The monumental first episode of A Condition Called Love on Crunchyroll both already promised and began effortlessly delivering a fresh take on the romance anime genre just because of its unique premise, but the follow-up is clearly continuing this trend by exploring both Hotaru Hinase and Saki Hananoi’s incredibly innovative romantic journeys. Better yet, one instance in episode #2 that could possibly be interpreted as a common romance trope has been completely transformed just because of the overall meaning behind it.
Regarding Hotaru, her journey completely subverts the overall genre because the point of her experiences is her search to feel love for another person, so the audience is already aware she doesn’t love Saki. For Saki, it’s obviously clear that he is deeply in love with Hotaru, possibly to a fault.
Usually, the suspense lies in whether one or even both parties are in love with each other. The whole dynamic in A Condition Called Love upends this because Horuto obviously doesn’t love Saki and will undoubtedly share when and if she does, and Saki has already made his intentions known. His struggles lie in knowing exactly how Saki feels as opposed to what he believes.
A Condition Called Love Explores Partiality and Complete Suffering
This nuanced romance anime is not afraid to explore the darker side of love
What episode #2 adds to the equation is that Horuto’s specific motivations are related with what motivates someone who’s truly in love, while exploring Saki’s struggles from a much darker perspective. Even though Horuto’s experiment requires her to try new things, she naturally feels driven to make Saki happy, and even attempts to make him smile, since she’s curious what his reaction will look like. This is clearly what people do when they are in love with someone. In fact, this is what motivates Saki to go above and beyond for Horuto in episode #1.
Of course, the difference lies in what Horuto’s intentions are. She isn’t romantically motivated, she feels bad for Saki. Still, this serves as a very nuanced interpretation of love, helping to uncover just how layered and intricate love is, since there are numerous feelings involved. For Saki, episode #2 emphasizes just how hurtful the experiment is for him. Saki outright tells Horuto that he can never just be friends with her, while keeping to himself just how much he wants her. Unfortunately, based on Horuto’s mindset, it’s clear just how unlikely what Saki wants will happen. It’s not just obvious to the audience but to Saki as well, which makes his situation all the more heartbreaking.
A Controversial Scene Subverts The Genre And Completely Defines The Series
The scene that undoubtedly best encapsulates the unconventionality of A Condition Called Love is the one cliché that episode #2 dabbles in but also completely subverts. It’s when Saki pushes Horuto onto her back on the floor as he uses his arms to pin himself up over her. When a boy or girl is involved, this type of maneuver usually happens by accident to befuddle both parties. The only time it’s more aggressive is in boy’s love series or when the pinning takes place up against a wall.
Here, its purpose is clearly to illustrate just how much Saki is struggling with the whole agreement. It isn’t, however, some type of random show of dominance or “love bombing” as some shojo critics might understandably but mistakenly believe. What leads to this moment is a suggestion that Horuto makes herself without realizing just what it means for Saki since she can’t truly comprehend what he’s feeling. Of course, this isn’t putting any fault on Horuto, but it just shows how complex this series can be.
Regardless, the fact that this maneuver is done voluntarily and fueled by each party’s knowledge of what exactly the other is feeling doesn’t just subvert a classic romance anime scene but completely captures just how A Condition Called Love is revolutionizing the entire genre.
A Condition Called Love is simulcasting on Crunchyroll
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