REVIEW: ‘Blue Box’ Episode 1 — “Chinatsu Senpai”

Blue Box Episode 1 follows Taiki Inomata (Shoya Chiba, Platinum End), an aspiring athlete at a prestigious private school known for its sports program. Every morning he pushes himself out of bed to get to school early to practice. However, much of this dedication has less to do with training and more with wanting to start his day in the presence of Chinatsu Kano (Reina Ueda, My Happy Marriage). A basketball prodigy at his school, Chinatsu is always the first to show up and the last to leave. Both inspired and intimidated by her, Taiki dreams of being in a relationship with her. By the end of  “Chinatsu Senpai” from Telecom Animation Film, he may have a better shot at it than he thought.

Love and sports are two things that can dominate a person’s world. They can become healthy touchstones in life or destructive fixations that fuel obsession. While many have pursued one or the other diligently, chasing after both is a feat few can handle. But this is exactly what we see Taiki striving for as we first get to know our down-to-earth, hard-working protagonist. As Taiki’s inspirations and motivations are revealed in Blue Box Episode 1, we find that these duel drives don’t just coexist for him, but are deeply intertwined.

His drive to train and his interest in Chinatsu are both linked. This makes the two sides of the series narrative feel complementary. Also, it sets up hard questions for the series’ future, as one can expect the character to be faced with choosing between the two at some point.

One of the elements that can fall flat for me when romantic comedy anime are concerned is how hard they play up the lead’s inexperience with romance. Whenever someone tries to approach the object of their affection, you expect nervousness and a bit of panic. Many anime lean into the trope way too hard, showing the main character completely freaking out every time the love interest speaks. Happily, Blue Box Episode 1 dials it back, letting Taiki’s nervousness feel real, but not obnoxious. From the opening moments, Taiki can speak to Chinatsu coherently, even though he’ll second guess everything he says afterward.

For her part, Chinatsu comes across as someone worthy of his affection. Despite being held up on a pedestal, she is kind and friendly to others. There is also a playfulness to her demeanor that adds a level of interest to the character. When she reveals that she knows Taiki’s name but refuses to say how, the impishness in her mannerisms showcases another layer to her personality beyond the determined athlete. It feels natural that Taiki would fall for her.

While both Taiki and Chinatsu are strong characters for the narrative, how Blue Box Episode 1 weaves the two together is where the story shows its greatest strengths. After some fun one-on-one basketball between the two, Taiki confesses to Chinatsu about an important moment for him. It was the moment when she came to inspire him as an athlete.

The gentle, heartfelt confession by Taiki comes at a critical moment for Chinatsu, though Taiki is unaware. The moment’s impact is fully realized later in the episode when we realize the significance of his words to her and how they helped Chinatsu make an important decision. This leads to the episode’s amazing twist ending that lays the final piece of the series’ narrative setup in place.

Despite all the praise I’ve heaped on Blue Box Episode 1, we haven’t even gotten to the best part yet, the visual presentation. The visuals in this premiere are nothing short of breathtaking. While every element of the presentation is strong, two key factors raise this series’ look above much of the rest of the pack. Those twin ingredients are animation and cinematography.

As a sports anime, the episode is filled with motion. And every single frame of it feels like a masterpiece. Every piece of cloth that flutters in the wind and juke of a player feels fully realized. And while the motion in the big moments looks great, it isn’t reserved for those instances. How smoothly Chinatsu’s hair moves when she draws it back behind her ear is gorgeous. Not only does it enhance the quality of the moment, but it helps the viewer see Chinatsu as Taiki does. You feel the allure that the girl has for him through how gorgeously her every move is presented.

Combined with these feats of animation is a camera that is always right where it needs to be and dynamic in its movements. How the viewer’s perspective sweeps around players and weaves through gyms gives a sense of grandeur to simple practice sessions. Every pan and pivot builds up the energy within moments that allow them to exist as something greater than the everyday moments they represent.

Just like with the animation, the cinematography doesn’t slack off in quieter moments. It continues to do a lot of lifting, as it strives to enhance the emotion in the romantic half of the episode. The viewer always gets the best angle to experience precisely what the story needs them to.

Blue Box Episode 1 comes together to deliver a perfect pilot. Its attention to detail with its characters, narrative, and visuals are examples of some of the heights animation is capable of. Coupled with a surprising twist ending, there is no reason anyone looking for a new romantic comedy shouldn’t be checking this series out.

Blue Box Episode 1 is streaming now on Netflix with new episodes dropping every Thursday.