Wotakoi: Love is Hard for an Otaku Review (spoiler-free!)

Aired: Spring 2018
Episodes: 11
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Slice of Life
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Source: Webmanga

Wotakoi: Love is Hard for a Otaku tells the story of a fujoshi otaku and a gamer otaku and their daily lives as a couple. I’d especially recommend this anime to people who love lighthearted romance and comedy with slice-of-life pacing. Their story is sweet and refreshingly. Along the way, you learn of other character’s relationships which are just as funny and sweet as the main couple. It’s a good fit for anyone wanting a “feel good” anime after a hard day of work, especially if you work in an office like these two!

Story: 6.5/10

I’d give the story a six point five out of ten. The premise is fairly unique and adds the flare of an office setting to add something new and interesting. The main set up with Narumi knowing Hirotaka since childhood isn’t anything new, but isn’t something very exaggerated and cliche. Having the side couple introduced balances the main couple out and provides a sort of variety. The other characters do that as well, and shows a different perspective on occasions which I enjoy.

Besides the main set up in the beginning, there’s very little development. The characters are complex, definitely, and we learn more about them as time goes on, but their relationships themselves don’t change much. I think the story definitely would have benefited from either a slightly faster pace or a second season. The story doesn’t go anywhere really, yet it’s still interesting as it focuses on character development and comedy more than fast-paced romance. By the end, you’ll definitely be craving more and maybe willing to look into the manga to see where their relationships go.

Characters: 9/10

I think the characters are really what makes Wotaku shine. They are relatable, quirky and unique as they slowly change over time. Narumi’s fujoshi tendencies and love of anime/manga is something I know people can really relate to and find themselves feeling the same about. Hirotaka being a gaming otaku is even more common and adds to the story a lot. The side couples add their own spin to things and they all get their own spotlight as the cast of characters is really small. The story focuses a lot of their antics, including side characters, and gradually learning little bits of their histories along the way. It also relies on every day activities and realism to tell their story.

My favorite character would have to be Hirotaka, as I love the sorta stoic, quiet boys who aren’t exaggerated to being sexy or hot. I feel like the anime itself does a good job of making the characters seem like average, normal people without seeming boring. He’s sweet; his small gestures towards Narumi seem so much bigger when he’s the one whose doing them!

Sound: 7/10

The music was average, nothing amazing but nothing bad either. The OP is cute and catchy, but I really didn’t feel anything special from it. The animations during the opening though were cool and the visuals were interesting with their body language and kinda dances? I liked watching the opening if not for the visuals alone. The ending is cute and catchy too if your into poppy music; which if your watching this show, you’re probably into.

Art: 7/10

The art style is vibrant and simple, which fits the anime perfectly. Each character has their own distinct hair color and style, which I particularly like. Sometimes character designs look too similar and can be hard to tell apart, but it isn’t a problem here. They all look very distinct from one another and fits their personalities well. The backgrounds and animations look nice and doesn’t looked rushed or sloppy. Overall, pretty good in the art department.

Enjoyment: 9/10

Combining everything- the art, music, characters and story- it creates this adorable anime which is hard to not find enjoyable. It’s so lighthearted and sweet to the point where it doesn’t matter that their relationship is slow paced. The tone is so youthful that sometimes you forget they’re people in their twenties working an office job. They act almost childish and the story puts them in silly situations, but that makes the story that much more enjoyable. It’s hard to stop once you watch one episode, wanting to know more.

Should I Watch It?

If your a lover of shoujo romances, romcoms, and/or consider yourself an otaku, I’d say give it a watch. It’s very lighthearted and silly, and will surely help you unwind after work and school. The pace is slow as per usual like most shoujo-esque romances, but once you’re aware of that, they’re not any reason why you shouldn’t watch it! Unless you don’t like anime/manga. But if that was true, I don’t know why you’d be here!

Current Reviews

Loveless: Review

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There are spoilers so please keep that in mind before reading! If you don’t want to be spoiled but want to know more visit My Anime List and also read the Should I Watch? Part of this review!

Aired: Spring 2005
Episodes: 12
Genres: Action, Mystery, Supernatural, Drama, Romance, Fantasy, Josei, Shounen Ai
Studio: J.C. Staff

Loveless holds a special place in heart, regardless of how niche and old it may be. It was one of the firsts that got me into anime when I was in middle school and yeah well, I had really bizarre tastes for a 7th grader. But anyways, since then I have rewatched this show over and over again over the past several years, and it never seems to bore me. It’s an action, supernatural drama, romance, fantasy, josei shounen ai all jumbled up in one. Now having all these things was a major downfall for the anime in the end- it had a lot going on without answers- yet it also kept me intrigued throughout the whole thing. Let me explain a little more:

Story- 7.5/10

Let me quote you part of the synopsis from MAL, “in the world of Loveless, each person is born with cat ears and a tail, which disappear only if that person engages in a sexual intercourse. Because of this, they have come to symbolize virginity and innocence. Additionally, fighting is only done by “fighting pairs” or couples, where one is known as the Sacrifice and the other as the Fighter. The first receives the damage while the latter attacks.” Those two topics interest me (I guess?), but I could never imagine them together and actually working. For the most part, Loveless did a good job of blending them together, even if the cat ears trope wasn’t that important overall to the story.

