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The art/animation is pretty and flows well. As far as story and characters...

If you're just looking for some light-hearted, fluffy romance without much drama or complication, and like/don't mind the stereotypical events like holiday moments - you'll probably enjoy this show. No judgement; everyone has their own preferences and moods, but you can stop reading this review.

If the above is definitely NOT what you're looking for in an anime right now - I suggest you pass on this show and look elsewhere, and also save yourself the time of reading any more of this review.

If you're not sure - maybe sometimes you like romance or ... fluff, but not always or only certain kinds - you can read on for the rest of my take on this show...

I do like romance/shojou, and at a nearly 8/10 rating, I thought I would like this show. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for me for the following reasons:

* Both the male and female leads felt way too unrealistic. This may be my American perspective, but they are some of the most emotionally stable teens ever to start high school, with minimal fluctuation in their reactions to pretty much everything. Their conversations are often mature for their age, yet (at least until the very end) somehow calm and innocent for what should be hormonal teenagers. The ML seems like a character who was created by a girl who hasn't been around teenage boys, and the FL lead seems like she was created by a teenage boy who was created by a girl who hasn't been around teenage boys.

* The vast majority of the interactions between the ML and FL come down to giving gifts, eating/cooking, and conversations that are ~10% belittling themselves, ~70% complimenting the other, and ~15% food-related... which then leads back to complimenting. They never really disagree, and any banter doesn't go beyond light teasing... and really just circles back to complimenting - which is basically just about being cute and kind. I don't see how they could spend that much time together and not talk about other things in life like hobbies, school, dreams, etc., and yet fall so in love.

* The personalities of the ML and FL are shallow with minimal character development. Whenever they start to delve into their "dark" pasts, the mood is lightened again within a couple minutes - amidst more repetitive complimenting. Their traumas are nothing horrific like physical abuse, but it also feels like it was quickly brushed aside for supposedly being that traumatic. "This one person keeps saying they like me, so it's all good now."(?)

* The FL is supposed to be "perfect," including in sports, so I kept waiting for some scene that would show some girl power. Yet there was nothing - just she and other characters saying that she's athletic. In fact, we only see the opposite: the ML finds her with a sprained ankle (we don't even see how she does it), she falls over while leaning, etc.

* The ML has quite a lot of nonverbal reactions - a sigh or grunt or something in between - which could get annoying. But that may have been the most realistic character feature for a teen boy? (Maybe make a drinking game out of it?)

And, of course, some typical creative license taken in school anime (which I don't necessarily mind, but just added to the pain of watching this for me):

* The ML's well-off, caring parents not only immediately approve of the FL and the two teens basically living together - it's FINE if she can cook and clean, right? - but are practically pushing them to get together... That is, when they're not completely staying out of his way, which is most of the time.

* The FL falls into a dead sleep several times, and doesn't wake when being picked up and carried... not just to the nearby bedroom, but to her bedroom in the apartment NEXT DOOR - because that's what teenage boys do with sleeping girls. Yet she does wake once she's finally placed on the bed.

The best parts involved the friend couple, who seemed to have real personality, but their screen time is minimal. Things started to pick up at the very end too, but I don't know that it's worth 4+ hours.

~ Thanks for reading this far. Happy anime watching! ~