]]Kazuma Hoshino and his little brother Ayumu are moving to the countryside, to the small town of Yamabiko. Ayumu is sickly, and some country air will do him good. As they try to reach the Yoruzuyo Inn, the place where they'll be staying, Ayumu's hat is stolen by a monkey, leading to Kazuma to chase it down. In the process, he runs into Ui Nakatsugawa, and the two accidentally kiss. The next day, Kazuma discovers that Ui in his class, signaling the start of an exciting new life.Originally a Visual Novel by Feng (Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka), Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi (A Bridge to the Starry Skies) was adapted into an anime in the spring of 2011.
Tropes in this work include:
Absolute Cleavage: Madoka's kimono manages to loosen in the ping pong match.
A-Cup Angst: Ibuki Hinata pats her chest in episode 6 after seeing the other girl's bosoms.
Then there's her rather violent reactions to when Kazuma implies or hints it (eg see Thanks for the Mammary below for a hilarious example). More blatant is during Kazuma and Ibuki's date in episode 11, when at the shopping mall Ibuki tries on several outfits for Kazuma to see. One is a bikini. Kazuma looks at her chest and expresses disappointment. Cue kick to the shin.
Hina lampshades this with regards to her Over Protective Dad when he yells at her from the crowd to win the Hikonan Race.
Subverted: just before the Tug-of-War match between Kazuma and Hina's dad, three of the Hot Moms (those of Hina, Ui, and Madoka) gossip out loud about how good looking Kazuma is, and Hina's mom even wonders out loud if he's a good candidate to be Hina's husband. Naturally, Kazuma is not amused.
Amusing Injuries: Due to Hina's height, she hits her head on the ceiling of Kazuma's bedroom off camera with a very loud thud that gets his attention (right after he warned her of the low ceiling). A moment later she's seen squatting and clutching her head.
The Archer: Ibuki is the ace member of her school's archery team, and even gets "Robin Hood" as a nickname. (Though Kazuma jokingly calls her "Robin Mask").
Later on, Hina, justified that she hadn't eaten a single morsel ever since she ran away from home.
Bishie Sparkle: Used frequently on Hina to accentuate her Tall, Dark and Bishoujo characteristics, but also in a hilarious case with Puppy-Dog Eyes (see below). Also a few times on Ui when she's in a really good mood (like when she's about to eat).
Bishounen: Kazuma, if comments from the Hot Moms are anything to go by.
Bridal Carry: Kazuma carries Koyori to the finishing line in the Hikonan race. Bonus points for both of them wearing wedding costumes.
Calling the Old Man Out: Kazuma voluntarily argues the resident Overprotective Dad, Mr. Sakai, in Hina's stead to the point that he accepts the man's challenge to a duel in a tug-of-war match.
Cameo: Minato Nagase and Yocchan from Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka make a cameo appearance in the Hoshizora Visual Novel, going on a summer training camp for their tennis club.
In the anime Hina mentions that she can't even handle the smell of alcoholic beverages. In the Visual Novel, at a party at the Yoruzuyo Inn during the summer festival she's persuaded by the guests to have some liquor, and downs at least a whole glass, and subsequently gets completely wasted.
Cry Into Chest: Visual Novel, a plot point in Ibuki's path. When she starts breaking down and crying from not winning the archery tournament, Kazuma can choose to let her do this (in order to progress with her) or just let her cry on her own.
Cuteness Proximity: Hina really has a penchant for cute little things in general.
Gets brought up to hilarious levels during the Hikonan Race, when at the final stage where all the participants must wear a costume, she sees Ui dressed in a penguin suit, and enters a sort of entranced/zombified state (and completely forgetting about her embarassment of wearing a skimpy Qipao) and pursues the latter at full speed (who gets really spooked by her pursuer and runs away).
