Natsuyuki Rendezvous

Natsuyuki Rendezvous
First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Ryosuke Hazuki
夏雪ランデブー (Natsuyuki Randebū)
Genre	Romance, supernatural[1]
Manga
Written by	Haruka Kawachi [ja]
Published by	Shodensha
Magazine	Feel Young
Demographic	Josei
Original run	June 8, 2009 – December 8, 2011
Volumes	4
Manga
Natsuyuki Rendezvous Bangai-hen
Written by	Haruka Kawachi
Published by	Shodensha
Magazine	Feel Young
Demographic	Josei
Original run	February 8, 2012 – August 8, 2013
Volumes	1
Anime television series
Directed by	Kō Matsuo
Written by	Kō Matsuo
Music by	Ken Muramatsu
Studio	Doga Kobo
Licensed by	NA: Sentai Filmworks
Original network	Fuji TV (Noitamina)
Original run	July 6, 2012 – September 14, 2012
Episodes	11

Natsuyuki Rendezvous (Japanese: 夏雪ランデブー, Hepburn: Natsuyuki Randebū, "A Summer Snow Rendezvous") is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Haruka Kawachi [ja]. It was serialized in Shodensha's josei manga magazine Feel Young from June 2009 to December 2011. An anime television series adaptation by Doga Kobo aired on Fuji TV's Noitamina block between July and September 2012.^[2] The anime series has been licensed by Sentai Filmworks in North America.

Plot

A young man named Ryosuke Hazuki (Yuichi Nakamura) decides to work at a flower shop after he falls for the owner, Rokka Shimao (Sayaka Ohara). Unfortunately, Ryosuke can see the spirit of Rokka's dead husband, Atsushi (Jun Fukuyama), who has made a point of sticking around and interfering with any relationship Rokka may find herself in. What Atsushi did not count on was being visible to Ryosuke.

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Haruka Kawachi [ja], Natsuyuki Rendezvous was serialized in Shodensha's josei manga magazine Feel Young from June 8, 2009,^[3] to December 8, 2011.^[4] Shodensha collected its chapters in four tankōbon volumes, released from February 20, 2010,^[5] to April 7, 2012.^[6] An additional story, Natsuyuki Rendezvous Bangai-hen (夏雪ランデブー 番外編, Natsuyuki Randebū Bangai-hen), was serialized in the same magazine from February 8, 2012,^[7] to August 8, 2013.^[8] The collected volume was released on November 8, 2013.^[9]

Anime

A 11-episode anime television series adaptation by Doga Kobo aired on Fuji TV's Noitamina block between July 6 and September 14, 2012,^[10] and was simulcast by Crunchyroll. The opening theme is "See You" by Yuya Matsushita while the ending theme is "Anata ni Deawa Nakereba ~Natsuyuki Fuyuhana~ (あなたに出会わなければ 〜夏雪冬花〜, "If I Hadn't Met You: Winter Flowers in the Summer Snow") by Aimer. The series has been licensed in North America by Sentai Filmworks.^[11]

