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medea10 · 1 year

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My Review of My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU

How did I get into this anime? I’ve heard about this anime and would see it in passing. I’m not one to turn down any romcom animes. Let’s hit it!

Hachiman Hikigaya has a sour outlook on his high school life. He’s mostly ignored by his peers, it’s been a couple of years since he last spoke to a female, and a love confession kinda warped him for the worst. Hikigaya’s attitude caught the attention of his teacher and she forces Hikigaya to join a club known as the ‘Volunteer Service Club’. This club kinda reaches a helping hand to students in need and helping them reach certain goals. Usually, clubs like this would have like four or five others, here there’s only one other member.

Yukino Yukinoshita.

God damn, this name can’t be real! Actually, at least half the characters have first and last names that are similar.

Anyways, she is what you would call an ‘Ice Queen’. Those students that look like a queen but have a frosty personality. And as of episode 2, the club has added another new member, Yui Yuigahama. She got help from the Volunteer Service Club and started hanging out with Hikigaya and Yukino. Will Hikigaya’s outlook on his high school days change by being in this club with Yukino and Yui? Let’s find out!

BETWEEN THE SUB AND THE DUB: This one was dubbed and released by Sentai Filmworks. Streaming wise is a little complicated. Normally for all Sentai-dubbed animes, I’d say watch it all on Hi-dive, but for this one that’s complicated. Only the first and third seasons are available for streaming. And as of the date of posting this review, Crunchyroll still has the authority to stream the third season. Yeah, hi, where the hell is season two? Another thing to expect from Sentai is with their dubs. They’re either very good or it just feels like another day in the recording booth. I don’t know, I felt blah listening to this particular dub. I think it’s because there were several male characters that annoyed me dearly while listening. It’s pretty noticeable with who these characters are so I’ll leave it at that. Here’s what you might recognize these folks from.

JAPANESE CAST: *Hikigaya is played by Takuya Eguchi (known for Loid on Spy x Family, Takeo on Ore Monogatari, Kakeru on Fruits Basket 2019, Julius on Re:Zero, Ryouma on Love Stage, and Akihiko on Given)

*Yukino is played by Saori Hayami (known for Shouko on A Silent Voice, Yor on Spy x Family, Ononoki on Monogatari, Shinobu on Demon Slayer, Anju on 86, Yumeko on Kakegurui, and Himawari on Boruto)

*Yui is played by Nao Touyama (known for Ruka on Rent-A-Girlfriend, Koga on Bunny Girl Senpai, Rin on Laid Back Camp, Nii-chan on Blue Exorcist, Victim on Overlord, and Chitoge on Nisekoi)

ENGLISH CAST: *Hikigaya is played by Adam Gibbs (known for Shinichi on Parasyte, Seita on Grave of the Fireflies, Mitsuo on Golden Time, Oreki on Hyouka, Yuki on Tsuritama, Ryouma on Love Stage, and Hiroomi on Beyond the Boundary)

*Yukino is played by Melissa Molano (known for Linda on Golden Time, Shizu on To Love Ru, and Sayaka on Kakegurui [redub])

*Yui is played by Catherine Thomas (known for Itsuki on Kakegurui [redub] and Anne on Food Wars)

DISLIKED CHARACTER: I’m going to be honest and hate on that clique of friends. You know the ones, Hayama, that blonde bitch, the ass with the annoying voice…Yeah sorry, I’m watching it in English and I REALLY hate Tobe’s voice. Oop, I let one of those annoying voice names drop. I just get annoyed with those three in particular and get annoyed every time they’re involved in the story. The only one from the clique that gets a pass with me is Saki. She’s cool.

SHIPPING: Okay, let’s see what I’ve come to expect with a title that tells me it’s a rom-com!

During season one, it was clear that all three main characters kept to themselves in many ways. Yukino keeps a straight face even when she’s out with a boy while wearing girly clothes. No blushing, no stuttering, and nothing to give Hikigaya. Yui, you have to wonder as there might have been something after saving Hikigaya prior to episode 1. And when you add the fact that Yukino’s driver was partially to blame for striking Hikigaya with the car, things are adding up with this trio.

