Charming and heartwarming, “One Week Friends” is a high school drama that won’t take too much of your time, not too deep but a short, entertaining anime series worth watching.
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TITLE: One Week Friends – Complete Collection
SERIES RELEASE DATE: 2014
DURATION: Episodes 1-12 (300 Minutes)
BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition/16×9, Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, Subtitles: English
COMPANY: Sentai Filmworks
RATED: TV 14 LD
Release Date: July 7, 2015
Originally Created by Matcha Hazuki
Directed by Tarou Iwasaki
Series Composition by Shotaro Suga
Music by Irone Toda
Art Director: Akira Ito
Anime Character Design by Eri Yamazaki
Production by Brain’s Base
Featuring the following voice talent:
Sora Amamiya as Kaori Fujimiya
Yoshitaka Yamaya as YÅ«ki Hase
Asuka Kakumoto as Maiko Serizawa
Junji Majima as Jun Inoue
Mai Nakahara as Shiho Fujimiya
Rui Tanabe as Ai Nishimura
Rumi Ookubo as Saki Yamagishi
ShintarÅ Asanuma as Hajime KujÅ
Yoshimasa Hosoya as ShÅgo KiryÅ«
Every lifetime is composed of millions of memories… but what happens if those memories don’t all connect? When Yuki Hase notices that Kaori Fujimiya seems to be alone and friendless at his school, he immediately wants to reach out to her. Much to his surprise, though, his overtures are turned down, and he’s completely stunned when he finds out why: it seems that ever since she was in a tragic accident, Kaori has been losing part of her memory every Monday, including all her recollection of everyone who’s become her friend.
It’s not that she doesn’t want friends, but that she can’t remember having any. That’s not enough of an obstacle for Yuki, however, and he becomes determined to make friends with Kaori every week. Because while most memories fade, there are some that, if you believe strongly enough and never give up, might just be able to last forever.
In 2012, manga artist Matcha Hazuki created the manga series “Isshukan Friends” (One Week Friends) which was serialized in Square Enix’s “Gangan Joker” Magazine (January 2012-2015).
An anime adaptation produced by Brain’s Base aired on television in the spring of 2014 and the anime series was released on Blu-ray courtesy of Sentai Filmworks.
With a live film adaptation of the film slated for February 2017, for those who enjoy anime dramas will surely enjoy this 12-episode series.
The series revolves around a high school student named Yuki Hase, who sits right next to Kaori Fujimiya, a person who is often seen sitting alone.
As the two become friends, Yuki eventually starts to fall for Kaori but learns the truth that on every Monday, she loses all memory of her friends and experiences due to a tragic accident.
While it becomes a difficult obstacle for Yuki, he is determined in trying to become closer to Yuki, despite her fading memories and be with her every step of the way.
But what caused this condition with Yuki and how will he be able to get Yuki to include him in her life?
VIDEO:
“One Week Friends – Complete Collection” features beautiful animation by Brain’s Base. Character designs are well-done and well-shaded, while backgrounds and structures are well-detailed. It’s important to note that as a TV series, one can expect quite a bit of softness but forthe most part, the look of the anime series looks very good on Blu-ray.
AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
“One Week Friends – Complete Collection” is presented in Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Dialogue is crystal clear and subtitles are in English.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“One Week Friends – Complete Collection” comes with ten segments from Kaori’s Journal and an entry from Hase’s Journal, Japanese promo spots, clean opening and closing animations.
As I was watching “One Week Friends”, I was worried about the banality of the series as each episode would be about Kaori losing her memories every Monday (which is a real condition known as “anterograde amnesia”, according to Wikipedia, “patients have recollections of events prior to the injury, but cannot recall day-to-day information or new facts presented to them after the injury occurred”.) and Yuki doing all he can to see if he can help improve her memory and then we get the typical happy ending that she begins to remember.
In some ways, I thought that the series would become too predictable.
Fortunately, “One Week Friends” became an endearing and charming anime series about high school love but a boy’s determination to be with the girl he likes, while Kaori tries to live life every week with just knowing details from the journal she has written and with each entry, about her trust and happiness of being around Yuki.
The series also has a few side stories, such as Yuki’s classmate and good friend Shogo Kiryu. Shogo is quite stoic but a classmate named Saki Yamagishi, who likes Shogo, is a bit clumsy and often becomes emotional because she is unsure how to convey her feelings towards him.
Another storyline involves Hajime Kujo, a former classmate of Yuki’s who transfers to the Yuki and Kaori’s school. He was the boy which Kaori liked and was supposed to meet before she was involved in an accident that led to her loss of memories. And of course, Yuki becomes a little jealous of Kujo.
While the anime series was completed before creator Hazuki Matcha finished writing the manga series, the anime series is still charming and anime fans who enjoy romantic comedies or romantic dramas will find “One Week Friends” to be a series worth watching.
As for the Blu-ray release, animation is beautiful, while slightly soft than eye popping vibrant. Lossless audio is stereo and clear. It’s important to note that this anime series is in straight Japanese and there are no English subtitles. Special features include Kaori’s journal entries and also a journal entry from Yuki. You also get the usual clean opening and closing animations and Japanese promo spots.
Overall, charming and heartwarming, “One Week Friends” is a high school drama that won’t take too much of your time, not too deep but a short, entertaining anime series worth watching.
