Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
Gyaruicide
I picked this anime spur of the moment expecting it to be corny 2003 era vibes akin to Please, Teacher! because it's an animated version of one route of a 1999 eroge visual novel. What I was not expecting was getting humbled pretty quickly with how realistic the story and themes were, and the execution of both is remarkable, especially for the time and doubly especially for the context of the anime's existence in the first place.
The little nuances in translation of the English dub were apparently controversial at the time but I believe the changes made the story and characters more realistic. This kind of anime usually make the male protagonist a self-insert and the women are only "deep" on a conventional and reactive level. Believe me when I tell you that this story completely subverts…
Read at the sourceMax1musForcePT
Keep in mind for this review that I watched this anime in late 2026 for the first time. I will also keep the review spoiler free.
So… this one is hard to rate… If I was to summarize what I am going to say next… my thoughts in a few words is that this anime is the definition of a great idea that has a clear message to transmit to the viewer that perfectly captures the drama genre with poor execution on a few elements that effectively makes it not be the masterpiece that perhaps could have been.
The main theme about this anime is the passage of time, the acceptance of the present and the past portrayed on a romantic sub genre early 2000’s anime medium.
Look… this is great theme, i enjoyed watching this and I definitely catch the massage that this anime was clearly trying to portray to the…
Read at the sourceHwajid
So after watching Kimi ga Nozomu Eien, or just Rumbling Hearts, I have to say that while there were ups and downs, I was pleasantly pleased watching the show. I didn't have many expectations at first, as my first impressions were of another bland MC with a love triangle, fixated on his mismatching feelings, though while the plot is partially that, I felt it was executed perfectly. From all the many casual romances I've seen recently, I truly believe this one is among the best true representations of real emotional challenges in love, as I feel the actions of many of the characters were truly justified, and even the plot didn't feel too rushed or exaggerated.
The story never drifted away or fixated too much on characters, as I feel from the character development to overall screen time, eac…
Read at the sourceplsagainwhatname
Kimi ga Nozomu Eien, or Rumbling Hearts, is the kind of romance drama that hits different. It’s not here to give you a picture-perfect love story. Instead, it dives into promises, messy feelings, and the way life can twist in ways you never see coming.
The characters feel real. They screw up, they get confused about what they really want, and they have to face the results of their choices. The pacing is slow in the beginning, but that’s so you can really understand who these people are before the story turns heavier.
If you want a romance that feels grounded, emotional, and not afraid to show the painful side of love, this one’s worth your time. Just be ready for some heavy moments. Personally, I think Haruka stands out as the best character in the story.
Read at the sourcePanzerIV-J
I don't know if I would call Rumbling Hearts a "bad" anime, but I can't decide whether I actually enjoyed watching it. For some reason, I was captivated by its attempt at a "realistic" love triangle, yet I found myself constantly frustrated by the way it unfolded. One thing is certain—this anime is pure drama. It tries to present a grounded take on a love triangle but does so in a way that leaves no one satisfied, least of all the viewer.
Note: I haven't read or played the visual novel (VN) this anime is based on, but given that it's a VN, I assume there are direct routes for each heroine that allow the player to avoid the convoluted melodrama. However, the anime thrives on dragging the audience into its emotionally exhausting narrative.
(Some light spoilers ahead, but nothing major. Hea…
Read at the sourceShabo-kun
Have you ever came across cheap Spanish telenovels? Yeah, this is basically Japanese animated version of one of those.
Never in my years of watching anime I had such a problem to finish any show, not even shows which I rated lower then this creation. What Rumbling Hearts does very well is exaggerating situations in order to make fake drama. This fake drama should evoke emotions in audience at any cost only to be dealt in most stupidest way to make you even more angry, sad or anything. As a result, it establishes totally unrealistic wannabe flawless interactions and is losing it’s credibility. Narrative of show was promising and at first I was really curious about the story, unfortunately execution was so poor mainly in second half, that I even regreted to waste my time on this.
STORY: 2/…
Read at the sourcethunderkitten13
(This review will have spoilers.)
Rumbling Hearts is a very old anime by now, and when comparing it to a lot of anime that have come out since then, it seems a bit dated. That is not to say the anime is boring, but rather, a lot of the pacing and developments in the story can be seen coming a mile away. Sadly, therein lies the problem: while the conflict that arises is indeed predictable, the responses from the characters can only be considered obnoxious and pathetic. This leaves the viewer quite bored towards the end of the series, after the same characters behave the same selfish way episode after episode. The main issue of the story is the way in which the cast of characters responds to the love triangle between the three main characters. During high school, best friends Mitsuki and Ha…
Read at the sourceGraine
Kimi ga Nozomu Eien proves that if the core foundation of your drama is strong enough, everything else can be second-rate and it will still hook you.
