Natsu no Arashi!

About Natsu no Arashi!

Meet Natsu no Arashi! (夏のあらし!), a comedy, fantasy and romance anime by Shaft (2009). Here is the premise in a nutshell. In short: Thirteen-year-old Yasaka is a boy staying at his grandfather's house during his summer vacation. One day he entered a store and met Arashi, a beautiful sixteen-year old girl working there.

Further in, after trying to protect her from a man who claims to have been hired by her family to take her back by force, Yasaka ran away with her and now she stays at his grandpa's place with him. It didn't take much time for Yasaka to figure out that his new companion is far from an average girl, as she possesses unexplained powers. The plot thickens when he finds a sixty-year-old picture of Arashi and another girl named Kaja, and to the surprise of all Kaja all at once appears, and just like Arashi, her appearance hasn't changed at all since then.

In a comedy series like this, timing, character chemistry and running gags decide whether it lands. Hajime Yasaka (Yuuko Sanpei) and Sayoko Arashiyama (Ryouko Shiraishi) are two of the characters you will meet early. Think of it as a pick for viewers who want something light between heavier series. At 13 episodes in total, it is easy to plan a viewing schedule.

Production & Appeal

Production sits with Shaft, which means the visual identity of Natsu no Arashi! follows that studio's craft. Because it leans on comedy, timing, character chemistry and running gags decide whether it lands. With a 6.9/10 score, it is more of a niche pick than a universal crowd-pleaser. Voice casting, including Yuuko Sanpei as Hajime Yasaka, adds to the appeal for fans who follow seiyuu. Released in 2009, it competed with that season's other new series for attention.