Review of My First Girlfriend is a Gal

This was an amazing anime, especially the English dub. Solid 10/10, the voice actors do everything they can to elevate the script and bring their own interpretation to the characters they are playing. From Alejandro Saab voicing the MC Junichi's multiple personalities and internal monologue, to Brad Smeaton doing the best Yoda, Rob Schneider, and Arnold Schwarzenegger impressions he has as the sidekick Shinpei, the English voice acting is top notch in this one. Jamie Marchi, who voices the female lead Yukana, also does a flawless "valley girl" impression and the other gyarus all have their own distinct personalities and vocal quirks. The episodes follow apretty predictable formula, until the last two which form the climax: Junichi gets some bad advice from his three perverted friends who know nothing about girls, he acts on that advice or lets it cause him to doubt himself, and then hijinks ensue. For her part, the main heroine defies all stereotypes of the "gyaru" and despite being so popular, is actually very considerate, selfless, and easy-going. She stands up for herself, and also tells the protagonist how she feels often.

Now to talk about the elephant in the room: Minoru. The fat friend is an unapologetic pedophile, which is really disconcerting at first. You kind of have to get through it to enjoy the rest of the story, and just remind yourself that they're all like 15 years old anyways so their teenage delusions and fantasies are not coming from a place of adult wisdom or maturity.

Ultimately, I really enjoyed the soundtrack, animation, voice acting, and humor of this show. It's heartwarming and wholesome, and I laughed so much when Junichi and Yukana inevitably gets sucked into his friends' antics. I think it's a powerful reminder of what many adults went through as teenagers, and it reminds us that we were young once too, not really knowing how the world works but also just trying to form some connections with others and explore our own identities.