When a strange girl named Guri comes knocking at Seiji Aino's door, he quickly finds himself thrust into a world of romantic troubles. Claiming that she will die if he doesn't kiss someone within 24 hours, Guri's pleas of desperation are misunderstood as pleas for love, leading Seiji to kiss the cute stranger that came barging into his house. In actuality, it turns out that this cosplaying cupid is the wielder of a Kiss Note, in which any pairing of names she writes will kiss and become a couple. Guri explains that she misspelt and accidentally wrote Seiji's name while indulging in her yaoi fantasies, but because she had yet to pair him with anyone, their kiss was meaningless. Even worse, Guri reveals that if Seiji is not coupled with anyone soon, not only will she die, but Seiji will remain a virgin for eternity!
Eager to escape his fate, Seiji sets his sights on the beautiful and popular Akane Hiyama. But after Akane hears that he kissed Guri, she reveals the obsessive and psychopathic feelings that she holds for the unfortunate boy and proceeds to viciously attack them. In the ensuing confusion, Guri is able to pair Seiji with Akane in the Kiss Note, temporarily saving Seiji from any further bodily harm. But to complicate matters, Guri's newfound feelings lead her to also pair the two of them with herself. Just when the situation could not get any more convoluted, this new coupling with Guri has turned Seiji and Akane into temporary angels, forcing them into assisting the cupid with her work of pairing humans, lest they be cast into hell. With all semblance of normality snatched from his life, Seiji gets to work at matchmaking with these eccentric girls by his side.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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LIQfilms
Death Note is easily one of the most popular and instantly recognisable anime out there, currently sitting at the number one spot here on MAL for the number of members it has. It's a show that has been referenced and parodied time and time again by fans of the show, as well as in other anime. However, Renai Boukun, otherwise known as Love Tyrant, takes it a step further by making an entire show a parody of Death Note itself! And it's completely mediocre, with forced and bland comedy that becomes stale incredibly quickly, a lacklustre cast of characters while, at the same time, hardlydoing anything with its set-up or parody elements. I honestly really wanted to like this, I really did, but each passing episode became even more incredibly bland and dull than the last resulting in an end product that most people will forget in only a couple of months and leaving me with a feeling of genuine disappointment.
As I just mentioned, the show is essentially a parody of the series Death Note, but in this instance, the Death Note is now replaced with a new book called the Kiss Note; an extremely powerful tool that, when two names are written inside it next to each other, they will both fall madly in love with each other regardless of the gender, providing that they kiss one another that is. This feature, in particular, comes greatly in use for the yaoi enthusiast, Guri, a hyperactive idiot cupid whose task is to match up potential couples with each other. However, she accidentally writes the main protagonist's name in the book, by the name of Seiji Anno, and he has to kiss someone otherwise Guri will die (which we later learn is an outright lie). He decides to kiss his crush, who turns out to have a mad obsession with our bland as hell main character here, bordering on Yandere tendencies, pulling out random knives and swords from her tits in the same way a girl may keep her phone down there or something? They eventually do kiss, but Guri makes herself, and Yandere-chan, known as Akane, into a three-way relationship, eventually adding Akane's sister, Yuzu (who actually loves Akane) into the mix. And that's pretty much it for an overall narrative, which, I believe is fine for a comedy anime as long as the characters are fun and the comedy is funny and varied, which, unfortunately, is something I believe the anime lacks.
For starters, let's discuss the wasted potential in the Death Note parody gimmick and set-up of the narrative. Despite being a parody of said series, Love Tyrant hardly utilises the Kiss Note to any substantial merit and the show pretty much forgets about this item throughout much of the duration, which, in my eyes, is wasted potential for some comedic moments. It feels like the Kiss Note was added as a way to make the show more marketable by riding on the popularity of Death Note, rather than being used as satire. There is no clever meta-commentary or callbacks to the actual series either, so the Kiss Note, aside from being used to start the story, feels inconsequential and rather pointless to boot. Not only that, but the comedy, for the most part, feels incredibly weak and trite despite the potential in the first two episode. I'll honestly admit, that the first two episodes of Love Tyrant are actually pretty funny and engaging to boot; I was having a great time with the show. The jokes, at the beginning anyway, felt fresh and they often were more hit than miss, but, as the show progresses, it feels more tiring to watch since they never switch up the dynamics and repeat the same jokes throughout. This makes the show feel so damn repetitive to watch, and repeating the same jokes is essentially a cardinal sin in comedy; it becomes stale by episode five! In addition, the jokes and comedy itself feels extremely forced and most jokes can be seen a mile away before they're even delivered! It doesn't help all too much either that the characters have hardly any chemistry with one another nor do their personalities bounce off each other well either.
For the sake of argument, let's compare it to another comedy this year, from the previous season, called Gabriel Dropout. While that show is not a comedic masterpiece or anything, it was able to remain a fun ride throughout since its characters had defined personalities which had chemistry with one another, while, at the same time, spicing things up just enough with its joke variations to keep things from becoming too stale. This doesn't happen in this show and each joke feels as bland as the last. There is no snowball effect taking place, nor are the character's personalities strong enough to carry the weight of the show. The comedic timing could also feel pretty off, and often at times jarring! The problem with the show is that it doesn't quite know if it wants to be a comedy, a drama or an edge-fest and combines them all together, with an end result that feels clunky to watch. It's not necessarily uncommon for anime to combine multiple genres together, but here there is hardly any downtime between any of the events, so in one moment they are laughing and joking, and in the immediate next, the main character is being tortured. There is no downtime between any of these events and thus it can feel really awkward and jarring while watching the show since the pacing for this show is strangely inconsistent, but is normally pumped up to eleven at all times. Again, for the sake of argument, Gintama is also an anime that features a lot of comedy intermixed with more serious and emotional moments, but, in that show, these two never feel all too intrusive on each other since there is a good amount of downtime between each one. Perhaps this is an unfair comparison considering the sheer difference in the lengths of both shows, but there are plenty of other shows that can achieve this, so why not this one?
This doesn't help when the music for the show is so badly implemented and placed at the worst of times. One of the worst examples comes from episode eight in which the main character is being continuously stabbed with a sharp object, while light and carefree music is being played over it, music that would fit right at home in children's shows. It just feels, yet again, jarring, and that's the best word I can use to describe this show: jarring.
When it comes to the characters, they don't fare much better. The main character is as boring in personality as he is in visual design. He plays the typical main character lead; spiky hair, getting embarrassed when a girl gets close to him, and so on and so forth. He is a rather boring character, who is pushed into playing the straight man role for the group and nothing else beyond that. He responds with the typical reactions you'd expect from a character in his position and jumps in to save the day whenever he is needed to do so. He is not a bad character necessarily, just an extremely dull one. Akane has a little bit more going for her, in that we do actually learn her back-story, which does explain the reason behind her action and general personality, details I can appreciate, it's just that each scenario and joke she is in, always is about how she is a yandere, while, at the same time, pulling out weapons from her tits. While beautiful in her visual appearance, her character doesn't really have all too much in likeability nor does she receive all too much development as a person either, aside from her rebellion against her mother in the eighth episode of the show. Yuzu receives a little bit of exploration into her character and reasoning behind her love for Akane, while, at the same time having superpowers (which the show never actually explains why she has those now that I am thinking about it) but, again, it feels like I'm repeating myself here, needed more in the way of development in order for her character to be good. The only character I liked was Guri, mainly because I have a soft spot for his aloof idiot types of characters, but I generally found her to be kind of charming in her own little way. I liked her character design perhaps the most, and the various facial expressions she did were kind of funny in their own little way, although nothing remarkable as a whole.
