After mustering up the courage to propose to a girl in an online game, naive otaku Hideki "Rusian" Nishimura is devastated when she flat-out rejects him. To make matters worse, the girl reveals that she is actually an older man in real life. With his dreams crushed and his heart broken, Rusian comes to an abrupt decision in the midst of his raging fit: he will never trust another girl in an online game again.
Years later, Rusian is now in a guild with three other players, one of whom possesses a female avatar by the name of Ako. Ako is deeply in love with Rusian and wants to marry him. Although he entertains the possibility that she might be a guy, Rusian accepts her proposal, claiming that her gender does not matter as long as she is cute in-game. However, after a discussion between the guild members that led to all of them having an offline meeting, Rusian finds out that Ako, along with the other members, is not just a girl but also his schoolmate.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
Veronin
Oh, great. Another light novel adaptation with a harem, a stupidly long title that nobody in their right mind would want to pronounce, and a story revolving around MMOs. The anime industry clearly hasn't had enough of those. It would be one thing if Netoge was just more run-of-the-mill mediocrity, but it instead goes all the way in being silly tripe. This is an anime where the protagonist's entire set of friends in an online game just so happen to be attractive (in some cases, popular) girls who, conveniently, attend the exact same high school and know him personally, including a twintailed tsundere and hisin-game waifu who immediately clings all over him and proclaims herself his wife, despite not actually knowing anything about who he is in the real-world. If you were to drop the show immediately after the first episode, I would not blame you, and I would actually suggest you are making the right choice. It certainly does not do anything in the later episodes to convince otherwise.
For what is supposed to be an anime involving romance, said 'romance' is about as shallow and as juvenile as it can possibly get. They love each other over a video game. A game! This is not love--- it is two mentally troubled and lonely children infatuated with one another because they share a superficial hobby and because they cannot get anyone better. Anyone who has dated before, especially at a young age, knows that desperate relationships like these never go anywhere. And the two of them like to imagine themselves a married couple? Really? Marriage is not play-time-- it requires a great deal of compromise and sacrifice, and would crush their childish fantasy as a result. A couple like this would not last more than a few weeks in reality, much less a lifetime. So forgive me if I do not care when the show tries to make me feel for them (and often, unfortunately, it does).
Anything that comes out of Ako's mouth is a pain to the senses. She claims real-life is a kusoge and compares luck to item drops in a game. Even the most extreme of otaku on 2ch and other places have the sense to treat these sorts of comments as a joke. That Ako is completely serious about it makes it quite clear that she is a basket-case and that the show has no interest in painting her as an actual person. She is a collection of silly tropes to throw on a body pillow and sell to otaku. At least something like Oreimo, as painful a show as it often was, actually made an effort to make its characters something more than that.
On numerous occasions, Ako makes it clear that she is a terrible girlfriend who has no right dating anyone. She even goes as far as to lie about meeting up with another dude to get back at the protagonist and make him jealous. Anybody, whether male or female, who thinks this is acceptable behaviour is, frankly, scum. He should have dumped her right then and there. But he didn't, and he won't, because this is a harem anime, and harem anime do not care for their characters behaving like sensible human beings.
Netoge isn't all too interested in making the other girls (and there are a whole four of them) feel like they actually have a place in the story. They could just as easily be taken out of the show entirely without it affecting all that much. They exist primarily as eye-candy, showing up, for example, in a vapid 'beach episode', where they join Ako, swimsuits and all, in lathering the protagonist with sunscreen. Netoge doesn't really have any idea of whether it wants to commit solely to Ako or fully embrace the harem route, and often it will switch directions one or more times per episode. They encourage the protagonist and his relationship with Ako, and then the next moment they'll be rubbing their breasts against him or blushing in some pseudo-confession scene. Why? For what purpose?
(It also goes without saying that Netoge, given its genre, is ripe with unnecessary fanservice. The girls will all bath together, making vaguely homosexual comments about each other and comparing their breast sizes, with huge amounts of steam covering their bodies so that otaku will be manipulated into buying the uncensored BluRay version. How many more years will it take until the anime industry matures beyond this?)
Every male besides the protagonist is depicted as a horrible loser with no hope of finding love. His group of male friends (who, by the way, were even less of an otaku than him) do nothing but envy his apparent success with the ladies, despite him being entirely bland and average and without anything that would make the opposite sex interested in him. The protagonist is the single most important character in a story, and here he is the least interesting. I get it-- the girls need to be cute in a harem series, and so they might take a higher priority, but that is still no excuse for making the protagonist a lifeless sack of nothing. I suppose the one thing that can be said in his favour is that he isn't entirely dense like most other protagonists in the genre, and actually makes an effort to go out and get things done. He could be worse-- he could be, say, Ichika from Infinite Stratos.
Netoge tries to go for a similar art style to No Game No Life, with its blue-coloured outlines, although, quite thankfully, it does not try to assault the eyeballs nearly as much as did NGNL and its excessively bright colours. Interestingly, Netoge shows the MMO gameplay from both the player's perspective (with sprites similar to Ragnarok Online) and from some sort of fantasy (a la Sword Art Online) presumably going on in their heads. If it truly wanted to appeal to the audience's nostalgia for these sorts of games, it could have done without the latter. We don't need to see random online girls having their boobs bouncing against the protagonist's arm. The real-world side of the story already has enough of that.
Unless another lame harem anime is something you absolutely need in your life, Netoge is something to be avoided. It is completely manufactured, playing the genre trope for trope in order to manipulate a few poor souls into paying money for it. You're better than that. You deserve better than something like this. Heck, anime deserves better.
In a few weeks' time, nobody will even remember Netoge. The next generic light novel harem will roll around, as always it does, season after season. Will anime fans ever get sick of them? Perhaps. But I sure don't want to sit around and wait.
Lil-Bird
There are some series that leaves an impact on the consumer, whether positive or negative, influencing or degrading, enjoyable or painful. They fall into a specific spectrum of very good or very bad. But then there are the in-betweeners, some which have good qualities but still missed their mark more times than acceptable, or are of the “so bad, it's good” due to managing to hold on to some charm that saves it from the trash bin. Others, however, manage to find comfort in the very middle by just “being there”, not picking a side and not making an impression good or bad enough tobe properly labeled at a glance. These get glossed over easily enough that one would really have to be paying attention or actively looking to notice them.
Such is the case of “Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta?”, “And You Thought There is Never a Girl Online?”, simply shortened to “NetoYome”. It's your typical “high school ecchi romance comedy light novel” adaptation, fit for its particular audience that picks it up every season and manages to enjoy them despite the problems that plague the genre. And yet at the same time, it's one of the more tolerable ones. There is nothing infuriating about it while still not being special enough to fully stand out from its fellow ecchi light novel crowd. You could say it's the wallflower of ecchi light novel anime, the one you notice at the corner of your eye, yet aren't willing to ask for a dance. Well, maybe this time, you can make an exception to try just once, or at least give a wave to acknowledge its presence and make it feel more welcome.
STORY: Hideki Nishimura is a regular in the MMORPG called “Legendary Age” as a knight named in-game “Rusian”, and has been in a few guilds during his play-through. In one such guild, he came to like a particular player and confessed his love for that character in-game and asked to marry them. The player behind the character revealed she's actually a he in real life, and out of shock, he vowed to never trust another female character in-game again. But it doesn't stop him from meeting a new character, a cleric by the name of “Ako”, and after a bit of inner conflict with himself, they marry in-game. One day, as suggested by the guild leader, the Alley Cats decide to have a meet-up in real life, revealing much to his surprise—and near-disbelief—all three of his party members (two of which are male characters) are girls who go to the same high school. And as it turns out, Ako truly is Ako (full name Ako Tamaki), and she has fallen in love with him like she did in the game—if only because she can't differentiate between online fantasy and reality. Thus, Hideki, the tsundere Akane “Schwein” Segawa, and the student council president Kyou “Apricot” Goshouin work together to help her out by forming a club while the two in-game lovebirds find themselves growing just as close in real life.
