Things have begun to unravel. Haruka, who’s come out of her coma, has been forced into a life she doesn’t know. In her mind, it’s still high school; her friends are worried about entrance exams; her little sister is still in middle school; and it’s only been days or weeks since a car rammed into her quiet self. In reality, Takayuki and Mitsuki, her “boyfriend” and “best friend,” have been together for the better part of three years. Old feelings reemerge in them, too. Mitsuki longs for the old days of high school, and Takayuki’s thoughts turn to his former girlfriend. What’s a guy to do when two girls want him, but one’s a drunk and the other is looking forward to that big Spider-Man movie with the Green Goblin?
Rumbling Hearts (a.k.a. (Kiminozo) has my complete attention at this point. As of volume one, it had become a new Love Hina, which is something Negima, the true successor to Akamatsu’s previous work, hasn’t become in four. The story is pretty basic on an actions-taken level, but it gets about as complex as love stories can get. When I described the first volume to a friend, he said it sounded like a soap opera. To justify my watching it, I said it had nudity.
(While it does have nudity, it’s not for show, but for when a dangerous situation arises. And if this is a standard soap opera, it’s a good thing I have class and work when those things air, otherwise I’d never get anything done.)
Things are standing still for the most part in second volume, but that’s a reflection of the characters, not a lackadaisical pace on the part of the series. Throughout the disc, Takayuki seems to be more anterograde than Haruka. He keeps slipping into his old role of “Haruka’s loving boyfriend.” In stark contrast to their viewpoint on the last disc, Haruka’s parents encourage him to spend every day with her trying to get her brain back at full power. There’s only one rule: Because Haruka thinks no time has passed since her accident, everyone has to play along. It’s all old uniforms, old books, and no news. Takayuki seems oddly at home in this scenario. He still feels uncomfortable kissing Haruka, reciting their love pact, and definitely doing the dirty (which brings up the social implications and questions arising from sex with someone who doesn’t know what the year, let alone the day, is). At the end of the week, though, he’s spent about twice as much time with Haruka as anyone else.
Mitsuki is crushed by this. Haruka’s sister has demanded she not to come back to the hospital, and every day she makes dinner for two but ends up the only one eating, as Takayuki decides to eat out or make his own—whatever he can do to avoid the awkwardness. They have just moved in together, but all they are doing is sleep in the same bed. Well, they’re doing other things in the same bed, but that’s not much of a relationship.
If Takayuki and Mitsuki wish to reconcile, they need to move fast: Mitsuki’s quickly falling into a drunken haze Tony “I’m With Iron Man” Stark would toast, and Takayuki’s been offered a higher position at work, which gives him fewer hours to devote to relationships. As Uncle Ben said, “with great power comes great responsibility.” For a man with seemingly no power, though, he seems to have a lot of responsibilities: a former girlfriend whom he loved, a current girlfriend whom he loves, and the ability to forget both and go for the money.
Most of the action on this disc, regrettably, happens within the last few minutes of “Impulses,” the final episode on the volume, when the deliberate pace of these episodes gives full way to breakneck speed. It’s downhill all the way, and I want to know if there’s a big crash at the end or if we get a ramp off into the skies.
I know I like a story when I can get emotionally or otherwise attached to it. I’ve cheered for the Power Rangers, and I’ve longed for a relationship, no matter how awkward it might be, as in Love Hina. I knew cities fell, waters rose, but only hope floated in Deep Impact. Hell, I was ticked at Cable when he made Deadpool look like a fool in recent Civil War tie-ins.
I’ve given the finger so many times to the TV set. This isn’t a negative. I’ve invested in this series. I’ve thought of what I’d do (and honestly, I’m in no position of experience to judge), I’ve seen stupid moves and stupid words and I’ve hated the characters for their actions. With Single Awareness Day coming soon (some of you lucky few may know it better as “Valentine’s Day”) maybe my senses are more attuned to this. After this, I’ll probably laugh at some shows, cheer for some giant robots, but I’m coming back for this show in volume 3.
I’d love extras, but there are effectively none (I’m at the point where “Trailers” and “Textless Songs” are givens.) The excellence of the series outweighs any flaws brought on by the disc.
Traditionally, I’d make some quip about really being just in it for the ladies, or how I’d try to track down the dating sim game.
But I honestly respect and love this show, and you definitely need to track it down.
Episodes included on Rumbling Hearts (Volume 2):
Episode 6: Wishing
Episode 7: Always Second Thoughts
Episode 8: Old Scars are New
Episode 9: Unraveling
Episode 10: Impulses