If there is one thing I can praise, it is the artwork and general look of the show. It is very colourful and pops pretty well, and, as I said, I liked the various faces and chibi-ness of some of the facial expressions too. I also liked the opening and ending tracks, especially the opening which is incredibly catchy. It's upbeat, lively and full of energy, which, the rest of the show should have been as well, which is a shame since it did have a few things going for it. Some of the comedic moments were alright and the initial set up was good, but unfortunately, the show was not funny in my eyes.
But this is where it becomes difficult, however. Comedy is something that is extremely subjective, and thus, I can imagine many people finding this show very funny to watch, which is completely fine. After all, many people consider the second season of Konosuba to be weaker than its prequel, yet I found it funny still, which is something I have to consider when talking about comedy. My sense of humour is pretty damn strange, and I find pleasure in absurd humour. On that end, I would like to recommend this show, on account that you personally may find it funny to watch, but, on the flip side, there are so many other comedy anime out there that take the time to write much more varied jokes that don't come across as forced or jarring when they switch to a more serious tone. It's unfortunate that I didn't enjoy this show, since, as I said in the opening paragraph, I really did want to like this show, but I just couldn't...
DarthInvader
*No spoiler review* TL;DR: A deconstructed school harem rom-com parody that is actually quite fun to watch if you are ready for a Love Octagon of epic proportion. The humour never dies, the seriousness never shines. The love comes and goes & the parody just flows. [Story: 5/10 , Characters: 7/10, Art: 7/10, Sound: 6/10, Enjoyment: 7/10] What do you get if you give the power of something serious as "Kiss Note" (similar to Death Note but kissing) to a clueless cupid who just wants to use it to make her wildest fantasies come true? You get a deconstructed rom-com parody that somehow keeps you watching formore. This show never takes itself seriously and frankly it's because of this that this show shines as a whole. In Renai Boukun aka Love Tyrant, a Kiss Note (parody of Death Note) is a powerful notebook that makes people who have their names written together instantly fall in love if they kiss each other, regardless of any circumstances. If they don't… they will remain a virgin forever and c'mon which person would want that? Enter Guri, a cupid clueless about Love, accidentally writes Seiji's (MC) name mistaking him for someone else. She shows up to his door, explains the concept to him, they kiss, and the problem begins from there. This whole show starts off from this tiny snowball of a problem that just keeps rolling down the hill and it gets just bigger and bigger. Quite a rollercoaster ride if you ask me.
Before I get into the plot, it's the characters that makes this show so enjoyable. You have Guri, a BL obsessed undere cupid who is clueless about love. Then, Akane, a psychotic beautiful yandere, that will kill anyone that touches her love. Cue in Yuzu, a tsundere wincestual stalker, in love with her step-sister. Next the cousin of Akane & Yuzu, Shikami, a sado-maso mayadere who gets off on pain, obsessed with stealing other's love. On the side, you have the MC's younger sister Akua, a kuudere with severe brother/sister complex hoping for her brother's love. Finally, you have the weak & pathetic yet kind MC, Seiji, who is "not handsome, quick to anger, stubborn, insensitive and just a really boring guy" wanting to find true love. Throw them all in one pot, thanks to the supernatural power of "Kiss Note", you have a chaotic mess that will deliver enough comedy to keep you watching for more. Seriously, the characters all feel unique and though the point isn't for viewers to identify themselves as one of the character in the show, you just can't help laughing at each of their hilarity. Even the Kami, aka God, and Maoh, aka Devil, are presented in such comedic manner that the only less outrageous character in this show is the MC himself. You really do start to pity him seeing the stuff he gets himself into. Despite all the chaos, each of the characters actually undergoes some form of character development to better their personality. Now that you have a better grasp of the characters and their "goals", let's dive into the plot.
Plot wise, the story sort of follows a linear pattern as the show is supposed to showcase Guri's coming of age story as she becomes a better Cupid who will succeed Kami in the future by truly understanding the concept of love. However, this show isn't about reaching that destination, it's about enjoying the messed up journey these characters gets themselves into. At its essence, this is a parody that deconstructs the rom-com genre by showing how obscure the concept of school love is by portraying it through a comedic lense. Each episode is a two part episode where the characters find themselves in stereotypical harem/rom-com messy situations that gets resolved by the end after poking much needed fun at its obscurities. The constant juxtaposition of presenting different deretype characters really adds to its comedic value, plus the dialogues go from corny to cheesy to somewhat deep at times. It's almost as if the director snaps their fingers at the viewers to tell them, "sssh, serious matters are being shown here… or so we think." Seriously, the best part about this show is that neither the plot nor the director takes the show seriously which allows for the "quit pro quo" comedic style to flourish so well.
Nevertheless, the animation team behind Renai Boukun did a great job. Each of the major characters stand out from one another and they made the MC a very relatable looking character that is both bland yet unique looking. The use of bold vibrant primary colours really shines throughout the anime. It is able to contrast the deep satirical emotions of love with the outrageous comedic elements of chaos. Though scattered if observed individually but seems cohesive when seen together. The OP song is quirky & catchy and the ED song is nice but its the OST that really shines as it helps the anime flow well with the story by constantly aiding in the creation and diffusion of tension. Definitely worth a listen as a standalone.
Overall, Renai Boukun is a fun show to watch, not just on a whim. It's a good parody and it never takes itself seriously so the comedy never dies. I enjoyed watching it despite not being a fan of rom-com because it is a deconstructed parody of this genre. If you are debating whether or not you want to watch the show, just ask yourself this. Do you want to watch a show that is utter madness due to hilarious characters? Do you enjoy good comedy? Do you like a bit of fan service? Regardless of yes or no, you should watch this show. Simple as that... joking. Anyways, give it a watch and let me know later how you like it.
P.S. Thank you for reading. I hope you found this short and supaishi review helpful!
P.P.S. "What is love? It's not about knowing what love is… being in love means whether you are happy or sad the heart always aches for that one special person"
PyraXadon
Love is weird. On one hand, you can fall head over heels for your partner, but you could also want to dig your fingers into their throat because of how annoying they can be. I hope not every relationship is like that, but it can and has happened. Through it all, love can be hilarious due to how nonsensical the concept it can be when you put it in perspective. So why does it matter anyway? Well to Renai Boukun (aptly titled ‘Love Tyrant’), it means a lot. Story: Aino Seiji is just your typical harem protagonist. Niceto everyone, easygoing, and comes into contact with a plethora of very troublesome women through very unfortunate circumstances. After coming into contact with a girl who presents him with a “Kiss Note” (Yes, it’s a death note reference. Don’t think too hard about it), he is brought into the realm of couple-making where he must help couples get together, all the while dealing with a small trail of women himself.