It's a simple premise, there's nothing more to it than what is listed in the paragraph. You do get character interactions with each other both in the game and in real life (to show their online counterparts aren't too different from their actual personalities), but that's as deep as it goes, even when occurring characters come in-and-out as they please (and showing a strange male-to-female gamer ratio in-series, but whatever). It's a romance, and a sweet romance at that, which for an ecchi rom-com light novel adaptation, it's to be expected, and it knows it's nothing more than that. And yet because it's simple and sweet, there's a special charm to it that makes it refreshing for the genre. In fact, despite being an ecchi, it's not your standard ecchi fare of “main male protagonist and his harem get into sexual slapstick mishaps with cheesecake shots for the camera”. The closest it ever got to this was in the obligatory beach episode, but the roles were actually switched. It was just the characters having fun.
The only real conflict throughout the series is Ako's inability to tell apart online fantasy with the real world, but there was an episode dedicated to a hacker infiltrating Hideki's account that caused a temporary rift between him and Ako while also practically deleting his character and selling all of his inventory for a quick buck. The character of Rusian does get restored, but not with his items, so for the rest of the series afterwards, there's brief discussions about such-and-such item still being missing, Rusian and Ako remarry, and the hacker gets confronted in a strangely amusing but admittedly smart way, then that's about it for the hacker subplot.
If there had to be a problem with the story itself, it's that Hideki's trouble with trusting girls online, which is what kickstarted the anime, goes away pretty early on when he comes to terms that not everyone's what they seem to be behind the keyboard. So he doesn't show too many trust issues throughout the series as originally believed, which may or may not be a good sign depending on what you were expecting to happen. It's not like with “Girls Bravo” in which the main protagonist is allergic to girls, so there's no jokes at his dispense over it during and after. Akane more-or-less is the only one who really pushes his buttons, but that's because she developed a reputation as being the popular beauty who turns down every guy who asks her out despite being bit of an alpha bitch (more-or-less to hide the fact she's a gamer), so she has to keep that title in the school.
CHARACTERS: Personal opinion here, but Ako is one of the most precious, if not adorable characters this season, albeit in personality and design. Sure, there's always that possibility her naïveté will get on people's nerves (and given how moé she is, that's to be expected), but there's something innocent and a little sweet about the way she views her relationship with Hideki. She truly loves him even though she sees him as “Rusian” and calls him as such much to his chagrin, and the other characters are concerned enough about her lack of social life that they want to help her overcome it. And the odd thing is she's a very pretty girl, one would think she'd be popular with the boys in school. But she's not. No one gives her the time of day because she's painfully timid and probably doesn't take great care of herself at times. She's Tomoko's sweeter twin sister who's inexperienced with video games, if you want a comparison.
Hideki is your typical male protagonist in that he's the nice guy with no real distinct personality to call his own, especially since he's quite the otaku so his friends at school tease him about. He shows genuine care for his guild (which extends into real life the best they can), but especially for Ako since she's the newbie of the group. And yet, there's something charming about him. By himself, he's just there, but together with Ako, they form a nice dynamic that allows him to shine a little brighter than he could've. It's not the best way to write a character, however, the relationship is definitely there and cannot be overlooked without forsaking the lifeblood of the series.
Akane and Kyou are of their respective archetypes for the most part, but they work fine together with Hideki and Ako and thus that keeps them from being the “slightly more than a background character” characters. Kyou's the guild leader (reflecting her status as student council president as well as a rich girl), so she's the most level-headed of the group, but she has her moments as well. Akane's sharp attitude causes some bickering here and there between her and Hideki, but as the tsundere, it's to be expected, and since there's no romance between them, it's for good fun. She's pretty much their ace in the guild despite Hideki having some of the best items, and is usually the first to go into battle.
Other characters show up, but Nekohime and Sette are more-or-less the only recurring characters. There's honestly nothing more to these characters than what they're introduced as even after becoming regular members of the Alley Cat guild, but there's an actual funny punchline behind Nekohime's identity, at least if you're not paying attention.
ART/ANIMATION: Of all the shows I personally watched this season, “NetoYome” is one of those shows with a distinct art-style that makes characters pop in their beauty and attractiveness (even with the occasional bounciness of the girls not Akane, though she makes up for it with leg shots). Not entirely sure how much of Hisasi's influence there is in the anime, but Akane Yano knew what to do as the character designer. It's a very colorful, pretty show to look at, and I hadn't noticed too many quality dips during its run. Colors also have different palettes for the real world and the online world. There's more color to the real world than in-game where it's more gray and saturated, but that's probably because most of what we see in-game are the characters in the dungeon or in a pub where they hold their meetings. Not that the game itself doesn't have color, when the characters are out in a field or in the village, it is bright and there's like a rainbow filter in the backgrounds, but it's noticeably not the real world. The tone also changes much more in-game than in the real world, where everything's calm and normal, if only because other guilds tend to drop by and pick fights with Rusian when they're not battling a boss (which aren't of bad quality themselves).
I'm not one of those folks that goes around proclaiming “this cinnamon roll is too good for this earth” or “I want to protect that smile”, but I can make an exception for the latter because holy crap these characters have lips and they have adorable smiles that makes the eyes look sparklier than usual (which says something since they have rather sparkly eyes to begin with). Protect that smile at all costs, it's too precious for any other show but this one.
SOUND: Admittedly, I haven't paid too much attention to this, so this'll be short. There is a FUNimation dub currently streaming, but I haven't yet listened to it to really give thoughts on. The original is fine if you ask me, but there's nothing too special or note-worthy outside of Rina Hidaka as Ako. She knows how to make the soft-spoken character adorable, and thus her voice stands out the most in this show. Everyone else is fine, I have nothing against them. As for the music, the soundtrack doesn't really stick out to me that much outside of violins, bells/chimes, and electronic beeps, but it's not bad. The OP is sugary-sweet in setting the tone of the “1st Love Story”, and the ending has some nice, calming beeping effects in the music I actually like. I may never remember the name of the song, but I could most definitely pinpoint it to this series since those notes give off this “Internet” feel.
But I must point out that in the MMO world, swear words when spoken are censored with oinking sound-effects, which is pretty funny. I thought it was because of the “Schwein” character, but it affects all of the characters even though Akane swears the most.
ENJOYMENT: “[Don't] Judge a book by its cover” is a phrase that gets thrown around a lot, but there's a lot of truth to it while there's plenty of exceptions. I don't know what exactly it was about “NetoYome” that I was interested in from the start, but most likely it was the attractive art, and I had no other expectations for it. I'm just as skeptical about the light novel adaptations as the next person, especially as I haven't had too many good times with a lot of them (the last ecchi rom-com light novel adaptation I had watched peeved me off, after all). This isn't even my favorite show of the season.
And yet somehow, it wormed its way into my heart and made itself comfortable. It's too endearing to bother asking it “Yo, why're you here?”, so I just let it be, and I've grown content with its company. It'll probably leave at some point down the road, but I see it sticking around for a little bit or going off to join the likes of “My Dear Marie”, “Gingitsune”, and “Denki-gai no Honya-san” in the “Somehow I Liked This Enough to Acknowledge Its Existence a Bit More Regularly Than I Technically Should've” corner. Either way, I definitely wouldn't mind a second season if they choose to do so. I'd like to see Ako become more socially active and further develop her relationship with Hideki, since it's not too often you get an anime couple willing to develop and grow together prior to the third act of a series.
But no, really, protect that smile. Go ask that darling Ako for a dance and make her feel loved and welcome. Wallflowers are beautiful when they finally open up.
Bey0nd
When I first saw this anime come up as a recommendation I thought it would be a underwhelming copy of the SAO franchise but after watching the first few episodes I found myself laughing out loud and engrossed in the storyline. A great look on how online gaming can shape our lives today. The Intro and Outro are super catchy! It didn't matter what episode I was on, I found enjoyment. The character development in game and out of game was very well progressed. (If it was an event in the game or out the game) Every character had an equal shine in the limelight so you couldconnect with each one.
A very funny and light hearted anime series which I would recommend to anyone looking for something to watch in between the SAO franchise.
