High schooler Ganta Nakami has trouble falling asleep most nights. As a result, he is irritable at school, always searching for an opportunity to find a secluded place to doze off. On the other hand, Isaki Magari is a free spirit who is well liked by her friends, but no one is aware of her sleep disorder. She makes use of the school's abandoned astronomy club observatory as her secret sleeping bunker when she needs to get some shut-eye.
As fate would have it, Nakami finds Magari napping in the observatory. When Magari discovers that she and Nakami have something in common, she offers to share her secret sleeping spot with her fellow insomniac. As the two find warmth in each other's company, the struggles they face start to become easier to confront.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Marinate1016
Few series have ever captured the struggles of youth as well as kimisomu does. It’s a a beautifully rendered and tender story of growth and self-acceptance. Anime often tends to exaggerate adolescence, romanticising it and making it out to be this adventure that’s constantly exciting. The reality is that being a teenager sucks. There’s the stress that society and your parents put on you and the desire to fit in and find who you really are. It’s such a challenging and sensitive time. This anime handles that stage of life with such realism and authenticity that it blew my mind. I absolutely loved the use ofinsomnia as a shared bonding experience for the two main leads. Both of their conditions stem from trauma that they’ve been holding in for years. While many teens don’t go through insomnia, most do have things they’ve repressed and bottled up which can lead to anxiety, depression other mental conditions. The characters in this show reflect that. They behave as actual teenagers who are stressed would. The interactions are simple yet poignant.
There’s so many small intimate moments that just blew me away in this show. Whether it’s singing on a beach, simple nighttime walks or the type of banter between the two leads, it just has a degree of genuineness to it that’s hard to come by in anime. I really appreciated seeing the small details that make the characters who they are. The side characters are also very enjoyable and added some depth to the story. I particularly loved the astronomy club senpai who acts as a mentor to the two leads.
The romance may be a slow burn in this, but it’s a very rewarding one. Starting as club mates, then friends and so on. It feels like a believable natural progression. The two leads find solace and serenity in one another and really feel like two halves of the same coin.
The art in the show is pretty solid. It’s not the best in the world, but LIDENFILMS did a good job of bringing the story to life. I liked the art direction for all the big emotional scenes and the OST was solid throughout as well.
We’ve all been teenagers once and can relate to the pressures it brings. It’s a delicate time where we think we should have everything figured out, but we just don’t. It’s frustrating. This show gets it. If you’re tired of watching the same old high school stories and want something different, this is the one.
Kimisomu gets 9, out of 10.
KANLen09
PTSD a.k.a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, is a real issue that can affect all of us in certain ways that we ourselves will only know and that can be either unexplainable or inexplicable to others. But what if you could utilise the only thing that is the common denominator between two kindred spirits, and add the fraction of a relationship that's not just full of love and fluttering feelings, but one of adolescence and keen understanding? The end result will be in the form of mangaka Makoto Ojiro's Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia a.k.a Insomniacs After School, a series that, as a devoted and hardcore manga reader,I have always wanted to see her vision come to the small screen for quite some time. And in this Spring season, it has finally come (along with the live-action movie adaptation to tie in with the anime), and in the heft of new and returning rom-com-cum-romance shows, this show is one of the best of this season, bar none.
A short story on how I encountered this manga: it was a year or two ago during the pandemic season where I was unfortunately struck with the thou-shall-not-be-named virus, and even worse, it was at a time in the night where I was feeling the dread of insomnia from watching seasonal anime, as heavy as I am now even back then. After the daily stint of shows ending as late as 2 or 3 in the morning, I was looking for a manga to read, and through the grapevine, this manga came recommended to me somehow, and I read it through from the beginning, then to the next chapter, onwards, and so forth. It was so good that I read up until the latest chapter that was released at the time (well beyond the anime adaptation) and even bawled tears of joy and sadness, knowing how much I could relate to the main characters and their issues on why and how they developed insomnia to begin with. As the months pass, I find myself re-reading the entire manga from scratch so often, catching up to the latest chapters (which, as of this review, are updated to the latest Volume 13) and feeling the same exact emotions over and over again, that it hurts even more with every re-read. It's painful, but a good lesson on the fraternity and sentimentality of life. Indeed, love makes the world go round, but I also argue that goodwill is not misplaced among those who take care of each other, like brothers and sisters.
