When middle school kendo champion Ayumu Tanaka begins his first year in high school, he does not take the expected route of joining the Kendo Club; he signs up for the unofficial Shogi Club instead. His sole motive is falling in love at first sight with Urushi Yaotome—the club's president and only member—and will do anything to get closer to her. However, Ayumu decides not to confess to Urushi until he can beat her in a match of shogi fair and square.
Naturally, this self-imposed hurdle is a formidable challenge for Ayumu to overcome, as Urushi is far more experienced at the game and sees through his every strategy. Nevertheless, this does not stop him from praising her looks, her skill, or even her smile, which, coupled with Ayumu's expressionless face and direct approach, makes Urushi constantly blush beet red. Learning more about shogi and the charming player sitting across from him, Ayumu inches toward making his confession with each exciting round they play together—even if it is one pawn at a time!
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
Uji_Gintoki_Bowl
There don't seem to be that many negative reviews for this show, which is certainly wonderful, but I just wanted to take a moment to highlight what some people may not enjoy about this experience (which is kind of synonymous with what I took away from it as a whole). Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru is a romantic comedy by the author of Takagi-san. This is really easy to tell because of the character archetypes being very similar and the teasing + getting teased themes being extremely recurrent in the show. For those that liked Takagi-san for what it was as a romance anime, I do believe thatthis anime checks even more boxes than its predecessor in terms of wish fulfillment and progression. They don't have as much chemistry, being a little bit flatter and less fleshed out than the protagonists in Takagi-san, but they're entertaining to watch nonetheless. For those that watched Takagi-san for the entertaining dialogue (and as I mentioned before, chemistry), I do believe that this one is a bit disappointing.
Though goofy, the interactions between our main pair get dry within 2 or 3 episodes, and begin to feel redundant after a while. There are developments, but they're more surface level revelations than dynamically deep changes in the way characters treat one another. A good way to describe the execution of the premise is gimmicky. It certainly does its job and was able to stay relevant after a long day, but I wouldn't call it quality content.
The artstyle is (as expected) very reminiscent of Takagi-san, though the visual quality is a bit lower, likely due to the franchise being much less popular (and admittedly not an insta-hit). The sound is decent and fits moments well, though I think it gets a bit corny for emotional scenes. The opening and ending slap and I love the rotoscoped (?) dancing animation in the OP.
Overall, it was a good watch that definitely got a bit old and felt gimmicky after a few episodes. I'd recommend a watch nonetheless, especially if you enjoy teasing tales like Takagi-san and whatnot.
dead_user_123454
If you are looking for something fun to watch with a plot that is not so deep, something heart-warming and sweet romantic comedy, something that will make you smile, well, this is the show you might be looking for. I’m an awful reviewer, but I decided I should write what I felt while watching this anime. I hope you like this one. This is a spoiler-free review. Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru, or should I say "When Will Ayumu Make His Move?" is a simple high school romance anime that I’ll never get bored of watching. This show deserves more hype. It shares the same art as teasing master Takagisan, but the story is quite different from Takagi san. This is the story between a senpai and her kohai, Ayumu, who is a kendo star and champion in his middle school, joins a Shogi club in his first year of high school, not because he was interested in Shogi, but he fell in love at first sight with the president and the only member of Shogi club Urushi Yaotome, and decides he’ll confess his love to his senpai when he beats her in a game of Shogi, and yeah Urushi is super good in Shogi.
Ayumu is a bold type of character, a kind of straight-forward guy, and a super hard-working and dedicated type, who always tries his best but gets beaten by Urushi all the time lol. On the other hand, Urushi is a shy and sweet type of girl. She always tries to maintain her character in front of Ayumu to look cool, but always gets embarrassed because of how Ayumu flirts with her with a straight face.
I loved this anime because of how both characters get connected to each other through the game of Shogi, and both of them are so cute and adorable, I’ll mention this again whenever Ayumu flirts with Urushi, the reaction she gives is priceless.
I loved both the main characters and the other side characters.
It’s a simple, cute, and sweet show that will make you feel good, and how beautiful is the innocent love they share.
And Urushi was so adorable lol.
And yeah, to be honest, I love high school romance anime like this one.
I would love to see more seasons of this anime in the future.
It's a wonderful show, and I highly recommend it.
I hope you’ll enjoy watching it.
