Why We Love Kuroki Tomoko

[@BunnaySango]

Tomoko is not a bad girl, she is trying to so hard to be liked because she is lonely. I was so much a tomoko at that age it hurt.

[@incubuz8019]

BunnaySango hi there

[@rustkarl]

me as well but im a dude so there was a different crowd

[@unstablerupture6983]

It's things like wanting to sit at the back of the class and not be noticed, and not knowing what to say to people that i find quite relatable. And I don''t think she's a bad person, i mean she thinks and does bad things at times, but that stems from her crippling social anxiety and awkwardness and stuff.

[@NoraNekos7]

I guess i can somewhat relate to her. Funny thing that i don't really care. (not bragging)

[@BiscuitTime420]

SAME, and i honestly still am her

[@Ericnorify]

"How can weebs relate to a socially awkward character with no redeeming qualities?" That is a great question indeed.

[@Marpfie]

Another person who has no idea what weeb actually means. Yay

[@crona2994]

+Karpfador right?

[@crona2994]

+Karpfador right?

[@crona2994]

news flash: wanting too go too Japan with little knowledge doesn't mean were socially awkward. there are some ppl like that, yeah, but that's not what a weeb is. -__-

[@iwanttodie7178]

+Crona I'm not a grammar Nazi but, you used the wrong "to" twice.

[@DN-lu9ky]

Honestly, this anime character was very refreshing in a sea of cliches and overdone female characters. This was a character who stood out for her awkwardness, to the point where you feel sorry for her. As someone who suffers from social anxiety, I can relate.

[@Infinityxxxxxx]

Same here bro...

[@SlingingHashSlasher]

you and everybody on /a/

[@thesinkingpython7962]

Middle school and high school was terrible for me because I had rage issues.

[@donovanhoffmann1629]

The 54th Deadline - Nhan Pham same here

[@edisonthomas671]

same to

[@megasean3000]

You really can't blame her. Psychological illnesses are the worst, especially for Tomoko who seems to have a sort of social anxiety disorder, she fears talking to anyone besides her family and Yu-chan and creates all these vivid imaginations of her succeeding, only to have it yanked away from her. That is sad!

[@flipdonu5619]

That's because she builds up the expectations so high the crash is heavier

[@zeixoflegends9602]

I have autism and I relate

[@zeixoflegends9602]

A lot

[@scamin441]

mega sean she pretty much just anime Larry David

[@unknown_2474]

yeah i can relate during my first year at high school. I try make a friend but most of them think im creepy especially when they all already make a group 😔

[@rawdasalmataman7908]

She is a good character because she is very realistic . She is a good person but so depressed and lonely . She doesn't grow because she has no one to actually help her. You just describe her a bad person but I mean all she does is just imagine the life she wants.

[@rexplayz324]

Hi

[@rawdasalmataman7908]

@@rexplayz324 Hi. Can I help you?

[@rawdasalmataman7908]

@Fill Kaggots F First I am not a Sir second what do you even mean?

[@aster_nova]

> She doesn't grow because she has no one to actually help her. Characters and people can be expected to grow from events without outside help...

[@rawdasalmataman7908]

@@aster_nova Yeah but she kinda needs help.

[@Ehh.....]

75% relatable character. The %25 is that im a adult black man which is the literal opposite of a small japanese girl.

[@gaythugsmatter7029]

LMFAO

[@CSDragon]

+Mloclam Nomdnih Except in the case of LilyPichu. (For those not in the loop, she's a small Asian youtube voice actress with a really high pitched voice. People claimed her voice was fake and as a voice actress, only her voice is actually in her videos, so people were saying she was a dude with a voice changer. She ran with the joke and now she's "canonically" a 45 year old, 6 foot 5, muscular black man pretending to be an asian girl on the internet)

[@MrPinknumber]

X)

[@kingdomheartsispeak4724]

Lmfao same bro, same

[@chocolatelolis75]

CSDragon seen nyanners

[@Shilobotomized]

"Nobody can possibly relate to ever scenario tomoko has experienced." You my friend... Have no idea...

[@Rap-Slinger]

Fr!!

[@NealX]

Did I judge you as a person for that last sentence? Yes. Yes I did.

[@isaacargesmith8217]

***** Digibros did nothing wrong.

[@Jhonjackdiab]

***** in his defense, even the main character of the show cheated all the time.

[@isaacargesmith8217]

jhon jack They understood "The heart of the cards" indeed.

[@Legalmind2]

+jhon jack Ya but that was like anime magic, he cheated in yugioh, which as a yugioh player i find unacceptable. Then again if they were playing something retarded like windups while they were broke as fuck or spellbooks while they were broke as fuck, anything goes. Fuck that stupid unbalanced bs.

[@CyberFenix000]

+Neal X There is nothing to judge, I thought it was normal.

[@darkbeetlebot]

It's funny. He accuses tomoko of not learning her lesson, but 5 years later, manga tomoko has done exactly that. She's still an absolute weirdo, but she's toned down the jerkass a lot and gotten a yuri quasi-harem.

[@masterspark9880]

Yes because thats what people should be striving for. Having a harem

[@BJN2KI]

@@masterspark9880 Yes.

[@SamCaiman14]

@@masterspark9880 yes

[@monke4163]

@@masterspark9880 yes

[@TophMajora]

​@@masterspark9880 yes

[@caseyogden7105]

We love Tomoko because we are Tomoko

[@genericanimepicture3559]

So people love themselves?

[@vikingraven4758]

@@genericanimepicture3559 People love to see a character that they can relate too. For anyone with severe social anxiety, or any kind of anxiety in general, Tomoko is extremely relatable. Personally I don't know how many times I was beat up at school, just because I couldn't speak to people at all. Occasionally refusing to speak, because it generally went badly, instead leaving notes for teachers etc. In my case I did learn to defend myself, which eventually lead to the confidence to talk to people properly, but not without tremendous effort. Nowadays you wouldn't even notice unless I let you. What makes Tomoko relatable and to an extent a role model, is that even though she has these extreme communication problems, anxiety issues, and otherwise severe personal flaws. She still does her best to push herself and improve, instead of taking the easy route by simply feeling sorry for herself.

