Ai Yori Aoshi

A Great Soft Romance Story

Ai Yori Aoshi (Bluer Then Indigo) can be one of those anime that you either like or hate. Some loathe it for obvious fanservice content, while others enjoy it for it's story and characters. I'm from the latter school. I enjoy watching this series for a number of reasons, which I'll elaborate on here.

The artwork is above the median in the anime universe, so it's not a chore to watch. The girl characters are cute without going overboard and the overall design is definitly pleseant. Backgrounds are well-designed and set the scene very well.

The story is quite charming at the start. A young kimono-clad lady is searching for a boy she met as a child. He was very kind to her but when she arrives in the big city she's overwhelmed by the transit system. A young man comes to her aid and helps her get to the home of the boy she was searching for. Once they arrive at the appropriate address they find an empty lot. She's crushed, so the guy invites her into his apartment nearby. He tries to console her and asks if she has any more hints as to this person, and she shows him a childhood picture. He recognizes it as his friend Aoi Sakuraba and himself, Kaoru Hanabishi. The girl's elated, and informs him that she came to be wed to him. He's stunned (naturally), and thus begins their lives together. Cultural differences keep them from getting married but they manage to get a home to share. Into the home a parade of new friends arrive. In addition to Kaoru and Aoi, there's Aoi's retainer Miyabi-san, Kaoru's old classmate Tina Foster, classmate and live-in maid Taeko, and eventually Taeko's younger cousin Chika. Kaoru's childhood aquaintance Mayu also visits on a regular (read: daily) basis. It's a typical anime setup to be sure, but the characters are more likeable then most.

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