Wotakoi - The Realest Romance Anime

[@rubberpritzell391]

I was looking at the map for your AX room but couldn’t find it. Seriously, I double scanned the thing but room 404 not found.

[@mothersbasement]

It's in live programming room 5. Room 404 on the convention center map!

[@superlolggirl]

its joke, a haha

[@helgard36]

Ahaha

[@inkblotCrisis]

404 likes

[@Deathcroak]

It's in room 217

[@baddayatmysteryspot]

I love that Wotakoi is about actual working adults and not just more freakin high school romance. Some of us adult nerds need to know there's still hope!!

[@apollo9288]

read that again. and tell me that doesn't scream loneliness and autism

[@SophiaSanders61]

Hope? What's that?

[@MechaMeister]

Oh its so relatable to you adult nerd bcuz 'working place', so its good. lul

[@jeremiahnoe5361]

Lol hope. Nah, man. Nah. Wotakoi is just as much fantasy to me as Naruto or Bleach. Good story though. Entertaining.

[@Cilibi]

Same bitch

[@blankslate7491]

Can we just take a moment to appreciate how cute Hirotaka is when he's emotional

[@Ninkumpop]

He's not-

[@blankslate7491]

@@Ninkumpop the little thing where he shoves his hands under his glasses is just, adorable

[@sasayoygaming8910]

Can anyone tell me the name of the anime at 2:42 with the red haired girl

[@blankslate7491]

@@sasayoygaming8910 I think that's 'snow white with the red hair'

[@streetballer1997]

@@sasayoygaming8910 yea its snow white with the red hair, you can watch it on hulu

[@nexusthefireyspirit7877]

I kinda wanna see a anime where they have already been dating for awhile and it shows the problems or good things of a long but strong relationship

[@OutWestLIVE]

thats in wotakoi too with the supporting cast

[@BaeCat872]

I’m pretty sure there’s one called “I don’t understand what my husband is saying”, it’s a mini series but they’re a newly married couple where the husband is a hardcore otaku and the wife is just confused like 99% of the time.

[@Morbtaxular]

That sounds like the sub plot of Gamers

[@kiano_reyes3906]

clannad after story sorta does that

[@blankslate7491]

I remember a 2006 anime called We Were There about a girl who starts going out with her classmate after knowing him for like 6 months cause he asks her out and the anime is about the problems they go through and they even break up at one point too bad they didn't end the anime with the manga ending

[@fats2010]

hearing actual issues like how hirotaka is worried that their relationship is going too slow or that them being childhood friends makes it hard to truly act like more than that is what made this show so charming for me. both couples seem to have something they can learn from the other, and everything about it is realistic and just generally enjoyable to watch, the conflict they face is actually understandable and warranted while their friendships are all natural and relatable, i hope we get a season 2 at some point.

[@aeshikajyotshna852]

Koyanagi and Kabakura got married.

[@Grymbaldknight]

I'm 23 years old, and i've just shifted from university into the working world. As the months roll by, it's becoming ever harder to maintain the lifestyle i did during school. Work demands more of my time, friends aren't always around, money is a pressing concern, and there are hundreds of miscellaneous problems which teenagers just don't know about. As such, while i still love high school romance animes, this is a real breath of fresh air in my life. Thanks, MB.

[@mutegrab666]

British? I ask because I've never heard it called "university".

[@thelastwish558]

@@mutegrab666 Idk. Im european and scandinavian and I use the word university as well

[@Marina_7]

@@mutegrab666 Many countries use this term. But this makes me curious, is "college" (in this sense) is used outside of America?

[@studiosnch]

@@Marina_7 maybe. I mean, I'm Filipino and the most used term is "college," b/c American influence. but weirdly enough some people also use "university" (I use "uni"), since colleges and universities in the philippines have distinct naming shenanigans.

[@tianayogenth1003]

awpdog same over here in Canada we use both whatever’s a college we call a college and whatever’s considered a university we call university/uni

[@NickonPlanetRipple]

I'm so happy to see this kind of anime becoming more of a thing. I get it that the unreasonable work demands in Japan give the prospect of retreating back to highschool (the last time in their lives many of these people were happy) a strong appeal, but there's been SO MUCH of that crap it seems to encourage complacency. Mature, forward-looking anime like this give people a pat on the back saying it's okay to be less than perfect, but they still have the chance to become a better, healthier version of themselves like the characters in the show. Like they say "You need to see it to be it." We need more anime that are down to earth and inspire us without pandering to us. It's uplifting. I love it.

[@hellraiser217]

Welcome to the NHK?

[@tyrant-den884]

One of the reasons I respect GGO so much is that the story did NEED Karen to be college aged, but she was anyway.

[@LeoSkyro]

I wish this anime focused even more on the relantionship aspect, and those two made some more progress on that front. Like, I get that maybe it's just another kind anime, but I wish it was a mature story about two well adjusted people in a healthy relationship, which also entails sex and kissing each other more than 1 time, and not acting like you're a middle school couple in their first relationship.

