Golden Time

Golden Time was first aired in 2014. It's a romantic comedy that some people list as among the top ten great anime romcoms. After binge-watching the whole series (24 episodes) I can see why some people love it and others say it is disappointing. What Golden Time does offer without debate is the many fantastic laugh out loud scenes and superb character progression.

Star of Golden Time, Koko in super angry mode

I actually nearly gave up on Golden Time after the first episode. The animation quality isn't great and the main character, Banri, starts off really drippy. His love interest, Koko, is way too over the top as the 'crazy girl' to be remotely believable or likeable. The side characters seemed really flat honestly it didn't look promising...but then, a few episodes further in, I was totally hooked.

Some spoilers ahead
It seems weird to talk about spoilers when writing about romcoms. I mean all romcoms are pretty much the same: boy meets girl, they both fancy each other but due easily rectified misunderstandings they don't come together until right at the end, and then someone usually dies. Golden Time slightly subverts that cliche by having the main character die early on...actually he doesn't die in the literal sense. He is however followed by his own ghost. The ghost of his former self prior to his accident and subsequent amnesia. The ghost haunts Banri throughout the show by threatening to take away his current memories (which clearly he doesn't want to happen) and replace them with his old memories. Thus the main theme of the series is the battle for mental sanity and stability of the main character.

Ghost Banri - he's a bit miserable

Another thing that Golden Time differs from the usual romantic comedy routine is that the boy and girl get together as partners from almost the very beginning of the series. The rest of the show is then spent on developing their relationship with one another. There are also some excellent supporting roles played by the accompanying side characters.


Love triangles
Being a romcom, you can expect there to be a lot of ships being played out in the show. And it certainly doesn't disappoint. If you are like me, you'll begin the show not really liking Koko, the principal love interest for Banri. In the beginning, she is portrayed as a spoiled, narcissistic, selfish and mentally damaged obsessive stalker. Yet as the show progresses we see a deeper insight into her personality and glimpses of the life she had growing up (no apparent mother figure, abusive father, deep insecurity and loneliness). The way Golden Time presents such a damaged character and develops her into one of the best characters in the show is remarkable and hugely rewarding for the viewer. Koko is the true star of the show.

Pre-amnesia crush, Linda and Banri - friends since school

Linda, on the other hand comes across as very likeable, sensible yet very guilt-ridden (she blames herself for Banri's accident). Due to their closeness and long history together pre-accident, it seemed destined that they should be together.

Golden Time had me guessing which of the two love interests Banri would finally choose - Linda or Koko?

Friends & Funny
Golden Time reminds me a lot of the TV sitcom Friends. In Golden Time, there are the two main characters Banri and Koko, plus three other characters (Mitsuo, Oka-chan, Takaya) who, despite all being rather odd in their own ways, end up being best friends. Just like real best friends, there are many scenes that show them falling out, making up, having a really good laugh, teasing each other, sharing secrets and all the things you expect to have when in a very close knit circle of mates. This is another thing that Golden Time does very well.

Another reason to love Golden Time is for the many funny scenes that appear. One that had me in hysterics is the first time Banri and Koko attempt to have sex with one another (don't worry, Golden Time is perfectly safe for kids). Try as they might, despite their carnal desires, one mishap leads to another and they fail miserably to consummate their relationship. Another episode has Banri dressed in female cosplay and work at an 'adult' party to much laughter (again it's all reasonably safe viewing).

For me, episode 12 is a pivotal moment. Banri confesses to Koko that he still has feelings for Linda. He can't explain why because his 'old' self is still locked away behind his amnesia. He loves Koko yet he also loves Linda. It's a huge confession and a huge risk for him. I expected the normally flammable Koko to blow up but despite the news coming as a shock and hurting her deeply, she handles it with impressive maturity - a sign of her development as a personality. I thought the whole scene was incredibly powerful. In the same episode he talks to Linda about his past and his conflicting feelings for her. Again, another powerful scene.

Happy Ever After
The ending of Golden Time proved somewhat controversial with some writers and commenters online. That last episode concluded with Banri making peace with his mental battles and finally choosing which of the two women in his life he would be with. I was confused by a few things, notably the scene where Linda speaks to Banri's ghost. The finale also ignored the other characters, all of whom had some story arcs left unfinished. That being said, I was very happy with the ending. It didn't matter to me which of the two girls Banri would end up with, both were fantastic characters. The show leaves us assuming the pair will live happily ever after in true fairy tale fashion.






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