[@dragonarchive7443]

Love your pfp 😄

[@robster342]

Depressed boi hours

[@arielruh7773]

Pretty much but I don't have a rude brother but I'm also half komiyama

[@LimakPan]

I dropped this anime because I couldn't deal with the embarrassment of remembering my sad times animated in a comedy. Because I was able to associate with her so hard I didn't want to see her anymore.

[@chrash2012]

so i guess the only way to enjoy this show is to learn how to laugh at yourself

[@LimakPan]

kumagawa i have to change my name because sam flatman thinks my name is stupid misogi Nah.

[@dendo6336]

Dropped it for the exact same reason, then I went to read the manga,which for some reason makes it a lot less painful than seeing it animated.

[@lilmisssunshine7173]

Even though I really liked and enjoyed Tomoko's character, I dropped the anime because nothing was happening. It seemed that she wasn't learning anything from her experiences, and that she wasn't growing as a character.

[@JKeemTV]

Same

[@NineOuh]

>Can't imagine anybody as bad as Tomoko existing in real life. You my friend haven't been on /r9k/

[@TopNimes]

Ninouh No 4chin please

[@mAceOfHearts]

Ninouh Man, going on 4chan was one of the most refreshing things I've done. I kinda feel like a shut-in at times, but just one minute on that site reminds of just how "normal" I am in comparison. Feels great!

[@danabanana4408]

+Mads-Emil Jensen NORMIE GET OUT!!!!! REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE but yeah I browsed r9k a few years ago and was pretty much like all the neets there.

[@Xorrak]

+Tuckos kek

[@crazyaoifangirl7691]

+Ninouh I exist right here... lol

[@Tenfey]

Well in your defense, when you loose a Yu-Gi-Oh match, you generally either die or have your mind destroyed.

[@JinwooYoon1217]

Tenfey "Shadow Realm"

[@eejdmrj3hw]

In the original story a few people ended up dead.

[@SpaceAngelMewtwo]

Tenfey MIND CRUSH!

[@xXUnoriginalNameXx33Meygaera]

Tenfey I have a Tomoko moment regarding Yugioh. In college I found out 1 of my 2 roommates used to play Yugioh as kids. All 3 of of us decided to go to a local tournament for the heck of it. 2 of us went with our old outdated decks that we had to scrub clean of illegal cards (What? No Raigeki?), the noob went with a crap deck who insisted he play Dragon Capture Jar even though we said it was worthless. Needless to say we all got roflstompped by 12 year olds playing bullshit synchro special summons and crap. And Ironically our noob roommate won a game, because his opponent played a Dragon only deck. The only person I beat was some 12 year old's grandma because I somehow got out a Mystical Knight of Jackal and killed her card draw, to which she replied "That card is gay as hell"

[@nathanieljohnson4387]

xXUnoriginalNameXx33 Lol I know the feeling... I finally got a proper deck though... Battling boxers >:D

[@rrawrlolzzz4726]

i’m exactly like tomoko except i’ve kind of given up already lol

[@justawlwwholikesshygirls5704]

Lol same.

[@ghostxtbxtbitxtbite9497]

I'm heading in that direction

[@mrlost470]

you ok though, right???

[@IAm-zo1bo]

Update?

[@apollo268]

@@IAm-zo1bo its over

[@Somersalsa]

What I love about tomoko is the fact that she never gives up hope. She never throws the towel and hardly gives up. Her first days at high school were not what she expected at all, but she didnt gave up hope saying in the future things will always be better. even if she absolutely sucks at it and can't manage to do things at all, she tries her best and in the last 2 chapters really opened herself way more than usual and tried to connect with other people.

[@Durge205]

Honestly, I just wanted to reach into the screen and give this girl a hug and tell her it's going to be okay (sometime). Even if it meant that she would take it as a wrong lead.

[@el_super_mi8155]

Hahahaha yeah

[@McBanditHope]

Agreed. I wanted to cuddle the little shit SO MANY TIMES

[@iwanttodie7178]

this anime is pretty good

[@kurokithedolfdragonwolf3562]

+Barış Ulu (A Parody's Parody) same

[@stanal-adam4914]

Watch the anime. Those feelings will disappear.

[@mega17]

An important thing to note is that Tomoko is meant to portray social anxiety as a mental disorder, not just the normal social-growing-pains most experience before becoming well-adjusted. The distinction being that people often do NOT grow out of it. The appeal of this angle being the message that it is okay if you never "recover" or become "cured" and you can learn to accept and live with the issue. The only solace for the socially anxious is that first-world societies have advanced to a degree where they can live their lives in moderate peace.

[@Trixiethegoldenwitch]

mega17 I can't speak for Tomoko, but for me, getting medicated helped a lot to jumpstart getting better, followed by lots of self-assessment. I don't really see how the show goes out to portray Tomoko any differently from, for instance, what I felt in high school.

[@mega17]

***** You saw yourself as the problem, sought help, and got "better", that's the difference. The underlying theme of WataMote being slice of life is Tomoko won't do that. She will continue to rationalize her situation as much as the ToLoveRu-MC avoids committing to a girl - Except that is what makes WataMote praiseworthy rather than derivative, it more accurately portrays the stickiness of social anxiety disorders. As the full title suggests, Tomoko accepts herself and blames society for being too confusing to navigate - And in a way, she's not wrong, albeit self-centered.

[@Trixiethegoldenwitch]

mega17 I never really got the impression that Tomoko legit "accepts herself." It seemed to me a lot of the time like she knew she was terrible, but refused to admit it, and was deflecting the blame onto others so that she didn't have to speak the truth that she was in the wrong. Could be me projecting, or maybe the manga gave me that impression when I read it a few years back.

[@mega17]

***** I meant she accepts her own perception. It's a common misconception to think "accept oneself" means no longer feeling the need to change - There are multiple layers to that. You are right that she's projecting, but the conclusion you draw that wanting to change her situation means she doesn't accept herself.