🌸🌸🌸
DmAnimeguy
This anime was good but it was a let down when it came to the end of the series.... I thought the story was progressing really beautifully there were many moments that both characters were developing and trying to be better versions of them selves but when it came to the end of the series it felt like a let down. I really am not a big fan of anime that really end on a cliff hanger like that. A season should be contained and while its fine to have unanswered questions, i am not ok with a story reaching its climax and never gettingthere at all...
This was a let down for me because unless we have a season 2 we dont know if this will end or start something new.... For that reason I will have to say that I do not recommend this anime to anyone who is looking for a story that has a start middle and end.
(Yes I know there is a manga and i can get all my answers there but i dont base any anime on how good the manga is or how the manga story ark plays out).
Chief_AJ
When Will Ayumu Make His Move was about what I expected. It's a very wholesome anime that surrounds a pair of people that have feelings for each other while they play shogi. It's a nice relaxing watch that doesn’t really do too much apart from having really sweet moments. To be honest though sometimes it would become a little boring because there's only so much of the same thing you can really take. I wouldn’t necessarily call it bad, but I wouldn’t call this anime good either. Art: 7 I thought the art was fine, the anime is not ugly to look at and the characterdesigns are good too. I’m also not going to really complain about lackluster animation because this anime is very diologue-heavy anyway, and it's just shogi so the animation was fine to me. Other than that I thought the music in the show was okay, it could've been a little better, but no real big complaints there.
Characters: 6
I’m going, to be honest, I found it hard to care for any other character aside from the main duo, as they all felt a little one-dimensional, but the main duo has good enough chemistry to override that. I will say, I think they did a great job with Rin, as her story was probably the best and just plain realistic.
Story: 5
The story of the anime kind of fell flat for me. I understand that Ayumu wants to beat Urushi in shogi for his own personal reasons, but as I said previously, there's only so much you can take of that. Of course, if you find shogi really entertaining then it might be perfectly okay for you. It's just that if the main duo didn't have good chemistry then I think this anime would've been a lot worse. It also doesn’t help that the ending wasn’t great. Overall it was an okay watch, good wholesome vibes. 6/10
Mcsuper
Ah, those fleeting youthful days where romance was always on our minds, and falling in love was one of the best feelings one can imagine. This show really does warm my heart, and gave me some of those memories, though I will be honest, I didn’t really enjoy this show at the start, but little by little, I started liking it more. The show is quite simple really, a middle school kendo champion, Ayumu Tanaka, begins his first year of high school, but didn’t join the kendo club, instead, he fell in love with Urushi Yaotome, the president and only member of the unofficial shogi club.Ayumu is a rather expressionless person, which kind of reminded me of Raido from “Aharen-san wa Hakarenai”, but bolder, and Urushi is your typical cute girl that blushes a lot when teased. In a way, it’s kind of the reversal of “Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san”, where Takagi would constantly tease Nishikata and make him blush. This resemblance is no fluke though, because they were written by the same author.
My grading criteria: Story: /25 Art: /10 Music: /10 Characters: /20 Enjoyment /15 Thematic Execution /20
STORY: 15.2/25
The story is quite simple and relaxing, inoffensive and fun. It’s a whole bunch of teasing, a whole bunch of shogi playing, and a bit of slow progress in Ayumu and Urushi’s relationship. The teasing is rather uncreative and repetitive though compared to something like Takagi-san, as it’s mostly just Ayumu giving Urushi compliments, and making fun of her small size. I do wish there were more unique scenarios for the teasing and romantic moments, but I enjoyed what we got. The side characters were interesting at times with their relationships, but they weren’t extremely involved all the time. I also wish we would get a small, basic lesson about shogi in this show as well, as that could make viewers a bit more engaged.
ART: 7.4/10
There isn’t a whole lot of movement in the show, but for the most part, the designs were alright and the colours were good. Nothing too special here.
MUSIC: 8.2/10
The music compliments the show well, and gives off a nice slice of life vibe. The opening and ending were also pretty solid, and quite catchy.
CHARACTERS: 13.5/20
The main leads are good characters, especially Ayumu, because he’s completely willing to compliment Urushi all the time, and I wouldn’t imagine he’d be too afraid to confess his feelings. Urushi isn’t all too special, but she’s very adorable, and fun to watch. The side characters are also fun to watch, especially Takeru and Sakurako, who have an interesting dynamic. Another character I’d like to highlight would be Rin, who was also part of the middle school kendo team, and her interactions with Ayumu and Takeru are a joy to watch, and there’s some substance there. There are some backstories that were a tad bit emotional too, which is always a welcome thing.
ENJOYMENT: 11.5/15
Cute and wholesome, pretty satisfying.
