Anime has a unique way of capturing emotions and weaving them into unforgettable stories. Some romance anime are emotional dramas filled with tears and angst, while others are lighthearted rom-coms that show fans how enjoyable love can be. Ao Haru Ride, also famous as Blue Spring Ride, stands as one of the best coming-of-age romances in manga.
The Japanese anime industry offers an incredible array of heartfelt romance anime in various styles. Ao Haru Ride is full of beauty, friendship, and romance between high school lovers Futaba and Kou, who reconnect after being apart since childhood. Indeed, Io Sakisaka’s Ao Haru Ride succeeded in garnering a huge following thanks to its adorable moments and compelling characters.
Although fans highly adore Futaba and Kou, Kou’s voice actor faced many challenges to deliver a memorable performance.
Yuki Kaji’s Journey: Overcoming Challenges to Bring Kou to Life
Ao Haru Ride is beloved by fans for its thoughtful exploration of grim topics like death and its depiction of the coming-of-age journey. Futaba Yoshioka wants to find her childhood crush, Kou Tanaka, who disappeared from her life during middle school.
Futaba’s past traumas and Kou’s calm and caring nature help them bond and support each other through thick and thin. Unquestionably, Futaba and Kou’s moments are highly adored among the fandom, capturing the hearts of many fans along the way.
In an interview, Yuki Kaji, the voice actor behind fab-favorite Kou, revealed their struggles with bringing the character to life. He said:
Kou is the kind of human that does not exist within my range. Although their lives may seem sparkly and dramatic, both Kou and Futaba are ultimately just normal high schoolers.
Despite being a talented and well-known voice actor, he encountered significant struggles in his career while bringing Kou’s character to life.
Kaji noted that Ao Haru Ride represents a realistic romance between two high school students, which limited his ability to inject his own imagination into the character. He added:
When it comes to fantasies or action-themed series, I act from my imagination, however in Ao Haru Ride’s case, it has to be a daily life that anyone should be able to relate to. Rather than overplaying it, I believe that this is a series where everyday nonchalant reactions are being sought.
As Futaba dreams of reuniting with her childhood friend, Kou returns as a high school student in her school. Futaba, though very happy, senses that Kou is not the same cheerful person he was years ago.
Io Sakisaka’s Ao Haru Ride stands out amongst competitors thanks to its dramatic twists and effortless art. The anime has an IMDB rating of 7.6 and a MyAnimeList score of 7.75, reflecting its appeal among romance anime fans. Undoubtedly, it has certainly established itself as a true shojo romance anime classic.
Oshi no Ko Sheds Light on the Harsh Realities of the Idol Industry
Oshi no Ko has taken the anime community by storm, and it’s not difficult to see why. Aka Akasaka’s manga reveals the darker side of the popular Japanese idol industry while balancing it with impressive humor and compelling characters.
Oshi no Ko leaves fans stunned by the harsh and challenging journey of young idols who goes an immense amount of mental suffering. On top of that, Akasaka makes sure to highlight the hierarchy and nepotism in Japanese idol culture, which often goes unnoticed.
While the fandom applauds the author of his intriguing dark narrative, Akasaka shared he had planned the beginning and end of the series in advance.
The end of Season 1 set up a delightful love triangle between Aqua, Kana, and Akane, and Season 2 skillfully weaves this love triangle into each character’s stage play roles in Tokyo Blade.
Ao Haru Ride is available on Crunchyroll, whereas Oshi no Ko is available to stream on Netflix