Stark700
Netoge is the type of show where it’s pretty much every school, game tropes, and roleplay coming together in one package. The English title is “And you thought there is never a girl online?” The first thought that popped into my head reminds me of the second season of Sword Art Online. To sum it easily, it’s a show that blends fantasy and reality. From the real life perspective that shifts into the MMO world, Netoge is probably a show you’ll enjoy if you’re familiar with storytelling related to such themes. Otherwise, this could just be another blend LN adapted series that serves no morethan eye candy.
In terms of story, the show should be taken more as a comedy, almost like a type of satire. Because let’s face it, the show itself isn’t based on characters playing as saviors to defeat some overlord or escape after being trapped in some alternate world. The main character Hideki Nishimura goes by his in-game name “Rusian” and apparently finds out that his wife from an online game (Legendary Age) is also a girl in real life. Take this further and soon, he realizes that all the guild members are classmates from the real world. And they are all girls! I think this ties back a bit where Rusian needs to reevaluate about what he learned. Luckily, Rusian’s classmates accepts him as who he is because like him, they are also gamers.
However, one particular gamer seems to have difficulty of differentiating between fiction and reality. Meet Ako Tamaki, the girl that proposed to Rusian and now is technically his in-game wife. The problem is that she takes that idea too far and also considers Rusian her husband from BOTH worlds. Most of the comedy comes to reality when misunderstanding develops between the duo. Because let’s face it, these kids are still in high school and getting married at their age is almost unbelievable. Plus, Ako has somewhat of an obsession toward Rusian, like the way a clingy wife does when they are lonely. Judging on Ako’s character alone, she genuinely seems like a kind person with a bit of an airhead-like behavior and lack of common sense. Perhaps she spends too much time online and her ideas about relationships reinforces that.
While the majority of the relationships focuses on Ako and Rusian, there are times when other girls step in to show their knowledge about gaming and real life. Characters such as Akane often tries to get Ako to be more herself rather than an in-game character. Kyo Goshuin, the leader of the Alley Cat guild (also student council president) plays the role of a commanding leader. As such, she often serves a big sister to the other characters and bears a lot of responsibility on her shoulders. But needless to say, these characters are still one dimensional. Ako gets jealous like most wives tends to do when other girls are flirting with their “husbands”, Akane is the classic tsundere, and Kyo is pretty much a walking billboard of fan service in-game. Rusian is perhaps the only normal character with some common sense. Despite that, he still get dragged into various affairs whether he likes it or not.
A portion of the enjoyment coming from the show is the humor. The story itself isn’t well written as it mostly focuses on the life styles of these gamers but the comedy can be quite fun once you get sucked into it. What does that mean? It generally means try watching the show with an open mind. Every episode mixes in a variety of ideas from gameplay mechanics, relationship dynamics, and sometimes nonsense that transforms into absurd humor. While the show’s story lacks on most parts to explore relationships, it does give a decent meaning to Ako and Rusian. The duo accepts each other more and more throughout the story and in one episode, Ako’s trust towards Rusian is proven after a malicious incident. This is characterized by Rusian accepting Ako for who she is (both in-game and out in the real world). The reality is that Ako is a timid girl and Rusian may be the first person to be honest about what he likes in her. While the couple is silly to watch, there is a genuine heartwarming feeling about them as well.
On the downside, I think the show overemphasizes on their relationship with minimal characterization about the others. Nearly every episode shows Ako getting girly with Rusian. She even has yandere-like moments when another girl approached Rusian. Akane’s role in the series can be rather annoying to watch as she constantly denies about her gaming lifestyle from the public. At some point, those scenes feels like it’s taking on TV time. The only tolerable female character out of the group may be Kyou (Apricot) She even sets up a club to unite gamers and tries to help Ako connect with reality. Unfortunately, her role in the show (particular when in-game) shows she’s more of an eye candy rather than a role model.
Oh boy, the artwork of the show. When I first found out that the original source was drawn by an H-artist (Hisasi), I was already rolling my eyes. While the anime is tamer than the light novel, the series still has fan service. The prominent example is the in-game design for Kyou where she wears little clothing to cover herself. Ako isn’t far off as there are times when she’s goes full nude because of her lack of common sense. There’s also the classic beach episode with skimpy swimsuits. In one particular scene, Rusian gets hounded by three girls at once to help him “put the lotion on”. Artistic wise, the show is fairly average in terms of quality. Nothing too impressive but also not atrocious either. The in-game character designs are perhaps what stands out the most while their real life counterparts is nothing special.
Soundtrack is one of the lesser noticeable parts of the show. The OP and ED theme songs does characterize what this show is about on paper. Character voice mannerism is moderate although listening to Ako’s voice makes her sound like a child on most occasions. Akane’s tsunder personality is clearly evident in her voice as well. There are also some occasionally sad and heartwarming moments with a surprisingly decent soundtrack to bring it together.
By the time I finished this show, I pretty much thought “ok”. Because quite honestly, I think this show is fine as it is. If it stretched more, it’ll feel dragged and quickly gets old while rushing isn’t doing the source any favor. Ako and Rusian’s relationship can be a mixed bag for most viewers where at times, they can be really fun to watch while other times feels like it’s a chore. But in retrospect, Netoge is what it is, with nothing great but also not so easily forgettable either.
Aphasic_MAL
I watched this anime in May 2023 and my God was it refreshing. I'm not going to put icing on my words, the plot isn't great, a lot of plot points just get dropped after a few episodes. The plot isn't a literary master piece. But that's not what it's about for me. I began watching anime back in 2016 and watching this anime was like opening a time capsule. This show captured every trope the typical male lead surrounded by females do stupid stuff while progressing the plot 1 step in 13 episodes really well. From the art style and sound choices to the character writing anddialogue it just feel so nostalgic. I don't know if this anime is even any good compared to the other shows released at the time. But I just felt happy turning my brain off and staring at the screen while these characters go on their happy go lucky charades.
No bad CGI, no weakly written plot that tries too hard, no forced comedy and by God it isn't an isekai. Just bliss. Pure Bliss
If you watched anime around 2016 I recommend it, if you didn't watch anime back then there are other shows that are better.
Still for me it's a 9/10
Yes, I'm biased. Yes, I have nostalgia goggles on.
haremking69
*will edit when i find my Tamaki Ako Yes, is the answer to the title of this anime As a veteran mmorpg gamer, mountain dew runs through my blood and i must say i have done some regrettable things pretending to be a female to get some of those premium items Plot : What can i say, as a neck beard, this plot is something i have dreamed about We have our innocent MC being approached by a girl that would devour him if that would mean they would be together forever inside her stomach but a traumatic experience ruins his opportunity to get it in. Some twists andturns occur and they me meet in real life, proving his in game wife is indeed a solid 9/10 on the loli index
There isn't a harem tag for this anime, but let me be clear the MC is a weakling and what do we know about weaklings,they make perfect Harem MC, its a proven fact
But after the first episode the story develops into something more than just boy meets girl but rather a heart warming story of friends trying to break the line between game and reality that Ako is blurring
Soundtrack : Nothing much to say here, average cutsie music, you definitely won't be contemplating life listening to it
Animation : Usually i don't mind animation because i'm all about the "plot" but i have to say the colorful scenery and the camera work really bring this anime to life
Characters : This is where this anime shines. Right of the bat we can relate to the MC, qwerky loser that can't talk to girls but is a horn dog. The only thing we cannot relate to is the fact that the MC seems to be skinny, and let's be honest viewers of this anime can't see our toes anymore. What makes a Harem great is not what the MC can do but what the women do
We have our tsundere, simple not over the top but is there for some quick laughs . We got our president, again simple and not memorable
Other women trying to get a piece of our MC but again not memorable, except my pink haired goddess, what a babe
But lastly, we got our main wife, and she is amazing, she is the embodiment of our worldly desires, her VA really portrays what we think our wife would sound, when we become a wizard at age 30.
And that's it, as a veteran gamer i can say there aren't any girls that play video games, wait no, there aren't any pretty girls that play video games
With this anime in hand, we, as the viewers must appreciate this anime of the season. I can safely say, this anime is a must watch for all mmorpg, loli, harem, chicken breast lovers.
