Search - Boys Be..., Vol. 2 - Summer on DVD

TRUST IS TESTED

Sesho | Pasadena, TX USA | 09/25/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"We're into the summer arc of Boys Be in Volume 2 but there's a bit of rain still left before the spring is over and it's got Aki thinking of a boy she used to love in middle school, Ueno, who channeled all his passion into photography instead of her. She stumbles upon him in the rain where of course, he's taking pictures at a botanical garden. Has he changed at all? Did he ever care about her? The next episode follows Kyoichi and Makoto as they get summer jobs at a beach shop run by Chiharu's cousin with luscious babes surrounding them on all sides. Will Kyoichi's faithfulness be tested? Meanwhile, Chiharu faces her own challenge at the running camp she is attending. She meets a rich playboy who begins to stir feelings in her she only reserved for her boyfriend. Back at school, Yoshihiko, the good-natured but lazy baseball star strikes up a friendship with a girl named Natsue whose dream is to play on the high school team. Nobody has the heart to tell her that girls aren't even allowed to play!

I love this show even though I can't really put my finger on why. Maybe because all the characters seem so real that you forget they're anime characters sometimes. There are no flying robots or karate moves or fantasy creatures or slapstick comedy here. It's about relationships. The comedy and drama you get in Boys Be is of the variety you find in real life. The characterization and voice acting is done so well that the episodes need very little plot to work off of. The show excels on personality. The colors are bright and vibrant. The character design could have used some work, especially Chiharu. Her face is so lopsided sometimes that she looks like a monster from the movie CHUD! That's really the only complaint I have about this volume. Excellent excellent show!

For a similar series from a woman's perspective, check out Diamond Daydreams."