Mar 21, 2015
Looking at the synopsis, it is difficult not to inwardly groan at the premise that has been frankly done to death (and then some). So how does this "cliché" anime still manage to feel moderately fresh? In addition to a strong main cast and interesting dialogue, I believe the long and short of it is that Oregairu does not attempt to be anything more than it is. It rids itself of some of the annoying elements that other such shows tend to shoehorn in. That said, it is still by no means overly spectacular; it is merely a solid anime that depending on your tastes
...
may very well be worth checking out.
After the initial premise, Oregairu is a typical school comedy that as of yet does nothing to try and weave a narrative. This is unsurprising and generally expected of slice of life type anime, though in this particular case it kind of works to Oregairu's benefit. It allows focus to be drawn to character interactions without the distraction of a potentially haphazard plot. The show also lacks much in the way of drama, which is objectively neither a strength nor a fault; it honestly depends on your personal preferences. Personally, I tend to enjoy (well-crafted) melodrama in such slice of life shows, but interestingly did not miss it at all with this particular anime.
The soundtrack here is unobtrusive yet not terribly remarkable. It gets the job done and you barely notice it, which can actually be a positive. The OP and ED in my opinion are mediocre: listenable but half of me feels like skipping them. Concerning sound design, I really do not have any complaints. In my estimation, the voice acting is the strongest point of this category. Every main character brings a fitting aura to their particular character, and combined with the fast-moving script it is certainly a job well done.
The characters are where Oregairu really shines. You have Hikigaya Hachiman as the ironically apathetic and pessimistic loner of a main character, the silent and independent heroine portrayed by Yukinoshita Yukino, along with the ever cheerful and buoyant Yuigahama Yui as the second heroine. Although each of these character archetypes are easily recognizable, they all somehow feel fresh and charming as new, independent characters. This is mostly in thanks to the enjoyable fast-paced dialogue that the show offers.
The aforementioned dialogue script is honestly the biggest strength of the anime in my opinion. It makes character interactions fun and engaging to witness and can usually bring a smile to your face. While nowhere near the wittiness of a show like Spice & Wolf, the script is a rank above a lot of the norm. The occasional dipping into analysis on societal norms with added focus to the loner syndrome is also a nice touch and easily relatable. Jokes are amusing and refreshingly downplayed; they are not overly obnoxious like many in anime are oft to be. That said, the series lacks much in the way of "burst-out-laughing-while-holding-your-sides" type moments, but that can certainly be forgiven.
In summation, Oregairu is a surprisingly fresh and mildly enjoyable school comedy with strong characters and a good script. I recommend giving it at least a try, especially if you have a liking for toned down slice of life type series.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
