Kimi ni Todoke season 3 review: Production I.G's love letter to Shoujo anime fans brings back the nostalgia

Based on Karuho Shiina's romance manga, Kimi ni Todoke season 3 was released on August 1, 2024, with five one-hour-long episodes on Netflix. Produced by Production I.G., the sequel saw the franchise's return after 13 long years. Aside from bringing back the familiar characters, the esteemed studio captured the manga's essence and wrote a beautiful love letter to every Shoujo fan.

Kimi ni Todoke season 3 wasn't just a faithful adaptation, but a time machine that transported the audience to the 2010s, with familiar emotions and settings. From teenage love to the complications of life, the sequel explored a series of relatable emotions to immortalize the genre of slow-burn romance.

While the series had some random pacing issues, the narrative never went wayward from its actual purpose of providing fans with a heartwarming and rewarding experience. Undoubtedly, it was a treat to see Sawako, Shota, Chizuru, Akane, and other beloved characters again.

Kimi ni Todoke season 3 review: Focusing on the Shoujo anime's adaptation, production, and other aspects

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Love is a complex emotion that cannot be described in simple words. Kimi ni Todoke season 3 redefined the unspoken feelings of love through five beautifully crafted episodes. Premiered on August 1, 2024, on Netflix, the sequel graced fans with relatable emotions of love, friendship, a touch of drama, and pangs of sadness.

Production I.G, the same production studio behind the previous two installments, knew the assignment perfectly well. It's difficult for a series to resonate with fans, especially if it's released after a decade. However, the studio's skillful production ensured Kimi ni Todoke season 3 shattered the norm and emerged as a series with immortalizing themes.

With Sawako and Shota's budding relationship playing as the anchor, the series revolved around other subplots to provide a dynamic experience. While the sequel is based on Karuho Shiina's legendary Shoujo manga, the sequel's success wouldn't have been possible if it weren't for Production I.G's sublime adaptation.

Sawako and Shota, as seen in the anime's visual (Image via Production I.G)

The five episodes, each over one hour in length, narrated a tale mixed with emotions of love and friendship. From an adaptation's perspective, Kimi ni Todoke season 3 covered chapters 46 (Date) to 75 (Happy Moment) from Karuho Shiina's manga.

Production I.G added short anime original sequences here and there to ensure the episodes seamlessly transitioned from one to another. The first episode, titled There's No Way I Would Hate You, revolved around Sawako Kuronuma and Shota Kazehaya's highly anticipated date.

Sawako was overwhelmed with emotions, as she held Shota's hands. While they face awkward moments with both experiencing feelings of love for the first time, the duo spend a fascinating time together. The episode also featured Sawako introducing Shota to her family, and vice versa.

Sawako and Shota on a date (Image via Production I.G)

Moving on, the second episode of Kimi ni Todoke season 3, titled School Trip, set the stage for other characters to shine, aside from Sawako and Shota. The trip to Okinawa turned out to be a mixed-bag experience for Sawako, Ayane, and Chizuru, as they all experienced feelings they never experienced before.

Again, from an adaptation's perspective, the second episode hit it out of the park, with Production I.G remaining faithful to Karuho Shiina's manga, and adding valuable anime original sequences to maintain the tempo and pace. The Okinawa episode felt slightly faster than the previous one, mainly because of the narrative reasons.

The episode saw Ayane deal with a breakup (she had accepted Mogi's proposal earlier) and Chizuru learns from Ryu that the boy loved her. Additionally, the episode showcased Kento Miura (voiced by Mamoru Miano) consoling Ayane, who realized she was played by Mogi.

Chizuru and Ryu in the series (Image via Production I.G)

The aftermath of the Okinawa trip was continued in the third episode, titled Girlfriend and Boyfriend. The episode chiefly revolved around Chizuru and Ryu's complicated relationship and their backstory. Production I.G's masterful production allowed Kimi ni Todoke season 3 to show a communion of love and melancholy in this episode.

The esteemed studio ensured the episode retained its excellence in terms of adaptation, with beautiful animation and OSTs in the background. Production I.G's strength for Kimi ni Todoke season 3's production lies in its ability to express emotions through the device of objective correlation.

The same device was maintained in other episodes. However, Kimi ni Todoke season 3 reached its zenith in the fourth episode, titled Christmas Party. As the narrative progressed, Sawako and Shota realized that all wasn't well between them.

Sawako Kuronuma in season 3 (Image via Production I.G)

Somehow, they created a distance between them, which prevented them from expressing their emotions. The seed was sown in Okinawa, and it grew into an imaginary tree, which obscured their vision from seeing how they truly felt.

On the other side, the episode proved a culminating point of Ayane and Kento's relationship, as the former responded to the boy's passionate confession. Likewise, the same episode gave Chizuru and Ryu a moment of their own.

As for Sawako and Shota, Kimi ni Todoke season 3 reserved a special moment for them in the fifth episode, titled Happy Moment. The couple settled things, reminding each other what they truly meant to each other. The episode also saw the iconic kiss scene, which Production I.G did justice.

Sawako celebrates christmas with Shota (Image via Production I.G)

The scene, with no background music playing in the background, gave fans the impression that time must have stopped for Sawako and Shota. Kimi ni Todoke season 3 perfectly blended the complex emotions of love, self-doubt, and friendship in the finale.