Hina has started to show more varied reactions to the cute object/person depending on who or what it is. She acts like the Cool Big Sis towards Ayumu (and already patting him on the head at their first meeting), while she has a more suggestive reaction to when Kasane dresses up in a cute bear pajama suit (resulting in some bizzare sleep experience for the former when they spend the night in Kazuma's house).
Perhaps most amusingly, after her Overprotective Dad lost a tug-of-war match against Kazuma, he ended up sulking, and somehow, Hina actually found it cute that she gave him a big bearhug.
Koyori ends up as Hina's latest victim when she dons cat ears.
Ui's, Madoka's, and Hina's moms towards Ayumu at the end of the anime.
Daigo disguises him in a cat costume and she totally buys it
Date Peepers: Daigo, Koyori, and Kasane... during Kazuma and Madoka's date.
Death Glare: Kazuma gives one to Daigo after finding out that it was the latter who made Ayumu wear a cheerleader's costume. You'd think Kazuma's gonna beat him up. But all Daigo gets is a thumbs-up and and a "Goodjob".
The Ditz: Ui, so much that Ibuki feels the need to look after her.
Does Not Like Men: Madoka is very fearful of guys, due to her strict upbringing (courtesy of her grandfather).
Dojikko: Despite her many idealistic traits, Tsumugi somehow becomes this during the obstacle course much to the embarrassment of her sisters. Her troubles already begin at the very start of the race where as soon as it starts she immediately trips and falls flat on her face.
I'm Taking Him Home With Me!: Several women seem to have this thought on their mind regarding Kazuma's younger brother, Ayumu. Hina also seems to imply this when she sees Ui in the penguin suit, and later Koyori in cat ears.
Innocent Cohabitation: After Hina runs away from home and crashes in at Kazuma's. She ends up sleeping in his room along with him with the futon spread out so they can both sleep in it. Cue Not What It Looks Like situation the next morning (see below).
I Just Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Madoka and Ibuki stop attempting to pursue Kazuma once they realize that he likes Ui. Madoka finds this out after their date, and how he keeps mentioning Ui, while Ibuki realizes it after their date after Kazuma rejects her casual comment of seriously dating her. They even help out slightly in getting the two together near the end, and then joke about getting rejected.
Large Ham: Daigo. Turned Up to Eleven in Episode 5, where he is the sports fest's commentator.
Letting Her Hair Down: Koyori does this when spying on Kazuma and Madoka's date as a "disguise". Played more straight in the Visual Novel when she starts exploring her femininity as she develops feelings towards Kazuma.
Like Brother and Sister: Ui tries to convince herself that this is how she sees Kazuma. That's perhaps to stave away the pain of losing her older brother to his wife. She eventually gets over it with just one phone call to her brother, and since that point begins to see Kazuma as something else.
Little Girls Kick Shins: Kazuma is often at the receiving end of this from Ibuki (if she doesn't aim higher up), and also gets at least one from Koyori.
The Long List: Hina goes through a detailed list of every time she tried to talk to her parents about going to Tokyo. By the time she gets to the sixth one, Kazuma stops her.
Motor Mouth: In the Visual Novel, Madoka when she panics, complete with Wingding Eyes, especially in embarrassing situations involving Kazuma. Once she hits that state she ends up just blurting out all her thoughts in practically a single breath.
My Sister Is Off Limits: In the Visual Novel, Tsumugi and Koyori, both for each other; i.e. if Kazuma goes after one, he earns the ire of the other. Koyori is far more vocal and violent in this regard if Kazuma dates Tsumugi, making a scene at one point, while Tsumugi's reaction to finding Kazuma and Koyori in bed together is a lot more comical.
Tsumugi is cleaning the baths when Kazuma walks in. She (and Senka, seconds later) get a good look at his junk.
Played with when Hina crashes in at Kazuma's home and stays in his room. While alone there when Kazuma has dinner she decides to wipe herself with wet tissues, and Kazuma walks in on her with her blouse and bra off.
Unfortunately for Kazuma, it didn't stop there, becoming a Gossip Evolution that spread througout the whole school (showed by groups of students talking about it when Kazuma walked by them), which Kazuma only found out eventually from Madoka.
