Summertime Rendering is a thriller mystery anime series with a time travel premise which is something that I am really interested in. Time travel to me has always been this mix of fantasy and science fiction and I really like this blend of qualia. The nature of time travel in this series however leans heavily on the fantasy side which is still fine because the time travel aspect is what I am most interested in fundamentally.

From a production standpoint, it is really professionally made with clean art, expressive and dynamic animation during its action scenes accompanied by a fitting sci-fi vibe soundtrack reminiscent of Tenet. And I absolutely love soundtracks like this which give a pressing and hype sense of urgency that every second counts while watching those scenes where the protagonists are fighting not only against the monsters but against time itself. I wish they make more of use this soundtrack.

The series definitely has a really interesting premise and intriguing mystery. Everything feels out of place and wrong like it shouldn't be. This uneasiness is reflected in the cast of the characters as each of them at times seems to be more puzzled than grieving at the tragedy that is introduced in the beginning. I really feel that its premise and its lead up to the chaotic apocalypse that is going to happen is slightly rushed and it should be given more time to cook for me to be invested not only in the mystery but the characters and their home. But it is fine because I there are several other series that made me care more and more about the characters as the series progressed such as Erased.

But here is the problem I believe, I never really cared more about the characters the more I watched. Not to say I did not care about them at all, probably admittedly I am quite an empathetic person that can easily relate and care for characters solely based on what they are going through and what they want to achieve; in this case the main protagonist's anxiety of losing his friends and his commitment to protect them and their home. But I don't really connect with him beyond that. It's akin to seeing a stranger rushing into a burning building to save lives, you definitely root for them but that feeling would be so much stronger if it is someone you know.

I think there is a bit too much hand-holding in the way they explain its exposition for my taste. I prefer to decipher the plot and narratives for myself even if it means sometimes not fully understanding the specifics of how the story got from A to B. The only time I feel infuriated when not understanding the story is when I absolutely give my 100% attention and even fail to do so even when I do research either by rewinding or reading forums because it is just badly written. But for Summertime Rendering the plot is really easy to follow due to its hand-holding to the point I feel slightly patronized.

Lastly, for such an exposition-heavy story I don't think it works best for the medium of Anime. This is related to my previous point as there is so much explanation that sometimes feels like I am listening to a lecture. If this was in the form of a manga I think I would be more patient with it because it is something that I can absorb through reading quickly. I have seen heavy exposition adapted perfectly visually in Anime before: like Demon Slayers' no-exposition straight-to-action approach example. But I can see how it is not the easiest thing to do, still, it's a point I believe warrants some criticism.

Overall, it was alright. Love the concept, love the production quality, the characters were not the best but never unlikable either, feels slow and wordy a lot of the time but its last few episodes are admittedly hype and it was a sweet ending. Pretty cool.