A Star Brighter Than the Sun

Episodes 1-3

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a shoujo romance must feature two characters who don't realize that their crush is mutual. This truism is doubled only if the two are childhood friends who have drifted apart a bit in middle school, only to reunite in high school. When you add to that the visual elements of floaty bubbles, soft filters, and pastel stills, A Star Brighter Than the Sun's first three episodes look like the winners of The Ultimate Shoujo Challenge – the most shoujo shoujo romance ever to exist. If it wasn't also good, it might be a little ridiculous. But fortunately for all of us, this adaptation of Kazune Kawahara's manga is leaning into its trappings because it knows how to use them. It may not be a new story, but it doesn't have to be – all it has to do is use its tropes well to give viewers a story that's half-comfortable, half-frustrating, as all good romances are.

Heroine Sae Iwata (Iwa to her friends) has been crushing on Koki Kamishiro since they became friends in elementary school. At the time, she was the tallest kid in class, and he was among the smallest; by middle school, she was still a gigantic 5'4”, but he surpassed her…and because they weren't in the same class and the whole “never the twain shall meet” gender vibe of middle school, they more or less fell out of touch. But Sae never stopped watching Koki, and there's a strong implication that the same can be said for him. In episode one, he practically jumps at the chance to rekindle their friendship – and if you're paying attention, it looks a lot like he announces his choice of high school the minute Sae says hers. His body language and delivery both indicate that North High hadn't been his plan, but after hearing that it was Sae's, he made a very abrupt change.

This series seems to be all about the little moments. Koki's brief hesitation before saying North High, the way he seeks Sae out with his eyes even if they're not near each other, and how he goes out of his way to be near her all speak volumes, even if Sae can't read them. Her sense of social inferiority to him is so ingrained that she can't recognize her own behaviors in his. In episode three, when he says that the girl he likes shines brighter than the sun, she immediately assumes that means it can't possibly be her because no one would describe her that way. But from Koki's words, it sounds like he thinks the same way – that no one as good as Sae could ever see him that way.

It's a very grounded approach to the romance. Everyone believes that there's something wrong with them. Just as Sae is stuck in the mindset of being a giant girl, Koki is keenly aware of his own shortcomings, and both of them believe that those stand out as much to others as they do to themselves. Yes, Sae's height is inescapable, but once people get used to the fact that she's tall, they don't seem to care; her kindness is what shines through to everyone. Sui, one of her new high school friends, doesn't view Sae as the huge girl who saved her when she fell; she's the nice girl she met on the first day of school. And when someone doesn't can see beyond Sae's height, Koki is there to let them have it: obnoxious Izawa learns that firsthand.

Or so we can assume, anyway. In a good bit of “show, don't tell,” no one ever says that Izawa was making fun of Sae when Koki shoved him down a slope. We can guess that from Koki's body language and the fact that he reverts to calling Sae by her first name, but it isn't spelled out. Similarly, later Izawa remarks that making fun of Sae is off the table; it's pretty clear that he's referring to the hill incident, too…or maybe another attempt to do the same thing, since he doesn't seem like the kind of guy to learn his lesson easily. (How dare he then try to take advantage of Sae during the school trip.)

Apart from the slowly unfolding romance plot, what I love about these episodes is Sae's friend group. Sui, who could easily have been a false friend when she found out about Sae's crush, instead is shown going out of her way to be a good one – when she thinks Sae doesn't like “girl talk,” she switches it off; when she learns Sae likes Koki, she backs off. Kagawa, the third in their trio, also makes a real effort to be a good friend. She's dry and serious, but that doesn't mean she doesn't enjoy spending time with Sae and Sui; the scene in episode three where Sui dries her hair for her is a beautiful little snapshot of their relationship.

In another story, Sae and Koki not really communicating could have been annoying. But the details are so well done here —from the line delivery to the body language —that it works. I really want to see them work things out and figure out their feelings (he better not have a crush on someone else). In a shoujo romance, that's paramount, and this show is poised to get it right.

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A Star Brighter Than the Sun is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.