True Tears (2008)
Updated: Apr 14, 2020
I was able to watch this series on Amazon Prime Video within one day with no interruptions with only 12-episodes. It is based on a young man, named Shinichirou Nakagami. After the unexpected death of her father, Hiromi, is sent to live with him and his family, since their fathers‘ were childhood friends. Hiromi is considered the most beautiful girl at their high school. Unfortunately, at home, she does not interact with Shinichirou
While also at school, he meets the new girl, Isurugi Noe, who takes an interest in him. They bond over the school's chicken Raigomaru, who Shinichirou decides to write and illustrate a picture book for after his passing via raccoon. Things between the two start to complicate things because he starts to develop feelings for Noe after spending so much time with her, though his heart is still fixated on Hiromi.
Hiromi and Shinichirou don't really have a complicated relationship. The issue between both of them is that Shinichirou is unsure if he can be with Hiromi. Hirom on the other hand has been in love with him since they were children but because of a lie that his petty mother told her, she distanced herself and chose not to confess her feelings for him until after the misunderstanding was clarified (his mother has some underlying issue with Hiromi's mother, and told her that she and Shinichirou are siblings).
It took Shinichirou to become involved with Noe to understand that Noe is who he needed to be with at the time to unlock his potential as an artist and as a person. He needed confidence and self-assurance. He knew he loved Hiromi but he loved Noe as well. If he did not love Noe, then he would have never cried when he broke up with her. But Noe’s role essential for the love story of Hiromi and him.
From this point please pay close attention to the map I created below.
The first thing that may stand out, is Jun and Noe. So it was foreshadowed, by Hiromi after just playing basketball with Jun, before they started dating, that there was a possibility that Jun may have a sister complex. Well it was confirmed at the end of the series. The reason he was not attracted to Hiromi, nor fell in love with her (though the relationship was an arrangement based off a rumor that Hiromi started), was because he is in love with his younger sister, Noe.
Now to address Aiko.
I felt bad for Miyokichi. They were the only couple that was established prior to the series’ start. They started dating because Shinichirou talks-up Miyokichi to Aiko. Aiko in her mind at the time thought she was doing Shinichirou a favor by dating his best friend (that's stupid). Why would she be in relationship with a man, with no feelings for him beyond friendship and all while trying to gain the attention of his best friend, who she is aware has feelings for two other women? She played herself.
I did like the fact that Aiko broke-up with him and he said no, and later officially broke-up with her once he processed everything. Then after some time apart she offered to start over their relationship and officially started dating in the end. Hopefully she loves him seriously this time.
The series as a whole is very serious. It is a coming-of-age romance for all of these high-schoolers. The way Hiromi stood up for herself against Shinichirou's mother and Noe in the end was perfect. Aiko and Miyokichi communicating about their relationship and still able to move past it. I would like to know what happened to Noe although, because the last that is shown is her, walking off after the break-up.
This is a borderline Nana-romance not something with comedy and a karaoke group date.