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toonstarterz · 4 years

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BECAUSE I’M NOT POPULAR, I’LL READ WATAMOTE: CHAPTER #167

Hey, I’m not dead!

Yeah, sorry that took a while. Had a lot of real-life shit to work through, honestly. In any case, I finally sat my butt down to really crack down on yet another fun-tastical chapter. Tomoko’s actually doing what a lot of quasi-incel degenerates are afraid to do in high school and is taking an actual stab at self-improvement. Will karma rear its ugly head, or is the series now beyond that point?

Chapter 167: Because I’m Not Popular, I’ll Spend My Time Wisely unlike me

This is a really pretty shot and...that’s about it. Real pretty.

Oh dear! The friendship disease has disrupted Tomoko’s gremlin-like body clock and has her waking up early like a healthy human being!

Reminds of that one Gintama episode. You know, that one with Kagura and the sick kid and you don’t care, do you?

I know Japan prides itself on its cheap, quality goods, but Tomoko is a real penny-pincher, eh? Well, she’s a Gen Zer, so I can’t complain.

Not sure if this makes me sound like a perv or whatever, but hot damn, the detail on this model is stupidly good. I mean, just look at the patterning on that bra. You can really tell when Ikko’s really getting into the art.

They’re really milking the armpit fetish, aren’t they?

Tomoko...sweetie...my girl...

You don’t even have a dick. I mean, sure, you could find it fascinating from a purely educational, not-applicable-to-you perspective. And yeah, I suppose it could be useful if you were to start a sexual relationship with a noncanonical male. But to be honest, I can’t help but take it as more signs of your gender dysphoria here.

I mean, hey, whatever floats your boat.

Well, they say kids learn more about practical knowledge out in the real world than in school, don’t they?

Then again, coughgoogleitcough.

I always thought Tomoko was just having some kind of psychosomatic experience when she talks about being de-energized from a lack of sexual stimulation.

Now I’m inches from calling that shit an actual, physiological withdrawal.

Ah, the good ol’ days. Back when future prospects felt like a lifetime away and you could spend days on end dicking around, lamenting the need to get serious, and disregarding your resolve right after because you secretly didn’t really care.

...I gotta stop projecting.

Despite Tomoko proving time and again that she can be a crass-hole with a negative outlook on life, it’s when she does childish things like laying your head on your arm when studying and cuddling her plushies that her innocent side pops up and you realize that Tomoko’s a legitimate cutie.

Fake-smoking? Tomoko, stop! If you keep this up, you’ll turn from a deconstruction of a cute, moe girl to becoming an actual cute, moe girl.

I only just noticed that Tomoko’s wearing a “happy” shirt. Remember when she was sporting the “alone” shirt back in year one? Even her clothes get character development.

Oh, shit. Your girl Yuu-chan talking this whole cram school thing seriously even though she’s at a disadvantage. You see, this is why Yuu is literally the best. Despite being at the “top” of the school clique food chain, she has not once ever felt like “bottomfeeders” like Tomoko and Komi were below her in any way. Sure, she knows they’re weirdos, but she makes those acknowledgments without judgement, and all while putting herself on the same leveling field. She doesn’t love them ironically–she loves them sincerely, and that’s why Yuu is awesome.

Sorry if this turned into a ramble, but Yuu only gets like, one panel of dialogue nowadays and I wanted to make the most of it.

Tomoko be raising that “phone-call” flag like a motherfucking chad.

...

Oh, sorry. I saw Yuri with her hair down and lost track of time.

...

Damn, Yuri’s pretty.

Black leggings at home? That’s exactly the kind of conservative attire Yuri would wear and only Yuri could look amazing in. Seriously, If Ikko hadn’t become a manga artist, she would have made a damn fine fashion designer.

And Tomoko be crushing that “home-visit” flag like a motherfucking chode.

I could make a pretty tasteless joke about how “haha, Yuri will never look at you like you’re trash like she does at Tomoko,” but,

a. it’s just the angle of the smartphone like Yuri said, and

b. you’d probably prefer to get denied like that, wouldn’t you?

I can’t help but wonder if Tomoko realizes just how homoerotic she sounds. Like, does she have any inclination that her borderline-sexual harassment jokes could easily be misconstrued as flirting? Sure, she might be using the old excuse that “we’re both girls, so it’s fine right?”, but given that Tomoko at least knows about LGBTQ+, you’d think it would have at least crossed her mind.

Or maybe, on a sadder note, Tomoko doesn’t see it as flirting because she really does have zero faith in her own attractiveness...

There is no heterosexual reason for this exchange whatsoever.

Alright, so I’m a dude, so...hell do I know. But do girls typically not wear bras when just lounging around the house? I know Tomoko is the kind to just wear tank tops if she can help it, but I always thought that was a characterization unique to her, and that other girls wear bras for the comfort and support like any other undergarment. I mean, sure, Yuri’s kind of reserved, but I wouldn’t think wearing a bra at home would be considered an oddity, yeah? I ask this out of genuine curiosity, but I’ll stop before it gets too creepy.

Side note, you can officially tell when Yuri gets pissed by her nose crinkles.

I could give a long, analytical spiel about why Yuri didn’t give Tomoko a straight answer and speculate on what she was doing, but I eventually realized the answer was actually really simple:

It didn’t fucking matter to the story.

The last time Tomoko had one of these “I know!” moments, she ended up trimming her pubes on a class trip. But surely Tomoko’s character growth wouldn’t allow something like that to happen again, would it not? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Adorbs.

Can’t fight awkward with awkward, can you?

Tomoko, what are you playing at? You just said that video chatting was erotic and tried to get Yuri to lewd herself for you. And now you were planning to appear on-screen totally naked and you somehow don’t see any sexual implications for this at all? Finding it funny would be an elementary schooler’s mentality. If you seriously have no confidence in your sexuality, then sweetheart, you need some help.

You ever notice that Tomoko can lie through her teeth when trying to screw with people, but when lying to be nice, it sounds so phony? I think that says a lot about the kind of person she is.

Ya’ll knew I was gonna add this panel, didn’t you?

I was never one to go crazy about blushing anime girls ‘cause to me, it always felt like it stemmed from some sadistic desire to see girls look uncomfortable. So while I can’t get behind it for reasons like that, I can admit that Yuri’s blush is fucking precious and I think that’s because I love seeing her so emotionally transparent for once. It feels rare, raw and well-earned after all this time, so yeah. A++

Oh, Tomoko, if only you knew that skill often has nothing to do with it. Yuri’s not embarrassed because she sucks at humming, but because you saw a side of her that she only lets out in private. Trying to reassure her is a good move, but putting the girl on blast like that is not going to end well.

I felt like the vibration alone would’ve left a huge-ass crack on Yuri’s phone screen. This whole moment is like eleven tiers of funny because even though Tomoko is probably miles away, the impact of Yuri’s punch still jostles her. It also helps that we can visibly see Yuri’s fist come down mere millimeters from Tomoko’s mug.

There is no escaping her wrath, Tomoko.

I feel you, girl. For me, nothing beats a good ol’ burger and fries after a hard day of studying.

Careful there, Tomoko. If there’s one thing that studying has taught me (other than I hate it), it’s that you could get serious burn out if you go all-out on the first day, especially if you’re typically not a regular studier. Always make sure to get dem breaks in.

That sounds like the kind of line you’d see in a mainstream shounen action manga like [ ]. I don’t even have a direct reference here, so feel free to fill in the blank.

Hey, with Tomoko’s luck, I was expecting karma to hit her harder than Truck-kun in an isekai anime, so I consider this a small loss.

Man, remember when we were young and had ambitions as high as the sky, and we all wanted to change the world by being firefighters, astronauts, idols, and presidents?

Kind of sucks that “financial stability” has become our goal in life as we enter adulthood. Perhaps that’s just the mindset creative-types like Tomoko have towards the STEM industry when it’s hard to see what makes that world so personally fulfilling.

Oops, my opinions are starting to seep in, so let's move on.

