With You and the Rain is a soft, quietly magical anime that sneaks up on you with its charm. The story begins on a rainy day, when the truly demure and very cutesy Fuji stumbles upon a peculiar “dog” holding a cue card that simply reads, “Please take me home.” What follows is a series of heartwarming, offbeat vignettes as Fuji and her new companion navigate the rhythms of daily life together.
This show’s humor is winningly winky, built on the absurdity of Fuji’s total faith in her “dog’s” identity—even as its oddball quirks and mysterious ways make it clear to everyone else: she’s invited magic into her life. I mean, that leaf on the little raccoon dog’s head is a serious clue, but not as obvious as his ability to read and write. It makes you wonder if Fuji is so accustomed to magic that it’s not that special when it appears. Who is this girl, and where is she from? The mythic tanuki’s earnest attempts at doggo-behavior are as endearing as they are hilarious, and the show’s watercolor art style adds to the cozy, rain-soaked atmosphere.
Fans of Bee and PuppyCat will want to snuggle up to this one, but With You and the Rain brings Japanese folklore along for a new tale of a woman and her tanuki familiar. Where Bee and PuppyCat launches us into candy-coated cosmic adventures, With You and the Rain delights in puddle-jumping magical realism, for a sweet slice of daily life. The dynamic between Fuji and her enigmatic housemate is so cute and fluffy. Your heart will melt like a marshmallow in a cup of hot chocolate for this blend of whimsy, friendship, and gentle absurdity. If you’re looking for a comfort watch that’s as soothing as it is quietly hilarious, this is the show to curl up with on a rainy day.
Streaming on Crunchyroll starting July 5
New episodes 2:00PM every Saturday
JAPANESE VOICE CAST & CHARACTERS
Saori Hayami as Fuji
Anna Mugiho as You
Yuna Kamakura as Mimi
Satomi Sato as Ren
Yuzu Yumoto as Kii
Yoji Ueda as Tatsuo
Mie Sonozaki as Michiko
Kikunosuke Toya as Teru
Yumiri Hanamori as Wako
Chafurin as Veterinarian
Shūhei Sakaguchi as Hiura
Mitsuho Kambe as Hojo
Yume Miyamoto as Arata
CREATIVES
Original Work
Based on the manga With You and the Rain written and illustrated by Ko Nikaido
Directed by Tomohiro Tsukimisato
Series Composition Written by Toko Machida
Character Design by Ayano Owada
Music Composed by Rei Ishizuka
Animation Studio Lesprit