Anime Hajime Review: Golden Time

Series Synopsis

Newly arrived in Tokyo and on his first day of university, Banri Tada (voiced by Makoto Furukawa) befriends fellow first year Mitsuo Yanagisawa (voiced by Kaito　Ishikawa). The two get to talking and Mitsuo expresses his frustration towards an old childhood friend who obsesses over the idea of the two of them being together for the rest of their lives.

Almost on cue, that same friend suddenly appears and after making a highly dramatic scene, she introduces herself as Koko Kaga (voiced Yui Horie). Although taken slightly aback by the whole situation, Banri is instantly enthralled by Koko and the two start to become close.

At last putting his foot down, Mitsuo makes it clear that he doesn’t want any sort of romantic relationship with Koko, which thoroughly crushes her. Whiling attempting to console her, Banri shares a troubling secret about his past.

In his last year of high school, Banri was in a serious accident that resulted in him losing his memories. Therefore, the person Koko met is not the same person who existed a year ago. 

After some time, Banri and Koko eventually become a couple and it is undeniable that the two have strong feelings for one another.

Unfortunately, their relationship is constantly challenged by Banri’s past life. From the recesses of his mind, the old Banri is doing whatever it takes to come back.

Series Positives

Despite my better judgement, I’m going to stick with a thought I had at the midway point of the series because it holds up, albeit barely. Though tempting to say otherwise, I cannot deny that the majority of this show I didn’t...dislike.

There was good stuff. For example, the animation is pretty decent; fluid, nice motion, very well done. No matter what is about to be said, Golden Time is visually pleasing. This is a constant, but this is the only instance where I am going to use that word to describe this show in a positive light.

The negativity is coming, but first lets say what needs to be said.

Banri

Moments

There were moments, a decent number in fact, when Golden Time was great. Predominantly in the beginning, but still managing to be scattered throughout, this show got it.

Banri and Koko always had a tendency to reach a point where they would have to vent. How they got there wasn’t always that logical, but more on that in a bit. Yet regardless of how these moments came to be, when they were happening they were done right.

Koko

Two scenes stick in my mind.

The first was when Banri and Koko are forced to address Banri’s amnesia. These are kids fresh out of high school who don’t fully grasp the difficulties of the adult world, but are no longer in a position to ignore it. And that’s what this scene did well, it stopped ignoring the problem.

These two didn’t have to understand what was going on at this point, but they had to realize that this was an issue that had to be dealt with. Therefore after this scene ended, there was more confidence in the leads because they were no longer in the dark. This lesson didn’t last, because of bull s@#$, and had to be relearned later, and with much more at stake.

The second scene I'm thinking of came after a surprise car accident. Like seriously, the intensity cranked to eleven out of complete nowhere just to make this point, but I digress.

Koko is extremely shaken because she was the one driving, but that’s neither here nor there, and Banri is the only one who can bring her back. Understandably, this is quite the volatile scenario and it breaks accordingly. However the result is yet another deep bond between the two.

These scenes, combined with a handful of others, were trying to portray Banri and Koko as a couple in it for the long haul. Everything seemed set for a memorable romantic anime. Except Golden Time couldn’t f@#$ing help itself.

Series Negatives

I love romance anime and it doesn’t bother me in the least to admit it. When these types of shows are done right, they're so good. HOWEVER…when not done right, they can be one of the most annoyingly frustrating experiences to sit through. That’s what Golden Time became. By the last few episodes, you know the ones that are meant to be the most gripping, I was completely check out. You couldn’t have paid me to give any s@#$s for what was happening.

This show never recovered from a mistake. Instead it only added another, and then another. And then followed by more, and then more after that. Faster and faster, spiraling out of control, couldn’t stop itself, racing downhill. Freefall, freefall. Oh my god what is happening. This cannot seriously be happening. Are you f@#$ing kidding me right now?

And then it was over.

This show went from tolerable to a god damn joke. Speaking off which…

Comedy

If Golden Time wanted to be a comedy, it should have been a comedy. If it wanted to be a serious romance story, then that's what it should have been. This series needed to pick one and stick with it because it sure as hell couldn’t combine them.

Romantic comedies are a thing. Serious moments and humor can be in the same story. I know those kinds of shows are out there. I’ve seen them, I’ve loved them. Golden Time didn’t blend these two genres together. Instead it tried to make them coexist without much thought. 

Let’s go back to one the scene I mentioned that was right after the accident. The fight between Banri and Koko wasn't over, but it was dying down. The two were in each other’s arms in a warm embrace. Banri is expressing his undying love, it’s actually really touching. He then looks up to see Koko’s father with the stupidest dumbfounded look on his face. In that second, the show became slapstick.

F@#$ you.

This was just the beginning of the frustrating mood killers. Sadly, things didn’t stay this way. Eventually, the show went from annoying to infuriating. By the end, Golden Time couldn’t go two seconds without cracking some sort of joke. Screw whatever may be going on, we need to get our funny in.

This is the sole reason why I stopped caring. If the story wanted me to take it seriously, it should have done it itself.

Ignoring Its Own Rules

These were not as prevalent as all the jokey jokes, but they are impossible to ignore.

Let me explain how the plot got to that other scene I mentioned where Banri and Koko had to address Banri's condition. 

Koko was vocally clear about her anxiety concerning Banri’s amnesia. Everyone knew this, it couldn’t have been more apparent. Therefore, why the hell did Golden Time think this was something that could be ignored in order to advance the plot?

Banri wanted to surprise Koko and to do that, he had to tell a little lie about getting a job. Not the greatest of starts, but I’ll go with it. He comes up with an excuse to hopefully abate her worry. It’s not a good one by any stretch of the imagination, but apprently he thought it was solid. Of course this doesn’t work and Koko tries to get ahold of him. Banri doesn’t have access to his phone, which simply exacerbates the problem. She ends up going to his apartment because by this point of the show this is clearly something she would do and he is not there. This would have caused drama, but I’m not done. Koko then goes to the place Banri is working and catches him red handed.

Question, how did Koko know to go there? No, that’s wrong of me to ask. She couldn’t have known. There is no way, on heaven or earth she should have known to go there. However the plot needed Koko to make a scene, so it gave her one.

Banri is then horrified upon realizing Koko did not buy his flimsy excuse and proceeded to leave him several dozen phone messages. In what universe did you expect anything else? But again, the plot needed him to run after Koko, so it gave him a reason.

When the only way for a show to move its plot forward is to make s@#$ up and ignore previously established understandings; it’s painfully obvious and lazy. What makes it even worse is the fact that this wasn’t the only instance where Golden Time did this.

Final Thoughts

I've been meaning to watch this show for some time now. Before doing so I couldn’t tell you why and I can do it even less now.

There are good moments in this show, this is undeniable. But they are bogged down and overshadowed by so much bull crap to the point where just getting to the decent stuff is not worth your time. I didn’t even mention the fact that at no point while watching Golden Time did I ever believe Banri and Koko were a serious couple.

I think that says it all right there. Go ahead and skip this one.

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