Nooo, don’t do it, Nico Tanigawa Tomoko! Don’t sell out your passions for financial security even though it’s a totally viable career decision! How else are we going to validate the pursuit of our artistic dreams?

How in the hell is Tomoko balancing that drink? I’m willing to let it pass for rule of cute, but I don’t care how secure that cup is. One wrong move and those practice sheets are done for.

Jesus Christ, Nemo is on some otherworldly dimension of cute right here.

I don’t even think Tomoko is trying to one-up her or anything. This is already the most effort she’s given to study in a single instance, so I think she genuinely just wants to share this personal accomplishment.

You know, while it’s already been established that Tomoko and Nemo have different tastes in anime, that doesn’t necessarily mean they wouldn’t watch the same show, right? Just for different reasons. While Nemo would watch her cute slice-of-life series earnestly, Tomoko would probably watch them ironically MST3K-style. In any case, it’s a good way for them to find some common ground.

Bruh, Nemo must be over the fucking moon for this opportunity. Think about it: when was the last time she’s had someone to watch anime with her? After concealing her power level for so long, this could be the first time Nemo has had a fellow anime fan to geek out over a series with. And not just discussing it afterward, but actually reacting to a live episode together.

Nemo may give Tomoko all kinds of shit, but this is actually what she wanted all along, wasn’t it?

Boy, Tomoko sure gets pretty demanding when she’s sleep-deprived, huh? I’d hate to see how loose her inhibitions get when she’s stark-raving drunk.

Is this referencing the Quintessential Quintuplets anime? I don’t know anything about it other than that’s a kickass title.

Hey now, Tomoko, beggars can’t be choosers. Let Nemo give you the play-by-play at her own pace. She’s even acknowledging that you hate the source magazine without a hint of judgment. She’s gonna go places.

At first, I thought all this recent armpit content was just an incidental joke. Then I thought it was the mangaka slyly inserting their fetish into the series. Then I realized the series turned the joke on its head and made it a meta-reference about their very thing their readers were accusing them of.

Well played.

You ain’t slick with that leg service, Nino Tanigawa. Just sayin’.

Seriously though, I love the dynamic going on in this conversation. Tomoko and Nemo are approaching the discussion from different outlooks, the former looking at it from a degenerate’s perspective and the latter looking at it more optimistically. But even so, they’re not trying to “get the upper hand” like they might've done before. They’re simply having a totally organic talk about what they do and don’t like about the series, while still recognizing each other’s personal preferences. For once, it’s completely devoid of passive aggressiveness and it really shows how earnest their friendship has become.

At some point, I think Tomoko’s consumed so much near-pornographic content that pretty much all anime, manga, VNs, etc. looks like the same hentai to her.

Every fiber of my being says that this is a reference to Komi-san Can’t Communicate, but it could just as well be the mangaka shooting themselves in the foot for a good joke. In any case, I do like how they point out shy, socially awkward girls is a rising trend that borders on romanticizing communication problems.

Does that make Watamote a hipster manga since it did the whole “social anxiety girl” shtick before it was cool?

I wanted to make a pretentious joke about how basic that anime sounds and how I’m so above a show that panders to the masses, but even I like junk food, so I’ll spare you the hypocritical humor.

If Ucchi caught a glimpse of this, she’d probably explode right on the spot.

I spent a good five minutes trying to decipher how Tomoko’s sleeping expression could be seen as “happy”, and I realized that it’s not that she looks happy. It’s that she doesn’t look unhappy. I’d imagine that those plagued by anxiety and stress have it evident on their face when they sleep, so the fact that Tomoko fell asleep in relative bliss must mean she’s had a pretty satisfying day. To top it all off, this is one of the few times someone–and Nemo of all people–has seen Tomoko in all her vulnerability.

And you know what? Nothing bad happened. No punchline undermining the moment, no sarcastic quip, no embarrassment. Just genuine sweetness and it really speaks to the series’ faith in its heartwarming moments.

As a final note, I just wanted to thank everyone again for their patience. I’ve been trying to put a fresh spin on this, making it a little more comedic since its honestly getting harder to “analyze” without constantly repeating myself. It’s a lot of fun, and I hope you guys enjoy it for what it is.

#watamote #watamote review #chapter 167 #no matter how i look at it it's you guys' fault i'm not popular!#tomoko kuroki #yuu naruse #yuri tamura #hina nemoto #review

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thequotorium · 4 years

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i finally finished watching watamote and it was a real time! a true anime lover’s inside joke, not for the weak willed

#watamote #watashi ga motenai no wa dō kangaetemo omaera ga warui!#silver link #watamote review #anime review #わたモテ #私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い #my post #crunchyroll

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anime-of-the-day · 2 years

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Anime of the day: Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui!

Alt Title: WataMote: No Matter How I Look At It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Unpopular!

Released: 2013

Tomoko feels confident. She’s lived 50 high school lives and dated over 100 boys; she’s got everything she needs to conquer high school. That is if high school were a simulation. In the real world Tomoko is awkward and introverted, and she doesn’t know she is. But maybe with help from her best friend Yuu and her brother Tomoki, she might just be able to do it!

#Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui!#WataMote #WataMote: No Matter How I Look At It It's You Guys' Fault I'm Unpopular!#2013 #anime of the day #anime recommendation #anime review #anime #anime rec list #anime rec

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crybabysunflower · 3 years

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Watamote Reveiws

General Information

Title:-Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui! Aka WataMote (私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! )

Country of Origin:- Japan

Genre:- slice of life, dark comedy,

Demographic:- Shounen

Manga by :- Nico Tanigawa

Directed by:-Shin Onuma

Written by :- Takao Yoshioka

Music by:- Sadesper record

No of episodes:- 12+ OVA

Company:- Silver link

Airing date:- 9 July 2013- 24 September 2013

Plot

The plot takes place in the life of Tomoko Kuroki, an extremely socially awkward girl, who despite her young age has 50 years of dating experience with, otome games' boys. Although she is bad at socializing she aims to be the most popular girl in her school and tries hard to be one.

My Opinions

As I am somewhat like Tomoko in real life, this anime was moreover a source of catharsis for me, this anime was like listening to some (usually) sad emo song which is being too honest with one's emotions. WataMote is basically mainly targeted towards socially awkward audiences because for us most of the so called shy girls appear perfect, usually in anime the shy girls are calm, get good grades, good at housework, always make cookies for friends....wait, they even have FRIENDS, often boys have crush on that shy girl because she happens to be so attractive, and Tomoko despite being equally shy as them is actually the polar opposite, because she is too real, some people point out the fact that Tomoko is only full of flaws and have no good qualities, but she has one good quality, that is she never gives up which gives the anime and manga a running gag form. Every episode and chapter starts with a plan of being popular, which however fails, leading to another plan, another episode. Running gag form lets the veiwers and readers understand the plot even if they are watching an episode or reading a chapter somewhere from the middle.

The other characters also played a good role in shaping up the main character's personality. Tomoko is very lonely and she has a brother(Tomoki Kuroki) who gets annoyed by her everytime she comes to interact with him, making him kick her out of his room, this interaction adds to her loneliness, and sadly we cant blame her brother for getting annoyed, her best friend Yuu (Yuu Naruse) who is a perfect girl according to Tomoko, she is popular, is attractive, has a boyfriend and is very kind and friendly in general, Yuu's perfection enhances Tomoko's already low self esteem,

Tomoko's cousin Kii is a young girl and Tomoko was desperate to look cool for her to the point that Kii's arc got cringier every time she comes up, as our protagonist has to look cool and 'perfect' for the little one.

It is however a dark comedy, which according to me is a very controversial type of comedy, this anime appeared mean spirited for many audience because nothing significantly happens good with the protagonist, its self depreciating aspect also made the show depressing too. The anime, as I have mentioned is very honest with people also makes it a hard watch as many veiwers watch anime and read manga to escape reality, this is also the reason why it was not well received by the Japanese audience unlike their western counterparts.

The animation style although expressive, but is pretty average, and clichèd,

The Opening song was not well received, it was mainly because it was more of metal and metal music is mainly used for action anime series' op, some might argue that it resonates with the protagonist's struggle and depicts her silent scream, but I did not find the necessity of using metal music, especially after hearing the Ending song which despite not have a metal music appeared equally expressive to me

Overall Rating

I will finally rate WataMote, from me it gets

7.5/ 10.0

#tomoko kuroki #kuroki tomoko #yuu naruse #watamote #watashi ga motenai no wa dō kangaetemo omaera ga warui!#no matter how i look at it it's you guys' fault i'm not popular!#anime review #anime

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joyofcrime-elinorhigh · 5 years

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Watamote Review: (Oh, The Cringe)

"Beware that, when fighting cringe, you yourself do not become a cringe lord yourself.. for when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche: 1886 -(Probably) -(Don't Google it)

Hello there, everybody. My name is JoyofCrimeArt, and the word "cringe" is definitely thrown around a lot these days, to the point where some say that the word is starting to lose all meaning. "Oh, you like some band or movie that I don't like? That's so cringe, lol." No, Damn it! I'm sick of all of it! I'm looking for true, unadulterated cringe, in it's purest form! The type of cringe that makes you unsure if you should laugh or cry. The type of cringe that makes you question if our species evolutionary process is going backwards or forwards. That is why I am on a quest to find this cringe, for the good of science! So today in my journey to find the most cringe thing ever created (other than myself, obviously) we will be diving head first into the deep end of the cringe pool, as we head to Japan once again to talk about the 2013 anime series Watamote. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWOTQRduHeA

(Yes, I'm using the ending credit song here. I know people love the shows opening, and while I think that the song on it's own isn't that bad and the visuals are really nice, the heavy metal doesn't really match the show in my opinion. Couple with the clever lyrics here, I find this song a better representation of the show, and much catchier.) Watamote (Aka: No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys' Fault I’m Not Popular! Aka: No Matter How I Look at It, This Series Really Needs a Shorter Title.) is a twelve episode anime series based off of the manga by the same name written by two writers who both go by the pen name Nico Tanigawa. The series follows the misadventures of main protagonist Tomoko Kuroki, a very socially backwards teenage girl who's about to enter her first year of high school. Being unpopular in middle school, Tomoko decides that high school is going to be a fresh start for her, as she decides that she will not only become the most popular girl in school, but will also get a boyfriend as well. Things do not turn out that way and hijinks ensue. Seems like a fairly standard, if not somewhat bland premise, right? Well you might assume that at first, but what if I were to tell you that this show handles the subject in such a unique and creative way, that it was actually able to became one of my personal favorite animated series of the decade so far? Why is that, you ask? Well, let's dive in and find out. Let's start by talking about our main character, Tomoko Kuroki. Tomoko is a first year high school student who dreams of becoming popular and getting a boyfriend. However, there are two big things that makes this hard for her. The first thing is that she is not a very friendly person. She's bitter, cynical, and even a bit demented at points. She has her soft moments, but in general she tends to assume the worst in almost anybody, and holds a lot of resentment for people who are more socially skilled than she is. The second thing is that Tomoko is HEAVILY implied to suffers from a surprisingly fairly realistic depiction of social anxiety disorder. At the start of the series Tomoko is completely unable to talk to anybody outside of her own family. These two facts, particularly the latter, are what makes Tomoko's goal of becoming the most popular girl in school such an enormous challenge, and Tomoko trying to break out of her shell serves as the main arc of the series. Social anxiety disorder is not a topic that I've seen covered very much in other forms of media, and I can't think of any other series that covers it in the way Watamote does. But I'll get to that a bit later. There are some other side characters, but honestly there aren't that many. There's Tomoko's younger and stoic brother Tomoki, who has to put up with Tomoko's annoying antics. There's also Yu, Tomoko's only friend from middle school who now goes to a separate high school. While she too was unpopular in middle school, unlike Tomoko she actually was able to reinvent herself when she entered high school by dying her hair blond and hiding her love of anime. She acts as a good contrast to Tomoko as a reflection of what Tomoko wants to be. There's also one other character who comes in near the end of the series, but I can't really talk about her to much without getting into mild spoiler territory. All of these characters are good in there own right, but other then them the show is mostly about Tomoko. This is clever as by keeping the cast of side characters small, it helps drive the point home about how lonely she really is due to her social anxiety. Resulting in about eighty five to ninety percent of the shows "dialogue" to actually be Tomoko's internal dialogue, as she talks to herself about whatever situation she is in. I've never seen a show do something like this before and it's really an interesting thing to do. It ties the audience much more into Tomoko's struggle by truly making the series her story, and her's alone. However, this means that the entire series does rely on you liking Tomoko as a character. If you don't than there isn't much else to latch on to. Episodes of the show are pretty formulaic. They almost always center around either Tomoko coming up with some kind of hare brain scheme to get more popular or involve her being forced to act in some kind of social situation. Often times the plots do not act as much of a "linear plot" as much as a series of short vignettes that center around a theme. Like episodes four, where the plot is that "it's raining" and we get several different segments of Tomoko doing stuff while it's raining. Or episode seven, where the whole plot is just Tomoko doing several things during her summer break. It's a pretty unique format that I haven't seen many other times before and makes the episodes feel less like a coherent stories and more like just moments of Tomoko's life. I really enjoy this way of storytelling, as it makes the stories seem a lot smaller. That might sound like a bad thing, but I think it helps ground the world and the characters, and makes it feel more relatable. It makes the stories feel like something that could actually happen in real life. Now despite how depressing this show might sound from my description of it, it is still a comedy. It's just that it's a very dark comedy. Most of the jokes in the series coming from Tomoko's failure to understand the way that people are suppose to act socially, or the leaps in logic she makes when it comes to her schemes to become more popular. This often results in what is known as "cringe comedy" or as what I like to call it "Oh God, please stop." comedy. This is a style of humor that this show has perfected to a t. Every situation that Tomoko finds herself in is uncomfortable to watch, in the best of way. It's actually a great show to watch if you are socially awkward, cause then you can say, "Well hey, at least I'm not THAT bad." Unless of course you are that bad, in which case you really need to question your life decisions.

THIS IS THE STUFF WE'RE DEALING WITH, PEOPLE! Tomoko's plans are always doomed from the start, to the point where failure is an inevitability. This actually provides an interesting viewing experience in a strange kind of way. Most of the time in good stories a character will think of a plan that is just crazy enough to work. You as the viewer will be unsure of whether or not the characters plan will work or not and that's how the series builds suspense. But Watamote's plot structure doesn't work like that. The plots of Watamote function less like conventional stories and more like a car driving into a brick wall. What I mean by this is that whenever Tomoko comes up with any kind of plan to become popular you know form the very beginning that it's going to fail. The schemes are so disconnected from any kind of reality that it's obvious to anyone who isn't Tomoko that the plan won't work. An example of this in the episode six where she tries to become more attractive by playing dating sims game, due to the fact that she believed that by being aroused by these games, her body would create more feminine hormones, and those hormones would make her more attractive. And that's not even her dumbest plan she has in this series! You know from the start that this plan makes absolutely no Goddamn sense, but then you have to sit there for the next six to ten minutes and watch it fail. You have to watch the metaphorical car crash unfold. The show definitely has a niche style of humor that won't be for everyone, but I personally can't get enough of it. Now, while the show has gotten mixed to positive reviews from fans and critics, those who do dislike the show site a major problem with the series being how it deals with the topic of social anxiety. Many say that the show does not tackle the topic with much tack or grace, as the series is basically about laughing at how miserable Tomoko is because of her illness. Not to mention the fact that pretty much no adult in the series tries in anyway to actually help Tomoko through her problem. Not even her parents. Many argue that this show is taking the subject to lightly. Honestly though, I disagree with this analysis, and honestly I have no idea where they would get this idea from.

