First Impression: Flower and Asura

When Hana was young, she saw something that changed her life: a dramatic poetry recitation by a girl her own age. From that moment on, she pursued the craft of recitation, holding regular storytimes with the young children who make up the rest of the under-30 population of her small island. It’s at one of these sessions beneath the blossoming cherry trees that a mysterious second-year high schooler witnesses Hana’s skill, and sets her sights on her: no self-respecting broadcast club president could pass over such talent in a soon-to-be first year! But when Mizuki introduces herself and pitches her club, the self-effacing Hana backs away, downplaying her aspirations and begging off any club involvement. The ferry home runs at 5pm, you see, which means club activities are impossible for her. Mizuki is not about to give up though, and deploys a multi-pronged campaign to recruit Hana, with her signature move being to invite herself over to Hana’s house after the first day of school, even though it means trapping herself on the island overnight! Can Mizuki persuade Hana to embrace her dream and face the obstacles that stand in her way? And does she maybe even have a cunning plan or two to help her kohai overcome them completely?  

Wow! I was expecting a pleasant CGDCT school club series, and instead, I got a surprisingly compelling, complete dramatic work in a single episode! Not only is there a full emotional arc here for Hana, but there is already marked character growth, making this a rewarding first episode that is fit to stand on its own. The fact that it’s just the beginning has me anticipating the journey that this series is sure to take us on for each of its ensemble cast. Reinforcing my high expectations is the fact that the original manga is written by Ayano Takeda, the creator of Sound! Euphonium, which is hands down one of the most rich, well-developed high school dramas out there, in my view. The animation is thoughtful, and though stylistically distinct from KyoAni, being from Studio Bind (of Mushoku Tensei and Onimai fame), the directing from Ayamu Uwano leans hard into the quiet, small moments and emotional flourishes that made Sound! Euphonium so powerful. (Dig out your flower language dictionaries, people! And prepare for some Naoko Yamada-inspired moody leg shots.) The animation and music accompanying the recitation sequences in particular were breathtaking—like a punch to the gut, in fact, in the case of the more somber recitation on the beach. It was like watching a transformation sequence in Madoka Magica, dark and full of meaning, yet fundamentally inspiring too. Talk about conveying emotion effectively! The voice acting is excellent as well, bringing the recitations—which could risk being cold or rigid in the formality of the art form—to vibrant life. I found myself getting caught up in them as much as Mizuki, despite the unfamiliar imagery and language. In short, sign me up for more of this one, as soon as possible too, please!

I respect Mizuki’s scheming mind! She’s going to be fun to watch.

Flower and Asura is streaming on HiDIVE.

claire
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