This is the story of a boy and girl who bond through the unlikeliest of circumstances, in a place where even the word "haunted" is a mere understatement to their wellbeing: Ganta Nakami and Isaki Magari. In the school where both of them reside, there once existed the Astronomy Club, located at the school's observatory, but a gruesome death hides a rumour of a ghost sighting, and has left it abandoned. Nakami, having a severe case of insomnia, seeks to find a place where he can get some shut-eye, and the one place that he always finds himself going to is the observatory, because nobody can disturb his much-needed sleep. That is the ritual habitat for him, until he finds somebody who is also sleeping there — the aforementioned Magari herself, sleeping in a locker that has been left opened and vertically placed on the floor like a sleeping bag. Thus, the mystique opens between the two, and more than acknowledging their various states of insomnia as fellow insomniacs, they help cope with each other's adverse effects to get by their high school lives to the best of their abilities, like reestablishing the Astronomy Club back to its former glory.
First off, I must praise the fact that Makoto Ojiro has taken THIS long to finally get to her masterpiece. Because this has been a very long undertaking since her starting days in the early 2010s, writing for multiple series the likes of 2012 to 2015's Fujiyama-san wa Shishunki a.k.a Fujiyama's Adolescence, to 2016 to 2018's Neko no Otera no Chion-san a.k.a Cat Temple's Miss Chion, which I have read the former after reading Insomniacs the first time through, and found it to be very poignant in its sense of capturing the story through the no-nonsense depiction of its plot. And the same can be said about KimiSomu here, taking cues from her prior works and perfecting them for this manga, and now the anime as well. KimiSomu is, to me, still a masterpiece manga in the making, though the anime adaptation has taken some liberties that I am and am not a fan of, and we'll discuss this down the road.
I must admit that I can relate quite a lot to Nakami here. He's the irritating and grumpy guy who wants to get what he wants, and that's part of his rebellious nature. He is a guy does what he wants to achieve the best results without any compromise, and apart from his varied behaviour, once you get to know him, he's actually quite the nice guy within, reasons and all. Nakami appears quite closed in the beginning, having his only friend in the form of best wingman Tao Ukegawa, who understands his insomniac issues deeply and worryingly while also remaining happy-go-lucky all the time and accompanies Nakami if he's feeling down or just being a plain ol' good, trustworthy friend at that. How we wish we could have friends like Ukegawa: a loyal friend that doesn't discriminate and plays along with his best friend's traits, even when Nakami's insomniac traits create a bond with Magari all the more.
Speaking of which, let's talk about Isaki Magari, because if you're a manga reader (you SHOULD know where I'm going with this), she's the literate embodiment of a red flag. I'm not going into spoiler territory (this is for all of you anime-onlies to figure out) but Magari herself is a stark contrast to Nakami as the sociable and carefree girl with her clique of friends: Motoko Kanikawa, Kanami Anamizu, and Mina Nono. The clique of four girls who just want to casually enjoy life together are just like normal friends whom you want to hang out with daily. Kanikawa comes on initially as a person of spite, accusing Nakami of getting close to Magari and giving him endless stares that make him feel uncomfortable. In hindsight, Kanikawa is a rather family-centric kid, the daughter of an okonomiyaki restaurant that she has inherited her family's skills from, and she goofs off quite a lot, though she always commits well to the straight man gag because she's jealous if she feels left out. Anamizu is a tanned girl whose priority is sports, specifically baseball. A somewhat closed girl just like Nakami, her words are few, but they make up for her spirit of just being there for Magari, and as much as she is a background character, she is a support that's called forth when Magari or the other girls need it. Nono is the sunshine of the group. Being very enthusiastic and methodical in her approach to just about anything, she is such a delight to watch as her easy-going nature helps to open up barriers between Magari and Nakami, even to the point of supporting their love for each other as Nakami gets more proactive in his pursuits of wanting to overcome his insomnia.
Magari's older sister Haya is the typical brat that likes to bully her own younger sister for her whims, that's the sibling echelon tower trait of superiority. Same with the blonde-haired Rui Haida, who's just a pick-up ladies' man; he too comes off as obnoxious from the get-go. And definitely, the stars of Nakami and Magari's relationship fall on Usako Kurashiki, their homeroom teacher-cum-Astronomy Club supervisor, who just wants to slack and sleep her way through. Such a crass teacher, but who cares. She's a highlight. The same goes to former club member Yui Shiromaru, to whom she contributed greatly with her great composition shots and extensive know-how when it comes to cameras, which Nakami is being taught to carry on her legacy within the club. Oh, and she carries the comic relief, which is nice.
Overall, the characters are only part of the shining example of Makoto Ojiro's manga, but that's not all. The cats, like the club's mascot of Two-chan, are also a highlight of the manga, plastered all over the place, because they are that simple and convincing, with references made from the manga's chapter titles.