[@kappadarwin9476]

Its because the escapist anime sells more.

[@siwanoXx]

Adult romance are called Jousei.... -_- It's not new, people just doesn't bother to look after it...

[@wildkatarn7141]

WOTAKOI has been one of the BEST anime series I've seen in years! The characters feel authentic and like real people---😶 frankly, I KNOW people like them---their problems feel more mature and thoughtful and the ways they deal with these issues are quite relatable. I only wish they could have continued with this series for more than one season!

[@martina6700]

Yes! But the manga does not have that much of chapters to have more than one season. I wish the manga was more extensive, it's so precious however... I swear that I feel connected to Hirotaka in a kind of way even when we are really different one from another (I'm not a man, I'm not an adult, I'm not game obsessed, I don't like anyone, I don't like girls nor a childhood friend... However, Hirotaka is so real that is impossible not to feel connected!)

[@aperture0]

@@martina6700 The manga is super popular in Japan. Sold 10m+ copies

[@martina6700]

@@aperture0 I knew that, but I was talking about how short it is. I wish it had more chapters. It is so beautiful!!

[@aperture0]

@@martina6700 That's true. Only 50 chapters till date, right?

[@martina6700]

@@aperture0 I think there are only 48, I can't find the other two.

[@sadiahossain6207]

I first got into a relationship at the age of 22. Having never dated as a teenager, I had a hard time relating to most romance animes. This anime was a breath of fresh air, because I could relate to it. I kept on thinking that my relationship was boring as most my problems revolved around the lack of money, living together, chores, my own little insecurities etc. Compared to the relationships I saw in highschool, mine was less "spicy". It took me a long time to realize that this is part of being an adult and that an adult relationship can just be as interesting as a highschool one. These type of romances definitely helped me reconcile with that fact.

[@ausername8699]

THIS

[@luthientinuviel3883]

Same here, I'm out of high-school and never dated, so high school romances always make me feel like a late bloomer

[@bestrafung2754]

Never dated as a teenager but got into a relationship at 22? I thought I was the only one except I'm 21 and not in one. It'll probably never happen, but maybe it's possible. I have a hard time relating with romance anime too, especially ones with teenagers.

[@bestrafung2754]

@@luthientinuviel3883 Same, and I always feel bad lol. A lot of them are unrealistic anyway, to be honest.

[@hunterlord101]

B-but Mother's Basement senpai is talking about romance anime.... c-could he be seeing another girl...? *Full episode of misunderstanding and the viewer groaning as the character thinks their love interest is cheating on them*

[@TheRachaelLefler]

you just have to make him a bento box that's better than that polecat's inferior bento box if anime has taught me anything about girl-girl love rivalries... men are hypnotized mindslaves to whoever can make them the best bento box right?

[@rnb6054]

literally Gamers!

[@Bacchasnail]

If a girl shows interest that would probably be enough.... I'm kinda pathetic at this point.

[@thisstatementisfalsenothin5312]

Those characters should be more like me I know my girlfriend isn’t cheating on me because I have no girlfriend

[@PancakemonsterFO4]

Rachael Lefler I tried it in real live but it did not work, maybe I just suck at cooking or it’s because i‘m a guy

[@TheeLZ]

High school sweet hearts normally end in divorce? Jokes on you! I married my high school sweet heart and we are divorced!....wait.

[@thehopeofeden597]

I'm a sucker for realism especially in love stories so thank you for putting me on to this.

[@imapopo2924]

Bunny Girl Senpai is a really good example of a romance show, though it still features high school age characters. One of the best I things I love about is that the misunderstandings BS that usually keep the main love interests apart just.... Dont happen. And the few that do, are easily talked about and are fixed almost immediately. I love watching a functional romantic relationship between two characters and Bunny Girl Senpai's was done very well and made me fall in love with the show from the outset.

[@ZakanaHachihaCBC]

Is that another title for Rascal doesn’t dream?

[@Kapasa1]

@@ZakanaHachihaCBC Yes.

[@brentw6533]

I loved Bunny Girl Senpai. The best shojo anime I saw in the past year...but I agree with the anime pope in that I am tired of high schoolers and their experiences. Just because it doesn't match up. Rascal and Bunni date for months and never even kiss. That is something that even in the high school setting is quite odd and by the time college comes around is downright ludicrous.

[@RaspberryMalina190817]

The boy also stays loyal to the main love interest despite being around multiple girls during the series. I think that's way better than a harem series where the guy flip flops around different girls

[@RexZShadow]

@@RaspberryMalina190817 thing with most harem shows is that the guy is never in an official relationship with anyone and/or usually so dense he doesn't even realize they have feelings for him.

[@carinameyer4156]

Wotakoi is a real treassure amongs the main stream anime waves. Thanks for the great analysis. You might wnat to check out the Manga Tokyo Tarareba Girls, which is in a similar vein.

