Review of Nisekoi: False Love
"So much UGH with this" Usual complaints about the harem genre are understandable. Add a dozen other genres, add one guy with no personality, add a bunch of sexy girls, and make a love triangle with the two top gals duking it out (With a clear winner on some occasions). Sometimes this formula becomes ether fun, or a little frustrating. Nisekoi is nether....... Nisekoi is actually BEYOND frustration. It dives too much into torture territory. And here's why....... It all starts beautifully enough. Vivid colors, and crisp animation. The characters have really funny facial expressions during some episodes. Everybody is having fun. Everything is lollipops,and gumdrops. And then....the nightmare begins. It goes crashing head first into some filler, then into more filler, and then finally half asses everything right into a cliffhanger. The plot gets tossed away immediately in this show (During the middle), and it does not coming back. Usually a show would have filler, however a show would go back to its original story after going through the evolution (Or dozens of panty shots) of its characters. Not Nisekoi though. It literally tosses the point right out the window. That is the huge problem that just will not leave. And it is the reason over how Nisekoi is frustrating.
And it keeps adding more girls, and romance pointlessly. One episode it is a love triangle, then another it is a love square. Then eventually it turns into a love pentagon, and then yes..... they will add another girl during season two! So it will be a freaking love hexagon! Even the added unique quirks get forgotten. The show explains that the families of the two main characters are actually mobsters. And yet that added seasoning to make this a unique anime gets barely used, and then tossed away later on. What is the point of even explaining who their families are? They are only around for one purpose ("These two better get married, or throats will get slashed!"). And where are the drug deals? And the hookers?....... A mob life can't be about sipping tea, and fapping to hentai at home while the kids are away at school.
More annoyances appear in Nisekoi. The characters give out model-esc poses/looks. They always wonder "why" for no reason. "Why am I in love?", "Why did she say that?", "Why did this person breathe?!?!", etc. And the *big* praised treasure trove of funny facial expressions eventually runs out, and the show sticks with the same spit takes (And the same animation of heads of the characters being bouncing around in bubble form with a single color background) as the main source for comedy. There are tiny fragments of ecchi elements. And sadly those fragments are not memorable at all.
With the ax being put away after grinding, and before the metaphorical chopping off of the head. There are a few good things about Nisekoi that have to be praised. The girls are charming, and they each have their own personality. This show is fantastic through out the beginning. And music in this show is always ever changing, but really sweet to hear. Comedy during the finale is fantastic. The final moments do not exactly make it worth while, there is a cliffhanger as mentioned once before in this review, however it at least ends with a pretty funny big bang.
On a personal note: This show is a complete massive waste of time. If you want to watch this show. Then ether watch the first 8-10 episodes, skip everything between 10-19, then watch the last one, and call it a day. Or wait a few dozen years when this show ends, and then marathon everything in a week. Or watch this show, and don't follow the plot at all during the whole twenty episodes. Or read the entire manga series instead, because from what I hear you can actually get a chance to know how it will all end. Sorry for being complicated, Im just giving out good game plans here. I was disappointed with the mafia aspect not being used. That was the main reason why I bothered to tune in. It would have been fun seeing that aspect being used more, since it could have been a far more interesting story. There are OVA's you say? Well, then.....those are a bunch of middle fingers in the a**hole as well. I would have given this show a higher score. I just could not, because it is not the type of show that is re-watchable. The animation, the comedy, the designs, and the music. They are all good. It is just that if there was some follow through with the plot. Then I would have at least bumped it up 2 points. I mean even really terrible nonsensical anime shows would try to go back to its main purpose, and finish. Nisekoi just loves dangling treats in front of your face, until you accidentally trip, and slam into a wall. I might give the manga a shot one day. As for this show, I rather forget about it. Believe me. There are fun times to be had here, but if you are going to assume that it's all about the story. You will be frustrated. And if you have your theories ready to be answered, then get ready to toss everything away in the trash.
Otherwise, it won't be a fun time.