Review of Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku

I always try to wait until I finish a show before I write a review, and this one was exceptionally hard to do so! In a season where it has to compete both with the end of Darling in the Franx, and the beginning of Steins;Gate 0, this series still stood out to me as something special. Upfront, I'll admit I have a bias to romances. However, the show uses different techniques, styles, and characterizations that seem to feel familiar while also remaining somewhat grounded. I'll go into mainly the story, the art, and the characters for this review. Story: The show (only having eleven episodes) startsright off the bat, showing that the season follows Hirotaka and Narumi as they navigate the ups and downs of their newly formed relationship. Unlike most anime with "childhood friends," this one actually shows them being successful in courting their prospective partner accompanied with the aftermath. Rather than simply following their relationship however, it compares and contrasts their relationship with two others in the show. For the sake of spoilers, I'll not mention names. However, the contrasts can show the differences in familiarity, respect, and hobbies that one encounters in any relationship. Although the group of friends all bond of otaku culture, they simultaneously have other hobbies or interests that don't necessarily overlap. The show uses this to represent how just because a couple shares a common bond, doesn't mean they need to necessarily be the same person. The three relationships shown are thoughtful, insightful, and show us fears and insecurities just as much as the ups.

Art: The art style for this show focuses much less on beautiful visuals and animations, and much more on small otaku or video game references. Even in the final episode, I was seeing other anime referenced in the background almost fully on display, as if to advertise it. While at first I thought it was distracting, I feel they actually were trying to bring a sense of depth and atmosphere to places outside of the workplace, the most common setting for the majority of the show. I think that the flares for the dramatic the art style had such as RPG popup menus, robotic voices, and background references went a long way in developing a style all on its own.

Characters: Finally, the best and brightest part of this show is the character developments. For a relationship show, I don't know if I could find another that actually follows the ups and downs of a relationship without trying to be as depressing as "Scum's Wish". The insecurities these characters have feel realistic, and while they might not be worrying about the infidelity of their partner, they might be wondering "am I good enough?" One of the most basic human fears, not being worth someone's time. Past that, characters don't immediately appear lovey dovey, but you can see and feel the affections the characters hold. They're used to each other, they're familiar to each other, thus things like kisses, sexual situations, and dates are handled with a mature mindset that can be hard to find in many anime.

Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii bring a lot to the table in terms of character and story. Personally, if Darling in the Franxx or Steins;Gate 0 weren't airing this season it would probably be my anime of the season. Overall, I believe this show is worth your time, and I'll be holding out for a season 2.