Episodes

No.	Title	Original air date [10]
01	"Episode 1"	July 6, 2012 (2012-07-06)
Ryosuke Hazuki begins working at a flower shop after falling in love with its manager, Rokka. One evening while visiting Rokka's apartment, Ryosuke is disgruntled to find a man there, believing she already had a lover. However, he soon comes to learn that this man is in fact the spirit of Rokka's deceased husband, Atsushi Shimao, which only Ryosuke can see.
02	"Episode 2"	July 13, 2012 (2012-07-13)
Ryosuke begins to make his feelings for Rokka known to her, but finds interference from Shimao, who refuses to give her to him. After arguing with Ryosuke after he accidentally makes a remark about Shimao, she collapses with a fever, forcing Shimao to reluctantly ask for Ryosuke's help.
03	"Episode 3"	July 20, 2012 (2012-07-20)
As Ryosuke and Rokka's sister in law, Miho, help look after the store while Rokka recovers, Shimao starts becoming depressed and begins causing mental earthquakes.
04	"Episode 4"	July 27, 2012 (2012-07-27)
Ryosuke takes Rokka on a date to an amusement park (specifically Hanayashiki), which proves to remind her a lot about Shimao. After Ryosuke ends up getting drunk after being depressed over something Rokka said, Shimao uses the opportunity to take over his body.
05	"Episode 5"	August 3, 2012 (2012-08-03)
As Shimao gets used to Ryosuke's body, giving it a sporting new look, Ryosuke's spirit finds himself on a desert island, accompanied by an alternate version of Rokka.
06	"Episode 6"	August 10, 2012 (2012-08-10)
As Ryosuke continues to roam the peculiar dreamland, Rokka, unaware of Shimao possessing Ryosuke's body, confesses that she's in love with Ryosuke.
07	"Episode 7"	August 17, 2012 (2012-08-17)
Rokka goes with Shimao to the beach while Ryosuke's trip takes him to the bottom of the sea. As Shimao laments how Rokka has feelings for Ryosuke and not her, he runs off with all of his old belongings, leaving behind a familiar message for Rokka.
08	"Episode 8"	August 24, 2012 (2012-08-24)
As Rokka chases after Ryosuke's body, he comes to realise the truth that he is possessed by Shimao.
09	"Episode 9"	August 31, 2012 (2012-08-31)
As Rokka finally manages to reach Shimao and confront him, Ryosuke comes to learn the disturbing truth about the world he is in.
10	"Episode 10"	September 7, 2012 (2012-09-07)
Ryosuke reappears in the real world, only to discover he is in spirit form. As Ryosuke observes Rokka and Shimao, Rokka, coming to realise how long Shimao had taken over Ryosuke's body for, questions where the Ryosuke she fell in love with is.
11	"Episode 11"	September 14, 2012 (2012-09-14)
Rokka is given the choice of whether she should live with Ryosuke or die and join Shimao, much to Ryosuke's horror. In the end, Shimao decides to leave a bite mark on Rokka for her to remember him by before relinquishing his body back to Ryosuke, allowing him to reaffirm his love with Rokka. After both Ryosuke and Rokka die years later and their daughter takes over the flower shop, Shimao instructs their grandchild to get rid of all his belongings.

References

1. "Natsuyuki Rendezvous". Sentai Filmworks. Archived from the original on August 29, 2018. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
2. "First Trailer for Natsuyuki Rendezvous Anime Adaptation Posted". Anime News Network. March 30, 2012. Archived from the original on March 31, 2012. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
3. フィーヤン7月号、河内遙＆やまじえびねが新連載開始. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. June 8, 2009. Archived from the original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
4. 河内遙「夏雪ランデブー」が最終回、村上かつら新連載も. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. December 8, 2011. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
5. 河内遙が止まらない！前回をしのぐ5社5冊フェア. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. February 17, 2010. Archived from the original on September 21, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
6. 河内遙「夏雪ランデブー」4巻発売、番外編連載もスタート. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. April 7, 2012. Archived from the original on July 20, 2012. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
7. 河内遙「夏雪ランデブー」その後描く番外編、完結巻は4月. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. February 8, 2012. Archived from the original on September 25, 2019. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
8. フィーヤンに「夫婦サファリ」、次号オハナホロホロ完結. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. August 8, 2013. Archived from the original on July 31, 2019. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
9. 「夏雪ランデブー 番外編」で河内遙原画展、帯は小玉ユキ. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. November 7, 2013. Archived from the original on October 5, 2015. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
10. 夏雪 ランデブー. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on January 1, 2024. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
11. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (June 30, 2013). "Sentai Filmworks Adds Natsuyuki Rendezvous". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 1, 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2012.

External links

• Official anime website (in Japanese)
• Natsuyuki Rendezvous (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia