I'll still be a geek after nobody thinks it's chic: a "Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku&
I first learned what an otaku was the summer before my first year in high school. Contrary to what I believed, it doesn't just apply to being a fan of anime. An otaku is someone who becomes attached to certain aspects of popular culture. That's not a bad thing if you love what you do and can make friends out of it, but if you're entering a job and still find yourself entering mock-Naruto fights outside the workroom...let's just say you might be judged.
That's because otaku aren't well-regarded in the social culture of Japan. This surprised me too, mostly because the anime of Japan seems to be this great big popular thing. But it's actually not; to be wildly obsessed with it as an adult usually gets you the stink-eye or worse. It's something you can love as a kid but people are expected to move on from when they get older. Some don't, but the good news is they're not alone; there are other people just like them who unabashedly still love the stuff they did as a kid. They may have to keep it disassociated from their main life, but if it's discovered, perhaps a friendship can blossom.
As an avid anime fan, I haven't seen anime otaku representation at the stage mentioned above. I've certainly heard about it from titles like Oreimo (which later takes the incest route GOTTA LOVE ANIME), Eromanga Sensei (by the same author of Oreimo and a problematic fave), and any other titles similar to those or maybe covering different otaku (Gamers is another perfect example). But since I haven't seen them in full (and because the first two sound a little icky), I can't be a good judge on that. However, I was interested to see how being an otaku was explored in the framing of a workplace romantic comedy. I was hoping to laugh and ship the couples immensely.
And I did. Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku is one of the best romantic comedy anime I've seen and definitely feels like one of the best titles of this year. Its refreshing look at dysfunctional but ultimately romantic relationships adds realism to a genre that can feel like something out of a fantasy. Additionally, its otaku-catered humor is the perfect blend of hilarious and relatable, especially when the audience can be in on the jokes just as much as the cast. Despite that, I recognize the funny moments may fly over the head of casual anime watchers or those who aren't invested in the whole thing as other people are, the couples are built on some harsh jabs, and the animation can get pretty chunky. But those quibbles don't tarnish the enjoyment you may get out of this hilarious and adorable anime if you give it a try. It's bright and cynical, adorable and tear-jerking, and true to life and sometimes not. Somehow, the blend works.
CUE THE FEELS!
Narumi Momose is just your typical twenty-six-year-old woman trying to get by...at least on the outside. On the inside, she's an unabashed fujoshi, obsessed with the world of boys' love and yaoi. However, she's had to keep it under wraps because her peers might not dig her otaku nature. When it does leak at her last job and causes her boyfriend to dump her, she decides to really keep it secret. After all, she deserves to start fresh after that humiliating experience.
On the first day at her new workplace, Narumi runs into her old childhood friend, Hirotaka Nifuji. She wills herself to keep the conversation short, knowing something from her past will come and ruin everything. Then he asks her if she's going to the next Comiket, and all hope is lost. That night, the two of them go out for drinks and a handheld game, voicing hindrances they face as otaku when it comes to dating. Hirotaka, unlike Narumi, is open about his love for games to where he plays them on his lunch break, but they both haven't had the most successful relationships because of their status (like Hirotaka cares about that). Narumi considers the option of them getting together, but ultimately blows it off, deciding their bond as otaku friends is good enough. However, later that week, Hirotaka proposes the offer that they should try to date. After all, what if they never find someone outside the otaku world? Plus, he can help Narumi out with her booth at Comiket. Narumi is sold, but as she and Hirotaka continue to be a couple, she realizes just how much she likes him for who he is. Despite some of the personal preferences she's sacrificing, she genuinely loves spending time with Hirotaka and just being there for him. That is #goals.
LOOK AT HOW CUTE THEY ARE ^_^!
But these two aren't the only ones who have their share of trials and tribulations. Hirotaka and Narumi have seniors at work, Taro Kabakura and Hanako Koyanagi, who are also otaku (Hanako is a crossplayer, a person who dresses up as characters of the opposite sex, and Taro is the least otaku of all of them, one who mostly dabbles in bishojo (pretty girl) shows and is more focused on making sure everyone does their work correctly at the office). Their relationship is built on a high school volleyball rivalry from ten years ago and still reflects the hot-blooded nature of it. They call each other names, Hanako slaps Taro sometimes, and it's a whole hot mess. However, at the end of the day, they still love each other in their own way, even if it makes the viewers uncomfortable and leads to some of the more questionable scenes of the bshow. They care underneath their tough exteriors and let each other do the things they love without much judgment...most of the time.
And they're still cute, gosh darn it.
Aside from the romantic moments, Wotakoi also places the four in familiar territory to any otaku. We have daily conversations about favorite characters, a convention appearance...and even a trip to the local bookstore (which holds enough manga to make me want to never leave). These trips offer a lot of the humor and references to popular manga/anime franchises, giving us plenty of shenanigans to laugh over and a taste of each character's preferences. While these allusions may fly over someone new to anime, I got most of them and found them very clever. I'm not sure how well most of the jokes will translate into a dub (if it happens at all), and this style of humor may age, but where it is right now, this show's version of pop culture references and genre mentions are appreciated and really show just how wide the otaku spectrum is. It also helps that these jokes are well-written and don't feel thrown in for the sake of it. They actually matter to this show about otaku just trying to survive life and relationships. I can relate.
A-1 Pictures' animation is unfortunately not as smooth. The studio has worked on a wide variety of shows with varying levels of animation quality, and Wotakoi is no exception. As the show proceeds past the first episode, the characters continually go off model and the art doesn't look nearly as refined and eye-catching as it did at the start. However, once the show hits its last three episodes, the art improves in all categories, even in the close-ups the studio has excelled at in all of its shows. It even looks better at some points, which goes to show that the animators caught onto the dip and were willing to make sure it never happened again with a show as well-regarded (I believe) as this. Maybe that's why the home video releases got delayed. Anyway, stick with this show for the story and characters, not for the animation (although it's pretty when it counts).
Akimitsu Honma's score has its fair share of fun and cute pieces, but I don't think I would reach for it outside the context of the show. It serves its purpose as background music and livens the show, but that's all I can say about it.
But the voice acting is excellent. Hirotaka and Narumi's actors are newer to the business, played by Kent Ito and Arisa Date, and they do a wonderful job with their roles, whether it's Hirotaka's monotone casually peeling back to reveal more layers or Narumi's exuberance and bubbliness (Date's screams are a particular highlight). Veterans Miyuki Sawashiro and Tomokazu Sugita play off each other wonderfully as Hanako and Taro, giving life to the seniority and individual personality traits of both (Hanako's sophistication and Taro's rugged charm that is completely destroyed by their lack of tact and abrasiveness). And the other two main characters (Hirotaka's little brother, played by Yuki Kaji, and his friend, played by Aoi Yuki) were also excellent at playing their characters' adorableness and chronic apologizing. But I'll leave the rest of the show to those curious to learn more about them.
Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku is one of my new favorites. With excellent references, great comedy, and relationships to root for, this romantic comedy anime is a refreshing and trope-subverting delight that's entertaining, heartwarming, and relatable. At 11 episodes, it's a little bit shorter than the average anime, and the entire show is up on Amazon Video and can be watched with a Prime subscription (which is worth it; watch anime legally, kids!). It'll make the perfect binge/watch for those looking to laugh and ship some cute couples. Also, the opening and ending are really great slices of QUALITY! What's not to love?