Other than Sawako and Shota rediscovering the lost charm, the episode saw Sawako's friends celebrate Christmas party at the girl's house. Notably, the final moments of the episode, where Sawako told her father that she would love to stay home and prepare soba noodles, were an interesting addition by Production I.G to end the season on a high note.

From the production's perspective, Kimi ni Todoke season 3 was everything a fan could have asked for. As mentioned, the studio perfectly captured the character's emotions, and expressed them with visual effects on screen, which almost worked akin to T.S Eliot's "Objective Correlative."

Sawako with her friends and family (Image via Production I.G)

While Kenichi Matsuzawa replaced Hiro Kaburagi as the director at production I.G, he ensured the audience received the love letter after 13 years. Tomoko Konpaku, who previously handled the series' composition, returned to deliver the same masterpiece.

Credit has to be given to S.E.N.S project, for bringing back the nostalgic OST, and ensuring every moment from the manga was given the justice it deserved. Chiaki Yamada, the sound director for the previous installments, reprised his role and gifted fans with a sublime musical experience.

Kimi ni Todoke season 3 review: Evaluating Chizuku and Ayane's subplots

Chizuru, as seen with Ryu Sanada (Image via Production I.G)

As mentioned, Kimi ni Todoke season 3 wasn't all about Sawako Kuronuma and Shota Kazehaya's romance. The narrative also focused on subplots, featuring Chizuru and Ayane's complexities. With the main plot (Sawako and Shota's relationship) playing as the driving force, the anime subtly added Chizuru and Ayane's love stories to add dynamism.

Chizuru Yoshida's relationship with Ryuu Sanada was properly explored in the third episode, Girlfriend and Boyfriend. Yet before that, Ryu had confessed to Chizuru in Okinawa that he had affection for her. Ryu's confession brought complexities to Chizuru, who used to look at the boy as her brother.

Chizuru and Ryu as seen in childhood (Image via Production I.G)

A bittersweet backstory witnessed Chizuru being there for Ryu, especially after the latter's mother passed away in an accident. She used to stand by him and almost acted like a sister. However, Ryu, who didn't express his emotions, developed feelings of love.

It was complicated for Chizuru to let go of the past and embrace a new beginning. However, she chose to believe in Ryu. From a narrative standpoint, the Chizuru-Ryu subplot acted as a foil to Sawako and Shota's relationship.

Ayane, as seen in season 3 (Image via Production I.G)

Likewise, Ayane's subplot was one of the most integral parts of Kimi ni Todoke season 3. Shiina-san's narrative prowess was duly credited by Production I.G, as the studio showcased Ayane, a girl with complex emotions. Her constant self-doubt didn't allow anyone to reach her actual feelings.

She accepted Mogii's proposal, believing he actually cared for her. Yet she was wrong. The boy played her and left her in an emotionally vulnerable state. It was Kento Miura, who moved Ayane's heart. For the first time, the girl realized she may have somehow found someone who wanted to know her.

Miura hugs Ayane in season 3 (Image via Production I.G)

Miura wasn't like the other boys. His passionate proposal in Kimi ni Todoke season 3 episode 4, made Ayane well up happy tears. The girl, who was envious of Sawako and Shota's ability to express their emotions, found her own. These two subplots idealized the narrative for season 3.

Besides Ayane and Chizuru, Kimi ni Todoke season 3 highlighted Sawako's family, especially her father. While it wasn't a "subplot," the sequel showed a father's care for her daughter. The scene where he thanked Kazehaya for being there for Sawako redefined a father's affection.

Kimi ni Todoke season 3 review: The voice acting, and the critical aspects

Sawako and Shota share a moment in Kimi ni Todoke season 3 (Image via Production I.G)

Kimi ni Todoke season 3 saw the return of the previous voice actors, who wonderfully performed their respective characters. Mamiko Noto as Sawako Kuronuma and Daisuke Namikawa as Shota Kazehaya took the audience to the 2010s, with the familiar voice and feelings.

Mamiko-san masterfully presented Sawako constant worrying over certain things and gushing over her feelings for Kazehaya. The Seiyuu (voice actor) articulated Sawako's feelings, just like she did in the previous two seasons. Likewise, Daisuke-san played his part in a brilliant manner.

Sawako and her friends (Image via Production I.G)

Other voice actors, like Yuichi Nakamura (Ryu), Miyuki Sawashiro (Ayane), Yuko Sanpei (Chizuru), and Mamoru Miyano (Kento Miura) beautifully performed their roles with unique touch. It didn't seem as if they voiced the same characters after 13 years.

Aside from voice acting, Kimi ni Todoke season 3 retained the critical aspects from the previous installments, which made the series unique. Production I.G used the characters' chibi forms to animate the less serious moments to add vitality to the series' comedic aspect. Moreover, the vibrant background art and character designs truly enhanced the appeal of season 3.

Conclusion

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Kimi ni Todoke season 3 was a poetry of love, friendship, and drama. Based on Karuho Shiina's narrative, the sequel served as a love letter to every Shoujo anime fan, who had been supporting the series for a long time.

Production I.G didn't keep any stone unturned to fulfill its promise of providing fans with a faithful adaptation. What's more, the esteemed studio brought the series in an ONA format and provided a cinematic experience. Undoubtedly, the sequel's slow-burn romance rekindled the nostalgia among many.