Inomata Taiki attends a school with a specialized sports program because his mother was an extraordinary basketball player. After joining the badminton team in junior high, Taiki has been an active participant in training. He always strives to be the first one in the gymnasium. However, no matter how early he arrives, he always gets there second, right after Kano Chinatsu, a third-year student on whom Taiki has a crush. Chinatsu is a rising star on the basketball team, much like her mother was in the past. Taiki is a decent badminton player, but his prospects aren’t even close to those of Chinatsu. Despite this, the boy manages to establish a good rapport with her, which quickly evolves into a deeper bond. Unfortunately, one day he learns that Chinatsu is moving abroad with her entire family…
Ao no Hako (2024) – Audiovisual Design
Video
The team of artists at studio Telecom Animation Film did a really great job here. Most of the scenes look simply wonderful. The character designs are full of detail, and the backgrounds are intricate and pleasing to the eye. The animation in most episodes was also more than satisfactory, though nitpickers might find a few weaker scenes. I also liked the use of color. It is worth mentioning that this high level was maintained throughout the entire 25-episode season.
Audio
The cast features quite a few popular names. I would unhesitatingly place many of these voice actors on my list of favorites: Ueda Reina, Kitou Akari, Uchida Yuuma, Ichinose Kana, and Shiraishi Haruka. Every role was performed perfectly. However, my personal favorite here is Kitou Akari in the role of Chouno Hina. It was a wonderfully portrayed character with voice acting full of emotion, complemented by excellent dialogue direction.
The soundtrack did not impress me. It had its moments, but something about it made it sound terribly generic—to the point where this genericness actually stood out. It wasn’t something that just served as a background for individual scenes, as is often the case. For some reason, the background music practically screamed “I couldn’t be more stock.” This is probably the first time something like this has happened to me while watching an anime.
Ao no Hako (2024) – Plot and Characters
Wstęp
While selecting series for the Fall season, the show’s poster alone caught my attention. A quick look at the tags and watching the PV convinced me that this was an anime I would certainly enjoy.
A Brief Overview of the Ao no Hako (2024) Plot
Inomata Taiki attends a school with a specialized sports program because his mother was an extraordinary basketball player. After joining the badminton team in junior high, Taiki has been an active participant in training. He always strives to be the first one in the gymnasium. However, no matter how early he arrives, he always gets there second, right after Kano Chinatsu, a third-year student on whom Taiki has a crush. Chinatsu is a rising star on the basketball team, much like her mother was in the past. Taiki is a decent badminton player, but his prospects aren’t even close to those of Chinatsu. Despite this, the boy manages to establish a good rapport with her, which quickly evolves into a deeper bond. Unfortunately, one day he learns that Chinatsu is moving abroad with her entire family…
Ao no Hako (2024) – Audiovisual Design
Video
The team of artists at studio Telecom Animation Film did a really great job here. Most of the scenes look simply wonderful. The character designs are full of detail, and the backgrounds are intricate and pleasing to the eye. The animation in most episodes was also more than satisfactory, though nitpickers might find a few weaker scenes. I also liked the use of color. It is worth mentioning that this high level was maintained throughout the entire 25-episode season.
Audio
The cast features quite a few popular names. I would unhesitatingly place many of these voice actors on my list of favorites: Ueda Reina, Kitou Akari, Uchida Yuuma, Ichinose Kana, and Shiraishi Haruka. Every role was performed perfectly. However, my personal favorite here is Kitou Akari in the role of Chouno Hina. It was a wonderfully portrayed character with voice acting full of emotion, complemented by excellent dialogue direction.
The soundtrack did not impress me. It had its moments, but something about it made it sound terribly generic—to the point where this genericness actually stood out. It wasn’t something that just served as a background for individual scenes, as is often the case. For some reason, the background music practically screamed “I couldn’t be more stock.” This is probably the first time something like this has happened to me while watching an anime.
Ao no Hako (2024) – Plot and Characters
Introduction
While selecting series for the Fall season, the show’s poster alone caught my attention. A quick look at the tags and watching the PV convinced me that this was an anime I would certainly enjoy.
A Brief Overview of the Ao no Hako (2024) Plot
Inomata Taiki attends a school with a specialized sports program because his mother was an extraordinary basketball player. After joining the badminton team in junior high, Taiki has been an active participant in training. He always strives to be the first one in the gymnasium. However, no matter how early he arrives, he always gets there second, right after Kano Chinatsu, a third-year student on whom Taiki has a crush.
Chinatsu is a rising star on the basketball team, much like her mother was in the past. Taiki is a decent badminton player, but his prospects aren’t even close to those of Chinatsu. Despite this, the boy manages to establish a good rapport with her, which quickly evolves into a deeper bond. Unfortunately, one day he learns that Chinatsu is moving abroad with her entire family.
However, the situation is quickly resolved. The turn of events unfolds in a way that Taiki could never have even imagined. It turns out that both of their mothers were close friends. This fact results in Chinatsu staying under the care of Taiki’s family instead of moving away with her parents.
