Ano Natsu de Matteru

 aka Waiting in the Summer

Number of Episodes: 12

What Wikipedia Anime News Network says: "While testing his 8mm camera at night, Kaito Kirishima is caught amid a mysterious explosion in his small town. Strangely, Kaito wakes up the next day perfectly fine, but with no recollection of what exactly happened the day before. Unfazed by what seems to have been just a dream, he heads to school not giving much thought to the incident. Discussing with his friends about the camera, they decide to make a movie during summer break. They invite two upperclass students to participate in the project: recently arrived Ichika Takatsuki and the odd Remon Yamano. In a strange twist of fate, Ichika starts living with Kaito as his sister has to work overseas. Summer days are about to get exciting for the small film crew."

tTPO says: This is the second romance series in a row to review and again it is also not a dud. It is not really a harem show proper, though there is a bit of competition, and probably more accurately is a love square with several unrequited loves. These relationships do travel and develop (some characters more than others - go Mio!) over the series, and happily and unhappily, decisions are made by characters with consequences for the relationships. 

The plot framing this is not so original (Senpai? Tick. Aliens? Tick. Cute inexplicable mascot? Tick. Childhood friends? Tick. School? Tick. Summer movie? Tick. No parents in the picture? Tick.) and the movie is largely a device to keep the relationship issues rolling on in the mid part of the series. Suprisingly the plot leaps to the fore in the last 2 episodes turning it into an action-lite series. And it manages this without jarring, which is surprising.

Despite this smooth execution at the end, the main fault to me lay with the pacing of the show in the middle, highlighted by a rather distracting 2-episode beach arc which introduced some unnecessarily annoying characters and fan service which was not prominent in the rest of the series. Unlike some other reviewers I think a 1 or 2 episodes less would have relieved the mid season sag.

How About the Music?:  Not much to say here. I have just finished watching the series and can't remember too much about it. It is simply neither memorably good or bad. Listening back now both the OP (sign by ray) and ED (Vidro Moyo by Nagi Yanagi) are exactly that - competant if forgettable J-pop.

So how does it end? (Spoiler Free): Fantasically well. Interestingly for a romantic series, the relationship issues are cleared up a couple of episodes before the plot, and the very end is cleverly executed, with some great reveals and wrapping up all the major bits, while leaving out a few teasing details, either for the viewers imagination or an OVA to fill in.

Overall Grade: Yet another romance show that does a lot right, especially at the end. However, the mid season sag was significant and the broad idea stayed just a little close to the genre (despite the great ending) to go full marks. Grade B-.