I found nothing about the show to be outright bad, but most compartments had their share of problems. A lot of the conflicts could be resolved if a character just managed to speak one proper sentence to explain themselves – the industry standard. As a character, Takayuki is about as interesting as the color grey – rest of the cast I thought was good. There are some leaps of logic that could have used further explanation. Also, this story really didn't have to be an anime, I feel. The Visual Novel format probably served this tale a lot better than an anime ever could. Hell, almost any other form of presentation could have worked better for t…
Read at the sourceShikaSakuLove
i actually just remembered i watched this anime today. and I hated tf out this jawn then and i still hate it. this was the worst romance anime i have ever watched in my entire life. the heroine is raging c**t and the LI isn't much better. it started out all cut and sh*t but halfway through it turns into a dumpster fire. i def do NOT recommend this bs unless you want to be f**ked over in a big way. i was 9yrs old when i saw this and after all these years it is STILL the worst i have seen. like what kind of best friend was she? i know todo and yuji would not approve
Read at the sourceNeimaj
*SPOILERS INCOMING*
More like Rumbling Farts, am I right? Comedy genius, I know. But in all seriousness, this is a great romance anime. Just the first two episodes alone were absolutely fantastic. Main character, Narumi Takayuki is confessed to a girl by the name of H̶a̶r̶u̶h̶i̶ Haruka Suzumiya. Haruka was introduced to Narumi by her best friend, Mitsuki Hayase, and when Haruka confesses her love for Narumi, they immediately hit it off. I’m truly shocked at how quickly the romance in this anime progresses. This anime accomplishes more in just two episodes than what most romance shows can do in twelve episodes, twenty-four, hell even forty-eight episodes. Which is another perfect example of why Kimagure Orange Road is a god-awful romance anime! Man, oh man, I always find some way to punch…
Read at the sourceRemixthis
I'll try to keep my criticism of this show to the point as I did overall enjoy the show but my criticism will hit hard where it needed to be better. Its a more adult oriented show and I of course loved the nudity. It wasn't over done to be ecchi but more of a realistic portrayal of intimacy while at the same time giving you that fan art.2
We have a lot going for this show. If you watched Golden Time, its along the same lines. Girl falls for guy, girl gets in an accident, gets amnesia and doesn't remember anything. We then see our main male protagonist torn between the girl he use to love and the girl he now loves. We had some heart breaking moments where we see our MC become a pathetic loser. His now "girlfriend" pretty much takes care of him because shes loved him all along. This is wher…
Read at the sourceAlex796
This is an amazing anime. Especially if you're a young adult. I would advice you to save this for later, if you're still a teenager.
The story is amazing, a real tragedy that changed the course of the characters' lives. To me, the best part is how this could be a real story. You can feel it through the characters, as they make their life decisions, going to work to put food on the table and trying to live life in-between in the shadow of the tragedy and its effects.
I noticed, however, that a lot of people did NOT like the way it ended. Specifically, the girl which the protagonist chose. That's precisely why I said earlier that this is for the young adult crowd, not for teenagers. This anime is very in-your-face and pragmatic. And the closing of the story provides just that. Essentially,…
Read at the sourceDevinitas
What would you do if an important connection of yours was suddenly left hanging, stuck in time? Neither moving forward nor back? How long would you wait for time to start moving again, how would you decide when it's time to move on?
The premise to this show is arguably its strongest point - two girls, one guy, he ends up dating one of them with the feelings of the other girl lingering. But in good old RomCom-fashion, she holds back for the sake of the other girl, who is also her beloved friend. But when that girl falls into a coma after an accident and doesn't appear to be waking up again - she decides to support their boy friend throughout the following chaotic storm of emotions. Eventually, after three long years, he decides that it's time to move on and starts dating his supportive fri…
Read at the sourceChi-Chibi
This is one of those animes that was absolutely flawless in its execution... but doesn't let the story or characters be what we want. This is a drama + romance + school anime that isn't a fairy tail love story. Without spoiling in the end, all I can say is that no matter who you like in this anime, you will be broken hearted by the end.No spoilers so everyone can enjoy this review. :)
Story: 10/10
It was FULL of drama and romance at every turn, the epitome of what a drama romance anime should be. It doesnt have dull moments or pointless filler. However, just because I rate the story highly... its an awful story. I hate what happens. Not that the story is written poorly, its just that I can not stand what is happening. Similar to an anime like School Days or Clannad... where you dislike wh…
Read at the sourceAgent_Redacted
Reality can sometime be sad, and not everything always goes right. Kimi ga Nozomu Eien is a great drama and romance anime that shows me the aspect of reality's cruelness and how everything and anything can change.
