Hey! Harumiです～


It's time to talk about anime again.
A couple days ago, I started watching "Tsurune" during my vacant time from work and I finally finished watching the whole season last night.

What is TSURUNE about?

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Tsurune is an anime about Kyudo (Japanese Archery). In English, the word "tsurune" describes the sound of the bow's string as it is released. I think the reason why this film is called "Tsurune" is that the main character first became attracted by that sound.

I personally know nothing about Japanese archery aside from the fact that it is considered a martial arts and that the place where they play (dojo) is sacred. However, in the anime, I learned that before a match or a tournament starts, there are some rituals.

Another interesting fact that I learned is that unlike other sports, the way people cheer the archers is also different. When the player hits the target, cheerers can shout "Yes!", however, they are not allowed to clap unless the player hits the bull's eye. I think it's kind of frustrating because whenever I watch a match of any sports, you always want to cheer for your bet... like tell them "It's OK!" when they miss or "You'll get the next one! Don't give up!" type of encouragement... but in Japanese archery, it's not allowed. WHY????

MAIN CHARACTERS (Let's get to know them...)

Narumiya Minato

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Well, this guy here is the main character of the anime. He was the guy who got interested in playing kyudo because of tsurune. Because of some reasons, he developed a condition called "Target Panic". From the name itself, he panics when doing kyudo which makes him release the arrow much faster making him miss the target. He once gave up but got back on his feet. Basically, you'll see how he continued playing kyudo with his target panic.

This character is kind of plain for me, tbh. I don't know why... perhaps because of his personality or all the drama connected to his life. I don't dislike him, but I don't find myself liking him that much either. My other self might like him a bit more than me.

Takehaya Seiya

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He's the serious type of character and is a close friend of Minato. He started playing kyudo because of Minato. In the series, his reason for playing kyudo was questioned which made him somehow doubt himself as well. He is also the captain of their kyudo club and has really good grades. Some people are wondering why he went to their school when he's pretty much capable of going to any high level high schools.

He normally wears glasses, so my other self, Tegoshei, would definitely fangirl over him. Well, he's a cool guy yet very delicate as well. And oh, I think he should give himself more credit and stop doubting himself. You're a great guy, and you deserve everything you have!

Yamanouchi Ryohei

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He is another member of the Kyudo club in Kazemai High School. He went to the same elementary as Minato and Seiya, but had to transfer to another school during their fifth grade. He hasn't really competed in kyudo before but he has had some experiences doing it.

His physical appearance and kind-looking face reminds me so much of Makoto from Free! Well, this is a KyoAni product, so we can really notice the resemblance. He is so naive like a child, so I really appreciate this gap between his appearance and personality. He's like a giant cinnamon roll.

Kisaragi Nanao

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Another veteran in the field of Kyudo, but is thought to have taken part because of his cousin. He is very prince-like that girls often follow him around. He has his own fans club which in the later part, he found quite annoying because he wanted to concentrate on kyudo.

He is so much like Nagisa of Free! He's very cute and lively. I like his optimistic personality and how he tries to make the other members in their group open up to each other especially Minato and his cousin. I personally like him and Ryohei together... They're cinnamon roll and marshmallow!

Onogi Kaito

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This character is Nanao's cousin. He's another member of the Kyudo club. His love for kyudo often makes him appear very strict. Well, he is kind of short-tempered and pretty competitive. Because of a certain incident, it was difficult for him to accept Minato as a member, but was later on solved. He's a good kyudo player but is often affected by his emotions.

He is my baby tsundere!! I actually like this character the best. I love how childish yet mature he is. He really played an interesting part in this story.

Others:

Aside from these five there are other major and minor characters like the girl members, the teacher, the store owner, their rivals and Masa-san (their coach). I believe every character in this series played a vital role in honing the main characters I introduced above.

I love Masa-san, too! ^^ And from their rival school, there's another kurokami-megane danshi <3 and a young prince. So, if you're interested to know them, watch the series. :)

What I Think About It...

As a lover of sports or anime with competitions, I believe Tsurune is an interesting one. Well, it didn't really focus much on tournaments, but the relationships between the characters.

To be honest, it's not as exciting as other sports anime, but it's still worth one's time. You'll get to learn something about life, friendship and Japanese archery.

The art style is to my liking. (As expected from KyoAni)The music was also good, but not really my cup of tea... the effects were good, especially the slow motion effect to give emphasis on the games and stuff. All in all, I'm giving it an 7.5/10. <3

PS: My Harumi side is stricter... Tegoshei would have given it about 8/10


Until next time!