A thorough review of the touching story and characters of "Passion from the Fingertips - My Childhood Friend is a Firefighter"

A comprehensive review and recommendation of "Passion from the Fingertips -My Childhood Friend is a Firefighter-"

Overview

"My Childhood Friend is a Firefighter" is a TV anime series based on the original manga by Tanishi Kawano. It aired on TOKYO MX from July 8 to September 23, 2019, and attracted attention as a short anime consisting of 11 episodes. Each episode is only three minutes long, and depicts the love story between childhood friends, firefighter Mizuno Souma and office worker Fujihashi Ryo.

story

"See, I'm a bit of a playboy?"

Ryo's childhood friend, firefighter Souma, asks him to set up parties every day. One day, when he thought that such a frivolous guy was not a love interest, his apartment caught fire and he ended up staying at Souma's place! Living under the same roof, he tries to keep his distance, but when he sees the injury he sustained when he saved him from the fire, he can't help but get closer - it would have been better if he had just been a childhood friend. He can't refuse the passionate gaze he's seeing for the first time.

cast

• Souma Mizuno/Kento Ito
• Ryo Fujihashi/Natsumi Takamori
• Tomoki Izumi/Tomohito Takatsuka
• Jun Hase/Wataru Komada
• Midori Watanabe/Mariko Honda
• Ayako Shinoda/Shiori Izawa
• Emi Sasahara/Akari Harashima

Main Staff

• Original work by Tanishi Kawano
• Director: Toshihiro Watase
• Screenplay by Dragonfly
• Character design: Katsuyuki Sato
• Chief animation director: Katsuyuki Sato, Gai Kakuto
• Color design: Junpei Washimi
• Art setting/Yukiko Uegaki
• Art Director: Masakazu Miyake
• Director of photography: Chojuro
• Edited by Kouki Shinkai
• Sound Director: Takahiro Enomoto
• Sound Production: Studio Mouse
• Animation production: studio HōKIBOSHI
• Produced by Suiseisha

Main Characters

• Mizuno Souma: Ryo's childhood friend, a firefighter who loves going on group dates. He acts and speaks in a frivolous manner, but is actually very serious at heart.
• Ryo Fujihashi: An office lady working at a manufacturing company. She has a positive personality and is a leader who is loved by everyone. She was a former track and field athlete and is a fast runner.
• Yuki Izumi: A firefighter who is in the same class as Souma. A bright and lively guy. Currently looking for a girlfriend.
• Jun Hase: Souma and Izumi's senior. A feminist who is especially kind to girls. Good at getting things done.
• Watanabe Midori: Ryo's junior. A younger person who is good at being spoiled. She likes talking about love.
• Ayako Shinoda: An office lady who works at a different company than Ryo. She is a fun-loving, outspoken adult woman.
• Emi Sasahara: Ryo's classmate. She is hardworking and friendly. She is also a little naive.

subtitle

• Episode 1: "Are you coming to my place tonight?" (2019/07/07)
• Episode 2: "I'm just taking a shower... does it feel good?" (2019/07/14)
• Episode 3: "I won't stop until you tell me your secret." (2019/07/21)
• Episode 4: "How can you resist seeing such a sexy yukata?" (2019/07/28)
• Episode 5: "I have to watch in silence while another man talks to me..." (2019/08/04)
• Episode 6: "No one would come to the pool at night...right?" (2019/08/11)
• Episode 7: "I'll definitely help you." (2019/08/25)
• Episode 8: "Just look at me now." (2019/09/01)

Theme songs and music

• ED1
• Period: 1-8
• BLAZING LUV!!
• Lyrics by Rei Hinooka
• Composer: Koichi Morita
• Arrangement: Koichi Morita
• Sung by Sakuragaoka Fire Brigade [Mizuno Souma (CV: Ito Kento), Izumi Tomoki (CV: Takatsuka Tomohito), Hase Jun (CV: Komada Wataru)]

Appeal and evaluation of the work

The greatest appeal of "Genuine Passion from the Fingertips - My Childhood Friend is a Firefighter" is how it develops a dense story in a short amount of time. Within the constraints of three minutes per episode, it skillfully portrays the relationships and psychological portrayals of the main characters. In particular, the changes in the relationship between Souma and Ryo have the power to draw the viewer in.

In addition, the show portrays the heroic actions in emergency situations and the human relationships in everyday life of a firefighter, creating a sense of realism for the viewers. The contrast between Souma's frivolous behavior and his serious nature also enhances the charm of the character.

The acting of the cast is also superb, especially Ito Kento's role as Souma, who has an excellent balance of frivolousness and seriousness. Takamori Natsumi's role as Ryo also does a great job of portraying a character who is both strong and fragile. The supporting characters are also unique, adding color to the story.

The technical skills of the staff are also highly praised. Visual elements such as character design, color design, and art setting add excitement to the story. In particular, scenes that create a sense of tension and romance, such as the fire scene and the night pool scene, are impressive.

Recommended points

Here are some reasons why I recommend this work:

• People who want to enjoy a dense story in a short amount of time
• People who are interested in childhood friends' love lives
• People interested in becoming a firefighter
• People who are attracted to the gap between characters
• People who want to enjoy beautiful visuals and music

Comparison with related works

"Genuine Passion from the Fingertips - My Childhood Friend is a Firefighter" is a short anime that is often compared to "Orange" and "Your Lie in April" as a love story. However, it is unique in that it is set against the backdrop of the profession of firefighter and the story unfolds in a short 3-minute time frame. It also has a common appeal with "Hyouka" and "Hyouka" in that it depicts the gaps and growth of the characters.

Impressions after watching

My thoughts after watching the show were that I was impressed by the ability to portray deep emotions in such a short amount of time. I was moved by the changes in the relationship between Souma and Ryo, and by Souma's attitude as a firefighter. I also enjoyed the memorable subtitles for each episode, which gave me a sense of how the story would unfold. Overall, the visual beauty and appeal of the music combined to make this a very satisfying production.

summary

"Passion from the Fingertips - My Childhood Friend is a Firefighter" is a fascinating work that develops a dense story in a short time. The realistic portrayal of the love affair between childhood friends and the background of the profession of firefighter, the gap and growth of the characters, and the beautiful visuals and music have the power to draw viewers in. Please watch it once and feel its charm.