[@sushi5528]

***** It would be nice if you would check out Oregairu, Hachiman has a very similar appeal.

[@CloudCuckooCountry]

"There is also an unmistakeable catharsis that comes from seeing someone who's just bad as you are." This resonated with me so much. Oh gosh, that thing about Yugioh cards at the end. I was laughing my arse off.

[@napsylev6922]

***** I loved that part too, I think his tone when saying it really sold the delivery. Gonna show it to my brother eventually, he'll get a kick out of it since we played Yugioh all the time, like, 4 years ago. (In that case tho the cheating was mutual...)

[@0hate9]

Flutterby Brathier Aw man, me and my brother basically don't play any game together fairly, and everything becomes a competition to see who can get away with the most without the other catching him.

[@napsylev6922]

0hate9 I don't like doing it any more, it ended up just stressing us both out.

[@0hate9]

Flutterby Brathier That's unfortunate.

[@An_Ian]

dose anyone play to the rules of yu-gioh? no really the protaganist cheat in show and none of the kids at school/daycamp could agree on the rules and like a river could agree to stay still

[@eggmug562]

I genuinely think she's adorable. I dunno why, but I do. Same reason I think ABA from guilty gear is cute. Just wanna hug em both you know?

[@BlackKanye]

I totally know this feel.ABA is cute as hell too. ps Would Hisako from Killer Instinct be too weird for you? Just wondering since that is another girl I find adorable, but generally isn't that that way. I mean she is a ghost and everything, but so XD

[@eggmug562]

BlackKanye Hisako is different for me. She's just a ring ghost.

[@BlackKanye]

Oni Bank kk

[@mcgibs]

She'd be a force of nature if stopped loathing herself.

[@dedelove892]

HOW DARE YOU TALK BAD ABOUT MY WIFE FOR LIFE

[@eightbait06]

Who's Saying They're Male? :3

[@eightbait06]

...Soooo How Are You?

[@eightbait06]

Idk, I mean we're here and it seems we've both lost all shits to what we said before, might as well strike up a friendly conversation!

[@eightbait06]

So Er...You Gonna Answer The Question?

[@eightbait06]

Ok. That's Nice...er....'s A nice night,

[@RealClassixX]

"Noone can probably relate to every single scenario that Tomoko finds herself in..." ...Yeah... Sure... Definitely not. I mean, that would probably be really weird. Sure.

[@ThatChainmecha]

Holy shit... I was going through depression and was on suicide watch just before watching this I got kinda pissed when someone on another KZbin video said that she was too out there of a character to be real

[@chargestone96]

ThatChainmecha wait what? i wanna see this and the rage in the comments

[@ArtisteRel]

ThatChainmecha I felt the same way reading the comments ._.

[@person9025]

+Classix Brother????????

[@tjofcarolina64]

+NEPTUNIA CHANNEL (SKYE IZUMI) I can relate.

[@CSDragon]

How is she a bad person? She just needs help. And that's why I like her so much, because she's the kind of person I think I could make a difference in their life.

[@chrash2012]

in the manga she can be a pretty big jerk

[@MatthewElectroThePanda216]

+kumagawa i have to change my name because sam flatman thinks my name is stupid misogi how?

[@TimSlee1]

In the anime she's not bad, but in the manga she's a complete narcissist.

[@scytheidilu]

SiriusBusiness Like me lol

[@ajduong]

I feel as if she's a younger female more immature version of myself, and as someone whose been there I just wanna give her a hug and help her out. Kind of wish she got to be friends with Satania from Gabriel Dropout.

[@JaxBlade]

I think I've rewatched this whole series about the same amount Ive watched FLCL just cause its so short and so entertaining hahaha

[@KillerOInstinct]

JaxBlade Try reading the manga, trust me you wont regret it.

[@bjornilica5069]

ƦΛVEИ ΛMѴ™ Dunno how people find these Anime entertaining :P

[@KillerOInstinct]

Dorian Bujupi Relatable, comedy and growing feelings towards Kuroki Tomoko = Waifu material xD

[@bjornilica5069]

ƦΛVEИ ΛMѴ™ Seems like I don't get attracted to these stuff

[@Mixinnitup]

I've never actually finished it

[@THUNGUNS]

1:46 death note potato chip scene xd

[@johncenadoingthegangnamsty1244]

dammit, you just made me lose my shit laughing.

[@angelicplace5615]

Hey I've seen you before!!

[@johncenadoingthegangnamsty1244]

who

[@angelicplace5615]

smooth criminal not you

[@johncenadoingthegangnamsty1244]

oof

[@atticusv668]

I relate to Tomoko in a spiritual level

[@starhunter3502]

On all levels except physical I am tomoko

[@unoriginal_name4576]

I'm almost EXACTLY like her and it's..pretty embarrassing..I'm really trying but talking to people is hard and making new friends seems almost impossible.

[@aimanrosley5611]

we the same..but what make it worst..im a guy

[@dieshyguy2197]

My reactions to people consist of weird noises and sentences that make no sense

[@SkylarThompson-mu1qs]

​@@aimanrosley5611 IM A gUY Stfu

[@Pixelz_3D]

@@aimanrosley5611 did you get better after 5 years? And how because I am similar lol

[@Bane_questionmark]

Sad thing is: before watching this, I was pretty sure that I basically had all the traits Tomoko does in the show, or at least most of them. But upon seeing this, I kinda saw what it actually meant to be a "nobody" in school, and I realized something shitty: the reason I had so few actual friends in school was because I found it almost impossible to approach people and was also really paranoid, but had partially internalized that to convince myself I was a total outcast because of it. But looking back after getting a better idea of what that actually looks like, it appears that I was just kinda barely on the fringes. I was pretty weird, but I must have toned it down a lot of the time because people I barely knew would go out of their way to say hi to me in public, basically everyone in my classes knew who I was, shit like that. Essentially, I was only a loser in HS because I subconsciously convinced myself that I was, spent four years I could've been having a healthy social life during just hanging out in the same five garages drinking and fucking around with the same people. That was fine, I had some good times, but it probably fucked me up a little in the long run. Didn't get anywhere near actually dating until well into college, still can't meet new people for shit, that type of thing. But yeah, Watamote's good.