With the completion of this anime i would have to say i'm disappointed with the lack of harem and the absurd amount of censoring of the bresticles
Coffect
If you're looking for a time-killer, Netoge would be a reasonable choice. However, Netoge is just that. A time-killer and nothing more. [Story: 3/10] Looking back, it's quite difficult to pinpoint what exactly the plot is (although there was plenty of "plot", that's not what I'm talking about). Netoge is not story-driven, but chooses to focus on the comedic-slice-of-life route. Unfortunately, the comedy is very lacking, so all you get is slice-of-life. [Art & Animation: 5/10] The art style is acceptable. Although I mostly enjoy how many of the characters appear, sometimes they do appear a bit odd. Whether you want the fanservice or not, Netoge often cuts to strange cameraangles for "that sideboob".
The fighting scenes and such were a joy to watch, but fluidity isn't anything to write home about.
[Sound: 4/10]
The opening and ending songs scream "generic anime music".
They are actually...quite painful for me to listen to.
But hey, if you like it I won't judge.
The regular background music is barely noticeable, so I can't comment too much on it other than "it's okay I guess".
[Character: 2/10]
My biggest gripe with this anime.
Netoge focuses entirely on Ako, the self-proclaimed wife of Light Novel Guy.
Annoying, air-headed, and most of all irrational.
She is portrayed as the absorbed-in-video-games character but fails grasp simple game strategies such as skill combos. It makes little to no sense that someone would be so dedicated to video games yet lack the dedication to work harder to understand how to better themselves in-game.
The other cast members are really only there to provide support for Ako and Light Novel Guy's relationship and have very little personalities on their own.
[Overall: 3/10]
Personally I felt Netoge was very much forgettable and made no impact whatsoever.
If you end up liking Ako's character, then I almost guarantee you will still enjoy the anime. It's just unfortunate that I didn't.
And many thanks for taking the time to read my very first review :D
LeaderTGW
Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta had a very interesting concept, plot, story and more importantly nice cast of characters. I think what I liked most about this title, the story specifically, is that no matter what episode I was watching I always had some sort of sense of enjoyment. Seeing the characters progress through certain events both inside and outside the game. I think that character development & growth was a big part of the story due to each character having some sort of social problem however, I'd like to discuss this more in the character department rather than story. Suddenplot development and story development, I felt like the way both were introduced came off as weak and somewhat uninteresting.. The lack of exciting new developments in the shows story-line actually made me less excited to watch new episodes. The drama along with new issues in certain episodes could have been resolved within a few minutes maybe the first 11 minutes of a 23 or 24 minute episode. This however was not the case and because of that a majority of the problems that the characters had made it feel like some episodes were slow and boring.
Art looks pretty great. Special effects looked great when used properly and the overall character designs were fantastic. I can tell that the producers and animators were going for the moe look with the girls because they gave them bigger eyes and tiny lips. Personally I think that this was a very smart idea, especially for the character Ako since she's like the main female character. The producers knew that we were going to be seeing Ako the most, so why not make her look even more appealing. All of that aside costumes, daily outfits all looked alright to me. The only issue I had was the show was really bright.
I used three different methods of watching Netoge. I tried using my samsung 48 inch 4K Smart TV and the results just weren't that great so I tried using my computer monitor on "Economic" so it could dim down the brightness. Lastly I tried using my 42 Vizio TV and just didn't get the results I was hoping for. In the end though, I just had to deal with the strange brightness in the show.Other than that, the art and animation was pretty great.
Oh the soundtrack. I honestly didn't care too much for the soundtrack. The background music just lacked intensity and sometimes it felt dull. The ending song was the only song I liked. I felt that it imagined a better picture of the romance between Ako and Rus was all about!
Characters stood-out in a good way! In my opinion, the shows biggest working department is character development. As I mentioned earlier I believe that character development was much more important than actual story and plot in Netoge. This is because just about every episode focused more about certain characters issues... you know who I am talking about (cough Ako.. cough..) and how that said person is going to grow from it.
Lastly, the girls were super cute & adorable and Hideki was a pretty decent main character.
My overall feelings and enjoyment for the title were a little above average. I loved the fan-service, I liked the characters, and the story was engaging. There was a considerable amount of action that kept the story exciting. The character development kept the show refreshing and the special effects were great!
I felt that Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta? deserves its 8/10 for introducing such a creative story as well as nice characters.
jarbenmate
When I started watching this show at a friends place because we had nothing better to do, I didn't expect to like it all that much if at all. Now a week later I can say that this show has become one of my all-time favourites. Now I'll be the first to admit that this show does heavily follow cliches of it's genre, but really thats not an entirely bad thing as it does those cliches very well. From the characters to the story, even if I had seen it before somewhere else, this show just does it better. That said even when the storydoes cliches well, it's still not that strong and if you want a good story, don't come looking here.
The characters though, that is where the show shines like a diamond. The characters despite a few being cliche, are all incredibly enjoyable and fun. Ako, the main girl is probably one of the most adorable and endearing characters in any anime I've ever seen. This same general sentiment can be applied to all major characters, they're endearing and they grow on you to the point of loving them.
The animation style of this show is yet another thing I love about it.All the characters and backgrounds look good. This animation coupled with the good sound design go a long way to tell me that there was actual effort put into this show.
I love this show.
Whoahoho
Ran, ran, ran, raaaaan, Don't you jaz wanna give Ako a head slap for being such as wired as in way wired than a retard, Nya. Now that's over with, tbh I really don't have much love for this anime, and quite frankly it just the moe thing that keeps me from not dropping this. Storywise, just as what the title states, this anime or its manga really did tlive to what is expected , about a guy meeting his online wife which turned out to be a cute girl after all, well that the plot. But despite of this having a harem genre, it wasn;tmuch of anything since there isn't any competition among the harem members for the guy's affection, in fact for the mot part one would be more focus on one character and yes its Ako, not because of what great she brings to the plot but what's disgusting about her, Nya. So despite of my annoyance to Ako and the flip flopping cyber punk/action, it was decent enough, so it's a 4 over 10 for this part....Nya.
Artwise, ok so there is still the usual school uniform moe, the almost panchira and some who has to be the one to be the "absolute territory" kinda thing, and I'm talking about the knee high sock thing for Akane "Schwein" Segawa, there is of course someone who has to be a quintessential kyonyu in Kyou "Apricot" Goshouin, my pet peeved was with the boys school uniform were we see Rusian wear plaid pants that is a certain fashion crime for a guy like him. But nevertheless despite of a one time Ako naked scene , Kyou "Apricot" Goshouin's scantly on-line game attire (where we don't get to see her nipples), it was still a fairly decent to say the least, so I'm giving this category a 6 over 10. Nya.
Sound, I'm giving it a 7 over 10 for the opening and closing theme, and that's as good as it gets. Nya.
Character, ok so we're suppose to focus on them alley cats , namely Rusina, Apricot, Schwein (Oink, Oink), Ako (hokikomori like her should die) and later one Sette (Gi, Gi) and Nekohime (Nya). But as much as I would love to...........I was very much locked on to Ako, in a very disgusted way. Frankly, it's all about her being detached to reality , cu'z she can't blend in , and one like me...if we can somehow would like to give that character a head slap for being such a retard, so I really don't have any second thoughts of me giving this part a 3 over 10. Nya.
Enjoyment, Nya, I only have a decent form of enjoyment for this thing up a certain episode, so it's a 4 over 10, but..................................................
Overall, this anime loses it momentum at eps 11 and 12, the thing is that this anime puts more emphasize on the romance of Rusian and Ako that when it got to the serious part of them Alley cats fighting them Wallenstein, my mood simply goes down as in way down lame and boring, were I'm more glad that this anime ended in such sour note that I still wanna give Ako a head slap, so as much as I hate to say it to me this anime is a pathetic 1, Nya.
Whaohoho OUT, Nya.
