Naoya Mukai is having the time of his life after his childhood friend Saki Saki finally accepts one of his countless confessions. Ensuring that their relationship will stay strong, he spares no effort in showering affection to his now beloved girlfriend.
However, one afternoon, another girl named Nagisa Minase suddenly confesses to Naoya following months of preparation. Even though he politely rejects her, Nagisa's irresistible charm and determination continue to attract Naoya. Wanting to fulfill both Saki and Nagisa's desires, Naoya ends up proposing a crazy idea—to date the two of them simultaneously, with both girls fully aware. This unprecedented state of affairs ultimately causes wacky and hilarious situations in whatever they do to keep their unusual relationship going.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
IrrelevantGuy
Have you ever watched an anime you hated at first but then came to like it? That's my experience with Kanojo mo Kanojo. "Like" is an understatement though, because I found myself laughing my ass off watching pretty much every episode. In a season which suffered from the "lack of good shit" syndrome, Kanojo mo Kanojo had legitimately been my favorite anime to watch. Yes, legitimately. First, let's get the bad things out of the way. If you don't enjoy "dumb", "illogical" anime and dislike the awkward two-timing concept of KmK, chances are that you won't like the show either. This is very clearly a hit-or-missseries, you are either going to love it or hate it. Even someone like me, who absolutely adores the show now, had a rough time sitting through the first episode. It wasn't because of the "dumb always equals bad" mentality that a lot of people seem to have, but because of how awkward I found the circumstances to be. There's another major reason behind my initial dislike, but I will get to that in a bit.
So what makes KmK good compared to other dumb, "low-effort" harem romcoms out there? What's different about it compared to something like Osamake? It's hard to explain. Maybe it's the fact that KmK actually feels like a genuine parody of harem – as opposed to a series that only appears to be a parody while unironically being the exact thing that it attempts to make fun of (Osamake, for example again). The scenarios in KmK are also far more outlandish, with each scenario constantly one-upping the earlier one in terms of ridiculousness. Everything about the show feels like the most cliched trope you could ever imagine – just amplified to an unthinkable extent.
Then there's the fact that the characters are actually likeable and entertaining, which is one of the biggest differences between KmK and most other harem romcoms.
The characters are by far the best part of KmK, and they are basically what make the show's awkward premise somehow work. Yes, most of them are unbelievably stupid, illogical, and embarrassingly straightforward, but they are still entertaining. Their apparent lack of braincells doesn't make them the least bit intolerable. Instead, they are more enjoyable because of it. Another noteworthy side is that the series doesn't dabble in any unnecessary subplot, and there aren't many characters in the cast. This is rather uncommon in harem romcoms, most of which have a tendency to stray away from the original storyline by introducing redundant side-characters and the like.
However, if you had asked me about my opinion about KmK two months ago, I probably would have given a much different answer, and that's mostly because of just one guy: Naoya, the protagonist.
Naoya is a very difficult character to like, and I completely understand why. He is as stupid and clueless as a brick, appearing very selfish and self-centred, and above all, he is a two-timing bastard and the root cause of this fucked up situation. But man, is he honest and straightforward. I would have had no qualms repeatedly punching his face if it had been a few weeks ago, but as the story progressed, I kind of started liking the guy to be honest. Not in any conventional way, though. Let me explain.
Naoya doesn't have any relatable backstory or even a compelling trait that will make you like him, but what he does have is his overly frank and persistent personality and his commitment to keep both of his girlfriends happy, which is admirable in its own way. Naoya will go out of his way to make sure that Saki and Nagisa are treated equally, leading to some questionable yet nonetheless hilarious scenarios. All this made it difficult for me to dislike him, although I totally hated him at the beginning of the story. In the end, you could say that he is essentially the "life" of this show, and say what you want, I don't think you can find a better replacement.
Enough about Naoya, though. Let's talk about the girls now.
For starters, Saki is the best girl of the show imo. The other three are also very likeable (although Shino gets focus for like only 2 episodes), but Saki's surprisingly sympathetic persona and unpredictable behaviour makes her the most memorable out of all. But again, the other girls also deserve credit. They all love Naoya for their own reasons and come up with various plans to protect and express their love, which kinda makes your root for all the three at the same time – no matter how disastrous the ultimate result is. As the story is now though, Saki and Nagisa seem like the only potential winners, but given the kind of series we are talking about here, anything could happen.
The animation of KmK clearly isn't top-tier, but it isn't really bad either. There are a lot of awkward reactions and stiff movements from time to time, but the overall quality of the animation is fine. I like the vibrant color scheme of the show as well, and most importantly, all the girls look very attractive (although their faces can become quite deformed sometimes – either for comedic purpose or unintentionally).
Regarding the soundtrack, I thought it was surprisingly good. Some of the tracks that played on the background were very memorable. Along with the decent soundtrack, KmK has one of the best opening and ending themes this season. The opening song "Fuzaketenaize" is very catchy, and the ending song "Pinky Hook" is especially good with its outstanding pre-chorus, which gets me hooked (pun intended) every time I hear it.
Kanojo mo Kanojo is easily one of the most enjoyable harems I have ever watched, and there honestly isn't any sense of irony when I say that. Whether or not the show has good writing may be debatable, but one thing is for sure – it knows how to have fun, it knows how to embrace its stupidity. This type of unassuming and "not giving a fuck" attitude makes the show a rare find and, in my opinion, a legitimately fun anime to watch. You wouldn't find anything remotely meaningful here even with the most rose-tinted glasses, but that doesn't stop it from being any less enjoyable.
After all, not all anime need to be profound or even rational to be genuinely entertaining, and Kanojo mo Kanojo just might be the best example of that.
HellLyter
This anime is hilarious, and don't feel pressured by anime "standards" to hide your true feelings if you think so too. Let me pose a question. What is the reason why we watch anime, and on a larger spectrum, consume all varieties of media? Is it so we can critically dissect all of the aspects of a show and nitpick on all of its faults? While I'm sure this can be...fun?...for some (and a headache for others haha), I don't think so. It's because of entertainment. We crave excitement, something that can function as a brief escape from our realities and act as a stimulusfor our minds. That to me is the key component of all media, regardless of genre. While there are a variety of factors that can contribute to a work of fiction being a success, to me it ultimately boils down to two things: Does it keep me interested and do I enjoy watching it? And let me tell you, Kanojo mo Kanojo is easily one of the most entertaining anime that I've seen in years!
The premise is stupid. The execution of the story is stupid. The characters and their actions are stupid. And I absolutely love it. Contrary to popular belief, an anime does not in fact have to be on a scale of epic proportions or contain beautifully written symbolism to be good. Besides, that would limit creativity and expressionism if everybody tried to write similarly. We gotta expand our horizons and get a little more diversity! To me, Kanojo mo Kanojo is a success because I was able to enjoy the heck out of it despite its simplistic, limited, and in ALL cases, silly content.
So the show pretty much revolves around the premise of the main dude two timing, and the biggest plot development involves another girl trying to get him to be a three timer. Oh boy! This is one of those weird ideas that I doubt you would see any other country bar Japan dare attempt to implement in their works because of all of the potential controversies. Japan doesn't give a crap of course because Japanese people are seemingly just too badass to care. But hey, this anime doesn't attempt to glorify polygamy like other certain anime seemingly try to paint other negative practices like slavery in a positive light, so I don't really care what the ideas used are as long as they're utilized appropriately in the narrative. And to me, it works because of the absurd way that the cast deals with it.
The characters do not act like normal people. Naoya is beyond dense and loves to shout everything he thinks out loud. He also tries WAAAAY too hard at everything. The man has no stop button or shame, but it's great. He stands out because of how ridiculous he is, and this dude's antics never failed to crack me up. Whether it's *Gasp*...HAND HOLDING...with two girls out in public while screaming about his love for them or forgoing his pants so he can make a point, Naoya's over the top nature really makes him memorable, and his amazing voice acting certainly helps.
Saki is Naoya's initial girlfriend, and my personal favorite character in the show. As her good friend Shino puts it, Saki is stupid. And you know what? That's ok!!! I absolutely love the chemistry between Saki and Naoya, their moments had me burst out laughing on various occasions. I'm glad that she at least tried to fight the whole two timing thing for awhile, but eventually caved in because her, Naoya, and Nagisa were simply made to be in a love triangle...no really, that's how the author wrote it. But truth be told, it's primarily because she's a baka. And she's also big pushover who was easily won over by Nagisa. I was honestly surprised at how lewd Saki was and especially the way her horniness (Wait, is this a real word?) was portrayed. I'm used to anime girls being like "Oho! I'm going to get him to look at my slightly exposed cleavage! How perverted!!!" But Saki over here is just like "I want sex and can't stop thinking about it" while still being fidgety and nervous about it all because she has no experience. Which I weirdly respect and, I dunno, somehow find more realistic and endearing? Yeah, maybe I'm just a baka myself. This anime seems to push the ecchi levels further than most with things like this, and that little extra nudge helps make it stand out to me. Saki's various comedic expressions and reactions to the insanity that is this anime are great. Plus the absolutely phenomenal voice acting for her really helped to elevate Saki's character even more. Seriously though, why are the seiyuu in this anime so darn good!?