THEMATIC EXECUTION: 14/20
The one thing I’d say this show lacks is creativity in comedy. Sure, it’s good, but it’s quite repetitive. There aren’t a whole lot of unique scenarios and settings. The thing this show does well is romance, because there seems to be genuine progress in the relationship, and it also feels very relatable to the vibe of high school romance, and I’m glad to see it.
OVERALL: 69.8/100
For a romance anime, it delivers decently. In terms of works from this author, I’d still have to go with Takagi-san over this show, but nonetheless, this show is good in its own way, and features a good high school relationship, but it just doesn’t have that extra kick or uniqueness to it. That said, if there’s ever a sequel, I’d be happy to watch it. After all, who would say no to cute romcoms?
heartsforalya
I was a bit disappointed by the ending, but the rest is good and well thought out. The plot is enjoyable, and the elements that they add in during the show are nice to see as the story develops. It is really pleasurable to see that Ayumu is the one ‘head-over-heels’ rather than the Urushi. Additionally, the fact that Urushi is older than Ayumu is very different to usual stereotypes, which is refreshing to see. The OP and the outro are amazing, along with the drawing style. I am assuming that they went for a more old-school vibe, seeing as the show seems to be setin the early 2000’s; which fits really well with the fact the show is centred around a more ancient game.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a romantic, but also comedic show!
Marinate1016
Unpopular opinion, but out of Soichiro YAMAMOTO’s main 3 works, Soreayu is actually my favourite. While it may not be as popular as Takagi-san, it has a better dynamic between the two main characters, feels more natural and the use of shogi to facilitate the relationship is way more interesting than just teasing, IMO. With Takagi-San being over now, I needed something to fill that void in my heart and this was the logical conclusion. I did not think that it would end up being my favourite of the bunch, though. From the very first episode, I was really impressed with how calm, cool andcollected Ayumu was around the girl he likes. I enjoyed his little comments and hints throughout the season and liked that both characters really know how the other feels, but are kind of nervous to take the next step. It feels very age appropriate and realistic for middle schoolers.
As with YAMAMOTO’s other works, this series also has some really fun side characters and a side ship they may be even better than the main. I don’t know what it is, but it seems like it’s actually easier to write better supporting cast relationships than the main one. If Ayumu and Urushi aren’t on screen, you never have to worry about a dull moment because Sakurako, Rin or Takeru will be able to carry the scene.
As usual with any of this author’s works, this series is big on the oversized foreheads. Honestly, I think the designs look the best in this series. I feel like he toned things down substantially from Tsubaki and Takagi. The overall look of the characters is also just better for me.
It goes without saying that if you enjoy Takagi-san or wholesome romcoms this is for you. Maybe you’ll be like me and like this one even more, either way, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. Here’s to getting a second season.
Soreayu gets 9 foreheads out of 10.
Sachihiro-san
7/10 This show is simple yet endearing and manages to capture that same feeling of young love present in Takagi-san without feeling like a direct copy. Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru centers around the lives of Ayumu Tanaka and his upperclassman Urushi Yaotome, who are the only two members of the unofficial Shogi club. Ayumu makes a promise to himself that he will confess his feelings to Urushi—under the condition that he defeats her at least once. Despite Urushi being adept at strategy, she finds herself unable to defend against Ayumu’s straightforward remarks. His flirtatious behavior doesn’t go unnoticed by Urushi, who’s almost certain of Ayumu’s truefeelings, but she is often too flustered to accept it at face value. This anime operates similarly to Souichirou Yamamoto’s other series, Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san, with an episodic structure. It more so focuses on the subtle interactions between the main duo and less so tires itself with an emotional throughline. This may make the show seem a bit repetitive, but as someone who enjoys slice of life and low-stakes anime, it didn’t personally bother me.
Rom-coms have several selling factors, but arguably its strongest appeal comes from the characters and their relationships. Ayumu's mannerisms are direct yet unassuming, and his expressionless demeanor is what makes his character stand out from your typical protagonist in the teasing subgenre. Many male leads are often given unassertive character traits in order to be better fodder for the main girl’s relentless teasing. However, this show takes a different approach and swaps the two main characters' traditional roles. Ayumu’s personality is different enough to feel refreshing while not deviating too far from conventional romance protagonists. Urushi, on the other hand, is timid and easily embarrassed—often at the receiving end of the show's jokes. She is eager to get back at Ayumu with her own tactics, but her attempts usually end up tragically backfiring. It’s at this point I feel obligated to point out how adorable the show’s art style is. Yamamoto’s style of drawing is so cute that it’s pretty much what sells the show’s wholesome moments. His female characters are so incredibly endearing that you can’t help but smile whenever they’re on screen.
