Review of WataMote: No Matter How I Look At It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!
Welcome to Robert's Too Late Reviews! Today we have a doozy in Watamote. As always I'm working from the dub version, so keep that in mind. I stumbled across this title basically on accident, and I can't believe I nearly missed such an utterly awesome show! So if you wanna go 'blind' from here, I TOTALLY thumbs up this one! Hell there may even be a new entry on the RTLR wall of awkwardness! I'm not popular, so let's talk this one up! As a side note, this is review 64, falling right near my one year anniversary of writing reviews. I know some of myearlier works were pretty cringeworthy, but I hope I've grown and become better for you guys. I know that all of the support and advice I've been given is greatly appreciated. So thank you, yes you, I can see you there, for taking time out of your day to read these reviews. I'm very humbled.
Story: 9
The story for Watamote at first doesn't seem like anything to write home about, but then the comedy bits start hitting and we go from zero to hilarious in no time flat. The show revolves around a socially inept girl who is trying to break out of her shell and become popular, or at least have more than one friend. She's a total badass in her own mind, but has social anxiety so badly she can barely speak to any other person outside her family. She has an inflated ego, and expects the world sometimes, and the hijinks that leads to her eventual failures are just awesomely funny. With each episode, she decides to tackle a new angle to try to increase her social standing, and oddly none of them include, you know, learning to talk to people. In one show she might decide to attend a fireworks festival and try to win over some friends there, only to have it backfire completely on her. Other times she might attempt putting on airs, or doing any number of things which just leads her to even more crashing and burning.
The show has a definite slice of life appeal to it, in that the events and actions the main girl takes fall in line with that genre, but it's a bit of a twisted parody of the SoL category. In her own mind, our MC thinks she's the coolest damn thing since sliced bread, but just for the life of her totally shuts down when she tries to enact her latest plan to become popular. There are even several moments where the fourth wall is broken and the MC makes a remark like 'this isn't an anime show' when duh, clearly it is. They also do a fairly subtle poke at SoL shows with her seat in high school. Watch many SoL's and you'll find that the primary characters almost always sit towards the back of the row, on the row closest to the window. For part of the show, the MC sits in that same cliched spot, but then she's thrown by a seating change into the middle of the classroom near the front. I thought it was a funny jab at the trope of having everyone important by the windows in school. There's lots of little nods like that, serving to poke fun at the genre and even the show itself.
While the story ranks high, it's not because of the SoL stylings, it's because of her copious amounts of internal dialog where she's so jacked up on being cool ramming headlong into her extreme lack of social graces. She'll have an internal monologue about how she's got this shit in her latest plan, only to speak to another person and say nothing but 'uh, yeah, well' and then run away as fast as possible. She then berates herself, and even mocks others when she's safely away. She seems to be nearly completely clueless on why she's such a misfit, but in such a way as to skewer the ever-present 'clueless' girl found in damn near every SoL series. I guess this is why the show is called 'No Matter How I Look At It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Unpopular!' No matter how she goes about it, she only seems peripherally aware of her own shortcomings, which makes her falling flat on her face even funnier.
The parody elements ring very close to the kinds of things found in shows like Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, which is interesting, as in the dubbed version, both the MC of Watamote and Stocking from PS&G are played by the same voice actress. This show also reminds me strongly of Detroit Metal City, in that if you can't take a joke, and even laugh a little at yourself at times, then you should seriously pass.
Art: 10
There's this problem in a lot of anime when it comes to portraying 'plain' looking girls. Sukitte Ii na yo (Say I Love You) comes immediately to mind, in that the primary female was supposed to be 'average' looking at best but was still cute as a button. Watamote does not make this mistake. By giving the MC and even her little brother ever present dark circles under their eyes, and portraying them with a bit of unkempt hair, they do nail the 'ugly' girl look, which in and of itself is adorable too, but it fits the story far better than most 'plain jane' types found in other shows.
The usual comedy artwork is present, as one would expect from such a show. The other girls drawn in the series are made to be incredibly pretty, accentuating the odd looks of the MC. The art is interesting and works well for the theme of the show.