This show is in a word, rushed. Smashing together about forty or so chapters of the original manga into a twelve-episode anime, the story for Renai Boukun follows the story of a hyperactive fujoshi, a shrill, incestuous stalker, a kukuri wielding yandere, and the main protagonist, as they come across various, loosely love-based scenarios that culminate into…something. When looking at it from face value, it’s quite unclear to understand what it is the show wants to be.
Aside from the overall theme of love and how love exists in various kinds of romantic relationships, the show zip zaps around from being one-off episode comedy plots, to one-two episode long drama plots involving one of the main characters. Due to the rushed nature of trying to get to the end, the show suffers from poor comedic timing, as the necessary time to let the audience breathe from in-between jokes is absent and thus makes it very difficult for the audience to really get a full kick out of what we’re supposed to laugh at. Not only that, it doesn’t help that the show relies mostly on repeated gags in order to try and be funny either.
Another problem is character development. Due to the fact that the show attempts to squeeze so much in so little, any and all character development that the show tries to accomplish feels contrived and stiff. Two of the main girls in particular get arcs dedicated to them, and it doesn’t really feel like they accomplish much of anything in the end because we’re given less than hour each of total focus to even give a crap. The ending doesn’t really help either cause things are more or less thrown back into the status quo of things, so I guess like some aspects of life, some things never change.
Overall, the story of Renai Boukun is a mess of fragments broken off from an existing manga shoddily put back together to try to create some semblance of an anime. A lot of the in-between details are missing and while the show does tell a story in the end, it doesn’t really feel genuine or rewarding because the journey watching these characters feels so half-hearted.
Overview:
- TERRIBLE pacing (Some episodes are one chapter. Others are three-four.)
- Poor comedic timing
- Contrived character development
Characters: If I’ll give the show anything, it’s that its main cast is…something. It’s something all right.
First off, we have Aino Seiji. Now I don’t know why this guy is our protagonist of all characters, but I safely say that he is as bland as they come. Seiji is your typical ‘nice’ protagonist: respects women, nice to all, easygoing, and most of all, dense. Maybe he’s not that last one so much, but the rest for sure. The most interesting part about his character I’d say is how he at least acknowledges the affection he gets from the girls (At least one of them) and has the willingness to be a kind soul regardless of the situation. Which honestly is something you have to give to the guy considering his harem is filled with absolutely terrible people, deals with haphazardly stupid situations daily, and he gets blamed for stupid shit when his involvement in things aren’t always his fault anyway. Beyond that, he’s about as interesting as a saltine cracker.
Then there’s Guri. I want to separate this one from the rest of the harem specifically because she is the cause of everyone’s problems. Noted previously as the ‘hyperactive fujoshi’ who likes to cosplay, Guri doesn’t understand love, yet does whatever she wants because she’s a free spirit and can’t be held down by any form of convention so long as it’s fun and whatnot. This can be a good archetype, except the show makes her really, really annoying. For the most part, she causes a lot of the series’ conflicts (she’s the one that jumpstarted the plot anyway), leaving Seiji in particular to try and fix some things. She’s just…not a very good character, especially since the ending tries its best to get the audience to care about her when the show up until that point gives us very little reason to give a damn in the first place.
Then there’re the two half-sisters, Yuzu and Akane. Yuzu shares similar problems with Guri, with most of her gags and annoyances coming off as creepy yuri as she jealously tries to garner the attention of her ‘onee-sama’ when in reality Akane gives little shits about her half-sister’s attention. Yuzu’s whole saga throughout the series is all over the place and lacks enough cohesion to warrant any form of sympathy or care from the audience. As for Akane, she acts as the series’ mediator while also being batshit crazy herself. Carrying kukuri knives and comically threatening anyone who gets in the way of her and Seiji, Akane is surprisingly the most level-headed member of the entire female cast as she carries a lot of reasoning and understanding that most of the girls in this series lack. Of course she does share her own fair share of problems (like having her arc be completely rushed to the point it didn’t even really matter), but in comparison, she fares so much better than the other girls in the series.
Beyond them, the sidecast involves various family members of the characters’ families (who are also all crazy might I add) that add to some of the arcs in various ways with similarly varying degrees of success, a bunch of cast members who provide their own one-off love stories to help fill up the runtime and provide a different kind of romantic relationship, and the rapey penguin. Yes, you read that right. Why he’s there, I don’t know, but he has a surprisingly large part (by supporting cast standards) in this series so…that’s there, I guess. (There’s also the character ‘Shikimi’, but we don’t talk about her and how much of a bitch she is.)
Overview:
+ Some level-headed characters
- Most of the cast is crazy (and not the good kind)
- Rapey penguin? (Don’t know if this is necessarily a bad thing, but I’m adding it.)
Art: Produced by EMT^2, Renai Boukun’s art is what I would describe as lazy. The colors are blindingly bright to the point that it looks uncomfortable to watch; background characters are usually just gray silhouettes, and the characters just look gaudy with how the colors used on them are.
It’s not even just the art. The animation for some scenes clearly show little effort is put into them, thus giving off this really cheap, cost-efficient look to the whole thing that looks very uninteresting to look at. Not only that, but character designs have their own sets of problems. Personally I find Yuzu’s hair very irritating to look at. The huge pigtails on her sides combined with the cheap looking animation make her look like an eyesore every time she came on-screen.
Overview:
- Lazy, cheap looking art
Sound: The OP known as…"Koi? de Ai? de Boukun desu!” (Lord that’s a mouthful) is a poppy, upbeat song that actually fits well with the show’s wacky and comedic story. Sure it’s just a pop idol girl song, but it has merit to it for having a unique beat to it so that it’s not just some generic anime opening that sounds similar to heaps of other openings from other shows.
Its ED, 'Suki' wo Oshiete’ on the other hand isn’t so fortunate. Comparatively, it’s not really all that unique and falls into a generic sounding song that while sounds good, doesn’t really have much in the way of memorabilia so that you would want to listen to it again, and not so you have to loop it in the background so you can accurately come up with the words to describe it.
Overview:
+ Decent tracks
- Ed isn’t really all that memorable
Personal Enjoyment: Having read the Renai Boukun manga, the adaptation disappointed me for not only not being on the same level as the original, but for rushing so much to get to a certain point in the story that it had to sacrifice so much just to get there. As such, I had a really hard time finding many positives to say since not only was the plot not that stellar to begin with, it actually got worse because it was adapted into something with a limited time frame. As such, my enjoyment with this series dipped down a bit, and I really wish it didn’t. Because I did kind of enjoy just being forced to go along with the flow of things sometimes cause like the MC, there’s really no other way out of it.
Did I like this series?
