Bokura ga Ita Review by GarryM
This anime is difficult to sum up in a short space! what starts off as a straightforward girl meets boy romance rapidly developes into a series of overlapping love triangles, as the main characters struggle to alternately surpress/express their emotions towards each other. The fact that one of the triangles involves a dead person (no ghosts or spirits) shows how complex this storyline becomes.
It is their first year in High School, and all the girls are talking about Yano Motoharu. The most popular boy at his middle school, he has had a number of girlfriends. It is said that 2/3rds of the girls in his class were in love with him.
Coming from a small middle school, Takahashi Nanami is initially unaware of Motoharu’s reputation. Gawky, and a bit plain, she doesn’t usually attract the attention of the popular boys. After a prank, she is hostile towards him, especially as her classmate, Yamamoto Yuri, appears to hate him! She has to spend time working with him, as they have been elected as Class President and Vice President.
After a series of encounters, she begins to be drawn in by his outgoing and friendly nature. She is intrigued by the fact that he seems to know a lot about Yuri, even though they never seem to talk together. She is shocked to find out that Motoharu was dating Yuri’s older sister, Nana, who was killed in an accident the year before.
To the bemusement of their classmates, Popular Boy and Plain Jane start to hang out together. They both turn to Motoharu’s childhood friend, Takeuchi, for advice and information. He gets drawn into the developing relationship between the two, and doesn’t altogether approve of the way Motoharu sometimes uses Nanami, and so the stage is set!
Why does Yuri hate Motoharu so much? Is it to do with her sisters death, or something else?
Just how obsessed is Motoharu with his previous girlfriend? What part did he play in her death?
How will Nanami overcome his seeming obsession with Nani, and her growing jealousy of the intensity of their relationship?
How much does Takeuchi know of what happened last year? How much will he choose to reveal as he grows closer to Nanami?
Every episode brings new revelations, that make the plot truly absorbing, and kept me viewing for night after night!
Sound, Graphics etc:
The anime is drawn in an unusual way. Frequently, especially in close up, the characters are drawn with only half a face. It can be a bit disconcerting as you view a face with only one eye! Sometimes the backgrounds are quite simply drawn, allowing you to concentrate on the story. Colours are muted, with lots of pale pastels used, enhancing the simple feel.
There is a lot of “internal” dialogue as the characters struggle with their conflicting emotions. In the later episodes there are long pauses in the dialogue as these conflicts lead to periods of indecision.
Even though I have just rewatched episode 1, I can’t really remember much about the music. What can I say, I was concentrating on the story!
So! A romantic drama! No action! No ecchi! Not to everybody’s liking I know, but I would really recommend this series.
Rating 8/10!