Adapted from a visual novel with the same title, Kud Wafter focused on the relationship between Kudryavka Naomi and Riki Naoe from Little Busters!.
As a Key fan myself, it’s kind of a shame that I didn’t remember this movie exist until recently. It’s like I saw the announcement of it somewhere but then forgot it. Nevertheless, I remembered it and so gave it a try as any good fan will do. If you yet watched Little Busters! or played it, well, you need to watch it first before stepping on to watch Kud Wafter.
As for spoilers, perhaps there will be a major spoiler since I talked about the driving force why I came to love this movie, and lowkey trying to interpret what this show wants to express. That being said, let’s see what I see on Kud Wafter and what experience they offer.
Dream, and Its Two Sides of The Coin
Being so passionate about something, doing things with all of your might to chase your dreams. Well, it’s so difficult in doing so, hence why it’s so romantic and poetic. The beauty romanticization of struggle in chasing dreams and being so passionate in doing so in our society is just merely a romanticization. A what-if story. There’s no easy way toward the dream. It’s all a cruel obstacle that often leads people’s attempts futile. Hence why so there are so many ‘inspirational’ stories out there, both fiction or not.
Just imagine how many kids proudly state their dreams in kindergarten, in contrary how many are there of them who can state it properly or being the same dream in their high school? The more a person grows, the more they know how harsh the reality is. Maybe they shifted their dream more realistically, following the demands of both conditions and environments. Not even daring to the thought of their silly childhood dream.
And that’s what Kud Wafter has to offer in this movie.
Giving Up, and Staying in The Comfort Zone
Kudryavka is so inspired by her incredible mom, doing her best as a cosmonaut (Russian terms of astronaut) at the International Space Station (ISS), and decided to become a cosmonaut too, or perhaps, it was.
If you experienced Space Brothers (Uchuu Kyoudai), you probably would know how difficult of being for an astronaut. It’s not a joke. Astronaut is arguably considered a pinnacle job all around the world, becoming it you need to burden your shoulder with hopes of billions of people, questioning yourself “am I a worthy person for people to burn their money, their time, their efforts, and all of theirs to send me over the atmosphere?”. You need to possess the fittest body that mankind can have all along the cutting-edge knowledge of a field study with a massive incredibly quick brain-wiring to make the fastest and wise decision whenever it’s needed. Not to mention the intense and tough competitions from all over the world who share the same goal of being astronauts. It’s unimaginably tough.
Knowing all of these, slowly, young Kudryavka gave up the dream of being a cosmonaut. Transferred to Japan and attending a new high school, Kudryavka meets Riki, the main protagonist in Little Busters! who in this sequel becomes her lover.
Fun high school life and Riki comforts her. Dictated the thought “Ah, it’s nice being here, I have all I need. As long as I have Riki, I’ll be happy no matter what” into her brain. Creating the most comfortable imaginary reality that entrapped her. Bondage her with an endless chain, stopping her from moving forward.
A Wake-up Call
Entrapped in her ‘ideal’ reality, Kudryavka living her high school life with her beloved Riki, making the water rocket with her friends, vowing to marry Riki, and also fucking with him in her room. Kudryavka living her life. But is it true? Is this a life that she wishes for? if so, then why does Himuro, a genius roommate of hers when she was studying in Russia, come into her ‘ideal’ reality, knocking on the door? Isn’t it mean there’s somewhere in Kudryavka’s heart that still longing for chasing her dream?
Well, let’s end the talk about the story before we go too far, now let’s talk about my insight on Kud Wafter.
Well-written Lines and Befitting Symbolism
Ok ok ok, hold on you symbolism-nerds, let me explain first. Watching Kud Wafter shares the same experience as watching School-Live!, they have a slow yet instant wake-up call about what actually happens in the show. It happens throughout lines and chains in Kud Wafter, the moment Kudryavka says “It’ll be alright as long as you don’t give up” to her new friend Shiina at the beginning, already indicating something happens in this show.
That scene where Kudryavka slowly left behind her mom alongside her growth increasing, packed with absolutely relatable lines hits home so badly. It’s happening to the majority of growing kids in society, “When did that time when I actually gave up on my dreams?”. Especially to me, who grows up so passionate about stars, planets, galaxies, and space. I remember buying home tons of astronomical-related books for kids when I was a school-grader, reading them so passionately. Wishing that I too can become an astronaut. And as time goes by, I can see myself growing in that particular Kudryavka scene. Slowly stopping towards my own dream. And here I am, writing useless stuff about anime. Merely able to just speculate a what-if story. Well, life goes on I guess. Feeling so related to Kudryavka, seeing the chains appears in her school, sealing her in her own world it’s easy for me to recognize that these endless chains are symbolling her fear that declining her to move forward. And so she said it in the very movie.
Also, I love that last ignition scene of the water rocket. Water rocket, made from an empty coke bottle which has to have somebody to drink it up before it can fly, then has to have somebody to create the additional parts to make it able to fly, then has to have somebody to pump the air to the bottle, and at the end you, only you, yourself who tilt the button to ignite and launch the rocket. People maybe will help you to encourage you, to strengthen you, but, at the end of the day, it’s you yourself who decide either to stop or ignite the launch of yourself towards your dream by simply moving a step forward.
The Weak Point
It has to be said that this is my main concern about Kud Wafter. With a total of 51 min of duration, it has more than enough 30 minutes and more to dive more deeply into the characters and their relationship, if we’re using “Pompo-san’s ideal 90-minute movie duration” as a reference. Like, when I browse what actually Kud Wafter’s visual novel is about, they all said that it’s a romance story of Kudryavka and Riki’s focused story. Well, it’s not like I’ve some experience in reading them tho, so take that with a grain of salt. Nonetheless, their romance story which happens to be wrapped in an insert song duration just felt too short.
In The End…
That’s all that I can say about Kud Wafter.
To put it briefly, Kud Wafter is a bittersweet love letter to all of us who once gave up on our silly dream. A very enjoyable watch, definitely recommended. Personally, I’ll give Kud Wafter 8/10.
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Your slice of life guy,
Llenn Amaru.
