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Shirayuki, our main character, although quite basic as the strong-willed and free-spirited shoujo protagonist she is, really plays well along the suave curves of the drama. She is not in the passenger seat of the series and is aware of who and where she is.
As time passes, the enforcement of exaggerated tropes in the ever evolving industry of anime might turn the simple act of watching the media into a bit of a drudgery. This is when a production like Akagami no Shirayuki-hime may enter your life as a breath of fresh air.
Akagami no Shirayuki-hime is a very simple narrative that follows a strict roll of rules set throughout the series: a girl of common birth, Shirayuki, meets a kingdom's prince, Zen, and they get to explore romance together. All the while respecting what this implies: his birth means duties, boundaries to be respected and consequences to whatever happenstances befall him, be it from his actions or others'.
What we get from that is no deformations in how the characters are layed out in the narrative. These constraints set by the author might make her work harder, but it pays off immensely in the form of a credible, sensible tone and quieter, tender scenes, as these aren't built upon whatever absurdities the industry was trying to sell at the moment.
Shirayuki, our main character, although quite basic as the strong-willed and free-spirited shoujo protagonist she is, really plays well along the suave curves of the drama. She is not in the passenger seat of the series and is aware of who and where she is.
Surprisingly enough, though, Zen, our male lead, does not antagonize her and has a lot to share with Shirayuki as a character. He is also very dignified and conscious of his status, all the while being in the other side of the spectrum, as a high ranking noble. This is explored sparingly along both seasons of the show.
The shared awareness of the main couple brings out the dynamics that makes this show actually good. They are not your typical shoujo couple where one does all the pushing and the other just exists in the receiving end, the latter usually being the girl. They have independent emotions and are able to share them assimetrically. Their love is not built over hardship only, but mostly through spoken sentiment. This, allied with the charismatic side characters that help tender and sauce the plot, makes Akagami no Shirayuki-hime one of the most sincere and efficient romance centered anime in a while.
For what romance anime has made itself known for, perhaps a show like Akagami no Shirayuki-hime may appear to sit unsquared in the genre. The absence of by-the-corner plot twists or outrageous misunderstandings makes this whole series a small, yet extremely polished gem. Both seasons of this show will offer a full meal for those who pine for a non-delusional and delicate love story. Be my guest and watch it.
Thank you for giving me your time.
