This year has been filled with amazing anime. From returning favorites and new arrivals, to high fantasy journies and science fiction adaptations to ones that examine the trauma of real life, anime has delivered a varied assortment of fantastic series. But while there have been a ton of great series, the anime year peaked in the first two weeks of January with Summer Time Rendering (サマータイムレンダ or Samā Taimu Renda) by OLM Team Kojima, based on the Japanese manga series of the same name by Yasuki Tanaka and directed by Ayumu Watanabe and written by Hiroshi Seko, has been my Anime of the Year choice ever since. Now sit back and let me tell you all about the plethora of reasons why this outstanding series is the best this great year has to offer. I must wade into spoiler territory to thoroughly explore what I love about this series. So, if you don’t want to know, turn back now.
The Story
A sci-fi story set in the summer, the series is set on a small island and begins with Shinpei Ajiro returning to his hometown of Wakayama City on the remote island of Hitogashima for the first time in two years for the funeral of childhood friend Ushio Kofune. Sou Hishigata, his best friend, suspects something’s off with Ushio’s death and that someone else can die next if this killer isn’t stopped. A sinister omen is heard as an entire family next door suddenly disappears the following day. But there is nothing more than a “shadow” that seems to implicate death that shows up.
Time loops and time travel aren’t new concepts, but Summer Time Rendering manages to do creative things with this core element that sets it apart from other fiction that uses the narrative mechanic. The most prominent of these additions is how the point in time that Shinpei Ajiro returns to is always moving forward. Rather than having a set point that the protagonist eternally goes back to, giving him a potentially infinite number of tries to succeed at defeating the bad guys, every time he loops back, the starting point moves forward, locking in place any events that occurred before the loop starts again. This means that a mistake that occurs too far back can’t be fixed, and more importantly, if Shinpei ever dies before the starting point of the next loop, the death will become permanent, making his return impossible.
This time loop element allows the narrative to maintain a higher degree of tension than it would otherwise. If Shinpei could just try as many times as he needed, victory would feel certain. This approach allows each loop and each death to have weight, as a careless, quick death could spell the end of his efforts.
The other element of the loop concept that allows it to craft a more compelling narrative is the fact that the two main antagonists in the series, Haine and Shide, loop as well whenever Shinpei dies. This forces the heroes to adapt their strategies in each loop, as ones that worked last time won’t again, since the villains will be ready for them. The oversight of this important plot element by Shinpei leads to one of the most tragic moments in the series.
While the time looping is the most prominent element of the narrative, an equally important piece of the story is the shadows. Created by Haine, shadows are exact duplicates of an individual who must kill the original in seven days or cease to exist. They have powers that include shape-shifting and super-human strength and speed. They can only be killed by attacking the creature’s shadow, as that is their true form and not the body they have copied.
The concept of murderous doppelgangers is a terrifying premise in and of itself, given that it initially forces the heroes to question who among them may be a shadow. Even once the shadows are identified and the threat of stealthy replacement is taken off the table, the series continues to skillfully utilize the concept. The fact that the show chooses to replace mostly children helps maintain a disturbing energy around the villainous shadows. Seeing the young Shiori’s face twist into a cruel perversion of a smile as she lungs at one of the protagonists is a disturbing sight, even once you know what’s going on.
Summer Time Rendering manipulates and builds upon the core elements of shadows throughout the series, with special examples of them like Shide, Ushio, and Ryuunosuke each adding new abilities to the creatures’ repertoire. These slowly revealed gifts, as well as the reasons why they possess them while other shadows don’t represent one of the other reasons Summer Time Rendering deserves Anime of the Year: how it paces out its reveals.
Shinpei and the viewers are left in shock over the change in scale as the show peels back numerous layers of plot intricacies that increase the stakes of the series. What begins as a simple monster survival story escalates into the threat of an apocalyptic event when the characters learn the world is ending at the island’s summer festival.
Summer Time Rendering continues to pull the viewer in by fleshing out the finer points of the narrative. The secret history of the island, Haine’s association with Hizuru when she was a girl, and the truth about Shide’s part in it are all just a handful of plot moments the series drip-feeds viewers. This keeps the interest focused while also giving reasons for the show’s many curiosities with as much sense as this hard of a fantasy concept can hold on to.
