Title: One Week Friends

Publisher: Sentai Filmworks

U. S. Release Date:

Format:  Blu-ray/ 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes

Genre: High School Drama

Age Rating: 14+

Overall Personal Rating:B+

Synopsis:

Hase has noticed a girl in class, Fujimiya, that stays to herself and doesn’t seem to have friends. He really wants to make friends but she is resistant and even rude. Being so friendly and kind, he slowly draws her out of her shell and they are having a fun time together, but when the next week starts, she seems to have forgotten everything about their friendship.

Hase is hurt but still wants to be friends, he then learns that she is suffering from partial amnesia. Her memory of friends resets every Monday morning and no one has been able to figure out why. To cope, Fujimiya has learned to distance herself  from her peers. It is far easier to not have friends than to deal with her problem.

Hase suggests she start writing things down to help her remember, and so Fujimiya begins keeping a detailed journal. She tapes a big note to herself in her room to make sure she reads the diary before leaving for school each week.

With Hase’s friendship, Fujimiya is slowly becoming happier and friendlier. Another classmate, Saki, approaches her in hopes she will be a big sister to her. She had assumed Fujimiya’s behavior was maturity. Saki has memory issues of her own, but is just ditsy and basically doesn’t think things through, almost as if she doesn’t take the time to remember.

We follow along with all three, along with Hase’s best friend Shogo, in this anime drama. The friendships develop despite the obstacles, and although the problems may not be solvable, with determination, they can learn to live with them. Fujimiya is thrilled to have to the opportunity to do ordinary “friend” things like sharing lunch, hanging out or doing homework together.

Commentary:

The whole anime is about friendship but pivots on the condition of amnesia. One of my first assumptions was that is was going to be like ef – A Tale of Memories. It isn’t. One Week Friends may use the plot device of selective amnesia, but the the overall feel and intent of the show is different. The premise of forgetting on Mondays and only just friends seems far fetched but if you can just let go and accept to base story plot it is easy to settle in and enjoy the characters and their story.

Speaking of the characters, they are really likable. Hase and Fujimiya may not be that original, just ordinary, but their big hearts and kind personalities make them ones you can cheer for as you see how it all plays out. The other two are actually the more interesting characters. Saki with her clueless memory, naive ways and her immense ability to under-think things. Shogo has a never-crack-a-smile seriousness, an ability to to understand people in a no-nonsense way and a bluntness to tell it like it is.

I enjoyed the overall look. The box cover really isn’t representative of the anime style. While it is sometimes slightly stylize, mostly with the outside background, it doesn’t have the watercolor look. The setting is well animated with interior details and beautiful scenery. The characters are drawn in a popular youthful style mixed with reality. It really helps express who they are and the story they are involved in.

Who is this anime for? Anyone who likes high school slice of life or  a light romance. (There isn’t exactly a romance, but it’s becomes obvious that one of them likes the other.) It was very plesant way to spend some time.

Overall Grade: B+   One Week Friends is is a sweet story of friendship, what is means and how it comes to be.