This Coming-Of-Age Title From Attack on Titan Director Is a Hidden Gem You Probably Missed

This Coming-Of-Age Title From Attack on Titan Director Is a Hidden Gem You Probably Missed
Image credit: Crunchyroll

It's time for something light-hearted.

Sing Yesterday For Me is a seinen manga by Kei Toume, named after a song by the Japanese rock band RC Succession. It was published from 1997 to 2015, and five years later Doga Kobo released an anime adaptation.

The work is sure to resonate with those who find themselves in a similar situation: when uncertainty in work or love robs you of mental balance. Not everything in life goes your way, but when you're at a crossroads, you don't have to hit the gas.

What Is Sing Yesterday For Me About?

Rikuo goes to work at a 24-hour convenience store on the corner of a quiet street in Tokyo. Six months ago, the young man graduated from college, but still hadn't decided what to do.

He is happy with his current situation, although memories of his student days haunt him. One working day, Shinako, Rikuo's college crush, comes by the store. Shinako offers to remain friends, and then the annoying eccentric Haru shows up. She works in a nearby coffee shop and is obviously in love with Rikuo.

Rikuo doesn't know that Shinako has painful memories that prevent her from accepting his feelings. She can't get over the loss of her loved one, so she never got into a relationship again.

Meanwhile, Haru gradually opens up to Rikuo – and it turns out that they are very similar. The girl is also at a crossroads, trying to find herself, also unrequitedly in love, also working in the service industry, having dropped out of school.

Sing Yesterday For Me Is a Light-Hearted and Life-Affirming Title

Neither Kei Toume nor anime director Yoshiyuki Fujiwara aim for depth. The characters simply grow up, change jobs and hobbies, build relationships and analyze their feelings. That's the beauty of everyday life.

Sing Yesterday For Me is meant to put the viewer in a romantic mood, and perhaps a nagging taste of nostalgia, which is facilitated by a pleasant, simple visual with light and melodic endings.

In moments of special spiritual closeness between the characters, Fujiwara makes all sound disappear, leaving them alone with their thoughts and feelings, or resorts to a subjective camera – at one point it literally loses focus due to the surging tears. Memories flash across the screen in colorful frames from the manga, idealizing the past.

Where to Watch Sing Yesterday For Me?

Sing Yesterday For Me is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

It's time for something light-hearted.

Sing Yesterday For Me is a seinen manga by Kei Toume, named after a song by the Japanese rock band RC Succession. It was published from 1997 to 2015, and five years later Doga Kobo released an anime adaptation.

The work is sure to resonate with those who find themselves in a similar situation: when uncertainty in work or love robs you of mental balance. Not everything in life goes your way, but when you're at a crossroads, you don't have to hit the gas.

What Is Sing Yesterday For Me About?

Rikuo goes to work at a 24-hour convenience store on the corner of a quiet street in Tokyo. Six months ago, the young man graduated from college, but still hadn't decided what to do.

He is happy with his current situation, although memories of his student days haunt him. One working day, Shinako, Rikuo's college crush, comes by the store. Shinako offers to remain friends, and then the annoying eccentric Haru shows up. She works in a nearby coffee shop and is obviously in love with Rikuo.

Rikuo doesn't know that Shinako has painful memories that prevent her from accepting his feelings. She can't get over the loss of her loved one, so she never got into a relationship again.

Meanwhile, Haru gradually opens up to Rikuo – and it turns out that they are very similar. The girl is also at a crossroads, trying to find herself, also unrequitedly in love, also working in the service industry, having dropped out of school.

Sing Yesterday For Me Is a Light-Hearted and Life-Affirming Title

Neither Kei Toume nor anime director Yoshiyuki Fujiwara aim for depth. The characters simply grow up, change jobs and hobbies, build relationships and analyze their feelings. That's the beauty of everyday life.

Sing Yesterday For Me is meant to put the viewer in a romantic mood, and perhaps a nagging taste of nostalgia, which is facilitated by a pleasant, simple visual with light and melodic endings.

In moments of special spiritual closeness between the characters, Fujiwara makes all sound disappear, leaving them alone with their thoughts and feelings, or resorts to a subjective camera – at one point it literally loses focus due to the surging tears. Memories flash across the screen in colorful frames from the manga, idealizing the past.

Where to Watch Sing Yesterday For Me?

Sing Yesterday For Me is available to stream on Crunchyroll.