The art is where the manga truly shines in its own right, being a manifestation of great visual art, almost comparable to those of art pieces, and in part, Liden Films tried to capture the mangaka's sense of her distinctive art style, it's...alright, though it can never reach the heights of the original source material. That is despite having Reiko Sasaki, planning assistant-cum-producer of Yofukashi no Uta a.k.a Call of the Night, yet another Liden Films show that focuses on the nightly aspect of the series, which this anime and its manga counterpart are similar to. To be frank, this show needs only sakuga moments in the right places, and through in-house director Yuuki Ikeda, of whom this show is his debut work, he hasn't had quite the experience backing him up from only working on shows in a single-digit manner. So, it's quite the elephant in the room that only Makoto Ojiro's story and plot hold up when others cannot.
The music is rather good, to be honest. aiko's OP is a pleasant, smooth-feeling song that tugs at the heartstrings, and makes it worth it for a decent song. The same goes to Homecomings' various ED songs, though they're fine and nothing noteworthy.
Even if there isn't Season 2 on the horizon, this is the point where I HEAVILY caution anime-onlies to read the manga at your own risk from this point on. Waiting patiently is better than rushing through the vineyard about the plot points going forward, and while the anime is by no means perfect, it's a good adaptation of the manga overall, and I'm down to see more if they give the anime a sequel in the future.
Mcsuper
Insomnia is something that plagues many people, and this sleep depriving condition arises from many reasons, for example, fearing what tomorrow will bring, negative thoughts, stress, and general anxiety. While insomnia isn’t something that affects me personally, for many people, seeing the two main characters who deal with insomnia, and tackle it together by pouring their restless, sleepless time into something positive like astrophotography, must have been relatable, and to me, a very solid concept. Along the way, there was some romance in the air, but it wasn’t a huge focus until near the end of the season, which I actually liked, as the charactersdidn’t just spend time with each other, but made some fond memories with their other friends as well.
The story material was generally a strong part of the show, and it was very character driven. While the focus is obviously on the two leads in Ganta and Isaki, I really liked how it highlighted the life struggles of a lot of the cast members outside of the main characters. It allowed me to get invested in most of the characters, and their interactions together. The two leads though, are very endearing, with some relatable moments regarding their insomnia and their struggles. Their dynamic together felt pretty fresh, among the large amount of romcoms we have nowadays.
The thing about the storytelling that unfortunately holds this adaptation back is that even as an anime-only for this show, it was pretty clear to me that some key moments from the manga that would serve to flesh out the characters were skipped, and thus, made some of the more dramatic scenes a bit awkward as we lacked some context to make those scenes hit harder. Even so, I did find quite a few of the scenes emotional and hard hitting, though it could have been better.
The production behind this show was a mixed bag in my opinion, as while some of the nighttime backgrounds were very beautiful, the overall animation quality was very average, with some errors here and there in character expressions. Studio LIDENFILMS has not ever really been known for stellar animation, other than in Call of the Night, but that was largely due to Monogatari director Tomoyuki Itamura making that show shine. While this show was not directed poorly at all in my opinion, it didn’t live up to some of my expectations.
Overall, this was a very fine show, with moments of brilliance and relatability, but I just wish it could have looked even better visually for more impact. The characters are endearing, the story material is well done, but as an adaptation, I’m not sure what manga readers think, but I feel it could have been adapted a bit better. That said, I found a decent amount of enjoyment nonetheless from this, as the good parts still outweighed the mediocre ones, and I’m hoping for bigger and better things to happen in the future, if it gets a sequel.
DaxxYo
so this is my first time writing a review after a few years of using MAL. as someone who really loves astronomy, i can say this anime is really good and beautiful. when I saw the genre I thought this was a normal anime and when I watched it wow this is not just romance but there are some comedies, slice of life, and school genres. the last time I watched an anime with an astronomical theme was just "koisuru asteroid" then I really wanted to find another anime. and I accidentally found this anime. this really makes me grateful and happy. thank you formaking this beautiful anime
10/10 of course, I enjoyed every single thing in this anime especially the astrophotography concept
DiamondDimoDaddy
The approach to romance in anime has been portrayed in very familiar territory. It is often an explosion of emotions, of characters explicitly realizing they are deeply in love with one another, of the exaggeration and over dramatization of love to make it “pop” for entertainment purposes. This is where Insomniacs After School takes a different, much more gentler and quieter walk on the journey of two individuals learning to understand and share their feelings with one another. One of the first things to notice about the two leads is how notably comfortable they are around each other. While there is a presence of teenageawkwardness, of navigating the tension of growing feelings, it is never done so in a way that is jarring and off-putting. The reactions are controlled to perfection. There is certain frictionless and accessible comfortability of the chemistry and dynamic between the leads that is very soothing. Much of the tension in the story revolves around the characters themselves, around the personal hardships and trauma they face, rather than the development of their relationship. It’s disarming but the story understand to create conflict that doesn’t stem from outside intervention. Ganta and Isaki move the plot forward on their own rather than get dragged along.