Story : 9/10
The entire story of the anime can be summarized as a man's decisions and how time can change everything. It's a really good plot for a drama and I slightly cried at the end.
Art : 8/10
The art is not that impressive. However. It is quite good for a 2003-4ish. Ahh, this art style and quality brings back memories. Kind of nostalgic.
Sound : 8/10
The sound's alright.
Character : 7/10
Well. The protagonist resembles a man who is pretty much helpless. Whilst the heroine ( Mitsuki ) kind of resembles a thot ( no offense ). However, the characters kind of giv…
Read at the sourcecaptjoe213
Hi! Robert's Too Late Reviews once again coming your way! This time we're looking at a doozy with this one! This series really pulls me in many different directions, and to be honest, half of me wants to give it a 6 or 7, and the other half wants to give it a 9 or even a 10. I just come away from it so conflicted and full of questions, yet still finding myself thinking about the series, which says something about my emotional investment in the show. So I do recommend this series to you guys, but know there's a big point or two that can affect your enjoyment, and that I'm not exactly a fan of the ending, even though it did make sense to me. Will the RTLR wall of heartbreak get more covered? Let's take off at this thing like we were about to be hit by a car!
Story: 8
There's a spoiler that…
Read at the sourceIngrid
Kimi ga Nozomu Eien belongs to a rare, endangered breed with the likes of School Days and White Album 2. All three of these are highly controversial works due to a simple powerful emotion that they evoke in the audience. Anger. The reason countless people give them shoddy ratings isn't due to poor writing. Because the writing isn't poor. Any writing that can evoke such a powerful emotional response from the audience cannot be poor. The reason people dislike this feeling is because it reminds them of the cruel unrelenting nature of this world that will kick you when you're down. Part of the reason people enjoy watching anime, is because it offers them an escape path from all of that. They can forget all the unrest in their lives and sink in the universe of what they're watching. Kimi ga noz…
Read at the sourcemrfried
I put off watching this for a few years, and I only watched it for completion sake, I thought I would hate it but found myself liking it far more than I expected, so maybe low expectations are the way forward.
The story does have plot holes and major contrivances and the time skip that is episode 3 is so jarring you wonder if you're watching the right episode or if you've actually missed something.
Aside from the big contrivance that is the set-up and drama for much of the series, the story beyond that does kind of work and feel honest especially with regards how the majority of the characters deal with the situations they are in, and only once did once character feel like he was acting out of character.
I say majority of the characters, as I liked most of them, and I thought they were…
Read at the sourceGustraff
Story: 10
The story gets a perfect score because it achieves the end without significant holes. Develop the personality of 3 young adults and 1 adolescent
is not an easy task, and the anime made it very well. Many different things that they had to face on that difficult stage of life were reproduced, the emotional part being focused. The core of the story was the development by the three protagonists of feelings that are, at the same time, immoral and undeniable. These desires erupt and evolve right when the characters are more emotional unstable, which leads to a situation that is impossible to solve without hurting everyone's feelings. All the hesitation and slow-paced decision making is pretty coherent with the context and it builds an agony on the viewer, which fuels our engines to rea…
Read at the sourceAriscottle
Allow me to preface this post by stating that I never expected to even tolerate, let alone thoroughly enjoy, Rumbling Hearts when I first began my 14 episode adventure. Rumbling Hearts is a drama/romance series from 2003 that was directed by Tetsuya Watanabe and Studio Fantasia. So what originally drew me to this series you might ask? And to that, I don’t have much of an answer. It all honestly, I started this series because I was in the mood for a romance series and found this one by chance and began it on a total whim. The studio is one I have never heard of, the director has done nothing of merit (in my opinion at least), it’s dated, and it has a completely mediocre score on MAL. I actually find that starting completely random series can be a fun adventure all on its own simply because…
Read at the source
