Agents of the Four Seasons: Dance of Spring has suitably arrived with the start of the Spring anime season. I’ve been looking forward to this show as it’s from the writer of Violet Evergarden and brought to life by Wit Studios (Spy x Family, Love Through a Prism). After 3 episodes, I can say I’m officially hooked by the emotional nuance, the stunning animation, and the YEARNERS.
Contains spoilers from the first 3 episodes | TW: contains PTSD and suicidal thoughts.
The Premise: 10 Years of Winter
Imagine a world where Spring isn’t just a season, but a person who commands the very shift of the season. A person who has been missing for 10 years. After Hinagiku – the agent of Spring – gets kidnapped, the world plunges into a brutal Winter for a decade. Her guard Sakura, driven by unwavering faith and steadfast loyalty, spends years searching for her long after everyone else has given up. When they finally return, the two set off to restore the lost season and mend wounds of the past.
Initial Thoughts: An emotional story that deals with trauma (and healing)
Agents of the Four Seasons immediately gives off Persephone vibes. In Greek mythos, the abduction of Persephone (the goddess of Spring) is what causes the world to fall into winter. This anime follows the same tragic path. In the first episode, Hinagiku is introduced as a timid, fragile girl who often stutters and refers to herself in the third person. She’s the agent of Spring. A human given the divine power of Life Acceleration, to bring forth the warmth and life of Spring.
We later find out why she stutters and speaks in third person – she was abducted as a child by a terrorist group and held captive for years. When she was finally freed, she came back to the harsh reality that her village had already abandoned her and was waiting for her to die so the Spring goddess could pick a new agent of Spring. It was heartbreaking to see her struggle internally with finding a will to live after tremendous trauma. Nonetheless, the message was clear: keep enduring; one day spring will come.
And spring did come – arriving in a stunning flourish of vibrant florals and veridian, with cherry blossoms in full bloom, sunlight spilling across the land, and a long awaited warmth that felt like everyone, everything could finally heal.
The characters: They’re yearners, your honor
We have a 2 for 2 of yearners in the male side characters. One is the agent of Winter and the other is his guard.
Rosei, the agent of Winter: He carries immense guilt for Hinagiku’s abduction 10 years ago – even though he was just a child as well, willing to give his life to protect hers. He lives in the shadow of his own grief, yearning for her and loving from afar, thinking that she despises him for his failure to protect her.
Itecho, guard of the agent of Winter: He carries a deep devotion for Hinagiku’s guard, Sakura. He tried to help her after the incident. However, the village of Winter and the agency eventually stopped the search, which led to her feeling like he abandoned her. He, too, loves from afar.
The world: Gods, clans, and insurgents
I thought world-building was pretty interesting! It has more than I was expecting as this anime is categorized as a shojo romance, which tends to focus more on the internal and interpersonal relationships than the greater state of the world. The world-building adds a layer of higher stakes and action.
- The gods of the seasons: Winter was deeply in love with Spring, reluctant to let Spring go. This created an imbalance in the world, so the Agents of the Four Seasons was established to ensure the cycles continued.
- The clans/villages: there are 4 clans/villages that are tied to the agents: Spring, Summer, Winter, and Fall. So far we only know that the Spring village abandoned their Agent to die.
- The Insurgents: a terrorist group that tries to kidnap or kill the agents of the seasons so they can control/manipulate their powers.
- The Agency: an independent group that guards and assists the agents.
Final Thoughts
It’s only been 3 episodes, but I’m enjoying it! Although it feels heavy and somber at times, it’s shaping up to be a beautiful, emotional ride full of hope. Bonus: the ED is amazing!! Don’t skip it if you’re watching for the first time.
