Episode 1 of Mizu Asato’s Aharen Is Indecipherable has aired and it was absolutely adorable. It may be a bit too early to call it the cutest show of the year but judging from the pilot episode, Aharen-san is off to a cute and wholesome start. Filled with wacky and irresistible moments, the friendship of an unlikely duo was for sure entertaining to watch. Just how unconventional this duo can be? Spoilers Ahead!
The Adorable Duo
Episode 1 of Aharen-san introduced the two characters that we’re going to spend time with for the whole season. We have Raidou Matsuboshi, a calm and nice guy who is seeking to redeem himself from his not-so-good middle school life. In order for his redemption arc in high school to succeed, he tries to befriend his seatmate, the silent and petite crane master Reina Aharen. She may be small and quiet but she’s way too overly attached and personal space doesn’t seem to be in her vocabulary. When Raidou found out about this, he tries to help her overcome her problems, and their peculiar friendship began.
Aharen is Indeed Indecipherable
In the episode, Raidou tried out different methods that could help him understand Aharen or at least hear her. He practiced lip reading with her little sister but Aharen’s lips barely move at all when she talks. They also tried passing notes to each other, but Raidou receives way too much paper from Aharen. However, Raidou doesn’t stop there. From carrier pigeons, letters on an arrow to learning morse code and telepathy, none of these worked at all. Despite many failed attempts, Raidou was still pushing to understand Aharen no matter what the cost. Perhaps, the two key takeaways from this are: Aharen is indeed indecipherable and Raidou is a determined chad.
Everything is Cute
Aharen-san episode 1 was a treat to watch and sticks up front to its Iyashikei (healing anime) thematic. The plot can be pretty mundane and the pacing may seem slow but everything else is sweet. From the opening/ending sequences to the character designs and voice acting, everything just seems to fit the overall theme. Speaking of voice acting, Inori Minase’s voice was very ASMR-like. I was anticipating a Chino-ish (Gochiusa) voice from her but somehow she managed to sound shyer and have a softer tone. Anyway, I hope you’re not diabetic, because we still have a whole season of sweetness coming up from this series.
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Screenshots via Bilibili
©Asato Mizu/SHUEISHA, Bilibili
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