Review of My Love Story!!
Spoiler warning, I guess, although there's really no major plot to spoil? The central relationship happens in the first few episodes, and the rest of the show is them being together, really. So remember that time the protagonist, Takeo, who is physically stronger than everyone else in the story, manhandled his "best friend", Suna, against a wall and forcibly kissed him, for what is apparently his best friend's first kiss? And the show reminds us that this was TRAUMATIC for his best friend, because of course it would be??? And I think it was played a bit for laughs? Yeah, see even the show doesn't reallylet you forget it did that. It comes up again about halfway through the series.
But it's cool, they're buds, it's fine! ...Totally fine. /end sarcasm
The story's... fine. It's... outside THAT^^^, kind of bland, meanderingly soft sexist stuff that skates alongside what is a warm love story. Hey remember that episode about the dumb guy who just negs the girl he likes and they end up together for reasons the episode fails to explain and actually spends most of the episode showing us don't exist?
The art is polished for a typical modern anime, but basically every face in this show is pretty ugly to look at, even people who aren't Takeo.
But it's fine, here's an episode about Suna's stalker. ...That being said, I do appreciate that this double episode, the one about Suna's stalker going on a date with him (which is a bit of a common thread in this show), depicts Takeo really being a friend to Suna. Like there's a powerful moment where Takeo thinks, Suna is the kind of guy who will just go along with something even if he doesn't like it HINT HINT, and then says, "You don't have to do this," and Suna is grateful, but also says, "I wouldn't do it if I didn't want to." Divorced from the rest of the show, this is rather sweet. It's not just a pair the spares narrative - it's two friends looking out for each other and respecting that about each other.
The ending double episode is also rather unenjoyable. It's... I guess a unique take on a guy being territorial, in that he's not really doing it? But also still kind of doesn't take into account Rinko's thoughts? And yet MORE negging (although not from Takeo, thankfully), I could go without a show with a guy negging a woman. At least he's the antagonist, but still...
The music is unremarkable, although the OP was decent.
I honestly think this show might work better for Jojo fans. The art style and story seems very reminiscent of that (particularly Takeo and his family). Unfortunately I'm not a Jojo fan. If you want a cute romantic comedy (sort of?), watch "From Up on Poppy Hill". It still does kind of veer into the "dude teases girl he likes" and "boys will be boys" territory, but at least the art is pretty and it's sweet and the music is nice and most of the story is fun. Or there's "Whisper of the Heart", really most of the Miyazaki films that aren't "Kiki's Delivery Service", or "Kimi ni Todoke" season 1. Skip this.