There were a few choice moments I’m glad they animated. Not only that, but I’m glad Akane mostly stayed intact. Despite her obsessive nature, she’s the series’ main voice of reason and maintains her sensibility (mostly) throughout the show despite the random shit going on around her.
What didn’t I like about this series?
Aside from the obvious plot problems, the rest of the girls in the main group: Guri, Yuzu, (and Shikimi, technically) really irk me. Their archetypes to me are actually really unlikeable because not only do they center around one thing, which is being annoying, they do it so persistently throughout the series that it never feels like they have any kind of growth to them that would warrant me to like them. There’s almost no change with their characters and it upsets me that in a harem series of all things, there are very few candidates for ‘best girl’. (Not like any of them really are stellar choices.)
Would I recommend this series?
If you are going to watch this, turn your brain off. Your enjoyment will skyrocket if you do. Beyond that, this really isn’t something worth recommending. Its plethora of problems with its pacing and characters combined with a really cheap looking animation style make Renai Boukun a really difficult watch. Coupled with poor comedic timing and a newbie seiyuu for Yuzu whose voice grates the ears, I honestly have a hard time finding many redeeming merits for this show to watch. I’d say read the manga if anything, but even then it’s best to turn the good ol’ noggin off.
EmberTanebi
---------- Disclaimer ---------- The following review is completely spoiler-free, and is meant for users who are curious about whether to watch the show or not. While I write reviews with this focus, and the goal of presenting the show with little bias, it is impossible to write a completely unbiased review. Feel free to disagree with any of my opinions, and ultimately decide for yourself how you feel about the show after watching it yourself! --------- Positives --------- - Ridiculous Fun Renai Boukun is the classic example of a show that doesn't try and take itself too seriously. Its parodic intro to the show (with the "Love Note" parody) is a fittingly silly,tongue-in-cheek, and completely not subtle icon that symbolizes the whole show. The concept is crazy, the characters are ridiculous, and the hijinks they get up to are top notch. Additionally, there are many references and parodic elements that keep the energy going in the right direction.
- Support Structure Story
Direct romances and the underlying romantic story as a whole are not spectacular, but they also do not take away from the show in the slightest. They act as a nice underlying current that runs confidently beneath the shenanigans pushed to the forefront. There's no needlessly contrived plot points or backstory, just ones that are handled quickly. As if to say: "Look, this isn't the focus of the show, but that doesn't mean we were going to slack off on it".
- Charming Characters
Renai Boukun's core production strength is its ability to recognize exactly what to emphasize. While I've already mentioned its ridiculous comedy, the conduit to this comedy (the characters and their interactions) is arguably even more important. The characters were varied, yet equally ridiculous and the MC, Seiji-kun, was a good straight man to the rest of the show's goofy ways. Each of the main/major side characters felt sufficiently fleshed out for a 12 episode season, without feeling burdened with unnecessary fluff that could take away from the show's core feeling.
- Matching Art Style
The artistic style of the show does a fantastic job of not only contributing to the over-the-top moments of the show, but also serves as a very nice visual in between those times. There is a clear emphasis on popping colours and shining characters, which is exactly what a show like this should be pushing to the front.
- Excellent OP
This OP hits all the right points for me. Catchy music, character introductions, and a perfect set-up for the show you're about to watch. Never skipped it once, and it always got me in a "Renai Boukun" sort of mood.
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Negatives
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- Good, Not Great
One of the disadvantages of pushing a few themes to the very forefront is that you leave some other elements behind. Let me be clear: Renai Boukun's overall story, character backgrounds, and world building are far from bad. They are adequate. As I mentioned above, this is to keep the comedy and madness at a high for as long as possible, but if you're looking for deep lore, complex characters, or an uber compelling romance plot, you won't find it here.
- Kissed Potential
The show's introductory episode was brilliant, and its roots in parody-ing "Death Note" with its counterpart, the "Kiss Note", was incredibly compelling and a great tool to get the characters in a wealth of kooky conundrums. Where the show goes wrong is where it throws that concept aside about halfway through the season. It leads to a generally disjointed feeling to the arc, as it takes back seat to slightly more serious arcs for each of the main girls. I wish they could have incorporated more of this fun concept into the story.
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Conclusion
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Some anime is meant to tug at your heartstrings. Some anime is meant to fill you with a "Go Get 'Em!" spirit. Some anime captivates its audience with deep, twisting plots that have you drooling for more. Renai Boukun is not any of those shows. It doesn't break new ground with confidence or ease. But what it does do is allow you to turn your brain off for a little bit and enjoy pure, unadulterated ridiculousness. It doesn't take itself to serious (even in its more serious moments), and neither should you.
There is no more perfect analogy for Renai Boukun than to describe it as "junk food" anime. It's not particularly good for you, and it won't quell a deep hunger in dire anime situations. However, it will provide a light, focused entertainment series. It knows its strong points, and focuses on them, providing you with a silly, romcom to keep you smiling in between heartier meals.
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Final Rating
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While it makes for nice averages and wonderful sorting, when it comes to reviews I personally do not like direct numbering systems. Instead, I am to answer the question: "Would you recommend I watch this show?". So,
If you are a fan of romcoms and/or harems, Renai Boukun is a perfect(ly silly) addition to your collection.
If you enjoy shutting your brain off and wondering just what crazy situation a set of characters will get themselves into this time, you'll be right at home.
Finally, if you're hoping for a heartier look into the genre(s), I'd recommend choosing a more refined, deeper anime.
EnZanity
Spoiler free review I welcome feedback on my reviews Do you have trouble with women? Can't talk to your school crush? Always wanted to build your dream harem? Well, look no further, cause we have a product made just for you. Introducing the Kiss Note! No Kira calm down stop laughing like a maniac we said Kiss Note not Death Note. Ugh anyway... With this handy little book, you can write down your name along with the name of your preferred crush and viola. One kiss and you'll become an official couple. You can even put down several names at once! Why have only one girlfriend whenyou can date your entire school? (even that weird girl that sits in the back drawing summoning circles) So don't wait, don't delay! Buy your very own Kiss Note today for the low low low low low price of 1 million dollars.
Disclaimer: Only a cupid can activate the powers of the Kiss Note, it's basically useless in the hands of a human. But buy it anyway I need to buy an Akane body pillow help a guy in need
Love Tyrant is a parody harem. We got our own male MC Seiji Aino who meets Guri, a cupid that accidentally wrote Seiji's name into her Kiss Note and now has to get him to kiss someone or she will die cause gotta keep that Death Note reference alive. We progress from there with Seiji hooking up with his crush Akane Hiyama, triggering a series of events that turn Seiji's life upside down. It gets pretty insane as Seiji tries to get used to all the shenanigans that has now arrived due to Guri's interference. There's not much story besides the few arcs that throw in some drama to spice things up, but these can either take away the silly charm of the show with some temporary seriousness (give us back our craziness drama!) or be quite heartwarming as we all declare our love for each other.
