What “Just Because!” Revealed About “Somehow” — The Restlessness of Exam Season and the Distance of Chasing Someone’s Back

“Just Because!” is an original anime series broadcast in 2017. With a script by Hajime Kamoshida—known as the original creator of The Pet Girl of Sakurasou and the Rascal Does Not Dream series—and original character designs by popular illustrator Kiseki Himura, the series depicts the delicate and somewhat bittersweet human relationships of boys and girls facing the pivotal life milestone of graduation.

Though they had been living their lives “just because” (aimlessly, or without a specific reason), facing the time limit of graduation forces them to confront their true feelings and find their answers. The subtle direction, such as casual exchanges on smartphones and the scenery of a snowy town, eloquently speaks volumes about the emotions they cannot put into words.

Winter of their third year of high school. Their remaining high school life is short. Everyone thought they would just graduate aimlessly, as is. Until he suddenly came back.

A classmate who had moved to a distant town during middle school. The reunion with this out-of-season transfer student signaled a small start to their feelings, which were about to end “just because.”

When you hear “the last winter of high school life,” what comes to your mind? The countdown to graduation, the anxiety about entrance exams, or perhaps the loneliness of daily life coming to an end. It’s neither the sparkling youth of summer nor the spring filled with hope for a new life. In this “air pocket” period, which many youth anime tend to avoid, the densest emotions of life often swirl.

The anime Just Because!, which I will discuss today, captures exactly that brief period from the end of the second term of the third year of high school to graduation. No flashy dramas or miracles occur. It is not a super-elite prep school, just an ordinary high school. A transfer student arrives there, and their time, which was about to stop, begins to move quietly but surely.

Some point out the instability of the animation quality, but the “beauty of the scenery,” the “reality of psychological portrayal,” and the power of music more than make up for it, sublimating this work into a unique youth ensemble drama. Why does a love that started “somehow” (just because) tighten our chests so much? From the perspective of a veteran columnist, I would like to dig deep into the reason.

What is noteworthy in the direction of this work is how “backs” are depicted. Rather than speaking of love in words, the characters’ feelings are eloquently told by who is staring at whose back, or who is turning their back on whom.

In the past, the heroine Mio Natsume chased Eita Izumi’s back and aimed for the same university. However, when they reunite, it is Izumi who ends up chasing Natsume’s back. This reversal of gaze and the direction of physical distance is truly wonderful. Just when you think they are getting closer, they move away; they seem within reach but remain out of reach. That frustration is exactly the lyrics of the ending theme “behind.” “What am I doing? Just somehow (Just because)…” The figures depicted at the timing when this phrase flows are filled with an indescribable loveliness.

The beauty of the scenery also supports this direction. Some overseas fans commented, “Is the eraser the only reason Natsume fell in love with Izumi from the baseball club?” But isn’t middle school love often triggered by such trivial things? As Natsume says, “I just pretended to have a crush so I’d have an answer when people asked,” her romantic feelings were never dramatic but lay on the extension of daily life. The silence of the snowy city, the restless atmosphere after the exams are over, the stagnant time flowing only on the third-year floor. All of these function as “stage devices” enveloping their life-sized romance.

Another protagonist that determines the worldview of Just Because! is undoubtedly “Music.” A very rare and luxurious composition for an anime work is taken where singer-songwriter Nagi Yanagi is in charge of everything: OP, ED, and the background music (Score).

Nagi Yanagi’s transparent singing voice and delicate melody lines link perfectly with the “clear winter air” this work possesses. I particularly recommend the background track titled “Before the Silence” (Shinkan no mae wa). The sound of the piano echoing in the silence brings the subtleties of the characters’ hearts, who speak few words, to painful clarity. Also, “take_one,” the coupling song of the ED “behind,” is a must-listen.

Sound in anime sometimes conveys emotions more than dialogue. The tense atmosphere of the exam venue, the sound of the club room after school, and the sound of stepping on snow. Nagi Yanagi’s music blends with those environmental sounds, immersing the viewer deeply into the world of the work. It is no wonder there are many voices praising the sound; it can be said to be an anime with “Godly Sound Direction.”

We cannot talk about this work without mentioning the heroine race between the main heroine, Mio Natsume, and Ena Komiya of the photography club. Just as many people recalled the relationship between Noe Isurugi and Hiromi Yuasa in True Tears after watching, the brilliance of the “losing heroine” in this work is tremendous.

Ena Komiya was overwhelming in her ability to take action once she realized her feelings. Asking him out on a date, collecting amulets, and making a graduation album just for him. Many viewers (especially men) must have had their hearts stolen by her selfless figure prioritizing the joy of the person she loves (Izumi) over her own joy. She embodies the “ideal heroine” image of anime.

On the other hand, Mio Natsume is “realistic” to the core. Running away from her feelings using exams as an excuse, or being indecisive. Her interaction with Izumi is plain and ordinary compared to Komiya. However, that is precisely why she radiates a sense of existence as a “girl who likely exists in reality.” Reality is not just about causality where doing A leads to B. Just because you receive a wonderful approach doesn’t mean you change your heart immediately. “People are like that; reality is like that.” Natsume’s character design seems to paradoxically express such cruel reality of romance.

Because there is a “unique and attractive spice” called Komiya, the “realistic existence” called Natsume stands out. The sense of loss after watching the final episode is born because the contrast between these two was depicted magnificently. Both heroines are charming, and because the answer was reached after they worried through it, this work is highly evaluated as a pioneer of realistic youth anime.

Just Because! is a rare work that thoroughly depicted “an ordinary winter of ordinary high school students” without relying on flashy developments or eccentric settings.

Within the time limit of entrance exams, wavering love and anxiety about the future. It is strange how even the instability of the animation quality feels like a part of their incomplete youth.

If you are tired of flashy rom-coms and are looking for a quiet story that permeates your heart, please pick up this work. After watching, something warm along with the cold of winter will surely remain in your heart. And you will want to look up at the sky and mutter. “I wonder how they are doing.”

• Eita Izumi: Voiced by Aoi Ichikawa
• Mio Natsume: Voiced by Karin Isobe
• Haruto Soma: Voiced by Taishi Murata
• Hazuki Morikawa: Voiced by Yuna Yoshino
• Ena Komiya: Voiced by Lynn

• Original Creator: FOA
• Director: Atsushi Kobayashi
• Series Composition: Hajime Kamoshida
• Script: Hajime Kamoshida
• Character Design: Kiseki Himura (Original Plan), Hiroyuki Yoshii
• Music: Nagi Yanagi, Erika Fukasawa
• Animation Production: PINE JAM

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