This one is a hidden gem. Don’t miss it!
I first came across Kowloon Generic Romance as a manga. I put it on my “may buy” list but never got around to it. I’ve had a fascination for the historic Kowloon Walled City for years and the idea of a romance being set there was enough to get me on board to watch the anime version.
Kowloon Generic Romance is, yes, a romance, but it’s so much more.
Reiko Kujirai and Hajime Kudo are co-workers in a real estate agency that rents out units in the walled city. They get on well and frequently lunch together.
One day, a photo falls out of Kudo’s desk drawer while he’s away.
The woman in the picture looks just like Reiko and has the same name. Only... she isn’t Reiko.
... Or is she? Reiko suddenly realizes that she has no memories of her life before working as a real estate agent in Kowloon Walled City. She knows that Kudo is attracted to her, and she’s attracted to him, but this evidence of an actual prior relationship between them is baffling. She has no memory of it.
This photo was taken by Tao Gwen, a waiter at a restaurant Kudo frequents.
Gwen knew this other Reiko, and he knows Kudo too. As Reiko and Kudo enter into a relationship, and she hears more and more about the other Reiko, her confusion only grows.
This other Reiko was sexy, flirtatious, confident - the opposite of the shy and uncertain Reiko currently living in Kowloon Walled City. As the mystery deepens, Reiko’s friend Yaomay tries to help by researching the issue.
Among the tenants that Reiko manages is young Xiaohei, who has a whole wardrobe of cute girl outfits.
In the meantime, Gwen is involved in his own intrigue. He’s involved with Miyuki Hebinuma, the owner of a sketchy plastic surgery clinic. The two have a volatile relationship.
To add to the confusion, a man named Xiaohei comes to the walled city who bears a facial resemblance to the young girl Xiaohei.
Reiko knows that Gwen - and Kudo - know more than they’re letting on. It’s always summer in Kowloon Walled City, never any other season, and there’s an octahedron sphere in the sky that everyone acknowledges is there but doesn’t talk about.
Reiko’s been warned by Gwen that she can’t leave the walled city, or she might disappear into thin air like she never existed. Will she trust what Gwen says, or confront Kudo to find out the truth?
Kowloon Generic Romance is a romance, a science-fiction story, and a mystery all rolled into one. It kept me hooked for 13 episodes and was the series I most looked forward to watching each week.
On a 1-10 scale, it’s at least an 8. It does have a slow start and the pace is languid until the sci-fi elements kick in, but Kowloon Generic Romance is a genuinely original story, one you’ll never forget. Go watch it now. :-)