[@cas3811]

doukyuusei does a pretty good job of this. it starts off in high school with the chase part, but if you keep reading the manga it goes on to show their issues with college, jobs, etc. it gets really domestic and sweet :)

[@Mads97415]

Just watched this anime on Amazon Prime because of your recommendation and I LOVED IT!!! I hope this gets more seasons and that more animes like this get popular!

[@Nxrth2001]

Samee

[@greenerscenery]

I'm so happy to see Wotakoi getting some love. I'm one of those folks with a boring 9 to 5 and I love seeing when a good anime takes the time to get it right. Adulting is hard. Throw in love and it's even harder.

[@otomyi5526]

i love wotakoi finally someone is talking about it

[@Fureiji88]

otomyi team four star talked about till about episode 8 then knifed it

[@TtheWriter]

Want to REALLY break some new ground? Have an anime with two main characters that not only don't get together, but never CONSIDER it. Being each other's wingman would be fun!

[@ShadowKidElite]

TtheWriter Lol?

[@bunbundabunni3843]

Highschool boys?

[@ladyliza123]

soooo the beginning of Lovely Complex?

[@Purpose_Porpoise]

Soooo... my life?

[@USBmi]

Sounds gay?

[@avidian888]

Totally agree! Wotakoi is a real fresh air in the anime industry and hopefully will set a trend to tell stories about adults.

[@xyon9090]

*Lots of fake or cheesy romance in Anime* Its good to see a difference from time to time.

[@colts8146]

Even though im a teenager I so wish there were more anime with actual adults in it

[@bytgm6745]

Nevermore I suggest NANA. It's more mature and amazing!😭💕👌🏻

[@CheerUp2]

@@bytgm6745 BITCH I WAS JUST ABOUT TO MENTION NANA AHHHH

[@bytgm6745]

CheerUp2 SUCH A GREAT NANA!😭💕👌🏻

[@husikatto]

SAME

[@krissydiggs]

Have you ever seen Lovely Complex? Has anyone??? It’s one of my favorite romcoms out there but I feel like no one has seen it. It does a good job at showing what relationships are like after they get together even though it’s mostly a will they won’t they situation. I really love it and I would love to see literally ANYBODY do a review on it. I’ve never seen anyone talk about it. Anyway you make great content and I love it! Thanks for being awesome.

[@lydia4124]

Krissy Diggs I really liked Lovely Complex

[@inamib.9786]

Lovely complex was the first manga I read!

[@antar8691]

Lovely complex is great

[@dancelikeumathurman8092]

Yes! Lovely complex is so underrated, it's unfair

[@kherrypie4586]

I'll read it!

[@sreekargunda3915]

Wotakoii is one of my favourite anime because of its simplicity. It makes me incredibly happy every time I watch the anime for no particular reason, and that’s enough of a reason for me to rewatch it over and over.

[@WastedVamps]

it's almost like he's never heard of Josei manga lol. But hands down, Wotakoi is my favorite Josei manga

[@hsihdbssbcjtzksk7426]

There are so many things out there that anime-only fans are missing out on. So many mangas, manhwas, manhuas (kinda rare), webtoons, novels etc. There are so many gems in Vietnamese romance genre. (still not sure about the term for Vietnamese comics)

[@ericxu6726]

@@hsihdbssbcjtzksk7426 ive heard of manhua but not korean, im a highschooler and ive been through most romance anime after watching since i was in the 6th grade. I just got into my first two romance mangas after reading horimiya and maid sama. I guess i’m practically new to reading, but i really enjoy it so do you have any manga recommendations? I prefer something fast paced and realistic like the real world.

[@ingridbmangubat]

@@hsihdbssbcjtzksk7426 yes! I've just recently discovered the world of Korean web comics and I've found a few gems. The good ones are REALLY GOOD. There are so many "meh" and trashy ones tho haha

[@shannonfairywalker2466]

Have any recommendations?​@@ingridbmangubat

[@triplea657aaa]

You need to watch Nodame Cantabile. One of the best romance anime and one of the best music anime. Simply an incredible anime that is CRIMINALLY underwatched. I do think it has some pacing problems at times throughout the three seasons, but overall it's a fantastic anime that's more than worth the watch.

[@AcidRainbowSkies]

I second this!

[@IDieOfHate]

Thirded! The manga is also fabulous and the character development is more thorough than the anime.

[@janosd4nuke]

Well, might look at it, but my fav in music and romance is Nana.

[@coffeequoh]

tea

[@LadyOcon]

4ru2... wotakoi should be o. The category of josei like nodame cantabille. Josei is that exactly, an adult romance.

[@0arjun077]

The anime is good better than I expected. Waiting for Season 2

[@TheMindofagenius1]

that's not gonna be until QUITE some time in the future.... seeing as almost all content from the manga got adapted u^u

[@SivadenXbaka]

TheMindofaGenius1 Foreal

[@TheMindofagenius1]

SivadenXbaka yepp.

