Much Ado About Nothing is the third episode in the anime version of Kazuma Kodaka's Kizuna, and it's about as delightful a piece of fluff as you can find.  (Although I've been catching up on BL anime, and I've found a couple more delightful pieces of fluff, which I may be able to review here eventually.)  The main story line is based on volume 3 of the manga series, with flashbacks -- for me, the best part of the episode -- recalling events from volume 2.  (Note, and my apologies:  The version reviewed here is a fansub of the original Japanese video, with subtitles, which I prefer to dubbing.  I should have clarified that when this was first posted, but my brain, I thinK, was on vacation.)

By way of background, Kei Enjouji and Ranmaru Samejima have been lovers since high school.  Ranmaru was a kendo champion -- a real prodigy.  Kei is the illegitimate son of a major yakuza boss, and was targeted -- no one's sure by who -- to be the victim of a hit-and-run   Ranmaru saved his life, at the cost of his own career -- he was badly injured and barely survived.  They now live together, both attending university.  Kei also works at a host club.

The story begins one bright spring morning.  It's 5 a.m. and we discover Ranmaru in bed, sleepily musing to himself that Kei had the late shift and won't be home until later, so he can sleep in.  Just as he's getting comfortable again, the doorbell rings, loudly and insistently:  Kei is home, drunk as a lord and ready for some affection.  Ranmaru is not in the mood and as he's wrestling Kei into bed and out of his sadly rumpled clothes, he discovers a matchbox from the Hotel Castle.  (I have to admit, one of the high points of this one is hearing Ranmaru mutter to himself in English with a genuine Japanese accent, "Hotel Castle?"  For some reason, that just tickles me.)  "Oh, the love hotel!" crows Kei, and promises to take Ranmaru along next time.  Probably not the right thing to say, especially since Ranmaru next fields a phone call for "Kei-chan" from someone named Rena.  One more intense confrontation, and Ranmaru storms out the door.  Suddenly sober, Kei pulls himself together and dashes off to find his lover and explain.

We see the two following the same route, sitting on the same park bench, pausing on the same pedestrian overpass, as each remembers the earlier stages of their affair:  their first kiss, Kei's passionate declaration of love when they were in high school, and the hospital visits in which we --and Ranmaru -- discover the depth of Kei's devotion.  (Their first meeting is a prologue to this episode.)  Eventually they come face to face outside -- you guessed it -- the Hotel Castle, through the unwitting good offices of -- right again -- Rena.

The strength of this episode is in the revelation of character, especially in regard to the way it plays into the relationship between Kei and Ranmaru:  Kei has been the initiator, and it's easy to forget that Ranmaru is also aggressive, if a little reticent about showing his feelings.  (Remember, he played in a fiercely competitive sport; his often pugnacious attitude is made clearer in the manga.)  And Kei is also depicted as something of a horndog, although, as we're given the chance to look back, we can see the strength of his love for Ranmaru, and, indeed, how much Ranmaru depends on that love.  (One of the flashbacks shows Kei sneaking into the hospital after visitors' hours and discovering Ran struggling to walk again, hauling himself between parallel bars.  He tells Kei to wait at the far end and, with Kei urging him on, makes it all the way and takes a step completely unsupported -- right into Kei's waiting arms.  If you can watch that one with dry eyes, you're not human.)  And we get a good glimpse of the balance in this relationship -- not to mention Ranmaru's somewhat spiky personality -- in the next-to-final scene, in which Kei asks Ranmaru somewhat shyly, "If I gave you a ring, would you wear it, even though we can't really be married?"  Ran says it sounds like a proposal to him, and he'll have to think what to say.  And of course, the whole episode is motivated by Ranmaru's insecurity.

The animation is excellent, particularly the character renderings, which are clearer and more consistent than those in the manga (seemingly a problem of Kodaka's throughout the first part of the manga series).  The comedy portions veer a little too close to I-Love-Lucy slapstick for my taste, although it's probably plain at this point that I loved the flashbacks.  The acting is a little better than average, and the music is, as is often the case, forgettable but not intrusive.

On the whole, it's definitely worth seeing, and even if you haven't seen the first two episodes, it can stand alone fairly well.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good Date Movie
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age