The comedy here is the main and best aspect of Love Tyrant. The interactions that the characters have with each other and the crazy situations (that range from running away from a horny demonic demon penguins to dying and meeting your omnipotent father in law) are all incredibly funny, throwing joke after joke to keep you laughing without end. It pokes fun at harems and deres, subtly pointing out the ridiculousness of these tropes that we have become so used to The pacing does start off a little rushed, but it just adds onto the comedy as it gives us more and more hilarious scenes.
The characters are pretty great as well. Akane is the school idol that turns out to be a kukri-wielding yandere, Yuzu Kichougasaki is a barrier creating tsundere lesbian who's in love with her sister, and you can't forget Guri, our lovable otaku cupid that loves creating yaoi ships and causing trouble. Even Seiji, who acts as our slightly dumb Harem MC, has a certain charm to him with his attempts to keep his girlfriends under control so they don't end up causing too much damage. The rest of the characters (which consists of cupids, sadists, gods, angels, demons, super-powered assassins and bodyguards, the list goes on and on just like this sentence I should really stop) are just introduced to create more comedy or drama, but they get enough screen time across the show to let you see their own unique personalities and quirks
Romance is handled quite nicely with the whole harem skit. There aren't any pussy men that can't handle being 10 metres around women. In fact, there are several dates and kisses shared across the harem as the anime progresses. Sure the show isn't really that romance heavy as we have Seiji trying to figure things out due to him keeping some generic harem mc traits, but the rest of the show is able to make up for it with its comedy and the occasional sweet moments that just makes your heart skip a little.
Love Tyrant is definitely not for everyone. Due to it being a harem and comedy anime, there are many people will get turned off due to that fact that they either dislike the overused idea of several girls dating one guy or just don't enjoy the comedy the show has to offer. However, I highly recommend this show to everyone to at least try out for a few eps. If you dislike it, drop it. If you enjoy it, welcome to the club. We'll get Guri to write your name in the Kiss Note so you can join the harem.
-HippySnob-
I stand corrected, a freshly not so routine with self ulterior motives by a guy dragged down what lies when a cupid appears to fall desire on him. Which some tropes can easily be broke down by such good laughs and mood as I happily share my gags within this settings that comes to an end. The target from set of my view captures every details by chapter and a little too cheesy which is why organizing the world building by characters are droven such qualities. Falling into Harem category seems off but the twice scenario felt a little enjoyable. Pinned to the selections ofa decent underrated show, with new studio takes a lot of credit to make the series won't loose track.
Quite episodic if you asked me, But that's not all, Any romance situation depicts the parts of least conquest on "How to win your love onto someone" from Random lovey dovey tsukkomi boke theme.
A fair of Romcom to satisfy your stress relieves any set of pain... I think I entrust you to watch and check this out already.
PakiUSA
STORY: 6/10 CHARACTER: 6/10 ART: 7/10 SOUND: 7/10 ENJOYMENT: 8/10 OVERALL: 5/10 ‘Love Tyrant’ will always be remembered as the anime that made a parody of the classic ‘Death Note’! It has a promising start, setting up an interesting concept that’s slightly different yet feels familiar at the same time! This is achieved in the following way, familiar cause it falls for the same corny ironies such as an MC who’s both dense and uncertain about what he wants while at the same time the anime differs itself with its near perfect timing of comedy which is really the best type! Even though it starts off with an amazing pace, itends on an annoying and boring term because it can’t help shake off all its clichéd tropes. The beginning part worked because the anime understood itself and accepted it without any regrets! What I mean is that the writers knew this show isn’t for everybody so they didn’t waste any time in pleasing everyone, instead they just throw you into this messy story and let you decide whether you want to stick with it or not! It made a point of mocking the Harem genre which worked for a while but later the joke turns on them itself! Comedy is the best thing here, hitting you with unexpected type of jokes which is always fun. But they pretty much bash your head with the same type of gags again and again until it becomes irritating. Towards the end, they jolted to focus more on their preposterous concept by reducing their Comedy which sucked out all the fun from the anime, making everything dull and the climax was pointlessly hastened.
A cupid cosplaying as a demon named Guri is not very good with her job since she doesn’t understand the concept of Love. Ironic, right? On top of that, she gets bored all the time cause she’s freaking dense so she easily gets distracted from her task whenever something ‘Fun’ comes around! She crosses paths with the MC, Seiji who’s your clichéd nice guy surrounded by pretty girls, and writes his name in the ‘Kiss Note’ which is a diary that makes people fall in love once their names are written in it. But in typical ‘Death Note’ fashion, if only 1 name is written then that person must find a partner quickly or remain a virgin for life! Seiji resolves to put Akane’s name next to his cause he has a secret crush on her which’s suitable because Akane’s crazy about Seiji as well which is very fortunate for him. When I say crazy, I mean literally cause unfortunately she also happens to be a psychological Yandere character who gets effortlessly envious and resorts to extreme violence at once! Sadly, that’s all she does, for the anime opts to replay that same joke over and over again where Akane gets mad and starts stabbing someone! Then Guri, in her nonsensical habit, adds her name into this relationship just cause she thinks it will be fun! Soon the follow up is Akane’s half-sister, Yuzu, who also adds her name cause she’s in love with Akane and this is where the plot starts to make no sense so you should just go along with it. Oh yeah, Yuzu is a clumsy girl who has this morbid fixation for Akane which was creepy to watch but since this is a Harem she also starts eliciting feelings for Seiji as well. Anyway, at one point all must help this lazy plus hyper cupid to do her job cause otherwise they all will end up in hell for some lame reason and that’s how the show starts. Boy that was hard to explain! And what’s worst is this plot rarely ever surfaces again! The story is weak throughout the series, the only difference is that it’s commencement was buoyed with a riveting idea which is why it’s tolerable at first. But due to the half ass effort, the anime later fails to hit the right points with its storytelling which is why it gives off a bitter and boring vibe when the show shifts its focus to more serious exposition! This is the reason why sub plots like the whole family drama between Akane and Yuzu or the backstory with Guri didn’t land with the audience since it lacked any real depth to it. An attempt was made to flesh out their female characters but they were so rushed and poorly done, I couldn’t help ask why even bother? Proper development is achieved by giving details and time to tell a well-fashioned tale which is never applied here, instead characters are one note with distinctive epitomes of other anime’s.
The artwork falls in with every other Harem anime with its bright colours and fan service but there was something with the character designs that caught my eyes for I could tell something was off but I can’t seem to place it! It was slightly distracting! The animation met the standard outlooks despite some untraditional attempts with the camera angles. Even the sound effects used to play up the humour wasn’t very notable but the Dubs here was great, nicely capturing the vibe for these whacky characters which the Subs failed to carry. Both OP/ED botched to leave any impression and shall be forgotten quickly though the video for OP was kinda nice.
