So. Tonikaku Kawaii. This is a series for which I have diligently followed the manga since about 4 months after its initial release. It’s now been over 2 years, and my interest hasn’t waned in the slightest. However, this review will only be a review of the anime and not the manga. It should hold up until the anime is over, so I probably won’t need to edit this. I’ve included a tl;dr at the end, along with a ‘should I watch it’ segment, so those who are on the fence, just go read that. That said, here’s a review of Tonikaku Kawaii.
Plot : 6/10.
...
I don’t think there’s anyone who’d argue that the ‘plot’ of Tonikaku Kawaii basically doesn’t exist. It’s not a show you should watch if you’re looking for deep (or any) narratives. It’s a purely absurdist comedy that never takes itself too seriously. There is a mystery throughout the show about Tsukasa’s real identity, but honestly by episode 4 anyone with half a brain should be able to figure out the rough details. There’s honestly not much to criticise here because there just isn’t Anything there. As such, I decided that I would be weighing story at only half in the overall score.
Art : 8.5/10. The artwork in Tonikaku Kawaii (also I refuse to call it Tonikawa) is pretty good. It’s got really nice character designs, although since they are inherited from the manga I’m not sure if that counts as praise for the anime or not. I will say that the slight edits to character models that they made are pretty good, such as making Nasa’s head bigger and making Tsukasa’s face a bit rounder. That may just be the difference in aspect ratio from manga to TV, so don’t quote me on that. The environments aren’t stunning but they’re pleasant to look at, and all characters move with a smooth and crisp animation style that is a blessing on my eyes after so many weeks of only seeing older anime. As for CGI, I didn’t see any if there was any, and that means that the effects artists have done their jobs perfectly.
Sound: 10/10. Now this is something. I rarely give 10/10 in sound because, as a musician, I’m a lot more accustomed to judging songs and voices. That being said, WOW. This actually blew me away. Koi no Uta by Tsukasa Tsukuyomi and Yunomi was something I had no idea I needed. It’s very rare for me to feel anything when watching an OP, except maybe hype, because that’s what they’re designed to generate. I often have songs that I love listening to even purely as songs, without the visuals. That includes genuine classics like Again and A Cruel Angel’s Thesis, masterful musical compositions in their own right, to mindless ear fodder like the Black Bullet OP, which I like simply because it sounds good. That said, let’s get back to this Koi no Uta. Right off the bat we’re greeted with a melancholic traditional Japanese string instrument playing a simple four-note melody. The chords are pretty firmly in the minor and flat, with one of them in major. This establishes a pretty sad tone for the rest of the song. This is reinforced by the opening lines, both in terms of vocal performance and lyrical meaning. Then as the second verse opens and the voice transitions into major but the same melody remains, it gives the feeling of change without sacrificing that air of melancholy. The next four lines have a decidedly more upbeat tone, but still reserved, signifying Tsukasa’s sudden surprise and hesitant joy that she’s found someone she loves. So far so good, right. That’s what I thought when I first heard this OP. I thought that it’d be a perfectly good sadness to happiness song. Then came the electronic. And suddenly all my expectations were flipped. Suddenly the voice launches into an extremely fast and flat speak-singing delivery that on its own sounds extremely dull, with minimal pitch shifts and non-existent rhythmic variance, but against the backdrop of the rising electronic beats, it sounds extremely tense and exciting. The visuals back this up as well, with the rapidly alternating half-screen panels that alone are really simple, but with the fast-paced music and words, seems to rush by. The tension is ramped even higher by the first chorus, in which hearing the electronic melody, and while its the exact same notes as the initial melody, they’ve been adjusted slightly by the mixer and end up sounding happier as a result. And as the visuals go faster and faster, and the words come even faster, I actually began to feel adrenaline rushing through my blood. I was watching intently, hyper-focused on the incredible payoff I was sure was coming. And then the beat dropped. And while I would love to tell you that this was the highlight, the moment when all my tension turned into catharsis (yes, I feel cathartic by listening to music, fight me) the beat drop was incredible. But the title card is so laughably stupid that I almost feel like it’s a parody of something. Then comes the end which is pretty good, but now that my tension has dissipated due to that idiotic title screen, I only found it pretty good. That being said, I have to give this OP props for originality. High electronic music is really rare in anime. So, Yunomi, you who had the brilliant idea to fuse future bass, dubstep and traditional music together, just, mad respect. Now that I’ve written my essay on the opening let’s get to rest of the sound. The voice actors are good. Nasa’s voice actor took some time to get used to because I always imagined him having a higher-pitched voice, but I got over it pretty soon. The ED is unmemorable. I’m sure it’s good, it’s just not good enough for me to remember it. Now, back to the OP. My thoughts on this OP are mixed, and I can’t help mentally comparing it to another opening that I love to death ‘A Cruel Angel’s Thesis’. And while many would consider these to be completely different (and they are), one mustn’t forget that before Eva, this sort of opening was unheard of, much like Koi no Uta. So it is my hope that this will go on to define the meta for anime openings in the new decade. Do I think it will reach the same heights as thesis? Hell, no. So much of thesis’s success was predicated on the show it was attached to being a classic, and while I love the anime, it isn’t a classic like Eva, that’s for sure. Now back to actual anime, I promise.
