Doukyusei (Classmates)

A Gentle and Luminous Portrait of First Love Arriving Quietly Like Morning Dew.201119 (3.5)Just as sleeves soak softly in the dew, first love flies in carried along by the changing season. What is with them buying drinks out of gratitude only to spill every drop? Water truly represents emotions; the overflowing, pooling water mirrors their deep feelings. Teacher Hara—doing that to a minor, isn't that practically a crime? I was watching without much thought, yet there are moments throughout where my heart aches so intensely that I have to clutch my chest. Seriously, it's not even a tragedy novel, so why is my body reacting like this? My heart hurts so much. Directed by Shoko Nakamura and adapted from the acclaimed manga by Asumiko Nakamura, the 2016 Japanese animated romance "Doukyusei - Classmates" follows the blossoming relationship between an easygoing high school band member and an honor student who bond over chorus practice, capturing the tender vulnerability, luminous watercolor aesthetics, and awkward yet earnest flutter of youth.