Darmaiad
Netoge is an anime adaptation of a series of light novels that tries to hide the fact that is yet another addition to the harem genre. To the high-school, harem, ecchi genre to be precise. There is a Greek proverb that roughly translates to: “The prostitute wants to hide, but the enjoyment doesn't let her” and that applies here; Netoge doesn't delve deep into the harem genre as, for instance, Nisekoi, or to the ecchi genre as Shuffle, but, believe me, it enjoys being in the company of both. Continuing on rough translations; the title means: “And YouThought There Is Never a Girl On-line?“ you can probably guess that the anime tries hard to prove that notion wrong. The protagonist is the stock, average, good-natured boy, whose main hobby is playing a popular MMORPG. An off-line meeting of the small guild that he belongs in, brings light to the fact that the three other members are gorgeous girls that attend his school. What's more, one of them, his in-game wife, is a shy introvert who has problems distinguishing reality from the game and gleefully proclaims that he is her husband.
The guild manages to open a legitimate club in the high-school and eventually the number of hot girls goes from 3 to 5. Of course, no other penis-wielding character is to be found, except the mandatory scenes of envious classmates -you know the ones, those who are more akin to tapestry than actual characters.
The story is non-existent, the characters inconsistent, and if you have ever watched one of those, you know exactly how much progress will be made in 12 episodes.
As I said, the anime doesn't take the genre tropes too far. Also, the girls are cute, a fact that is enhanced by the good animation. Finally, the narrative mixes reality with the MMORPG's gameplay, which is an interesting storytelling device, but mainly gives us a chance to see the girls in exotic garments, like a beautiful priestess's dress, or slutty mage's robes.
Concluding, Netoge is an average series. It has some interesting elements, but it carries all the genre's problems. If you are not a fan, I'm positive you can find something better to watch. If you are a fan, well... you could do a lot worse. 5.0/10.
Maz
Being unable to discern the difference between fantasy and reality is a fear that many a critic of games and other fictional media frequently purport. You see it on the news every now and then, how someone committed a murder that mimicked an event they saw in a game, and that violent fiction spurs one on to commit villainous deeds since they don't realise that it actually has some real life consequences. Yet little do they touch on the other effects that it might have; they only latch onto and showcase the most awful examples in an effort to definitively prove their case. Netoge noYome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta? (And you thought there was never a girl online?) is a fun little anime that touches on this in a more positive spin. Centring on a group of highschool gamers going by the online monikers of Rusian, Ako, Schwein and Apricot, Netoge explores - in an albeit exaggerated and comical fashion - some of the other issues and events that might arise should one struggle to separate their gaming world from the real one.
After deciding one day that the four of them should meet up in real life, they're all shocked to discover that not only do they all live in the same area, but they all know of each other already, as they go to the same school and share many classes. Whilst making their initial meet-up both awkward and somewhat easier to deal with (it's less daunting to meet and talk with people you know than with strangers, after all) it brings with it a slew of issues and problems, the biggest of which is immediately brought to light - Ako, the Guild's newbie healer, cannot separate fantasy from fiction. It is first seen in her naming convention - Rusian is called Hideki Nishimura in real life, Schwein is called Akane Segawa, Apricot is called Kyou Goshouin, and Ako....is called Ako Tamaki. Unlike the rest, she has not bothered using a different online name because she doesn't consider there to be any difference between Legendary Age - the game they play - and the rest of the world. To make matters yet more problematic, Ako and Rusian are married in LA, which she then considers to be carried over when they finally meet up, immediately clinging to his arms and addressing him in a far more intimate fashion than people usually would.
This provides the basis for the vast majority of the content that follows. Ako's inability to discern between pixels and reality becomes a focal point for the group, as they all decide to form a gaming club to try and help Ako out of her problem. It is not so easy as that, however, since Ako is undescribably dumb. This is also where my opinion on this anime split - whilst it managed to be somewhat entertaining and comical with all the misunderstandings and problems that Ako made, it also served to act as a point of contention because her idiocy was at times excessive, and completely halted the plot from advancing. This was especially prevalent in the relationship between Ako and Rusian; Netoge really had a huge chance here to separate itself from other harem-esque highschool anime much in the same way Rakudai separated itself from Asterisk - they could have went for an actual relationship, but decided that Ako was so deluded that she already considered herself Rusian's wife and therefore didn't need to accept a confession of feelings from him.
I felt really quite disapppointed at this particular aspect, because the relationship route is seldom tread in this type of anime and thus is one which I absolutely root for - pun not intended. The flipside to Ako's delusions, though, were many of her other actions and misdeeds - such as assaulting her teacher when she mistakenly believes Rusian is cheating on her with their sensei in the game, or how she was completely non-plussed when Rusian walked in on her when she was naked - Hell, her reaction was actually brilliant in that particular scene because she was happy about it. It ends up being an arbitrary toss up between which scenes I enjoyed and which I didn't; at times her delusions were handled in a funny manner, but other times it just seemed overly exaggerated and dragged out for the sake of it.
As far as all of the characters go, they're a mashup of previously seen tropes but have their own little spins on them for the most part. The aforementioned Ako plays the role of the romantic main girl, as Nishimura the person, not Rusian the character develops feelings for her pretty soon off the bat. She's rather ditzy, and refuses to accept things for what they are. Everyone else bands together to try to help her out of her predicament.
Rusian is the lucky male who gets to spend all of his time with his female guildies. He's fairly typical as far as male harem-esque MCs go, but one thing that sets him apart is the fact that he is actually true to his feelings and confesses (multiple) times. It was a breath of fresh air to have a high schooler who wouldn't just freak the fuck out over even the thought of confessing.
Schwein plays the role of the textbook tsundere character (who bears a striking resemblance to Lieseharte from Saijaku). However, in the game she is a very self-confident player; she refers to herself as 'ore-sama' and her overall gaming persona is vastly different to how she acts in person.
Apricot - dubbed 'Master' by the rest of the crew since she is the guild leader - is the student council president at their school, and is considerably wealthy. She uses that wealth in order to be one of those pay-to-win filth by buying all the best gear, weapons and consumables. Her family's success also leads to them having many properties, including their own private beach; all of these residences she owns become, at one point, a staging post for them to try and wean Ako off of online gaming. In this respect, the obligatory beach episode actually makes a lot of sense since there was some context behind it. It made the inclusion of such a cliché much better.
Naturally, since there's a beach episode, you can expect lots of fanservice, and there's a healthy amount of it throughout the anime. The handling of it, however, is a positive thing from my perspective - a lot of that fanservice felt either very natural or was used for comical purposes. The natural fanservice occurred in the game. For anyone who's ever played a fantasy RPG, you'll know that female gear is typically quite revealing, and much of it is like that in LA too. Apricot's entire top half is uncovered, aside from two lines of fabric which cover her nipples, the rest of her boobs spilling out around it. There're other times when the characters show a lot of flesh, such as Ako being found naked by Rusian - yet despite how that trope normally plays out, Ako's reaction was "Please, be gentle with me!" The little twists on the typical tropes and clichés made it a fair point more entertaining than what it would otherwise be.
The fanservice was also bettered by the series' art - it certainly made all the characters look cute and attractive. It reminded me a lot of Aishen Qiaokeli-ing, what with how huge the eyes of Ako were and the colour palette in general. It worked much in the anime's favour because of the decent aesthetics. However, one of my personal issues with the art style is the way that the bottom lip for the female characters is drawn on but the top isn't. The result of this is that everytime the characters have their mouths closed, it looks like their bottom lip is being pulled over their top lip, and once I noticed it I couldn't stop seeing it. It seems like a small thing, but when the characters are supposed to be attractive, seeing such a weird-looking lip ruined the effect to a certain extent.