Although I find the general presentation to be rather charming, the show is not without its flaws. For one, the audience has to make concessions with how predictable the story is to enjoy a fair amount of the humor. It's an inevitability that rom-coms follow similar clichés and plot beats. And when comparing the show to others in the same genre, its scenarios feel a bit derivative. In common anime fashion, the story requires a great deal of suspended disbelief for some of its situations. The side character, Sakurako for example, uses hypnosis as a crutch to get her classmate, Takeru, to do things for her. Its inclusion feels almost too supernatural for this show and it somewhat took me out of my immersion. Having Sakurako be so possessive of Takeru may seem cute at times, but in other situations, she feels needlessly manipulative. Ayumu and Urushi’s dynamic, by comparison, seems more realistic, albeit still unnatural at times. Given how frank Ayumu is, it feels almost unnecessary to get a formal confession. Ayumu makes no effort to conceal his deep adoration for Urushi, and his remarks often feel too direct to be misconstrued as just teasing.
Aside from those minor complaints, the show is successful in everything else it sets out to do. Not only is it wholesome and heartwarming, but it also has more substance than most would give it credit for. An often overlooked story-telling device is perspective and what it can do to the overall feel of a show. A character is far more compelling when we understand their internal motivations, and this is often achieved when we get to see from their point of view. We are typically disengaged from the one-note, single personality trait archetypes because their behavior is often predictable and less in line with an actual person. If Ayumu and Urushi’s thought processes weren’t available to us, their extended platonic relationship would be much harder to understand. But because we do get to see their actual emotions, their relationship is more dynamic and somewhat believable.
Another strong aspect of the story was the side characters. Side romances are typically a dodgy aspect in many animes, but oddly enough I was quite invested in Takeru and Sakurako’s relationship. Unlike in Takagi-san, the side characters actually interact with the main duo quite often. The problem with Mina, Sanae, and Yukari in that show was how sparse their interactions with Nishikata and Takagi were. The trio was so non-impactful that each time the show panned over to them, it felt like the main story was being interrupted. Conversely, Takeru and Sakurako actually affect situations that pertain to the main leads, which justifies their presence in the story. It’s never a dull moment when they’re on screen and they have their own adorable charm that’s distinct from Ayumu and Urushi’s.
I recommend this show to anyone that enjoys a simple rom-com. It’s a cute slice of life that’s very easy to pick up and watch but doesn’t necessarily try to be anything else. If you can forgive the show for some of its leaps in logic, then overall I think you’ll have a good time.
Roomii
Come for Urushi, stay for Takeru! The takeru should have been the main character. I only started wathcing this because I saw a clip on reddit that I thought was cute. But when I started watching cute was the only thing this show had to offer. So I left it at ep 1 for a month, then when I craved something cute again I came back to it, watched another episode. But after episode 2 I'd had too much cute and the main characters where getting a bit boaring, predictable and unrealistic. Then I saw the side characters takeru and Sakurako, who I was muchmore interested in. Takeru is just much more relatable and the realationship between the two is just so layed back and enjoyable to watch. So I ended up skipping to anything with takeru in it, didn't care for main story story if you can call it that.
Stark700
Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru is a type of show I wish the current anime industry would invest more time into. From the start to finish, the way this anime is able to combine elements of slice of life, shogi, and relationship dynamics fascinated me. Make no mistake, for Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru is much more than just about shogi. Before the series even got a serialization, it started out as just a short webcomic. It took its baby steps before being noticed and serialized into ongoing manga with over 160+ ongoing chapters. Obviously, not every anime adaptation is created equal and this show does fall shortin terms of adaptation standard. It's only a 12 episode adaptation that capture the essence of the show, but not its full plot or character development. Yet, it's still a fascinating slice of life rom-com.
The plot mainly revolves around the shogi club, organized by club president Urushi Yaotome. To her surprise, the club gets its first member in the pilot episode. Meet Ayumu Tanaka, the serious gentleman who probably has the most deadpan face out of any protagonist you'll see this year. Watching his interactions with Urushi is nothing short of comedy as the two exchange their reactions based on their personalities. In particular, Ayumu is very straightforward with his words and never holds back when complimenting on Urushi's looks. This often results in her furiously blushing and reacting in surprise. Let's face it, Ayumu does have a crush on Urushi but he made a promise to not confess until he beats her at shogi. That's one of the reasons he's there for being there in the first place. The English translation of the title is When Will Ayumu Make His Move? It's not about how Ayumu plays his shogi but when he'll make his real move.