I really enjoyed the first few episodes, thinking this might turn into a great Comedy anime for I didn’t mind its chaotic setup or straightforward characters. And I did laugh at some jokes though this show needed more since it lacked fresh and self-aware humour, rather much of its Comedy comes from overused gags which becomes dull after a while. With nothing else going on except for clichéd characters and story that relies heavily on repeatable puns, it turned this ‘could have fun show’ to a predictable one that just can’t be recommended to others! Instead I offer you to check out ‘Kono Subarashi’ that really nails the head with its Comedy, Story and Characters!
Stark700
Plenty of rom-com series focuses on school life relationships these days between young teens. I can’t say this enough but every season seems to have them in some way or form. Then, there’s Renai Boukun which seems normal at first. But then, you add a thing called the “Kiss Note”, a red headed yandere, a Shinigami, angels, and you get a show of bizarre shenanigans. Adapted by the manga of the same name, Renai Boukun is what I envision as a parody or perhaps deconstruction of the rom-com genre. The series starts off with Aino Seiji, a normal high student living his daily life asusual. That is, until one day…he encounters Guri, a female Shinigami who shows him a Kiss Note. It’s a supernatural notebook that makes anyone who has their name written together instantly fall in love if they kiss each other. Things take a weird twist when Seiji’s name gets written into the book and he kisses his long time crush, Akane. See where this is going? A bizarre rom-com that adds in supernatural context to entertain the viewers. For me, I think it’s some popcorn comedy that will easily draw some laughs.
If there’s one thing to mention, Renai Boukun excels at selling its humor. The show has romance but delivers it in such a way that you can’t help but laugh at it. The comedy is played out that can feel ridiculous with characters such as Akane, the beautiful and popular yandere. In almost every scene they are together, she obsessively attaches herself to Seiji. Whenever she senses that Seiji may be “cheating” on her, she goes into full yandere mode in comedic fashion. On the other hand, there’s Guri who seems rather oblivious to the concept of love. The first few episodes shows that she is a very playful girl with a childish personality. Akane doesn’t get along with her as she sees Guri as a “love rival”. In essence, the show portrays their rivalry as a humorous gag rather than a serious drama story.
Of course, that’s not all. The show introduces more girls into Seiji’s life that adds more humor into the show. Yuzu (half-sister of Akane) adds some subtle yuri context as she seems to be in love with Akane. Her relationship with Seiji is mixed as she sees him as an obstacle but also seems to falling for Seiji as the story progresses. Shikimi Shiramine (Yuzu and Akane’s cousin) adds perhaps a more dramatic element of the show. She doesn’t seem to get along with anyone and sees life like a game. Manipulative and cunning, she enjoys afflicting people and having fun with her games. The relationship she share with Seiji can get quite indecent at times. Unlike Akane, she doesn’t seem to be actually in love with Seiji but often tries to seduce him for the fun of it. Her role in the show adds more drama than any others as some of her actions really influence the plot and characters.
Despite the amount of humor injected into the show, there’s also some genuine relationship building in particular with Seiji’s sister, Aqua. As the tomboyish sister, Aqua seems to have a rocky relationship with Seiji and we’re shown why through some background storytelling. The series takes a more realistic approach at developing that relationship after certain evens happen in the show. So in a way, not every relationship in this show is a comedy gag. Akane also faces emotional troubles of her own and the series brings that into more light in later episodes.
As most viewers can expect by now, Renai Boukun is pretty much saturated with comedy that doesn’t even feel like rom-com. Some may can it at a harem given the male-female ratio of the cast. I would say that the show can be enjoyed if you watch it for humor. However, the storytelling itself isn’t well written and in particular, I can’t really connect with the plot from most of the episodes. Only a few episodes portrays itself in a more serious manner and even then, it brushes off in a quick fashion afterwards. The supernatural context can quickly grow dull once you’ve seen it a dozen times. One other issue I find in this show is the presence of Yuzu. This girl has a personality that seems even more childish compared to Guri and I find her presence to be extremely annoying. Seiji himself isn’t an interesting character either. In retrospect, the characters in this can easily be distracting to watch and despite their humorous roles, they don’t stand out particularly much on their own.
In terms of animation, I have some rather mixed feelings. Characters such as Guri, Akane, and Shikimi stands out by their designs while others such as Seiji and Aqua looks too normal. Comedy is portrayed through character expressions that is effective to sell its comedy. However, it sometimes relies on it too much at times that feels uncanny. Oh and some characters just looks ridiculous. I mean, a demonic penguin? An angelic cat? Really? The character designs also has some distracting outlines around them that can be bothersome to look at.
To say the least, the soundtrack of Renai Boukun is just silly. The OP and ED theme songs parodies character relationships and puts little effort into the choreography. It’s only catchy enough with its lyrics although on most parts, I find it to be absurd. However, I would add that character voice mannerism is memorable particularly with Akane’s yandere tone and Shikimi’s manipulative voice.
Should you watch Renai Boukun? Is it worth the time? Honestly, the answer to that is up to you because supernatural rom-coms like this is adapted to create laughter. By the end of the day, it hopes to make you laugh rather than getting you invested into the story. When I finished watching this show, I can’t really look back and say “I should have watched this sooner”.
BriefEd
If you expect harem ecchi to have a deep and moving story you're gonna have a bad time and you have nothing in the entire universe to blame except yourself. Have you watched Death Note? I haven't. I never will in my lifetime unless threatened or bribed. Forget all about this having anything to do with Death Note, that connection is nothing more than the type of comedy that most people who worship Death Note won't like at all. Everything except story gets an 8 from me, this is also the first time I've ever loved (instead of absolutely despised) a yandere because she isn't just aviolent bitch for no reason. The story is exceptionally half hearted and mixes a few very good elements with many other totally "meh" elements, instead of expecting anything from it you should just watch for the comedy and have a good laugh at the crazy happenings and weird characters.
Despite being a horny pervert and having watched the season 3 times by now I don't even remember anything in particular about the ecchi scenes, this means it's probably best to expect them to be nothing special as far as getting you turned on goes but you can expect them to be funny.
Yohane01
This show was really really funny, I lovey comedy anime!!! The story wasn't that prevelant as it was more episodic. My favorite characters were definitely akane and cousin shikimi. These two definitely made the show what it was. Yandere and craziness sold me from the very start. Also the kiss note was a funny parody of the death note. Could you imagine if light would've got that book instead of the actual death note. If I had it, I'd probably ship myself with a yandere hottie. A slow part would probably be the random fights between seijis sister aqua and a penguin that loves her named Solis. I'vebeen watching a lot of shows lately, but this one really stood out to me. It has best girls and plenty of comedy, a must watch for anyone who likes these things. I really wish their would be a second season.
