Remember that time in school when you would talk to a girl and the two of you would unknowingly play “hard to get” to each other? That’s Kimi ni Todoke in a nutshell. NIS America recently brought this award-winning shoujo series to Western shores in a form of a premium box set. The first volume contains the first half of the first season (Episodes 1-13) and includes a hardcover Art Book in full color. Everything from the cover, to the disc case and even the DVD menus convey a very simplistic, yet calming style. Other than that though, the extras are certainly lacking, with only the typical Clean Opening and Ending as bonuses. Despite that, the Blu-Ray looks exceptionally gorgeous, Production I.G.’s (Ghost in the Shell, Eden of the East) trademark quality has been transferred beautifully at 1080p. As expected from NIS America, Volume One comes in both DVD and Blu-Ray format in the original Japanese audio with subtitles.

Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You follows the life of Sawako Kuronuma, a quiet, reserved high school girl whose mere appearance has sparked fear amongst the student population. Unwittingly nicknamed “Sadako” (the girl from Ringu, the original Japanese of The Ring) by her peers, Sawako must deal with false rumors and urban legends around her looks.  However, despite her seemingly menacing demeanor is the sweetest, most innocent girl one could ever meet. Despite her attempts to counter the various misconceptions about her, they often backfired more than they help. That all changes when she meets Shota Kazehaya, one of the most popular guys at school. Thanks to him, Sawako comes out of her shell and begins to try her best at making new friends and pushing herself to become a more social person.

On the outside, KnT seems like the typical girl-meets-boy shoujo. In fact, it relishes in shoujo conventions. From the painfully awkward moments between the Sawako and Kazehaya to the Love Rival that tries to throw a wrench into the would-be couple’s relationship. But what really sets KnT apart is its simply innocent portrayal of a girl who wishes to make friend and become more likable. Often times, shoujo have couples with so much chemistry between them that you’d think it be a crime they’re not meant for each other. In KnT, it’s just one awkward moment after another. Sawako initially starts out admiring Kazehaya, but as the series progresses we see that admiration blossom into something we all know as “love”.

What really shines in Kimi ni Todoke are its fantastic supporting characters. Chizuru Yoshida and Ayane Yano are the first two people that Sawako tries to befriend. Chizuru is a typical tomboy-ish girl while Ayane is the type whose much more mature than her age. Their interactions as a pair with Sawako often provoke opposite reactions from them, like Chizuru being moved to tears when Sawako offers cookies to the class. Both are, at first, startled by their weird classmate’s request to help them with their little “test of courage” event. Thanks to that, Sawako becomes just a little closer to then. Even Ume, the would-be love rival would appears in Episode 3, finds her moments when dealing with Sawako’s awkward and indecisive nature. Every character has flaws, but they all become so likable that it’s difficult to find a reason to gloss over them.

Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You is a fickle show. Often times, you’ll question how clueless Kazehaya and Sawako are for each other and other times, their progress might even infuriate some. The pacing is at times, excruciatingly slow. However, their naivety and charm will most certainly strike a chord with some of us during our High School days. Nothing come close to how whimsical and careful touch that Production I.G. has put into this adaptation. Full of characters who have their own circumstances, it ultimately shows how people bond and begin to understand each other deep down inside. Soon even you will want to be friends with Sawako.

Grade: B+