Based on the Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Megumi Morino, the story follows a High school freshman named Hotaru Hinase who has lived nearly sixteen years without romance. She is satisfied alone as long as she can enjoy the little things in life with her beloved friends and family. In her mind, she is not meant to fall in love, nor does she understand the concept. While out with a friend, Hotaru witnesses the severe breakup of her schoolmate Saki Hananoi, to whom she has never spoken. One day, she sees him sitting in the snow and holds her umbrella over him. To her surprise, this gesture results in him confessing his feelings for her at school the next day. Though Hotaru rejects him, Hananoi insists on letting her get to know him. He does whatever he can to woo her, from changing his hairstyle to finding her lost hairpin in the snow. Although she has no romantic feelings towards him, Hotaru believes that by spending more time with him, she will learn how to love. She agrees to date him and slowly begins to navigate what being a girlfriend entails, including how to reciprocate the kind gestures that Saki continues to perform for her… On the technical side, This Anime adaptation was produced by East Fish Studio and directed by Tomoe Makino, with scripts written by Hitomi Amamiya, characters designed by Akiko Satō, and music composed by Yamazo. The opening theme song is “It’s Your Fault”, performed by Sexy Zone, while the ending theme song is “Every Second” (Japanese version), performed by Mina Okabe.In the vast landscape of anime, simplicity often captures the essence of human connection. Pairing up two characters with no romantic experience usually spells disaster, but when done right, it takes risks and commitment to create a memorable story. Hotaru Hinase and Saki Hananoi embody this challenge. And this feels intentionally done to give these characters a lack of experience in romance to build their relationship from scratch. If they were experts on human connections, I don’t think we’d have much of a plot that would make their journey compelling.Upon first meeting Saki, he appears distant and indifferent. However, it takes just one episode for his interest to turn into an affection for Hotaru. Conversely, Hotaru is flabbergasted by his reaction—who can blame her? Saki is the most popular guy at school, drawing attention from many. Such scenarios usually occur in fantasy daydreams, but this is their reality. Unfortunately, Hotaru’s inexperience in love and her inferiority complex complicate matters. At her core, she’s an average teen girl, not a standout in looks or personality, which sets up the prototypical story of pairing a popular guy with an ordinary girl.As each episode unfolds, it captures the evolution of their relationship, leading them to go on dates, explore their interests, and experience love together. Humans are social animals, and learning social skills in your youth is a trial and error process so we shouldn’t judge them by their mistakes. Early in the show, I was a bit irked by their awkwardness, but both romantic leads attempt to make an effort to figure each other out by learning about boundaries and approaching each challenge with patience, kindness, and civility.Outside of the main duo, the supporting characters play crucial roles. Hotaru’s best friend, Kyou, and later a bookstore employee named Satomi, guides them without interfering in her relationship with Hananoi. The show also introduces recurring characters from the past, such as Souhei Yao, adding drama that tests Hotaru and Hananoi’s relationship. Despite the potential for heavy emotional drama. As there are hints of a shared past between the two leads from when they were younger, it that isn’t fully explored at least until the last two episodes, but it effectively helps you understand where Saki is coming from and how screwed up his upbringing was since his youth he hasn’t had the proper connections any child needed to understand how relationships are usually supposed to work. Eat Fish Studio, a relatively new studio in the anime industry, has taken on this project, and its animation and music deserve attention. The character designs are well drawn. And design-wise, as an adaptation, it means there are no surprises, but it delivers what fans of the genre expect for a story that’s quite grounded in reality. Overall, “A Condition Called Love” sets itself apart from the oversaturated Anime genres of modern isekai adaptations, fantasy, shounen, and idols with a simple slice-of-life story. While it might not achieve universal acclaim, it delivers what it promises in terms of romance. and falls somewhere in between, presenting a realistic portrayal of love’s challenges and triumphs. In some ways, Hotaru’s journey into romance feels reminiscent of Mandy Moore’s portrayal in the film “How to Deal,” where a disillusioned teen learns about love and attempts to give it a chance. At the time of this review, there’s currently no word of a Season Two happening, but given the way it ended, I’m curious as to where the plot could lead next if they ever do happen. But If you seek heartwarming escapism, this anime offers that in spades, sometimes even after the credits roll.