HaXXspetten
A cosplaying angel descends to Earth with the goal of utilizing her magical Kiss Note to create couples (preferably yaoi ones) by writing their names down in it to make them fall in love with each other, and somehow manages to end up in a 4-way relationship between herself, a yandere, a lesbian siscon and a perfectly ordinary guy. Sounds ridiculous? Well, that's Renai Boukun in a nutshell for you. This is a hilarious parody of your stereotypical romcom, Death Note and more. Renai Boukun does not take itself seriously whatsoever and is packed to the brim with light-hearted gags and references. It is utterly sillyin every sense of the word but doesn't pretend to be anything else, resulting in a plethora of shameless, unapologetic comedy. And oh boy is it fun to watch. When the mischievous angel Guri arrives in the average joe Seiji's life, she helps him finally being able to get together with the girl of his dreams—Akane—only for him to find out that she was actually a psychopathic yandere all along with madly possessive feelings of love for him. And when Akane's little sister Yuzu confesses that she in turn had always been in love with her own sister, things quickly become about as chaotic as it gets after all four of them are roped together into a twisted relationship thanks to the power of Guri's Kiss Note, which also gives them all immortality. Add to that a creepy dog-angel, a giant black rapist penguin of doom and you've got yourself one hell of a strange anime. The whole thing is all over the place, but it results in a ton of absurd slapstick comedy which is very well-executed in general.
The problem with Renai Boukun however is that it doesn't maintain the same quality for very long. The first four episodes are hilarious, but starting with episode five, Renai Boukun starts to drop off pretty fast. And it starts with the introduction of a new girl called Shikimi, who just so happens to be *another* psychopath, but unlike Akane, this girl is one of the most obnoxious characters I've ever seen. She is the epitome of being crazy for the sake of being crazy with little rhyme or reason attached to it. But her being annoying in person is not the main problem, but rather that she takes the role of the villain in the story and starts interfering with the main characters consistently for her own strange reasons, which results in the anime as a whole becoming significantly more serious as there's now an enemy they have to fight. Thus, the hilarious comedy/parody content almost disappears entirely to make room for it, which is an awful trade-off. It just leaves you wishing that the story would've kept doing what it was doing originally instead.
Compared to the manga, Renai Boukun is technically a pretty rushed adaptation in terms of how much content is covered in every episode, but given the hysterical and hyperactive nature of the show, the faster pacing ends up working out alright anyway I think (kind of like with the Prison School adaptation). However, the genre-switch unsurprisingly bothered me just as much in the anime as it did in the manga, and that is the main downfall of Renai Boukun.
Now that doesn't mean that the show isn't worth watching all of a sudden. The first few episodes are quite good and even later on it's still bearable, albeit not great. It's just one of those series which leaves you with a bad taste in the mouth solely because you know it could have been so much better still.
deli_
I honestly don't think it deserves that bad of a rating. Renai Boukun after all, is just mindless entertainment. It doesn't take itself seriously. When comparing it to other anime of the same caliber, then it's arguably one of the better ones. It starts off making us laugh right off the bat with constant parodies like the kiss note (death note reference) and while it does go "downhill" after the first few episodes, it doesn't necessarily mean it's bad. Yes, you may not laugh as much as you used to but if you don't compare the episodes and judge them individually, it isn't that bad. The characterswhom all have their own trope, use it to their advantage. They take it and use it to entertain us. They all have their own distinct trait that make them stand out from each other which can be pretty obvious because of the beautiful and clear animation. They aren't "fleshed out" but as since this is a character driven anime and the only purpose for them is to give us humor, then it's safe to say they did a good job.
Of course, that doesn't make it an excuse to ignore the flaws of it. It did have lot's of potential wasted. It did go downhill to a certain extent. But in the end, it still made me laugh a ton and it would take more than 10 hands to count how many times i've smiled.
If you like harems, comedy, an actual decent harem protag, yandere, parodies, and overall mindless fun then this is your go-to anime. Definitely a must-watch. Trust me on this one.
moe_sama
I think Renai Boukun gets a lot of things right, in fact, the biggest flaw I see in it is the first episode. This is the arguably the most important part of a series, especially for viewers that don't follow the three episode rule. Renai Boukun starts off with a Death Note parody and a gimmick. It's funny, it's self aware, and it's for people that are familiar with the tropes and character archetypes often seen in anime. But this parody is only there to draw the viewer in, so once the parody angle gets ditched in an early episode, the anime focuses much more on pokingfun at other tropes.
But this anime is mostly a fun, light-hearted stab at the harem genre. And IMO it does harem better than harem does harem.
The subs are absolutely fine for this anime, but I definitely feel that Austin Tindle really captured the straight man/oblivious dickhead that is Seiji Aino in his performance for the dub, and this lends itself very well to the comedic timing.
The characters do fall into the usual archetypes but a few interesting backstories and some great writing having the characters play off one another makes Renai Boukun worth watching and rewatching. I've found myself looking for clips of moments I really enjoyed to chuckle at them again.
This is definitely worth your time.
GhostFetus
Going into this I though it was a total joke. Even while watching it I thought it was a joke thinking "why the hell am I still watching this?" Well, it kind of is a joke, in the sense that it isn't meant to be taken seriously, with the over the top absurd comedy and the out of place plot twists, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. The fact that I was expecting it to be a joke actually improved my enjoyment of the show because I was expecting stuff even stupider than the silly plot twists and overly dramatic jokes. And this unexpectedlyhilarious show was tied together very well with lessons taught about giving a receiving love, which as a hopeless romantic, resonated with me (obviously not as deeply as with more serious anime, but enough to still catch me off guard given the silliness of the show). This is a surprisingly good show that I was not expecting to be good and it makes me happy.
OBruxo
Renai Boukun ("Love Tyrant") is a series that I first found out about when a Facebook post gave a clip of a scene from the first episode titled "Yandere Simulator: The Anime." I decided to take a look at the series, and I liked the series. Story: 7/10 The story involves a teenager named Seiji who is in love with a beautiful girl in his class named Akane. While he thinks that he'd find a way to ask her out, he gets a surprise: A girl named Guri shows up and starts to turn his life upside down. She explains how she's a cupid fromHeaven and how she needs to pair up people through "ships". She subsequently ships Seiji, herself and Akane together. The series basically follows them and their friends as they go along their lives trying to deal with this harem.
Art: 7/10
The art was decent. Not one of my favorites, but I enjoyed it. The character models and proportions were good and some of the models were interesting to see. An example is Korari, with his angel form and his earth form, which is him possessing Seiji's cat, Blue.
Sound: 8/10
The OP and ED were nice to listen to, with the OP having a crazy yet cheerful tune, and the ED having a more soothing and romantic tune. The VA for this series was well done, and I liked the VA especially of Seiji since I felt that it matched his personality and of Yuzu since I felt the voice for a typical Tsundere was done well with her.
Character: 7/10
The characters are good and all, but I felt they were too much of a stock character. Seiji is the male protagonist, being a good guy and level-headed, all while trying to please the women that surround his life. Guri is the Female Protagonist, who is a Cupid/Angel who is sent from heaven to make couples and to understand what is love (Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me... no more...). Akane is the "Yandere" of the series who develops feelings for Seiji when she realizes he likes her, and loves him very dearly, but she tends to pull out kukri knives to stop anyone who tries to steal Seiji, especially Guri or Shikimi. Yuzu is Akane's younger half-sister who is in love with Akane (both as a Sister and a Woman) and tends to be very clingy on her, but tends to be a literal "Tsundere" towards Seiji and gradually warms up to him. Shikimi is the sadistic and cruel cousin of Akane and Yuzu, who tends to flirt with Seiji only to do it on purpose to upset Akane.
