So, its all over, huh?

It is hard to verbalize such an intense rush of after the impact that March Comes in Like a Lion has had not just on me as a person, but I the type of person I want to be. There are so many things that I want to say about this show, so in no particular order, here are my thoughts on the show’s conclusion.

This is not a formal review, just some incoherent rambling

Episode 43+44

I’m not one to think that a show is necessarily made completely bad because of a bad ending, but endings are certainly important. Both of the show’s last two episodes, in that regard, were incredibly satisfying.

Episode 43 explores the status of Hina and Rei’s relationship, and it has grown since the start of the second season, looking at it from both Rei and Hina’s perspective. This episode was great, not only because of how we see how each of the characters has grown but also serves as a definitive answer to the question “how far has each of these characters come?”

Episode 44 provides a look at a relationship that is largely ignored throughout the course of the series: Rei’s relationship with his mother. This portion of the episode gave me chills because it serves as a stark reminder that Rei’s family never really accepted him, even after he left to live on his own. It really makes you think about how much Kawamoto sisters mean to him, and how much they’ve done for him.

The Show as a Whole

Even since the first season, March Comes in Like a Lion has had me hooked. Its one of those shows that hit me immediately. The first episode packed such an enormous punch that I had to continue, and as I did I realized how much this show expressed themes that I could relate to personally.

Feeling lost is one of the dominant themes in the first season, and as I approached Senior Year, day after day, during the summer, those themes only struck more and more of a chord. I was scared. I still am scared. It is my senior year of high school and everything makes less and less sense as the days go by.

It also helped that Rei Kiriyama happened to be the same age as me in both series when I watched them, so it felt a lot more current then it otherwise would for a lot of people who watched the show. Sure, I can’t really relate to being a Shogi pro or losing my family in a fire, but I definitely know what it feels like to be isolated from almost everybody, feeling like you cannot even approach them.

Even with that bias though, March Comes in Like a Lion does more than enough to stand on its own two feet as a great anime. The character drama is relatable and engaging, especially when it comes to the character dynamics, and the show’s expressive animation, both in the opening and ending credits as well as the show proper, make it a visual masterpiece.

The music is also noticeably above average compared to most anime soundtracks. A standout among the list of music is “En Fermant Les Yeux” a song whose title roughly translates to “By closing your eyes.”

Now That It Is Over

March Comes in Like a Lion has firmly cemented itself as one of my favorite shows of all time. Its deep characters, intricate storytelling, and expressive animation have all hit me in a uniquely engaging way, and it is a show that I will likely never forget.

Not only that, both Rei and Hina are also likely going to be taking the top spots for my favorite anime characters for quite some time. While Rei largely took a back seat to Hina during the second season, his character development overall was still an emotional, yet heartwarming tale that makes me cry just thinking about it.

Not that they are ever likely to see this, but to Studio Shaft, Akiyuki Shinbou, and everyone who made this show the success that it is, and to Chika Umino for the original story, thank you. You have affected my life for the better more than you will ever know.

And with that, I have poured my heart out over this wonderful show. What do you guys think of March Comes in Like a Lion? Let me know in the comments below. Also, if you want to support the Aniwriter through donations or are just feeling generous, consider buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi. Otherwise, thanks for reading and bye for now, Friendos!