With Ayumu's deadpan mannerisms, you'd have to wonder how serious he actually is. No one can really read his true thoughts when he has the same face every episode. The way he confidently tells Urushi she is 'cute' becomes a trademark of his character. However, the character chemistry between Ayumu and Urushi is undeniable. Even if they seem like different species on this planet, they enjoy each others' company. Urushi seems to harbor feelings, or at least interest in Ayumu's character. This anime sometimes feels like a character study of Ayumu himself, as we examine his human traits. Urushi is likewise, the normal girl of the show who just wants her club to be recognized. (yes, the school doesn't recognize her club due to lack of funding)
The show doesn't boast an all-star cast but it has a colorful cast of characters to keep you entertained. Slice of life/rom-coms tends to shine the most when it has a small cast as it's able to bring out the most of its characters. Besides Ayumu and Urushi, we also meet their classmates Takeru, Sakurako, Maki, and later Rin. When comparing Takeru and Sakurao, it seems their roles are reversed compared to our star duo. Takeru is the one that shows the most reactions while Sakurao maintains her elegant presence. The anime also loves its comedy gags by giving Sakurao a hypnotic device. We have to remember that this is the same brainchild behind Teasing Master Takagi-san, a franchise that made itself famous for its endless teasing segments. When translated into this show, it constantly reminds us the question of 'will they or won't they'. This extends to both Urushi/Ayumu and Takeru/Sakurako. While the show doesn't have a deep story arc, at least from this adaptation, it certainly does make us question about the development of the plot. In particular, Rin is a character that takes a hit for being introduced late in the series. The manga expands much more into her character so who knows, perhaps someday, we'll get to see Rin's character achieve her full potential.
Indeed, I want to say congratulations to Souichirou Yamamoto for having multiple works being adapted into anime, including three shows airing this year. It's not easy getting so many work being recognized but also appreciated by its fans. Let me just say that while alot of his themes can be repetitive, it earns its praise for being entertaining. Souichirou's style of engaging the audience remains fundamental and delivers what the audience expects. You're not going to get a deep story of mystery or drama with tears and emotions. Instead, his series are generally simple slice of life stories that contains romance subcontext. It's simple as it gets and honestly, just about anyone can watch their work. Soredemo Ayumu wa Yoetekuru is no exception.
Silver Link is probably the one of the more suitable studios to handle this adaptation if I've been honest. Character designs are adapted from the manga with precision and captures their expressions with deadly accuracy. Like me just say that a selling point of the show is the character chemistry and this anime has no shortage of that. Character dialogues and voices also deserves a praise, in particular for Ayumu. I mean, when he talks, his dialogues becomes synonymous with his deadpan personality. The OP and ED themes also offers a colorful way of getting the audience's attention. So in essence, the technical elements of this show earns its praise.
You really don't need a big brain to enjoy Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru. The anime isn't hiding some secret agenda but instead delivers a fundamentally enjoyable slice of life rom-com. Despite being just 12 episodes, every one of them felt meaningful and gave us what you'd expect. I just wish the overall length was longer because there's so much more to be explored. But sit back and relax. Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru opens the door to a world that really is more than just playing shogi.
KANLen09
The year is 2022, and out of all the authors to get all the notoriety for attention, it's Souichirou Yamamoto. This madlad of a mangaka as you will know, is the aforementioned creator of Takagi-san, which the manga sold like hotcakes thanks to the now 3 seasons of the anime adaptation plus the movie that got released in mid-June. And this year alone, his fame shot up like infamy when we've come to know that 3 of his works will be released simultaneously seasonally, creating the "forehead trio" analogy of Winter's still excellent Takagi-san (Season 3), Spring's somewhat decent Kunoichi Tsubaki, and now Summer's "superior"version of Takagi-san that is Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru a.k.a When Will Ayumu Make His Move?. Finally, the "forehead trio" trifecta is complete, and how actually does Soredemo Ayumu fare to the juggernaut that is Takagi-san?
I mean, come on, it's Souichirou Yamamoto, and if there's anything noteworthy to be made about this author, is that he can turn the impossible possible, which is exactly what was done for this show, which is just a palette swap of Takagi-san in the character department anyway. Simply put, Urushi Yaotome acts pretty much just like Nishikata and Ayumu Tanaka is a stern-faced expressionless version of Takagi-san, only that I'd think that where there merits to saying that this show is how the mangaka envisions it to be, then he definitely got that formula correct, but also with an actual plot to back it up. In this case, it's involving Shogi to progress their relationship from being club members to love interests, which I can definitely tell that it's a smart move to incorporate Shogi strategies and link them to the topics of love.