Oh, Tomoko! You're so CRAY CRAY! Ha Ha! You see, it's funny because social anxiety is hilarious! Okay, in all seriousness, I can get that complaint. Heck, now that I think about it, I honestly don't think this story would have been able to air if it came out in America due to the way it handles the issue. So the question becomes "is this show offensive to people with social anxiety disorder"? Well, I don't think so. The show does play a lot of the social anxiety stuff for laughs, but it is also played for drama as well. Tomoko's whole character arc is about her learning to cope with her condition while also trying to conquer it. And while I don't have social anxiety disorder (Though I am EXTREMELY introverted, so take of that what you will.) I think that the story would be very inspiring for someone who does have it. Watamote is a lot like an TV-MA rated version of the comic strip Peanuts, (hear me out, here!) Like Charlie Brown Tomoko is a character that the world is just out to get. She tries her hardest, but from the very beginning we know that failure is inevitable. But Tomoko never stops trying. And when she does have even the smallest of victories it feels all the more satisfying. Because Tomoko does change over the course of the twelve episodes. The change is very gradual, but as the series goes on she does become more and more confident speaking around other people, and it feels like a real accomplishments, even though it's clear at the end of the series that she still has quite a way to go. Even her motivations change over the course of the series, going from "Wanting to be the most popular girl in school and having a boyfriend" to "Just wanting a boyfriend" to "Just wanting to have a friend." It shows the struggles that comes with anxiety, but it also shows that with hard work you can rise above it, even if it's only one step at a time. For a comedy driven show it actually has a lot of heart behind it. And it's this heart that I think keeps the show from being just a show that uses social anxiety as a punchline, into a series that really treats the issue with the respect it should be treated with, albeit in a comedic way.

The show treads a careful line into dipping into "torture porn" territory (Which, for anyone who is not aware, is a term often used to describe a show that features one character suffering over and over again for no good reason. BTDubz, we also learn is one of Tomoko's kinks.) What I mean is that as an audience member you want to watch the main character succeed in there endeavors. However, Tomoko fails ninety nine percent of the time. The series could easily dip to far and end up becoming too depressing and mean spirited. But luckily there able to carefully avoid this my making almost of Tomoko's suffering is caused by internal forces, not external. No one actually bullies Tomoko for her condition, or anything. it just that most people don't know she exists. If Tomoko could actually just talk to someone instead of overthinking things she wouldn't have a problem making friends at all. This stops the series from coming across as overly mean spirited. Because it is Tomoko, or more specifically her condition, that makes her life hard. Not anyone or anything else. Tomoko life is separated from all of her peers, and the show cleverly illustrates this by having a lot of the background characters being drawn without faces. Because, to Tomoko, there just a faceless mob. That and it probably helps cut cost on the character design budget-

Also, the fact that Tomoko is such a jerky character also helps the series feel less like a torture porn. Cause while obviously you don't want Tomoko to suffer, it is a lot easier to watch a lovable jerk suffer compared to someone who did nothing wrong. I mean seriously, look at the way Tomoko talks about her only friend Yuu in her internal monologue!

She's such a jerk! But because we know what she goes through it stops her from becoming to unlikeable...For the most part. That leads me into some of the flaws with the show. While I do really love this show a lot, I believe that everything has pros and cons to it, and it deserves to be talked about. Just keep in mind though that many of these flaws are kinda nitpicks, that don't distract too much from the series as a whole. Sometimes Tomoko can come across as to mean spirited and unlikeable. The bit before the train scene in episode four is probably the worst of it, though there at least she does learn that she was wrong. The show also has a tendency to reuse music from previous episodes, which while not that bad does get fairly noticeable as the series goes on. The series also has a lot of references to both Japanese pop cultural references and references and Japaness culture in general. For some reason a lot of the Japanese brand names or anime series that are names dropped in the series are censored out in the sub? It's weird because there not removed like they are in the dub, but they'll have one or two letters blocked out. I don't get the point. But yeah, a lot of those jokes went over my head, and would probably work better if I knew more about day to day life of a Japanese youth. Also the ending of the series is kinda lackluster. I'm not going to go into spoilers, but Watamote is based off of a manga. A manga that is still running today, so they didn't really have an ending they could adapt. And it's kinda clear from the feeling of the finale that the people behind the anime didn't really know what to do when they got to the end of there twelve episode run. The finale isn't really that bad to be completely honest, but it does feel like a very abrupt end written by people who where just kinda guessing what the ending of the manga might end up being like. Also, while I don't see this as a flaw, this show will not be everybody. This show will make you feel uncomfortable. A lot of scenes are really hard to watch, just due to how intentionally awkward they are. I kept out A LOT of the really cringy moments from the show out of the review as not to spoil them, but trust me. It gets truly hard to watch at some points. This is Butch Hartman's YouTube channel levels of cringe! (Okay, that's a lie, nothing is that cringe. Sorry Watamote.) It's both the shows greatest strength and greatest weakness. The humor is both very unique but also very niche, which is why while this show was fairly successful when it came out, I would find very few people other than myself who would call it one of there favorite anime series. Now, it's time to talk about the age old debate. How should you watch the series, Dubbed or Subbed? Well, honestly, I don't really care. It's your life man, As long as you're not hurting anybody what do I care? But if you wanted my opinion, I'd be happy to share it with you! Since most of the lines come from Tomoko she'll be the big deciding factor. For the sub we have the performance of Izumi Kitta. Ms. Kitta nails the role of Tomoko in my personal opinion. She has such a meek and high pitched voice that it really sells the emotional scenes in the series. When Tomoko is forced to talk to someone in the sub her voice is at a near inaudible whisper, which really does help give you the sense that Tomoko is truly unable to communicate with most people. In the dub Tomoko is played by voice acting legend Monica Rial. Her take on Tomoko's voice is less cutesy and is a lot more nasally, which does work as an interpretation. She captures the comedy moments really well too. However, I feel like she isn't as good at capturing the moments of anxiety as well as Kitta, and due to Kitta managing to pull of the comedic and the touching side I think her take is the better version. No offence to Monica Rial though. I do love the fact that her version of Tomoko sounds like a cross between Renge from Ouran High School Host Club (Who she also voices in the dub) and Peridot from Steven Universe. THAT'S A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN I TELLS' YA!

So in the end, should you watch Watamote? Well, I think it depends on who you are. The series won't be for everyone. It's brand of humor is very unique, and will likely turn a lot of people off. But I think if you're the type of person who likes weird, uncomfortable humor they'll be something for you here. ESPECIALLY if you're shy or introverted. There will definitely be a part of you who will be able to relate to the show, even if you're not exactly proud that you related to it. The series is also only twelve episodes, so it isn't that much of a commitment. It's really a shame that it's only twelve episodes though, as they only ended up adapting about three and a half volumes out of the still ongoing ten volume run. They could of done more if they wanted too. But then again, leave them wanting more as they say. (That way you can force them to buy your manga set...) The series can be found subbed on Crunchyroll for free, or on Hulu if you already have an account. Unfortunately the only way to find the series dubbed legally is on DVD or blu-ray sets, and those are about thirty bucks on Amazon here in the US. However, depending on your financial situation it may just be worth it...(But God knows I don't have that kind of money!) If this review got you at all interested consider checking the series out. So that's my review of the anime series Watamote. What do you think of the series? Which moment was the hardest to watch for you? Tell me all that in the comments down bellow. I'd love to start a conversation, even if you don't necessarily agree with all of the points I've made. Please fav, follow, and comment if you liked this review, or if you have any suggestions for any other reviews in the future. Have a great day. (Interesting fact. Whenever I'm at work during my lunch break at work I will either go to the bookstore that's right by my work establishment or I'll just sit in the break room reading my volumes of Watamote mangas by myself while trying to make it so my co-workers can't see what I am reading. THIS SHOW IS SO ME AND THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING-) (I do not own any of the images or videos in this review all credit goes to there original owners.)

https://www.deviantart.com/joyofcrimeart/journal/Watamote-REVIEW-Oh-the-Cringe-698766244 DA Link

#Watamote #no matter how i look at it it's you guys' fault i'm not popular!#anime #review #cringe

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awakefor48hours · 2 years

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After seeing a lot of one-star reviews for Turning Red, I’m convinced that if you think it’s “too immature” or “unrealistic” you’re just pissy that this is a movie full teen girls and predominate non white cast.