With all that being said, it brings you to the question of "Should I watch Netoge?" I'd say for those that like harem-esque anime the answer is a yes. It might include a lot of the stereotypical traits of other anime of this type, but it's got enough of its own unique touches to stand aside on its own two feet, and if you like those tropes anyway then that's even better. It doesn't have an overriding plot such as saving the world or fighting off an evil organisation that plagues many other similar series either; having it revolve around a bunch of gamers make it feel a lot more natural, even if it's still exaggerated. But it's not without its own problems. As previously mentioned, Ako's issue of being unable to discern fiction from reality was both funny and annoying. I became rather disappointed in the middle of the series when it could have progressed, but instead decided that Ako was such an idiot that absolutely nothing could be done to salvage her. In that regard this series could have been much better, and I would have been inclined to rate it higher. It still remained funny and light-hearted throughout, though, and for gamers it's somewhat relateable. You can have those little chuckles to yourself when you see the similarities in the anime to stuff that's actually happened to you before, such as how Ako is the token useless female who's only in the guild because she's in a relationship with one of the main players - oh, that brings back many an argument...
But it was a fun ride, even if it could have been better. Attractive characters (if you can ignore the lips), comical situations and throwbacks in gaming. A fairly standard series that has a few little perks to separate itself from the rest of the pack.
Vaenny
Have you ever wondered what girls in the internet are like in real life? Well, this anime shows you just that, but with a twist. If you think the internet is just full of GIRLs (guys in real life), then let this show prove you otherwise. If the title isn't an accurate description, then let me summarize the plot. It revolves around Rusian, a guy who got rejected by a character in an MMORPG. The reason: the character was guy in real life. Many of us can relate to this situation. And that's enough reason to watch the show. Then he meets another girl inthe game and then they meet in real life. And just like that, they're married. Now, this is pretty much a one-in-a-million occurrence, but it's nice to see how it might look like if couples online become couples in real life. It's cute.
If that's not cute enough, then perhaps the heroine will catch you eye: Ako. She most certainly caught mine for several reasons. Other than the fact that she's cute, she has a personality which is too adorable to take. A yandere willing to do anything for her Rusian. It makes you wish you had your own Ako. But life doesn't really work that way, so we can only watch this and cry to ourselves as it happens right before our screens.
The biggest rating I gave to this anime is in the art. It's so fluid and colorful, it separates itself from similar romance anime. Although their smiles are creepy sometimes...
I would very much recommend it to gamers and non-gamers alike. Not only does it have gaming situations which gamers can relate to, it also has scenarios which you actually want to happen to you. And you thought there was no romance in MMORPG...
Resting_Bonfire
Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta? And you thought this anime could be at least average? I know that feeling when you've finished watching a relatively exciting or intriguing anime or movie, there's a certain level of "emptiness" left behind, almost as if want to repeat all of this all over again! And with this anime, they've achieved the exact opposite of anything that could even begin to equal entertainment and quality. The theme of this "humorous" series, revolves around the video game LA. A group of Game friends meets in reality, helping the protagonist (Ako) demonstrate the difference between reality and games. On paper, atleast, the whole thing sounds appealing. Well, until you realize that the author couldn't even begin to get results in any single area of his story. The relationship between pros and cons is completely lost here, as one could desperately search for even one positive aspect of the Anime. I'm sure it's the only MMO in their universe, otherwise, no one would play it. It has no concept and the author apparently hasn't really played one, let alone had any interest in the subject matter anyway. The topic of helping Ako was simply forgotten several times in the series. The characters are just running fan service and this word literally, the camera always shows their tits first before it swings to the faces. I guess this was supposed to be funny, but I don't know any names other than Ako, since they were just boobs.
Not to mention, I still don't understand why their Gametime got such an embarrassing illustration and presentation. Why did the men in the game become women? Was that the perspective from their point of view? Why was every enemy player suddenly evil? Why was the hacker who hacked the protagonist actually so incompetent? What was that scene when he and the protagonist were sitting on the Pixel bed and he was flirting with her? Was this supposed to be a "cybersex rape"? How did the scene actually go that he looked so evil? did he in the chat constantly >:)
Emojis posted? I have reached beyond my acceptance of the world.
This was actually a record-breaking performance to get so few results with an average approach.
[Story 2]
As mentioned earlier, the plot mostly revolves around showing Ako the difference between reality and the game world. This is mostly meaningless, as the focus is mostly on their everyday activities. Thus, the series progresses, with one deadly episode after another, until eventually reaching the climax, which again has nothing to do with the plot. A guild PvP war and after the characters have lost, melodrama ensues because they lost in "PvP. BUT WAIT, they get a rematch! Fight, happy ending.
There was something else, the genre say yes "humor, romance". From episode 3 ended officially all amusing scenes. However, in episode 9 there was an unexpected Bleach Reference (Aizen) that could have been funny, but the anime itself ruined this.
And you can't even talk about romance here. Just when a character says "I love you Rusian" 100 times is not a romance, it was even more incidental than the joke of calling the blonde -pig-.
Which I found somewhat amusing since Schwein actually means "pig" in German and this was also addressed in the anime. But this also happened until episode 3, because from there on the humor was already used up.
[Characters 1]
There are 3 points that are important to me. Are the characters amusing and humorous? Are they well written? Or are they simply likable? It doesn't matter which, but one of these has to be present. But here, not even that was baked.
Ako is probably one of the dumbest female characters, but this wouldn't be so bad if she were only still so disastrously intrusive, embarrassing, and just plain unnecessary. Her entire existence was based on "All normies must die" "I love you Rusian" or -Her tits start shaking like an 8.0 earthquake.
Rusian was the protagonist and yes, it was. He might as well have been a side character. Not that he was bad, he didn't even have a personality. His 3 male classmates seen 4x in the anime possessed more charm and personality.
Master, whatever her real name was. Possessed at least some bizarre personality, but this was it. Otherwise just a fan service character with no content. And the joke with the P2W friend was quickly ruined.
Pig, is the BEST character in the anime from any rational point of view. In at least average work, she would be the worst. But the competition is not present here, which made me really enjoy every scene she was in... at least she didn't make me suffer and possessed normal conversation.
Bottom line, the author doesn't even know how to write characters, let alone make them funny.
[Music 5] Average outro and intro that says right to your face "Hey, don't expect too much from this anime".
[Animation 4]
Plain stills and very dull animation. Aside from as soon as we get fan service, that's when the budget and house contract is put right on the table.
[Conclusion]
I started the anime unaware of what to expect here. And I'm not expecting a masterpiece or a top title, just average entertainment for the evening is enough for me. No matter if it's fan service or just dull stupid. But this was practically an insult in itself. I'm almost sure if I asked anyone in the community to write a short manga, with this subject matter. Without experience, he would come up with a better result than this.
[Enjoyment 1]
AnaSilva
I can’t even believe I forced myself to see the entire show just because I hate do drop shows. I always believe in giving it a chance but this… oh man, what a waste of my time. I knew from the beginning that this was just another anime embracing the gaming idea that seems too popular nowadays. However, I believed I would see characters development or anything besides the annoying fanservice. Instead, I get a story of a useless character Nishimura (Rusian) and his mentally ill girlfriend Ako with some other characters that were not really needed to this… lack of plot. So, let’s talk about Ako,one of the most dreadful characters I have ever seen. She cannot distinguish reality from the game they all play. That would be just “great” for itself but there is more. Ako thinks that she is really married to Rusian and she is so crazy and dense that cannot even comprehend a confession in the real world. She would rather live as a housewife, doing absolutely nothing with her life but playing games and pleasing her husband. There so many things wrong with her that no one in their right mind would fall in love with her. Someone normal would call for help because she needs treatment.
I know this is not real, it’s just an anime but sometimes anime give us messages or lessons about ourselves or the world around us. From this anime, no one can learn anything. There is nothing here but a group of teenagers with problems that are not solved. But hell, there is fanservice so let’s watch. Let’s never forget that all gaming girls are hot and want to put their breasts on your face. Yeah, that’s a lesson. Another one would be, as long as you are gaming, there is no need for a real life or studying. Life if good, let’s just aim to be the perfect housewives and that’s it.
The animation was fine but wasted on an anime like this. I will never watch this again and I will never recommend this to anyone.
