I didn’t go into this one expecting a whole lot. To be perfectly
honest I didn’t intend on continuing beyond the first season. I was soon
hooked, however. Considering this show was supposed to be nothing more than a
fluffy romance to watch between meals, it delivered all I asked of it, and then
some.
The first indication I got that I was in for more than I’d anticipated
was sometime around the third episode, when the character introductions were
developing and they got me fired up to finish my homework, spend all my free
time at a volunteering centre, go outside and… generally get priorities – in the
heat of summer no less. And here I thought I was going to indulge in some
steamy, fan-service, fairy-tail romance intensive story arcs (more on that
later…)
The basic plot line follows the life of Shirayuki (‘Snow
White’), a girl who stands out for her bright red hair, which often puts her on
the receiving end un-wanted pursuits and misconceptions. It could’ve ended
there, with the princely character (a literal prince, in this case) taking care
of the rescue operation at every turn; but anime, at-least good anime, is
hardly ever that simplistic. The plot soon develops into a story of her pursuit
of the path she chooses for herself, relying on nothing but hard-work and
compassion, and bluntly eradicating any pre-conceived notions regarding the
sincerity of her endeavour.
As is the norm, the main characters cement a special bond as
the episodes progress, deriving strength, peace and purpose from each other. The
development of even the more peripheral characters is heart-warming and you
soon get hooked.
Without giving too much away, this show is, at the heart of
it, a feel-good, slice-of-life anime with moments of laughter, anxiety, action,
triumph, self-discovery, slow-paced and comforting tea-drinking, and even some
cringe-worthy, cheesy romance (the icing on the cake). It may not change your
life, but it’ll make you feel like you can take life’s hardships (such as they
may be) in your stride. Surprising as this outcome now seems to be, Akagami no
Shirayuki-hime gave me a better, more open perspective on life, at a time when
I really needed it. That’s something that makes a successful work of art,
right?
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