The other characters are fun too. Nagisa is the reason why the whole plot THICCens in the first place by confessing to Naoya. As you can imagine, everything about her is turned up to 11, such as the fact that she has to put in thousands of hours of effort into things just to try and be average at them. I can only imagine that this is because, like the rest of this anime, Nagisa is stupid. But hey, she's an excellent cook, so there's that!!! Milika is a girl who appears in order to move the plot along, which makes sense since she has, uh, a, b, c, d, e, f...G-reat PLOT, if ya know what I mean~ Her dedication to getting Naoya to fall for her is admirable, if not borderline insane. I was worried that her antics might start to lesson my enjoyment of the show, but the reverse happened. She has plenty of funny moments and I'll be rooting for her to turn this two way anime into a THREE way anime!!! The last girl to mention is Saki's elegant friend Shino, who is anything but elegant in her one big scene. She hasn't appeared much, but if her short yet amazingly anime-esque confrontation with Naoya is anything to go by, she has a lot of potential...just not in her chest. Gah, I tried to hold back, but I couldn't, I'm sorry. But anyway, here's hoping Studio Tezuka Productions will get on that second season!!!
If there's anything you can take away from my review, it's this. Please, don't take this show seriously. You'll only hurt yourself if you try to, trust me. Logic simply doesn't exist in this series, just like how boing boing doesn't exist on Saki's flat chest and how opinions don't exist in the minds of ignorant people.....ok, I couldn't decide which comparison to use since the first one makes me seem perverted and the second one makes me come across as rude. So naturally, I decided to use both of them. Why?
Because I'm stupid. Just like this anime. So in the end, maybe that's why I feel such a connection to it...
An1meDweeb
Have you heard of "fake stories within a story?" Take the "Home Alone" franchise, for example. Kevin McCallister spends his Winter holiday evenings watching the noir movie "Angels with Filthy Souls." The fake film and its fake sequel are really funny mafia parodies; despite not originating from an actual movie, "Merry Christmas, ya' filthy animal" is still an incredibly iconic movie line. Both of these sketches are short and sweet, with each sitting at under 2 minutes. I call them fake stories because they're clearly not meant to hold any narrative importance. The same goes for a sappy romance manga titled "Go Sweet" that Shirogane andthe gang read in "Love is War." All we know about the manga is that it resembles a bunch of common shoujo plotlines, but to our characters it's a bestselling series that made them tear up despite its generic tropes. It's just a fake story that allows the real story to create some hilarious parodies, like when the author reimagined "Love is War" as a melodramatic shoujo ai. Much like our world, it makes sense that fictional characters also have their own in-universe version of television and books. These are usually jokes built on generalizations of the genre being made fun of, be it grimy crime dramas or sappy YA romance. I'm fond of fake stories, but mostly because they're fake. They aren't meant to be taken seriously, nor do they overstay their welcome.
"Kanojo no Kanojo" is what happens when one of these shitposts gets dragged out for a miserable 12 episodes.
This piece is spoiler-free, Tl;Dr below.
Naoya gets the girl. Equal parts daft and earnest, he's been pursuing his childhood friend Saki for years. In the first year of high school she accepts his feelings, and the two start out on their adorkable relationship. He's still as infatuated with his longtime crush as he's ever been, she's smitten by his sheer earnestness. The pair share a funny chemistry, thanks to comic misunderstandings and exaggerated declarations of love for one another. It'd be fun to see a story of these getting worked-up over every tiny thing in their blossoming relationship.
Kanokano is not that story. Heck, just calling it a story at all would be a stretch.
Out of the blue, a blue-haired first-year decides to ask MC out, in typical anime fashion. A girl whom this guy has no prior knowledge of just shoots her shot. Sure, she worked up the courage to confess for several months, but what would he know. He's content and attached to his first and only love.
Naturally, he says yes.
What follows is an absolute trainwreck. Rather than find himself having to choose between one girl and the other, MC decides to date both in a two-timing relationship. And as proof of his "TRuE l0Ve," he tells an enraged Saki of his horny intentions to start a high-school harem. That's right, he cucks both of his girlfriends openly. Now, there's nothing wrong with adults consenting to an open courtship with more than two people, but nothing about this weak-willed excuse of a MC screams "loyal" or "mature," given how quickly he fell head-over-heels over a stranger he just met. And to top it all off, the threesome moves into MC's home to live happily ever after, unsupervised and underage. Kanokano is all about the resultant polygamy, and the sheer idiocy that allowed it to occur.
Before discussing this abominable harem, we must direct our attention to our Harem Lord. In the past I've been harsh towards male protagonists with zero personality, but I'd prefer any number of them over this mess of a character. Naoya Mukai is quite easily the worst lead character in all of fiction; or, at the very least, the worst protagonist I've had the displeasure of coming across thus far. I really wish I was merely drumming up exaggerated anger for the sake of publishing a heated review, but he is genuinely revolting. At first glance, Naoya appears to be a perpetual loser who demonstrates his undying love with big romantic gestures. But really, the guy is a toxic manipulator who constantly gaslights those around him in order to fulfill his horny desires. He comically misunderstands the babes surrounding him and twists their words, with an idiocy so unfiltered that girls end up second-guessing themselves. Naoya is what happens when you cross the Machiavellian tendencies of a Gen-Z Light Yagami with the selfish, pathetic guise of ToG's Rachel. Self-deprecation is often seen as a weakness or an undesirable flaw, yet Naoya leans into his worthlessness so hard that it miraculously becomes a strength. He shamelessly proclaims he's a two-timing scum, but only because he loves his girls both equally and endlessly. Suddenly, his unfaithfulness is seen as a prized rarity, and every female above the age of consent would throw themselves at him to be the sole recipient of such undying love. But surely sharing a chode amongst so many impressionable teenage girls is a "hard" task, in more ways than one! Getting into Naoya's bandwagon (and pants) becomes more difficult as the series progresses, because he needs to "stay faithful" to the girls already attached to him. However, MC playing hard-to-get just ends up being an excuse for entertaining the humiliating advances of the chicks around him. Forget any notion of this series navigating a taboo polygamous relationship in Japan; Kanokano is a show about a cult - one where a serial manipulator unabashedly tricks the world into falling in love with him.
The cult of Kanokano is repulsive, but it's hard to feel sorry for the victims dumb enough to fall for MC's schemes. As an abridged mockery of the harem trope, each girl is defined primarily by their obsessive desires to win MC's heart. Character traits barely distinguish one empty husk of a character from the next; these idiots may as well be interchangeable target practice for Cupid's arrows. No one here is really in love with Naoya; rather, they crave only the idea of being the only one loved by him. Each girl steps outside of their comfort zones to "out-love" everyone else by catering to MC's fetishes. The end result? A clown fiesta of antics and grand gestures that rapidly decline in shock value. Forgoing sleep to profess love, camping in the cold outdoors as a pick-up strategy, bribing lovers with "gacha" rolls, getting aroused from NTR, putting on roleplay clothes in order to sleep with MC, and stripping down said clothes in order to sleep with MC - you get the perverted picture. It's the kind of immature bullshittery that'll make any reasonable soul call for a parent, if not for the fact that these parents are just as irredeemably shit as their insane offspring. Kanokano paints a nightmarish dystopia where society has regressed to the age of Neanderthals. Fathers and mothers don't just allow their little girls to play House with MC - they encourage it, praying that their respective child will be the one to claim Naoya's heart. This is a sick world so primitive that down-bad daughters attempt to make Sir Nice Guy shoot babies into them, while their irresponsible parents cheer their underage children on.
With a fervor not seen since Thanos' quest to assemble the Infinity Gauntlet, the nice guy Naoya hunts for babes to add to his trash waifu depository, with each new insipid addition more helplessly inept than the next. Redhead tsun tiddies. Loli-bait homemaker tiddies. Gyaru e-girl streamer tiddies. The list may as well stretch on and on, in turn tearing the fabric of realism as we know it. But let's not worry about fiction not being believable, that's not even the worst of our problems. The biggest issue with Kanokano is that it obliterates the very idea of love. This harem gives up dignity in exchange for dick, throwing themselves at a love as commonplace as it is disingenuous. Naoya could love anyone, which is why love loses all meaning. The goal of sharing an inseparable bond with a significant other gets utterly destroyed with the addition of countless "others." Love disappears, because love means nothing when it's freely handed out to every girl and my left foot. Romance is dead, and Kanokano has dealt the finishing blow.