The final element that makes the narrative for Summer Time Rendering one that deserves Anime of the Year is its ending. Once the final loop is finished and Ushio makes it so Hiruko never copied Haine 300 years ago, stopping the entire sequence of events that led to Shide’s attempt to end the world, the expectation is a new version of the world, untouched by the previous events they have witnessed over the preceding 24 episodes.
Instead, while only Shinpei and Ushio regain their memories of the previous timelines, the existence of those timelines touches other aspects of the world in the wrap-up episode. Even before regaining his memories, Shinpei knew that Hizuru was his favorite author Negumo, even though she’d never disclosed the information to anyone. Ryuunosuke names his daughter Haine, even though the child was never copied in this timeline, and after chatting with Shinpei about alternate timelines, Hizuru is struck with immense amounts of inspiration for her next book, which she titles Summer Time Rendering. It’s not a big leap to assume that this inspiration is born of fragments of memories from the previous time lines she can no longer remember, but are still impacting her in subtle ways.
Allowing the previous lives to help inform the character’s new ones gives the entire story a continuing sense of perpetuity. Culminating with Shinpei and Ushio remembering everything as they stand on the beach where the story started the final episode allows the time-altering narrative both lasting purpose for the lives of the characters as they move forward, as well as a satisfying conclusion for the narrative itself.
The Cast
Summer Time Rendering couldn’t be called an Anime of the Year contender without a great cast to fill the narrative with memorable moments. While the entire cast comes together beautifully with each personality filling in a role that makes the show’s whole far more than the sum of its parts, there are four particular characters that shine the brightest. Shinpei, Ushio, Hizuru, and Shide are the most impactful characters in this remarkable story.
Returning home for the first time in two years, Shinpei Ajiro is struck with visions of his recently deceased friend, Usio. Coinciding with the mysterious changing color of his right eye, Shinpei is soon forced to adapt to the many twists and turns that the world-bending narrative throws at him as he takes the central role among his friends and allies as his home’s last line of defense against the threats posed by Shide and Haine.
Like many series, Summer Time Rendering tasks its everyday protagonist with challenges that no normal person would be able to overcome. Shinpei manages his way to an eventual victory but the journey is never a smooth one as he makes horrendous mistakes along the way. These errors are realistic and human. The viewers are just as surprised as he is when the villains catch Shinpei in an error, forcing a terrible situation to unfold.
The best example of Shinpwi’s flawed nature comes when he attempts to save Hizuru from Shide after she fails to defeat him in battle. Seeing her struggle against the powerful foe as he arrives at the end of their fight, Shinpei makes the snap decision to kill himself, restarting the loop, in the hopes he can reach her in time now that he knows what is transpiring. His need to save her, especially with the recent demise of Ushio’s shadow weighing on him, blinds him from the critical realization that when Shinpei loops back, so do Shide and Haine.
When Shinpei arrives at the battle earlier this time, he finds Hizuru broken on the ground, with Shide’s spear embedded in her chest. Hizuru had initially managed to hold her own against the monster through the element of surprise. However, in this loop, Shide had already fought her once and Hizuru doesn’t remember past loops, resulting in her getting destroyed by him in a brutal, one-sided fight that Shinpei believes is his fault. This oversight comes back to haunt him later when it nearly causes the final battle against Shide to go astray.
His imperfections allow his triumphs to be more rewarding, but his willingness to adapt to the ever-changing situations the show puts before him makes him a great protagonist. Whether narrative things like accepting that Ushio’s shadow isn’t like the others or interpersonal moments between him and Mio, Shinpei can adapt to the show’s beats to make them feel significant while never drawn out. He may struggle with a hard truth for a moment while he processes it, but in the end, he is able to accept the bizarre world he finds himself in for what it is. Summer Time Rendering wouldn’t be anime of the year for me without such a strong leading character.
While Shinpei has some big concepts to adapt to, Ushio Kofune faces a crisis of self. The upbeat and excitable Ushio plays yin to Shinpei’s more somber yang. Ushio faces every challenge with an energetic determination born of positivity and her faith in those she trusts. But while Ushio is the vehicle by which some of the story’s biggest battles play out, she is also the center of a philosophical question the series poses about what makes us who we are.
