Sangatsu no Lion [March Comes In Like a Lion] (2016) original manga by Chica Umino; Series Dir. Kenjiro Okada; Director: Akiyuki Simbo; Script: Yukito Kizawa
This anime is beautifully crafted. Not only is the art style beautiful and haunting, the story itself is one of healing. The main character is Kiryama, Rei. He is a professional shogi player, and as such tries to fit in school around his job. He’s on his own, having been orphaned at a young age, and holds himself at a distance from his adoptive family. Rei is a character who struggles with his feelings and deep sadness. Enter the Kawamoto family. They also have suffered loss, and are kind and energetic. Rei is taken in by the Kawamoto family, especially Akari, who likes to fatten people and cats up. Their kindness and gentleness are healing…as one scene mentions, “That house is like a kotatsu,” when Rei realizes how cold and lonely his life is without them. This is a slow moving, thoughtful anime, but emotionally rich and rewarding. Rei is surrounded by good people, who help him through his journey. The anime is currently available via official streaming service and box sets, but the manga, unfortunately, has not been licensed in English. Still waiting!
Leave a Reply