This rancid experience does come with its bright spots. Production-wise, Kanokano benefits from a rather pleasant job. It's baffling that such a travesty would follow an otherwise successful streak for Tezuka Productions, a studio fresh off works such as "Dororo" and 2020's phenomenal "Adachi to Shimamura." The latter show's chief director and head director bring the same quirky visual identity to Kanokano, with a comic-book aesthetic and pastel colors. The series is also capable of nailing comedic timing and visual jokes that embrace the absurdity on-screen. Voice actors are the liferaft for the sinking 'ship(s) of Kanokano. Lines are delivered (and often shouted) with the crazy conviction the script requires. These VAs absolutely sell their lines and do their utmost to elevate some incomprehensibly crap material. For all the garbage persistent throughout the series, Kanokano at least executes its ideas relatively well. But if you ask me, it's a bit like polishing a turd.
If you made it this far, you may be wondering what my deal is. Kanokano is clearly a show that isn't meant to be taken seriously, so penning a roast about this steaming dumpster fire must be pointless. Well, if you're looking for an exercise in futility, look no further than Kanokano itself. The show is doing a parody, by taking the tropes associated with the harem formula and expanding on them, arriving in uncharted territory in the process. Kanokano is technically innovating here, but perhaps there is a good reason for why writers don't take things this ridiculously far. By pushing the harem trope to its extreme limits, Kanokano sacrifices all storytelling potential. It's nigh-impossible to see the show as anything other than an overly-long joke, because the show is so deliberately designed to be just that. Kanokano is not capable of grasping its own exercise in futility, because it's got its hands full groping its countless breasts instead. Let's not kid ourselves, no one here is watching Kanokano because of a well-developed cast or cohesive narrative. No, we watch Kanokano to laugh at how stupid it is. And honestly, that's really sad. Kanokano just isn't the kind of parody worth a full 5-hour runtime. All this colossal waste of space can offer are mind-numbing shenanigans. All this tasteless travesty can achieve is to rinse-and-repeat its toxic cycle of gaslighting and self-victimising. All this horrible harem can do is drown the audience out with noisy, over-the-top declarations of love that are as grand as they are empty. All this stupid series can muster is the vandalization of human romance, by stripping the concept of all importance. Much like the "love" the Kanokano cult share, all this story can amount to can be summed up in one word: "Fake."
Stories and entertainment have always been things that I enjoy. I've appreciated some really complex, profound works that have stuck with me. But I'm not gonna sit here and pretend that I don't also treasure my fair share of simple pleasures, comedies and shitposts from time to time. Across all these pieces of media, I've always felt that these things have added to my life in some way, be it big or small. But Kanokano is the first time I've encountered a show that takes away. It's a show so dumb that I almost feel dumber just by sitting through it. If you're genuinely excited by any of the topics I've discussed so far, I won't hinder you from welcoming this chronic brain rot with open arms. Comedy is as subjective as genres get, and what failed for me might work wonders for you. My goal is simply to stay true to my personal experience and serve as a cautionary tale for those tempted to give Kanokano a fair shot. I find that the first episode kinda tells you everything you need to know, with its stupid humor and absurd execution. Feel free to try out that episode out of morbid curiosity. Who knows, Kanokano could fall squarely into "So Bad It's Good" territory.
***
BEST GIRL: Nope.
***
Thanks for reaching the end with me. This one was particularly fun to put together, as if to numb the pain from sitting through this harrowing experience. "I survived Kanokano." Now there's a neat idea for a shirt. If you happen to like my verbose rants, feel free to check out my other reviews for seasons past and present, peace~
Luubie
Polygamy is a difficult subject. Animes prove this. Harem shows try to treat their romances with increasingly repetitive approaches and at the same time don't know what to do often when it comes to finishing a show. Authors and storyboard creators have the difficult task of concluding the story and convincing the audience at the same time. Kanojo mo Kanojo arrived bringing a very different form of love that exceeds a couple, putting on a relationship that, while seeming innovative and different, demonstrates how lostand desperate romance animes are these days. For those who don't know, "polygamy" is an emotional relationship in a group withmore than 2 people. This kind of thing is still a controversial debate, because it not only involves the group of people involved, but also the entire external society that expresses this relationship in a negative way most of the times. Usually, acceptance comes with difficulty, which is fair enough. In the show, after receiving a girl's confession, Naoya proposes to Nagisa a relationship between 3 people. Naoya had from the beginning of the story a fling with Sakisaki, while Nagisa would be his second girlfriend. Sakisaki, like every person who has a normal functioning head, refuses at first sight the awkward and uncomfortable situation. Hearing this proposal from her own boyfriend is like receiving a betrayal, even if it doesn't seem like it. Having to share a closed relationship with another person in this way is something that really needs patience and understanding. Even with this, Sakisaki accepts living with Naoya and Nagisa in this way.
So far, the show looks cool, it's an idea that if it's put to good use, can cause interesting moments and messages, even with this distortion within what is meant by a harmonious relationship. The problem of Kanojo mo Kanojo is actually not this, but the progression of the show added to the difficult to follow coexistences during the episodes. At first, the anime tries to turn this perception into a difficult state until it is something the audience accepts as normal. But the show chose not to do that competently.
In fact, much of what the show has done is leave in hyperbolic drama moments that are just absurd and wouldn't cause that much amazement (remember, this is a show that wants to try to make a relationship between three people natural). You don't need to see much of the anime to identify this. From a hug request to the involvement of a fourth person in the story (in this case, Mirika), the direction of the anime puts the most frivolous and the most absurd moments into pure bliss, as if they were something similar. The way the show approaches this causes outrage with those watching. Imagine you see Naoya hugging Nagisa in front of Sakisaki while she feels a euphoria because she thinks she is developing a fetish, or imagine being surprised by a girl dressed as a rabbit or a maid in front of you. These things are really seen as odd, but they have turned this kind of attempt to relate the characters in a way that hurts the show itself. Honestly, putting a background with green and purple colors to cause a character's astonishment is not amusing, but pathetic. More than pathetic, it is a laziness of the show to innovate. What was supposed to cause humor by what you are seeing, causes laughter by the absurd way the studio decided to do some scenes.
And on the subject of innovation, Kanojo mo Kanojo is actually not a revolutionary anime, but an increasingly common cliché in manga, light novels and harem shows. One can see the increasingly bad trend of stories being poorly reworked and often concluded with contempt from the creator of the project himself. Without quoting spoilers of the endings of these manga, but "Gotoubun no Hanayome", "Domestic na Kanojo" and "Bokuben" were recent examples of adaptations that even having a conclusion did not please and in most cases caused a bad reception about the genre. When making a show of this kind, I imagine that the author needs to have the ability to conclude his work in a way that sparks interest in consuming other projects by him or the magazine he distributes, but unfortunately this does not happen. Kanojo mo Kanojo is not guilty of this trend, perhaps it was even the original idea of the show to be like this. But that doesn't take away from the responsibility to change the parameters of this demographic that is declining year after year.
It's not like the whole show is flawed, particularly some episodes and scenes are cool to follow, but they can't sustain everything else. These isolated cases are like gold found in a desert. You will feel accomplished, but all you will notice around you is misery. The misery of this show is the limitations of a better contact with the viewer. For many times I realized that the anime, instead of trying to be more casual or even slice of life, it uncontrollably tries to use already repeated, banal and unnecessary subjects to extend and perhaps create more time with this awkward involvement. Whenever it has some drama regarding a character's insecurity, their breasts are one of the first factors to be told, or the girl being pretty, or even the relationship of it being a story where more than 2 people have a love involvement.
Finally, Kanojo mo Kanojo is a disappointment, but a planned disappointment. You wouldn't expect anything good in a show that once again has "Kanojo" in its title (need I mention that this is getting more and more worrisome?), but at least I thought the humor and charm of the anime would be enough to withstand 12 episodes. Well, that's not what occurred. It's a show that has damaged itself and gone from "innovative" to just "weird".
RebelPanda
A man and four women become entangled in a web of jealousy, shame, and cuckoldry… Once in a while, controversial anime like Kanojo mo Kanojo come along and strike a nerve with the audience. These anime can become successes and get praised by fans. Or they can become punching bags—a joke to the whole community. It would be easy to write off KanoKano as cringe, degenerate, and trash, as so many already have, but don’t be so hasty. Accusing Girlfriend, Girlfriend of being cringe is like saying Gintama isn’t historically accurate. You haven’t figured out something that isn’t obvious. Of course, it is cringy, degenerate, and trashy—haremanime usually are. Most of them are testosterone-induced fantasies written by men. But they cover this fact with melodrama and superficial depth. KanoKano does not pretend—it digs deep into the recesses of your desires and pulls primal emotions kicking and screaming to the surface of your subconscious. It is like witnessing a violent car crash. You can’t help but gawk at it with morbid curiosity. Though it panders to harem fans with excessive fanservice, it works to bait unsuspecting viewers. To call KanoKano a “deconstruction” would be cliche. More accurately, it is a perversion of the harem genre that will appeal to those willing to read between the lines.