During a conversation fairly late into the series between Shinpei and Karakiri/Shide, Shinpei poses a question concerning copies and originals. If a copy is identical to the original in every way and the original dies, is the copy the original now? While this brief discussion is the only time the series directly posits this question, it is something that the show explores continually through its narrative, most directly with Ushio. As Shinpei gets to know the shadow, it becomes clear that he comes to think of her simply as Ushio, rather than her shadow. This concept is further reinforced due to the fact that the viewer never meets the “real” Ushio until late in the show. Because of this, the viewer also tends to think of Ushio’s shadow as the real Ushio, unlike Mio’s who is seen alongside the original so, despite their identical mannerisms and attitudes, the distinction is always clear. As the concept plays out continuously throughout the series the viewer is left to come to their own conclusion about the true nature of Ushio’s shadow.
The last of the triumvirate of heroes that showcase why Summer Time Rendering’s cast is key to its place as Anime of the Year is Hizuru Minikata. From the first time the viewer sees her rolling her heavy luggage off the ferry to the island it’s clear that Hizoru is more than meets the eye. But it isn’t possible for someone to guess the layers that the character comes to reveal through her time in the series.
No conversation about Hizuru can start without looking at her unique relationship with her brother, Ryuunosuke. During her first handful of appearances, there is a shifting element to both Hizuru’s personality and voice. This odd inconsistency is revealed to be because she shares her body with her brother, whom everyone believes died when they were kids. Due to the circumstances of his death at Haine’s hands, he becomes a unique form of shadow that can partially possess his sister, taking control of her when she puts her hair up in a ponytail.
This special situation leads to some unique elements for the character that creates lasting impressions on the viewer. An inspired wrinkle in the character is that she can’t directly communicate with her brother under normal circumstances. Rather, she leaves him voice messages on their shared phone, catching him up on what’s going on. The moments when Hizuru is leaving messages to her brother become some of the more subtly poignant ones of the series. Despite the measured clip Hizoru keeps in her voice most of the time, the viewer comes to detect the struggle in her words as she leaves increasingly dire messages to Ryuunosuke about what has transpired since he last took control. To have that be the only way they can communicate with someone they love and who is with them constantly while being eternally out of reach takes a clear toll on the character.
Thanks to her unique situation with her brother, Hizuru not only provides a calm demeanor and sharp mind to aid in the island’s defense, but she is also the source of many of the series’ most intense fight sequences. Thanks to her brother’s nature as a shadow, Hizuru can see two seconds into the future, as well as possess superhuman strength and speed, making her a match for most shadows. However, there is a limit to her powers. While Ryuunosuke‘s presence grants her a shadow’s physical prowess, she still has a human’s body. Overutilization of these gifts results in damage to her body such as broken bones and torn muscles. This allows her to be a powerful fighter while never being able to fully negate the threat from the shadows that infest the island.
She also brings a pragmatic mindset that counter-balances Shinpei and Ushuo’s hopefulness and empathetic natures. This contrast is best highlighted shortly after Shinpei learns about the nature of her and Ryuunosuke‘s relationship. Shinpei jumps to the conclusion that the reason why Hizuru rarely lets Ryuunosuke out to fight is out of a desire to protect him. After all, that’s how Shinpei is, as the viewer sees him repeatedly put himself between Ushio and danger, despite the fact that Ushio is far stronger than he is.
This projection by Shinpei onto Hizuru doesn’t last long as the woman reveals that it has nothing to do with any worry that keeps him bottled up. She does it simply to preserve her own health. If he goes overboard, they both suffer. There is no nobility in the decision, it’s simply the most practical approach.
While great heroes can make a story shine, Summer Time Rendering wouldn’t be Anime of the Year material without an equally great villain. While the early episodes in the series present Haine as the main antagonist, it is eventually revealed that Shide is the true mastermind behind the world-ending calamity that is coming. The slow unveiling of Shide’s powers, motives, and true identity makes the villain as compelling as he is evil.
