From the people who brought us the lovable Honey and Clover and Nodame Cantabile, comes another anime title which is rather incomprehensible for me. Kimikiss pure rouge would basically means nothing to my ears, not to mention that the term pure rouge is used. I have no idea what the scheming plot the producers have in mind but I did googled for pure rouge. Not surprising that I found countless hits on the actual anime itself, signifying that “pure rouge” is just meaningless but I am not totally wrong when I set my eyes on these - Pure Rouge Mineral Blush. OMG! It’s a cosmetic scam. I’d better leave the conspiracy side for now and back to the actual review. It is yet another teenage romance anime, which is the genre that appeals more to me for this anime season. Have I gone hapless romantic this holiday? Not quite there yet but it’s the best bet for good anime viewing. I am totally aware that it is the same people responsible for Honey and Clover and Nodame Cantabile (I’ve checked it out to be certain). Not surprising is the same animation studio, J.C. Staff was up for the job. Now the question is will it be as good as the predecessors? Not to sound like a skeptic but most of J.C. Staff works are brilliant and fairly enjoyable to watch. What I want from Kimikiss however is something up the notch, something unique.

Kimikiss pure rouge

Mizusawa Mao, Sanada Kouichi and Aihara Kazuki are childhood friends (hey, don’t this seems familiar?) but at one point, Mao had migrated to France with her family. Two years later, she returned home to Japan. One day Kouichi woke up by the doorbell, only to receive a guest of a girl whom he hardly knows. Surprisingly she seems to him well. As he tried hard try to recall who the person is, his friend Kazuki knocked up to his front door. He was there to remind him about the movie shoot they promised to do with Hiiragi. Then the girl’s voice caught Kazuki’s attention and he mistakenly thought that she is his girlfriend. What’s more, she coming out from the bathroom suggests something (ahem) more personal. So there he goes all disappointed with his friend for keeping a girlfriend as a secret from him but Kouichi denied to know her. Mao heard this and barged out to them both and argued of how could be possibly for them not to remember her. Then it came to Kazuki to realize that the girl is no other than Mao whom they know well since kids. By then Kouichi remembers her. But they were puzzled to see her here in Japan when she was supposed to be in France. She told them that she returned home and greeted them that she’s back. Well at least things work out differently for Kimikiss and honestly I think Mao’s response was better compared to Nanaka’s from Myself; Yourself.

Mizusawa Mao

Sanada Kouichi and Aihara Kazuki

Kouichi’s mom returned home and informed her son that Mao will be staying with them. Mao told them that she came back alone with her parents still in France. She also intended to school in Japan with Kouichi and Kazuki. Kouichi noticed that Mao had changed a lot as compared to her junior high school years when she was more studious and strict. Now Mao was much playful (not horny, I suppose) and lively but I can’t judge these changes just yet. Nothing much was really revealed of their past anyway. But then again, this is quite common considering Asians living in Europe. Cultural assimilation is bound to happen, so no more stereotype Asians who study hard and look nerdy. Mao then decided to head for the bed due to jet lag and asked Kazuki the reason he is here at Kouichi’s place. Only then they remembered about the movie shoot. So they went for their rather silly movie production. I have no intention to share what it is because it is just to silly (hint: giant gorilla vs. cuddly bear), so leaving that aside Hiiragi told them that the movie is supposed to be an invitational PR movie for the first year students. But really, it is too silly. Kazuki complained of wasting his final day of spring break by doing this but Hiiragi sarcastically said that he had no girl to date with for most of the time, so making this movie would serve the purpose to pass the time. Now Kazuki must have felt pathetic. After the shoot, Kazuki promised himself to get a girlfriend by summer break.

How Mao used to be like.

Mao meets Nana.

