Harukana Receive

To enjoy any sports anime series, I usually expect it to have some sort of suspense. In other words, I want the individual matches, fights, races, etc. to have the right amount of tension so that it keeps me glued to the screen, and so I can look forward to the main protagonists kicking everyone's ass or even losing so that they can become even stronger next time. I also demand intense training montages, discovering new strategies, and some interesting storylines which develop away from the pitch, race track, stadium, etc. I grew up on the Rocky movie franchise, so what else would you possibly expect from me? So that is why I am quite surprised at how much I enjoyed this relaxing and enjoyable sporting affair, which is packed with friendship, smiling, sunshine, sand, and girls in swimsuits. This is not a typical sports anime, this is more of a "cute girls do volleyball" kind of thing. There is a search for lost confidence, the power of friendship and partnership, and we find out that volleyball is no place for aces... It is heart-warming, pleasant, and a little bit educational. Plus, the last episode could have easily been awarded five stars. There is a brilliantly orchestrated (and even quite dramatic) showdown, an important match, as well as the post-match excitement, including a collective reconciliation and a promise for the future - in other words, this ending will leave you feeling satisfied and positive (with a slight wink at a possible second season, or at least an OVA, because there is definitely one more big game waiting for the girls). Furthermore, at one point the soundtrack is absolutely great, so one of the final scenes featuring Kanata and Haruka is the best of the whole anime series for me. Oh, and a few words about the fan service - beach volleyball is played in swimsuits (just for the people who don’t know that) - so sometimes the camera does find itself wandering and ending up with shots of those interesting and beautiful places on the female body, which we gentlemen are naturally able to locate ourselves. However, these shots are in no way overused, cheesy, raunchy, or in any way objectionable. So, as an ordinary healthy man, I would only comment by saying: "Was there any fan service? Well, the only thing I saw was just some girls in swimsuits!". This was a charming, enjoyable and surprising show - 7.2/10. (09/22/2018)