Summary: As a new year starts, Tada Banri is entering his first year of college as a law student. Banri is not like most incoming students however. On the day after his high school graduation, over a year ago, Banri fell from a bridge. Everything that made him who he was before that day was forgotten. While he remembered his education and the way of the world, he could no longer remember his friends, family, or his personality. Now, Banri is looking for a fresh start and a chance to rediscover himself in Tokyo, and hoping to make new friends, and hopefully get a girlfriend, along the way.
Review
Plot: Though a somewhat silly premise, Banri's amnesia sets the stage for new relationships in a unique way. On the first day, Banri gets lost on the way to school, and meets Mitsuo, another lost student. Banri learns that Mitsuo is attending the college, instead of the prestigious one his high school was connected with, to get away from a girl he's known since childhood. As the two talk and try to get to class, they are met by Kaga Kouko, the same girl Mitsuo was running from. From there, the show moves forward focusing on Banri's relationship with Kouko. While they start as acquaintances, some harrowing events involving an after school group cause them to become friends, and eventually boyfriend and girlfriend. The steady progress between the two, complete with setbacks one would expect from a real human relationship, is a worthwhile center for the plot because of how well it is done. Other caracters are thrown into the mix, and along with a normal life situations, some crazy anime ones are thrown in for good measure. Later on in the show, Banri starts having blackouts in which he remembers his past life, but whenever he does, he forgets his current one. His mental health creates many dramatic situations and is used to drive home one of the main tenants of the show - a person should always look to move forward in life.
Characters: Just wonderful. I loved the cast of Golden Time. Banri is a bit of a blank slate, but he doesn't want people around him to suffer. He makes friends, and is willing to try almost anything once because he has no memories of past experiences. He is also not afraid to say his mind, or act ridiculous. Kouko is a bit of s spoiled rich girl, but her entire life has been focused on her desire to marry Mitsuo, whether he wants to be with her or not. She has poured her entire existence into loving him. As such, she has difficulty coping with the constant rejection he gives her, and an even harder time when Mitsuo starts falling for another girl. Kouko initially seems like a shallow character with a simple premise, but within the first few episodes, it becomes clear that there is much more to her than it seems - something Banri notices early on and Mitsuo willfully ignores. Linda, possibly the most important of the side characters, is Banri and Kouko's senior in the club they join. Neither know it at first, but Linda was friends with Banri in high school, and while never a couple, the two were very close. Her motivations stem from her past friendship with Banri (that he has no memory of), and her unintentional involvement in the accident that caused his amnesia. Mitsuo, Chinami, and Nijigen (2D-kun, due to his declaration that only 2D girls are important), are Banri's, and later Kouko's, friends in school. They each have their own story arcs and are complete characters in their own right.
Presentation: The animation is exquisite. While not as detailed or pretty as many high budget anime can be, the more simplistic style used is perfect for the more laid back, but realistic and serious, tone of the show. The attention to detail on Kouko is much greater than any other character, most likely due to her high fashion sense. The viewer can always tell what color makeup and nail polish Kouko is wearing, and her clothes always look like they could be designer. The voice acting is excellent, and, though at times over-acted, did a great job of getting character emotions to the viewer. Like many anime, there are two opening and ending themes. In this case, all four songs are sung by Yui Horie, the voice actress of Kouko. All of them are good songs to listen to, and the animations are clever and reflect the overall story of the show well. Of them, the best musically was the first opening, 'Golden Time', though in terms of meaning and animation, the second ending, 'Hanneikyuuteki ni Aishite yo', was superior.
Entertainment Value: The enjoyment one will derive from Golden Time depends on what the viewer wants to see. This is not a show for those who want action or adventure. There is no harem, and no fantasy to be found either. Golden Time is a realistic love story full of comedy and drama. For fans of romantic comedy or drama, this is a nearly perfect show, especially because of how complete each of the characters is. While there are zany anime circumstances at times, the show generally stays true to its more realistic concept. For those who want more action or fan service, look elsewhere.
Rating: 9.5/10 - A wonderful romantic comedy with memorable characters, and a healthy dose of drama, that create an excellent show well worth watching.
Golden Time - 24 episodes
Note: Golden Time is based on a light novel series by Yuyuko Takemiya that ran from 2010 - 2014 and finished with eleven volumes. An ongoing manga adaptation has eight volumes so far, and a visual novel game entitled Golden Time: Vivid Memories was released for the PS Vita in 2014. I mentioned Yui Horie above, and it's worth noting that she is prolific, and her work as Kouko is another example of why she's earned so much work both as secondary and title characters. Other series of note she's worked on include; Love Hina (Naru), Vampire Knight (Yuki), and Toradora! (Minori). Gamers will also recognize her as the Japanese voice of Hitomi from the Dead or Alive series, and Nepgear from the Hyperdimension Neptuna games and anime.
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