Lamune is a Visual Novel by Neko Neko Soft, adapted into a 12-episode anime in 2005.
The anime features all the various girls from the game, but focuses on the developing relationship between the male protagonist Kenji and his childhood friend Nanami. The other girls each have a spotlight episode (two in the case of Hiromi Sakura, whose story has significant effects on the main relationship), and then serve as supporting cast as the show explores the growing relationship between the main characters.
The series has a summer theme to it, and the setting is crafted to reflect a small beach town in summer, right down to the sound of cicadas being prominently used. The series is named after a type of soft drink popular in Japan
, and also has a significant role in the anime.
All in all, it's a slow-paced anime, but is very sweet and filled with heartwarming moments.
No relation to NG Knight Lamune & 40.
This series provides examples of:
- Anguished Declaration of Love: Sakura gives one to Kenji in episode 8. But it turns out that she's moving away, and wanted to get it off her chest.
- Brother–Sister Incest: In the visual novel, Kenji's younger sister Suzuka does have a romantic path. Road Coned in the anime.
- Butt-Monkey: Hatano, usually on the receiving end of Hikari's attacks. He doesn't mind it for the most part though.
- Clingy Jealous Girl: Nanami gets a little mad at Kenji when he jokes about Sakura declaring her love for him. Later she also gets jealous when Sakura gets a little too close to him after he took a ball hit for her in episode 8.
- She also gets upset at him when she catches him trying to wake Misora from his bed (which he had been forced to give up to her).
- Converse with the Unconscious: Nanami does this a number of times to Kenji, and even confesses her love to him way before he wakes up.
- First Girl Wins: Although it shouldn't come as a surprise in the anime since Nanami gets the most screentime and character development with Kenji compared to the rest of the girls. Even Kenji's sister doesn't show up as much.
- Hopeless Suitor: Poor Sakura. Episode 8 seems to indicate that she may have a chance with Kenji, such as when Tae has him meet Sakura privately at school, and when Suzuka keeps stealing Nanami away from those two. But it turns out that Sakura is moving away, and they were trying to give her some good memories with Kenji while attempting to keep Nanami in the dark so she wouldn't get too jealous. While they do that in episode 9, Sakura even admits that she could never compete against Nanami.
- Lethal Chef: Hikari's cooking isn't bad, but she likes her food really spicy...
- She Is Not My Girlfriend: Hatano likes to tease Kenji by calling Nanami his wife. Nanami doesn't seem to mind being called that...
- Unwanted Harem: Sort of. Two of the girls don't live with him, but the rest either do, or live right next door. At least in the anime, the only girls who really try to express interest in Kenji are Nanami and Sakura