[@piotrgrzelak2613]

You're me except that I tried and really hated hanging out with people in HS

[@shawn576]

I can relate to this character despite never seeing this show before simply because she has the same insomnia induced dark circles around her eyes that I have. Being tired all the time absolutely affects your mental stability.

[@fist-of-doom487]

I can totally relate to her. somewhere around the end of middle school I got bags under my eyes that never quite went away, to the point people constantly think I'm tired. I gave up on hair styling long ago and only put minimal effort into making sure it's not a rats nest just because nothing could tame the wild brown locks upon my head. To top it off I was pretty much a ghost throughout most of school because I wasn't the biggest fan of crowds and I noticed that middle and high school hallways were packed and my social skills were limited to say the least, I would often scare people with my existence because they never heard or saw me coming. At one point I High School it took people a week to realize I existed because I sat quietly in all of my classes and avoided people whenever possibly.

[@marekrmr632]

I have bags under my eyes too, I had it since I was born...you don't know how many times I've tried to get those eyebags to go away!

[@dani-daniellelefrancois688]

+ᗩYᗩᑎO Marie I have bags under my eyes myself ever since I was little, always there.... My mom once said it's because I don't get enough sleep. Yeah right. I don't know why I have them aside from stress.? Someone once asked me if I was punched in the face! 😂

[@marekrmr632]

CrazyGamer Dani Wow... :p

[@nitromagilou597]

I can relate to Tomoko. Always tired, socially inept, uses video games and anime as escapism, negative outlook on society, always put into awkward situations, she's basically me if I were a girl.

[@ThierryRocksTV]

+Matthew Cool Same except I'm mostly good at working when I have to and I use music as my escapism from people being shitty.

[@Piegoose]

>Can't imagine anybody as bad as Tomoko existing in real life. You should've seen me in grade school, basically all boxes checked. One time I tried to convince my whole class that fathers should hold even just a mild ownership over their unborn children. Obviously I was met with severe backlash and the similar "eh it's who-know-you anyways so just ignore him".

[@benjaminholland5985]

Thank you for standing up for paparonis world wide

[@ggwp638BC]

I think we like Tomoko for two things: - She is so fucked up that we desperatly want to see her getting a happy end. - She is relatable to all of us. If you add those two things, we want to see her having a happy end because we want to see ourselves getting a happy end. "I want to see Tomoko getting a boyfriend, despite everything wrong with her, because I want to get a boyfriend/girlfriend myself, despite everything wrong with me". Tomoko show us our worst, the thing we know about us, but we ignore. You root for her, because you want to root for yourself.

[@SlingingHashSlasher]

+GGWP im sorry but I just cannot relate to her anymore. in retrospect I dont think anyone who relates to her has done anything as stupid or desperate as what she does in the show

[@ggwp638BC]

HashSlingingSlasher Maybe not as fucked up, but you still can understand her. But, at least for me, I have one or two things that I could put in "Tomoko level of fucked up shit".

[@McGrave01]

+GGWP It's suprise to me that people saying things like you and Digibro... I like Tomoko as a character, but I have completly different reasons to like her. 1. I don't want happy ending DESPERATELY but in my philosopy good endings are almost always better so... 2. She is not relatable at all... I like this character because it's not relatable - it's a challenge to understand such character and such challenges are fun ^^ 3. Most likely she is not a really bad person... She is just vulnerable (which is cute) and it looks like her selfishness is just a defense mechanism 4. Shes illogical because she is driven by her fears and vulnerability... This is why probably it wouldn't be so hard to help her but also it wouldn't be so hard to crush her and make suicidal (and this creates some tension - we have this tension instead of a lot of action, which is interesting). The problem is that no one have the reason to help her (maybe except her friend, but she is too blind to understand this). There is possibility that she would be OK if her brother would be older xD

[@aii5748]

GGWP I actually think what you said here is exceedingly better than the way digi interpreted it in his video.

[@lukamaniakpl233]

I would do anything to see season 2 ;__;

[@omsmada]

+lukamaniak pl same i crey every day knowing it will never happen ;__; def one of my fave anime's and girl's

[@lukamaniakpl233]

+omsmada So sad ;_;

[@lukamaniakpl233]

+omsmada The worst thing is the season 2 dont come out becose season 1 sold really bad ;(

[@bamootheelephant6448]

+lukamaniak pl Anything? Like.... go out and talk to someone you don't know? ha, I didn't think so. But yea there should be more season. I hope someone puts up a petition.

[@lukamaniakpl233]

+Bamoo The Elephant xd

[@wedmunds]

So... she's basically the definition of an anti-Sue?

[@MatthewElectroThePanda216]

Uh, explain please?

[@wedmunds]

Jar Jar Binks Mary Sue = good at everything Anti Sue = bad at everything

[@MogFlintlock]

Eh; there's two main definitions of Anti-Sue. There's the one where the underline is under 'Anti' (AKA bad at everything) and the one where the underline is under 'Sue'; the character who manages to have minimal redeeming qualities or abilities, but manages to have the same treatment as an actual sue in terms of how they are liked by everyone and the plot warps around them.

[@Takumi_Did_Nothing_Wrong]

Wolf Edmunds Actually being good at everything or being bad at everything doesn't necessarily make a character a Mary Sue or Anti-Sue. What makes a Mary Sue/Anti-Sue is how other characters react to him or her. For example, someone who is terrible at everything but still manages to be the coolest person ever as far as other characters are concerned. An Anti-Sue or Mary Sue mainly serve as wish fulfillment for the author and/or audience, someone who can be anything or can do anything, regardless of their characteristics.