Girlfriend, Girlfriend fully commits to being idiotic and humiliating to watch. It leans into the cringe, and that’s why it works. It’s easy to write it off as another crappy harem anime. The characters are archetypal, seemingly generic, and they make illogical decisions that conflict with their interests. Naoya wants to protect his girlfriend and give her unconditional love, yet he refuses to reject another girl and becomes a ‘two-timer’. Saki wants Naoya to herself and fears he might cheat on her, yet she allows him to date another girl as soon as he begs. Nagisa wants to advance her relationship with Naoya, but she insists on giving Saki a head start. This circle of painfully obvious miscommunication fuels both the plot and our frustrations with the characters.
While I could pick apart the anime’s many flaws, like cinema sins, then pat myself on the back for being so above the latest trashy harem, that’d be doing it a disservice. I’m guilty of judging this anime before watching it—I called it garbage based on the trailer. Before avoiding it, you should take a look at every other harem anime and male-power-fantasy then ask yourself, isn't this the same tripe you’re used to, except amplified? I’m asking you to peek under the hood of this dumpster fire with me. There’s a method to the madness.
One bold harem author asks, what would happen if everyone wins? Saki’s plight is all due to his intervention. She is the heroine in a seemingly average romantic comedy. All of a sudden, her ideal boyfriend proposes an idea—what if they date another girl? Though she detests the idea of competing for her boyfriend, she is fascinated. Saki expresses attraction for Nagisa in a way that insinuates she is bisexual. Doubtlessly, this explains why she finds an odd excitement in watching Naoya and Nagisa be romantic. These netorare moments are more self-aware than the banal cuckoldry in Domestic Girlfriend. Either girl has an objective; to seduce Naoya, but their fatal flaws prevent them from achieving their goals. Saki’s envy for Nagisa’s curvy body, bodacious breasts, and attentiveness stifles her self-confidence. She feels an innate sense that Naoya is rightfully hers. After all, Nagisa is a plus one who they may eject at any moment. Nagisa understands why Saki is defensive of Naoya. That’s why she supports her. Like a sister-wife! Saki finds herself in these precarious situations because of her naivety. She could easily dump both of them and date a woman instead. In her daily life, she presents as a confident, upstanding student. Behind closed doors, where she lives with boyfriend and girlfriend, her id manifests itself. Watching her personality unravel as the straight man to Naoya’s dense behavior never got tiring. Every joke increases in severity. All manner of sexual desire and insecurities crawl to the surface—creating some truly cringe-worthy moments. I loved every second of it.
Nagisa is perhaps the most disturbing of the five characters. She has no backstory, no family, no friends, no aspirations aside from her boyfriend, and very little character depth. She is horny all the time, unconditionally in love with Naoya, masochistic and satisfied with being his side hoe. Her only ‘development (if you can call it that) involves coming to terms with her stupidity and reliance on Naoya for a purpose. If you imagine a cardboard cutout of the idealized anime waifu, you would see her face. She unconditionally loves you. She is willing to go along with anything you say. All harem anime present this fantasy—she is the final form. The author neither glorifies nor condemns it. He simply presents her unabashedly.
Naoya, however, is attracted to these... qualities.
Naoya grapples with being a societal pariah and maintaining his polyamorous relationship. His character arc isn’t about growing to love his girlfriends more because he already loves Saki and Nagisa unconditionally by the time they become a thruple. His growth is about overcoming shame. This shame is an intentional jab at fans of the harem genre—the humiliation of how society views his love of multiple people as deplorable behavior. People judge him with words like “Cheater” and “Two-timer”. We love the fantasy of having numerous people fall in love with us because it’s satisfying. In reality, it could never happen. You would be ripped apart by society if your fantasies were actualized. Naoya goes to incredible lengths to protect the secrecy of his scandalous relationship; he nearly pays a million yen to keep the truth hidden. At school, he and Saki pretend to be in a monogamous relationship while poor Nagisa sits alone. She sacrifices having a normal love life to be with Naoya: she avoids the shame potentially brought upon her partners if the truth came out through being stealthy. One of the primary sources of shame is Milika.
Oh, how I loathed Milikia from the beginning. Although she shames Naoya for two-timing, everyone can tell she envies his girlfriends. She forces herself into the middle of Naoya, Saki, and Nagisa’s complex thruple. Even though they plead with her to just leave them alone, she refuses. It gets to the point where she literally camps outside of their home, waiting for Naoya to fall in love with her. No one in their right mind would think this is an ordinary way to win someone’s affection, but Milika is certainly not in her right mind. She is a fantasy version of a harem heroine cranked up to insanity. Her love for Naoya is obsessive to the point she stalks him. The truth is, this is the kind of girl who exists in harem anime. She inexplicably falls madly in love with a generic male protagonist; to any average person, this seems insane. In reality, the fantasy waifu who will chase after your heart could never exist healthily. The most comparable character I can think of is Yuno Gasai from Future Diary.
Milika is a textbook narcissist. Her attempts to make Naoya fall for her are humiliating to observe. She’s so tragically unaware that not everyone is in love with her. She has a youtube channel entirely based around showing off her busty cleavage for her audience. And when asked what her favorite thing is, she says: “Myself!” Her vanity is one-dimensional, undeniably sexist, and hammered into the audience. The author intended for her to be cringeworthy. For me, it was a hilarious sight to behold.
Last but not least is Shino, Saki’s best friend and the audience’s avatar. For the first ten episodes, she is a background character who is fooled by the thruple’s monogamous charade. She becomes curious about Saki’s taboo love life, hiding her true intentions with the thin veil of ‘concern for her friend’. Truthfully, she is just like us, a passive observer who peers at the car crash from the rearview mirror. Instead of driving away, she becomes swept into the tornado of lies and humiliation. Shino’s concern for Saki quickly becomes an obsession; she wants to know if the scandalous rumor is true: Is her friend truly perverse? Or has she been manipulated by her depraved boyfriend? Her concern quickly turns to obsession, even stalking. Watching her struggle to understand Naoya, Saki, and Nagisa’s love triangle is exciting because I see my old self in her: Bewildered but morbidly curious enough to prod further.
I will admit, this anime kind of looks terrible. The best storyboards are ripped straight from the manga: such as the creatively framed cuckolding shots and innumerable over-the-top reaction faces. It’s a shame this subversive masterpiece got treated like dime-a-dozen harem trash. Girlfriend, Girlfriend is a genuinely ridiculous anime. But to me, it is fascinating as well. It appeals to the cynic within me. Though it does not have a deep story, it never failed to engage me. I was always able to laugh with it or at it. Still, it accomplishes something so subversive that it makes me wonder if the writers, artists, and actors were all in on the joke.
Marinate1016
KanoKano is the definitive fulfilment of the harem romcom idea. For years I’ve waited for a romcom series with an MC who’s not afraid of women, embraces their advances and takes risks. Finally, after all this time I have one. While the above may seem hyperbolic, I can’t emphasise enough how much I love KanoKano. From episode one I was hooked. The waifus, humour, lack of traditional harem cliches and genuinely hilarious comedy made it one of the most enjoyable anime I’ve seen in a long time. For the entire season this has been the show I look towards the most weekly. It’s not for everyone.If you want character development, quality writing and all that other jazz, you won’t find it here. If you’re able to turn your brain off and realise not everything has to be Shakespearean, then you’ll love this.
The cast is small, but very intimate. They don’t get fleshed out too much, but the character interactions are awesome. The chemistry between the main girls and the MC was an absolute joy to watch. It’s rare to have anime be actually funny. A lot of Japanese jokes tend to be cringe to me, but this show is one of the few that pulls it off. I think if you enjoyed the humour of Oresuki you’ll like this one.
As I briefly touched on before, the main selling point for me is the fact that the MC actually embraces his role as a harem protag. So often in these types of shows you have guys like Issei from DxD who talk about how horny they are, yet run from girls or are afraid to touch them, kiss, etc. Naoya in this is the complete opposite. Remains extremely stoic and composed through pretty much everything, straight up asks his girlfriend if he can date another girl, etc. It was just a massive breath of fresh air and I really wish we would get more of these types of series. For some reason, many mangaka think boys are afraid of women as teenagers.
The art is really nice in this show. I love the bright colour palette as well as the character designs. One of my favourites of the year both artistically and overall.
