Review of A Couple of Cuckoos
Harem shows in general have been uninspiring and repetitive, and Kakkou no Iinazuke is no exception. And, given the number of episodes to work with, one might expect the progression between the MC and the potential love interests to take a step forward, but in all honesty, there are not much differences between the first few episodes they were together and the finale. My expectations for harem shows are generally low, but this one had me wondering if it was really worth watching. Nagi is your typical harem MC, and when it comes to seeing girls as a love interest, has generally been dense and unable tosee the appeals of girls surrounding, with the exception of Hiro Segawa, whom, in all honesty, I don't see why he's that interested and wants to be in a relationship with. Segawa-san is easily the least likeable of the three, reminding me of Ichika (the slimy bastard and snake-like trait) and Yotsuba (the cheerful and overall aggressive trait) from 5-toubun. And as for Sachi Umino, she has always had feelings for Nagi, but I'm not sure why she has fallen for him because none of the events or scenes depicted in the series justify her falling for him. The only logical route and girl is, of course, Erika Amano, but, as one might expect, the MC is dense and refuses to admit his feelings for her and see her as a love interest majority of the time. Whatever the show decides to throw at us, Erika should be the one Nagi falls for, or none at all, or we will riot.
The story didn't really progress that much over the course of 24 episodes, and it felt more like a slice-of-life comedy than an actual harem romcom. The show is basically what the premise has written, with some twists here and there but nothing that is a game changer for the show. The OPs and EDs are quite good, giving a good impression of the show and what to expect.
On the surface, the show doesn't appear to have much to offer and is labeled as harem because the MC has three potential love interests. It lacks the I'm a unique show like Kami Nomi and Grisaia, which offers us a fresh and refreshing story with a unique plot. It is a harem show that doesn't feel like a harem because of the slow build up and the fact that the actual romance isn't prevalent throughout the show, only occasionally with some blushing here and there but nothing game changing. With the exception of Erika (obviously the most logical choice of 3), whose interactions with Nagi carried the show, the show's comedy and lightheartedness are mostly a miss. There weren't many awwww, that's sweet and/or heartwarming moments that made you want to root for one or more of them.
Would I recommend the show? Those who enjoy slow-paced romcoms and/or slice-of-life stories with little to no plot, most likely. And I suppose if you're okay with trash harem formulaic shows, you'll enjoy this one as well? With many unanswered questions, this season is clearly a set-up for Season 2.