But there’s even more to the anime than just that. A lot more. The story revolves around Ritsuka Aoyagi, a 12-year-old boy whose already experienced a hard life. His brother had recently died, he lived with his horrible mother and for some reason he has amnesia. And then when he goes to school for the first time since he lost his memories, a man named Agatsuma Soubi runs into him, claiming to have known his brother. From their, the two grow closer and try to discover why his brother died all while dealing with being a new “fighting pair.”

So yes, there’s a lot going on here. And most of these questions don’t get answered, needing to rely on the manga to fill in the gaps and finish the story. The premise is simple, but adding the fighting pairs adds a bit of something to the show, making it stand out compared to your average shouene-ai. But the execution was poor, leaving a lot of unanswered questions yet a curiosity to know more at the same time. The idea of a fighting pair and how they incorporate this fantasy touch was truly something interesting. From what the story did tell, it was this unique idea that needed the characters to rely on each other and build a bond. Ritsuka had to true this stranger- who many had viewed as “dirty” as he didn’t have any cat ears- to know more about his brother and essentially risking his life.

Characters- 8/10

The characters particularly stood out to me. Ritsuka Aoyagi is a strong character, wanting his way stubbornly and being cold towards the others around him. He devoted to his brother, wanting to know anything he can about him and hoping that he could fix Ritsuka’s life, even if he was dead. He’s smart for a 12 year old, yet sometimes his youth shows through in his actions and how petty he can occasionally be. Even throughout the eventful 12 episodes, he manages to show change and learning to accept himself and his current amnesia.

Agatsuma Soubi’s character is especially interesting. Like Ritsuka, he has his own history and troubles in the past, making him the way he is. He hides behind a mask, hiding himself as well as his many secrets he has about himself, Ritsuka and the situation their in. Still, Soubi will do anything Ritsuka wishes, even if it puts himself in serious, life-threatening danger. The way their dynamic works is seriously something complicated and intense, yet beautiful at the same time.

Sound- 8/10

The opening to Loveless is one of my favorites and one I have listened to for years. Although the visuals are dated, they still look beautiful and sound beautiful. The ending song is absolutely amazing, and if your a fan of soft, piano music, I’d recommend giving it a listen again! The lyrics in both are quite meaningful and fit the story well. The OST, again sounds dated, but was probably pretty good for it’s time. The variety of pieces is good, and most often fits the scene well so I would say the OST is about average. Also some of the songs was actually in French which is really cool!

Art- 6/10

The art is average at best and (for the umpteenth time) dated. If the quality of the anime wasn’t at 360p or 420p, then it would definitely look much better as the blurriness really adds to the old factor. Otherwise, the character designs are fairly simple yet fits their roles respectively. The cat ears really add to Ritsuka’s innocent look, and Soubi’s design gives him that mature edge. Other characters like the Zeros and Soubi’s college friend had nice, detailed designs as well. The animation looks good for a 2005 anime.

Enjoyment- 9/10

Overall, my enjoyment of the show was pretty high. Something clicked in me when I first watched this anime and wanted to know more. I read the manga up until the newest chapter and I can begrudgingly admit that I never actually read farther than that. Although I rewatch this anime a lot, it’s a lot more for nostalgia and reminiscing rather than over analyzing or finding a new zealous for reading the conclusion. I enjoy this bl for what it is, and appreciate it for it’s work during the time it aired.

Manga Cover

Should I Watch It?

For most average, shounen-loving anime fans, I’d say no. If you’re either a boy’s love fan, a completionist or a lover of old anime, I’d say give it a shot. It’s niche and a lot at once, but tells a unique story that you won’t probably see very often. Watch the first episode or two so you can dip your toes in, and see what you think from there. Who knows? You could love it enough to want to know more, or inspire you to read the manga! If this intrigued you enough, give it a shot.

Controversy?

Also keep in mind that if you do watch this, their is a relationship between a 12 year old boy and a 23 year old man. If this is something that sounds absolutely disgusting to you, don’t even give this a chance. There’s isn’t anything sexual, but can be enough to turn a lot of people off. It’s up to you to decide if you still want to watch it. Even if your against the age gap of these characters, still consider giving it a shot as theirs more than just their relationship going on in this anime.