I saw was that people were mad that “sexy,” “drugs,” and “strippers” were words uttered in the movie. OK???? These are 13 year old girls with an internet access we’re talking about. When I was in middle school every other sentence I heard was “that’s what she said.” It got so bad that when a friend of mine got the birds and bees talk from her parents, she knew everything because everyone (myself very much included) made a bunch of sex jokes.

Another thing was that they brought up periods. Which I also don’t understand why it’s being demonized. The movie is about growing up, Mei is THIRTEEN, she’s going through puberty, and she has a uterus. I got my first period when I was twelve and looking back, I’m so upset that it wasn’t talked about more because I WAS NOT PREPARED IN THE SLIGHTEST. (Fun fact actually, I thought you only got a period once and was so confused when my mom tried to walk me through having more periods in the future). I also didn’t get cramps until I was 14 and the only reason I knew that cramps were a thing is that I saw a bunch of memes about having periods and not from a sex ed class. But even still, periods aren’t a mature topic because if you're alright if your child knows that pregnancy exists, then they should know that periods exist. You can’t avoid/escape people that menstruate.

Over the past 5-6 years all I’ve seen are people just bitch and bitch about “annoying” 13 year old TikTok girls being obsessed with KPOP and now that we have a movie that is essentially what is a group of 13 year old girls obsessed with a boy band and people are mad because it’s “unrealistic.”

When I was 13, I was obsessed with Avril Lavigne. A girl that sat next to me in class was obsessed with Little Mix. A girl in a different class was obsessed with Mia Khalifa (this was before she did porn). A lot of girls on my soccer team were obsessed with Five Seconds of Summer and One Direction. My sibling was obsessed with Justin Bieber. And I’m sure that this list goes on and on.

To be honest, Turning Red is the most accurate to life movie I’ve seen about being a teenager since WataMote.

#turning red #disney turning red #pixar turning red #turning red mei #meilin lee #mei lee

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medea10 · 2 years

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Medea’s Superstar Superlative Anime & Games of 2021

So 2021 was one of those years that…what can I say that anyone else hasn’t? We all are getting back into the swing of things and trying to find a bit of normalcy after the shit-storm of 2020. Many of us are stepping back out in the world after being holed up for 18 months or trying to move on after possibly losing a family member to Covid-19. Whatever the case, anime was there to make things bett…or just gave us a distraction while the world turns to shit.

You all know the deal with what I do every year. I give respect to the anime and games I played throughout 2021 with this horribly outdated meme I’ve done for over 10 years. Seriously, I’m sure there are far better ones I could be doing here! If there’s an anime that came out in not 2021 times but I watched it this year, it counts. Now let’s hit it!

First Fandom of 2021: Cells at Work – CODE BLACK

You guys remember Cells at Work, right? Cutesy opening theme where the cast (even the English cast) sing the song, everyone’s happy and peppy, everything is colorful and nice, and the only time there was a big worry was when a cancer cell came in. Yeah…the anime was fine and dandy. But I chose not to give it a proper review for reasons that are out of my hands. So imagine my excitement levels when it was announced that Cells at Work was coming back along with a side-story that was going to be so totally opposite of the actual Cells at Work airing in the same season.

Wow, I did not expect a Cells at Work anime was going to catch my attention, but Code Black reeled me in. Every day in this body is literally a CODE BLACK. It makes Frank’s body from Osmosis Jones look like the peak of physical fitness compared to what this body has going on. There’s obesity, gout, impotence, renal failure, alcoholism, and heart failure that lead to a mighty, big heart attack! We sure this guy wasn’t Roger Ailes? Never mind fighting a cancer cell. Those fuckers appear at random and once a season in the original season! Everyone in this body is fighting to live because the human has some really shitty habits. This is an every day hell! So yeah, this Cells at Work series was addicting to watch.

Favorite Main Character of 2021: Shouko Komi from Komi-san Can’t Communicate

I’m joining the plethora of people who say, “Yes, this was me in high school, #Relatable”!

Okay, where the fuck were these #Relatable people when I was going to school? Because I felt really fucking alienated growing up and the number of people sprouting up relating to Shouko Komi is starting to piss me off.

God bless this girl! She’s trying her darndest to try and make 100 friends at school despite having extreme social anxiety. She’s not cringy like Tomoko from Watamote or super needy like Hitori Bocchi, Komi-san is Komi-san! Aoi Koga just sounds so cute when voicing this character with every gasp, squeak, and grunt she has to voice. Seriously, how much is Aoi Koga being paid here? Komi-san has severe social anxiety that has rendered her unable to communicate properly in front of others. The only way we know what she’s feeling is through facial expressions and what she rights in her notebook. And that’s only if you’re another person she trusts! But I love how determined she is to making new friends at school (even if some of them are certifiably insane). Keep going for that goal Komi-san! You go girl!

Favorite Villain of 2021: The Dark Triad of the Spade Kingdom from Black Clover

I know I gave a villain group from Black Clover a nod last year, mostly for pity sake. This year, wow these guys gave the Clover and Heart Kingdom some major beatdowns. With the introduction of the Dark Triad (Dante, Vanica, and Zenon), manga readers were super ready and super spoily about this. Seriously guys, shut the fuck up and let us enjoy what’s coming. I gotta say it was hard to believe so many characters changed within 6 months time, but I suppose the extra training came in handy for some. Dante, Vanica, and Zenon were just OP and every week an episode hit it was like, “OH MY GOD! WHAT THE FUCK! HOLY SHIT! DID THESE GUYS JUST FUCKING DIE! WHAT THE OH HOLY FUCK”! And other sentiments because you couldn’t believe the shit they did. Unfortunately for me, Black Clover’s anime came to an end back in March leaving me at a total stand-still with seeing more from these ultra baddies (and what the fuck happened to Yami and William). Maybe in 2022, we’ll learn more with the movie they (only) announced. Noelle, Asta, and Yuno need another round two with these guys.

Favorite Video Game Character of 2021: Ni…

…We good here, pal? We got that shit out of our system? Okay then!

Niko from Animal Crossing Happy Home Paradise

I adore this little monkey. You know what? I love everyone in HHP, even Wardell. But Niko is just so cute and so helpful. He makes so much use of all those ores and sticks you’ve been storing for a year to make you helpful items for when you’re designing vacation homes. I’m usually not a monkey fan, but I’m willing to make an exception for Niko. Look at how tiny he is! I love it! Oh and the way he hops in picture shots! Somebody get me an amiibo of him!

Favorite Game of 2021: Animal Crossing New Horizons + Happy Home Paradise

Tough choice! There were a lot of games I actually played this year. Miitopia came back and I had fun with the quirky madlib of RPG’s. Pokemon Snap and several Mario games also came into the picture. And then Diamond and Pearl! But Animal Crossing had that staying power from last year and continued to dominate for more fun. Trust me, the world becoming a bleaker hellhole made it less so with this game. And with recent additions like Brewster’s café, crops, cooking, new recipes, random islands with Kapp’n, and even the DLC extra game, Animal Crossing gave fans so much they asked for and more.

And Senor Froggy chair!

Favorite Het Couple of 2021: Tamahiko Shima x Yuzuki Tachibana from Taishou Maiden Fairytale

Oooh, this couple is just too cute for me to pass up! Tamahiko came from a prominent family that recently shunned him. Yuzuki was purchased by Tamahiko’s father to be his bride. Yeah, this part of the story does not look good on paper. Tamahiko’s father is scum and this is the 1920s! Thankfully, Tamahiko doesn’t act like a spoiled brat of a wealthy family. In fact, he’s quite the gentleman to Yuzuki. And then there’s Yuzuki! Because this is the 1920’s, I can’t help but think she’s an ancestor of Tohru Honda. She is that pure! She came to Tamahiko’s house to be his bride and she will happily do that.

Granted, both of these silly kids are awkward when actual romance does ensue! I do believe Tamahiko cares for this girl. Probably because this is the only kindness Tamahiko received in his entire life. His family refused to show any sort of love and because of the wealth, he was seen as an outcast everywhere else. Yuzuki doesn’t get bothered by anything really (aside from her floofy hair and giant tits). Tamahiko deserves every kind of happiness and I’m glad Yuzuki is in his life.