BanjoTheBear
(This review has been adapted from my blog/reddit thread. Spoilers ahead!) When I used to play World of Warcraft heavily, I would always set aside time for a female Draenei player that I fast befriended. We would often just sit in Ironforge, using the emote phrases to goof around or talking to one another in our party chat. I was not smitten with her, but, being a teenage boy who managed to form a close bond with a girl who also had an interest in the same exact hobby, I will not lie and say I did not enjoy making her laugh. I never did learn much abouther, though. If she had her own family or what her age was. In fact, I cannot even say for certain that she was a girl.
That situation – a male playing a female character (and vice versa) – is a strange and possible one that comes with the territory, and, depending on the people and feelings involved, it can make for some awkward and embarrassing moments.
Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta? shows this outcome all too well.
STORY
Netoge (needed to shorten the title at this point) stars Hideki “Rusian” Nishimura, a high-school dude who plays the new hit MMORPG Legendary Age. After mustering up the courage to ask an in-game (cat) woman to marry him, said woman reveals that she is actually a he in real life. Completely taken aback, Rusian chooses to never trust “girls” online ever again – until a certain healer confesses to him in return.
While the show’s title and its opening set of sequences may lead one to believe that the game itself is the primary factor, that notion is hardly the case. True, the show attempts to balance both elements – the game world and the real world – throughout the season. But, when the magic subsides and the shield is lowered, Netoge is very much more focused on life outside of the game.
Ako makes this idea more than obvious. An entire club is dedicated to rehabilitating her uncommon warping of the two worlds she inhabits. Study groups are formed, classes are skipped to support a girlfriend, and dangerous, criminal activity is (almost fully) carried out.
In focusing on the real, Netoge impresses upon not just Ako but also the audience that life is different than a game. Not that life isn’t like a game, for it can certainly feel that way sometimes (e.g., getting a “lucky drop,” learning a new skill, etc.). But rather, life, in contrast to any game, has consequences, reactions, and outcomes that have purposeful impacts on both the person and the people around him or her.
This idea is nice, but, unfortunately, Netoge seems to forget its own premise. The whole “no girls exist online” motif quickly gets dropped beyond the fourth episode or so since Rusian and Ako become (more or less) a couple.
The same goes for the need to differentiate reality and the game. Once their club becomes official and the anime finishes with the introductions, it focuses more on the romance and the game itself. Both of which have their own issues.
For the romance, it is simply weak. Not very many personable moments exist between Rusian and Ako, and, even when they pop up, they almost always get exploited for comedic or non-serious developments.
For the game, it does not hold much relevance. As was said, reality is technically more important, but the anime does not contrast the two sides enough to accentuate either. Take what the characters normally do: talking at a table in their local tavern rather than adventuring.
The final arc is particularly strange. It drops the focus on Rusian and especially Ako in favor of this cultural-festival dilemma. Yes, the game finally takes the forefront as opposed to being just a “background” element, but the conflict itself does not serve either the point of the narrative or even the characters themselves. No matter how game-centric it all happens to be.
It also does not help that the ecchi material – some nakedness here, a bath scene there – has next to no meaning for Netoge beyond existing for viewing pleasure. I.e., the sexual content is, overall, unimportant.
Even so, the disparity between the game world and the regular world allows the anime to champion the notion that just because something is not “real” does not make it any less valuable. Winning a tough fight on their own or falling in love are just as real as watching fireworks beneath the night sky or receiving some words of encouragement from a close friend.
Regardless of where the events take place.
ANIMATION
Netoge falters hardest when it comes to its art and its animation.
To be fair, the character designs are pleasing. Glistening eyes. Attractive figures. Lots of vibrant colors (e.g., pink, orange). It also helps that the anime (at least near the beginning) had some cleverness in the portrayal of both Schwein and Master’s male, online personas. Master’s outfit becomes particularly risqué as a jab towards female armor in video games, and Ako’s frilly, pink dress suits her cutesy character well.
After the designs, however, Netoge encounters trouble.
Because the anime does not have much diversity when it comes to what actually goes on in the game world, the backgrounds and locations within Legendary Age are sparse. When in doubt, the show continually goes back to the same corner of that local inn, and, even when the crew does manage to venture elsewhere, it is more than likely lots of stone walls, open plains, or other low-detailed areas. The opposite of a video game.
The regular world is (relevantly) similar. Netoge shows parts of the school’s classroom and hallways, the clubroom where Rusian and the others play, and the road leading back to their homes. Otherwise, differing locales are rarely shown. And since the designs are so nice, they make the dull backgrounds that much more obvious.
At the very least, the simplified look of the game (when seen from the real world) and the real-life, Ako-featuring between-shots in the interlude for the A and B parts of the episodes (which is quite meta) add flair where it is desperately needed.
Actual animation also fails to hold up. The first couple of episodes, where Ako moves in happy or silly ways, is evident, but, the further along the anime progresses, the choppier the animation becomes. The fight scenes do not have much choreography, the characters are usually just sitting or standing without a lot of hair or eye movement, and the anime simply does not have a lot going on to get its characters moving.
Except for the girls’ breasts; those never stop bouncing.
CHARACTERS
A case can be made for Netoge being an anime about Rusian. After all, he warms up the audience first with his failed attempt at romance. The rest of the season sees him at odds with his newfound “never trust a girl online” philosophy as well as his budding relationship with Ako.
However, the anime goes from being about “fake” girls online to participating in some guild battles – which subsequently take away from the relationship building and the main motif of the anime itself. Altogether, Rusian’s character does not have much going for him.
So, perhaps obviously, the anime isn’t so much about Rusian as it is about Ako.
Ako starts off in a rough spot. Shy and a recluse, she rarely speaks to anyone at school let alone has any friends she can confide in. So, when their group chooses to officially meet offline for the first time, it is clear how ecstatic Ako is to finally be with people that she can at least hang out with.
Although, she is not exactly of sound mind, for she does not see a distinction between the game world and the real world. She believes Rusian is her fated husband, she refers to Segawa as Schwein, and she does not tolerate “normies” whatsoever.
Her inability to separate the two worlds causes Rusian, Schwein, and Master to band together to form the Net Game Club in an attempt to curb Ako’s delusions for good.
Naturally, that does not happen. She believes Rusian’s confession “demotes” her from wife to girlfriend, and, more startlingly, she does not seem to care much for anything outside of the game because, to her, the game is all that matters.
In essence, she does not swing from one end of the spectrum to the other. But she does, however minimally, escape from her constant, reclusive lifestyle. She starts going to school more. She goes on a sleep-over with the other girls. She hangs out with Rusian and the others at the beach during their summer vacation.
All the while, Ako’s relationship with Rusian is both supported and tested. He visits her house, letting her see the lengths he would go to for her. She instantly recognizes Rusian’s imposter, demonstrating her close connection with her hubby. And they get remarried (in game) in front of all their friends.
By the end of the anime, Rusian and Ako do not follow through on that pivotal kiss. It is also obvious that Ako still has pretty much the same mindset about both worlds being intertwined. And that’s perfectly okay. For where everyone else seeks to explain to Ako that the two worlds are separate, Ako argues (and, indeed, represents) the idea that both worlds are not so different.
Yes, she can get a bit crazy at times, wanting to go all the way with Rusian (in private chat) without a second thought or choosing to reincarnate when Rusian is being “stolen” from her. But that does not make her own perspective (entirely) wrong. To her, the relationships she holds with those online do not lose their authenticity when viewed offline. In other words, the game and reality are one in the same.
Having both sides of the argument – that the two worlds are both different and the same – gives Netoge some clout. Unfortunately, when the final arc arrives, it strangely pushes Ako out of the limelight, reducing her chances at further development and missing out on more exploration for this topic. Nevertheless, her whole character is easily one of the stronger parts of the show.
As for everyone else – namely Schwein, Master, Sette, and Nekohime – they exist purely to help Ako and, by extension, Rusian. Schwein provides the harsher way of looking at the situation (with the occasional sentimental moment). Master supplies them with the gear and the opportunities. Sette gets right to the heart of the matter. And Nekohime simply guides them all from afar.
Given that Ako and Rusian are the priority, it is acceptable that they do not do much else. However, they do not get a pass when it comes to their own interconnections. For while Ako and Rusian clearly hold a tight bond, it is hard to say that about any other pairing.