[@TheSuperRetroBros]

0:00 - 2:25 - Border Village Dali FF9 2:26 - 5:30 - Aloha De Chocobo FF9 5:35 - 7:52 - Overworld Theme FF9 7:57 - 10:33 - Garnet's Theme FF9 Enjoy! Mother's Basement apparently has good taste in video game music. Nobuo Uematsu is a god my friend. Not sure what the last song is, it's super quiet.

[@blackbunny208]

TheSuperRetroBros You wouldn't believe how far I had to scroll to see if anyone else noticed the music.

[@papilusion]

The last song is Hermit's Library - Daguerro from the Final Fantasy IX Piano Collections. It's nice to hear so many good songs in a single video.

[@lorenabell4713]

Dude you win!!

[@giorgiofenu5563]

Damn i knew they were from a FF game, i just couldn't remember from where, thanks dude

[@TheMomo1333]

ty

[@grapeshott]

It was my favourite romance anime this season

[@otro_dany_mas]

it was my favorite anime of this season

[@WickedAnimeTroll]

it is not like it had much noteworthy competition...

[@Exel3nce]

Esesem ssm you mean the only one

[@erejnion]

It was really bad at presenting real romance, and had plenty of unhealthy character dynamics portrayed in positive light. Frankly, MB just wished the anime was good, and ignores the reality. If you want something actually good in this vein, there's always Danna. My girlfriend testifies to it being true-to-life.

[@grapeshott]

erejnion unhealthy character dynamics? Which were?

[@vxxiii4160]

Recently finished it and I can say that this has been one of the best romance animes I've watched. Extremely down to earth, without cliches, and is actually incredibly fun and cute. It is a solid 9 for me.

[@LaCrownedGamer]

College student here, I just had to write, "at most holding down a part time job" I laugh and then cry. Holding down a full time job, internship, and part time job on campus to keep my work study, and going to class. (someone please kill me @___@ )

[@starburst98]

for some irony, the manga for "hajimete no gal" is actually about being in a relationship. they hook up at the start and are trying to figure out how this whole boyfriend girlfriend thing works. another interesting thing is that when it introduces a romantic rival it's another girl, and it looks like she is after him, but it turns out she's a lesbian and is in love with our female main character and the various hints leading up to it were misdirect, like she kept glancing at him to scope out the competition, not because she liked him. another intersting thing is way later the gang goes to the beach, girl 4 suffers some heat stroke and our MC carries her to safety and she ends up liking him because he's strong. but he only really started working out AFTER he got in his current relationship, so basically being in a relationship has made him more attractive.

[@azerim2039]

Other "real" romance: -Nana (especially manga) - romance isn't often the main focus but you can feel th characters are real. -After the Rain -I really enjoyed it.

[@maxalvarez2239]

Azerim YTube true

[@LC-kf1kb]

ReLIFE had a surprisingly deep and refreshing romance!!

[@ruihanmamon2597]

true

[@JaLynnTardisGeek]

Watched this, and coming back five hours later to say I just binged the series. New favorite anime! It’s so good!

[@jacobbabson6786]

Nao is a cinnamon roll and I will fight anyone who says otherwise

[@KellyJoule]

Binged this on Amazon in one day, it was an absolute delight and I adored the character personalities and dynamics. Very original yet relatable concept too, this anime should get a second season asap!

[@WDSimp]

I can't even begin to tell you how tired I was of modern anime set in Japanese high schools a few years back. This steady stream of quality shows about contemporary adults doing adult things is very welcome.

[@polandspringz1365]

I loved the video, but I was a little bit disappointed you didn’t dive into a full analysis on the way Hirotaka and Narumi’s relationship developed and why that affects their adult romance. I would have loved to have seen you talk about scenes like Hirotaka’s flashback with the piercing and why it was pivotal in the show.

[@TheBAGman17]

he wants to get people to watch it not spoil it.

[@Cilibi]

lol at least let the series finish

[@soledad5296]

Wotakio is actually the anime that made me love anime in general. To think that it made me love the world of anime at the age of 24 justifies why this is my number 1 fave.

[@stevent9484]

"teenage loneliness" damn, that hit me in the face with a big realization. Thank you.

[@Isaax]

Steven, how it's going?

[@Sheamu5]

I've really been enjoying this show. I relate a lot to the characters, except for having friends or being in a relationship..

[@dopaminetrigger]

love is truly hard for otaku, it seems

[@smilingbuffo]

Find a simple common connection and build from that. Also show genuine interest in the other person and you'll make friends

[@xVadRay]

Oof

[@aela_brooklyn6723]

Wotakoi was one of my favorites this season. I wish there were more episodes

[@RegularRetro]

I thought there would be at least 12. Bumbed af when I found out ep 11 was the last.

[@typhoonzebra]

And people think shounen is self insert wish fulfilment.

[@Luciphell]

ouch....all anime is to a certain extent I think

[@typhoonzebra]

Luciphell why stop at anime? All stories.

[@digi1071]

Have you never been done a *route* before? I had to close game when it was heading down childhood friend.

[@typhoonzebra]

Digi I have indeed. Although I fear I will need sources for further research and investigation.

