TLDR
Higehiro was one of the most unique rom-com dramas I have ever experienced. It explored some crazy topics that often are overlooked in anime, and I really appreciated its authenticity because of it. Even though the last half-lowered my rating, it miraculously turned things around in what I thought was a great climatic moment!
Story - Above Average
The main reason I think I enjoyed this show so much was the unique dynamic introduced in the first four episodes. Sayu was used to selling her body for money, but Yoshida was the first man to tell her no. He taught her to value herself more and not to do these shameless things that she will regret in the future. It was super heartwarming to see Sayu tear up during these moments, and it's something no anime i've watched has covered so far. Time and time again, Sayu tries to throw her body at Yoshida because she is scared he will get bored and toss her out, just like so many others have in the past. It's in these first five episodes that we realize Yoshida is genuinely a good person. He tells her she doesn't have to fake smiles around him, and she can be herself. As I mentioned before, this is what really engulfed my interest in the story. I consumed a nice blend of romance, drama, and ecchi and was excited to learn more about the story.
Unfortunately, this is where my interest in the story peaked. Around episode 5, my rating was in the mid-80s, and I thought with an engaging climax, it would challenge the 90s. For whatever reason, whether it be the long wait for an episode each week, or their decision to explore other topics, I found myself becoming less interested in the story than I once was. Don't get me wrong, the 2-3 episodes spent covering Getou, Mishmia, and Asami were enjoyable, but I guess my care for the show dropped because they strayed away from the core foundation of the show.
With four episodes to go or so, the rating of Higehiro was in question. Sayu's predictable and cliche backstory left a sour taste in my mouth; I felt like what separated this show from most is that it doesn't use generic sequences as their appeal, and this just felt like a tear-jerker being forced down my throat. After another 2-3 rocky episodes, I found myself on episode 13, the climax. And just like that, my interest in the show was ignited! Seeing Sayu's sendoff with Yoshida was terrific. The dialogue flowed nicely with each other and felt super natural between the two characters. We got a casual but LOVELY confession from Sayu, and my prediction of a time skip was correct. I couldn't explain how happy I was seeing them reference Sayu under the light post after the time skip. It was such an excellent way to tie everything that has happened together, and now that she is legal, can we get some actual romance???
Art - Average
The art is in a weird spot for me. The picture quality indeed represents something made in 2021, but so many underlying issues such as animation or automobile renders make me question how much I enjoyed the visuals in this show. I think as far as character designs and picture quality go, the show is fine. But something about the "atmosphere" of Higehiro makes it feels empty or stale, I guess I would say. In addition, the car renders look FUCKING HORRENDOUS. They don't look natural in the scenes at all and idk how they got cleared to be used.
Sound - Average
I think both the opening and ending did a fantastic job at becoming memorable and catchy. They were used multiple times during key moments to end off an episode, and I feel like created an identity for the show.
Characters 7.5/10
It's hard to pin down how compelling the characters were to the story. If we set aside the lead two, I would say they are average at best. In Gotou and Mishima case, they were pretty much used as plot devices. Throughout the story, Yoshida insisted he is attracted to older women, but when both beautiful women confess to him, he is hesitant to reciprocate his feelings. This helps the audience understand that Yoshida is slowly falling in love with this girl and doesn't even realize it. Before I move on, I just want to point out Gotou, HOLY FUCK do I love her character design and the light ecchi appeal she gave off during her episodes.
Of course, the best part of the show is the dynamic between Yoshida and Sayu. I got hooked on Higehiro early because of their unique character interactions, and I LOVED the morals being illustrated. Just as the show portrays, Yoshida is a genuinely good guy. When people constantly used Sayu repeatedly, he was the one to teach her about values and face her past head-on. In addition, Sayu went from this cold, emotionless personality to actually enjoying life and living her teenage years. There were a ton of wholesome moments that made me tear up, and just as Sayu was enjoying it, I was too.
Positives
I think when it comes to character interactions, Higehiro is on top of my list. It's a mature romance that explores so many concepts wrapped up in a bunch of wholesome moments. It has the fanservice, light romance, and drama to capture my attention, and this is the genre I fell in love with.
Negatives
I honestly don't have much criticism when it comes to the foundation of Higehiro. I feel like my rating wasn't higher because many key/critical moments lacked passion or authenticity. As I mentioned before, Sayu's tragic backstory with her friend was predictable and rubbed me the wrong way. Furthermore, I think during episodes 6-10, the weekly wait started to wear down on me, and I'm positive this series would have been rated higher if I could have binged it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I enjoyed Higehiro as the best show of its season. It created a unique situation in the drama romance genre and kept me engaged during the first 6 episodes. Yes things fell off a bit later on but they wrapped things nicely in episode 13 so overall my experience was positive!
76.5 out of 98 users liked this review
