Times are not chosen, they live and die. It’s hard to write reviews of things you really like. You do not know what words to use to convey the magic of the work. When you try to translate your thoughts into text, everything crumbles and slips away. But I will try, do not judge harshly.
Bakumatsu is an era of great change for Japan. Centuries-old way of life is collapsing, political discontent is growing, the result is the civil war Bosin. A terrible time.
Against this background, a fragile flower blooms a stunning, subtle, sensual love story. The main characters - Akizuki and Kusaka - people of similar views, kindred souls, belong to diametrically opposed political parties. Akizuki is an aristocrat who is directly subordinate to the shogun, Kusaka is a samurai clan that advocates the overthrow of the shogunate and the return of all power to the Emperor. Everyone has his duty and the honor of a warrior, there is a way he is destined to go.
Had we not been born at this time, we could have been together.
Fate is a cruel young lady. They were meant to be born and meet each other at this time of trouble. And to love... once and for all. Almost without any hope of “happily ever after,” without a future. It is the turn of hell for this love. For each his own. Hell for Kusaki is the inability to protect a loved one from a hostile world, Akizuki’s hell is the need to watch a loved one change for the worse because of you, and hate yourself for it.
I want you to be alive... As long as you live, my dream can come true. My only dream...
The creators managed to shoot an incredibly beautiful and sad love story. Stunning drawing, beautiful images of the main characters, with excellent clarity conveyed feelings. Taking a soulful musical accompaniment, when listening, emotions simply overwhelm. The tragic end, in principle, expect, but when watching involuntarily catch yourself thinking that you may still be mistaken.
P.S. Please, please don’t look at the homophobes! Come by! This is a yaoi, and even though all the scenes of intimacy are filmed very carefully, to some extent even chaste, and take a total of about five minutes, someone’s especially delicate psyche may suffer. I recommend everyone else to watch. I'm already a grown cynical girl, but this anime literally broke my heart. I haven't seen anything so light, tender and sad in a long time.
My assessment
10 out of 10