Kimi ni Todoke Episode One: Prologue

In Kimi ni Todoke, we are introduced to a girl named Sawako. Sawako is a sweet girl that also happens to be terribly shy. She bears a striking resemblance to Sadako from Ringu/The Ring series (Samara for those of you who have only seen the US version!), and this coupled with her quiet nature has led to her classmates thinking of her as creepy, and inventing stories about how she can curse people or summon ghosts. Sawako desperately wants to make friends, especially with her lively classmate, Kazehaya, who is kind even to her.

Kimi ni Todoke did a great job of making Sawako a sympathetic character. She has such a kind nature that it's really heartbreaking to see her being mistreated. I was occasionally bothered by the style that characters were drawn in, but I thought the voice acting was great, especially for Sawako and Kazehaya. It more than managed to make up for any other short-comings. The episode was well paced and I felt involved the whole way through, even though a few bits were predictable.

Romance anime generally isn't something I get that excited about, but the main characters in this show are just so likable that I really want to see them find happiness. I hope that the show continues to stay character driven so I can really enjoy that aspect of it. Maybe Kimi ni Todoke could even be the show to convert me into a romance anime fan. I've heard that the manga is terrific, so if the anime can measure up something really special could be in store.

Rating: 89/100