Ayumu is definitely in love with Urushi, but aside from his stone-cold face, he has a motive: unless he beats Urushi in Shogi, he would absolutely NOT confess to her, and no matter how much he loses to Urushi in practice and tutorial games, his blunt personality actually makes for some giggles which trigger Urushi's many memeable facial expression on his conquest, which is not a bad thing! The daily interactions with said female MC make for some of the most comical scenes with the straightfowardness of Ayumu to the many "Pikachu surprised" faces of Urushi's bashfulness, and if they were to compete against the other Takagi-Nishikata pair, I would say that they're not necessarily better, but just in the different demographics of middle vs. high school that holds well in their own regard.
The replacement for Takagi-san's 3 girls of Ashita wa Doyoubi in Soredemo Ayumu, comes in the form of close friends ranging from Urushi's classmate-cum-best friend Maki to Ayumu's childhood friend romantic relationship trope of Takeru Kakuryu and Sakurako Mikage, and the one girl that's even closer to him based on common interests, Rin Kagawa. Maki is voiced by none other than HanaKana, so you would know that she's a thing of beauty and someone that Urushi admired because she is developed with breasts (as compared to her flatboard chest). And she's a genuine friend that other than her teasing antics towards Urushi, is a nice compliment in the supporting section as well, always ready to help her best friend when it counts. Definitely a Best Winggirl status in the making. As for Takeru and Sakuragi, the former's quite a noisy brat that sticks closer to a brother with Ayumu most of the time and is in the library club. But it's that same place where he would be friends with Sakurako, whom he has a crush on, and the latter is a shy one who would often lead the former into hypnotism, being unaware of that fleeting crush feeling. These two "lovebirds" work together as a side couple of things, and in my opinion, they're much sweeter than the Takagi-Nishikata pair, which is saying something of their character dynamics with one another working out the way as is intended. Of course, for every one sweet person in the crew, there will be one bad apple, and this is in the form of Ayumu and Takeru's junior Rin, who's got her head pretty much filled with Kendo as she practices day in and day out, fulfilling her promise to beat her Senpai in order to gain his recognition. But as one might expect, the literal shift from Kendo to Shogi doesn't sit well with her, and like from Ayumu to Urushi, she'll often raise challenges in the hopes that'll attract her Senpai's attention, but of course, by then he has already been entrapped in the Shogi lore with Urushi. Overall, the character cast here is one of the standouts when comparing this with Takagi-san, and I would argue that this is much better.
This greatness trickles down to the performance of the VAs, and one such fact that you cannot ignore is that this is newbie VA Kanna Nakamura's first-ever gig for both voice acting and the ending song (which character endings are a staple of Souichirou Yamamoto shows). And starting out here as a main role (which is HUGE for rookies) for Urushi, Kanna Nakamura is very talented, even to the point of sounding like an actual veteran Seiyuu, the likes of the Queen of Teasing, Rie Takahashi herself. Definitely looking forward to more of her roles, that's for sure. Youhei Azakami does decent, having that deep bass voice that he's known for to give Ayumu a somewhat aging young man's voice without sounding too adult-like, that's fine by me.
Silver Link has recently been somewhat of a wonky record, from constantly having a conflicting see-saw motion this season with this show and the mediocre Saikin Yatotta Maid ga Ayashii. There's bound to be equalness from standing out and being generic, but for the most part, it gets the job done intended without any distinct qualities, and I'm fine if it does make the show stand out better that way. Also, it's been a long while since we've heard anything HanaKana worthy, and that OP song is a bop, while Kanna Nakamura's ED song is one and the same. Good marks across the board, I have to say.
This then, brings me (and you) back to the initial question: Is Soredemo Ayumu the "superior" version of Takagi-san? If you think about it in the general sense, then the model answer would be: "Yes, it does". But after having seen both Takagi-san and Kunoichi Tsubaki, my own personal opinion is that first impressions are everything, and nothing can ever beat out Takagi-san in terms of raw experience (be it the manga or the anime). But, make no mistake that Soredemo Ayumu is the embodiment of undulated fun, and this to me, is 2nd place behind Takagi-san for just being that. It's a good effort nonetheless, and to properly close 2022's trifecta of Souichirou Yamamoto's 3 seasons whip of anime adaptations, it ended in a pretty good note.