[@crystalbreaker947]

Don't we all watch shounen anime because we wished we could blast energy blasts from our hands or tame some amazingly wild creatures under our control & command? At least i do...

[@ladyj.9350]

“Htf is zutara still a thing?” Fuck he came for us. I feel so attacked

[@byusaranicole]

I just watched The Last Airbender for the first time late last year, so Zutara is new-ish for me. I totally ship them. I don't care about canon! 😅😂😍

[@FanofEverythingz]

This was one of my favorite manga, still is pretty much. Really glad when you explain the reasons I like things that I didn't realize on my own, lol. Super glad it got an anime adaption that fills in some things the manga actually just breezed over too.

[@eysedrise1453]

Ayy I saw Doukyuusei in here somewhere...ah it warms my heart

[@SakuraStardust]

I freaking love Kare Kano, so it made me happy when I saw so much of it in this video 👍✨

[@Caterfree10]

...I just saw ProZD’s 1min review and now this is posted. After adding the manga to my amazon wishlist, I think the universe is trying to tell me something lmao.

[@Caterfree10]

Also, bless the FFX bg music, ilu

[@GcorpCoPrez]

Ima hafta watch this lol.

[@grawman67]

It's so good. Definitely recommend it

[@lorenabell4713]

Yea ProZD is how I was led to it and was pleasantly suprised to find he was right.

[@lorenabell4713]

Caterfree10 music was from ff 9 not x. But I agree, nice addition.

[@adondon5774]

This is why I like Junjuou Romantica. Yeah it’s a yaoi but it’s so good. The main two get together but the series is their relationship’s development. Dealing with being vulnerable and honest, dealing with familiar problems, being independent and wanting to stand on equal footing with your partner, conflict, and trust. I love it. It’s may not be accurate in terms of real life too much... but it’s still sweet, funny, and dramatic but not too much.

[@askylibrarianoftheoceans4102]

Okay, so what about "I can't understand what my husband is saying"?

[@l0st5oul45]

wasn't really a serious romance but i get what you mean. adults dating and making a relationship work. it showed how their relationship grew and how they both matured over their time together (less so for hajime and his horse mask XD)

[@archer9338]

I couldn't understand it... ;)

[@xiuhnani6945]

@Carne Guisada Understood: "My teen edge refuses to accept romcom-like shorts"

[@arsyadidris2919]

Archer u need some high level exposure to anime to understand some of its refrences and parody. I have no idea wth the husband was saying half the time, but did a rewatch of it after 2 years of anime exposure; nearly died of laughter. But yeah, it was pretty interesting: the husband was thankful that his wife was trying to understand his hobbies n such, n despite his weebo ways, the wife also understand that his husband loves her very much. SPOILER: Rmmbr that last scene in the first season when kaoru got pregnant n she teared up abit n hugged hajime? “Awww” moment right there😁😁😁

[@Animeworld-wu1uq]

@@l0st5oul45 I never watched that series but I do plan to. But for now my fav romance series has to be Itazura na kiss. This the only anime that I found which tells the story from highschool, to college, to working and starting a family. It's wholesome and I can't recommend it enough.

[@saltyboi3188]

Real r o m a n c e ? What's t h a t

[@rafaynoman1180]

I'm sure he was just joking.

[@nr_101]

Here's to the ones who dream Foolish as they may seem

[@GENOSANDIEGO]

I think a factor is that your taste as an adult is just so much different than your tastes when you started your teenage years. You're less likely to hear some teenager (and by teenager, I'm talking about 13, 14 year old ones) say "oh this type of love story is so played out" when they have only seen less than 10 love story animes in their entire life, compared to someone who has been around the block more. While yes, the more mature audience would find the cheezy love stories as played out and formulaic and laud realistic animes, I think that the younger ones would find the more mature, real world anime unrelatable and find the cheezy ones (the high school love story ones) more relatable and interesting. So in the end, I think it still boils down to target audience. On that note, thank you again for another recommendation. I watched your review Aggretsuko, and found it to be really, really good.

[@ur-localweeb4299]

That OP THO

[@sileondoesthings]

I absolutely love Wotakoi. It’s adorable and the characters are lovable, relatable, and you feel for them. They have real struggles, and you just connect with the characters a lot.

[@CheerUp2]

His and her circumstances is the best romance anime in my book, glad you mention it *Also NANA is amazing but sad

[@tiredbylife.5589]

Kabakura and Koyanagi don't really have a dysfunctional relationship...wow...they are my favorites on the show.

[@makeda6530]

Emy Pierre-Louis I found their cat and dog but genuinly caring relationship adorable.

[@bernieburton6520]

I don't think their relationship is dysfunctional, mostly because most of their fighting seems more like a game. I think that they actually get off on the fight, kiss and make up. Especially since they mostly just fight in front of their friends, but act more lovey dovey alone together.