Favorite Yuri Couple of 2021: Tohru x Kobayashi from Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid S

Before this came along, I had a lot of Yuri contenders because of animes like Otherside Picnic and Bloom Into You. But fuck that, Tohru and Kobayashi are back!

Yes, this is very much one-sided as fuck! We all know how crazy Tohru can get about Miss Kobayashi. At times, it did hit fever-pitch like when Tohru artistically expressed her feelings for Miss Kobayashi. This season we got a lot of choice moments between Kobayashi and Tohru and a few silly moments. Kobayashi will continue to be there for Tohru no matter what Tohru’s father says. And Tohru will always be there to protect Kobayashi. Seriously, that man should have never slapped Kobayashi. We all knew Tohru was going to go savage on his ass.

Best of all, the second season gave us a genuine “I love you” from Tohru. I know Kobayashi didn’t respond like Tohru wanted, but it’s what we all knew she would take it. And then the faux wedding scene! A dragon can dream, right?

Favorite Yaoi Couple of 2021: …

I did not watch a yaoi anime this year. I know, shocking! I could have put any old slightly canon yaoi ship in this category, but my heart wasn’t really into it. Ash x Goh is still on my mind, but I don’t support it up the ass like I normally would. I mean, I did technically finish one this year. But what else can I say about this couple that I haven’t already in last year’s list and the review I put out?

Ash Lynx x Eiji Okumura from Banana Fish

It was beautiful while it lasted.

Fandom That You Didn’t Expect to Get Into: Mushoku Tensei – Jobless Reincarnation

Yeah, I didn’t think I was going to love the fuck out of this going in. I mean let’s face it, it’s another fucking isekai. But sitting there watching every episode and watching Rudeus grow from episode to episode was just amazing to watch. This guy gets to have a second chance after having the worst experiences ever in his previous life and eventually grow from it. We watch Rudeus grow from episode to episode, not just physically from baby to teenager but grow as a person and mage. Now the actual isekai adventure doesn’t really happen until the end of season one, it was nice to see Rudeus mature (for the most part). Yeah, this series can get very perverted. VERY perverted! Perversion aside, Rudeus being reborn as someone from a different world and time gave this poor soul a chance at redemption. And who doesn’t like a good redemption?

Fandom That Made An Unexpected Comeback: Violet Evergarden

We had good comebacks in 2021 like Demon Slayer. We had bad comebacks in 2021 like The Promised Neverland. And then…I watched the Violet Evergarden movie and…

DAMMIT, WHO’S CUTTING THE FUCKING ONIONS?!

Of all the fucking stories to make a comeback in the movie, it had to be Ann. The one story that made me ugly-cry! Okay, it wasn’t just this and it wasn’t just the movie. I think it was because of Miss Kobayashi’s return to television that I found myself looking at other KyoAni productions and rewatching a lot of the work I’ve seen once before. Violet Evergarden was just so beautiful that I couldn’t stop it at one viewing. Also with rewatching, I went back to this annoying thought in the back of my head that had to do with Violet and the major. I felt like something was off and thought it would be nice if the movie could address that uneasy feeling I had. I was right to feel that way. I’m glad I saw what I saw. This movie is beautiful. The entire series is a treasure. Long live KyoAni!

And as much as this will make me ugly-cry, I’m so happy Ann lived a full and happy life after losing her mother at a young age. *sniffs* She kept the letters even after her death! She deserves all the happiness in the world.

Fandom That Inspired the Most Crack: Redo of Healer

Most crack or most pussy?!

I couldn’t believe this. Remember last year when Interspecies Reviewers crossed a line with consensual sex between brothel workers and paying John’s? This anime nuked that line! This anime had no consenting when it came to sex. It wasn’t even sex. It was rape! Not just rape, but date-rape, incest-rape, gender-swapping-rape, and revenge-rape. And what is revenge rape? It’s Redo of Healer! How could I continue watching this after episode 2? Because apparently women like me are drawn to this smut. At least that’s what the creator said! And was he right? Sadly yes.

And to top it all off, this series wasn’t even banned from Japanese television and the U.S. licensor was willing to keep airing this week by week. Sentai Filmworks has no shame whatsoever and they should have been the ones to license Interspecies Reviewers last year and not those prudes at FUNimation. How?! How was this anime allowed to air with everything happening?! It was addicting to watch. This series was an addiction that even people who aren’t fully into ecchi material had to continue binge watching because you wanted to know what happened next to Keyaru. And we really need a continuation! I’m a sick fuck for even asking this, but come on guys. There was one last person Keyaru needed to exact revenge upon. Granted he’s a sick fuck that violated Keyaru numerous times, I would just like to see closure. I’m also curious to know how far this series is willing to go after everything we saw up to this point.

Last Fandom of 2021: Blue Period

I love this anime and to tell you the truth, this anime hurts. I’ve been in this situation (though different from Yataro). I’ve been an art student before. I’ve struggled trying to get into college with my work. I suffered through the pain of being among peers who are clearly better than me. I’ve experienced all kinds of critiques that caused a shift in my mood and my art work. So when an anime decides to delve into art students trying to enter the college world and suffering through all the things I went through, I feel a sick twinge in my stomach and want to see how this plays out.

And then all the beautiful art work. All of the beautiful art…God damn, these are high school students and I feel fucking inferior with everything I’ve ever created. And yet…every week, it does light a bit of a spark in me to see if I can pick up a sketchbook or canvas again.

#blue period #redo of healer #violet evergarden #mushoku tensei jobless reincarnation #banana fish #ash lynx #eiji okumura #tohru #Kobayashi #miss kobayashi's dragon maid #taishou otome otogibanashi #tamahiko shima #niko #animal crossing new horizons #komi-san can't communicate #shouko komi #cells at work code black #black clover #yuzuki tachibana

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howtobake-remaking · 4 years

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Nostalgia critic reviews watamote

#.txt

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millennialdemon · 4 years

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Oh yeah, forgot to actually review A Destructive God Sits Next To Me!

It was alright, as far as comedies go. Less laugh out loud absurdity that rarely works on me anyway unless it’s paired with seriously good comedic directing, more plainly charming than the usual stuff...

Charming, because I don’t really care about cringe at all and really do see people come into my workplace that look more absurd than the chuuni of this anime. I’m talking bright purple unkept hair and fox ears and a tail and an eyepatch, sometimes a bandage, sometimes a pirate one. Always black clothes. Kind of epic, to be honest. Plus I used to work with children, primary school through high school age, and I’ve come to find “embarrassing” behaviors from awkward boys roleplaying pokemon and chatting my ear off about shounen anime to be much more tolerable than that of the older teens hassling them for it.

I guess what I’m saying is I’m tolerant of this sort of thing, so I didn’t find Kabuto’s behavior “so awkward it was funny” or so awkward the episode was unbearable. I’m not sure if the anime wants me to laugh at his behavior or not yet, and I haven’t, but I did laugh at poor Seri constantly losing the battle to not get wrapped up in the antics.

Going in to this anime I was actually a bit worried that it would be mean-spirited, a la Aho Girl (GAGS) or Watamote (GAGS), but it hasn’t come off that way yet. So 6/10.

#:A Destructive God Sits Next to Me #a destructive god sits next to me #also Seri looks like a Nekojiru Sou cat and thats Very good

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toonstarterz · 4 years

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BECAUSE I’M NOT POPULAR, I’LL READ WATAMOTE: CHAPTER #166

Baseball season is in the air! Thankfully, you don’t need to be a fan of the sport to like this chapter. So long as you enjoy the stupid antics of a bunch of socially awkward teenage girls, there’ll be plenty of fun to be had. And of course, it wouldn’t be Watamote if they didn’t include a bunch of expertly intricated plot threads and natural character development as well. With all of Nico Tanigawa’s passions coming together once again, I can say that this chapter is definitely in top form.

So without further ado, let’s play ball!

