The appeal and evaluation of "Summer Storm!": A moving story and deep characters

"Summer Storm!": A nostalgic summer story and its appeal

"Summer Storm!" is a 13-episode anime series that aired on TV Tokyo and other UHF stations as well as AT-X in 2009. The series is based on the manga of the same name by Kobayashi Tsutomu, which was serialized in Square Enix's "Monthly Gangan WING." It is directed by Shinbo Akiyuki, animated by Shaft, and produced by the "Summer Storm!" Production Committee.

story

The story is set in a long-established coffee shop in the town called "Ark." The protagonist, Yasaka Hajime, is a junior high school student who comes to his grandfather's house during summer vacation. There, he meets Arashi, an older high school girl who works at the coffee shop. Arashi calls herself a ghost and is a mysterious girl who can travel to the past by holding Yasaka's hand. A unique character gathers around her, including the man with the sunglasses who is chasing her, Kamigamo Jun, who is in the same junior high school as Yasaka, and Kaya, a German girl. In the nostalgic atmosphere of the coffee shop, the boy and girl begin an unforgettable summer vacation.

character

The charm of "Summer Storm!" lies in its unique characters. The main characters are introduced below.

• Arashi (Arashiyama Sayoko) : A mysterious high school girl who works at the coffee shop "Ark". She has the ability to travel to the past by holding hands with a boy. Her voice actor is Ryoko Shiraishi.
• Hajime Yasaka : A righteous first-year junior high school student who comes to his grandfather's house during summer vacation. He meets Arashi and learns of her secret. His voice actor is Yuuko Sanpei.
• Kamigamo Jun : A first year junior high school student living in his hometown of Yokohama. He meets Yasaka on the Ark and becomes friends with him. His voice actor is Chiaki Omigawa.
• Kaya : A German exchange student who is a classmate of Arashi. She has the same ability as Arashi to travel to the past. Her voice actor is Kaori Nazuka.
• Master : A notorious female con artist who currently serves as the master of the Ark. Her voice actor is Hitomi Nabatame.
• Sunglasses : A mysterious large man who is on the hunt for Arashi at someone's request. He is a muscular character who carries a Japanese sword. He is voiced by Hiroki Yasumoto.
• Kanako : A girl who lives with Yayoi. Her voice actor is Yui Horie.
• Yayoi : A girl who lives in a Western-style mansion with Kanako. She stays shut in the mansion and never goes out. Her hobby is reading. Her voice actor is Nonaka Ai.

Production Staff

Many talented staff members were involved in the production of "Summer Storm!". The main staff members are introduced below.

• Director : Akiyuki Shinbo
• Series Composition : Takayama Katsuhiko
• Character design and chief animation director : Kazuhiro Ota
• Design works : Nobuyuki Takeuchi
• Art director : Azuma Atsushi
• Series Director : Shin Onuma
• Chief animation director : Yoshiaki Ito
• Key animator : Hidetoshi Omori
• Color design : Hibino Jin
• Visual effects : Motoi Sakai, Masahiro Kurahara
• Director of photography : Shohei Uchimura
• Edited by : Kazuhiko Seki
• Assistant Art Director : Koichi Kadouma
• Special effects director : Katsuhiko Takayama
• Sound effects : Hiroki Nozaki
• Sound : Yasunori Ebina
• Sound Director : Yota Tsuruoka
• Music : Ken Sato
• Music Production : Starchild Records
• Animation Production : Shaft
• Production cooperation : Ganges
• Produced by : Summer Storm! Production Committee

Broadcast information

"Summer Storm!" was broadcast on TV Tokyo every Sunday from 1:30 am to 3:00 am from April 5 to June 28, 2009. It was also broadcast on UHF stations and AT-X, and could be viewed according to the following broadcast schedule.

• TV Tokyo: April 5, 2009 to June 28, 2009 (every Sunday from 25:30 to 26:00)
• TVQ Kyushu Broadcasting: April 6, 2009 to June 29, 2009 (Every Monday 26:53-27:23)
• TV Osaka: April 7, 2009 to June 30, 2009 (Tuesdays 26:05 to 26:35)
• TV Aichi: April 8, 2009 to July 1, 2009 (every Wednesday 25:28 to 25:58)
• TV Setouchi: April 9, 2009 to July 2, 2009 (every Thursday 25:58 to 26:28)
• TV Hokkaido: April 10, 2009 to July 3, 2009 (every Friday from 26:00 to 26:30)
• AT-X: April 11, 2009 to July 4, 2009 (every Saturday from 8:30 to 9:00)

episode

"Summer Storm!" consists of 13 episodes, each with a unique title. Below are the titles and broadcast dates of each episode.

• Episode 1: Playback Part 2 (April 5, 2009)
• Episode 2: Girl A (April 12, 2009)
• Episode 3: I Want to Protect You (April 19, 2009)
• Episode 4: Full of Memories (April 26, 2009)
• Episode 5: The Secret Garden (May 3, 2009)
• Episode 6: Falling in Love (May 10, 2009)
• Episode 7: Relationships with Others (May 17, 2009)
• Episode 8: Do as you please (May 24, 2009)
• Episode 9: HERO (The time to be a hero is now) (May 31, 2009)
• Episode 10: Stranger (June 7, 2009)
• Episode 11: The World is for Two (June 14, 2009)
• Episode 12: Let Time Go (June 21, 2009)
• Episode 13: Playback Part 1 (June 28, 2009)

Theme songs and insert songs

The music of "Summer Storm!" is also an important element that enhances the appeal of the work. Below are the theme song and insert songs.

