* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: In a show that had no fanservice or ecchi moments, the scene where Makoto gets her [[FlirtatiousSmackOnTheAss butt grabbed]] by [[DirtyOldMan Tamaki]] comes out of nowhere, doesn’t make sense, and has no impact on the story at all.
** The fact that Tatsuo is witnessing this and just shrugs it off makes him look like a bad father, [[OutOfCharacterMoment which is out of character for him.]]
* CrossesTheLineTwice: Tatsuo cheerfully telling his story about watching turtles get crushed on the road. Right in front of the turtle herald, no less.
* PopularWithFurries: Naturally, what with all the anthropomorphic characters running around.
* {{Shipping}}: Despite there being very little romance in the story itself the most popular ships in the fandom are [[UnequalPairing Makoto/Gintaro]] and [[AnchoredShip Makoto/Satoru.]]
** The sheer amount of ShipTease between Makoto/Gintaro could fill its own page. These two are constantly acting physically affectionate with each other, Makoto hugs and holds hands with Gintaro, who despite his complaining doesn’t mind at all. Special mention goes to the end of episode 2 when Makoto [[PlatonicDeclarationOfLove tells Gintaro she loves him]] and Gintaro’s [[LuminescentBlush flustered reaction]].
*** In the manga when Kosugi asks Satoru what kind of guys Makoto likes the only example Satoru comes up with is Gintaro.
** For Makoto/Satoru the manga takes things in an explicitly romantic direction, although they are currently an AnchoredShip.
** HoYay: Episode 10 of the anime is absolutely chock full of this between [[DefrostingIceQueen Satoru]] and his kendo club captain Kinu. For a start, Kinu really doesn't mind getting touchy, scruffing Satoru's hair, grabbing his wrist, and at multiple points physically drags him to places by holding onto his arm. At the end of the episode, Kinu gives Satoru an uplifting talk while the two of them walk along a river in the evening, with enough DramaticWind and sparkly moonlit eyes to be featured in any [[YaoiGenre BL anime]].
* TearJerker:
** Haru’s backstory is especially heartbreaking. [[spoiler: She was only a pup when she was hit by a car and seriously injured. Satoru’s great-grandfather (who witnessed the accident) took her to a doctor but it was too late to save her, so the great-grandfather took her body to his family shrine and buried her there. Meanwhile the pup’s spirit followed him all the way to the shrine, and as soon as she passed through the gate she transformed into a herald.]]
** Satoru’s backstory is equally tragic. [[spoiler: Every parental figure who loved him died and he was abused by his own relatives. He doesn't even know when his own birthday is because the only dates he remembers are the ones on which his parents and grandfather died.]]