Anime Review: With You And The Rain Episodes 1 - 3 (Spoiler Free)
With You and the Rain is a slice-of-life anime based on the original manga created by Ko Nikaido, serialized in Weekly Young Magazine, a seinen manga magazine published by Kodansha since August 2020. The TV anime adaptation is produced by Tokyo-based animation studio Lesprit.
The story is about Fuji, a freelance novelist, who encounters a cute furry animal in a cardboard box with a placard that says “Please take me home" on a rainy afternoon, and offers her an umbrella. Soaking wet in the rain, she decided to take up the critter's offer and carried it back to her home. Thus, a new friendship and adventure awaits for both Fuji and her cute yet mysterious pet "dog".
Though Fuji treats her "dog" like a normal pet, she discovers its quirks and talents in Episode One. Fuji's "dog" seems to have no problems communicating with a human and wasn't shy about showing off its personality with her. Despite being an introvert, Fuji doesn't mind sharing her life with a mysterious pet "dog".
In Episode Two, Fuji's bond with her cute yet quirky "dog" grows steadily, yet she learns more about her mysterious pet's personality, especially when interacting with other people. There's a lot of curiosity among the people close to Fuji about her pet "dog."
Meanwhile, her pet "dog" shows more of its personality in Episode Three. Fuji's pet reacts differently around her friends. Despite that, the "dog" still enjoys their company. Her pet wants her to step outside of her comfort zone and have a bit of fun, albeit Fuji's relaxed yet introverted demeanor. She then takes her pet on a trip to enjoy the summer. It goes to show that Fuji still likes to have fun outdoors but would rather go solo along with her pet.
With You and the Rain is a very entertaining slice-of-life anime. Lots of lighthearted moments between Fuji and her "dog". Its feel-good story is something anyone can absolutely relate to. Obviously, the highlight of the anime series is her pet "dog". It's so cute and adorable!
The notable yet funny thing about the story is that the "dog" is not really an actual dog. Whether or not Fuji and her friends realize that her pet "dog" is a raccoon remains to be seen in the upcoming episodes.
Animation studio Lesprit did a wonderful job producing the TV anime adaptation of With You and the Rain. The mood and visuals of the anime are on point, and the animations of each episode are well-done.
Whether anyone has read the original manga or not, With You and the Rain is definitely a must-watch anime. Those looking for a new anime series to binge can easily pick this up. Highly recommended.
With You and the Rain is now streaming on Crunchyroll with new episodes every Saturday.
