Do you remember the movies “50 First Dates” or “Blank Slate”? These films involved people with some kind of mental aberration that causes them to forget what had happened during the day. This offering, “One Week Friends” (“Isshūkan Furenu”) is a bit different, as she resets every week.
Because of this affliction, Kaori Fujimiya, (Madame Profile) does not make friends, as she cannot honestly remember who they are and so it gives the impression that she is stand-offish or conceited or rude, so she stays by herself. Into her life come Yūki Hase (The Sweater), who wants to be her friend, but doesn’t understand her situation. He slowly comes to figure out a way that she doesn’t forget people that she met and things she did during the week, but suggests that she keeps a diary of what she did during that time, aided by a poster in her room to remind her to read her journal every Monday.
Yeah, that’s the funny thing about her condition: information is easily retained about history and math and science and animal husbandry, but as to whom YOU are, well, that’s the issue. As time goes along, she managed to get a few more people, including Shōgo Kiryū (Mr. Cold Stare), Yuki’s Friend and very curious as to what is going on, and Saki Yamagishi (The Hobbit), who was a primary school chum of Shogo. She is forgetful about things and finds a commonality with Kaori.
This is a gentle series, despite some conflicts and clashes, and would be a very fine Introduction to Anime, to get someone interested in the genre. My only beef is that with the late show introduction of a character that knew Kaori before the accident, this really puts a crimp on things, as Kaori completely falls apart and all of Yuki’s hard work may be for naught. Could this ride a second season? It could, but there is little more you could do to keep it alive, save a correction of Kaori’s problem.
On a scale of 1 to 10:
Artwork 7 (A bit too cute)
Plot 7 (Telegraphed tension)
Pacing 7 (Moves along consistently)
Effectiveness 8 (Good use of flashbacks)
Conclusion 7 (It reaches a ‘coupler’, but doesn’t really end)
Fan Service 2 (A similar show would be “Okamisan”)
Overall 7 (Got a bit too soap opera for me)
And remember, it’s first run until you’ve seen it. Who are you, again?
I’m tiring of the un-matured entries into the slice of life genre that seem to permeate there way into the anime that is supposed to be serious.
I would agree that there is no balance with it. It is wither over the top silly or over the top incredible. I mean, when was the last time a giant fighting robot came to your school? One I did try “Rumbling Hearts”, just didn’t connect with me, as I felt it relied too much on sex scenes. Sure, it helped defined the characters, but what was sacrificed in seeing all of that part of it?