[@Takumi_Did_Nothing_Wrong]

Wolf Edmunds Actually being good at everything or being bad at everything doesn't necessarily make a character a Mary Sue or Anti-Sue. What makes a Mary Sue/Anti-Sue is how other characters react to him or her. For example, someone who is terrible at everything but still manages to be the coolest person ever as far as other characters are concerned. An Anti-Sue or Mary Sue mainly serve as wish fulfillment for the author and/or audience, someone who can be anything or can do anything, regardless of their characteristics.

[@ToonRage]

"too impossibly horrible to be a real person" But that real person is me. I'm not even kidding.

[@pyroparagon8945]

LunchLauncher /r9k/

[@TimSlee1]

He's basically calling us horrible. Feels bad man.

[@moonhall]

As a person with social anxiety that relates too much with watamote, when my brother, that I acually admire and want to be like, said tomokos life is pity... damn that hurt

[@jacobsomebody9266]

100% I'm that person. It feels horrible to have him just write off that such struggles are real :(. And the thing is, Tomoko in the manga does push through to get better, but it takes a long time and its painful. Watamote is realistic, and that's what makes it hopeful

[@tanasa3091]

watching watamote made me laugh but it also made me cry a lot because of how relatable it is. it's a shame they didn't make more episodes of it but i will gladly read the manga because i want to see her grow

[@kalin666]

she's not just awkward, she's clearly suffering from social anxiety disorder. she will not grow out of it, and she isn't getting any proper help, which is why there is no improvement in her condition by the show's end. she's not supposed to be relatable, she's a case study on mental illness.

[@romacechina]

+kalin666 Exactly my thoughts. Tomoko struggles so much with even getting a few words out to anyone who ins't Yuu or her family. Which not just the orginal managa shows, but also the prequel as well where she barely was able to talk to anyone outside of Yuu there as well. That while she is getting better as the manga goes on and being able to now talk a little bit to people around her. Once she finishes high school and has to go to college, work etc and now has to adapt to these new environments, where much expectation will be on her to act in an acceptable way. That I do fear for her.As Japan puts very high expectations on not making waves or being different, not to mention it's attitudes to therapy, it can be easy to see Tomoko's future as being quite troubling, since something like social anxiety order while certainty manageable with the right support system, coping mechanisms etc a traumatic or really bad experience can cause people to regress or suffer even more than they have already. Plus with the possibility of Yuu and any other friends she has by end of high school moving away, losing contact. Her family being there for her less and less etc. But hopefully by end of ther series, she will have the will, desire, and also the confidence to face these challenges that comes her way.

[@kalin666]

romacechina she clearly needs professional help, probably a combination of therapy and medication. Mental illnesses like these do not fix themselves. Will Desire and Confidence do not manifest spontaneously. If the manga does resort to this outcome, it is a tragic failure on the part of the creators to not understand the mental illness they are portraying.

[@romacechina]

kalin666 It wasn't my intention to suggest that Tomoko doesn't need professional help and that will, desire and confidence will overcome her issues, as she does need the help. If she does have a social anxiety disorder, then he will have to deal with it for the rest of her life. Hence why I mentioned quite of bit of my fears for first in my first comments. Since being autistic myself, I can say first hand just how difficult at times to cope when you are a bit different. Whether Tomoko will get any professional help in the series I something I doubt that relates to what I said before, japan has a stigma about therapy and believes in letting the family sort it out. Which as this series shows, they struggle with due to a mix of her attitude, the fact they don't seem to understand her etc. How the series will end I don't know, how it chooses to end will be interesting, and while it would be believable for Tomoko's problems to continue or never get any help, it would be a depressing ending, while fitting might be too much I feel on a plot and character level.

[@MatthewElectroThePanda216]

+romacechina who is the creator

[@MatthewElectroThePanda216]

+Jar Jar Binks (THE SITH LORD) can you send this comment tread 2 him?

[@Satsuki_Aquamoon]

I'm exactly as Tomoko , I swear you , people like Tomoko exists , and that's why boys flee me. I'm weird and afraid of people , I don't like society , I'm drug of boys love and dramacds , I have husbandos too . I'm a little green eyed long black haired woman too. physical and psychological strong links with her.

[@ShinyFood]

im not physically same as her (well maybe the damn messy hair) but i could relate with her on so many things, some parts of the anime made me almost cry, even the smallest things like sayng goodbye to the teacher i had And still having those problems its gettin a bit better..i think :/ but knowing there are others that feel the same way kinda helps

[@TimSlee1]

It's been two year's, has your situation improved?

[@makaylahall2664]

@@TimSlee1 hopefully

[@TimSlee1]

3 years and no reply.

[@Pixelz_3D]

This anime hurts, I used to ignore all my problems and try to not think about it, now I feel more sad again

[@Witolman]

She does terrible things, but they only affect her in the end. She isn't a bad person like how you suggested in the video

[@mynamesnotrick]

He specifically said that he didn't think she was a bad person.

[@anxiouscampcamppotato5930]

Yeah. She lied to her cousin only so she and other little kids will look up to her because no one else will pay her any attention. It's kind of sad really.

[@dearheart3433]

Actually, I think it might explain a part of the community liking the character but it's really not all that Because the pressuposition that Tomoko would not have any quality is abolutely wrong

[@marisa9035]

I still don't get why the intro is like: "OMG HORROR!" but the anime itself is more like: "Bruh, my life sucks" ...

[@Rs2006REMAKEVids]

Watamote was originally based off a manga, which is still ongoing, by the way. If you liked the anime even a little, I implore you to check it out. Anyway, over time, it gets easier to read. Its tone even changes as time goes on. It becomes less and less cringeworthy and Tomoko actually starts to become a character. She starts interacting with more people and it feels like it's building up to something. Also, the things Tomoko does earlier in the story aren't forgotten. The embarrassing moments are never erased, and are usually brought up much later for a new comedic situation. The author establishes things early on and brings them up way later. Watamote isn't just a series of exploits of a socially-inept girl (well, in some sense, that's exactly is), it's a cohesive, linear narrative. At the time of writing, Tomoko is in the second semester of her second year. I found myself cringing terribly when I tried to pick up the manga 2 days ago, but I couldn't stop reading it as it went on. I can't wait to see how it ends.

