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RUMBLING HEARTS: BETRAYAL IS A BITCH (VOL.3) [ADVANCE REVIEW] |
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Saturday, 24 March 2007 |
 | | ▪ | RELEASED BY: | | FUNIMATION ENTERTAINMENT | | | ▪ | ASPECT RATIO: | | 4:3 FULL FRAME | | | ▪ | AUDIO: | | ENGLISH AND JAPANESE DD 2.0 | | | ▪ | RUNNING TIME: | | 125 MIN | | | ▪ | RATING: | | TV 14 | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 03/27/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 03/25/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | SCOTT CAMPBELL |
Rumbling Hearts is an anime that captivates the viewer’s attention from the beginning and then drags us through its own personal incarnation of a doomed emotional roller coaster ride. It’s perhaps funny to think that an over the top drama of pain, loss, confusion and miscommunication could entertain and make you want to watch more – but Rumbling Hearts makes it work episode by episode. If you enjoy a story that revolves around the personal interactions (those interactions being often dramatic) and can’t stop watching until you see how all the conflicts work themselves out, this is one to check out. One of the best things about it is that it isn’t just like all the other anime that try to do the same thing. This anime is quite adult in a number of ways because it deals with a lot of difficult emotions and doesn’t throw any sugar on top to make it go down easy. These characters are constantly hurting and the web of decisions and emotions that have brought them there can get a bit complex. They need group therapy! It’s all too likely you’ll start talking to the screen as the DVD plays: “Nooo, don’t say that – it’s only going to make her more angry than she is already! Communicate people!” It gets involving to say the least.
In this third and final disc things are getting pretty hot under the collar. Some REALLY bad decisions get made and then you’ll hardly be able to believe the emotional reactions and fist fights that come after. Let’s just say that that the “three D’s” (depression, drinking, and desperation) lead to infidelity with close high school friends – not to mention significant other’s best friends to boot. And who’s the angriest about it? It will have your head spinning. While all this is happening, Haruka our little coma girl falls back into her coma because she finds out the truth about the last three years that she was unaware had passed. Mitsuki leaves Takayuki for good and he wrestles with whether to take the job promotion or spend his energy trying to decide which of these ladies’ affections he would like to win. The poor guy has a lot on his plate! Then Haruka wakes up again and is ready to deal with the fact that she has been asleep for the last three years. The only thing is, she doesn’t remember waking up previously, so the explaining has to start all over. When she finds out the truth about Mitsuki and Takayuki’s relationship, she is completely devastated. But only this devastation can bring her to move forward and make her realize what she has to do. The way things end up settling in the end will not likely be how you would think they would – it’s a bit of a surprise. It’s very bitter sweet because it’s such a reality in a way – it’s no storybook ending, at least not the kind of storybook we’re used to. It doesn’t leave much undecided and we can be thankful for that – but it’s hard to know whether we should be sad or be able to find some slight glimmer of hope from the final episode. It’s all up to the viewer – watch it and see what reaction it brings out in you!
EXTRAS:
The disc extras include clean opening and closing themes and FUNImation trailers.
IN SUMMARY:
Rumbling Hearts is kind of a “sleeper hit.” It doesn’t look like much on the cover, but there’s one heart wrenching drama waiting inside for anyone willing to give it a chance. It is a feel good series, and it sure is an emotional nail-biter. If you watch only one dramatic social situation anime this year, make it this one – it pushes its genre over the limit. |
