Review of Rumbling Hearts: Vol.2

Introduction

Rumbling Hearts was a breath of fresh air when the first volume debuted in the UK. Eschewing the usual comedy anime clichés concerning romance, this is a series that treats relationships with realism and integrity. People fall in love, become intimate, then things go wrong, and they have to deal with the fallout of that. Love and guilt, pain and joy, could it be that real life has been animated? The first five episodes certainly impressed me with its more adult outlook and serious tone. The characters were well written, and the story rose above its soap opera leanings. Given the scarcity of timely review discs for volume 2 (they flew off the shelves at MCM Expo), it appears that many others have been smitten by Rumbling Hearts. With the five episodes in this second volume of three, I can finally see if the promise of the first volume is realised.

Rumbling Hearts tells the story of four high school friends, Takayuki and Haruka, Mitsuki and Shinji. While Mitsuki had a thing for Takayuki, she knew her best friend Haruka was interested, and with Shinji`s help set about some serious matchmaking. It was a relationship that was nipped in the bud by a tragic accident that left Haruka in a coma, and Takayuki in the depths of grief. Three years later and Takayuki and Mitsuki had become an item, but it`s practically a clandestine relationship, tinged with guilt. Takayuki hasn`t moved on, is still living in his claustrophobic apartment from high school, and now works part time at a restaurant. Mitsuki just about gets him to start living his life, convincing him to move in together with her, but then they run into Haruka`s sister Akane on her way to the hospital. Haruka has finally woken up from her coma, and she wants to see Takayuki again. Only for her, no time has passed.

Takayuki now feels obligated to help Haruka recover, and his presence does have a positive effect on her health. While her memory is still fragile, she does recall his visits. It isn`t easy for Akane though, who blames Mitsuki and Takayuki for betraying her sister, and despite Takayuki following doctor`s orders and pretending to be close to Haruka, Akane accuses him of toying with her feelings. But the pretence may not be so, as the more time Takayuki spends with Haruka, the more he recognises feelings that he had considered long since vanished. This isn`t good for Mitsuki, who can feel Takayuki slipping away from her, and in her desperation takes drastic action.

Each episode ends in a brief comedy skit starring the waitresses from Takayuki`s restaurant.

Video

Rumbling Hearts gets a 4:3 regular transfer. The image is clear and sharp throughout, and the only grumble is some hideous aliasing during the credit sequences. The show itself remains unaffected. The character design for the anime is very sympathetic, while there are plenty of atmospheric touches used here and there to give the show dimension, dappled sunlight through leaves, underwater sequences, that sort of thing. It is a dialogue heavy show, so it does seem more static than the average anime, but this impression is quickly dispelled as the story progresses.

Audio

You just get your basic DD 2.0 English and Japanese, with translated English subtitles. Since it is a dialogue heavy show, not so action oriented, there are no complaints about the subdued soundtracks. The music is gentle and suits the story well. My first instinct is always to go with the original language track, but I must mention the English dub, as it is one of the best I have heard. Rumbling Hearts is an emotionally intense show, and the English language cast give excellent performances for the main characters. This is one anime that is worth watching in both languages. I did notice a brief burst of static 1.38:01 into the disc on the Japanese track, but this was a sole occurrence.

Features

Just your standard anime extras I`m afraid, textless credit sequences, and trailers for Negima and Gunslinger Girl.

Conclusion

Looking back at my review of volume 1, I`m a little chagrined to find a hefty amount of rambling over how good this series is. I`ll try to be more brief this time, but suffice it to say that this volume more than lives up to the promise of the first. Volume 2 offers five more episodes of relationship angst, with a surprising degree of honesty and believability. This could so easily have been a live action drama. I`ve already mentioned how it departs from the usual anime clichés about romance, offering something a little more true to life. On the other hand, it also draws back from excessive melodrama, and transcends its rather soap opera premise. After all, the amnesiac girlfriend coming out of a coma is almost as clichéd as the long lost twin, or being kidnapped by a UFO when it comes to soaps. Through good writing, sympathetic performances from the voice artists (Japanese and English), and a down to earth storytelling style, Rumbling Hearts manages to hold the attention.

The episodes in this volume follow through on the events of the first. Haruka is now awake, and Takayuki feels obligated in maintaining the charade to help her recovery. But spending so much time with the girlfriend he knew three years ago awakens long buried feelings, and he finds that he is torn between Haruka and Mitsuki. Mitsuki can see that she is losing Takayuki, and tries desperately to hold onto him, but her jealousy, and his confusion means that they simply aren`t communicating. Haruka`s sister Akane doesn`t have an easy time of it either, with her seeing her sister with Takayuki again invoking bittersweet feelings. There is the memory of the high school romance tinged with the suspicion that Takayuki is toying with her sister`s feelings this time. All this time, Haruka slowly realises that she has changed, and that the people around her are lying to her.

This could be a rather insular and intensive study of three lives falling apart, but Rumbling Hearts leavens this with some interesting supporting characters, appealing subplots and some comedy. It smartly keeps the laughs separate from the drama, leaving the mischievous waitresses at Takayuki`s restaurant to carry the humour. The restaurant also adds a dimension to Takayuki`s life, showing another side of his character. Mitsuki`s work also adds something, with her receiving relationship advice from her boss. Their mutual friend Shinji also makes regular appearances, keeping an eye on his friends` welfare. It`s a rounded world that breathes life into the main story.

Rumbling Hearts proves that anime can handle more adult storylines just as well as the comedy and action. We`re presented with realistic characters that are easy to empathise with. At any moment that I was tempted to yell at the screen at what seemed like a stupid choice, it would hit me that the actions were in perfect keeping with the characters. There is no easy fix to the problems they find themselves in, and because of this, I found myself caring about the characters more. This is a well-written series that I rush to recommend, and with the story poised at the end of this disc, the final disc couldn`t come soon enough.