[@davidroberts7352]

She's shy, alittle arrognat, creepy and a pervert and i love her for it. She so relatable, reminding me that i was cringy in my younger years!

[@spaghettiking7312]

When you said Tomoko is the worst girl, the word, "heresy" immediately came to my mind.

[@aceelle6557]

That ending got dark... Literally and figuratively

[@wildboy2222]

Trust me, there's plenty of people out there who can relate almost completely to Tomoko the character, rather than just some parts of her personality. I know because I am one of those people. I think the more one can relate to this show, the more one will like it.

[@suburiboy]

I'd assert that a lot of the draw of moe is a sense of protectiveness, something about the cute anime girls that makes you want to protect them. It's the big brother feeling, one I know well seeing as I have a sister who is 17 years younger than me. I'd argue that most of what makes Watamote work is in that sense. IMO. You see painful, relatable things happening to her, and seeing that struggle makes you wish you could protect her, or at least something like that. As a doctoral student, a carreer path renowned for harboring 20 somethings who don't have all there shit together, I can totally relate to Tomoko. The difference is that I gave up on being popular or well liked a long time ago, and am happy with have a couple people I can hang out with who I can actually call friends. I didn't outgrow Tomoko's problems, although maybe I will soon, but I accept them and work around them.

[@Rosalina102798]

You have a very strong point.

[@ShatteredGlass916]

A doctor who is into anime ?!?!? U should be my bro mate lol

[@Rosalina102798]

I relate as well. A lot.

[@suburiboy]

harits andhika IDK what a "bro mate" is, but yes. Let's commence the "bro mating". Be gentle...

[@ShatteredGlass916]

***** oh shit, i forgot the coma again. It should've been "....bro, mate" lol

[@lucascouto166]

I have a friend who loves Anime/Manga and games and looks just like Tomoko. The difference here is that he's a boy.

[@Henryduckfan63]

"Kuroki Tomoko is without a doubt the worst girl" Unsubbed

[@pusongmanhid]

He did not meant that, the whole video spoke good about Tomoko

[@Calvert1212]

you're off the mark to a degree, she's relatable to most people on some level but especially those with social anxiety and depression etc.

[@wertyline806]

My favourite thing about watamote is the top down perspective, it really shows how people with social anxiety view normal situations.

[@DraiKofi]

I loved Tomoko because she has that underdog quality that you just want her to succeed but she never does, so instead you somehow end up loving her awkwardness and accepting that is just the way she is. At least thats how I saw it.

[@ThierryRocksTV]

I'd still befriend her.

[@tjofcarolina64]

I would too.

[@ThierryRocksTV]

TJ Hall Most girls are just cruel and materialistic as teenagers but Tomoko seems like a cool person to hang out with.

[@benisdrowninginthepacifico4944]

Same

[@dawgtheundying5303]

Yeah.

[@hannnnaareal]

When you said that she doesn’t develop as a character I just had to shake my head. If you pay attention, you can see around the last episodes you can tell she has improved from when we saw her in the the first episode. Like for example when she was talking to her teacher at the end of the day all she could do was bow shyly and after that she would be thrilled about it because she did something that could be considered human interaction. And around the last episode when she’s the leaving school she can utter a simple goodbye and not get excited about it because it’s normal for her now. When she was hugged by the bear, and she got a balloon she went home and saw another red balloon floating near her. She was tempted to let go of the balloon but she went inside her home with it. You can interpret this anyway you want but to me I feel like even if the balloon was given to her by a giant bear she can still appreciate that kindness and maybe learn from it. But great video, keep it up man.

[@agracefulfox6252]

If you hate her you are indirectly hating a younger version of yourself. I can't ever do that since I love all versions of myself.

[@Memequeen89]

I heard that this series wasn't as popular in Japan but moreso in the West. Probably because anime fans in Japan aren't like Tomoko whereas anime fans in the West are like her to some extent.

[@flameshana9]

"Reading blog posts that I made at 15 makes me want to punch myself in the face." That sums it allll up.

[@s4mirukun]

I love tomoko

[@BottleOBile]

Two words. "can relate"

[@Trixiethegoldenwitch]

Respectably understated admittance of guilt

[@migru9645]

ITS HER BIRTHDAY TODAY! TIME TO CELEBRATE!

[@hunterlord101]

The entire scene when she went to the Starbucks was almost exactly my first experience going there "Uhh... can I get a medium... mocha cap-frappuccino?" 'A what?' "A medium mocha frappuccino." '.......OH. Grande?' (The fuck's a grande I want a medium you dumb bint.) "Yeah, sure." I then proceeded to see the little condiment station and totally fucked my drink up into a cinnamon-chocolate-honey abomination that tasted like a sugar monster was curb stomping my head in.

[@flipdonu5619]

She thought her friend said Fellatioccino too much dating sims and eroge

[@stlsamia]

Tomoko honestly reminds me of myself in parts of high school but ACTUALLY she mostly reminds me of myself around 18-21. However at the age of 21 I stopped leaving my apartment except at night. I couldn't function outside during the day without constant panic attacks. I never bragged about beating kids at a card game but I sadly relate to alot of her experiences.Except I grew to a point where I couldn't function at all in society. I still love her though.

[@iuhiuhiuhi]

That last sentence... You should be ashamed of yourself, Bro.

[@user-qb7he3mi1j]

Kenpachi Zaraki Yes, yes I have XDXD so funny

[@hielispace]

Kenpachi Zaraki To be fair, when I did this, I was also a small child (still be YGO though)

[@isaacargesmith8217]

Kenpachi Zaraki Digibros did nothing wrong.

[@guybuddy3917]

+James Franco (PoppinHeads) *A scruffy looking gambler across the bar shoots you a glare and says "GOOD!"*

[@OfficialDigiBro]

+Kenpachi Zaraki if anything, i can applaud him for actually fessing up to it and acknowledging it.

