English Dub Review: A Condition Called Love “Our First Christmas”

Overview

Based on the Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Megumi Morino. The story follows Hotaru Hinase and Saki Hananoi’s trial dating period is set to expire on Christmas, and Saki has promised her a Christmas Eve to remember. But now he isn’t responding to her and Hotaru’s not sure how to face him, if she ever sees him again at all…

Our Take

For 16-year-old highschool girl Hotaru Hinase, after witnessing a breakup of the handsome honor student Saki Hananoi and his ex with her friend Kyo, Hotaru has no experience in love and romance, so she couldn’t really care less. That is until she sympathized for the poor bastard, by offering him an umbrella away from the snow. This small gesture leads Saki to ask her out. Suddenly confronted with romantic feelings, Hotaru wonders about the true meaning of love and what it entails.

Or at least I thought that’s where it was going until Hotaru begins to notice unstable aspects of Saki’s behavior that understandably leave her feeling unsettled. Despite these quirks, a resolution is reached, leading to a wholesome conclusion where Hotaru decides to give love a chance and see where it leads.

Overall, the debut presents a promising start despite some initial concerns about Saki’s character. Christmas is kind’ve a big deal within Japanese culture as it’s mostly celebrated by couples as a Pseudo-Valentines Day of sorts. And Hotaru’s journey into romance in some ways feels reminiscent of Mandy Moore’s portrayal in the film “How to Deal,” which was decent even if the heart of that film was about Mandy’s character being a disillusioned teen who doesn’t understand romance the same way most people process it. But it remains to be seen if Saki will develop and whether their relationship will endure, eager to discover the twists and turns that lie ahead…