First Impression: Agents of the Four Seasons: Dance of Spring

For ten years now, Hinagiku Kayo, the Agent of Spring, has stayed hidden, waiting for the day when she can “fight back.” “Enduring” until she can strike. Now, perhaps, is the time. But this “agent” is not a spy or officer; she has been given the ability to manifest spring onto the land by a goddess, and shares a similar ability with the other agents, who are dispatched by the Four Season Agency. However, guarded by her trusted bodyguard, Sakura, Hinagiku has quietly approached Mt. Ryugu, which is covered by snow when it should be erupting with the rhythms of life that come with springtime. But can Hinagiku overcome the violence of the past, that which kept her in “hibernation,” to bring spring to the land and its inhabitants once again?

One of the most anticipated series of this season is also one of the first to drop. Agents of the Four Seasons: Dance of Spring is produced by Wit Studio—a perfect pairing, if episode one is any indication. The animation is absolutely gorgeous, a necessary condition for a series that will bask in the beauty of the seasons. There’s a hand-drawn quality to the characters, joined by breathtaking background art. The story promises something moving and epic, but in episode one, the emphasis is on the last few minutes (minor spoilers ahead): Hinagiku performing the rites to bring spring to Mt. Ryugu. The short scene is absolutely gorgeous, full of vibrant colors, wonderful shots of scenery, and striking transitions. Hinagiku sings a beautiful melody while performing the rite as well; it’s an incredible musical interlude that brings to mind the climactic scenes of Weathering with You or the Forest Spirit’s first appearance in Princess Mononoke. Most of all, of course, the episode is most reminiscent of Violet Evergarden, with the two series sharing the same writer of the original light novel sources. As in that show, violence mars beauty, and an innocent suffers while trying to find her footing. Also the same is how the shows border on the melodramatic; I found that element to be a little heavy for me in the first volume of the light novel, though one of our writers didn’t seem to be bothered by it. I felt some of the material in this adaption until the rites verged on the melodramatic, but not terribly, and the rest of the episode promises a show that should be beautiful and memorable. I’m excited to see how it all unfolds.

Agents of the Four Seasons: Dance of Spring can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

Twwk
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