[@alyx.2093]

She is perfection embodied.

[@hystoryan]

How exactly is she a horrible person? Really what does she do thats so bad? How does she not have good will? Because she didn't want to clean the house? What 15 year old wants to clean the house during summer break? What 15 year old hasn't thought negative thoughts about more popular classmates? What 15 year didn't want to be popular? I loved her personality she was very imaginative is is frankly the most realistic anime character I've ever seen. She reminded me of no less than 4 people I know including myself. I think anyone who has at least some social anxiety can relate to her.

[@DoctorX101]

Indeed. This guy must live a very, very sheltered life to consider her "horrible" and having "no redeeming qualities." Has he ever heard of ISIS? The Holocaust? Country Western music? As you say, she is an awkward 15 year-old trying to come to terms with becoming a young adult. If she is "over-the-top" it is a fictional representation of the embarrassment pretty much all teens go through. It is also interesting in that it is from a girl's perspective. That sound rushing over his head is the clue he missed.

[@hystoryan]

yeah, at least he admits that she's not a 'bad person' which kinda negates his she is a horrible person comment. Maybe he should have just clarified what he meant when he said shes horrible.

[@butterbiscuits1044]

You make some good points. Though, I have to say Tomoko Kuroki is one of my favourite characters and I like her the way she is.

[@jasonamor2777]

Agreed

[@pavelpolosin2217]

Konata + A lot of darkness = Tomoko =)

[@HalfWayDawn]

I cried... This character was too relatable in too many ways...

[@CursedLemon]

I actually ended up watching Watamote after coming across this video, it having stirred my curiosity. This show is absolutely excruciating. I feel like garbage after every episode.

[@maad1670]

Everyone, pls read the manga. she's doing so much better now, it feels so good watching her grow.

[@Sharkasaurusemperor1]

Ummmm yeah Totally don't relate to everything she does Totally

[@Sharkasaurusemperor1]

Ok, everything except the cheating at card games part

[@Sharkasaurusemperor1]

yeah

[@awasuhl4255]

Dovahdu vokun Nice name :D But i don't like shadows at all 🙊

[@TheJuanTrueKaiser]

Normal is a retaliative term. When someone says u are not normal they mean u are not like them and those they hang out with. An example, my father used to say "Why don't u watch more movies instead of cartoons (anime) and be normal?" I say "Why don't u read more novels and be normal?" No one just "fits in" with everyone. It's the same with the word savage, for a long time it meant "not me". Being "normal" is over rated. What is not overrated it having friends and interacting with people.

[@lachlanstill4813]

The JuanTrueKaiser While much of that is true there is a more or less objective normal, or at the very least objective societal norms. Anime isn't "normal," just speaking statistically. Now a fear of the abnormal is certainly foolish, but so to is pretending that such a thing doesn't exist.

[@isaacargesmith8217]

The JuanTrueKaiser Normal is also something that's a population majority related thing.

[@melzymoomin888]

The JuanTrueKaiser A truly perfectly "normal" person doesn't exist, because everyone's definition is different. A person being considered normal regarding everything they do, anywhere they went, would be seriously abnormal in itself.

[@lachlanstill4813]

***** Society's general norm accounts for this impossibility though, and has some wiggle room for individual personality quirks, as long as they aren't too quirky.

[@genericfencer]

***** But casuals exist ._.

[@Imperator_Chrysalis]

At least Tomoko has a brother...

[@Dorar47]

I have social anxiety and relate to her so much.. I'm glad there's an anime like this I could relate to. Usually anime characters with social anxiety are brought out by social characters that actually want to get to know them like in Kimi Ni Todoke and Komi Can't Communicate, but they weren't so realistic for me. Nobody was really that interested in knowing me. I always thought that someone would genuinely want to get to know me and changes everything, but I realized taking actions are better than just waiting for things to change..

[@Fluffy._.Doggo.123]

I'm not as bad as Tomoko, but I understand and relate to her problems and issues.

[@bleh1646]

0:15 *there's hundred and four days of summer vacation til school comes along just to end it--* is if you know where it came from

[@sedeweo2138]

For 1 yrs nobody knew where it came from but I got ur back it's from Phineas and Ferb😂

[@GraveUypo]

i actively repulsed people with my attitude in school, but i actually wanted them to go away. all i wanted as to sleep and study in school so i could do watever i wanted at home. but people kept coming trying to befriend me. i had so many girl "bully" wannabes growing up it's actually hilarious. the one i had in sixth grade was the prettiest girl i have ever seen, even up to date. wish i remembered her name, kinda curious to see how she turned out. my last memory of her was when i made her cry before she finally stopped bouncing around me all the time :( i feel really bad for that. i even sorta had a harem kind of thing going on in my senior year. i was tall, thin, fit and anti-social, and had just changed my usual lame spoiled grandson haircut to the one i still use today, which fits me waaaaaay better. i was also a bit of a weirdo because i'd do weird shit during recess, like climbing walls and walking along the top of them, or climbing the school water tower to watch things from above. i never knew people noticed me for that, it was only after a friend in another class of mine told me that i realized i was a kinda famous weirdo in the entire school. anyway, so a bunch of girls (5 or 6) in my class came at once to try and "cheer me up" (they thought i was unhappy for some reason). when they first approached me, they were all visibly reluctant, as if they were afraid of me. but i talked to them and they opened up pretty quickly. they told me they really were a bit scared of me, but apologized for that because they thought i was really kind and friendly after properly talking to me. long story short, a few of them fell for me, there was a whole jealousy thing going between them, it was a bit annoying to me (i STILL just wanted to sleep and study) and thankfully it died out after some 3 months of rejected date invitations (did i mention i was really anti social? i have to admit i regret not accepting at least some of them). it came to the point where they would sit in the desk i was sleeping, talking loudly and grazing their butts against my arm on purpose. i did have a bit of a crush on one of them before this, but after seeing her jealousy at play, she ruined herself to me. but i have to admit it was cool too, even though i was mostly annoyed by it. the best part was that they were all above average in looks, and a couple of them were actually pretty cute. not sure why i wrote this here now. well whatever, it went through the effort of writing it, so there it is. maybe someday i'll write a slice of life manga about it. probably not though.

