Anime Reviews (2010-2019): Just Because! - Complete Collection (2017)

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“Just Because!” is a romance teen drama which everyone can easily follow and watch. Nothing too long but something that many can just watch and be entertained. It’s definitely worth checking out!

Click here to purchase this Blu-ray on Amazon

TITLE: Just Because! – Complete Collection

ANIME FILM RELEASE DATE: 2017

DURATION: 300 Minutes

BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, English and Japanese DTS-HD MA 2.0, Subtitles: English subtitles

COMPANY: Sentai Filmworks

RATING: TV 14 V

Release Date: December 13, 2022

Directed by Kobayashi Atsushi

Series Composition by Kamoshida Hajime

Music by Yanagi Nagi

Original Character Design by Himura Kiseki

Character Design by Yoshii Hiroyuki

Art Direction by Okamoto Yuka

Anime Production: PINE JAM

Featuring the following voice talent:

Murata Taishi/Blake Shepard as Haruto Souma

Lynn/Brittney Karbowski as Ena Komiya

Ichikawa Aoi/Greg Cote as Eita Izumi

Isobi Carin/Luci Christian as Mio Natsume

Yoshino Yuna/Patricia Duran as Hazuki Morikawa

Relationships are living things: if they’re not constantly nurtured, they can wither, die, or even worse. Haruto Soma, Mio Natsume, and Hazuki Morikawa are in their final semester at Kashiogawa High, and while there are some simmering undercurrents in how they feel about each other, the main focus in their lives is to keep studying until they get their diplomas. But into this perfectly reasonable plan falls a monkey wrench named Eita Izumi, who was their classmate and friend until his family moved away four years ago. Now Eita is suddenly back and fitting him into the current dynamic is going to be awkward. Because people and friendships can change, and when they do, there’s always the chance that someone will be hurt. Not because of malice or deliberate intent, just because that’s the way life can be.

From writer Kamoshida Hajime and director Kobayashi Atsushi comes the anime series “Just Because!”.

Produced by Pine Jam and broadcasted in October-December 2017, the high school/college teen romance anime series has been released by Sentai Filmworks.

The series focuses on six friends.

Izumi Eita – A transfer student who returns back to his hometown in four years. He used to play baseball with Haruto back in middle school and he sees Mio, a girl he liked when he was younger.

Soma Haruto – An athlete in the baseball team who was good friends with Izumi. He has a big crush on Hazuki and wants to confess his love to her.

Natsume Mio – The former student council president and a former classmate of Mio and Haruto. She is studying hard for college and has always liked Haruto, but as she got older, something has changed.

Morikawa Hazuki – Hazuki is a trumpet player in the band and is preparing for college. She knows Haruto likes her and she likes him but her priority is college and since it’s far, a relationship is not something she is interested right now.

Komiya Enya – A member of the photography club that is close to being disbanded and enters a photography competition focusing on Izumi Eita. But while pursuing the photos, she starts to find that she is falling for him, even though she knows another friend may like him.

For the most part, “Just Because!” is an anime series which anyone can get into easily. There is nothing supernatural, it’s pretty much a slice of life anime series which many can sympathize with.

From love triangles, from confusions about love and what to do after high school, may it be college, may it be working full time, sometimes life is not what you expect it to be.

As I was watching these anime series, to be honest, it reminded me of my friends, close bunch of people, dating and then trying to maintain those friendships but eventually everyone grows apart.

Granted, not to say this is what’s happening with the characters but for the most part, it’s something that each of them will have to go through. Follow their heart or follow what is logical.

Do you go for the person who you don’t know may like you, or do you go for the person that does like you a lot?

It’s important to note that in Japanese culture vs. American culture, when it comes to life after high school, not many travel far for college. Many have to go through entrance exams but usually, they stay within the same prefecture. While in the U.S., many apply to colleges all around the USA or in their state.

While high school friendships remain strong, Japan is heavily influenced by circles of relationships. And those circles fluctuate from grade school to high school to college and adulthood.

In fact, in Japan, these circles and how people evolved are often the focus on Japanese television. One of the most popular is “Hakusen Nagashi”, a Japanese drama which begins with everyone in high school but focuses on each individuals progress after high school every few years and there are a few like this, as Japanese love to see progression.

May it be child actors, idol singers or even character roles, people love to see that progression. We see it quite a bit in anime series as well with “Inuyasha”->”Yashahime” and “Naruto”->”Boruto”. And of course, we see it in Tokusatsu series as we see the elders of “Ultraman” past, show up to lend help to a younger hero.

For the anime series, “Just Because!”, you get to see certain choices others makes for educational purposes but also be closer to someone they like, others who pretend to give it a try once they are established.

But as this features a chapter of this group of friends when they were younger and preparing for college, having watched Japanese entertainment for so long, I also long for progression and many times I thought, would these characters still be together today? Food for thought for Kamoshida Hajime.

Overall, “Just Because!” is a romance teen drama which everyone can easily follow and watch. Nothing too long but something that many can just watch and be entertained. It’s definitely worth checking out!

Click here to purchase this Blu-ray on Amazon

Anime Reviews (2010-2019): Just Because! – Complete Collection (2017)

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