Kazuma gets another one when Senka walks in on him in the morning with a sleeping Hina with her arms around him.
Oba San: The temperature drops when Yorozu gets called as such.
Inverted with Ui, who became excited when she discovered out that her older brother now has a child.
Offhand Backhand: At the start of Episode 12 Senka swats a bee this way with a wooden spoon while carrying on a conversation with Kazuma.
Overprotective Dad: Mr. Sakai's not very approving of his daughter's desire to further her studies out of the village and into Tokyo University, even if it meant for the better of the entire Sakai household. He goes as far as to silence Hina when she speaks about it. Mrs. Sakai advices him to reconsider his opinion, as Hina is all grown up.
Puppy-Dog Eyes: After Kazuma asks The Runaway Hina about her next move, Hina pulls this off, with Bishie Sparkle, to beg him to let her crash in at his place. He even lampshades it:
Kazuma: It's not possible! Even if you look at me with those eyes!
Rapunzel Hair: Toudou sisters Tsumugi and Kasane, Hina and her mom, and Senka (as seen with her bangs).
Real Place Background: A very rare case of the people the show based its setting off of not appreciating the tourism.
Second Year Protagonist: Kazuma's potential love interests are divided equally among the high school years: Ui and Ibuki are his classmates, Tsumugi and Hina are seniors, Madoka and Koyori are freshmen.
Shipper on Deck: Tsumugi and Ayumu, and later Hina, shipping Kazuma and Ui.
Ship Tease: Ayumu and Kazane in the Visual Novel, starting with a hilarious Naked First Impression in the onsen, followed by a cute conversation between them in the following scene.
A character from the Visual Novel, Shii's manager, when dressed for an event, looks and acts somewhat like Papillon, and even wears a butterfly on his shirt in place of a tie.
Something Else Also Rises: During the bread eating race, the bread is a little too high for Madoka to reach. The two boys holding it get a little distracted by her bounciness, and gradually the poles sort of lean towards each other, allowing her to grab the bread. The announcer even lampshades this trope by saying that the poles holding the bread dropped as other poles raised.
Sound Only Knockout: Daigo attempting to peep only for Senka to be right there after he opens the door.
Stealth Hi/Bye: Parodied. Whenever Koyori makes the ram hand seal, she expects you to duck and cover your eyes until she leaves.
Stupid Sexy Flanders: A sizable portion of this show's straight male fandom are watching it for Ayumu, finding him to be cuter than any of the girls in the cast. Applys in-universe as wekk
Ui: It's not like I wanted you to give me a piggyback ride, or have you feel my forehead...
Kasane also says something about not taking pictures of Mugi-nee and selling them to men during episode 12, even though Kazuma never mentioned anything about it.
Tanabata: The series title alludes to this. It is also the basis of the local folklore (but retold in a different fashion, and also named Futogoyama instead) and a festival that takes place in homage of it.
Thanks for the Mammary: Hilariously played with: At the beach trip, Kazuma is blindfolded and asked to identify someone by touching them. He ends up groping Ayumu's chest, and then guesses it to be Hinata, who obviously doesn't take it well.
They Call Me Mister Tibbs: Daigo's mother, who's also his class' homeroom teacher, doesn't want him addressing her as "mom" while in class.
Title Drop: Kazuma invoked it on episode 6 after listening to Ui talking about a well-known Japanese myth. He does it again at the end of the series.
Tsundere: Ibuki and Koyori. Both were hostile to Kazuma when he first met either of them.
Ibuki is called out to be a tsundere by Daigo in the Visual Novel multiple times, and even goes so far as to ask Kazuma to hurry up and get to the dere side of hers.
Zettai Ryouiki: Ui, Hina (in her school uniform, and later in a more casual outfit), and Tsumugi's little sisters, Kasane and Koyori (the latter in her everyday clothes).
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