are also developed but it isn't something to praise as it doesn't affect the plot at all.

Overall:

You should definitely watch this. It's unique and super funny. Sadly it falls off midway terribly. But, I can guarantee that you won't regret watching it as the concept was unique.

2/10 story
9/10 animation
5/10 sound
5/10 characters
7/10 overall
0 0 this review is Funny Helpful
showstappa's avatar
Dec 7, 2011

When I saw the first episode of this one, I really found it very interesting. It is quite unique story for a shoujo for me. The strong points of this manga is the character development and the humor. I liked how the characters developed their feelings for each other. It is also really  funny for a shoujo genre and can really make you laugh out loud as you watch it. But things are only good on the first parts. When it reaches the middle part, the story loses its "interesting" factor and the plot goes into many different directions and will leave you wondering what is really happening between the main characters. The main reason for that is a lot of new characters are introduced and take a lot of space in the plot but their stories doesn't even end with a bang.

If you want an anime that really has a solid, steady and interesting plot then this is not for you. But if you are just after some cheesy moments and humor then you MIGHT like this one.

?/10 story
?/10 animation
?/10 sound
?/10 characters
5/10 overall
0 0 this review is Funny Helpful
Merryberry's avatar
Oct 30, 2009

Intro...

Being the number 1 student in her school, Yukino is incredibly vain.  So much so, that she actively goes out of her way, to keep her image as perfect student at all times (except when she gets home). Having been glorified so much, she experiences a shock when Arima overtakes her in the exams.  On top of this agony which torments her, she lets slip her true behaviour...to the one person she hates, Arima!

Story: 7

It’s rarely that the title of the anime can sum up the series really well, but with His and Her Circumstances, this is an exceptional to the rule.  Although the relationship anime has been done before, very often it is the process of becoming a couple that is explored.  However, in Kare Kano, the emphasis is not on trying to go out in the first place, but rather, what happens when they are officially a couple.  Because of this difference in storyline focus from the norm, Kare Kano has real potential to explore areas that usually are not explored in most other series.  And while the events and concepts are exceptionally well written with some brilliant ideas, Kare Kano, fails to deliver to the potential that it could have been.

Kare Kano is a prime example of what happens when you try to make too big a project on a budget of a shoe string.  Having suffered from one director walking out from a conflict with the manga’s author regarding the use of comedy in the series, and a small than normal budget; this resulted in a large amount of the anime being taken up with filler material, which was reviews of what had previously happened.

Animation: 3

The only series I know of where the makers went over-budget and looked it.  Having been made on a paper-thin budget, with one director walking out; surprisingly meant that the artistic work in the series lacks a lot.  Even with the poor quality animation with plagues the series relentlessly and encompasses a number of review episodes, the excellent script more than makes up for it.  Oh and the fact that they resort to using paper cut-outs on sticks for one of the episodes, may seem rather extreme.  Then again, I did say that the budget was that good.

Sound: 8

When series have a small budget, often the sound is where the anime cops out on.  But Kare Kano delivers some stunning music in the series, managing to produce not only 3 OST’s, but 3 which display a vast range of themes.  Each scene is carefully accompanied by either music or sound effects that draw you into the drama which unfolds.  The voice acting for the Japanese cast is well done, with the voices reflecting the characters well.  I wasn’t too fond of the English cast, but that could just have been down to the fact that I rarely like watching series in English. 

Characters: 8

If there is one thing which shines throughout this series, is the simple but effective way in which the characters are portrayed.  From the moment you start this series, the characters become people who you like and enjoy, wanting to constantly know more about them.  They have some outrageous dark sides to them and personal history which is explored as the series progresses.  You always know who’s who as each has their own flare and individuality, resulting in characters which please the entire time they’re on screen.  They are also given enough screen time, to fully explore their backgrounds and personal traits which continue to develop each one of them into unique characters.

Overall: 7

Kare Kano has frequently been towards the top of most anime rating lists.  Why you ask, when the animation quality stoops to the level of paper cut-outs and there is enough filler to plaster your front door shut?  Despite having 2 directors, a row with the manga writer and a budget of next to nothing, Kare Kano sets about to produce a fantastic storyline, which not only is realistic, but woven together with a compelling script.  Out of all the anime series I’ve seen (and that’s a fair number), Kare Kano has one of my all time favourite cringing moments, seen in the first episode when Arima finally sees what she’s truly like.  On a serious note, there are very few anime series out there, which focuses entirely on the relationship between two people who are already going out.  Because of this, Kare Kano deserves the lime-light it receives, albeit with the reputation of a poorly animated series.

7/10 story
3/10 animation
8/10 sound
8/10 characters
7/10 overall
1 0 this review is Funny Helpful