Review of My Love Story!!
The most important aspect of romance anime is usually its characters. If there is a solid cast, the viewer is automatically satisfied even if the story is not the most outstanding. The same principle applies for Ore Monogatari. Aired in Spring 2015 and animated by Studio Madhouse, this two-cours anime follows Gouda Takeo, an unpopular male who does not manage to find a girlfriend even though he has longed for one since he had been in kindergarten. The reasons for this are, on the one hand, his unusual appearance and, on the other hand, his awkward behaviour. People who are not acquainted with Takeo think heis scary due to his height and his loud nature. However, most of his classmates are his friends – in fact, one could even say they admire him – which clearly shows that Takeo is not your typical unpopular protagonist. He is a good person who would do anything to help other people even though he has to surmount dangerous situations he probably would not survive without his apparent super-human strength. Due to this and several other factors, Takeo is one of the most loveable characters of present-day anime.
The female lead of the series, Yamato Rinko, frequently has to explain to her friends why she likes Takeo. At the beginning of the anime, said friends do not comprehend her behaviour but as it continues, they, too, begin to understand that Takeo not only is not scary at all but also would do anything for Yamato to be happy. Unfortunately, the female protagonist's character is not the most compelling. The viewer is presented with the fact that she likes baking but other than that she possesses only few distinguishable character traits. She has a charming personality and is the cause of some interesting character development concerning Takeo but regrettably lacks in depth. There are a lot of supporting characters who have both a more interesting background story and greater character development than her. While this might show another positive side of the anime – namely, its great supporting cast – it also demonstrates how Yamato's character pales in comparison.
Another important character is Takeo's best friend, Sunakawa Makoto. Suna is the complete opposite of Takeo: He is charming, good-looking and popular. However, similar to Takeo, he also has never had a girlfriend even though his reasons are different in that he is the person who does not want a relationship. Suna mostly acts as the person who helps Takeo in several situations that he does not understand. Moreover, he might be the main reason why the protagonists' relationship is as strong as it is. However, this does not mean that Suna is a simple plot device without a personality on his own. In fact, he is incredibly amusing since he also is socially awkward in some situations – but differently from Takeo – and is the anime's second-most interesting character.
As mentioned above, the anime's supporting characters are great. Not only do they trigger interesting development for Takeo but each of them has a unique backstory and believable growth. There might be some characters you do not find very likeable but, in the end, you will have to admit that all of them serve a purpose and fit into the anime incredibly well.
The anime's plot mostly focuses on Takeo's and Yamato's relationship in different environments. You can see them interact with one another in the park, at the restaurant, or in an amusement park. Moreover, you are presented with some hardships they have to face that seem to threaten their relationship. The outcome is completely predictable and while there is a lack of drama, you have to understand that Ore Monogatari does not need it. At its core, this anime is about the light-hearted relationship between its two main characters and any unnecessary drama would only hurt it. However, if it were not for the solid cast, this would not be the case. An episodic anime whose story seems to be repetitive such as this one is only able to function if its characters make every episode a unique experience. That being said, there are some moments which seem to exist in order to spice up the anime's story but they are not too bothering and may even prevent the anime from becoming boring.
The art style is really simple and not especially detailed. However, in the case of Ore Monogatari, this is not a bad thing. On the contrary, the simplicity underlines the anime's light-heartedness and consequently improves its atmosphere. Additionally, more exciting scenes are much more detailed, which increases those scenes' credibility.
The background music is not necessarily memorable but simply adds to the anime's atmosphere, which is perfectly fine. The opening theme, on the other hand, is incredibly catchy and sets the proper mood at the beginning of each episode. The ending theme, while being a nice song on its own, unfortunately does not fit the anime due to its melancholic tone.
Ore Monogatari is not a comedy anime. It does have some funny moments but its quality is not based on those. Instead, the comedy adds to the cast's likeability rather than being one of the anime's strong aspects on its own. Moreover, if you are looking for an anime with a compelling story and a lot of plot twists, this one is probably not to your liking. However, if you wanted me to recommend an anime without unnecessary melodrama but with heart-warming moments, a great atmosphere and light-hearted interactions, my first advice would be Ore Monogatari.