[@monkeykingdom2031]

Yo what anime is this? I been looking for and never find it. *sad face

[@monkeykingdom2031]

Alright thx u guys.

[@foufoufun]

+Monkey Kingdom Watashi Ga Motenai No Wa Dou Kangaete Mo Omaera Ga Warui! is the long name in Japanese, I can never remember more than the two first words of it lol.

[@RedLikeRosie]

+Brigade Leader Haruhi Suzumiya bro calm it, i like sinon myself but not that much

[@RedLikeRosie]

+Brigade Leader Haruhi Suzumiya bro calm it, i like sinon myself but not that much

[@user-ms3lb7dk1q]

Watamote

[@newmoonshadow3038]

Tomoko is the Shoujo Anime version of Charlie Brown. Her perpetual suffering is what makes her relatable, and the ways in which she is made to suffer are the butt of every joke.

[@MazdaRX7007]

Haven't watched the show besides her fantasizing about getting headpats.. now i want to give her headpats soo much

[@8lonely-fox8]

when you literally relate to everything in that anime ;-;

[@Veronica-ry2qc]

1:29 You said that "No can relate to every scenario....." You would think so....but you'd be Dead Wrong. Because it is very real. It may seem unrealistic as you have not experienced it. But i was this person at one point so i know its real; the only differences were that i was more innocent, did not have an ego, and had a lot more bullies. If you were wondering why people were calling her their wifu..... is because PEOPLE CAN HAVE ODD TASTE

[@UnconvincingX]

Who DIDN'T cheat in Yu-gi-oh, though?

[@TheHandlegoesHere]

Misread the rules due to being a kid who didn't know english very well. Yes. cheating though? Yes, totally.

[@LRR001]

Eve Edena the real question is, who didnt steal cards from other neighborhood kids?

[@TheGallingIce]

Eve Edena I've only cheated ONCE in my whole life, and I've only done it because Exodia decks are boring to play against... Funny enough, I didn't do anything illegal, I just told my opponent he was using his Main card wrong, and he fell for it.

[@Fetteremo]

Luiggi Raborg you sucker :D i was the one who got his cards stolen !

[@ANDELE3025]

Eve Edena PERVERT! ILLICIT! CHEATER!

[@Lmaofcat]

She so real She's someone out there She cute She ready for have friend Why not ...cuz.......me too...

[@Chaserbeastofblades]

Well she does grow over time. After volume 5 of the manga the series becomes a lot more wholesome. She has a decent amount of friends and her relationship with her brother even improved. Watching her go from a pathetic mess to someone with a decent social life and even plan for the future really is medicine for the soul.

[@imgone1360]

Everyone wants Yumeko While i want is Tomoko

[@CarlosGomez-jl3jd]

"She's too far gone, too impossibly horrible to be a real person." You've obviously never met me.

[@lordplatanos8189]

Have you realized Tomoko Kuroki is more likely L or Near from Death Note?

[@asoran8528]

If konata from lucky star and L had a child tomoko would be the result

[@lainwarisa]

IKR YESS YESSS EXACTLY

[@lainwarisa]

+Archmage Nick true

[@wrex1285]

She gets much much better after where the anime ends

[@Unicornstar143]

I just realised that this video was posted on my sisters birthday. I can totally relate to Tomoko. great video by the way

[@Zelkiiro]

Tomoko is worst girl--therefore, she is best girl. :V

[@anime_otaku8495]

If season 2 of watamote comes out my life is complete.

[@Aschamz]

She needed a hug so badly

[@toweringhorse2054]

I think we enjoy her character because it’s refreshing to see an animated character that shows the other side of the coin that the usual. It’s overwhelming how much perfect hair and extremely ideal confidence oozing go-getters you typically see in anime. It’s almost refreshing to see one that is a scraggly uncomfortable with socializing bad charisma having introverted weirdo

[@TophMajora]

She's doing her best, leave her alone! 🥺🥺🥺

[@agreenr6915]

Manga Tomoko has definitely come a long way the relatability goes from painfully embarrassing to melancholically nostalgic from trying anything but being who she is to gain popularity to being uncertain of what she wants to do with her life from wanting her school years to pass as quickly as possible to wanting to hold on just a little longer

[@Dragonlord826]

Allow me to answer the intro, because we relate too much

[@mr.jayhawk2942]

She reminds me everyday of my middle school and first two years of high school

[@syruslanisterisgod395]

With me, it's the 6th grade year in Middle School.

[@Ilikecatsqwq]

i relate to her so much its embarrassing

[@Laezar1]

I think what you are saying is kinda bullshit oO tomoko actually got qualities and isn't actually the worst case of social anxiety. Some people are much worse than this in real life. It's clearly a strong case but it's not unrealistic at all. And all the "nothing good ever happen to her" that's really realistic too... Some people have very bad luck and I don't see how that's unrealistic. Also the thing is most of the good things that happen to her she ruins them herself by trying to much to make the most of them. Social anxiety is a vicious circle, the more you fail, the more you try, the more you try the harder it gets, the harder it gets the more depressed you are, the more depressed you are the more you fail. And honestly it's really cool to have an anime that adress this kind of problem without just ending in the character managing to overcome it, it's not that easy. I'm just sad people see this as unrealistic while it's the most accurate depiction of social anxiety I ever saw.

[@nonnolento]

Laezar in the manga, Tomoko can reach some friends and started to reduce her social anxiety after 3 years, thanks to the help of some people started to understand her and help ( not the family, her mother father and brother don’t understand anything till the end)... and for me this is very refreshing. I have memory of a lots of bad situation like Tomoko, and this anime is soo realistic than cause to me nightmare for days related at this memory of my past... and at the same time the manga feels me better, because like Tomoko, in some time (very long time, years) I find some way for live with other people and create a group of friends. (Sorry for my bad English, isn’t my first language)