KanoKano will probably end with a mediocre score on MAL, but that’s to be expected given people tend to think everything has to be extremely deep and that everything needs character development. Regardless, it’s an extremely enjoyable harem with loveable characters and great humour. Can’t recommend it enough.
KanoKano gets 10 Metubers out of 10.
arcthunder
GIRLFRIEND GIRLFRIEND (GFGF) DESERVES MORE LOVE. ME AND THE 7 OTHER GFGF FANS (with one of those fans being the irl friend who watched it with me) ARE IN THE TRENCHES!!! when reading this review and watching the anime, please take this with only an ounce of seriousness. both exist to be enjoyed in good fun and arent meant to be judged by the same standards as, say, neon genesis evangelion and jojos bizarre adventure. with that outta the way, lets get down to the nitty gritty, ok? -* SPOILER FREE BTW *- girlfriend girlfriend is fucking awesome. it accomplished something no other harem anime has everdone before: be appealing to girls. youd assume that the main selling point of a harem anime is the waifu roster, right? well, if you were expecting rare, never-before-seen girls then this isnt the anime for you, but **i** think the cast is excellent, ok? stay with me here and let me cook.
you know what i said about GFGF being appealing to girls? well, you see, the reason why this anime and its cast work SO well is because mc is SUCH a good boy! hes so open and honest and he genuinely loves each and every one of these girls!!! he really wants this to be the BEST two-timing theyve ever been involved in, and i genuinely cant help but root for him. you could even say that his boyish charm and cringe fail swag have captivated me as well, and im a lesbian. thats how good this dude is. he deserves the world and so do his 47384498 gfs.
even when he has selfish ulterior motives (gasp! the horror!!), he always takes into account everybody's feelings and works together with them to reach a compromise and/or agreement everyone is happier and more comfortable with. its adorable. and i fall for it every single time because it never fails to get old. guys, take notes. you, too, can be a bitch magnet by following in mukai naoya's footsteps. this goes for all the gals and pals in between as well, btw. girlfriend girlfriend really is a universal guide to rizz.
also. obligatory paragraph to talk about sakisaki. she speaks to me. all she thinks about is cute girls, food, videogames, and her boyfriend. unironically the perfect self insert for girls who are watching this for the waifus (cough. me. cough. although much like all the waifus here, i really did end up falling for the mc in the end. bless up) sakisaki is also the catalyst for sussy chemistry between girls and its awesome. and speaking of the other girls: yeah, sure, in true harem anime fashion theres some playful rivalrly between them sometimes, but it leads to really funny scenes and sometimesit can even lead to character depth in an albeit very superficial show. AND CAN I JUST SAY THE VOICE ACTORS FOR THIS SHOW ARE CRACKED AS HELL?????? TAKAHASHI RIE? SAKURA AYANE? ENOKI JUNYA? HELLO?!?!?!?!?
anyways. obviously, this is a really goofy show. nevertheless, its candid approach to polyamory, love triangles, and harem tropes is GENUINELY refreshing. its not irony-poisoned, it doesnt berate anyone, and it doesnt make any statements. and honestly? being able to turn off my brain for 20min every week to watch something for the haha funnies without having to worry about hot takes or existential dread in my seasonal harem anime trash was an incredible experience. im so glad we got a second season, because i didnt realize how much i needed wholesome harem trash like girlfriend girlfriend in my life til i came across it and now i cant get enough of it. WOOO OK REVIEW OVER! mad props to you, the reader, for making it this far. feel free to check out girlfriend girlfriend if any of this spoke to you OR the part of you that loves junk food anime. and if it didnt, no pressure! best of luck to you on your quest for more seasonal trash!
keep watching and talking about harem anime yall. harem is just as essential to our anime ecosystem as your shonen and your isekai or whatever it is the cool kids watch, ok? alright peace out
Clobbopus
This is my first and likely only review so sorry if it's bad I think there is some sort of misconception among the viewers of Kanojo mo Kanojo that it is a bad anime. What exactly is "bad" and what isn't is entirely up to you to decide by yourself. So why do most people think Kanojo mo Kanojo is bad? It's because of pretty much everything it has to offer. They don't like the characters and how over the top and stupid they are. They don't like how cringe the show becomes at times and how hard it could become to watch. It's exactly thesetraits that make this anime so great in my opinion. It seems that there are a surprising amount of people that are not aware that this is a gag anime. Gag anime aren't really meant to be taken seriously they are meant to make you laugh. So is it really fair to rate a gag anime the same way you would rate a normal anime? That's why most of the criticism this anime gets actually ends up being some of its biggest strengths. The over the top characters and cringe moments only contribute to what this show is at heart: a gag anime.
Art:10
For a show to have good "art" it doesn't only need to actually look good it also needs to be unique and rememberable. It doesn't matter how good an anime looks if I feel like I have already seen it 10 times before I won't like it. Kanojo mo Kanojo definitely doesn't do that. Its art is rather simple but extremely unique. It's very colorful and never makes me bored at looking at the screen. Not only does the art looks good it also fits very well with the wacky nature of the anime. You can give Kyo-ani levels of art in this anime but I still think I would end up preferring this one.
Sound:10
Kanojo mo Kanojo's soundtrack is amazing. Much of it is very vibrant and fun and fits very well in the show. One particular track I liked was the one that played at the beginning of most of the episodes telling a quick recap of the last. It always got me ready for the craziness that is Kanojo mo Kanojo. Both the op and ed are phenomenal and some of my top picks for the best opening and ending of the summer season. One of the best parts of it all though is the voice acting. It helps exaggerate the jokes even more than even its parent manga never could. Overall this anime has all I could ever ask for in the sound department.
Characters:10
Now onto my favorite part and the favorite of many: The Characters. This anime has one of the best casts I have ever seen. Now I'm not really a fan of harem anime in general and one key reason why is the protagonist. Most harem protagonists are devoid of any sort of personality and are too scared to actually take any action. Naoya the protagonist of this anime is anything but that. Naoya is an extremely straightforward and stupid person and will almost always say what's on his mind regardless of the situation. Most of the time this straightforward personality of his leads to rather comical scenarios involving him and his girlfriends. He is also honest to a fault and almost always tells the truth even if it would destroy his reputation. But on top of all, he deeply cares about his two girlfriends and isn't embarrassed at all to admit it. Unlike your average harem protagonist who is too embarrassed to even think about the thought of love. Naoya is probably the most unique harem protagonist I have ever seen and I'm all for it. Besides the protagonist, there are four heroines. Saki is Naoya's childhood friend and first girlfriend. Saki is generally a very energetic and cheerful girl. She can also be kind of violent at times and usually punches Naoya when he is being stupid. In most anime, a girl assaulting the male lead would come off as annoying but not in this anime with its more comical tone. Also to be fair most of the time Naoya kind of deserves it. She is also pretty stupid herself and extremely forgetful at times. This personality of hers honestly makes many scenes of the anime a lot funnier and it wouldn't be the same with someone different. Saki honestly is the perfect character for this type of anime and my personal favorite one. Next is Nagisa Naoya's other girlfriend. Nagisa is generally a timid and kind girl. She also seems to have a talent for blackmailing people. Just like Naoya and Saki, she is very stupid. I am normally not a fan of characters like Nagisa because of their repetitiveness and lack of action. Nagisa however isn't afraid to take action to help win over Naoya and is generally pretty different from your average dandere. Next is up is Rika or "Mirika" as she is commonly referred to in the anime. An easy way I can describe her is you know "Nino" from "The Quintessential Quintuplets". Mirika is pretty much an improved version of her. Just like Nino, Mirika is a tsundere who isn't afraid to take action to win over affection. Both are very refreshing takes on a tsundere and pretty great characters in their own right. One thing people criticize Nino for in her own anime is that she is rather "annoying". Now Mirika isn't really any different but what is different is her setting. The Quintessential Quintuplets is a harem anime at heart and Kanojo mo Kanojo is a gag anime at heart. Mirika annoying antics at the end of the day only help the anime even more rather then dragging it down. Last but not least we have Shino. Now in all honestly I don't have too much to say about Shino as she has by far gotten the least screen time out of all the characters. But from what I have seen she is a pretty amazing character. Shino is the best friend of Saki and begins to follow Naoya around once she suspects that he is two-timing Saki. She is a very serious character which is honestly a nice contrast to how wacky this anime is. Overall I really really love these characters.
Enjoyment: 11
Anime's main purpose is for you to enjoy. I feel like most people have forgotten that the more anime they watch. Things like art and characters are only factors to our overall enjoyment at the end of the day. So did I enjoy this anime? Yeah. Out of the 27 different anime I watched this season this is the one that I enjoyed the most. This anime is also really funny like a gag anime is supposed to be if that wasn’t obvious yet. I'm sure most people have also realized this by now but this anime really isn't meant to be taken seriously. You just have to relax and have fun. If you try and search this show for its flaws I’m sure you will find plenty. But I could honestly care less about them. All I know is that I really enjoyed this show and I'm sad it's over.
