CCIII: "Kare Kano"

Kare Kano is a shortened title from Kareshi Kanojo no Jijo, which means His and Her Circumstances, which the anime is also called. Another old title, you can surmise from the title alone that it's another romantic comedy-drama, but compared to others I've seen, this one falls in the normal category, as opposed to being out there in terms of fantasy. I didn't think I'd accept this title, and back then, avoided this show, but eventually watched it from beginning to end. It was likeable, to say the least.

Kare Kano deals with a girl and a guy, naturally. The female lead this time is Yukino Miyazawa, the proclaimed perfect student. Her grades and looks makes her the envy of others in school, and in the start of the anime, she is a High School freshman. However, while her grades may be the real deal, her looks aren't. It's not said but if others viewed her as a prodigy, she actually studies relentlessly to maintain such grades, but that doesn't vouch for her character. She is actually a slob of sorts, also spoiled and stubborn (not to mention that she wears glasses.) Things are all well and good for her outward exterior, but then enters the male lead: Soichiro Arima. With his grades, she is knocked off of her throne, much to her chagrin, and was initially at odds with him, that is until his confession. He, too, is another who wears a mask in front of others, and throughout the anime, we follow these two as they break away from those, while seeing them acknowledge their feelings for one another.

The anime takes the length of the first 7 volumes of the manga, which was published by Tokyopop, who no longer functions in the US. In the manga, it follows them into adulthood, while the anime stops during the cultural festival, as a way to put an end to things. Composed of 26 episodes, it's been over a decade since it first aired on TV, premiering in October of 1998 and ending March the following year. Created in the Gainax and J.C. Staff studios, it's licensed under Right Stuf International, and has been shown as part of Comcast On Demand's Anime Selects, as well as Funimation Channel. Veronica Taylor voices Yukino in the dub, with Soichiro done by Christopher Nicholas (he has also done additional voices for anime like Patlabor: The Mobile Police.)

Kare Kano is definitely a love story, not the best one, but nothing to rag to the dirt either. A fair 7 of 10 goes for this title, but it also stands as one of those to look back on, as a break from the zany ones of the same genre.