To be fair, though, they do hold a commonality between each other: anti-social skills. Schwein desperately wants to lead a normal high-school life, hiding her true passion for the game and her “bad self.” Master, despite her student-council-president title, does not talk to anyone. And Nekohime does her best to connect with her students, but nothing can match the adoration her fan-made guild holds for her.
(Sette is the odd one out because she already is the odd one out. As a non-gamer and straightforward person, she has no trouble interacting with her fellow students.)
Does this make them strong characters? Not really. Mostly because the anti-social angle for them is not so much a prominent theme as it is just a detail to get them all together. But it is still nice to see that, game or not, they are there as friends for one another.
SOUND
Netoge has a peculiar issue: it relies too much on the cut-music-away-for-comedic-effect technique. For many of the different jokes during the season, they will build something up or go a certain direction – only to halt the building or directing. With the shift comes an immediate drop or change in the music being played. It’s a common technique for the medium, but Netoge does it so much that it becomes noticeable and therefore distracting.
Toshiyuki Toyonaga as Rusian is likewise a problem. Not that his voice acting takes away from the show, but pieces of dialogue are not as strong as others. When he jumps from an aircraft, his hollers and excitement come off as unamused, and, when he gets mad (often declaring that “the game and reality are separate”), his anger does not have the oomph, the irritation behind it to make it believable.
Rina Hidaka as Ako and Inori Minase as Schwein thankfully make up somewhat for his missteps. Ms. Hidaka gives Ako a happy, cute voice that fits the bubbly girl well, and Ms. Minase strikes the tsundere persona with ease.
(As a side note, Schwein’s little piggy sound that sometimes played when she entered the frame or did something noteworthy was a nice touch.)
Some of the tracks from the original soundtrack are also worth noting. The main romantic piece, with its soft piano and sentimental tone, makes it hard not to smile when it is played. The acoustic-guitar track is likewise uplifting. And the little bit of transition music from the A and B parts of the episodes is nice, too. However, the hip-hop track that gets used regularly does not fit the setting and atmosphere of the anime, hurting the OST’s overall strength.
As for the opening and ending tracks, they are a mixed bag. The OP is not very flashy, relying mostly on a pop tune, steady pacing, and somewhat flat singing. The ED performs better with its techno sound-effects and slight variance in pacing, but the singing, once again, is not all that impressive to hear.
ENJOYMENT
There are two main reasons why I liked this one: Ako and the romance.
Ako was cute when she tried hitting the ogres frantically or when she was overjoyed to finally meet the real-life Rusian. She could be funny, too, when doing karate chops in the air or when she made it sound as though her night with Rusian was lewder than what it actually was. And she was kind, accepting the craziness of the others without reservation.
The romance made it all that much better. Tiny moments like Rusian buying her ice cream would make me smile. But grander ones, like when Rusian visited her in her room and gave her his full support, got me audibly “Aww!”-ing on multiple occasions. (Also, that room scene had one of my favorite jokes: where Ako’s yandere tendencies almost manifested as urine for tea.)
I do wish the other characters were more fun, though. Schwein could be silly when Sette discovered her secret, and Master believing that her affluent lifestyle was normal could get me to laugh. But they did not have much of a presence, both influence- and personality-wise, throughout the season.
Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta? provides a thoughtful, if misguided, experience. The contrasting worlds and Ako’s character are strengths of the show, but the subpar animation, the underdeveloped romantic relationship, and some sound-related issues are obvious weaknesses. It’s an entertaining anime, but it lands in awkward territory – with or without female Draenei in the equation.
SUMMARY
Story: Fine, while focus gets lost and the heart of the romance beats irregularly, the disparity between the game world and the regular world, and its theme on realness, make the narrative more than just a bunch of comedy and ecchi scenes
Animation: Bad, nice character designs, a more-often-than-not boring artistic direction, and below average actual animation
Characters: Fine, Ako develops as a character and counters the others’ view on their two worlds being separate, with Schwein, Master, Sette, Nekohime, and especially Rusian supporting Ako along the way
Sound: Bad, bad OP, okay ED, okay OST, okay VA performances, and a repetitive comedic technique
Enjoyment: Good, still liked the romantic elements and Ako especially, but Schwein and the others were not too memorable
Final Score: 4/10
3PSIL0N
I think a lot of people get the wrong idea about this anime revolving around an MMO instead of realizing that for the most part the anime focused more on the nuance of MMO players rather than the actual game. The whole anime is meant to create a variety or characters who each take different (and often opposing) standpoints on gaming and helps to make the characters feel more unique as well as creating interesting dialog. I personally love the plot of the show but believe that the ending has a weak buildup and during the end their choice to focus actual story time onthe game was a wasted effort considering how generic the game they play actually is. Other than the occasional moments where they focus more on the game and less on each other this anime has a pretty solid plot and some minor character development that I enjoyed.
Art 5/10
Nothing special about their IRL appearances and even less so in the game where everything is generic and bland.
Sound 5/10
The dub and sub are both terrible voiced and the music in too repetitive and indifferent.
Other than the bad animation and delivery I overall enjoyed it. At first it seemed the anime was going to take a more edgy approach towards ako's internal conflict but I was glad they didn't overdo it and more often that not used it to make her character seem more appealing in a comedic way than in a cliche tragic way so at the least the anime gets points for not following conventions.
starfarts
There's nothing inherently *wrong* with [Excessively Long Anime Title Anime]. If you're into game-type series with a lot of physics-defying high school grills then I expect you'll get value from the twelve episodes. So, worth watching? Not really. It was never bad enough for me to drop it, but the last three episodes had me watching on half the screen while researching grilling tips for my Grillmaster™ 5000™ and sorting my extensive collection of Grill™ Images™ on the other. It's not really a harem anime because there's only one grill in the running, but the other collection of QTs stick around the boring protagonist like gumon the bottom of a school desk put there by some random Stacy while she blew Chad Penninghampgoldworthton and then forgotten about just like her prescription for Zovirax. There's nothing special about any of the main or side characters, although that doesn't mean they lack charm or personality. It's obviously nothing you haven't seen before, but they're still fun to watch. Also, the animation is top-quality and some of the panoramas really are beautiful.
What really salts my dripping axe wound is the premise/co-main component of [ELATA]: the video game Legendary Age. At first I somewhat enjoyed the game world because it allowed an alternate storytelling path for the characters to grow--even though I really, super-duper don't like vidya animes. Then it just kept going to the point where the last couple episodes are all about the game. This sucks because by that point in the series I didn't give a dry turd about the game, I wanted to watch the characters interact IRL. I'd "gotten to know them" and wanted that to take priority over an endless stream of MMO cliches. And speaking of, some of the memes spouted in dialogue are overused (normie scum) bordering on cringey.
But like I said before, there's nothing *bad* here, but it's definitely not good either. I didn't hate my time because I did finish it, but I also can't really recommend it either unless you're really into the vidya anime "genre."
sadhappymad
Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta? To date myself, I feel the need to give my two cents about this show that's been given a majority of positive reviews at the time I'm writing this. This review is going to talk mostly about my experience with the show rather than give you a summary of it which has already been given. The story: Nothing special in fact its pretty basic "we/I have a problem regarding school lets make a club" however funny enough the show best arc ends around episode 5. Where the primary focus of the clubs problems gets solved. Then therest of the show is kinda like filler were the relationship between characters doesn't change from that stopping point in episode 5.
Honestly speaking this show could've been a "5" for me if it ended at episode 5.
Sound:
forgettable I didn't hate it expect for the opening song so it has that going for it.
Characters:
There's only one character thats the primary focus of this show and its Ako "the girl online" this character is a weird freak of MOE to the likes I was honestly surprised by. I this anime came from America I wouldn't be surprised if I saw her drinking and eating "gamer fuel" with Doritos and mountain dew. But thanks to glorious japan we got a scene about drinking piss instead.
The rest of the cast are cookie cutter basic stereotypes except for ako's mom which was my favorite scene in this anime and only appears in that scene.
enjoyment of the series: 3
Its honestly the about of times I chuckled with episode 5 being the exception.