Overall 10/10
I laughed a lot.
I had lots of fun.
Season 2 pls.
ReVon_pL
It was so bad, I forgot I even watched it. The first episode is somewhat funny, but the joke gets old really fast. It ain't great. Do I seriously need to write more to publish this? It's just another mediocre romcom, can't say much about it. I would like it more if it really tried to show polyamorous relationships in a more serious light, focusing on what it is, and what problems people in them are facing. I don't really hate it, but it's just another harem anime, filled with fanservice of underage girls. That whole two-timing is just a poor excuse to make unfunny jokes,and of course, bring every character under the same roof. It's another show, in which the parents of our main character (Naoya) are absent from the life of their kid. So yeah, two main girls come to live together, and that blond one camps outside (because that's so intelligent, mc doesn't want her there, but he ain't calling the police. Reason? I actually forgot, but something along the lines of "My father sees me as irresponsible and wants to delete my YouTube channel", of course, our MC saves the day and lets her stay in his backyard lol. The last girl wants to help her friend, Saki, the main girl. She sees Naoya as a pervert and wants to get her friend out of that dumb relationship. What's the problem this time? Well, she has a crush on our MC as well, unbelievable, right? And so their lives go on, a lot of not-at-all-funny jokes, dumb fanservice (like really the most two brain cells fanservice I've ever seen), and lack of imagination.
A show to shut your brain off, It might be fun to watch while being drunk with friends. Sadly, I don't drink and have no friends.
bulkyhog
“Sharknado is a 2013 American made-for-television sci-fi disaster film about a waterspout that lifts sharks out of the ocean and deposits them in Los Angeles” (Wikipedia). When you read this description, how do you think this movie performed? Surely a box-office bomb, with horrible ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, reviews shitting on it left, right and center, and the producers wondering what could possibly have gone wrong right? Well, Sharknado proved everyone wrong. It racked up millions of views over the weeks following its initial screening, developed a cut following, and even garnered a 78% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus stating “Proudly, shamelessly, and gloriouslybrainless, Sharknado redefines 'so bad it's good' for a new generation."
Why might I be bringing up Sharknado you ask? Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Sharknado of anime and manga. Kanojo mo Kanojo. A series so over-the-top and shameless, that it truly redefines “so bad it’s good” for the anime community. Interspecies Reviewers? Rental Girlfriend? Domestic Girlfriend? Take every degenerate anime you’ve ever recently heard of, or ever will hear of for that matter, and throw it out the window. The one true god you should worship is Kanojo mo Kanojo.
Unlike the previous shows I mentioned, Kanojo mo Kanojo goes all out in being as bad as it can be. I refuse to believe that this story was written with anything but shameless comedy and spoofing in mind, evident by the first episode. The ridiculous story and characters, excessive transitions, sound effects, corny responses, typical rom-com ecchi gag parodies, shocked expressions with vividly animated backgrounds, parodies of the entire Louvre collection on rom-com OSTs (I think we went through maybe 20 or so distinct OSTs/background tracks in every episode), and to top it all off with a cherry on top, voice acting that’s brimming with gusto, is all a testament to how this show sees itself. Considering all intents and purposes, Kanojo mo Kanojo is a certified masterpiece in that aspect: it holds nothing back in its journey to exceed the expectations you’d have of a degenerate spoof series.
And it only gets worse (or I should say better) as the series rolls on. We’ve seen beta males, alpha males, sigma males, but none can match up to the oxymoron Naoya who is both a beta simp and giga chad existing in the same mortal body. This four-time champion does it all. The ridiculous designs and sheer stupidity of the four girls deciding to enter a polygamous relationship is also a daunting feature to stomach as an average anime viewer. Saki, Nagisa, Rika, Shino. Etch those names into your heart for they will be remembered for years to come. The animation, while popping and vibrant, is inconsistent in quality especially during wider-angle shots; however, this is but a small blemish on a masterpiece of a show.
The sheer power and volume of comedy in this anime is so strong, that it rivals the laughs and tears I’ve gotten out of Grand Blue and Asobi Asobase (although more often than not out of stupidity than authentic comedy). Hell, I’m confident that even if you went into this show with a serious attempt at critiquing it or trying to enjoy it, that mentality would instantly be shattered and you would come to realise Kanojo mo Kanojo for what it truly is: the pariah of bad anime, the Domestic Girlfriend of Domestic Girlfriends, the messiah we pleb weebs have been awaiting to save us from isekai purgatory and show us the true potential of anime.
This will definitely be one of the hottest takes this season, and I’m fully ready to accept whatever comes my way. But I will stay strong in my beliefs. This is a hill I’m willing to stake my life and die on, so don’t you worry my fellow brothers and sisters of the faith: I will preach the greatness of Kanojo mo Kanojo until I draw my last breath.
shft7
This anime is quality. Its story points may not be the most original. 'Average Japanese school boy getting a harem' - doesn't sound too inspiring, but as it turned out you don't need to make insanely original premise for a work of fiction to be enjoyable. So, this anime turned out to be really well made and this is why: 1) Humor is on point as it's not too trashy and not too boring - perfect balance. It's a bit on a 'weeby' side with its fan service and Japanese culture. But it still should be pretty watchable for normie people. 2) This anime is easy towatch. It's 'believable' and characters feel alive. It's not some obscure stuff which could be hard to follow.
3) Art and sound - all good, no eye piercing CGI. Picture has unique art style and nice color palette.
4) Pacing of the story feels good. The episodes don't feel rushed or slow.
Conclusion:
If you want to watch something nice then this is the choice of the season. 10/10 anime, its only problem is that we will never see its characters become adults, as I have a feeling it would have transformed from romcom to drama *real quick*
Senraikai
This anime is amazing. I went into this show without knowing anything about it and enjoyed it immensely. This is a hilarious anime about a man that does his best to make the girls he cares about happy. If I was to describe what really make this show great it would be the characters. The ridiculous premise definitely helps, but really it's the characters that do a fantastic job of taking that premise and maximizing the comedy. The characters all look great, are very well voice acted, and have great interactions with each other. Even the main male character added a lot to the show bybeing a very atypical protagonist for this type of show. He's a man that knows what's important to him and fights to protect it regardless of conventional morals and without concern about how other people would view it.
Throughout this entire show I was never bored and often could not completely predict what was going to happen next. There is so much creativity and hilarity in this show that I was thoroughly entertained and laughing the whole time. Kanojo mo Kanojo is my favorite show of the season and I hope more people give the show a chance.
BadGuyBoog
Okay so his dude dates 2 girls openly at the same time and I’m assuming he gets the other 2 later in the manga. Yup. Fucking Christ, why am I watching this shit? I will not watch season 2, I refuse to. I actually showed this one to my brother as a warning not to venture on his own in anime like I did. I will not lose another to the void. I will not have him saying to me, “hey [redacted]? I watched Domestic Girlfriend.” If that happens I think it’s just time to put him down. But... here’s the thing. The most difficultpart about a show like this is to make the main character likable, and not a complete scumbag. How do they do this? By making him a straight forward dumbass. And I kinda like that. Not the whole cheating openly but I kinda like his character. He’s so boisterous and lively that he kind of just makes the show entertaining. It is the epitome of dumb fun. It’s kind of funny because Saki Saki is the classic girl who gets violent with the boy, but this time it is 100% deserved. Every character is like this, just a fucking energetic dumbass. I don’t know, it's just kind of insane and I’m here for it. Like this show is off the fucking walls. It is insane, nonsensical, stupid, absurd, batshit crazy and they go all out. They looked at the premise, said “this is stupid” and then proceed to say “fuck it” and did whatever the hell they wanted. I kinda respect them for that. Now, in no way is this good by any stretch of the imagination. Quite the opposite. But it is very entertaining.