What is the series about
Ao no Hako is a series that subtly balances romance, slice of life, and sports drama, creating a tale about coming of age, relationships, and the ambitions of young people. Its foundation is a fairly simple but engaging story about Inomata Taiki—a first-year student at Eimei High—and his feelings for his older peer, Kano Chinatsu. Their relationship begins as daily, friendly interactions set against the backdrop of shared training sessions in the gym. However, it quickly turns into a subtle interplay of emotions, where every gesture and every look gains additional meaning.
The plot follows a pattern known from many sports series with a romance subplot (such as Suzuka). Although badminton and basketball are important for shaping the protagonists’ motivations, they do not dominate the narrative. Sport is a tool here used to show their emotional development and the relationships between characters. Training sessions, matches, and tournament preparations serve only as a backdrop for much more subtle emotional maneuvers. This approach ensures that even people who aren’t typically interested in sports (I’m including myself here) can enjoy watching the series.
Ao no Hako generally avoids the excessive melodramatics found in many Japanese stories involving love triangles. I actually happen to be a fan of such subplots, provided they are well-executed, so for me, this isn’t necessarily a strength—but it isn’t a flaw either.
Characters
Inomata Taiki
Taiki is a boy with big dreams of becoming the best badminton player—first in his school, and later at slightly higher levels. However, his actual motivations are more personal. It is Chinatsu, the talented basketball player and informal star of the school, who inspires him to push his limits every day. Their relationship is built on mutual support and ambition. Both strive to achieve their sporting goals, but along the way, subtle emotions emerge that outweigh the choices they make. Taiki, while determined, is somewhat clumsy when it comes to expressing his feelings, yet at the right moments, he can be direct and assertive.
Kano Chinatsu
Despite appearing composed and distant on the surface, Chinatsu proves to be a multi-dimensional character. Her ambitions and hard work stem from her family (her mother was also successful in sports) and her drive to meet athletic expectations. At the same time, her complicated relationship with Taiki introduces an element of delicate tension. It keeps the viewer in suspense as to whether their feelings will ever be fully revealed.
Dramatic Subplot
A third significant character is Haryuu Hina—Taiki’s energetic and direct childhood friend. Over time, she begins to play a role that is a bit more complicated than just a childhood friend. Her relationship with the protagonist evolves from playful bickering into a deeply emotional storyline. Hina must face her growing feelings and the realization that her love might remain unrequited. Her character introduces a bit of drama to the plot. Hina is brave and straightforward, though her confidence is tested by the emotions she feels when she realizes Taiki is becoming interested in Chinatsu. Viewers can see how her feelings slowly mature until the moment she must decide whether to take a risk or suppress her emotions to avoid disrupting the relationship she has had with Taiki so far.
One of the most interesting aspects of Hina’s character is her honesty and directness. Once she realizes she has fallen in love with Taiki, she doesn’t hide it from herself. Confessing her feelings in such a situation is an act of extraordinary courage, especially since Hina is fully aware that she might be rejected.
In contrast to the more reserved Chinatsu, Hina is open, impulsive, and full of life. Their dynamic contrast is one of the elements that builds the emotional layer and drives the plot. How different the two girls are makes Taiki’s choices seem more difficult and the emotions more authentic. Hina embodies the energy and joy of youth, but her story also shows the more painful side of growing up—the moments when you have to accept that things don’t always work out according to your desires.
Given Hina’s character, it’s not hard to guess why she has so many fans among the viewers. She won me over as well.
Supporting Characters
Although Ao no Hako focuses primarily on the main trio, it also features well-developed secondary characters who play a vital role in shaping the plot and relationships. Almost every one of them brings something significant to the story, subtly helping the characters make certain decisions.
Haryuu Kengo is an older teammate from the badminton team, acting as a mentor and role model for Taiki. He is an experienced player who has achieved success in the sporting arena and is highly respected by his younger peers. His relationship with Taiki is an example of healthy rivalry, where the older player motivates the younger one to exceed his own limits. Kasahara Kyou is another character from the badminton team. He serves as the protagonist’s good friend, often helping him in various, frequently embarrassing situations. On Chinatsu’s side, there are characters serving similar roles. There is also Moriya Ayame, whom we meet at a fairly late stage of the first season. Although she doesn’t make a very good first impression, she quickly turns out to be a warm and helpful person. In her own way, she tries to help others resolve their romantic affairs. Unfortunately, because she doesn’t know the full spectrum of the relationships between the characters she’s trying to help, she simply misjudges the situations.
Ao no Hako (2024) – Evaluation and Summary
Ao no Hako is a series that doesn’t try to forcibly revolutionize the genre. Thanks to its authenticity, subtlety, and well-written characters, it leaves a positive impression. It is a story about growing up, first loves, and difficult choices that will certainly appeal to fans of slow-burn but engaging romances with a delicate sporting accent. It is worth mentioning that this adaptation is far from over. Many fans of the source material (the manga) believe that the true emotional rollercoaster only begins from the point where the first season ends.
Finalny werdykt
Final evaluation
Which translation do I recommend to watch Ao no Hako (2024)?
- KawaSubs – a good fansub translation. A much better option than the official Netflix one.
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