Japanese Title: Kita e.: Diamond Dust Drops
Similar: Hatsukoi Limited
Watched in: Japanese & English
Genre: Drama Romance Slice of Life
Length: 12 episodes, 1 OVA
Positives:
- Well-paced short stories.
- Doesn’t always end as the characters would wish.
Negatives:
- Plays it safe.
- Pre-opening sequence gives away the upcoming episode.
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Diamond Daydreams is a series of short stories about women dealing with love, careers, competition, marriage, or affairs. The pitch includes something about a couple that sees the diamond dust together will be happy forever, which is largely irrelevant to the anime. I think the writer was trying to be more poetic and mystical than necessary. No, these stories are down-to-earth, grounded in very human problems.
We have six stories here, the first of which focuses on Atsuko, a women set for an arranged marriage. She feels stifled by her mother and the responsibilities with their fish shop in severe debt. This marriage to a rich man could solve everything. But he doesn’t do anything for her emotionally, not like one of her regulars to the market. Will it be love or security in the end?
The second story moves to a girl in hospital with a fatal lung condition, which surgery could fix, if it weren’t for her fear of surgery after her father died on the table. Perhaps her crush on the handsome new doctor may give her courage.
The third goes to a vastly different field as it follows a talented indie filmmaker, whose drive for success makes her unbearable to colleagues and her boyfriend. Number four is about a junior figure skating champion and the rivalry with her childhood friend (the OVA fits here). Five veers off at a ninety-degree angle to explore an extramarital affair by a radio woman who claims to be an authority on relationships. And the last covers the pursuit of your dreams.
So, as you can see, this is an assortment of premises, each focused on a different challenge in life, which brings good variety. However, the core remains the same – emotion.
I found my enjoyment varying from story to story. The fish market woman and the radio host have interesting stories, while the filmmaker’s ordeal is personally relatable to me (a friend of mine in high school made fun of me for being too grown up when we were supposed to be having fun). The ice skating rivalry and dream chasing arcs bored me, if I’m honest.
The best quality of Diamond Daydreams is how not everything in these women’s journeys wrap up perfectly, which is true to life. Despite what the magazines claim about successful people, one cannot have it all. Wishing upon a star doesn’t do diddly.
That in mind, Diamond Daydreams does feel too safe. I don’t mean to say it’s predictable. Rather, it feels written by a good writer that didn’t push further on the project, extract that little something extra from these women and their stories. As such, Diamond Daydreams is easy to watch, yet not surprising.
Art – Medium
The faces don’t look quite right at an angle – the artists weren’t consistent. Art is decent otherwise.
Sound – Medium
Good acting in both languages. Pleasant music – I like the string tracks.
Story – Medium
Six short stories on the struggles of six women in ordinary life. Varying in engagement, these well-paced stories are enjoyable overall.
Overall Quality – Medium
Recommendation: For romance fans. Diamond Daydreams’ bite sized stories lend themselves to an easy viewing experience. Make sure to skip anything before the opening credits, as it gives away what’s to come in the episode.
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Awards: (hover over each award to see descriptions; click award for more recipients)
Positive: None
Negative: None
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