REVIEW: ‘A Condition Called Love’ Episode 2 — “My First Boyfriend”

There’s no doubt that, following A Condition Called Love Episode 2, Saki Hananoi (Chiaki Kobayashi) will be the divisive factor in the series. Based on the manga of the same name, A Condition Called Love (Hananoi-kun to Koi no Yamai) written and illustrated by Megumi Morino and produced by East Fish Studio, the layers given to these characters make them frustratingly enticing. What remains to be seen is whether or not viewers will take Hananoi’s lovesick dedication at face value or reach deeper into how his unfamiliarity with love rivals our protagonist, Hotaru Hinase (Kana Hanazawa).

At the end of Episode 1, Hotaru agrees to date Hananoi. However, she only agrees to a trial period. The goal is to date until Christmas to see if, within that period, she “learns” what it means to fall in love. She considers the relationship to be something of an experiment. This means that she soon realizes that Hananoi is giving much more than he is taking. We saw hints of this in the premiere when his affection began to cross the line into something unhealthy. From cutting his hair to removing his piercings and sacrificing his health, his version of love failed to win Hotaru over.

Despite this and their initial confrontation regarding his behavior, he still hasn’t entirely managed to diminish his efforts. She suggests that the two devise a list of activities and experiences they can have together as a couple. Her ideas involve grabbing croquettes to enjoy while he asks to hold her hand while they walk together. She perceives an imbalance. This is especially true due to two main actions in A Condition Called Love Episode 2.

The first is when he hands her a stack of notebooks with detailed notes on their upcoming finals, hoping to aid her studies. She’s grateful but, upon close inspection, realizes that his efforts resulted in him losing sleep. The second is when she learns that, to wait for her at the bus to walk to school, he’s been waiting almost two hours each morning. We see this through a humorous number of sequences as she tries to beat him to the punch, arriving earlier and earlier each day to be at their meeting place first.

And while she doesn’t condone how long he waits and the toll it has on his health, she does realize the thrill of doing something that makes her partner happy. It’s one of her few moments of enlightenment in the episode. She wants to be a good girlfriend, and she’s grown to appreciate his companionship and is comfortable around him. She just doesn’t know if all of that constitutes something like the love she sees in the world around her.

This is further compounded when he admits that he won’t be happy being simply a friend if she doesn’t fall for him. He doesn’t want to simply be one with the crowd. While all of this is exploratory for her, his feelings are genuine. So when she asks for them to try kissing to try and help her understand, he tells her that he can’t just do that. To him, it all means and feels so much more.

The moment contains some aggressive positioning from Hananoi as he gets up in Hotaru’s space. Yes, Hananoi’s behavior is too forward, but a compelling idea builds itself around his actions in contrast to Hotaru. While Hotaru is the one vocally expressing her desire to learn about love, it’s Hananoi who, too, is receiving a necessary lesson. That love isn’t all about self-sacrifice. Instead, it’s about giving and taking and learning about one another’s interests and preferences. That, plus the isolation of Hananoi’s home life, suggests a character whose understanding of love is much more foreign to Hotaru.

This is all speculation, so hopefully, the series continues to develop these characters beyond their broad strokes. While we get peaks at other characters, A Condition Called Love Episode 2 is still largely the Hotaru and Hananoi show. The character designs remain quaint yet endearing, especially with how the two react to one another. And while the visual presentation isn’t anything groundbreaking, it is serviceable. The best narrative element is the pacing, which moves quickly through the plot rather than stuttering to necessary moments.

A Condition Called Love Episode 2 is perfectly serviceable for a series installment that is still getting its footing. With an intriguing enough romance and characters possessing the potential for real depth, the series needs a few more episodes to establish itself. For now, it’s charming but a little soulless.

A Condition Called Love Episode 2 is available now on Crunchyroll.