But this is just me, and I hope that you find this show more fun than I did, so obviously it's recommended.
AnimeExplorer21
This anime has stolen my heart with its lighthearted humor, relatable characters, and authentic portrayal of high school life. The story follows Ayumu, a shogi club member who's head over heels for his senpai, Urushi, but struggles to express his feelings. What I love most about this series is how it masterfully balances humor and heartwarming moments, making it impossible not to root for Ayumu. The characters are well-developed and likable, with Ayumu's internal monologues providing hilarious insights into his awkward yet endearing personality. Urushi, on the other hand, is more than just a pretty face – her character has depth and complexity, making their interactions allthe more engaging.
What sets this anime apart is its realistic approach to relationships and personal growth. Ayumu's journey is a reminder that vulnerability and honesty are essential in building meaningful connections.
Now that I've devoured the entire first season, I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment! Will Ayumu finally confess his feelings? How will Urushi respond? The suspense is killing me!
If you're looking for a feel-good anime with a healthy dose of humor, relatable characters, and a touch of romance, this anime is a must-watch. Trust me, you won't regret it!
Aragane
After gaining some traction, the ultimate romcom with forehead girls manga made another appearance with a new series this season. While it's not really disappointing that reused content is being provided by the author in the form of everyday jokes or teenagers shyly teasing each other, my personal enjoyment after watching Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru is nowhere like how our male lead, Ayumu, enjoys being with (and of course, teasing) his senpai. The demographic for these types of shows are those who prefer the slow and steady rather than the blood-pumping, fast animation style shows. So no need to expect any significant plot progression, much lessa plot twist anywhere here. It's all about the moe, period.
With every school-themed show, the style choice is what you would expect. Nothing to write home about, but decent enough to help the story go. Very much a norm for this author's work, a cutesy, petite girl with a huge forehead, but now paired with a very normal-looking Joe (really, even his name is literally Tanaka, which is a very usual Japanese surname).
Aside from all the comedy and the teen romance aspect, there's also a bit of cultural value delivered by showing some shogi matches. Not that detailed, just to add a bit of a quirk to it. But, it'll be an okay introduction to this traditional board game for anyone interested.
i-like-this
Why Won’t Ayumu Just Confess Already? In a post Horimiya/Dress-Up Darling world slow burn, slice-of-life, high school rom-coms have had it rough. No longer can I sit and watch a 12 episode season watching two people baby-step their way into confessing that they kinda wanna bone only for the status quo to remain by the end, and not be incredibly disappointed. “When Will Ayumu Make His Move?” was conceived by Souichirou Yamamoto, the same mangaka who wrote the excellent “Teasing Master Takagi-san”. But where Takagi-san’s slow burn charm comes from Takagi’s devilish delight in bamboozling the emotionally immature Nishikata and him realising that it kindalikes it, Ayumu is implied to already know that his senpai Urushi has feelings for him and vice-versa yet won’t confess his feelings to her until… he’s beaten her at Shogi…
His straightforward teasing towards Urushi can be very funny and charming, but it gets old after a while. The more you think about why Ayumu doesn’t just confess his feelings and get the relationship he clearly wants, the more frustrating it is to watch.
Even his best friend side character Takeru has a will-they-won’t-they relationship going on with Sakurako in a B plot and you can bet your ass that the needle is stuck in place in that relationship too.
On a side note, I personally don’t think hypnosis jokes are all that funny rather they’re more creepy and weird. Theres a reason Kaa from “The Jungle Book” is one of the creepiest villains in the Disney vault.
It’s not all bad. Despite the status quo romance story the characters themselves are very charming and there are an abundance of side characters to help keep the show from getting stale such as underclassmen Rin and Urushi’s best friend Maki. Silver Link’s animation won’t be getting any awards, but the art consistently looks good and it doesn’t really need to do anything all that special animation wise as the show is more character driven. I will say there are some excellent animation and lighting shots in some seasons which sometimes makes the show feel like a completely different anime.
Overall, I wouldn’t say it’s bad, but I wouldn’t recommend “When Will Ayumu Make His Move?” to someone looking for a good rom-com anime. Yamamoto may be able to design cute girls with large foreheads, but his romance plots could use some work. Honestly, after I finished the season I kinda wished I dropped it sooner.
5/10 Mediocre.