[@theLikou1]

They are a little dysfunctional. They can work out their problems but both have insecurities with the partner. Kabakura is insecure about not being beatiful enough for her and Koyanagi is insecure about her not looking like a cute girl from shoujo mangas, the ones that Kabakura love. Their fighting is more like a way of hide their insecurities when in public, it's like they don't wanna to demonstrate to the world that they love each other so much, so it's like "you old hag, who would like you?" and things like that.

[@panicpollo92]

I really like Sing Yesterday to Me. For me, it isn't a love story but is a "coming of age" type of stories. They explore different characters at different stages of life and, slowly how they evolve...and maybe fall in love.

[@sasayoygaming8910]

Can anyone tell me the name of the anime at 2:42 with the red haired girl

[@agustinar2988]

@@sasayoygaming8910 Akagami no Shirayukihime

[@gilangignasraharjo6138]

I watch this video half a year ago... and just finished Wotakoi today... thank you... it's truly amazing....

[@HarleySB]

This was an extremely valuable video essay. You said so much that is very important for those of us who love anime, yet have those lives that involve more paycheck, late dinners, and regretted decisions than space battles, virgin maidens, or other worlds to wake up in.

[@leorobin832]

Just watched this one recently and I love it. In love interesting and messy relationships in a realistic way. The way our personalities and friendships intertwine is really interesting and I like to see how people interact with each other.

[@nonamegiven202]

Yeah i really did enjoy Wotakoi so it's good to see someone giving it some love. But i do wonder if it worked better as a Manga, the series burned slower then water.

[@monkebrainiac]

no name given the manga was basically the same as the anime lol

[@TheMindofagenius1]

RandomCallMeNobody it's true it was the same as the manga, but i personally felt it *did* work better as a manga(even though i absolutely LOVE the casting choices!!) but yeah, somehow..... it felt.... "smoother" if any of this makes any sense ^^; xP

[@monkebrainiac]

TheMindofaGenius1 i looovvveedddd the manga so much as well cause thats where i first discovered it and yeah you make sense 😂 it fits better as a manga cause of the word otaku i guess? In my opinion lol cause otakus are the only ones that actually read the manga than just watch anime lmao idk whatim saying but whatever HAHAHHA and also Akashi 💖💖

[@TheMindofagenius1]

RandomCallMeNobody yes exactly me too(read it as manga first)!! it struck me too much because it was the first "romance" manga i've actually went with and enjoyed! xD hahaha don't worry i get you ;D yeea he da man (VuV)b

[@slee2843]

I love the slow burn :)

[@Gantorin]

I love this anime. When I was in Japan last month I bought all the manga books (I think 5) I could find for this one series. I am currently learning Japanese on my own for another trip back in a more remote spot other than Tokyo, and my goal is to learn Japanese enough to be able to read them. Such a cute and funny series that hits all the points I like. From game references to love... I has been a good pick for me... I only watched two episodes, and also holding those so I do not spoil the story before I reach my goal. I am giving myself two years to get this done.

[@dandyspacedandy]

Geoff throwing shade at Zutara gives me life.

[@eyeglassez]

I swear watching this anime was one of the most respectable, amazing, wonderful and one of The Best Moments of my life in this world I want to experience this anime again and again 💙💜💙

[@JoaoCosta-vk6sm]

I love how you use Final Fantasy IX OST as Background... it's such an atmosphere... and really put your voice on spotlight without the video feel busy.. love your videos man.

[@AiStrous]

wotakoi is easily one of my favorite anime.... And i came here to see if someone can recommend anime exactly like this

[@smartguyjaja]

amazing show but honestly the whole time i was just freaking out at all the nintendo references in the show

[@AlphaMagos]

JAJAvsWORLD The real reason that made this show such a hit

[@lorenabell4713]

Those monster hunter clips tho!!

[@Happygolucky4748]

I find this really interesting. I had the stop watching the video for spoilers so I can binge it all. Thanks!

[@nataliakoodziej2582]

RYUJI AND TAIGA ARE FOREVER, THEY ARE MARRIED WITH THREE KIDS AND HAPPY AND I REFUSE TO EVER THINK OTHERWISE

[@m.ivyluna4632]

Natalia Kołodziej Its actually not so bad! They separated after the night together, and we are lead to believe she changed schools. She came back a year later to see him after no contact. They would be seniors getting into college now with some time apart They definitely actually began their actual relationship AFTER high school

[@axtra9561]

@@m.ivyluna4632 apparently she went to clear up some family things then in the end she came back but whatever after that who knows

[@adhddhdh3572]

Rewatching Toradora as an adult, that was the most stupid part in the anime when she just suddenly left really for no reason. Overall, I still love it as it was one of the first Shoujo I watched. Peach Girl was the 1st one I’ve ever watched, and boy does it have too much drama.

[@tiffanysullivan1271]

Lmao yes! Same

[@juliannesiguan8742]

For some people who are new to anime...Wotakoi is actually not the type of shoujo you will recommend because this anime is full of references since they represent overbearing "otakus". However if you watched too much or enough anime it's really one of the best because it's not cheesy cliches shoujo shit...It has varieties of people who were struggling even as an adults. DEFINITELY ONE OF THE BEST...

