With You and the Rain

Episode 12

I don't think you need a reason to enjoy the rain. It may not be a popular form of weather, but there's no denying that it's an important one, and whether you appreciate it for its nourishing qualities, revel in the joys of splashing in puddles, snuggle into the coziness of a day with nothing more to than read beneath its gentle patter, or realize that there are much bigger problems out there than weather, which you can't do anything about anyway, rainy days are generally worth having. It's fitting, therefore, that With You and the Rain ends as it began, with a rainy day. In fact, it ends on the same rainy day that started it in one of the most beautiful examples of coming full circle I've seen recently. But the bigger picture is that the episode shows us a slew of different reactions to the rain and how Fuji's own embraces all of them.

Interestingly enough, Kimi himself is largely in the background of the finale. There's one brief moment where he remembers leaving his tanuki family and setting out for the city, which lets us know that he absolutely chose to become a pet (albeit not why he did), but mostly we see Kimi through Fuji's eyes. He's the beloved “dog” she has to wear out before she can go bowling, her puddle-playing companion who gives her permission to frolic in the rain, and the reason she regains her balance after work has destabilized her.

It's that last one that feels the most important. For most of the series, we didn't really know what prompted Fuji to bring home a “dog” she knew wasn't really a dog. She's not particularly emotive, nor is she all that honest when she's talking about her feelings with others, even her friends. As Episode Zero (the back half of episode twelve) shows, that can weigh her down. Even her long hair was beginning to feel like it was holding her back somehow, and the reveal that she cut it just before she adopted Kimi is significant. Fuji knew she needed to make some changes in her life. Taking him home pairs with cutting off her hair as a sign that she's going to try not to carry everything all by herself. Kimi, too, obviously wanted a change, and it's lovely to think that they find those changes together.

Rain can be cleansing. Scenes of Fuji trying to refuse an umbrella as she leaves her parents' house and later giving it away pair with the image of Fuji and Kimi splashing around in the rain unselfconsciously. The rain is washing away Fuji's cares, purifying her for her next steps.

Rain can be peaceful. Fuji calmly walking in the park or through the city as the rain threatens or falls, the picture of quietude while others worry about getting wet or huddling under umbrellas shows her acceptance of herself and her world, that she has other things to worry about than mere wet clothing.

Rain can be joyous. Sometimes, as Fuji and Kimi demonstrate, it's about playing in the rain, not getting wet. Anyone can be outside when water is falling from the sky, but not everyone can appreciate it as something more than mere weather. It's all in how you look at life – is that a tanuki or a dog? A shadow on the glass or an animal peeking in? As the saying goes, some people walk in the rain and others get wet. If you leave your umbrella at home or give it away like Fuji does, maybe the rain will bring something wonderful.

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With You and the Rain is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

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