Hatsukoi Limited: They'd Do Anything For Love (But They Won't Do That)

In the 11+ years of doing The Land of Obscusion, I have never once written something for Valentine's Day, at least not intentionally so. A big part of that simply comes down to the fact that this day has no real relevance to me, as I'm possibly what one might call a hapless/hopeless romantic. As of this piece I have no girlfriend or paramour, & I've never even been on a date (hence the "hapless/hopeless" moniker), but I definitely have an appreciation for the concept of love. When at its purest it seems like the greatest feeling one can have, to just know that there's someone out there that cares so deeply about you the same way you care about them. But enough romanticizing about romance, let's finally celebrate Valentine's Day on this blog properly with a review for an anime that's all about that early stage of ardent adulation & appreciation: "First Love".

While not exactly the magazine's forte, there have been numerous manga about love & romance in the history of Weekly Shonen Jump. However, they almost exclusively focus on seeing things primarily though the lens of a male perspective, which isn't exactly surprising, since the magazine is mainly intended to be read by young males, ideally in their early teens, i.e. when puberty starts to hit & those initial feelings towards others start to bloom ("traditionally", of course). Also not surprising is that most manga in Jump are done by men, which makes the creator of our subject here a unique outlier. Originally debuting in the 90s under the pen name Mikan Momokuri (used solely for shojo titles), Mizuki Kawashita made her debut with Shonen Jump in 2000 with the short-lived Lilim Kiss, before hitting it (relatively) big in 2002 with Strawberry 100%, a romantic harem comedy series that would run until 2005 & last 19 volumes, becoming possibly the longest-running romance manga in Jump history for about a good decade, until the likes of Yuuna & the Haunted Springs and We Never Learn debuted in the mid-2010s.

Kawashita would follow up Strawberry 100% with late 2007's Hatsukoi/First Love Limited, which flipped the script for a Jump romance manga & showed things from the perspective of young ladies. In the end, Hatsukoi Limited would only last four volumes & end in early 2008 after 32 chapters (still Kawashita's second longest series in Jump), yet managed to find itself a post-manga life, somewhat. In the Spring of 2009, following both a drama CD & light novel adaptation, a 12-episode anime adaptation aired as a part of satellite network BS-11's ANIME+ late-night time slot. While the anime initially missed being simulcasted in any way, as this aired right as that was only really starting to become a thing, it would later get licensed by Sentai Filmworks, which released a sub-only DVD boxset in July of 2012, & it is still currently streaming over at Hidive, while the DVD boxset is apparently now out of print & actually getting expensive. So let's honor Saint Valentine himself by taking a look at how the concept of "First Love" affects the minds of young ladies (& "gentlemen"), as originally explained by a lady herself!

Is it common for people wearing glasses to whack
their paramour in the face during a kiss? I have no idea.

One day while walking together to school, eighth grade friends Ayumi Arihara, Kei Enomoto, Koyoi Bessho, Rika Dobashi, & Nao Chikura talk about how it must feel to be in love. They go over their feelings on the matter, like how Ayumi hopes to one day have a boy confess his love for her, Kei feels that looks are the most important thing of all, & Koyoi feels that her older brother is all she needs to be happy. Little do they know that first love is in the air, not just at Yukinoshita Middle School but also at neighboring Suisenji High School, namely in regards to people like Misaki Yamamoto, Meguru Watase, & some of the older siblings of the middle schoolers. What'll happen when Ayumi is confessed to by the gentle "beast" big brother of the classmate she's crushing on, when Kei starts realizing that her horndog classmate might actually be a good guy deep down, when Yamamoto realizes that she has other boys crushing on her while she suddenly pines for someone else, as well as other potential pairings?

Hatsukoi Limited is an interesting take on the romantic comedy for a few reasons. First of all, it's a semi-episodic series, as each episode technically tells its own standalone story, but there's also an overarching timeline that each of these stories adhere to, allowing an earlier plot to slowly continue on in the background. For example, Episode 1 is all about Ayumi being confessed to by high schooler Misao Zaitsu, climaxing with her actually taking out the "invincible" giant with a giant kick by accident. Episode 2, then, technically moves on to Misao's little brother Mamoru, who Ayumi started crushing on in Ep 1, but Mamoru has feelings for his next door neighbor Yamamoto. She, in turn, makes a visit to the Zaitsu house to talk with Misao, since they've also known each other since childhood, about his confession to Ayumi, & how his actions can come off as stalker-ish, despite his pure intentions. This results in each character, both girl & boy, being given their own individual moments to shine as characters, while also allowing prior stories to still develop on their own when needed, and even have some future stories get set up in advance. The end result is a series in which it's possible to watch a single episode again as a standalone experience, but watching them in order feels like a true progression, overall, especially when you get to the two-part finale.