Ritinal
The main question for if you should watch this is: "Do you like reading manga?" Because if that is a no, you should watch this as a sort of "turn off your brain filler" type show. The plot is simple, the episodes are simple, and overall not much going on besides small antics between people that like to play shogi in their club. If you answered yes to reading manga, then definitely read the manga. Most things exclusive to the adaptation (Music, anime-ified art-style, VAs) are lukewarm besides the OP (kind of a bop) and don't really add much to the experience of the story besidesmaking it last longer. If the story interests you but you don't feel like sitting through a lot of slower paced episodes and common "mid" slice of life antics in animated form, the manga's art-style and pacing will be much more up your alley.
CuteAndFunny
7.5/10 This anime does what a lot of other do, mainly it starts off really well in the first three episodes. It was funny, interesting, very direct, felt rather fresh and like it would do something different. However, once it got past those episodes the show felt like it progressed then regressed the characters development and it became rather normal as most animes. The most critical part I have is the jokes became pretty repetitive it was essentially, deadpan character makes very direct flirty comment to other character, the other character blushes or feels embarrassed. That was the essence of comedy for most of the show.Romance wise it is decent through lots of moments of the couples together, but follows the tiring trope of will they/won't they which is not surprising considering the anime's title.
Side character romance was a nice addition with Sakurako and Takeru that helped fill the gap in wanting more romance in the show. The rest of the side characters through were rather unmemorable and sometime felt like they were taking time away from the more important couples moments.
OP and ED are very catchy. Loved the little dance sequence in the OP and overall Urushi VA, Kanna Nakamura, sings really well. It is an interesting note that this is her first VA debut role and that it is a main character is impressive, she did great throughout the anime I will say.
Overall, I would still recommend the show it is a decent romance if you like characters teasing/flirting a lot with embarrassed reactions with okay comedy that can be a bit repetitive. At times the show will subvert expectations for tropes and cliches, but it did it so many times it became predictable while trying to be unpredictable. Rather lighthearted that feels like a slice of life romcom which ended up becoming a rather normal chill anime to watch since there weren't too many scenes that were uniquely memorable.
Gregory_Senpai
Souichiro Yamamoto is known for two things. Characters with large foreheads and sticking to a formula. 'When Will Ayumu Make His Move?' lives up to both of these claims to fame. The formula here is Ayumu and Urushi playing Shogi; Urushi beats him on the board, but Ayumu just keeps winning off of it. He's constantly straightforward with his feelings (despite his vow not to confess his love for his senpai until he beats her in shogi). As a result, he's yet to confess, since Urushi keeps beating him, but his feelings are pretty out in the open, and the way he causes Urushi to get flusteredby his awkward flirting is the major formula for this series.
If you don't like this formula, you're not going to enjoy it when it gets repeated a dozen times in each episode, but if you do... you're in for a fun time. I DO enjoy this formula, and so I can strongly recommend this series.
That doesn't mean that its going to be for everyone. If you didn't enjoy 'Teasing Master Takagi' you're probably not going to enjoy this either.
Inanitina
Before I began to watch Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru I had already watched Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san (all three seasons) and Kunoichi Tsubaki no Mune no Uchi. The original plots of these three anime are created by the same author. So this review emphasizes distinctions between this anime and the previous two. As in Takagi-san, there is a couple with a kind of romantic relationship between them. But Takagi-san has the bulk bullying/teasing relationship and the small actual romantic one, and the ration didn't change throughout 3 seasons. In contrast, this anime shapes the more mature and deep characters. Yaotome and Tanaka have their own purposes,traits. Hereby, this affords to develop their relationships. The supporting characters became as interesting as Tsubaki's ones.
The visual is very well by quality and akin to both Takagi-san and Kunoichi Tsubaki by concept. The score is just fit. The opening isn't so memorable as in Kunoichi Tsubaki, though.
Overall, Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru is a good anime in romcom/slice-of-life genre, and it has the better plot than Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san and Kunoichi Tsubaki no Mune no Uchi.
boyotaku12345
The plot seems ohk at first but as that repeats it feels boring ! the main thing which should shine in this anime is romance but it didn't! as this is the type of story which makes it seem like romance is second priority !this is probably due to dragging the story through next seasons ! that was not supposed to be an issue if the little romantic moments were excited in this season !it's like no major progression between main characters !and even if it is at the last point i didn't care as the plot becomes boring !nevertheless !it is not that badto be thrown out as the characters specially female characters are fun to watch not their plot or anything just how they interact as the art is done quite good on them !so i hope in season 2 there will be actual romance plot and things get better ! so as for me it's - 5.4 stars / 10 stars... the game thing i didn't understand which is another point which made me not to connect to the plot !
