Genjitsu de Love Comedy Dekinai to Dare ga Kimeta?
Who Decided That I Can't Do Romantic Comedy in Reality?

Edit

What would you like to edit?

SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links  

tl;dr at the end.

As of writing this review I have read the first volume of the LN.

Genjitsu de Love Comedy Dekinai to Dare ga Kimeta? is a rom-com light novel series that follows Nagasaki Kouhei, a high school first-year weeb whose goal is to get a harem and become the protagonist of a rom-com light novel.

Yes, that's right. Nagasaki Kouhei is a rom-com light novel protagonist who is trying to become a rom-com light novel protagonist. Very meta. Ha ha ha.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is what oversaturation does to a genre. Just as isekai anime are becoming more and more self-aware, so too are rom-coms. ... But that's a discussion for another time. You're here because you want to hear more about this series.

But, yeah, basically Nagasaki turns out to be this guy who's really good at research and data analysis, and he puts these skills to work in trying to artificially turn his life into a rom-com. He stalks observes people to determine how well they'll fit into typical rom-com roles (main heroine, best friend, etc.) and he sets up scenarios that would be fitting for a rom-com. Stuff like that.

Things don't always go as planned though, despite all his preparations. This is where the story begins—when Nagasaki attempts to confess to his designated Main Heroine, he meets Uenohara Ayano a.k.a. Best Girl instead. One thing leads to another, and she ends up aiding Nagasaki in his rom-com endeavors.

Story:

Let's be real—the average rom-com enjoyer isn't really looking for a great story. When I pick up a rom-com, it's usually because I need fuel for my fantasies of cute anime JKs. And in that department, this series does a pretty good job.

Its premise is just interesting enough to not be too boring. The scenarios feel, for the most part, pretty standard, but good enough that the more interesting character interactions can do the rest of the heavy-lifting. The story itself is at times a bit ridiculous, but other times shockingly well thought-out. One of the greatest joys of this book was the small mystery element, which paid off big-time with a reveal at the end. Maybe I just had really low expectations, but I was not expecting a payoff of that caliber from a rom-com light novel. It definitely elevated the story in an innovative fashion.

Characters:

RabuDame's main attraction, of course, is Uenohara Ayano. You might be able to tell from her expression, but she's the indifferent, blunt type of girl who will call you 'gross' and 'creepy' if you're being gross and creepy. I consider this general archetype to be the modern tsundere—because it takes the core part of what makes a tsundere attractive to us (that being the 'thrill of the chase') and puts it into a more realistic shell.

Anyway, I'm super into Uenohara Ayano. She's intelligent, fulfills my fantasies of being verbally assaulted, and has a cute character design. She nearly single-handedly carries the entire story in my opinion.

Okay, so what about the other characters? They either haven't been developed very much yet or aren't that interesting, so let's speed run this.

Main Heroine (Kiyosato Mei) - I really like her so far, but she's more of a distant character in the first volume. She and the protagonist have great banter, and she's got the "friends with everyone and no one"-type of vibe that a lot of my favorite characters have. Really interested in how her story unfolds. She's also very cute.

Protagonist (Nagasaki Kouhei) - He's really, really cringe at times. But that's par for the course in a lot of these rom-coms.

Best Friend (Tokiwa Something) - Don't remember his name. Personality amounts to being an athlete/simp at the moment.

Capable Ikemen (Torisawa Something) - Capable Ikemen.

Senpai (Uhhhh I forgor) - Passionate about the student council.

Conclusion

This series is of a quality that I do expect it to get an anime adaptation soon. So if you want to stay ahead of the mainstream plebeians, I definitely recommend you check out the series. It's dumb fun, has a cool mystery side-plot, and the girls are cute. Need I say more?

This is a must-read for avid rom-com readers. It has everything: comedy, drama, romance, as well as the thrill of mind games and mystery to a certain degree. And of course, the main appeal of this series is that it's very self-aware, and parodies the genre a lot, hence why this should be read if you like rom-coms.

The interactions between the characters, as well as their evolution, is captivating to read. The plot is also a big part of the story and keeps you on your toes constantly. I'll say that some volumes (or some POVs) may be a bit more boring compared to others, ... but in the grand scheme of things, they all are essential to the story and rewarding once you reach the conclusion. The ending is satisfying with few loose ends, there's even a short story afterwards. I'll say that some characters were developed a little less by the end, or in general less interesting overall. That's valid for a minority of characters though, and surely you will find them very likeable.

Do pick this up if you want a novel twist on the rom-com genre.