Once reaching his room, Kouichi was surprised to see his room was swapped with Mao. Meanwhile Kazuki informed his little sister Nana that Mao had returned to Japan and that she is staying with Kouichi. Nana said that it is exciting because both Mao and Kouichi are growing adolescents and exciting things do bound to happen. I don’t quite get the “exciting” part but Kazuki shrugged it off, saying that such things won’t possibly happen because they are close friends that more of sibling-like relationship though they are unrelated. However the “unrelated” made him thinking. Later that night, Kouichi was awaken by Mao because she was not able to sleep. What may sound perverted in the beginning turned out to be them playing the game console. Neither Xbox or Playstation but the green colour gives away for Xbox Halo edition. Please ignore what I’ve mentioned just now. Kouichi begged Mao to go back to sleep but Mao was not feeling sleepy at all since she had slept the whole day earlier. Kouichi can’t help from thinking that Mao had changed a lot but then realized that some part of her may not change at all. As consequence of their staying up last night, both Mao and Kouichi gotten sleepy but somehow managed to bring themselves to school. Along the way, they met with Kazuki and Nana. At school, they got their class designation and Mao was placed in class 3-C while Kouichi and Kazuki are in class 2-A together with Hiiragi unfortunately. However there was a name that caught Kouichi’s attention - Hoshino Yuumi.

Hiiragi Akira

Sakino Asuka

Hoshino Yuumi

Mao met with her homeroom teacher Kawada-sensei who also happens to be the supervisor of the Movie Research Club as joined by Kouichi and Kazuki. Expectedly she was forced to do it, just like those two. Later on, Kazuki found out that he is in the same class with Sakino Asuka. By now, most of the key characters are introduced. Well, almost all. So Mao introduced herself in herself since she is a transfer student there. Mao gotten well with most of her classmates but they got together for a conversation, the topic turned out to be about the examinations. This made Mao feeling uneasy though it is natural for students to feel that way. Then she stumbled upon a guy from his class, Kai Eiji but this guy was rough against her. I don’t know if he is acting cool or plain idiot to be so unfriendly. Not that I am suggesting anything or whatsoever. Later after school, Kazuki was about to leave for home when he found a paperplane on the ground. He unfolded it and found it to be an exam paper. He was shocked to see the paper marked with a zero score belongs to Futami Eriko. While Kouichi made his encounter with Hoshino, Kazuki traced the paperplane back to its origin at the science room. There he met with Futami and returned the exam paper back to her. She refused to keep it though. Kazuki was curious of how did she got a zero despite her reputation as a genius with an IQ of 190. She said that it (the exam paper) meant nothing as she wanted to see the teachers’ reaction to it. However Kazuki insisted to return the paper back to her. Then all of the sudden she asked him if he is going out with someone. When he said no, she then invited him for an experiment. As strange as the invitation itself, she leaned towards him and kissed him.

Mao gets along with everyone.

All except for this jerk with attitude.

Futami Eriko

Kimikiss?

Alright now, this review gotten on overdrive. Sorry for being too carried away, I can’t help myself to tell the whole story. But really, with all the players introduced and all the basic outlines of things to come foretold in this episode alone, there is no surprise for me to go for these length. Initially I intended to sum up the first two episodes for the preview of this anime. It turn to be too lengthy if I should commit to that plan and so I downscale the preview to the first episode only. Enough with my justification, my thoughts on the series. First impression. Kimikiss did not have a strong start but left a shocking twist at the end. Yeah, that kiss. Not that is special but I wonder it would signify anything in the coming episodes. I am really curious about the experiment, though I prefer to see that experiment to be a biology experiment in reproduction. And please have some sense of humour, I’m just fooling around here. Questioning if there is the same feel as in Honey and Clover and Nodame Cantabile, I would say Kimikiss have neither. Nonetheless Honey and Clover did not share common grounds with Nodame Cantabile, isn’t it? The crew shared the same thought of making Kimikiss pure rouge distinctive on its own, not to be compared to their earlier works. It is wrong to judge this story simply because they have the same people on the drawing board. Distinctive it may have been, the first episode did not give similar impact. I could see it to turn out better but then again, the story just getting started. I can sense much complicating conflict in the future and this gives me enough reason to follow up. Blogging possibility is near possible.