In season two, there were a several love confessions. Problem is that they were majority from that clique group. Early on, Tobe had a crush on Ebina (the girl who is a total fujoshi). And during the class trip, Ebina was getting help from Hikigaya and the others from the club to prevent Tobe from confessing to her. This went really bad as Hikigaya stomped on that landmine. He came in before Tobe could confess and “fake” confess to Ebina. She rejects Hikigaya and in a way Tobe too. This event really caused a lot of damage between Hikigaya, Yui, and Yukino and for more than just Hikigaya doing dumbass shit.

Next, we have Isshiki and Miura going after Hayama’s heart. To be honest, I always thought Miura and Hayama were already dating or doing something together. But Isshiki got her heart broken by Hayama on Christmas, Miura is ready to throw her future away in order to go where Hayama is going after high school, and Hayama is just a dickhead (and he knows it). Okay, can we get more stuff with our main 3 now?

We do see all three characters have some sort of breakdown in front of one another. More opening up to each other and revealing their true selves. More blushing in front of everyone, more clumsiness, all that crap! It’s obvious that Yui loves Hikigaya, but also doesn’t want to infringe on this special friendship between him and Yukino. It’s just that no one ever uses the word “love”. They just dance around it and use colorful wording to mask their feelings. Well, one of the girls did use “love”. But I’ll save that for when I’m talking about the finale.

Now if you ask me if I’m on Team Yukino or Team Yui, I would say…

I’m on Team Saika!

I know it’s not canon, but this is what I support.

END OF SEASON ONE: Club activities are put to a grinding halt as the culture festival is coming up. Hikigaya (against his will) was put on the committee by his teacher. Yui is somewhat involved, but isn’t with Hiki all that much. And as for Yukino, she’s on the committee and sort of seen as the second coming of her sister. People put a lot of expectations on Yukino just because her older sister Haru was deeply involved when she was in high school. These people obviously don’t know Yukino that well. Yukino made sure to get the job done (even when exhausted) and the start of the festival went pretty well. Yukino and Yui help a band and can suddenly out of nowhere play an instrument and sing. After Haruhi Suzumiya, every anime character thinks they can do it. Besides that, we witness a mental breakdown from the event organizer, Minami.

It was some time coming with her as she noticed Yukino was getting more attention with all the work she was doing for the culture festival and Minami started to feel useless in her role. Hikigaya found her and kinda chewed her out in front of her friends. This was Hikigaya’s way of nudging Minami’s friends have her back and build her up, while turning on Hikigaya. Hikigaya seriously doesn’t care if these people turn on him. These people have been wishy-washy with him in every episode up to this point. At least Hikigaya’s teacher knows what he did. Plus, Yui and Yukino are still there. Not for an encouraging word or anything, but they’re there.

The final episode involves a race. Hikigaya and the girls lost, but it seems they had a fun time.

Oh yeah, there was an OVA between season one and two. Yes, it’s fanservice. If you like the girls here and seeing them in wedding dresses, this is right up your alley.

SEASON TWO (ZOKU): We start the season with a reminder that Hikigaya is still hated by his peers. There’s no love for Hikigaya from his classmates after what he did at the culture festival to Minami. But we do see some unity from Yukino and Yui who were quick to dismiss some of their classmates (and occasional run-ins) when they insulted Hikigaya in the clubroom. However, Hikigaya’s bad decisions led to a falling out with Yukino and Yui during a school trip this season and even beyond that.

Ah yes, you might notice a change in animation with this season. Season one’s animated studio was Brain’s Base, the studio behind Durarara, Baccano, and the first season of To Your Eternity. In 2015, we get the transition to .feel, the same company that brought you the first season of Dagashi Kashi, Remake Our Life, and Kiss x Sis. Don’t worry, the company has improved since the Kiss x Sis days. To my knowledge, they didn’t animate any of the females of this anime peeing on themselves.

