Director: Iwasaki Tarou (Yakushiji Ryouko no
Kaiki Jikenbo)
Writer: Suga Shoutarou (Uchouten Kazoku, Rinne no
Lagrange)
Main Cast:
Yamaya Yoshitaka as Hase Yuuki
Amamiya Sora as Fujimiya Kaori
Character Design:
YamazakiEri
Music: Toda Irone
The slight twist that Isshuukan Friends uses on the stale slice-of-life/romance genre, that a girl named Fujimiya Kaori loses all memories of her friends every Monday, is one that is very easy to screw up. It could easily make cruel jokes at her expense, or Hase Yuuki could be a creeper who wants to take advantage of her. Instead, it's a show that has a real heart, one that isn't weighed down by pandering to a certain fanbase or forcing drama where there doesn't need to be any. There is room for a show that just wants to explore the awkwardness of making friends, and possibly falling in love, and that's what this show is trying to do.
What makes it work is that there is a complete lack of cynicism in the way Isshuukan Friends tells its story. Yuuki genuinely wants to become Kaori's friend, with no ulterior motives. He is pushy at first to break down the wall she has put up to keep people out. But once he does get her to accept him as a "not-friend" who can eat lunch with her, he does respect her wishes. Specifically, she asks him not to talk to her during class, so the secret of the faulty memory doesn't get out, and he does just that. From there, things are super saccharine as Yuuki and Kaori grow closer together. This teeth-rotting adorableness makes Kaori's weekly memory loss that much more effective. This both pulls at my heartstrings and makes the two of them sympathetic as a platonic couple. And that in turn makes me want to see them succeed in being friends despite the memory loss.
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| Stop being cute! You'll make me feel actual human emotions! |
The other thing I really enjoyed was how logical the characters were in dealing with the memory loss. Yuuki is quick to suggest a diary that Kaori can read on Monday mornings. This works to remind her that she does have a friend at school, but it doesn't do anything to actually restore her lost memories. She also writes down everything in detail, from what Yuuki and she talked about to how much fun it is to sing karaoke. This works to show how much Kaori wants friends, and it makes both her and Yuuki endearing characters. There is also the moment where Yuuki brings in his more gruff best friend into their inner circle, and while his questions about the authenticity of Kaori's memory loss are cruel, they are not unreasonable. Yuuki's friend is just looking out for him, in his own way. He also suggests that Kaori's memory loss is due to some childhood trauma or brain injury. And while I'm not sure if I want this show to be about the cause of her memory loss, it is something that I'm fine with the show addressing.
It takes a lot to make my cold rock of a heart feel something, but Isshuukan Friends manages to do just that. For that alone, it deserves a pass. But, there's more than making me feel things that endears me to this show. While I'm reasonably sure that there will be romance between Yuuki and Kaori, I don't see that as a bad thing. That's because they will have to deal with the issue of the memory loss, in addition to the normal interpersonal drama that comes with Kaori having to learn how to deal with people. The preview for the next episode suggests this, and given how deftly things have been handled thus far, I have faith that this show will handle this next arc well. And really, the same goes for the rest of the show.
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