Enjoyment: 8/10
The series was pretty humorous and I smiled a lot throughout the series. For the most part, it had various slice-of-life aspects (such as a beach episode) and the plot ran smoothly enough to make me enjoy the show and to want more. There were times I would get upset at certain points, such as time where Shikimi did her cruel acts to get something from Seiji or Akane. Either way, I had a nice time watching the show and I came to enjoy the scenes and most of the characters.
Overall: 7/10
The series felt pretty generic, but the idea of having a cupid/angel play as the "magical girl" was a nice touch and I was interested with how the series would play out. This isn't one of my favorite series, but it's a nice and cheerful one to enjoy. If you want a different thing out of rom-coms and harems, I would recommend this. Overall, I'd say this was an exact 7.0 in terms of rating.
deathline
TL;DR Section at the end of the review. This review may or may not contain minor spoilers. Renai Boukun (also known as Love Tyrant) is practically a parody to the ever so popular Death Note but in the form of a RomCom. Oh boy. Seiji Aino meets Guri and is told she'll die if she doesn't kiss someone in 24 hours, he goes for the power play and kisses her. Which wasn't the right move. At all. From here on out, he's forced into an unreasonable relationship with the self-proclaimed angel and now they're on a mission to make couples. Along the way, Seiji ends up pickingup Akane and Yuzu to add them to his harem of girls. All three girls are in relationship with him. Guri is a mischievous girl who wishes to ship yaoi couples. Yuzu is an earnest girl who wants the love of her sister, Akane, whom would kill for Seiji. Literally. With this cast of characters, a fun RomCom would be ensured, correct?
Unfortunately, this is not the case.
Many episodes are just filled with repetitive scenes of the same slapstick-esque gag humor that everybody seems to love. You can't go twenty seconds without Yuzu falling into Seiji's arms, Akane stabbing something, or Guri getting distracted to something she found interesting. The only time this isn't ensuing is when Seiji screws something up, so he gets monologued for about a minute by somebody (usually Yuzu) and then they set off to fix the problem. This in turn makes for a rather bland RomCom. Too much overused comedy, with the added fake and heavy romance they attempt to display is underwhelming. I guess it's worth mentioning that Shikimi, a girl who was surprisingly not added to the harem, was a major sadist.
TL;DR: Renai Boukun attempted to be a funny, wacky RomCom that strayed off the beaten path at times. With really simple characters, the humor isn't as impactful as it could've been. I wouldn't say the show isn't worth watching, but don't expect this to be the funniest show you'll ever watch.
wolfwing
A interesting anime that I enjoyed, a sort of playful take on death note, but with a kiss note, it starts simple, but you quickly realize there is more to the series then first thought. Story: It's a simple story, but it's very character driven, the conflicts and plot are from each of the different characters developing and works for me. Art: It's decent, I don't remember anything amazing, but nothing terrible either. Characters: this is probably it's strongest point, they seem one dimensional at first, but as the story goes on you learn more about each one, with some nice and strange twists,and I felt good humour.
Overall and enjoyment: I liked it, I kinda hope there will be a second season, but even if not it works as a nice series on it's own I feel.
hexashadow13
tl;dr: An anime that does well at its lighter comedic aspects due to a number of reasons, but for the very same reasons isn’t able to do well in its more serious aspects. I think the best way to describe this anime is chaos. Things move really fast. Characters are completely ridiculous in terms of personality and actions. And the story is all sorts of wack filled to the brim with really random things. The thing is, that for a good portion of it, this works incredibly well. When the show is just being light hearted amusing randomness, it makes it all the more amusing. I really enjoyed the crazy love polygon, helping random couples, thecrazy penguin, immortality related weirdness, and the ridiculous amount of sudden kissing. Other than Seiji, the main characters are all crazy, but it’s really fun just to watch them be crazy with Seiji as a foil to the craziness. The humor is great and had me literally laughing out loud pretty often. This portion was hilarious, amusing, and greatly enjoyable. But, though this is how it starts, as it goes on this lessens in favor of focusing more and more on more intense and dramatic storytelling with that pretty much completely taking over at the end. However, it doesn’t become less chaotic. While with the more amusing parts you can just kind of turn your brain off and go along with it and have fun, that’s not really possible when you feel you’re supposed to be taking things seriously. The characters being chaotic now feels like them being inconsistent with motivations that aren’t clear, and the plot that arises as a result of this feels incredibly contrived and forced. It being really fast paced now feels rushed, with it feeling like it’s not properly explaining things and being hard to follow at times. It also seems to bring up random plot points related to characters that aren’t fleshed out properly and hence feel pointless. The crazy mechanics such as immortality just don’t seem to work well and the plot where such things should matter seems kind of off as a result. The ending while satisfying enough in general, comes at the peak end of all this, and hence really wasn’t all that enjoyable. Ultimately, the chaos is a double edges sword for this show, in that it was able to properly use it for half of it, but lost control of it and had it greatly bring down the other half.
The art style I really liked, with it being very light. The animation wasn’t amazing but was solid enough for most of it and pretty great when it felt it really mattered. The opening was super cozy in terms and visuals and audio, and thus I thought it was great and fit really well with the parts of the show that were good. The ending was decent. The soundtrack had a few good tracks such as Shikimi’s theme, but overall while decent wasn’t particularly memorable.
starfarts
After the depressing trainwreck that was Nana, I really wanted a lighthearted comedy that stayed funny the entire series. Zombieland Saga was my first try, but while it had its moments it ultimately couldn't maintain its humor. Shinmai Maou no Testament was a worthy try, and while it has some pretty nice "plot" moments, it rapidly digressed into melodrama and I stopped being interested after five episodes. Would Renai Boukun do the trick and remind me of why I liked New Game so much? No. The first ten episodes were exactly what I needed to pull me out of Nana's forced malaise. It was cute, cheery, thecharacters all had great personalities, and there was just enough world building to give me the impression that it was a well-crafted comedy--while not subtracting at all from the gags and goofs. I know the nods, homages, and parodies really made some people salty, but I thought they all fit right in with the general cheery atmosphere. And besides, the production values here were high enough that it never felt like a rip off, only a good time.
And then episodes 11 and 12 happened and the show got cut off at the knees.
"Comedy? Nope, let's add in mopey moments with a shitty subplot that's both generic AF but also entirely out of place" -the producers.
"Well fuck this series right into space" -me
I know I'm extra sensitive to tone shifts in my entertainment, but I refuse to accept that it's impossible to just allow comedies to be comedies and dramas to be dramas. Genre-melding is always a failed endeavor because it alienates both sides in a compromising middle ground that's way too familiar in real life. Is escapism really that lofty a goal?
Anyway if you're willing to only watch the first ten episodes you'll probably enjoy this. I wish I'd done that. On to the next "comedy" that will probably succumb to the same problem.