Chapter 166: Because I’m Not Popular, I’ll Go Cheer

Tomoko getting flabbergasted just by Katou existing never gets old.

You know, I always had the impression that Tomoko wording things in the most perverted way was just a gut reaction due to her mind being perpetually in the gutter. But now, I feel like her answer here is just too on the nose to be anything but deliberate. IdiotPerv!Tomoko is hilarious, but TrollPerv!Tomoko is too powerful.

Consequently, Tomoko can’t say shit without it biting her in the ass.

Okada with the save. Sure, she probably didn’t want to look like a slacker from Katou either, but still. If Katou’s the mom friend, then Pineapple-chan’s the exasperated, but supportive onee-san friend.

I just realized that this is a standard routine with these two: Yuri will say something tactless and Mako will call her name out in admonishment. If this has been going on since they first met, then Mako has boundless patience and/or is the absolute best friend that no person should ever take for granted. Not that

Yuri does...mostly.

Y'all can tell that baseball fan Ikko had a blast drawing the backgrounds in this chapter.

Speaking of which, I’m 212% certain that Komiyama’s role in this chapter is to be the mouthpiece for Nico Tanigawa’s baseball fanatism. Given that it’s technically in-character (for who is basically their self-insert), and baseball chapters can only feasibly happen every hundred chapters or so, I’m fine with the mangakas taking these little indulgences.

Hey, let the girl live a little! Komi’s gotta cram ten chapters worth of dialogue she won’t get into one.

Pardon me, Tomoko, but you seem to have left your self-awareness by the entrance to the stadium.

Naturally, Tomoko hates that Komiyama isn’t making a fool of herself in front of her mom-crush. It’s easy to forget that so long as you don’t set off her berserk buttons, Komiyama is actually quite...normal. Like, being amicable with others and casually humble-bragging is her default state.

Nico Tanigawa’s artistic habit of putting nicknames under faces always amuses me.

There’s being upset, and then there’s being petty. We all know that Tomoko is aware that Itou is in the band, and any other day, she wouldn’t hold that against the girl. But because she’s salty over Komiyama acting cool, her sensibilities revert back to Year-1 Tomoko logic.

Now, if I were a more crass person, I could make the assumption that the majority of those underclassmen were a combination of girls admiring Fuuka’s “cool beauty” status and boys wanting to check out an attractive senior girl in a cheerleading outfit, discrepancies notwithstanding.

But I won’t.

Oh yeah, Miho. Based on the above cheers, she seems like your average popular girl, but if you recall, she got a kick out of Katou’s “offers” to Tomoko. That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if she had a bit of a mean streak in her.

Btw...armpits? Okay, then...

You’d think that by now, Tomoko would learn some subtlety before pulling shit like this.

Normally, I’d call Tomoko out for shenanigans since I thought she was mostly over the whole “slut-shaming” thing. But given how she wasn’t thinking this when the girls in her class wore cheerleading outfits during last year’s sports festival (that we know of), I can only assume that this is more of Tomoko’s jealousy due to Fuuka’s friendship with Katou.

Either that, or Tomoko just doesn’t want to admit she finds her hot.

I think we’re all in agreement that Ucchi’s gonna lose massive points for this.

On the other hand, the image of Emoji Girl screaming about Tomoko’s crimes through a megaphone is peak absurdity, and I’ve been laughing my ass off for twelve minutes.

In all seriousness, I’m kind of glad that Tomoko is finally getting her way overdue karma for all her skirt-peeping. Sure, it’s all been played for comedy, but that doesn’t change the fact that its sexual harassment, or the fact that she’s more than likely gotten away with it for being female.

It’s all fun and games until your stalker calls you out on it.

LIES.

You know...maybe it is Tomoko’s fetish. She’s done it so frequently, and it’s always been portrayed as just another one of Tomoko’s “quirks”. But given the context of all those occurrences, having a skirt-peeping fetish actually sounds very plausible. Thank you, Yuri, for that insight.

Looking at Katou’s expression, it might be her fetish, too...

Seeing Tomoko get more and more mortified as everyone keeps dogpiling on her shame makes for quite the cathartic reading.

Add on to the fact that Komiyama, the biggest perv of all, is the most dignified at this moment just makes this whole chapter an absolute treat.

Considering that Tomoko basically just got outed as a pervert in the middle of a crowd of spectators, she’s taking this quite well. First-year Tomoko could’ve had a legit panic attack if that had happened, but now, she actually has enough nerve to retaliate. Sure, Tomoko had some decent ammo with the Tanabata wish, so she likely had more guts than she would’ve been, but it’s still impressive nonetheless.

Sasaki Fuuka–putting a new spin on the term “victim-blaming”.

Komiyama can be the reasonable one while Tomoko is the crazy pervert, or Tomoko can be the reasonable one while Komiyama is the crazy pervert.

But the universe just can’t have both be reasonable or perverted at the same time.

As someone who knows jacksh*t about sports, I have to admit that this is an interesting fun fact if it can be applied to the popularity of real-life sports teams and cheer squads.

I could totally see this becoming a meme in the Watamote fandom. Anyone?

These moments of zero dialogue, sometimes a whole page’s worth, excel at immersing the reader into the story. Suddenly, you’re not just reading about characters in a story. You’re now experiencing first hand what’s like to be at a baseball game, with a few familiar faces from the band and cheer teams making it feel a lot more lively.

If it weren’t for all the wonderful peeps on Reddit, I never would’ve caught that this is the same baseball manager we’re seen periodically since the beginning of the series. You know, the one Tomoko did that fake dub for?

Perhaps I’ll call her...Beta!Nemo.

A PSA to all you non-sports fans: You can now pretend to be interested in your favorite high-school teams just by tuning into your local service provider.

Go, Harajuku Makuhari!

You know, I think I mentioned before that I wasn’t sure what Komiyama’s career prospects were.

Now I’ve got a clue.

Yo, I could feel that pain from my screen.

For a second, I thought this was Reina, given we can’t see her eyes and that she’s manspreading (sounds like something she would do). But then I pictured her actually signing up for cheerleading and...yeah, no.

Not to sound all pretentious if you already know, but cheerleading really is one of the most difficult, dangerous, and underappreciated sports there is. In addition to all the physical risks, you have to maintain an endlessly cheery disposition, even when it’s hard. That’s why I call it the “customer service job” of the sports industry.

The go-to method to keep your in-story sports team at peak realism:

Unwavering mediocrity.

As opposed to them hurrying up and win? Quite the pessimist you are, Tomoko...

not.

As startling as it is to hear these words come out of Tomoko’s mouth, it’s not entirely unfounded. For all her negative worldviews, crude behavior, and general apathy, the one thing that has always been constant about Tomoko is that she knows things can be better and she wants things to be better. She never got the chance to really strive for it back then when she had nothing to latch onto. But now that she’s got friends, Tomoko realizes that she can feasibly make some of those ideals a reality.

Their unbridled admiration is sweeter than diabetes.

Insert long-winded discussion of a related social phenomenon that probably exists, but the author is too lazy to research here.

She...didn’t deny it.

Character development...I guess?

I was wondering where Tomoko would draw the line on her slut-shaming towards Fuuka. Granted, it’s probably easier to feel empathy when you can see that shit happening from other people rather than yourself.

But seriously, Katou? Pimping out your friend? You terrify me more and more with each passing chapter.

See what I’ve been getting at? Tomoko knows that realistically speaking, her summer is probably not going to be anything extraordinary. Inconveniences will occur, moments of boredom will arise, and missed opportunities will transpire. But as I’ve reiterated time and again, even those “plain” experiences can become delightful memories when shared with those you care about.

That’s going to be a crucial feeling from this point on, it looks like. ‘Cause based on Yuri’s expression, she may have the most difficulty resonating with that kind of emotion. Let's see just how Yuri handles an expanding social circle–Tomoko included–that’s a little more bright-eyed than she is.

We’re in the seventh inning stretch of Tomoko’s third year, and time will only tell if it ends in a victory.

