It started with a chance encounter with a group of older kids who had come to Kakamura for a summer festival. They were a rowdy bunch, laughing and joking as they devoured yakitori and ramen at the food stalls. Takeru was immediately drawn to their carefree spirit and sense of camaraderie. He struck up a conversation with them, and before long, they welcomed him into their group.

★★★★☆ (4/5) – “A slow, beautiful exhale at summer’s end.”

Hollywood teaches us that puberty is a superpower. Shounen ga Otona ni Natta Natsu teaches us that growing up is the slow realization that your parents are afraid, your friends are temporary, and the world is indifferent. Episode 1 brilliantly subverts the "summer adventure" trope by replacing adventure with anxiety.

The absence of a typical anime soundtrack is striking. There is no orchestral swell when Kaito cries. Instead, we hear the hum of the radio, the static of the payphone, and the relentless min-min-min of the cicadas. Silence is used as a weapon to make the audience feel the isolation.

As the episode comes to a close, there's a palpable sense of nostalgia and a hint of what's to come. The characters are on the cusp of significant changes, both in their relationships and individually. The ending leaves viewers with a sense of anticipation, wondering how the summer will shape these young men and their bonds with each other.