[@ethan5719]

HI, I love your vids and you have recommended some of my faviroute episodes to me, which then inspired me or helped me through hard or sad times, so thankyou so much. I was wondering if you would do a video on Steins;Gate 0, whether it be a whats in an op or anything else, it would be amazing. Keep up the amazing vids.

[@gzuzumaki2]

Man you got me riled up at “How is Zutara still a thing,” nice one Geoff. Of all the possible crack ships that exist out there, you chose to name Zutara, the ship that the writers were planning on making happen until they changed their minds at the end. (Apologies if this comment sounds petty, lol. I actually got a good laugh out of this part, not only at the video but at myself as well.)

[@stopreadingthisusername9528]

This question may make me look dumb ( I'm not good at keeping up with anime ) but what's the Zutara ship ?

[@gzuzumaki2]

StopReadingThisUsername Zuko and Katara from Avatar the Last Airbender :)

[@Yal_Rathol]

StopReadingThisUsername zuko and katara from avatar were planned to get together, and then the writers decided to change it to katara and aang.

[@gzuzumaki2]

Christopher Stanley Essentially, yes. Zutara was the intended ending until they got to season 3 and realized Aang needed a significant other in order to revive the Air Nomads. Personally this makes me uncomfortable, because Katara and Aang always had a sibling-like relationship, rather than a romantic one, and Zuko and Katara had great chemistry.

[@GoddoDoggo]

You'd think if Aang needed a significant other so bad, they'd have had him get with Toph.

[@blacksheep806]

I love that it's so casual and lighthearted without any forced drama or love triangle stuff. One of my favorite anime. If anyone has any of you have recommendations for similar type series let me know!

[@greenl7661]

Planetes is very casual, light-hearted and down to earth but not a romance story

[@SatchPatch25]

I'm definitely gonna go watch this now. I know this is a few years old but these are all the reasons why i love Ice Guy and his Cool Female Coworker and The Galaxy Next Door and My Lvl 999 Romance with Yamada. While the high school rom coms are fun it drives me fucking mad every time a huge problem can be solved by simply asking a question in those shows. Like the biggest and dumbest misunderstandings happening over and over are tiring. And then you have the culture and sports fest ugh. We need more adult romance. Adults watch anime too and it's nice to have some representation.

[@bengraven]

Another great thing about this anime/manga is that the “types” for each of the four characters are into are in fact the other love interest. But the couples are so much stronger because they found people that are against their type but PERFECT for them.

[@rgnarboneta]

Thank you for this video. I really liked the anime and was a bit disappointed at the reviews over at MAL. I'm glad that you were able to put into words some of my thoughts about the anime.

[@TheLonelyLuneon]

Hm what if it's because more and more Japanese adults take longer to get into relationships? If they only have highschool experiences, then... Is it really that weird they have no experience with adult relationships and therefore don't wanna write about it when they haven't been into one...? Japan's different from America and Europe. Yeah all 3 regions are dealing with elderly making up more and more of the population, and all 3 deal with overwork, but Japan's in a class of its own. The other day a writer told me that people shouldn't write stories about topics they haven't experienced. Something I personally found ridiculous but... after this video that might be exactly why most manga and anime depict just highschool experiences.

[@hellraiser217]

Or, at least, if you are writing it you should write it backed up by as much research as humanly possible. A proper understanding is important if you're trying to make any sort of point or even if you simply wish to avoid horribly misrepresenting whatever it is you're talking about.

[@TheLonelyLuneon]

Hm love is quite a difficult topic to research. Do Japanese people feel comfortable genuinely discussing love...? Then I'm not talking about board bragging or something. I mean a real (and again, genuine) face to face talk.

[@DarkSpyro707]

real life relationships are not really something you can just crack a book open and study about. Learning th science behind it versus actually portraying it is two different worlds in of itself. Love is a very complicated thing. At least with something like a war or politics it can be studied and written with 0 experience in either field, but being in a full-fledged relationship is nothing like that. Its one of things where you gotta experience it to really know if what you're writing down can be considered genuine. Of course, like this video explains you can follow the easy route can just write something formulaic, but to write something that close to reality is extremely difficult with no real experience, and even then, love is so complicated that no two relations are the same, you can talk to couples about their experiences in their relationship, but you cant really begin to understand what they really went through. So I totally get the OP's point, when you don't have any sort of experience with the subject and simple research just won't cut it, best to avoid least you just end up making trash. And with most of the Japanese male population deciding not to enter relationships of their own free will, how many of them in the field of manga and anime can really say they have this experience?

[@mrs.kramer4387]

The way they write HS romance sounds like they havent been in HS romances either tbh...

[@berserk890wajik]

You might have a point there bud however one thing that was not emphasized here is that Wotakoi is not a shoujo genre but a josei which usually tackles realiatic adult love stories like this. Unfortunately josei genres rarely turn into anime and stays in the manga world which puts it at a disadvantage knowing the people watch more than read. Plus somehow the current trend of genres on demand in animes seems to cater more on lolis and fan service content lately. It's kinda disappointing but let's not lose hope that there will be more improvements sooner.

