As we left Koshiro and Nanoka in the last volume we see two confused siblings who seem to have noticed the start of some attraction but have not really acted upon it. Koshiro being the older and more experienced member of the family seems to know what he must do and yet he struggles to treat Nanoka as a sister. Sadly, just when he seems to get the hang of the familiarity of her, the affection of Nanoka is returned with the simple words, "I like you."

Meanwhile while this is going on Koshiro's co-worker Chidori is becoming more and more suspicious of the two. She observes that they don't look like the typical brother and sister and she also notices that Koshiro is no longer as belligerent about his sister as he once was. While she can't quite put her finger on it, she seems to know that something is up.

Koi Kaze is progressing along very nicely and I must confess that as I watch each episode I become more and more engrossed. While incest has been seen in literature from Genesis to Greek Tragedies to modern blockbuster films it is rarely handled in such a sensitive way. What surprises me so much about Koi Kaze is how well written the show is. Honestly most anime appears to be written to a focus group. If I did have one complaint it would be the character of Odagiri. In what is otherwise a totally atypical anime the stock pervert co-worker just seems out of place.

It's a hard show to recommend based on its subject matter but if you can stomach the idea of incest and a romantic relationship with a minor. While I personally cannot understand the feelings of the main characters, the idea of a forbidden or unattainable love/lust is a universal feeling felt by all. Here's hoping that things somehow get better in Volume 3.

Labels: Animation, Anime, Japanese