#watamote #watamote review #chapter 166 #no matter how i look at it it's you guys' fault i'm not popular!#tomoko kuroki #asuka katou #akane okada #yuri tamura #mako tanaka #kotomi komiyama #hikari itou #hina nemoto #sakaki fuuka #emiri uchi #review

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natsthinkitythinkthinkthonk · 5 years

Text

Mental Health in Anime - Rant + Vitamin (Manga) - Thoughts

Sorry for the random capslock. I do that when I’m really livid.

Trigger warning: This post mentions mental illness including depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and eating disorders. It mentions suicide and assault that may make some readers uncomfortable.

I wanted to keep this safe for the guidelines, but I also didn’t want to shy away from these topics because I know how hard these things hit sometimes, and I don’t want to shy away from things like these anymore. These topics all have a huge place in my life which I advocate for, and I wouldn’t want to downplay it.

For the first time in a VERY long time, I read a manga series. Series meaning three chapters. I have commitment issues. Lots of them. Anyway, I read it thinking, “I want to read a series that addresses mental health in a more realistic way”. Why do I say that? Well, for now, I’m going to rant about anime and mental health as a whole. After that, I will get to the manga I just read. It won’t be a review as much as it’ll be the thoughts I had on it.

Well, shounen anime I’ve watched and the stuff that’s directed towards me definitely doesn’t touch mental health often. You can see below that shounen manga will do ANYTHING ELSE BUT THAT. Usually, it’s shoujo manga that gets into emotional territory, and sometimes, I watch it for stuff like that. I don’t want to watch something that tells me to man up all the time or that friendship is everything or that I can have superpowers and be admired by people out there all the time. When it comes down to it, sometimes I want characters that I can relate to on a more intimate level. I want to feel like I can have a heart-to-heart with them without someone out there laughing at me. I don’t want to cry tears that are laughed at. But even then, a whole lot of the time, I don’t see mental health interpreted well in anime.

Well, let’s see... as a general overview, let’s see what I’ve seen in depictions of shounen and shoujo anime/manga:

Shounen manga:

CHILDHOOD TRAUMA IS NORMAL. DEAL THE F**K WITH IT. HAD YOUR PARENTS KILLED? ME TOO. BEEN MURDERED? ME TOO. I’M DEAD. IN FACT, I’VE MURDERED PEOPLE. Mental health? They can barely keep their regular health in order. The only treatment you need is friendship speeches and training montages. Trauma makes you stronger even if it breaks you with no one there to help you. It’s alright until you’re dead.

Examples: - The entire cast of Naruto ~ Yeah, Naruto’s an orphan, his village hates him, he was bullied, he made through his childhood struggles by making it through mischief. Sasuke had his entire family killed by his brother. I can go on. - BNHA Class ~ Attacked by villains? Who gives a f**k, you’re aiming to become heroes. Please, we already spent the budget on those costumes. No one needs help. Hell, we spent our health budget on Deku’s bones. No complaints. - Mirai Nikki ~ I know it’s like all other manga where they give it the excuse that it’s the point of the series, but we all know both Yukki and Yuno are not healthy.

Shoujo manga:

Your beloved what’s-his-face will come running in to save your butt because we know that real help is an illusion. Issues can be solved if you fall in love... obviously.

Too many examples to list. Let’s move on.

Bad Examples:

This is just my opinion. Maybe you think this series interpreted it well, but for at least the first part of the series, all of these did not.

Soul Eater: Death the Kid

I know it’s supposed to be funny, but come on, the guy needs help. No one addresses it. It bothered me the whole time I was watching the show. I think you can make me laugh without making fun of OCD.

I think you can leave Crona agender WITHOUT forcing pronouns onto them. Seriously, some people think that Crona’s gender is a joke. I’m still not over the fact Funimation thought that “he/him” was the most gender-neutral they can get.

Literally Watamote’s existence

It’s about a person with social anxiety? See? It’s funny. Because... they’re socially awkward... and anxious... I don’t get it.

The Beginning of Watashi ga Motete Dousunda

NOW, THIS. THIS IS THE REASON WHY I DIDN’T WANT TO EVEN TOUCH THIS ANIME.

How is “losing a ton of weight randomly” healthy? Or even more beyond that, her dreams come true once she does? Uh... for a comedic reason? Hmm... that’s not a very good reason. I think we ought to deal with eating disorders in a better way than this.

Bungou Stray Dogs: Osamu Dazai

There are many reasons why I was uneasy with Bungou Stray Dogs for a while. Dazai was practically the sole reason. I get that Asagiri (the creator) wanted to dodge the interpretation of real-life Dazai’s suicidal tendencies but his anguish came from literal turmoil and struggle. We learn that Dazai’s does too, but it’s portrayed in such a superficial way, and while I do that too as a coping mechanism, I completely understand when people say they will never touch Bungou Stray Dogs because Dazai sets a bad precedence. I personally do not like the way that they chose to go about this. It’s one of the reasons why I actually don’t like Dazai as much as others do.

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei

I understand that this is a weird Studio Shaft series, but joking about suicide to this extent made me find it a bit distasteful.

Good/Better Examples:

These ones tried and did a slightly better job than the ones before. I didn’t comment on the ones I haven’t watched.

A Silent Voice

This story is about a depressed and suicidal man who tries to atone for his past deeds and sins. It’s a beautifully adapted movie, an arguably better manga, and it’s just a masterpiece.

Yuri!!! On Ice

The main force working against our protagonist is himself, or more specifically, his anxiety. As an older figure skater, he has a tough time with his self-image, handling his nerves, etc. I relate.

School-Live!

Yuki lives in a lie and has problems facing the truth about her reality. This is arguably played off as a horror trope, but I found it pretty well-done.

Your Lie in April

The character deals with past trauma with the abuse of his deceased mother.

Tsuritama

It properly and accurately interprets social anxiety as a kid who keeps moving has to introduce himself over and over again. He feels like he’s drowning and gets pulled up into fishing with his friends as he tries to learn how to handle his stresses with the people around him.

Anohana

The cast has a ton of problems dealing with their past trauma and has no choice but to face it by all means necessary. They didn’t get proper help even though they should’ve.

Monster

Orange

March Comes in Like a Lion

This boy overcomes past trauma and stress by relying on those close to him.

Psycho-Pass

Fullmetal Alchemist

This deals with everything from our characters’ past trauma to post-partum depression (the first time I have ever seen it interpreted in an anime and a SHOUNEN anime at that).

Vitamin - Thoughts (BELOW)

I read this manga knowing that it contained content to do with mental health, and honestly, I don’t think it had enough time to fully flesh out its capabilities. Its THREE-CHAPTER run was super fast. And it was heavy. And I mean HEAVY. The art was done powerfully. The contents of the story weren’t filtered; it wasn’t held back.

We deal with a character who’s on top of the world with friends, a boyfriend, good studying habits, but it spirals out of control fast.

This anime deals with many untouchable topics such as the risk of suicide, mental illness, (I swear I’m gonna get flagged) s**ual assault, eating disorders, drug abuse, and probably a few other things that I missed.

This hit me and had me having feelings like the little bitch I am. Holy cow cakes. I was reading this with my mom in the same room just trying to not look like the little poop I am. That stuff hit so hard and so close to home.

You think it’s too out there to really be true, but I don’t think so. At my old school, we definitely had stuff like that.

The growth of this character was rushed, and even if it’s slightly exaggerated, I empathized and felt her pain because bro, I’ve kinda (not to that extent) been there too. It dealt with her attempt, drug abuse, assault, bulimia, and everything. It was blinding, hurtful, and it tears open wounds like no tomorrow.

This isn’t even this mangaka’s first time at it. She has written quite a bit of heavy shoujo stuff.

The ending felt so satisfying. This manga wasn’t eye-opening in ways that it might be for some people. I have been to places like those. I know how it feels. I know other people have been there too, but to see it so rawly interpreted into a manga-format for people to read, that was unexpected. Overall, it was a really well-done manga. In a way, I wish it was longer so it would be a bit more realistic in some ways, but at the same time, I’m not sure how much longer I would’ve lasted.

#sfw #I just don't want this to get flagged #mental health #suenobu keiko

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