Sound: 9
As I said, the MC is also the actress that voiced Stocking, and Stocking was my favorite character from PS&G so I squealed with delight the first time she spoke. That actress has amazing comedic timing, and is able to really draw one in with the use of tone, inflection, and volume in her voice. I don't think they could have cast the MC any more perfectly in the dub than what they did, it's totally awesome.
The little brother sounds good too, he is basically constantly annoyed by the MC's insistence on sharing her plans for popular domination with him. He really does sound like a real brother would, as interested in her crap as a rock, and endlessly pissed that she keeps pestering him.
The other main cast member, a friend from the MC's middle school days, has a sweet, very typical 'anime' voice, and would fit in well in any SoL type show you wanted to slap her in. Again this juxtaposition just serves to heighten the comedic factor.
The themes, holy shit, the opener is awesome. When it came to metal-ish openers I didn't think any series would be able to replace Detroit Metal City's opening but Watamote totally did. It's a hard driving song and I think it fits the form and functionality of the show completely. The closer is far less hardcore, but is catchy in its own way, and I will listen to both outside of watching the show.
Character: 8
The MC is a blast, as I'm sure I've already made apparent, but the slight knock comes from the ever-sweet best friend who now attends a different high school, but still tries to support the MC. She was a mousy nerd like the MC but she blossomed as she entered high school and became all popular and is now the total opposite of what she was, and what the MC still is. She's not a bad character, she's just a bit flat and one dimensional. Although she's the only non family member that the MC can actually communicate with. She seems to exist mainly as a point of jealousy for the MC, and to misunderstand and laugh at the MC's various hijinks.
The little brother character is a bit flat too, as he has one emotion: annoyed. Now I have siblings, and they all have more than one child in their families, and they do really nail the little brother's pissy attitude, but we never see any further sides of his personality.
The MC is a super blast, being the biggest of nerds, saying the funniest shit, and totally just being as weird as possible. As the synopsis says, she's played countless visual novels and video games so she should be completely prepared and suave when it comes down to real life, but she just can't get it done. I really identify with her completely. I've never tried to hide the fact I'm bipolar, and I suffer from a severe enough case that the government has declared me disabled, and I totally am just like the MC in social situations. I stammer, I forget what to say, how to act, and just end up coming across weird, yet in my head, and strangely behind a keyboard on the net, I'm totally rocking this shit, baby. That's why the MC speaks to me so well, I know exactly what it's like to be like she is. The show is funny to even 'normal' people, but for us awkward nerds, there's even more comedy built in because we can identify with her issues. This gives her character a 'real world' feel.
There's not much else cast wise, we hear from the siblings mother on occasion, but basically other than characters popping up for only a moment or two, we mainly have the big three there. This focus might be a little tight, and I think maybe having expanded the cast by a member or two could have worked out. Not a real complaint, but a thought nonetheless.
Enjoyment: 9
I laughed so much watching this show my sides hurt. I love how they poke fun at anime tropes, at socially inept nerds, and at highschool life in general. I really looked forward to watching each episode, and am now kind of sad that I've seen them all. I'd love a second season, but I don't think that's in the cards, sadly. I have no problem laughing at myself and some of the ridiculous things I do, which I think is one of the main selling points of this series. Don't take it seriously, just roll with the laughter and revel as the MC faceplants over and over again, and I think you'll be eager to see more just the same as I was.
Best Girl: Even if the cast was bigger, there's only one answer here, the MC Tomoko. She's freaking awesome, and damn near one of the coolest females in all anime if you ask me. The voice actress played her with aplomb, the writers gave her awesome jokes and observations, and the artists gave her a unique look you're not likely to forget. She's just the shit guys, seriously.
And of all surprises, Tomoko makes the RTLR wall of nerdhood, the first entry to score a spot in several reviews. Sorry Wonder Woman, but you've got to go, I've found someone better for your spot. This was such a fun show and I'm so damn glad I stumbled across it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Even if you are popular. I'm on the way to finding my way. Thanks again for reading these reviews guys, and here's to another year of my meandering ramblings, hopefully. Cheers!