Joshuseki Kareshi Vol.1 - Hajimete no Drive ha Osananajimi

 助手席彼氏 - 初めてのドライブは幼なじみ

Company: Gakken / Animedia
Based on: Original
Released: 2012.07.28
Official site: http://www.e-animedia.net/archives/6911808.html


In Joshuseki Kareshi ("passenger seat boyfriend") you go on a drive with your (would be) boyfriend. Only you will be the one driving. In the first CD you take your childhood friend Sakuraba Naoki (CV: Morikubo Shoutarou) for a drive to celebrate that you got your driver's licence.

The CD begins with Naoki picking you up at your house in the morning, and you overslept. He tells you to get ready quickly, saying that it is no use putting on make-up because he knows how you look without it anyway. But when you come down again he is surprised by how pretty you look anyway (I love the sparkle sound effect when you get back).

You first go to rent a car because you can't use the one at your house. After picking one you start your drive date. Naoki his constant remarks on how to drive are annoying, but to be honest it sounds like the heroine (you, whatever) can't drive at all. Seriously, how does one get their license and drive like this? Poor Naoki, no wonder he is scared.

Once you get to the highway things seem to go slightly better though. After driving for a while you get stuck in a traffic jam though, so he suggests that you go to a nearby rest station to grab something to eat. After that you continue your drive (although Naoki switches with you and drives the rest of the way) until you reach your destination: the beach.

Once there you suddenly cling to his arm, which he sees as a chance to confess that he liked you for a long time. Unfortunately your attention is drawn by a nearby cat and you are gone before he manages to actually say it (which seems to happen every time).

Afterwards you go to a cafe to get something to drink, and Naoki gets himself a piece of cake as well. You go all couple mode and try to feed it to him. He takes one bite but says that it is embarrassing so he'll eat the rest himself, and then you suddenly run off (causing him to panic). When he finds you again you are catching to wedding bouquet that was just thrown at a nearby wedding. I was just as surprised as Naoki was when the entire scene happened. But apparently you already forgot all about what just happened and are happily showing him the bouquet.

Naoki ends up driving the entire way back, and when he tries to wake you up when you get back home you somehow end up accidentally kissing. He then finally confesses his feelings, and of course you were feeling the same all along.

I am not entirely sure about this, but from what I know the practical part of getting your driver's license in Japan requires you to drive through a course that is especially designed for this. So I guess that it is possible to get your license without having much or any actual road experience. Probably for exactly that reason, people who have just gotten their license are required to display a beginners mark on their car. This is the "wakaba mark" that Naoki mentions. Officially it is called 初心運転者標識 (shoshin-unten-hyoushiki, "beginners driving sign" but it is often called 若葉マーク, wakaba maaku, literally "new leaves" mark) or simply 初心者マーク (shoshinsha maaku, "beginners' mark). You are required to display this sign for the entire first year that you got your license, although I know people who used it after that as well because they don't drive much.

The story itself was pretty cute. And to be honest it is kind of funny how bad you are at driving. On the other hand Naoki his constant pointers annoyed me; I already get annoyed when my instructor does that, let alone someone else. Naoki is a bit of a standard childhood-friend-who-likes you character, but he is kind of cute.

After the main drama there are several tracks with Naoki saying random phrases. Some were already used in the main story, others are slightly different or new. In the free talk Morikubo-san mentions that he would probably be commenting on your driving just like Naoki, but also that he never dated a girl that had a license so that he would like to go on a drive where the girl would be driving some time.


Conclusion:
I can't take it when someone comments on my driving so that annoyed me, but luckily this stops halfway through and the rest is just a very cute story. I am still amazed at how bad the heroine her driving is though.