Review: Hatsukoi Limited

I just watched the twelfth and final episode of Hatsukoi Limited. This is one of the few recent school life love anime that I have been truly satisfied with the ending. All the characters had their own struggles, idiosyncrasies, and doubts to overcome. Many of the characters were also connected in some way to each other. All of them came to terms with themselves and their first loves. The best aspect that I think made this such a wonderful experience for me was that there was no main protagonist, and the antagonist was within themselves. Taking these kinds of approaches to this series is what made it addictive, relatable, and fun to watch.

The characters were terribly lovable, and at least one of them has a characteristic about them that could mirror someone all of us knows – maybe even ourselves. No one was perfect and had to make a decision that would ultimately complete their role. Watching each character flounder in their youth, inquire of their friends, and do some of the silliest things truly brought the pieces of this series together as teenagers helplessly (and sometimes illogically) in love. The simple, yet complex feelings of each character were something believable, and might have even struck a chord with the viewers. Many times I nearly cried out of blatant envy to have even just taste of the experiences they had. I also cried out of happiness for them – I loved them and wanted to see each of them happy, especially Kusuda and Kei, my favorite coupling.

The animation was simple, yet quality – perfect for this sweet series and exactly how J.C. Staff operates. This was a very vibrant anime with distinctive character designs that all melded well into their personalities. After a while though, the animation didn’t matter because the story was so engrossing, but even still, I noticed very few inconsistencies.

Surprisingly enough, the music for this series wasn’t at all slacked on. The OP and ED aren’t spectacular, but their lyrics were well chosen. The BGM music carried a lot of the emotional moments, but seemed to back off everywhere else. Still, there are many solemn, beautiful piano pieces that would make the OST worth getting a hold of. No qualms with the seiyuu cast either. The acting was professional and the choice of voices for each character were exactly what I would imagine for each.

Hatsukoi Limited really reminded me of what it means to be human and imperfect. Though not all of us “are in love right now” – the phrase that each episode ends with – the madness, the confusion, the doubts, the hurts, and the joys of discovering a new love are reflected accurately and truthfully in this series. Every episode hit on a different character and/or theme regarding their first love, and did not try hard to make things obscure or mysterious to the viewer. There were a few small twists, which may not hold the attention of viewers looking for something earth-shattering. However, what Hatsukoi Limited values most is the journey that each character takes to reach their destination within their own hearts, not leaving the viewer on multiple emotional cliffhangers. I’m sincerely hoping that this series gets licensed, as this anime does have a heartwarming appeal and charm that young anime fans may appreciate on various levels.

Overall: Highly Recommended
Story: 8/10
Characters: 8/10
Animation:7/10
Sound: 6/10

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