Nov 16, 2024
Love is like snow. It is beautiful, but it can also be so cold.
This is a fitting method to describe White Album 2. It is not your typical romance anime, where everything is mostly smooth sailing and ends happily-ever-after. Instead it portrays romance as it truly is through the vast variety of emotions it takes you through. From the joyous moments as they push towards their dream performance, the bittersweet moments after the confession, the tragic moments as the three start drifting apart, and finally the heartbreaking moment in the end where everything tumbles down. This is truly what romance is, not merely one aspect
...
or another, but rather so many things coming together to create something indescribable, and can only be experienced.
And it is no coincidence that White Album 2 was able to have such an emotional impact. Many aspects of the show were excellent, which allowed for such an excellent result. The story may not be anything too out of the ordinary, but it keeps you hooked from beginning to end. The plot is well established, with pretty much no plot holes and perfect pacing. I am a sucker for good character writing, and White Album 2 has well exceeded my expectations in this regard. The character buildups, developments, and dynamics for the three main characters are really impeccable. It is precisely because of this that we can grow so attached to the characters and their experiences. Last but certainly not least, the music is probably some of the best out there. Not only are the songs goated in itself (Todokanai Koi my beloved), but the use of the music to enhance the impact of important scenes is masterful. Ultimately, I can confidently say there is no aspect of White Album 2 that I'm really critical of.
The themes presented in this anime are also very well developed. Feelings are a complicated thing, and often times they are contradictory. This can be seen in various moments throughout the anime, whether it be Haruki's indecisiveness, Kazusa constantly hiding her true self and desires, or Setsuna's love for Haruki and her desire for the three to remain together. Indeed, this is only to be expected for any human. This is part of the reason why White Album 2 is able to get the seemingly cliche love triangle to actually work out. The themes and characters are developed well enough that viewing the love triangle isn't actually frustrating. It isn't merely two girls competing for one guy, but also three friends trying to stay together. There isn't really one person you can blame for everything falling apart, every character has their own flaws, burdens, and insecurities (there are some who specifically hate Setsuna for her selfishness, but that only reveals their own naivete and hypocrisy). One can perhaps see that this unfortunate fate was sealed the moment the three first performed White Album together.
It truly is a shame that White Album 2 isn't discussed more. There is no doubt that this is one of, if not the best romance anime ever. For those of you who have watched the anime but not the vn, I suggest you give it a try. Not only will you get to experience this unforgettable story again, but there is also further content after the introductory chapter (what the anime covered). In the end, there is no review I could ever write that would capture all my thoughts and feelings of White Album 2, which simply shows how much of a masterpiece this is.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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