Corrout
Is this anime trash? Yes, it is Does it deserve the score? Yes But does it mean it’s an unenjoyable anime? Not at all Following in the footsteps of the new trash kanojo / girlfriend series (Domestic Girlfriend and Rent a Girlfriend), Girlfriend Girlfriend is here to refill the box of trash shows that are stupidly funny and enjoyable. At first, it sounds dumb; “Why would I watch a show where a dude gets 2 girls and actively two times them?” but once you turn on this, you won’t be disappointed (unless you are expecting a good anime). Plot is simple. Saki Saki a childhood friend of Naoyabecause his girlfriend after 10 years. They are the most lovey dovey couple ever, expressing their love in the public. Though, a classmate called Nagisa Minase has skipped school for months to perfect herself to confess to Naoya. One afternoon she calls Naoya up until the rooftop, and confess her love, and Naoya cannot refuse it. So he goes full insane strats and accepts the confession on the terms that she’ll have Saki Saki still be Naoya’s Girlfriend. She accepts, and the wacky romcom starts. There are some genuine funny and stupid moments in this show, it’s amazing. 9/10
I especially like the art style in this show, it’s quite basic but it does everything what it provides without any issues, exactly what a Slice of Life show should be like that isn’t made by KyoAni should be. The characters look cute, and it does a pretty good job of expressing the emotions felt by the characters, because without it the show wouldn’t feel right. 8/10
This show would be not the same without the chaotic nature of the characters. You have Saki Saki (which reminds me of Tsukasa from Tonikawa) with a cheerful yet tsundere-tropey character, which makes the sillier scenes much more chaotic, which only adds to the fun. Then you have Minase Nagisa, a quiet yet bubbly character who will help out Naoya or even Saki at no matter what cost. Then Naoya is a straightforward person who will just speak whatever he has on his head, which creates most of the problems of the plot, which is both silly yet enjoyable. The balance of characters in this show help it be the stupid funny show this is. 9/10
The OST fits, but like with many seasonals, it falls under the forgettable side. I personally do like the OP and especially the ED with pinky hook (one of my most played anime songs), as they both fit the chaotic and the energetic nature of the anime. 8/10
There is so much enjoyment to this show, even outside of the anime itself. The amount of times I have to looks at my surroundings just incase someone is disgustedly watching this from the shadows is more times then I would admit, but honestly it just adds to the fun. But back to the anime, this is just a pleasure to watch something so outlandish and creative yet silly. This is by far the best out of the trilogy of Kanojo (Rent a GF was great tho was far from the stupidity of this, and Domestic GF was just so spicy for me at times), so if you like any of the other two, I highly recommend it. 9/10.
audioxtc
After reading some of the reviews for this show, I had a general impression on what it’s basic concept was. And basic is all I thought it to be, however I decided to give it a chance since I can appreciate even the most standard of plots (easy to please). Girlfriend Girlfriend ended up being everything I thought it would be and everything I didn’t. Honestly though, I can't believe some of the other reviewers on this site had a bad impression, since, for me, this show is fantastic. It’s difficult to put into words but I’ll try. Girlfriend Girlfriend, I’ll just call it GfGf, surprised me with their approach to “Harem”. I’ve seen plenty shows like what I thought this show to be, raunchy and absurd with plenty of fan service. But what jumped out at me most was the surprising lack of raunchy and absurd, and the little to no fan service. To make things better, I laughed harder at this show and the situations the characters found themselves in, then I have any other shows in awhile. Needless to say, Gf Gf has a unique take on an unoriginal idea.
The idea of the show is the main character is dating someone he’s been friends with since childhood and finally gets the guts to ask her out. Soon after they start dating another very dedicated girl decides to confess her feelings to him and thus he has not one but two girlfriends, hi-jinx ensue. Now, I’ve had my eye on this show but thought it worth waiting until the dub released. Am I glad I didn’t wait though. I believe the Japanese voice acting really sends the comedy and scenarios home to comedy heaven. English doesn’t quite give off the same aggressive tone that this type of show requires and I doubt it would be as funny if dubbed. It’s rare I say this since I usually prefer dub, but I'm not exclusive to it.
I foresaw a generic "harem" comedy/drama with a name like Gf Gf, but instead got an intriguing comedy with unique characters and completely reasonable dilemmas. There are some short comings but needless to say, this show is entertaining and is definitely worth watching if you can get past its unrealistic concept. I had a blast with each episode and honestly love all the characters involved. The central boyfriend Naoya is what creates this abundance of humor in my opinion, but both girlfriends keep up with him and his ridiculousness in their own unique and individual way. I honestly was so surprised at how well this show handled what I thought to be a mundane and boring concept.
The characters by far make this show, not the setting. Although it’s premise is what gives the show its name, it’s the unique qualities of each character that make the show worth watching. And again, the voice acting is top notch here. The protagonist and both girlfriends are all funny and endearing, and equally so. I usually dislike all characters involved in this genre, and just watch for the premise, so to have a show come along and flip that on its head is a welcome deviation.
The show probably would have lost me had Naoya been a womanizer, a smug jerk, or a lucky idiot. Though he is lucky and an idiot, he still is very considerate and is clearly grateful for the wonderful situation he's in. It's that reason other women enter the picture at all. It's not his luck, but his caring personality that allows for the other women in the show to trust him or be fond of him. He's special in his own way, and definitely makes for good humor, but it's his red headed girlfriend, Saki Saki, that hits it out of the park.
What I appreciate most about Saki is that she tends to be the only other character to match the boyfriends energy. It's almost like she is so dedicated to the relationship that she responds to every ridiculous thing Naoya throws at her and takes it in stride, relatively speaking...there are a few breakdown moments I suppose. Even with the introduction of the blue haired girlfriend, Nagisa, Saki takes it much better than most women would. I believe half is due to her similarities to the boyfriend, he couldn't tell Nagisa no and neither can she. More importantly, the other half is her taking this on as a challenge or attempting to hit it head on...though this is all just my perception of events. Seeing Saki's direct response to everything really made the show for me. One scene in particular is in the beginning of the first episode, Naoya ends up overthinking Saki's reasoning for going home alone. He consistently speaks very loudly and direct, almost aggressive but non-threatening (this is just a staple of his personality). He begins to think she worries about him cheating on her, and though she obviously doesn't, still insists on confessing loudly how she is the only girl for him. Embarrassed and taken aback, Saki ends up responding with passion and energy, similar to his, to show her love and trust back. I'm not sure why, but I found this whole scene hilarious and endearing. It's almost like she is proud to be able to respond to such ridiculousness without getting embarrassed, which I agree is a feat considering how Naoya is.
Saki isn't the only unique character though. Nagisa is very sweet and entertaining to watch navigate this new world she's in. Though she's not as funny, she's able to bring comfort and meaning to most scenes that would've otherwise felt erratic or disconnected. It's her existence in general that allows this show to exist so she is also a welcomed member of the trio. Other characters are great for moving the plot forward or adding a different flavor to an episode, but it's the trio that really push it over the line to "good show".
One thought I always have with shows or movies like this is “This could never happen in real life.” And this thought process holds true for Gf Gf as well, yet somehow it feels believable. I’m not sure what that golden essence is that drives the semi-real factor. It’s definitely not the the shows premise, since having two girlfriends with both of them knowing about one another is up there in the most unreal of situations men could find themselves in. One girlfriend is difficult enough in my opinion. I suppose the conversations they have amongst each other are what define the show best. I’ve not personally dated and lived with two girls at once, but I imagine it would play out similar to how it does in the show.
As for the content itself, I can easily say that all of the episodes have been fun and hilarious. To me, it’s not just cheap laughs. The characters personalities are so fun and unique. Each individual in their own way. I can safely say I would hang out with these guys if they were real. Likeable, selfless, and unique... that's generally the type of person I appreciate.
As I mentioned before, I had thought of Gf Gf differently before seeing it. I figured it would be full of fan service, lack any direction, and be your everyday harem where the main character was loved by all. After all, that’s how life works right? One completely unappealing guy ends up being the object of every girl’s desire...of course not! Most harem scenarios are completely unrealistic and don’t mirror real life in anyway. That’s where gf gf veers from the norm, so much so I hesitate even calling it a harem. The protagonist finds himself in a seemingly real situation where he likes two girls and can’t decide who is better, I’ve even been in this situation. Where it ends up departing from the norm however is when he is able to convince both girls to date him AND live with him immediately. As unrealistic as that is, this show is still able to grab your attention and warrant reasonability from the viewer, though I’m not sure how.
