Review of Horimiya

First of all: do not be fooled, this is 100% shojo anime. If you ask why male character behave like idiots, start punching each other for no big reason, those are stereotypes of shojo manga. Bland, shallow and not memorable to the point that I was interrupted watching an episode and forgot about it for a couple of days to find out I did not finish it. This is a romcom that doesn't deliver neither good romance nor good comedy. Compared to Oregairu or Toradora... nothing to write home about except only one thing: they try to do the progress of a romance backwards. They meet and start playinghouse even before saying their names. They confess and introduced to parents before holding hands. Everybody thinks they are dating but they do not think so. And so on.

Does it make it interesting? Well, a tiny bit but not to the point where the entire show is interesting.

Story is ... well there is almost not story so far. It is a sitcom with half-funny or forced jokes. No intrigue. No cliffhangers.

*** LITTLE SPOILER IN NEXT PARAGRAPH, not the plot, just some scene ***
In Episode 4 they try to make it more funny. By adding a lot of dirty jokes. Like "Your tongue is long. I need to tell Sakura about it". Hahaha. So funny. Boi and girl go to get coke. They drop a can. Everybody: they took too long, they are boning. The couple returns with guilty looks. Secondary characters get the can. Boi says "sorry, she screwed me". The can explodes in the face as expected. Hahaha. Everybody is retarded?
*** END OF THE SPOILER

Art... normal. In between Oregairu season 1 and season 2. On par with Toradora (which is almost previous century).

Sound. Nothing memorable. Some noise in background, OP and ED did not incite any interest. Lego-style doll house 3d art should probably mean something about they playing house or they are dolls but just looks out of place.

Characters. Flat, cartoonish and not very realistic. Hardworking girl. Nice guy. Both hide something from school. Something that doesn't worth hiding or even interesting. He hides tattoos. She hides that she has temper and is bogged in chores. Both lack any depth.

The girl is kinda has no time to do anything (and has time to get work from STUCO).

We have no idea what boi is doing when not at school or sitting at the table in girl's house kinda helping with the kid.

The bipolar girl sometimes a cliche tsundere, yelling and hitting the boi (sometimes with heavy objects). Sometimes just normal lovey-dopey shoujo heroine.

Perhaps the only interesting thing about Ep5 is how boi's glasses remain intact after a girl throws 5cm think book full force right in his face so his head flies back.

The girl was treating STUCO prez Toradora style in the past and now she is getting it back. Why is is so big dirt on her and why now, is not clear.

The boi punches his best friends in the face for superficial reasons. instead of hitting him back or showing him the door, everybody agree that this is not a big deal.

The secondary characters do not deserve a line about them. Except prez but he got a line already. Even in Wotakoi the secondary characters are more interesting.

Mom is typical "always at work feeding kids with microwave dinner" but with Gahamama smile (there is mo than enough memes about it already).

Enjoyment. Well it is a feel-good comedy. Not super funny. Our heroes win without much resistance or blow-back. There is a lot of bad romcoms with way more depth.

Overall. Nothing original or memorable so far. 1 hour after an episode and it is hard to remember anything interesting or funny. Not waiting for a new episode marking the day in the calendar.

If you are at the same age and any romantic story is a revelation for you, then any romantic story, any setup "boi meets girl" will get you excited.

For the girls: Muyamura is idealistic husbandu, helping with the house and the kids, calm, obedient, pretty, loyal. You can yell at him, kick him, hit him with the heavy objects if you are in the mood to do so. He can be timid or brutal, as you choose. You can change his style to be a tattooed badass or glass-wearing nerd, as you please. He can be shy or violent but you are always in control. And he loves you and only you unconditionally and will do what you want.
Basically he is a doll. Or a male personage of shojo manga.

For the boys: Hori is good with chores, smart and pretty. How you get her: just help her with the house, help her our by violence couple of times, and let her kick you when she is having a temper.

If your are not a teenager (mentally), you understand this is BS and a cartoon.