[@midnightmoon3661]

2:21 “it kinda ignores the whole life time of experience that comes after” **shows clannad**

[@MadiseaSmith]

This makes two of your videos that have gotten my wife and I into a series we had never heard of, and now can't stop watching.

[@binochesales1507]

i loved this anime so much. right now i’m reading the manga and i promise it just keeps getting better. hanako and taro’s relationship hit a real sweet spot for me. as someone who is in a long term relationship with their high school sweetheart, it is so touching to see it represented in my favorite form of media. i also thought the same thing when you mentioned that a lot of romance shojo focuses on the beginning of a relationship, which is fun and all, but not entirely relatable. anyway, this is my first time watching one of your videos and i agree with you completely. thanks for a great review :)

[@ryancarless7921]

One romance anime I love was Bakuman but mostly for the epic drawing.✍

[@shahzilchoudhry809]

Ryan Carless I get that

[@bernieburton6520]

Bakuman is amazing. Such a great series.

[@plantinapot9169]

Lol I thought you meant Bakugan for a sec

[@Dangsm]

Bakuman wasn't even about the romance

[@epicgam2317]

TrueArtPenguin same.

[@northstar6920]

Wotakoi... WHY ARE YOU NOT ON CRUNCHYROLL! T_T

[@victorysaber1608]

Amazon

[@skins4thewin]

Jeez, I dunno how a romance anime can make you escape your loneliness, it always just made me feel even more lonely and would remind me of what I wished I had. Still, I absolutely love them and can't seem to stop watching. I do agree that it is quite hard to actually find a woman who is as sappy and romantic as those in most romance anime. They most definitely can give you a false sense of what it's supposed to be like. Although I was an angry tempermental teen, watching these shows taught me a lot about the kindness and gentleness you have to show women in order to get them to like you. I am very curious to watch this Wotakoi show now.

[@Triumvirate3]

A guy who likes romance anime? You must be a unicorn. That’s a good thing

[@VictorGyo]

Just finished watching it based off of this video. I relate to Wotakoi on a spiritual level. Definitely one of my top slice of life anime.

[@magicallydelicious1673]

7:12 “how tf is zutara still a thing” OMFG TH A N K Y O U

[@Neoansho]

When you know how it got there in the first place, but you're wondering how/why it's still alive at this point in time.

[@eslafdiemanon5266]

You sold me, I really wanna watch this now.

[@IggySpooks]

The clips of this that you included were very ammusing without context, so I definitely want to view them in context 8)

[@lightnina5912]

For me The story that had all the stage of relationship and was funny was : itazura na kiss There was : the very difficult begining XD , the touching proposal, the hilarious marriage ceremony, the honeymoon, the work/ couple life, couple problem ,birth event and family life .

[@powerpuff4ever]

Wotakoi is where we see the meeting of shojo romance and josei romance. It’s still cute and ridiculous but it’s more rooted an adult thinking. Same sort of thing that made Princess Jellyfish so popular like a decade ago

[@MachoHasGame]

At first I thought I was hallucinating, but then I turned up my headphones. Much respect for using "Over the Hill" soundtrack from FFIX. Not many people know about that song.

[@loupafoid]

I finished wotakoi the previous week, loved it...

[@franklynsays]

The fact he has FFIX music in the background (Dali) makes my heart warm.

[@anafrutos3378]

Zutara will always be a thing

[@tomahomejones8661]

Thanks for doing this video. I have been saying this for years and you've managed to consolidate it all neatly.

[@kertenhello9]

I'm so happy to see more people talking about Wotakoi!!!!! I've read the manga and seen the anime and I absolutely love it! And I definitely agree, its nice to see more mature relationships being represented. Great video!!!! Love your stuff!

[@shirleytodd1]

I've been meaning to give this anime a watch! Thanks for reminding me! On another note; would it be possible for you to put either in the subtitles or somewhere in your description the titles of the animes that you use throughout your video? There was one scene I recognized here and I can't for the life of me remember it's name, and even then it would be great to get more ideas of what shows to watch next! Thank you!

[@puppetmaster9421]

I’m obsessed with high school romance anime and manga, but even I could go for a realistic office romance!

[@evecampbell3069]

The flash of the B: The Beginning opening Card. Love that show.

[@shankhh]

I really do believe we need more content in general around daily slice of life of adults tackling real issues and common day to day problems This series gave me hope, and a big breath of fresh air from those over played over used high-school stuff

[@BrieannaKeogh]

I'm glad this came up on my dash. I've gotten kinda out of anime as I've gotten older, mainly because I was tired of the high school dramas and romances that I couldn't relate to any more. This look surprisingly refreshing and I'll have to check it out! Side note, I started dating my husband my senior year of high school so I guess that counts as high school sweethearts, even if he had already graduated and was in college at the time. We'll be celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary next year. Glad to know we've been beat the odds so far ^_^