While fans of the original manga by Agasawa Koucha might be looking for a panel-for-panel comparison, this Netflix adaptation successfully translates Hikawa’s internal world into a vibrant, Lizzie McGuire-esque visual experience.
The “Ice Queen” Facade: Hikawa Koyuki’s Silent Struggle
I’ve just come across this anime in my Netflix’s ” What to Watch Next recommendations list and thought it looked interesting based on its vibe. After watching The Ramparts of Ice episode one, I can definitely see what makes this show unique, despite it being in the same genre as a show like The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity.
Okay, so this might be a bit of a throwback, but does anybody remember the Disney Channel show Lizzie McGuire? I kind of got that vibe from Hikawa Koyuki as we watched her inner monologues during various situations throughout her school day.
A Familiar Predicament: Parallels to The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity
So, the premise seems to be similar to Rintaro’s predicament from TFFBwD, in that people think Hikawa is a scary “Ice Queen” because she doesn’t smile or engage in small talk with her classmates. Like Rintaro, Hikawa was bullied relentlessly in middle school due to her appearance: Rintaro looked like a delinquent, and leaned into that stereotyped identity in high school. While Hikawa was short and cute, she decided to be “cold” and “unfriendly” in high school.
Hikawa’s struggle with being perceived as cold and unapproachable mirrors the social barriers we saw in The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity Ep 1 Review. Both series excel at deconstructing how school rumors can force a kind-hearted protagonist into a defensive, lonely shell.
Except…that’s really not true, though, is it?
The Social Hierarchy: Miki, Amamiya, and the Weight of Expectations
Through Hikawa’s Lizzie McGuire-styled alter ego internal monologues and conversations with her friend Miki, it seems like Hikawa just doesn’t like pointless gestures and inauthentic small talk for the sake of politeness, and isn’t (consciously) being rude at all.
Because she already has an “unfriendly” reputation amongst her peers, even when she does try to be polite and smile, Hikawa is still called creepy by those in her year.
Meanwhile, the whole time she actually isn’t a creepy loner, Hikawa’s good friend just isn’t in the same class as her. And to make matters worse, when two boys who already have a negative and false preconceived notion about Hikawa’s personality see Miki talking to her, the boys assume class 5’s “Saint” Miki’s aura must be extremely powerful to speak to their year’s “Ice Queen”.
The way Hikawa and Miki navigate their school’s rigid social circles feels like a grounded, emotional version of the cutthroat environment in the ANHS. If you enjoy deep dives into student psychology and the masks people wear to survive high school, check out our analysis: Is Classroom of the Elite Worth Watching? Season 1 Review or our breakdown of the escalating stakes in Classroom of the Elite Season 3 Episode 1.
(Through Hikawa and Miki’s study hangout session, we learn that Miki was considered a gorilla in middle school. Because Miki has been nice to her classmates and polite, they see her as an idol, despite that polite, leader figure not really being who she is as a person.
Miki wishes she could be herself more, but tells Hikawa that it would be difficult to change everyone’s perception of her now…forcing her to keep up the act to retain the harmony this false persona created in their classroom.)
Amamiya noticed that Hikawa is being misunderstood and not necessarily putting up a facade, and because of this, seems to be trying to befriend her. Judging by the opening, the pair do become friends, along with adding the giraffe Hino Youta to the friend group.
Which should be interesting to see how that plays out, given that everybody in their year has very different perceptions of these characters and their role in the school’s social circles.
A Mature Lens: Why The Ramparts of Ice Hits Different
I won’t say I’ll be picking this show up for weekly reviews because in the past, something ridiculous in my personal life would pop up and prevent me from finishing an anime show’s weekly reviews just before completion, but I will definitely be tuning in for the next episode.
While The Ramparts of Ice offers a realistic look at the psyche, we are also tracking how protagonists handle overwhelming social pressure in more fantastical settings. Don’t miss our review of Supernatural Poetry – This Monster Wants to Eat Me Ep 1 Review, and stay tuned for our upcoming coverage of the highly anticipated portal-fantasy debut: Release That Witch Episode 1 Review.
But, tell me your thoughts: do you enjoy the new trend of a somewhat mature look at the context of bullying and what it does to the character’s psyche in recent anime, instead of turning the situation into a joke or superficial fluff for laughs?
Leave your thoughts in the comment section below, we’d love to hear from you! Also be sure to follow us for more Anime First Impressions!
☆ In Asian Spaces ☆ Ephesians 6:12 ☆
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