Review of Nisekoi: False Love
Adaptations are flawed by default. No adaptation will ever captivate the same way as its source material. With that said, they are not superior or inferior from the get-go, one clear example being the anime I'll be reviewing today. Ever wondered what would happen if you give a competent staff a bad source material? Well... Nisekoi happens. This anime is, at its core, a lazy and generic romcom. The premise is a huge excuse to have a bunch of cute girls show up and form a harem. Whoever, despite being so generic, Shaft did an amazing job at this show's art direction and presentation. Needlessto say it's the main reason why my grade is this high.
The story is weak to say the least, though that's expected from a show like Nisekoi. It's semi-episodic (with short stories taking no more than 3 episodes) starting with a simple excuse for the characters to meet, some kind of misunderstanding or conflict, rounded up by a romantic scene. It needed no more than that, but not much innovation either, very run-of-the-mill.
The characters are a mixed bag. Their designs are interesting and unique and some of them do get development over time. With that said, they are still very simple and stereotypical characters personality-wise. There’s the bland main character for teenagers like me to identify with him, the tsundere, the kind and cute girl, the perverted friend and the energetic girl. Not a single character is in fact original, which is a huge letdown.
The best part about the anime is its artistic approach to direction. Every shot is different, with its unique backgrounds, fluid animation and head turns, classic Shaft signature. It isn’t as absurd as Madoka or Monogatari, but that is a good thing in my opinion. Being a romantic comedy, I don’t think there is any space for that kind of absurd directing. The sound is OK, doesn’t really stand out all that much, though voice acting is on point, Kana Hanazawa’s voice always stands out.
Overall, Nisekoi has little going for it, but its great execution makes up for its flaws and was quite enjoyable thinking back. I recommend it to those who are fans of the genre, or feel like watching just for the waifu material. Either way, watch it purely for the entertainment, it’s not that great.