END OF ZOKU: Most of the second season revolved around Hikigaya being involved with the student council. Oh, he didn’t join. Earlier, a classmate named Isshiki came to the clubroom in need of help. Her classmates voted for her to be student council president, but Isshiki doesn’t want to be that. This led to a big thing between Hikigaya, Yui, and Yukino. Yui and Yukino were both ready to take this bullet and run for president (and as a result would potentially put an end to the volunteer club). Isshiki wound up accepting the role. It’s just that she still ends up leaning on Hikigaya for help (in more ways than one). Hikigaya winds up in the middle of this baby drama brought on by Hayama. God, could this guy just stop existing? Isshiki has a crush on Hayama, but he turns her down. And then we get into some actual pressing matters and that’s futures.

That’s right, these students are inching closer to their third year in high school and that means they have to nail down their final choices on colleges, career paths, and so on. Yukino seems to be getting into heated arguments about that very subject with her sister and mother. In the season finale, Hikigaya and the girls go to the aquarium for the day and by the end of the day, tensions rose. Yui wanted things to stay the same between the three of them. We all know that can’t happen. Yukino is really reaching to change things. You can see it in her face! There are things Yukino wants to do but doesn’t have the courage to speak up, especially when it comes to her family, her feelings, and her future.

This issue will continue in the third season.

ZOKU OVA: Another side-story and we’ve got dates to cover. In the first half, Isshiki goes on a date with Hikigaya. Why? She says it’s practice for when Isshiki asks Hayama out, but then she turns it into some student council thing with the different places they visited prior. The second half had Hikigaya go out with Yui and Yukino in some of the places that he went to with Isshiki. I’m wondering if Isshiki is going to be a major player in the Hikigaya love-shape-of-your-choice after this “date”. But then again, it’s Isshiki. She doesn’t have the star-power that Yukino and Yui ooze. Okay, onto the final season.

CLIMAX: It starts up right where we left off with this uncomfortableness between Hikigaya, Yui, and Yukino. Although now after this wish from Yui, Yukino decides to let some stuff about herself slide out. For starters, she wants to make some changes when it comes to what’s going on in her own family like take over her father’s business instead of her sister. Yukino also tries to do things without trying to rely on Hikigaya so much. It kinda gets hard to avoid that this season after Isshiki decides she wants to throw a prom at the school.

Huh?! Wait, that’s interesting. In all of the animes I’ve ever watched…I don’t recall there ever being proms. Here in the states, yes, they are still very much a thing. At least they were 20 years ago when I was in high school. Japan high schools are stricter than in the U.S. so it would make sense that those dances aren’t really common. Okay! Hikigaya and Isshiki are putting together a prom.

ENDING: Okay, I guess we’re focusing on the prom aspect for the entire season. The majority of this season revolved around going with Isshiki’s plan for a prom. But many problems arose like if there’s enough time to put one on. Will the parent-teacher organization allow this? And then we had more of that melodrama between the trio. Yukino wanting to do things herself and not so co-dependent on Hikigaya and Yui wanting her cake and eat it too. Back to the prom, after much debate, pleading, and an attempt at a fake prom to make the other one look better by comparison, it was decided that the prom would be approved. It was a success. And now for the boom.

Hikigaya’s fake prom plans from before the real prom was approved was found out by the student council and the parent-teacher organization. So obviously Isshiki was not amused and Yukino’s frosty-bitch mother had to stick her nose in this matter. Well, for one reason or another this prom is getting an approval and is a test for Yukino to prove to her mother that she’s capable of pulling something like this off and better than the previous prom. I swear, I never want to see a prom in an anime ever again after this. A whole season of this crap is enough. With help from Hayama, the cliquie girls, the dorks, the tennis team, and Yui, Hikigaya and Yukino were able to pull off a last-minute prom. At the end of the night while Yukino and Hikigaya were cleaning up, Yukino let an “I love you” slip out.

Amazing! Yukino is the first one to step-up here. And to think, Hikigaya went with the one girl who didn’t dance with him. Even his teacher danced with him. I honestly thought we were going down the Domestic Girlfriend route with Hikigaya and Miss Hiratsuka some of the time. Not to mention the fanbase to Yui was astronomical. It’s clear that fans preferred Yui to be best girl for Hikigaya. Now, I’m not sure if Hikigaya x Yukino are an official couple or not. In the meantime, let’s see how things are shaping up for the start of their third year.

