Koi Kaze - 12: Heat Haze

Koushiro and Nanoka ride an empty train together holding hands. Nanoka takes Koushiro to her old middle school as they walk to their mother's salon (which is attached to her house). Because it is still early, their mother notes they must have left early to get there considering the distance. Nanoka says that she spent the night at Koushiro's house, but their mother sees nothing odd in that remark and is glad to see them getting along.

A customer sends their mother back to the shop, and Nanoka and Koushiro spend a quiet moment together. Nanoka begins sweeping outside while Koushiro lies in Nanoka's old room. His mother asks him to fix a tile on the roof which is causing a leak while Nanoka washes clothes. The two of them share a happy laugh.

After the store closes, Koushiro is looking at pictures of Nanoka as a kid and enjoying himself. Nanoka is embarrased, especially since there aren't any pictures of him there. Their mother finds a book where Nanoka had stated she wanted to become a beautician like her mother, get married, and have lots of children. Then, her dream is to have her mother, father, and brother all live with her. While this is a happy memory for their mother, she remarks that the husband of Nanoka would have some trouble.

That night as Nanoka and Koushiro leave, they apologize for just dropping by like that. This takes their mother aback because they were such a great help to her, so much so that she quips she'd like them to stop by every day. As she tells them goodbye, they turn and formally bow together at their mother, who stands and watches them as they walk down the hill to the train station.

The two of them walk in silence, but don't pick up the train. Instead, the walk to the coast. Nanoka asks if they are going to commit suicide. She doesn't mind either way. Koushiro weeps because he doesn't know what to do. So, Nanoka suggests that they return home and they can think about it there. He wonders if she's OK with that. She is because as long as she's with her oniichan, she's fine with that no matter what happens.

Koushiro resigns from his job to the head of the company and takes his box of things and throws them out. He meets Chidori, who asks if he really quit. She is no longer angry with him, nor disgusted by the choice he made. She tells him that if he is unable to do anything anymore, he should come back. She's refering to his relationship with Nanoka and while she can't wish him good luck, she does wish him well. he walks away and she turns to watch him leave.

Meanwhile at the end of the school day, Futaba-chan and Tamaki-chan ask Nanoka if she wants to do some karaoke on the way home. She declines citing another appointment. They reflect on the fact that Nanoka doesn't hang out with them anymore. Tamaki-chan feels it is a boyfriend, but Futaba-chan isn't so sure. Tamaki wants to spy on Nanoka to see her boyfriend, and tries to get Futaba to go along with it since Futaba and Nanoka spied on her date months earlier. Futaba doesn't want to, afraid of what they'll learn.

Koushiro returns to his father's house. The sign on at the gate has their three names and Koushiro apologizes. Koushiro returns to his apartment to find Nanoka waiting there and preparing dinner like a wife. Nanoka does her homework in the evening and Koushiro relaxes while reading.

Spring has come and the sakura are in the air. Their father is going to be in charge of tearing down the park where they had thier first encounter. Nanoka and Koushiro decide to go there too. Nanoka falls in the mud and Koushiro laughs at her. This causes Nanoka to throw mud at him and the two act like children and laugh despite the looks they get.

That night the park closes. However, Nanoka and Koushiro have hidden and stayed behind. They walk around and go to the places they went on their first encounter. They go to the ferris wheel, but of course it isn't moving. Nanoka is disappointed. Koushiro suggests prayer. It doesn't work, so he suggests it again. Then, the ferris wheel moves just a bit prompting Nanoka to believe that maybe it could work. They have a good laugh about it.

Later, as Nanoka falls asleep on his arm, Koushiro wonders what they are going to do. The next morning, they walk out of the park and Nanoka carves an umbrella into a nearby tree and writes her name on the left side. Koushiro writes his given name Saeki on the right side (this is the Japanese symbol for couples in love, sharing an umbrella). Nanoka wants to return to this spot every spring and makes Koushiro promise. He wonders if she shouldn't stop by his place first to get a bath, but she's OK with things as they are as she turns to head to their father's house. As she walks down the sidewalk, Koushiro quietly says "I love you."

AstroNerdBoy: 11 December 2006

Well, its over. I'm glad I have a greater understanding of Japanese culture as I watched this. When Nanoka and Koushiro gave that formal bow to their mother, I figured that they were either leaving for some other part of Japan or were going to commit suicide. I'm glad they didn't do themselves in.

Chidori's final scene was very interesting. Clearly she doesn't approve of the relationship, but isn't going to interfere with it either. Her offer to him of returning was interesting as well. Not only did I feel she'd help him get his job back, but in some strange way, she might actually give him a chance with her. I may be way off base there, but that was the impression I was left with.

I had wondered how Nanoka and Koushiro would continue their relationship if they weren't going to leave. Clearly Nanoka spends at least some of the time back at their father's house, but considering how they spent the night in the park, I'd say she doesn't spend every night there (or at the very least, comes home very early in the morning before her father wakes up). One wonders how much he knows, considering how much he worried about Nanoka. However, both the mother and father seem so happy that the siblings are getting along that they may be blinded by what is happening.

I found Futaba-chan's reluctance to spy on Nanoka very interesting. It was as if she strongly suspected that Nanoka and Koushiro were in a secret relationship, but if you don't see it for yourself, you can still deny it is going on.

Blue Hiker: 9 November 2007
(I know I'm way late - but after re-watching this series recently I just had to comment on this episode)

I'm glad Koi Kaze didn't have a "cop out" ending just to force some sort of resolution. The only way I could describe this final episode in a single word is "bittersweet" - but other viewers may find that description inappropriate. Koi Kaze leaves the viewer with many unanswered questions - we don't know what the future holds for Koshiro and Nanoka, and neither do they. What they do know is that their relationship is going to be frowned upon, and they'll probably have to make a lot of sacrifices in the process (in a way, Koshiro already has). And of course, it may not work out in the end. But that's not the here and now, and the pair accept their feelings anyway. This may all sound very cliché, but the story is so well executed that it's highly believable, and emotionally quite powerful.

The scene by the ocean is probably the one time Koi Kaze nearly brought me to tears - Nanoka's tone is dead serious as she suggests a tragic ending to their story. Given the naive girl we knew at the start of the series, who seems to live an ordinary and enjoyable high school life, it's almost heartbreaking and reinforces just how much value she places in their relationship, whatever consequences it may bring. By the end of the story, both Koshiro and Nanoka seem content with the way things are, but at the same time it's not going to be smooth sailing. Koi Kaze maintains a (sometimes unsettling) degree of realism right until the end, and that's what makes it so challenging - and unforgettable.