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Fuyu no Semi is about two people of opposite factions falling in love for each other. A love that is never meant to be because of the circumstances they find themselves in. Sounds familiar? Well. It basically sounds like a classic tragic love story and in its essence, it is. What’s fascinating for the western viewer is its setting around the Boshin war which led to the Meiji period and their implications to the story. The historic facts were embedded pretty well in the story, both being referenced by the characters and having huge impact on their lives. The at the beginning seemingly shallow characters ... were fleshed out well when the conflicts and decisions led us see deeper into who they really are, ultimately cumulating in a tragic climax. One can even think that the work comments on how their naïve, even romantic view of the political situation and their escapism of that reality helped leading them into their downfall.

The music and production quality are reasonable. Although there was nothing standing out, the director knew how to use the available resources well which led to a quite enjoyable experience. We could easily follow the struggles of the characters and while some of their decisions were questionable, it makes them quite human and can led us reflect on their fate and what it means to love. Especially the title-giving comparison with the cicada let us think of the what-ifs, giving the story a melancholic feeling and one can even see a twisted irony in its tale. Would they have been able to be happy when they were patient and waited one more year? Would they have been happy if they just made different decisions? Or was the tragic fate sealed alone by the fact of living at that time and place?

In the end these OVAs presented us with a classic drama with its own unique spin and a lot of interesting themes that can be interpreted into them. Definitely a worthwhile watch for people who can live with Yaoi and like a tragic love story in a historic setting.

Disclaimer: Sorry for this mediocre review, I - I- I'm not doing this because I want to, you know >.