Hikigaya’s baby sister Komachi is a first-year student. Miss Hiratsuka has left. The volunteer club is disbanded…actually, thanks to Komachi and Isshiki, the club is revived. And the first person to ask for help this school year is Yui. She would like help as a close friend might be going out with the boy she likes. Yeah, say that out in the open in front of Yukino and Hikigaya.

This series…I know there are lots of people who liked this anime. I just thought it was okay. It’s not a favorite of mine and I will always recommend other romcom animes over this.

I’m not sure if there’s any plan on reviving this series and give it a fourth and final season. I have a feeling that there’s more to this story. The characters are in their third year of high school. At this date and time, an OVA is planning to be released soon as of posting this review. The skepticism here is that this particular OVA has reportedly been delayed for over two years. I’m going to assume this was Covid related and move on. Currently, the light novels are over but the manga is still in publication. Although, I think the manga is heading towards the climax. Whatever the case, I’ll continue to watch. I want to see the end result of this love-polygon. I know my choice is never going to be an option, but who cares!

If you would like to watch this anime, Hidive has season one & three, nobody has season two, and Crunchyroll still has season three. This might of course change. Crunchyroll is slowly getting rid of anything licensed by Sentai and as of recent, Hidive announced more additions for their website. So that could mean the second season will have a home again.

#anime review #my teen romantic comedy snafu #hachiman hikigaya #yukino yukinoshita #yui yuigahama #yahari ore no seishun rabukome wa machigatteiru #hayato hayama #saika totsuka #iroha isshiki

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regarding-stories · 11 months

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Reading the books: "My Youth Romantic Comedy is wrong, as I expected."

What takes 15 days? Correct! Reading the 14 main line novels of "My Youth Romantic Comedy is wrong, as I expected." and the Volume 14.5 short story collection. What a ride...

What I definitely can say: The anime series was extremely faithful to the books. When you stick to the mainline and omit the short stories, you would mostly miss out on one thing. The best thing!

Hachiman Hikigaya's endless inner monologue!!

Good lord, this boy has issues. He's overly in his own head, makes lots of assumptions, is too smart for his own good, and too clueless. I just love it.

Gazing into the abyss with rotten eyes

Writing a series completely or almost completely from the point of view of its protagonist, basically mostly from his stream of consciousness, has of course its own set of challenges. Luckily it's not plain stream of consciousness but also scene setting and descriptions of the other people's actions, and a lot of the fun of the series derives from contrasting Hikki's assumptions and interpretations with your own.

It's also frustrating... (Also, spoilers, I guess.)

And late in the series I was asking myself, if the boy had any connection to his feelings at all. Author Wataru Watari has a habit of hiding the obvious, and so our main characters beat around the bush to the very last. I did get a tad annoying. But I'm getting ahead of myself...

What actually works quite well is the evolutionary change we see in Hachiman over the series. The way he thinks about people changes subtly and continuously. In the beginning he even calls the ever-lovely Yui Yuigahama a "ho" and a "slut" to her face. Hardly charming!! This is one of the moments one has to endure, proof of Hachiman's resentment towards the world after having been ostracized for so long, his hate for "normies." And on the surface, Yui is the uber-normie, the adaptable, the one willing to change for the sake of popularity - something Hachiman cannot abide with. Initially.

It paves the ground, however, for enjoying all the deeper the kindness Hikki displays in his thoughts later on towards Yui, or how highly he thinks of her in the end. (Though not of her lack of book smarts which he confuses for intelligence.)

While we're at it, Hikkitani's eyes gaze upon a few other things. I was remarking in my original post about the anime series how refreshingly low on male gaze it was. Well, our protagonist is male, and he occasionally compares bust sizes... not in the most charming way, either. However, it's neither permanently so nor done unconvincingly. We did enter the mind of a male teen, after all. In reality, we would have been bound to find much worse things there, after all... Of which we get one hint, really. (I will not tell.)

An almost unbroken stream...

