Sing “Yesterday” for Me First Impressions

“Liars don’t lose anything, but they don’t gain anything either.” 

Due to the number of shows that turn out to focus on high school girls sitting around and doing cute things, I feel that I’ve been bashing the slice-of-life genre more than I would like to. I’m a fan of romance, and that is a genre that often goes hand-in-hand with series focusing on everyday activities. Thus, it’s nice to see a series that is willing to deliver on the exact flavor of slice-of-life which I crave, the type with capital “D” Drama! When the first episode of Sing “Yesterday” for Me ended, I can’t say I knew where it was heading, but I knew I would be tagging along. “Yesterday” seems to be aiming for more of a coming of life drama than a straightforward romance, and that can be a tricky type of narrative to tell. However, with strong production values, interesting characters and a unique grounded atmosphere, Sing “Yesterday” for Me may just be one of the most interesting shows of this season.

The Sing “Yesterday” for Me manga appears to have first started its run back in 1997 and continued for a full 18 years. The numbers are a little fuzzy as I’ve seen different start dates listed, but, regardless, this means there is a significant amount of story to adapt. I don’t know how much will be animated, but the possibility of an incomplete story is something that should be kept in mind. The narrative follows Rikuo Uozumi, a young man in his twenties who has been coasting at a part-time job since graduating from college. While working at his part-time cashier job, he encounters both an eccentric high school dropout named Haru Nonaka and his former crush from college, Shinako Morinome. His interactions with both of them trigger within him a desire to change himself. This leads him to confess his feelings to Shinako, though she turns him down. He confides in Haru who praises his willingness to be vulnerable and honest with himself, but admits that she lies to herself too, but wants to be liked. Obviously, in a story like this, it all comes down to the characters, and I’m very interested in getting to know them more. Will Rikuo identify what matters to him, and if so what will he decide on? Why did Shinako turn him down? She appears to have some interest in him, so is it not romantic or does she have some insecurity holding her back? And why is it that Haru seems to be hiding behind eccentricity and lies? I’m intrigued in learning the answers to all these questions and more.

This is easily some of the best work I’ve seen from Doga Kobo in years. In my recent review of their series from last season, Koisuru Asteroid, I referred to Doga Kobo as a solid B-list animation studio, but, looking at animation here, I wonder if I was selling the studio short. A slice-of-life doesn’t call for exceptional linework or smooth kinetic movement, but that makes it all the more impressive to see it in a series like this. It also accents the grounded atmosphere by making the character come across as more realistic than they would otherwise, and the natural color palette is reminiscent of titles like Naoki Urasawa’s Monster. The one aspect of the production that doesn’t stand out to me is the music. It isn’t bad, but it’s unobtrusive to a fault. I had to skim back through the episode to confirm that it even had musical accompaniment. The first episode doesn’t feature an OP, and the ED, while pleasant, isn’t memorable in terms of music or production. It’s a little odd for a show named after a song to be unremarkable in the music department, but there you have it.

Before I wrap up, a few Notes and Nitpicks:

• I should note that the song referenced in the title is not Yesterday by The Beatles, but was a reference to a song by the Japanese band RC Succession. I wasn’t able to find the song in question, though.
• Admittedly, The Beatles “Yesterday” wouldn’t be out of place in this show. Then again, “A Day in the Life” might be a better fit.
• Haru has a crow that rides around on her shoulder. This is one instance where the grounded tone doesn’t quite fit, because people should be far more impressed by this!
• Given that the manga started in the 90s, I wonder if that’s when this episode takes place. Rikuo has an analogue camera that he uses, and I spotted what looked like an old landline in his apartment, so that seems likely.