Character: 10/10. Another 10! Although this one is more debatable as I’m not sure how much of my opinion is pulled from knowledge I have of these characters from the manga. One thing is for sure: Tsukasa is best girl of 2020, and I refuse to accept any disagreement on that. Nasa is pretty good too, he’s a hard worker, is pretty diligent and book smart but a bit airheaded. He’s kind and thoughtful, but extremely naïve, making him an endlessly entertaining character. Tsukasa is, well, you just have to watch the show. I guarantee that you will be in love with her by episode 3. I have watched hundreds on romance shows, ranging from your name to gamers! And never once have I felt jealous of the main character. Until now. I actually burn with jealousy when I think of this couple and find myself wishing that I had someone that amazing and special in my life.
Enjoyment: 10/10. Enjoyment is highly subjective. I love absurdist comedies and I love comedic romances, I love cute as hell waifus and I love genuine passion in a project. And that brings to a little tidbit of knowledge that makes me enjoy the show a little bit more. This entire manga was written just so that the mangaka could brag about his super-cute wife. And that just makes me feel so happy and warm inside. I don’t think one could actually have a bad time watching this show. They might not enjoy it, but I can’t see anyone hating the show.
Tl;dr : Watch it. It’s good. The OP has the potential to be as revolutionary as A cruel angel’s thesis. The main girl is best girl of 2020 DON’T FUCKING @ ME. It’s a loving parody of several genre conventions, starts with the main characters already in a relationship.
Should I Watch It: if you’re into comedies and light-hearted shows that don’t take themselves too seriously, go give this a try. If you’re a fan of romance, go give this a try. If you’re in the mood for edginess, ecchi, plot and/or themes, go watch something else.
Overall : 9.5/10. I love it. I don’t particularly care if you do or not.
Oct 23, 2020
Tonikaku Kawaii
(Anime)
add
So. Tonikaku Kawaii. This is a series for which I have diligently followed the manga since about 4 months after its initial release. It’s now been over 2 years, and my interest hasn’t waned in the slightest. However, this review will only be a review of the anime and not the manga. It should hold up until the anime is over, so I probably won’t need to edit this. I’ve included a tl;dr at the end, along with a ‘should I watch it’ segment, so those who are on the fence, just go read that. That said, here’s a review of Tonikaku Kawaii.
Plot : 6/10. ... 
Oct 1, 2020
If you’re like me, you watched the anime and thought it was cool and decided to pick up the LN, then you have made the right choice. In my years as an otaku, I have read countless novels. And out of all of them, YouZitsu stands out as my favourite. It could even rank among the top 50 best books I’ve ever read, not just light novels. I do highly recommend reading from the beginning, because the anime mischaracterised Ayanokouji to an insane degree (although I guess at that time his character wasn’t very developed) and the Author really has a flair for narrative prose.
...
Dec 16, 2019
Shinmai Maou no Testament
(Anime)
add
If you want a TL;DR, here: This is a low-quality hentai anime.
If you want a genuine, fleshed out review of this, then here goes (why do I put myself through this?). Story: 1/10 : Um.... Demon Princess Mio’s life is under threat, and because reasons, a member of another clan which is considered their worst enemy takes her on as an adopted daughter. But wait! He has a son! Also, this dad is given the moniker ‘War God’ for being super broken or something, and guess what! So is his son! Also for some reason there is a servant to Mio named something I can’t remember, ... 
Mar 14, 2019
Godammit. Godammit. Aka Akasaka, Why? WHY?!?! WHY IS THIS MANGA SO STUPIDLY BRILLIANT!!!! *breathes heavily*, Ok. Back to the beginning.
I’ll start out by just saying this. It is VITAL for anyone who reads manga, to read this. I mean, there’s a reason it’s number 11 out of 11000+ manga on Manga Rock. Regardless of whether your a JoJo fan, a Death Note addict, or a fan of some of the more light-hearted titles like Go-toubun no Hanayome, This Manga is required in your read list. Why. In one word..... Hilarious. In two words..... Absolutely Hilarious. In three........ You get the point. Rather than talk about ... 
Mar 2, 2019
5-toubun no Hanayome
(Anime)
add
A lot of people believe that the road had ended for harem anime after Cancer..... I mean, MORBOE, was released. But even so, Negi Haruba has truly done an epic job at re-instilling my faith in the genre with this series. It is seriously fun. Bottom-line, if you’re searching for good plot structure, compelling character motivations and deep philosophical questions..... Go watch something else. If you’re looking for great, wholesome, enjoyable content, Congratulations, You just hit the Jackpot.
Goutobun no Hanayome is a light-hearted, sweet, heartwarming romantic comedy. But instead of this being a regular romantic comedy, this is simultaneously a harem. WAIT, WAIT! DON’T ... 
Oct 6, 2018
Akame ga Kill!
(Anime)
add
Akame ga kill is a brilliant series, and I sorely recommend it to anyone who hasn’t read it....... oh wait, this isn’t the manga section. The manga is godly. The anime, on the other hand...... is kind of decent. I gave it overall 7/10 because it is pretty good, but nowhere near the manga, and for one simple reason- It’s too rushed. Trying to cram 70+ double length chapters into 25 anime episodes just isn’t going to work. And so, they decided to cut out about 75% of the chapters, leaving HUGE plot holes and bland, 2D characters. I’m purposely not going into the intricacies
...
|