What we also get is a lot of Hachiman's thoughts about his boy crush Saika Totsuka. Which is endlessly hilarious in all its bi-confusion. The scenarios unfolding in his mind without filter - I can't tire of them.

However, for the first 11 volumes we are home alone inside the head of our anti-hero. The last three, however, mix things up a bit. Labeled as "Interludes" there are scenes that take place without Hachiman, written from the view of another character. With Volume 14 we also get a multi-installment "Prelude" that features the scene between Yui and Yukino we didn't get a detailed glimpse of at the end of Volume 13.

What's annoying here is the tendency of omitting part of the dialogue and only describing it vaguely. We can infer that Yukino admits her love for Hachiman to Yui - whispered in her ear. Because that's what Yui knew all along but didn't want to hear. And we get Yui admitting the same to Yukino - that she's in love with Hachiman - but again it's not spelled out. We all know. But for some silly reason it's not spelled out.

Another central interlude is earlier when Yui discovers Yukinon's hidden treasure. Behind the stuffed Grue bear Hachiman got her, her hidden image of holding on to him on Splash Mountain. (Which hasn't been quite accurately transcribed into pictures.)

These scenes are necessary to understand everybody's actions for the complex ending. To understand why Yukinoshita seems to reject Hachiman and send him towards Yuigahama. To understand why Yui will in the end ask if it really feels alright and prompts her Hikki's final bid... towards the other girl. And why they all can remain together after. It also reveals Yui's mature side, her high degree of emotional intelligence, and her deep understanding fo and love for others.

We also get a bit into the head of Iroha Isshiki, Yukino and Haruno Yukinoshita, Hayato Hayama, and even Komachi Hikigaya. And a bit more of that if you read the final volume, 14.5. But the star of these scenes will always be Yui, the glue that holds them all together at the end - at great pain.

But in Volume 14 we get maybe the most convincing thing of all, something that I needed after seeing Hikki's indecisiveness for so long. He sums it up like this:

"I wish it had been a simpler kind of feeling. If it had been ordinary love or yearning, then I'm sure I wouldn't have felt so intensely. I wouldn't feel like this only happened once in a lifetime."

This is during Hachiman's confession. He says he wasn't struggling so much with being in love or a crush. What took him so long was figuring out a very complex feeling. (The passage is longer.) He's apparently able to discern between teenager hormones and the fact how well suited he is to be with this particular person, and how important that is to the other - to be seen, understood, and be loved at a deeper level. But the complexity is also discerning it from the love he already feels - like he would for Yui.

Other things you get from the books

One of the best things about the books besides Totsuka fantasies is the ability to read Iroha's terribly revealing rejections to Hachiman, each of them escalating over the previous one, getting ever more like invitations to ask her out just not right now. And her increasing complaints that he doesn't listen at all when she says them.

Also Irohasu's merciless teasing is best paced in the books. And Hachiman's opinion of her. These two would have chemistry for sure. It's just that this particular protagonist was made from the beginning for a particular heroine, and that's what I find so convincing about this series' narrative.

Sadly volume 14.5 only treats us to only one date between Yukino and Hachiman. I was hoping for more, but I take what I get. Even on their one month anniversary they're still all blushing smiles and red ears, but at the same time Yukino is already setting out a common future. Very cute.

If you want a real treat, however, search the internet. There are several anthology volumes filled with content mostly by other authors borrowing the characters - but also the short story "Thus A New Enemy Appears Before Him" from the anthology called "Yukino's Side" written by Wataru Watari himself. It has been translated by fans - I couldn't find a way to buy an actual English translation for any of this. The short story, however, is told from the vantage of Yukino's dad - his perceptions of the three highly intelligent women in his life and how they establish facts for him. The eternal struggle of the future father-in-law is real! The way he finds out that his youngest has a boyfriend had me in stitches. Also, Yukino's mom is on her game the whole time. Basically him mostly watching as his wife, Haruno, and Yukino interact is ... priceless.

#anime series #light novels #high school anime #high school romance #my youth romantic comedy is wrong as i expected #my teen romantic comedy snafu

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