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Slow Start

2018

Seasons & Episodes

  • 1

EP1 The First Butterflies Jan 07, 2018

EP2 Exercise Wears Me Out Jan 14, 2018

Hana and her classmates have lunch together. Hana enjoys comparing lunches and sharing food with each other, but she still keeps her past a secret. Meanwhile, the school's sports test begins. Unfortunately, Hana hasn't gotten any exercise at all during her year off between middle school and high school.

EP3 Teardrops are Falling Jan 21, 2018

The girls talk about how they're going to spend their Golden Week vacation. After realizing that they all have the final day of the break open, they make plans to meet up for a study session to prepare for proficiency tests the following day, and decide to go to Hana's apartment. Hana can't contain her excitement over having friends coming to her place and Shion is just as thrilled when she hears the news. As Golden Week begins, the four enjoy their stretch of days off, each in their own way, until it's finally the day of the study session.

EP4 The Premium Tournament on the Second Floor Jan 28, 2018

Hiroe Hannen is the mysterious resident of Temari Heights apartment 202. When Hana goes up to deliver a package for her, paranoid Hiroe mistakes Hana as a suspicious intruder. Her misunderstanding is straightened out with Shion's introduction, but it soon becomes clear that Hiroe is a shut-in, who cannot step out even to the convenience store. Her high school years were smooth sailing until an accident that became a turning point in her life. Hearing Hiroe's personal story resonates with Hana, who then shares her secret of being a year behind in high school.

EP5 Kamuri’s Fluffy Feb 04, 2018

The Eiko-loving Kamuri is thrilled when she gets a middle school-era photo of her. However, the Eiko in the photo doesn't look like the Eiko Kamuri saw in passing one year earlier. And yet, Eiko confirms that it is indeed her in the picture. Unsatisfied with the lingering mystery, Kamuri talks to Hana who recalls that she recently saw a girl who looked a lot like Eiko in the shopping district. The two are intrigued by the possibility of a look-alike and set off in search of Eiko's secret.

EP6 Sliminess of an Eel Feb 11, 2018

The point of the sleepover at Hana’s apartment is supposed to be a study session to prepare for the girls’ upcoming semester finals, but Tamate is more interested in cooking a delicious dinner for them. The girls also enjoy playing a video game and taking a bath, rewards for studying hard. They cap off the enjoyable evening with bedtime ghost stories which results in a freaked-out Hana being unable to sleep.

EP7 Cuffed Wrists Feb 18, 2018

Eiko gets presents from her classmates on her birthday, but they all turn out to be hairpins. Being a good friend, Eiko puts them all on, resulting in a head full of hairpins and the new nickname "Pinko" bestowed upon her by their teacher, Ms. Enami. On the walk home from school, Eiko is back to wearing just her normal mature-looking hairpin, which becomes the subject of a discussion. A curious Tamate asks where she bought the hairpin, but Eiko only gives an enigmatic smile and says it's a secret.

EP8 Hana's Friends Feb 25, 2018

Hana hasn't talked to half the students in her class since the school year started. Worried about Hana, the girls try to help her break her shyness. Later, Hana and her friends go shopping for swimsuits.

EP9 Gorilla in a Swimsuit Mar 04, 2018

EP10 The Shark's Cousin Mar 11, 2018

Eiko is still keeping her accessory-making a secret from her friends, but gives a handmade brooch to Hana, her one confidant. Hana is thrilled to get it, but feels guilty about continuing to keep her own secret about her gap year before starting high school. She can't decide whether to share the truth with her friends.

EP11 Tomato Festival Mar 18, 2018

At last the summer vacation starts! The four decide to go to the summer festival together. They have lunch at Tama's place and get ready to attend the festival in their yukatas!

EP12 Starting Slow Mar 25, 2018

Hana's mother always bought clothes for her, but now she's going to choose her own outfit for the first time. The problem is she can't imagine what kind of clothes would suit her. When Hana goes to her friends for advice, Eiko proposes they all go out shopping the following day. Tamate is also excited about helping Hana choose an outfit that would look good on her, while Kamuri is more interested in having post-shopping parfaits. When she gets home that day, Hana ponders over the kind of clothes that would be her style.
6.3| 0h30m| en
Synopsis

Hana Ichinose is a normal 16-year-old high school student. However, there is something different about her: She enrolled in high school one year late! Her classmates are unaware of this, and Hana will have to work hard to catch up with everyone else.

Director

Producted By

CloverWorks

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Reviews

Cathardincu Surprisingly incoherent and boring
AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.
Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
Maleeha Vincent It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.
Tweekums This 'school girl anime' is centred on Hana Ichinose, a girl who missed her high school entrance exams thanks to being ill with the mumps at the time. She is now living with her cousin away from her home town. After a 'gap year' she starts attending the local private school. Here she makes friends with Eiko, Kamuri, and Tamate but doesn't tell them that she is in fact a year older than them; the more time passes the harder it becomes to tell them. Over the course of the series they get up to the sort of things one would expect in an anime of this genre.There are plenty of enjoyable anime series centred on a group of high school girls and fans of the genre should enjoy this one well enough. I thought there might be a bit more made of Hana being older; at first it seemed very important but in later episodes I often found myself forgetting this detail... perhaps that is the right response though as Hana gets caught up in the fun they are all having and seems to worry less about it. The characters designs are distinctive enough to avoid confusing characters but of a similar style to those found in most series of this genre made these days; some may find that an unimaginative fact about anime in general but it does create the feeling that all these series are taking place in the same world. Overall this might not stand out from the crowd but it is sweet and well worth watching if you are a fan of the genre.These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.
njk-59483 If you watch the first episode, you will think that the title of the program is quite apt - not that much happens, especially regarding the protagonist, but stick with it and it you'll find quite a nicely animated light comedy, although you do sometimes get the feeling that it might take a darker turn later on, especially regarding the protagonist's friends.It may not be to everyone's taste - it's very sweet (at the moment at least), which may be a bit annoying, but you may even get used to it.