Scum's Wish

Scum's Wish, or Kuzu no Honkai as it is known in Japan, is a provocative anime series produced by Lerche and broadcasted on the now-defunct platform Anime Strike during 2017. Adapted from Mengo Yokoyari's manga, Scum's Wish stands out as a daring exploration of teenage love, desire, and the complexities of the human heart. The series is deeply psychological, considerably mature, and somewhat controversial due to its adult themes, making it suitable for more mature audiences and handle with care for sensitive viewers.

The series is centered around two high school students, Hanabi Yasuraoka and Mugi Awaya, who appear to be the perfect couple. However, their relationship is anything but conventional. Unknown to those around them, Hanabi and Mugi share a common bond - their unrequited love for other people. For Hanabi, it is her childhood friend and now homeroom teacher, Narumi Kanai, and for Mugi, it’s his former tutor Akane Minagawa, who coincidentally is now a music teacher at their school. The complex emotions that arise from this situation form the basis for the story and primarily drive the narrative.

With no one to confide in and being consumed by their longing, the two teenagers decide to enter into a relationship as substitutes for the ones they truly love, promising to break things off once their love is reciprocated. They navigate through this singular relationship, their interactions often beyond the boundaries of platonic love, driven by a desperate need to fill the void left by their respective unrequited loves.

Scum's Wish does not shy away from the intricate and sometimes undesirable consequences that can stem from complicated emotions, infatuation, and romantic relationships. It takes a refreshing and unfiltered look at romance and desire, eschewing the traditional romantic narratives commonly found in the genre. Instead, it emphasizes the raw emotions and the darker, less-accepted aspects of love, confronting the audience with a stark portrayal of human desires and the pain that can uncover.

The series also probes into the lives of other characters, adding layers to the narrative and providing a richer tapestry woven from multiple heartaches, lust, deceit, and longing. It provides much-needed depth and variation, steering the show away from becoming a single-minded pursuit of unrequited love, opening up dialogues on various aspects of relationships and human emotions.

The visual style of Scum's Wish, replete with somber colors and dreamlike images, reflects the overall mood of the series. The animation is beautiful and sophisticated, mirroring the emotional depth of the plot. A subtle variation in the color palette effectively expresses the characters' evolving states of mind, with scenes often transitioning between the cold reality of unfulfilled desires and the warm hope of requited love.

From a musical standpoint, Scum's Wish complements its eye-catching visuals with an equally impressive soundtrack. The music resonates with the narrative's emotional tones, delicately reflecting the characters' feelings throughout the series.

While Scum's Wish might be a challenging watch for some due to its mature themes and often uncomfortable focusing on the uglier side of desire, it is certainly worth a watch if you appreciate the complexity of relationships and love, or just seeking something different from typical high-school romance anime. Not only does it offer an unvarnished view of the complexities of unrequited love, but it also delves into the very nature of human relationships and emotions, all wrapped in an aesthetically arresting package of visually stunning animation and engaging music.

In conclusion, Scum's Wish is an enthralling exploration of teenage longing, not appealing to all, but offering a unique viewing experience. It dives into the grey zone of adolescent emotions and relationships, illustrating a poignant narrative of desires and heartbreaks. The show's portrayal of such a provocative subject matter is a testament to anime's ability to explore and portray a diverse range of themes, pushing boundaries of storytelling.