Minor Spoilers Ahead
I dropped ATRI: My Dear Moments after 11 episodes. While I didn’t get far enough to spoil major plot twists, discussing why I stopped watching requires touching on some plot developments.
ATRI: My Dear Moments is a post-apocalyptic slice-of-life anime blending romance and mystery. Set in a Japan ravaged by rising sea levels that defy all predictions, it explores the struggles of small island communities. Natsuki Ikaruga, the protagonist, lives on one such island, working as a treasure hunter who salvages heirlooms and resources from submerged towns using a submarine. Once a promising student at a mainland academy that claimed to hold the key to halting the rising waters, Natsuki returned empty-handed and became something of an outsider.
His life changes dramatically when he discovers an advanced humanoid android, Atri, in the ruins of his grandmother’s home. Atri, resembling a young girl, was tasked with a mysterious mission by Natsuki’s grandmother but has since lost her memory. Reluctantly, Natsuki begins uncovering the mysteries surrounding Atri and her purpose.
The plot, while not groundbreaking, is executed well enough to keep things engaging. The slice-of-life elements occasionally dragged, but new mysteries or conflicts consistently emerged to keep the pace from stagnating. However, the story suffers from noticeable plot conveniences. For example, Atri’s robotic nature is occasionally ignored for narrative convenience, and problems are resolved so effortless, I could almost hear Pitch Meeting's Ryan George say "Super easy, barely an inconvenience", such as when Atri’s low battery issue is miraculously fixed by finding a fully functional, self-powered charger within an episode. These moments undermined the stakes and my investment in the story.
That said, the anime does tackle intriguing themes, particularly the evolving "AI vs. human" debate. Atri’s clumsy, playful behavior makes her seem human, raising thought-provoking questions: Is her ineptitude genuine, or a calculated strategy to endear herself to humans? At what point does a robot’s behavior mirror humans trying to fit into society? These ideas felt relevant and engaging.
My main issue arose with the romance subplot. It’s no surprise that ATRI leans into a romantic relationship between Atri and Natsuki—the promotional material here on AniList even features a kiss between them. However, I found this romance unconvincing and unsettling. While Atri, as a pre-apocalypse android, is technically older than Natsuki, her childlike appearance and immature behavior compared to Natsuki's mature demeanor made the age gap feel jarring. The anime itself acknowledges this awkwardness, with characters calling Natsuki a "lolicon" and Natsuki himself visibly struggling with his feelings, which drags on for several episodes, with Atri making quite a few so far rebuked advances, even though it is not quite clear she understands what she is doing there. Rather than justifying the romance, this only highlighted how uncomfortable it felt.
Compounding this discomfort is the fact that Atri is a robot, technically owned by Natsuki. This dynamic, combined with the lackluster development of other romantic possibilities—such as his childhood friend being conveniently sidelined—left the romance feeling forced and unappealing.
Ultimately, while ATRI had some interesting themes and a decent premise, the romance plotline derailed my interest, and the rest of the anime wasn’t compelling enough to make up for it. I won’t judge anyone who enjoyed this show; I’ve liked anime with similar romantic subplots before. But in this case, it just didn’t click for me.
20 out of 30 users liked this review