Another reason why this anime is interesting is because of how relatively reserved in fanservice it is. That's not to say that there's none by any means, Mizuki Kawashita kind of helped write the book about fanservice-y romance manga in Shonen Jump with Strawberry 100%, but what is seen here is honestly rather subdued & a bit more respectful, only relying on titillation in certain moments for either a quick shot or for comedy. The anime, however, does seem to tone down this aspect in comparison to the manga, though, so maybe this was just due to decisions by the staff. Regardless, even when an episode itself has a focus on something that could be more fanservice-oriented, like how Episode 5 is about Meguru's former past as an Olympic-level swimmer & how her growing breasts made her uncomfortable to have her figure be seen in public, the show still takes the higher ground & treats the situation respectfully & understandably; even the showing of breasts is taken as a matter-of-fact thing that's relevant to the moment. The only real exceptions would be Episode 10, which is an episode partially focused on breasts & their affect on both males & females (but even then the fanservice is mostly minor), & the 6-part Limited Girl series of 4-5 minute shorts that are collected on the second DVD of Sentai Filmwork's boxset. The latter focuses on a single day in the life of Sowako Ando, a classmate of the cast who only appears in these shorts, whose propensity for being clumsy results in her going to school without putting on any underwear, and the pratfalls she finds herself in throughout that day. While Limited Girl is easily the "dirtiest" the entire anime goes, it's still comparatively tame to what people would expect from fanservice, and even manages to still deliver an earnest & endearing finale, in its own silly way.

Finally, the last major reason comes down to how it handles the idea of "love", which is to say that everything just feels earnest & straightforward about it. When Ayumi is confessed to, she struggles about how to respond to Misao, worried that rejecting him might hurt either of them, though her being hurt is purely based on his physical looks, not his actual demeanor. Meanwhile, her actions towards Mamoru are immediately picked up on by his friends Kusuda & Sogabe as her crushing on him, though Mamoru is naturally semi-oblivious to it all. Misaki instantly calls Misao's behavior towards Ayumi like that of a stalker, not beating around the bush, and similarly Koyoi's brother complex is stated by her friends to be awkward, to say the least. As for the relationship between Kei & Kusuda, while it can be quickly dismissed as the usual "two characters who hate each other actually are in love with other" trope, the show is a bit smarter than that, showing that Kei & Kusuda's anger towards each other is more due to them thinking that they should be like that to each other because of rather silly & petulant things, and they each know that, but both of them are too stubborn & embarrassed to actually admit their feelings to each other; it's just subtle enough to allow some of the usual tropes to this concept to feel more natural.

This is a perfectly reasonable reaction
when it comes from your little sister.

Of course, there are some more silly or simple takes on how love can start, too, to help keep things working as a comedy. For example, Yamamoto starts crushing hard on Ayumi's brother Yuji (much to the sadness of Koyoi's older brother, Yoshihiko) simply because Yuji cheekily snuck a lollipop into her mouth one day, as Yuji was under the assumption that Misao had done the same to his sister. Meguru has a long-held crush on her senpai (& Swim Club captain) Takei, but Takei is so obsessed with swimming competition that he's seemingly oblivious to seeing her "as a woman" (in Meguru's mind, at least). While Koyoi's obsession with Yoshihiko is arguably not treated as much of a problem as it should be, it is at least looked at as odd, while Yoshihiko's reactions to his sister's "love" is essentially always one of tired disdain. Finally, Sogabe's love for Chikura is more or less one-sided & only in his head, though it's not as though Chikura hates Sogabe in any way. However, there are also serious takes on love shown, as well, like seeing someone you have feelings for choose someone else instead, or having to deal with the source of your affection no longer being around (not death in this case, but the same general concept), and the anime tackles those subjects well, too.

