Kimi ni Todoke - Anime - AniDB (2025)

Note: Rate me! This review is based on [Eclipse] and [FMS-Sunberries] english subbing of the series and it may contain disagreeable opinions and spoilers. I aim to try and be Assertive as well as objective in my reviews but otherwise enjoy. This is my second review so I hope it all turns out well for everyone.

EDIT: I have fixed a few grammar issues so thanks for the replies everyone. Im still learning :)

Written by Karuho Shinra and animated by Production I.G, Kimi ni Todoke (AKA. Reaching you) is very much set as a romantic comedy series in production of the 2009 season. Its story focus is on a typical schoolgirl name Sawako, a shy, lonely and misunderstood person in appearance, in other words, scary (much like "the ring" of the horror genre). She is eager to change from being lonely to gaining a better social life, by trying to open herself to others. How so? Its her wish to make friends of course. Not to mention proving to herself, that she isn't all that scary, bad and misunderstood by others as she seems to be. However, she isn't confident enough in this regard to change. Not until a popular, friendly male student name Kazehaya befriends her along the way. With the help of him, she manages to change her life in the way she wanted it to change, giving her these friendly opportunities, as well as becoming more open around social life. Not to mention she discovers a bit of romance to the coming of school events and issues along the way.

In regards to the 2009 season of anime, there wasn't many titles that were in anyway worth watching from the ecchi shows to some of the lukewarm moe series and uninteresting stories that didn't really cater to my tastes. Romance was still taken in some part of my interest and part of that came onto checking out this show. Production I.G have been quite consistent in being able to create arouse-full and entertaining shows such as "Eden of the East" and so I figured, why not? Ended up giving the show a try and for a typical school/romance anime, it seems well directed and atmospheric enough to retain my interest. Anyways, onto the review...

The Good
The animation of the series takes on quite a simple, a bit still, yet manages somewhat an artistic look of things. This consists of the appearance of the characters to the backgrounds of the atmosphere. Much to the simple atmosphere includes such as the school yards to the environments, buildings and objects, being drawn and animated very much to the way its colorful and easy to look at on the eyes. I don't think there is any CGI scenery, but this isn't exactly what the series aimed for in terms of animation. The camera perspectives, from the first person to the 3rd person perspective, of the characters and environments, help make the viewer feel very much at home with the perspectives creating a much needed influence and feel for the world, not to mention the feel for the characters themselves and the interaction of events given into the series.

The characters themselves look quite simply detailed in appearance from the facials to the bodies and variety of fashion. Not to mention the variety of colors also help brighten up these moments of characters and atmosphere across the simple, yet detailed given elements of the animation. The motion fluidity of the series is also quite solid and simple with characters and such objects moving from point to point in a simple manner to the given actions they act across certain events of the series. Overall, the animation is quite solid, colorful and pretty looking, making it a likeable package to keep the viewer somewhat fuzzy into the series.

The Bad
As much as I liked the animation, I would have liked to have seen more motion fluidity given across some character movements and environments as sometimes, it looks a bit too still. Not to mention, certain backgrounds and environments, felt lacking in a bit of detail from time to time thanks to its simplicity of the environments animated across the series. Other then that, it wasn't the most detail animation or fluid Ive seen for an anime series but considering the low points, I still say the animation was still pretty solid and pretty enough as a package.

The Good
The sound overall is also quite up to standard in terms of the voice acting and choices of music and tone in between certain atmospheres and interactions. The opening, Kimi ni Todoke (きみにとどけ)" by Tomofumi Tanizawa helps set out a soothing yet joyful mood given across introducing the episode while the ending, "Kataomoi (片想い)" by Chara gives quite a bit of closure along with happyness by the end of an episode.

Along the lines, the atmosphere sounds and feels quite peaceful, comedic, cheery and sometimes "eerily". Not to mention some being a tad serious thanks to the choices of music soundtracks and tone in between. Objects and environments themselves sound like they should be, with paper sounding like paper for an example and In the end, this helps streamline the feel of reality and transition for such environments and interaction between characters and objects. The voice acting is also quite solid and believable with Sawako for example, sounding cheery or held back when she's shy or nervous or Ryuu's lazy care to serious attitude when he comes into interaction such as the school drama and comedy. None the less, the voice acting is a success when it comes to bringing life across its characters. As for the whole of the sound apartment, it remains very solid as it is.

The Bad
Though the sound apartment may be solid, I would have liked to see a bit more variety in sound and tone choice of such environments to the character interactions and mood. Not to mention, some of the cherry and happy kind of voice acting, like Sawako's cheery and light-hearted attitude for example can become a bit tedious and nerve racking at times especially near the start of the series. Otherwise, it could have been cut down a little for more comfort. None the less, the sound much like the opening and ending themes wasn't particularly memorable or catchy in a way but they were still warm and welcome additions to help give the series a satisfying and joyful feel each time you watch and finish it at the end of the day.

The story of Kimi ni Todoke, is indeed a simple and romantic story based on the heroine Sawako. A misunderstood schoolgirl with the appearance off a horror film, wishing to change from being lonely to having more of a social life. The change itself is to open herself up and make friends, as well as to clear the misunderstandings of being stood by as a scary person. Which to that degree is the main reason that she is lonely. Surely indeed, she is use to being lonely and misunderstood as a frightful person but likewise she wants to open up to others. Unfortunately her confidence isn’t that great until a man name Kazehaya comes along and changes her life in the way she wants to change. That is, to become a more socially active person by getting friends and to clear her misunderstandings. There are also some hints of romance between some of the main cast as well as the 2 main leads, Kazehaya and Sawako. Overtime, the hints of romance gives the series a much needed sense of closure across the story as well as Sawako’s issues being resolved along the way.