When the series first introduces him, Shide is nothing more than an especially powerful shadow, as well as Haine’s right hand. As the show progresses, we see him taking more and more of a dominant role between the two. Scolding Haine at times when her actions jeopardize his goals while making it look like he is looking out for her interests. He manipulates decisions to maintain Haine’s belief that she’s in control. These interactions give the viewer a clear understanding of the true dynamic between Haine and Shide, even when Haine isn’t able to see it.
The ultimate depths of Shide’s cruelty are revealed in the closing stages of Summer Time Rendering when Haine is no longer capable of providing the power he requires to complete his objectives. With her loss of power reverting her to a form resembling that of a human fetus, Haine is at Shide’s mercy. Despite the fact that she is the being that has allowed him to live for 300 years longer than he should’ve, Shide begins to assault her physically to get whatever he can out of her remaining power. Whether it be physical or psychological pain, Shide doesn’t hesitate in torturing his former benefactor to get what he wants.
His complete lack of moral integrity makes him evil while his mind makes him an extreme threat to the heroes. Wielding numerous powers unique to him, Shide is able to outmaneuver many of Shinpei and company’s attempts to pin him down as they race to stop his plan. While his mental superiority is apparent early on, the series does a great job of showcasing the danger of being the smartest person in the room: you never learn anything. As Shinpei’s tactics continue to evolve and grow over the series, Shide remains largely the same. It’s clear he is so used to winning that he can’t quite see Shinpei as a full threat until it is too late. This Achilles heel helps build a reasonable explanation for why he eventually fails, despite feeling so insurmountable early on.
The Presentation
The visuals throughout Summer Time Rendering further strengthen its cause for the coveted accolade of anime of the year. The core of the series lies in the emotional responses of the characters as they face the perplexing mysteries, heart-breaking setbacks, and terrifying horrors of the narrative. The series does a great job of amplifying these moments through great animation, as well as excellent direction. The most important narrative moments in the series always feel close and personal for the viewer. The camera always chooses a point of view that is in the thick of things, encompassing the viewer in the emotions of each moment.
The excellent visual work of Summer Time Rendering extends to the horror elements of the show. The creature designs are fantastic, making many of the series’ monsters stand the long after they have left the screen. Also adding to this side of the narrative is how hard the show pushes the sinister moments of the series through the excellent use of facial expressions.
Several times in Summer Time Rendering, smiles are used to shocking effect. When sinister truths are revealed, the character who has been found out will break into one of the most disturbing smiles I’ve ever seen. The mouth is pulled up at the corners to an unnatural degree, as the eyes take the shape of crescents, creating an altogether disturbing mockery of the joy smiles are supposed to represent.
Summer Time Rendering’s combat animation is superb as well. While there are only a couple of truly meaty combat moments, the lack of focus on battles doesn’t cause OLM to slack on its delivery of these brutal clashes. Speed, power, and skill are all captured with gorgeous clarity and impactful emphasis. Highlighted by Hizuru’s battle with Shide, the series action sequences stack up with the best that anime has delivered this year.
The voice acting is yet another component that makes Summer Time Rendering the leading choice for my anime of year with strong voice work in the English. Key personality traits come through brilliantly thanks to the fantastic voice actors as they push their characters’ personalities to the forefront. Whether it’s Jenn Wong delivering Hizuru’s leveled-headed analysis, Emi Lo (Cyberpunk: Edgerunners) bringing Ushio’s infectious enthusiasm to life, or Stephen Fu (Squid Game) capturing every tumultuous moment of Shinpei’s journey through his versatile performance, the entire cast lifts the strong narrative through their combined, excellent work.
The final noteworthy element of Summer Time Rendering is the music. Featuring the work of musical talents like Keigo Hoashi (Altered Carbon: Resleeved) and Keiichi Okabe (NieR: Automata), the music never fails to perfectly augment the moments that play out on screen. The score swells with each triumph, drops in tone with every setback, and delivers that extra bit of atmosphere for every tense moment of potential peril. It manages to adapt to the story’s shifting moods and energy with skillful versatility that always keeps the overriding tone of every scene exactly where it should be.
Phew. While I could go on and on about this series’ virtues, these are the biggest reasons why Summer Time Rendering is my anime of the year. It’s power, uniqueness, and wonderful execution come together to make an experience that has continued to stand out despite the numerous excellent offerings this year’s anime series have provided.