Production-wise, Hatsukoi Limited comes from J.C. Staff with direction by Yoshiki Yamakawa (Hi Score Girl, Kill Me Baby), and overall it's a solid show, visually. The character designs by Tomoyuki Shitaya (Food Wars!, Blue Period) very accurately convey Mizuki Kawashita's style (she has a very distinct "lead woman" design, which Ayumi utilizes, despite not really becoming the "lead"), and since this is a series focused on character drama & not action, it has a relatively relaxed & easy-going look to it, though the silly & comedic moments are handled well, too. As for the writing handled exclusively by Mariko Kunisawa (Ascendance of a Bookworm, Orient), while I haven't read the original manga, looking at the chapter listing shows that this looks to be rather accurate, in terms of the stories told, though there seem to be some chapters/stories that are skipped over here & there, so that it could be told in 12 episodes. Still, as I've mentioned before, the anime handles the subject matter rather well, and the characters are both fun & relatable in very cool ways. Honestly, it's rather surprising that a series like this actually ran in Shonen Jump, but I'm glad it was made & got this anime adaptation.

As for the music by Nijine (Baka and Test, Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!), it's honestly perfectly fine & helps match the situations, especially with its focus on the piano, but otherwise is rather forgettable. However, I am honestly a fan of the OP & (primary) ED theme songs, which I feel more than makes up for the "just fine" soundtrack. OP theme "Future Stream" by idol group Sphere is a very enjoyable song that feels like a perfect match for the idyllic concept of "love", i.e. something alluringly new & exciting. Interestingly enough, while all four members of Sphere do voice work in anime, only two of them (Minako Kotobuki & Aki Toyosaki) actually have roles in this show, while a gag at the start of Episode 7 which sees some of the main cast sing this song for karaoke doesn't even involve Kotobuki singing; just found that amusing. Meanwhile, ED theme "Hatsukoi Limited" by marble is just plain old good pop rock, which I will fully admit I have a soft spot for when done well, like it is here; also, props for sneaking in the word "somnambulism", a.k.a. sleepwalking. marble also performs two one-off EDs for Episodes 6 & 9, which aren't as memorable but definitely fit their uses to help give those moments more impact.

Finally we have the cast, which is a rather large one, so I'll focus mainly on the standouts. Arguably leading the pack would be Shizuka Itou (Hinagiku in Hayate the Combat Butler) & Shintaro Asanuma (Nishiki Nishio in Tokyo Ghoul) as Kei & Kusuda, respectively, who do a lot to help make their growing relationship throughout the series feel more natural than some of its general concept might seem like at first. After that I'd say that Minako Kotobuki (Rickert in Berserk [Golden Age Trilogy & '16/'17]) & Rie Tanaka also deliver great performances as Dobashi & Yamamoto, as both had to deliver more subdued performances, though still with those moments where their guards are lowered & their more vulnerable sides had to shine through. In comparison, Aki Toyosaki, Mariya Ise, Takahiro Sakurai, & even Kenji Nomura all tended to be more on the silly & hyper side of things as Koyoi, Ayumi, Sogabe, & Misao, though all of them also had their moments to shine with more serious plot beats. The rest of the major cast is rounded out with Ayumi Fujimura (Chikura), Miyu Irino (Mamoru), Ryoko Shiraishi (Meguru), & Satoshi Hino (Yoshihiko), while the likes of Akira Ishida, Ayako Kawasumi, Sayuri Yahagi, Nobuhiko Okamoto, & Kazuya Nakai fill out other supporting cast roles, though only for one or two episodes.

Hatsukoi Limited is a series that aims to try to answer the question of "What is love, and what does it do to people?", and while I have absolutely no familiarity with the subject, to my own sadness, I think this series gives a good answer. Love is heartwarming & heartbreaking, obvious & mysterious, logical & irrational, happy & sad, known to all & contained solely within one's mind, and essentially anything contradictory to itself, because it all comes down to the individual. Depending on the person & situation, it can be everything they wanted if it happens to themselves, or it can tear them down when they see it happen to someone else they cared for. One person can be upfront about it & admit it, while another can be afraid of how they feel & hide it, even if it results in a misunderstanding. It's not even like this series ends with the feeling that any of the pairings will be "4Ever", or anything like that, because it's in the title itself: It's about "First Love". Even if some of the pairings seen at the end of this story were to break up later on in their lives, it's the fact that they were in love that can keep them going & make them more sure of themselves the next time they come across love. Mizuki Kawashita, though, still knew to have fun with the concept & characters, resulting in a fun & enjoyable series, and truly a unique one to come form the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump.

Happy Valentine's Day to all, whether you have a paramour to show your affection towards, or you're by yourself this year, waiting for that moment when "Love" finally comes your way.

Anime © Mizuki Kawashita/Shueisha・Hatsukoi Limited Project (Shueisha, Geneon Universal Entertainment, Lantis, The Klockworx)