REVIEW: ‘Cherry Magic!’ Episode 12

The love story between Adachi (Chiaki Kobayashi) and Kurosawa (Ryōta Suzuki) arrives at a satisfying, heart-warming conclusion in Cherry Magic! Episode 12. Wrapping things up with a bow while the two characters promise each other that this is just the start of their journeys together, the episode ends with the grace, humor, and heart that’s defined the series. Based on the manga by Yuu Toyota and directed by Yoshiko Okuda, Cherry Magic has been a joy since the very start and ends on a deserved note of confidence.

After sleeping together, Adachi realizes he no longer has the power to read minds. And while it’s easy enough to brush this off since it came with Adachi losing his virginity, instead, the series finds greater depth. Yes, perhaps the powers disappeared because they consummated their relationship. But Adachi wonders if maybe it’s because he overcame the mental hurdle of vocalizing his insecurities and his love for Kurosawa. Yes, physical touch binds them together and offers them comfort. But it’s harder to verbally communicate with a romantic partner when it’s about things that make us uncomfortable or self-conscious. It’s a nicer thought to believe that Adachi loses his power because he no longer needs it.

The entire sequence is lovely, touched with a level of domesticity that grounds it. Kurosawa allows Adachi space to work through his emotions and come to his conclusion. The direction playfully conveys this. We see Kurosawa slowly readying himself for his day and trip back to Tokyo in the background. As he hands Adachi coffee, the latter has already come to reckon with the loss, content with it. He flusters Kurosawa for a change. In a sweet scene, he tells him that due to the quiet that now occupies his brain, he can consume Kurosawa’s touch and scent better.

Perhaps the best element of the entire series is how it grounds its romance in realism. These two have their insecurities, and they threaten to consume them on the bad days. Adachi takes the lead on the transfer, which will keep him and Kurosawa in different cities for about a year. He is initially confident, and part of that is due to Kurosawa. Kurosawa’s overwhelming affection for him and confidence in his abilities made him more proactive and assured that this was a challenge he was ready to take on.

But of course, that confidence can be shared, and Cherry Magic! Episode 12 makes sure to highlight the growing pains. Both the ones that come from starting in a new role at work and those stemming from a long-distance relationship. Adachi’s insecurities reappear when he initially struggles in the new job, and his inexperience is inescapable to him. He’s also shaken by not knowing how Kurosawa feels. Adachi worries his boyfriend is hiding his genuine emotions to help lessen Adachi’s load. Kurosawa is in the same boat. He’s aware that Adachi is struggling, while the latter puts on a brave face through texts.

These are such relatable emotions that help ground a relatively heightened series. But that doesn’t mean the show refutes flights of fancy. Instead, the series makes sure its couple gets its rom-com ending. Adachi, needing to put his thoughts into action, books a flight back to Tokyo for a major declaration. Kurosawa was of a similar mind, and they meet at a platform at sunset, their story sweet and heartfelt without ever leaning too heavily on romance tropes.

Instead, their mutual affection is beautiful, and both, through each other, have come to recognize how critical communication is. How every different form of communication is. In this case, Adachi needs to see Kurosawa. He needs to tell him that he wants more than just words or physical touch but a constant reminder of their lives together. When he returns, he wants the two to move in together and share their daily lives, the excitement, and the mundanities. Kurosawa pushes it further, proposing to Adachi with the matching rings. It’s a well-earned declaration of love in a series highlighted by how those declarations might manifest.

From there, Cherry Magic Episode 12! leans fully into montage mode. We speed-run the following significant steps of their relationship. From Adachi arriving and moving out with the help of Tsuge (Makoto Furukawa) to the confirmation that Tsuge and Minato (Gen Satō) are still dating, we touch on crucial moments in these characters’ lives. Adachi and Kurosawa wear matching aprons, cook in domestic bliss at home, and wear their rings to the office, their bond sacred and on display. We even see them married, standing in front of their loved ones who celebrate their story. It’s a necessary epilogue, one that celebrates an emotionally potent, shockingly honest story about the intricacies of first love and how we must navigate our self-conscious nature to love fully and freely.

Cherry Magic! Episode 12 is a perfect ending to an anime that surpasses expectations. Everything from remembering how our imperfections endear us to loved ones to vibrant landscapes that elevate the story’s romanticism, the finale soars. The anime might be hitting its final note, but rest assured that these characters will go the distance.

Cherry Magic! Episode 12 is available now on Crunchyroll.