I can’t praise this show enough and can easily say that I enjoyed the entire season thoroughly...well, I suppose the finale could have been better maybe. Either way, it goes to show you that unrealistic scenarios can be made to feel real, and fan service doesn’t always make the show better or more appealing...though I still can appreciate it most of the time. I strongly recommend giving this show a shot, don't take everyone else's word for it, decide for yourself.
nashyyyyyyy
If you have read the other reviews you can probably figure that Girlfriend, Girlfriend is heavily centered and focused upon it's comedy. There are moments that are so outright braindead that you just have to laugh. I don't really want to restate the other reviews because they are pretty good so I'll provide a list of pros and cons after I review the characters. The plot is simple and it's on the front page so I need not provide my thoughts on it except its satire (obviously). In any case, I enjoyed Minase and Sakisaki, and they were both quite enjoyable to watch asthe main love interests for the first season. It was downright confusing why Minase is going so far until the last two episodes which was kinda annoying because I had no idea why is so, so obssesed but in a satire anime I decided that plot holes were simply for the sake of convenience and should be disregarded. The show was really funny early on and functioned mostly as a comedy, which is where it's strength really is. However, in the last 2-3 episodes, it starts to delve more into the romance element, which I didn't really like. Because ultimately, you just feel bad for the girls as they are all losing. No matter if naoya two times, three times, four times, or whatever; in reality, they are all losers. Anybody with a brain knows that you really can't find TRUE love in a polygamous relationship which is why it was frustrating to see a show that was supposed to be a joke try and take on a more serious tone. By the looks of the end of season one and skimming over the manga, it seems like that is going to be a trend heading into season two. I'll watch season two because I like the comedy and think it's fun regardless. Anyways, if you are looking for pure, cute, wholesome romance, steer far clear. But if you are willing to try a trashy but unique romcom without getting hung up over the pure stupidity of the show, give it a chance. 7/10
Stark700
Remember when harem anime used to be memorable? Anime like High School DxD and The Familiar of Zero established a fanbase and continues to this day. In recent years, we had an onslaught of underwhelming harem shows. I legit can't remember the last time I found a harem anime that can even be remotely recommendable. That is...until I ran into Kanojo no Kanojo. Make no mistake. This anime is exactly what it sounds like from the premise and it doesn't shy to exmplify that. Meet Naoya Mukai, the high school student who somehow got involved with not one but two girls in a dramatic love triangle.This sounds like every healthy high school male student's fantasy. For Naoya, his brutal honesty doesn't hold him back to express such feelings and attraction. In fact, the show sells his personality at best when he dives right into his interactions with the female cast. Yes, this anime is a harem and he's living the dream.
Now, you may wonder what kind of anime dedicates itself for a romance between a guy and multiple girls. After all, infidelity can be a sensitive topic and spark some controversy. In this show, Naoya plants the idea that he can date two girls at the same time. In this case, they are Saki and Nagisa. After certain circumstances, he decided to be their boyfriend. With his brutal honesty, he tries to be assertive about his intentions but of course, this often sets off red flags and ends up embarassing everyone involved. Watching Naoya's behavior in this show feels like a romance sit-com. With every episode, we see how much Naoya wants to please his girlfriends. Whenever he comes up with an insane logic, we know that Naoya is truthful about his intentions. He's a lover.
Yes, it's a harem. There's going to be drama and endless amount of misunderstandings, romance tropes, and story segments that is aimed to adhere to male fantasies. Like most harems, the show has character rivalries although in this anime, Saki and Nagisa's is much lighthearted and friendly. That's a different story when we meet Rika, a girl who goes to extreme lengths to be close to Naoya. With an ego as high as Mount Everest, her tsundere personality follows her wherever she goes. Unfortunately, this also brings her trouble and drama into Naoya's life with his girlfriends. At the peak of the show, we see just how far Rika goes to get Naoya's attention and resorting to any means necessary. However, I don't want to downplay the Saki and Nagisa either. Both girls may not be as forceful as Rika but they have their own personal feelings. In fact, you could say that Saki herself is a massive pervert and almost mirrors some of Naoya's fantasies. Meanwhile, Nagisa grows out of her shell and puts on daring outfits to please Noaya. From this viewpoint, it's clear the show wants to appeal to all the main cast as much as possible without leaving anyone behind. Well, then there's Shino.
Compared to the other girls, Shino is much more serious and follows a set of morals. And in her mind, Naoya's lecherous deeds and intentions are immoral. She represents the anti-thesis of the main girls. In essence, she objects the very idea of Naoya being involved in multiple relationships. However, this season only vaguely explore her character as much of the screentime is dedicated to Saki, Nagisa, and Rika. Her presence is overshadowed for the majority of the show although when she does appear, Shino has an alluring presence. Bear in mind that the anime adaptation is based off of an ongoing manga and her arc takes place in later chapters. It's one of the drawbacks of adapting this show so early on. Yet, it's clear the anime wants us to see how all the main girls behave with Naoya.
Artistically, harem anime often lacks visual quality except for showcasing fan service at every chance it gets. The same can be applied in some cases for this show. After all, we do get a load of fan service ranging from onsen episodes to the classy stuck in the gym together segments. However, it's clear from day one that the directors wanted to draw an appeal to the female cast. Every female character is characterized with alluring tones whether it's their curvy bodies or well-endowed boobs. Let me just say that while the anime doesn't fully rely on that to sell itself, it's clear they wanted the girls to look sexy. Saki is the guiltest example as she even goes as far to use her body to get Naoya's attention in bed in one episode. At the same time, the anime stylishly decorates its theme song with social media visuals. It's contagiously catchy and fits with the modern norm. Finally, let's not forget about the overexaggerated character reactions of the cast. Saki and Naoya carries this show when you see how much they react in the most insane way possible in a harem anime.
I'm not an expert or professor on harem anime. Watching Kanojo no Kanojo is about as simple as it gets with a guy getting involved with multiple girls. It's a show that flirts endlessly with itself and every episode builds more and more into its premise. Can we just say that no matter who you root for, Naoya is pretty much the biggest winner? No matter what impresses or displease you about the show, you have to admit that Kanojo no Kanojo does justice for a harem.
InSanE2720
I just finished kanojo mo kanojo today, and short review: It's a trashterpiece, the stupid and irrational harem that we have seen a lot Long review: I will go in-depth about the nature and essence of the story now(spoiler-free) The story is extremely stupid, from the synopsis we can already see where it's going. But me being a degenerate and like to watch stupid anime, I added it to my list immediately. When the show started to get published on youtube, I fell in love with it since episode 1. It's such a ridiculous and absurd relationship that I can't help but laugh and stop thinking aboutanything else, we are just behind the screen watching these 3 screwing around trying to enjoy their life and solve all the troubles they encounter on the way. It's nothing too complicated to understand, just a simple two-timing relationship
People might rate this show a 1 or a 5, but for me, despite being garbage, my enjoyment was off the charts whenever I watch it. I can't help but be excited when every episode is premiered because I know this show will help relieve all the stress I have by the sheer amount of running gags it contain. You don't usually watch harem for the plot, it's simply a nice and entertaining way to kill time and enjoy yourself
There's absolutely no plot in this show, just a funny two-timing relationship and the troubles that our 3 MCs went through in the anime
The characters are also pretty generic, we got the tsundere waifu, the childhood friend as gf,...etc
This show really isn't amazing, and it wasn't intended to. I can honestly tell while watching that the author had A LOT of fun writing this cringy and stupid story, props to them for creating such a stress-free and enjoyable anime. It feels like they were just writing this as a hobby or something because this show is honestly fucking amazing when you don't use your brain to watch it
Overall, this anime was a joy ride and just a journey to watch through out 2 months and I enjoyed the fuck out of it. It's trash but if you want to entertain yourself with some stupid and ridiculous harem story while not wanting to use your brain cells to analyze the story, this anime is just for you
10/10 enjoyment
PecoTheHero
Kanojo mo Kanojo truly embraces it's stupidity and because of that it's one of the most enjoyable comedies I've seen to date. Story: While many other similar comedies go the route of random gags (Aho Girl, Sabage-bu!), Kanojo goes in a different direction. It decides to go for continuity with a story and actual progress. This is what I believe elevates it versus it's peers. The story is simple and the pacing is quite good. Where it really shines is it's unpredictability. Is it perfect or some big brain plot? No. But for a comedy like this it's welcomed. 7/10. Art: Easily the weakest part of Kanojo.A lot of the animation was outsourced and it's very noticeable. While there are some very good scenes and detailed artwork, the animation lags behind. Inconsistent artwork, static frames, and constantly cutting corners. That being said I really love the artstyle, character designs, and colors. 6/10.
Sound: Another strength is the sound. The seiyuu's absolutely kill their role, Ayane Sakura delivers one of the best performances as Saki. The music was on point, it elevated the scenes a lot and matched how over the top things are. A tad repetitive but still great. I found both OP and ED very good as well. 9/10.
Characters: This is where Kanojo mo Kanojo's success comes from. Across the board the characters are hilarious and I didn't think a single one was noticeably poor or unlikable. Whether you will enjoy the anime or not depends on how you feel about the characters. Some will easily be irritated while others will bask in their stupidity. Every character has growth which is surprising for a comedy like this, coming into it you would think they would be static. That being said they are quite 1 dimensional. One of the best casts in a comedy I've seen. 10/10.
Enjoyment: I love stupid comedies so I loved every second of Kanojo. From the characters to the comedy, I thought it was perfect. 10/10.
Overall: Kanojo mo Kanojo raises the bar for dumb comedies. With it's only noticeable blemish being the animation, it excels in every other category. 9/10.
