Anime Impressions: Adachi to Shimamura

Adachi to Shimamura is the latest light-hearted Yuri romance anime this season. Despite the vast number of exciting titles currently available to pick from, it is the anime that piqued my interest the most as it succeeded in drawing me in with its calm elegance.

A Different Type of Romance Anime

Compared to so many other romance titles, anime in the Yuri category is generally put on a higher pedestal. This is mostly due to the quality depiction of romance, especially among youths. So far, that aspect cannot be more true for Adachi to Shimamura. Instead of being forcefully introduced to an abruptly formed relationship, we are shown the gradual build-up between the two girls as friends in the first episode.

At first glance, their relationship seems to be formed from a mutual apathy for school activities so instead of being model students, they embrace the life of delinquency to skip classes and play Ping-Pong together. The episode also shows how the two initially met as strangers. Shimamura who frequently skips classes to stay on the second floor of the gym meets Adachi, a frequent absentee who finds her way up there one day. After their first awkward yet highly realistic discussion about a cicada, the two decide to continue meeting there afterward.

They both seem like outcasts at first, but its later revealed Shimamura does, in fact, have other friends named Hino and Nagafuji these two have been friends for a long time which clearly shows in the banter between them. However, after a short internal monologue from Shimamura, it’s clear she isn’t as close to the pair as it would seem and rather prefers spending time with Adachi. Not only do her words support this, but so do her actions as she is visibly elated when with her.

An Accurate Depiction

The conversations between Adachi and Shimamura gives an impression of two individuals getting closer with each passing day. And it’s quite obvious that by the end of the first episode they begin to realize their feelings for each other signified by the shy looks, roundabout compliments, and slight jealousy from Adachi when Shimamura’s other friends are close. This dynamic is what I truly enjoy about the series so far as it showcases their relationship in a pure, honest, and simple way at a perfect pace.

While episode one through four introduces the characters, and their relationships the series slightly changes tune from episode five as what started as a calm series got a bit more complicated, especially once you start to notice some of the more prominent elements of the anime, such as the many changes in visual cues, as it reflects the thoughts, emotions, and actions between the characters. The episode then takes us by surprise as it shows that their tale may not be one of mutual love after all.

A Gradual Decline?

The current episode (episode 6) sadly doesn’t do much to resolve the events of the previous episode, perhaps due to it being solely told from Adachi’s perspective. The episode doesn’t introduce any new elements or events as it just features the same cutesy antics seen in other episodes. Adachi acts like a typical schoolgirl with a crush, while Shimamura acts like a platonic elder sibling.

In fact, I’d go so far as to say the episode takes a step back in progressing their relationship romantically, as them being best friends will most likely change nothing. It’s also clear that Adachi is aware Shimamura might not feel the same way, which is perhaps why she decided on not confessing to her. I’m not sure if the source material progresses at the same pace, but I guess that they have to stretch out the content somehow. I just hope things don’t escalate to the point where the anime starts to replicate the very same type of anime its meant differentiate itself from.

Final Thoughts

Regardless, Adachi to Shimamura proves itself to be a highly entertaining romance anime that doesn’t waste the viewer’s time with the usual typical and nonsensical anime tropes. What further enhances the viewing experience is the anime’s crisp and beautiful, yet simplistic animation style which perfectly matches the simplicity of its characters. Couple that with its excellent soundtrack, and the series sets a tone quite unlike any other romance anime this year.

If you haven’t seen Adachi to Shimamura, its available to stream right now on Funimation.

Have you seen Adachi to Shimamura? What do you think of my impressions? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.