Review of episode 1 of A Condition Called Love: A Condition Called Love has finally released its much-awaited first volume. Let us see if this episode is swoon-worthy or not.
A Condition Called Love Episode 1 Overview
A Condition Called Love, also known as Hananoi-kun to Koi no Yamai (花野井くんと恋の病), is a manga series written by Morino Megumi. It was first published on KakaoPage on July 25, 2016 and later published in full by D&C Media on November 4, 2016. Yen Press licensed the English version.
The manga appeared in Kodansha's Dessert magazine in December 2017 and has 14 volumes as of November 2023. An anime adaptation of the series will premiere in April 2024 and is produced by East Fish Studio.
The anime series will have the opening theme song “Kimi no Sei” (“It's Your Fault”) by Sexy Zone and the ending theme song “Every Second” Japanese version by Mina Okabe.
Volume 1 of A Condition Called Love can also be called the first volume of Hananoi-kun to Koi no Yamai (花野井くんと恋の病).
I've tried my best to keep the review as spoiler-free as possible, but there are certain factors that I have to cover in order to give a proper response.
– A Condition Called Love Volume 1 review contains minor spoilers –
A Condition Called Love Episode 1 Review and Summary – Hotaru's first love
Another Shoujo manga adaptation came out this season and it certainly delivered a good episode right from the start. What sets this anime apart from every other shoujo anime is the friendliness of its female protagonist. The main female character of this story is Hotaru, who can be considered a plain Jane with no interest in love. It's not that she despises love, it's just that she's very realistic about promoting a difficult emotion like love, and thus, she wants to stay away from it.
In that place, she prioritized her friends and family and did not want to give them up just for the sake of finding a partner. A comment she made about how difficult it was to even remember people in her own class, let alone remember someone in the class next to hers, was an understandable comment for a lot of people. The introverted girl went through her study days without much stress.
But Hotaru's life changes for the better when she encounters the breakthrough of the most handsome guy in her school. And the breakup is an embarrassing mess when she sees her girlfriend pouring water on her head in a cafe. That experience certainly aroused a feeling of pity in her, leading her to comfort Hananoi later, when she saw him sitting outside in the snow.
However, what she doesn't know is how this single act of kindness will make this man fall in love with her. Things get complicated for Hotaru because she definitely has no experience in relationships and gaining the love of Hananoi, who is highly sought after, is quite difficult. And did I mention he's a bit of an emotional extreme? He is the embodiment of the saying “If he wants it, he will do it.” But one thing is for sure, Hotaru, who isn't that emotional, could be the perfect woman for Hananoi, who is a little too devoted for her own good.
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Verdict
Today's episode gives a nice introduction to the character's motivations and gives us an idea of how the relationship might develop in the future. The animation is quite good and the background music also complements the scenes very well. The opening and ending are pretty good, but I like the ending more than the opening. If you're craving a heart-pounding romantic anime where an introvert finally finds the most handsome guy then you should definitely watch this.
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