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Akira Tachibana was once a fiercely competitive star on her high school track and field team, until a severe Achilles tendon tear sidelines her athletic dreams. Sinking into quiet melancholy, she takes a part-time job as a waitress at a family restaurant called Garden. There, she develops deep affection for her restaurant manager, Masami Kondou, a clumsy forty-five-year-old divorced father who is frequently ridiculed by his staff. Where others see an unimpressive middle-aged man, Akira finds gentle compassion. Their poignant, platonic bond gradually encourages both wounded souls to confront their stalled passions and move forward.
⚠ Background — may contain spoilers
Wit Studio animated this twelve-episode television series, which broadcast on Fuji TV's prestigious Noitamina block during the winter 2018 season. Directed by Ayumu Watanabe and written by Deko Akao, the anime adapts Jun Mayuzuki's award-winning manga. Character designer Yuka Shibata translated the manga's vintage retro-shoujo aesthetic into breathtaking visuals, emphasizing soft pastel rainscapes and striking character acting. Supported by Aimer's emotionally resonant ending theme song Ref:rain, the adaptation received critical acclaim for handling its delicate cross-generational premise with utmost maturity, nuance, and poetic emotional restraint, focusing entirely on mutual personal healing.
I was pretty aggravated by Akira for a while, but maybe she does "get over herself" in the end. She's at least an interesting psychological study. Kondo turns out to be a much "deeper" character than he seems at first, and Haruka is just a sweetheart. I was glad something positive was done with the Yoshikawza character.