The Good
Overall, the story starts out a bit slow and cheesy but works out well across the series as it’s paced and developed mostly through Sawako’s point of view, not to mention, a bit of the supporting and other cast get their turns as well. We also see serious issues and perspectives arise between certain characters particularly in the ways of romance to friendships and social activity, being a key point across the development of the story. Also these issues and perspectives give Sawako a social learning treatment in dealing with certain issues and interaction of other characters, which helps build up some foundation across the story. Comedy is also mixed in, giving a sense of comic relief along the way of characters as well as enlightening the story (Hence why the series is also a comedy). At the end of the day, the issues and plots introduced are left well explained and continue on to the next set of plot events. This applies especially so, for the main cast and the progression of the story.

The colorful and such variety of environments, as well as the joyful to serious overtones help bring the story more life. This is given across the situations, perspective and issues risen from within the characters lives. Thanks to the solid voice acting, the character interactions and variety of perspectives are made much believable as well as to help give the story more structure and depth. This is very much so particularly in the way of Sadako’s main journey to becoming a more socially active person, as well as the romantic chemistry between certain characters along the way. As a whole, the story works very much well in the ways of romance and comedy and perhaps even as a coming of age, Sadako’s journey hints that well.

The Bad
My only gripe with the story is in its ending. Even though many things were explained and developed: character and situation wise, the ending really didn’t bring enough closure to leave the series hanging on a smooth note. This is very much so particularly when we look at, the focal of romance between the main characters and Sawako’s journey in the end. The story may also feel a bit slow for some particularly for the manga readers as well as nothing really groundbreaking has happened across the series. However in regards to the ending, it does somewhat leave enough room open for a sequel along with the manga being unfinished. But with the ending as it is, it was more underwhelming and incomplete for a conclusion.

The Good
The characters of the show are overall very likeable, appealing and entertaining. With this, we see a group of believable and quite logically developed characters. This coming from the interactions as well as the 1st to 3rd person perspectives of characters given across the series. As an example, Sawako’s views and thoughts upon other characters was indeed quite logical in example. It brings the sense of thinking, “What do people think of each other through their actions and interpretations” or “How do others think of me”. Given the thoughts, the way she finds herself wanting to change for the better within her journey, is quite inspiring and believable of her throughout the story.

In any case, each of the whole cast has their own different attitudes, and morals given the genre of stereotypes. The main protagonist here is Sawako as we get to know her as a person who likes horror films. Her aim is to make friends and become more socially active. While the main supporting cast consists of: (Kazehaya – all round friendly character, Chizuru – Joyful, comedic sort of character, Ayane – the most mature of characters and lastly Ryu – The silent but action type of character). There are also some noticeable but interesting characters along the lines of the series.

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Nevertheless like all other side characters with little background, the side cast played more towards the given development of the main cast. Not to mention, they helped add some sparks of interest, comedy or conflict across the setting of the story.

In the end, it’s the main cast that brings down the most of major roles in terms of story progression and some character development. This is thanks to the side cast and some given focus overtime on each of the main cast. Everyone has their own story to tell as development to not just themselves but also to be able to serve that as flavor and varied direction across the main story, in other word’s Sawako’s journey. In the end, the character development was shown across the main cast not to mention 2 to 3 of the side cast received a little of it, which is just fine in itself given the timeslot of the series. As far as I’m concerned with characters, the main cast is overall likeable and well developed overtime through personality and interaction to care enough throughout the series.

The Bad
What bothered me a little about the characters is the fact that some of the side characters with some exceptions

remained a bit or tad undeveloped and were just there based on the given settings of the story. They did however, play some sort of development and expression across the main supporting cast along with Sawako. Not to mention, to give backdrop to certain situations of the story but as far as character backdrop goes, the detail is rather too simple or lacking in some sort of detail. I would have liked to see a little character development for the side cast particularly some characters part of the school such as Tomo and Ekko but since there was little to focus on them, it didn’t bother me much seeing them as just added support to characters and flavor to the story.

There was also one other certain character that was developed well halfway

but was pretty much left out to dry in the end like other least important characters, given the situations for the story development. I would have like to see more of that “certain character” in between character developments and interactions, not just near the end but none the less, the issue was resolved beforehand with nothing else for that character to provide but just a little backdrop to the story.

Despite some of its shortcomings from some of the side cast’s little underdeveloped profiles to the lack of conclusion, Kimi ni Todoke still manages to be one of the better anime series of 2009-2010 particularly in the forms of a romantic comedy. The story of Sawako’s Journey for friends and for the better coming of social life was definitely quite moving and somewhat inspirational. Not to mention some of the romantic moments, particularly between Sawako and Kazehaya were quite warm and fuzzy. The comedy was surprisingly quite funny especially when we look at characters like Pin and Ryu. Though one thing I certainly enjoyed the most was watching Sawako's perspective across her journey of change as she comes across social life and friends.

In terms of rewatch value, I’d probably watch it again in the long run just for Sawako’s journey and perhaps the comedy and character interactions. However the conclusion does bog down on the rewatch value quite a bit, due to the lack of closure. In any case, the series was well worth the watch even if you’re not much of a fan of romance, or perhaps a bit of comedy. Though you may not like it if you aren’t comfortable with both genres or want something that's a bit more adventurous. However I didn’t regret watching it and in any case, its well worth the recommendation.