Say “I Love You” is absolutely adorable. If you’re looking for a very romantic, sweet, quiet anime, this is the one for you.
Tachibana Mei does her best to blend into the crowd. She has no friends, doesn’t talk to anyone, and she certainly has never had a boyfriend. Until one day, she catches the attention of Kurosawa Yamato, the immensely attractive, most popular guy at her school. No one understands why Yamato is interested in Mei, but he immediately sets out to convince her to be his girlfriend. Me is cautious, but as she gets to know Yamato, she begins to open up, creating other friendships as well.
This anime is not about Mei and Yamato’s long road to becoming a couple. In fact, they kiss in the first episode. This is the story of their relationship and how it changes both of them and the people around them.
I personally think that Yamato and Mei’s relationship is kind of weird for a good majority of this show. Mei barely talks, and she reacts very negatively to anything physical. Yamato must really fall in love at first sight because he latches on to her and doesn’t let go. Sure, they are adorable, especially by the end, but at the beginning, I kept wondering why he stuck with her.
Say “I Love You” hits some serious issues. There’s lots of discussion of peer pressure, self-esteem issues, authenticity with friends, bullying…it’s got some very intense topics. This is not the light-hearted, humorous Ouran High School Host Club, or other shojo of that nature. It deals with real issues, and how people struggle through them.
The art is lovely; there are lots of nature shots, or scenes showing the scenery with beautiful, classical music playing. It’s a very calm show, and very quiet most of the time. This really reflects Mei’s character, as she too is very quiet and calm most of the time.
A great Anime for people who like the romance/high school genre.
If you liked Say “I love You”, you should also watch: Toradora!, Ao Haru Ride.