Opening Theme

• "Just for me."
• Lyricist: aCKy
• Composer: Sinner
• Arrangement: Sinner & Papa Daisuke
• Sung by: Menkage Lucky Hole feat. Mariko Goto (Midori)

Ending Theme

• "Kirarifutari"
• Lyricist: Goro Matsui
• Composer: Mine Okada
• Arrangement: Susumu Nishikawa
• Vocals: Ryoko Shiraishi

• "A Summer Experience"
• Lyricist: Kazuya Chie
• Composer: Shunichi Tokura
• Arrangement: Hidetake Yamamoto
• Sung by: Arashiyama Sayoko (Shiraishi Ryoko)

• 『Applause』
• Lyricist: Osamu Yoshida
• Composer: Yasushi Nakamura
• Arrangement: Hidetake Yamamoto
• Sung by: Kanako (Yui Horie)

Insert song

• "Black Cat Tango"
• Lyricist: Mizuho Mioda
• Composer: PAGANO FRANCESCO
• Arrangement: Hidetake Yamamoto
• Sung by: Yayoi (Ai Nonaka)

• 『Applause』
• Lyricist: Osamu Yoshida
• Composer: Yasushi Nakamura
• Arrangement: Hidetake Yamamoto
• Sung by: Kanako (Yui Horie)

• "It just won't stop"
• Lyricist: Yu Aku
• Composer: Shunichi Tokura
• Arrangement: Hidetake Yamamoto
• Sung by: Master (Hitomi Nabatame)

• "Love Dial 6700"
• Lyricist: Yu Aku
• Composer: Tadao Inoue
• Arrangement: Hidetake Yamamoto
• Singer: Jun Kamigamo (Chiaki Omigawa)

• "A Summer Experience"
• Lyricist: Kazuya Chie
• Composer: Shunichi Tokura
• Arrangement: Hidetake Yamamoto
• Sung by: Arashiyama Sayoko (Shiraishi Ryoko)

• "Yokohama, Yokosuka, Port of Yoko"
• Lyricist: Yoko Aki
• Composer: Ryudo Uzaki
• Arrangement: Hidetake Yamamoto
• Sung by: Sunglasses (Yasumoto Hiroki)

• "The devil is mean"
• Lyricist: Takao Hirata
• Composer: Takao Hirata
• Arrangement: Hidetake Yamamoto
• Sung by: Sayoko Arashiyama & Hajime Yasaka (Ryoko Shiraishi & Yuuko Sanpei)

• "Scat at Dawn"
• Lyricist: Michio Yamagami
• Composer: Izumi Taku
• Arrangement: Hidetake Yamamoto
• Sung by: Kaya (Kaori Nazuka)

• "A Journey of the Heart"
• Lyricist: Kazuo Zaitsu
• Composer: Kazuo Zaitsu
• Arrangement: Hidetake Yamamoto
• Sung by: Hajime Yasaka (Yuko Sanpei)

• "Tokyo Boogie Woogie"
• Lyricist: Masaru Suzuki
• Composer: Ryoichi Hattori
• Arrangement: Hidetake Yamamoto
• Sung by: Hajime Yasaka (Yuko Sanpei)

• "southpaw"
• Lyricist: Yu Aku
• Composer: Shunichi Tokura
• Arrangement: Hidetake Yamamoto
• Sung by: Arashiyama Sayoko & Kaya (Shiraishi Ryoko & Nazuka Kaori)

• "Ice World"
• Lyricist: Yosui Inoue
• Composer: Yosui Inoue
• Arrangement: Hidetake Yamamoto
• Singer: Jun Kamigamo (Chiaki Omigawa)

• "Funeral of Early Spring"
• Lyricist: Kazumasa Yoshimaru
• Composer: Akira Nakata
• Arrangement: Mari Sasaki
• Sung by: Arashiyama Sayoko & Kaya (Shiraishi Ryoko & Nazuka Kaori)

• "Girl A"
• Lyricist: Masayuki Ueno
• Composer: Hiroaki Serizawa
• Arrangement: Hidetake Yamamoto
• Sung by: Arashiyama Sayoko (Shiraishi Ryoko)

• "Dreams Bloom at Night"
• Lyricist: Masao Ishizaka
• Composer: Yukiaki Sone
• Arrangement: Hidetake Yamamoto
• Sung by: Master (Hitomi Nabatame)

• "Playback Part 2"
• Lyricist: Yoko Aki
• Composer: Ryudo Uzaki
• Arrangement: Hidetake Yamamoto
• Sung by: Kaya (Kaori Nazuka)

Related Titles

A related work to "Summer Storm!" is "Summer Storm! ~Shunka Tochu~", which is also based on the original work by Tsutomu Kobayashi and is a series that fans cannot miss.

Ratings and Recommendations

"Summer Storm!" has won many fans thanks to its unique atmosphere and charming characters. Director Akiyuki Shinbo and Shaft's unique animation style further enhance the nostalgic atmosphere of the story. The story, which combines the fantasy element of time travel to the past with small everyday events, deeply moves viewers.

In particular, the story that begins with Yasaka and Arashi's encounter depicts the bittersweetness and sadness of youth, capturing the hearts of viewers. Furthermore, the nostalgic songs used in each episode also enrich the worldview of the work. The fusion of music and visuals has the power to draw viewers into the world of the story.

This work is especially recommended for those who like youth anime and fantasy anime. It is also recommended for those who want to enjoy the nostalgic atmosphere of the Showa era and those who want to enjoy the drama of unique characters. "Summer Storm!" is a heartwarming story that is perfect to watch at the end of summer.

In addition, you can enjoy this world view even more by watching the related work "Summer Storm! ~Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter~" at the same time. This is a must-see series for fans, so be sure to check it out.