From the very first episode, the leads together hold a certain soulmate energy that stems from their shared sleeping disorder. It is with that foundation that their relationship kicks off. They begin to learn more about each other, what makes each other tick, what they fear, what they struggle with, what drives one another to do what they do, what they are passionate about. Over the course of the story, the themes of insomnia still runs, but it is expanded upon with themes of family, finding a passion, cherishing beautiful moments in time, exploring personal trauma, and accepting love, care and empathy of those around you. It explores many different aspects of life rather than run the same main theme nonstop, but never ignores the importance of it. Insomnia is something that is prevalent in almost every episode, no matter how big or small the moments are.
Ganta and Isaki’s relationship is the classic example of the “disciplined, reserved boy meets carefree, outgoing girl” story. While this has been done countless times, what matters the most is execution. In the hands of a lesser writer, the romance between these two would’ve fallen short, felt lacking and remained stagnant. There lies the magic of Makoto Ojiro’s writing, a style of romance that refines the calm approach to portraying intimacy in such a way that one can’t helped but respect the amount of tenderness and care she has for her characters, a reflection of what the two have for each other. The author and anime respects the audience’s intelligence to piece together the growing relationship between the insomniacs. It is explicit in your face that the leads love each other dearly, but it doesn’t ever need to have the two think that for the audience. Paying attention to the small blushes, facial features and understanding the context behind many big and small actions is crucial to understanding and resonating with the romance of Insomniacs.
In a way, while Insomniacs is mainly romance focused, its first and foremost directive is to portray the emotional empathy, the powerful and unyielding human connection they have to one another. Isaki and Ganta don’t focus on the ideals of love, they don’t agonize how much one cares for the other. They know it, they feel it, and they express it to each other. Their love blossomed naturally from their connection and intimacy. This approach to not ignore, but to interweave the romance so fluidly and subtly with well-meaningful interactions gives Insomniacs that feeling of authenticity that is hard to find, much less replicate. There is a natural gravitation they have towards one another that I find extremely heartwarming and touching. It’s organic romance that helps the audience learn that they’re not just romantic partners, they’re best friends, they bounce off each other so well despite being on the opposite spectrum of personalities. They are the type of people to remain together until the end of their days because their relationship is more than just romance, it’s the feeling of complete and mutual connection. They have different facets of their bond that isn’t reliant on one singular aspect.
To dive in deeper, the intimacy of their romance is very gentle and straightforward. It’s simple, but in its simplicity shines beauty and refreshes anyone that is sick of seeing characters constantly avoid each other’s advances. Isaki and Ganta are very physically intimate, they aren’t afraid to get close but not done so in a way that feels out of place. They’re not robots or machines that bends to bad romance tropes. They still are teens after all and will get a bit nervous as expected, but they never shy away from touching. There is a sense of awareness they share in one another’s presence, but they don’t make up any excuses to avoid one another’s touch. They don’t go into a nervous breakdown or panic, they cherish the comfortable moments they share.
For the emotional aspects of intimacy, there’s no shortage either. The connection these two share goes beyond falling in love. They truly get to deeply know one another and the lives they lead. As mentioned before, the feelings of empathy is executed in such a tender and powerful manner that it is easy to see how deeply lost into each other they are. Ganta and Isaki represents the ideals of youth and adolescence so elegantly through how they laugh together, how they cry and shed tears in front of each other, and through it all, be the emotional rock the other needs, whenever and wherever. There is a sense of beautiful idealization of their love that is grounded by how it is just a very natural part of life to do all they’ve done with each other. There is a balance between comfiness and melancholy, and sometimes a mix of both that Insomniacs has that propels it upwards highly in the romance genre for me.
The most real and beautiful thing about the romance between the couple is that it’s not tied to some goal. Everything that happened between them are pieces of the path, of all they went through together rather than the definite end goal they have to reach, it’s a sense of almost wandering through life and love that lies in the soulful nature of the two’s bond. Their relationship is not a mere reward but rather it is like planting a tree. Instead of the chase, you get the growth, the journey. The fruits of their relationship comes as an extension rather than the focus of their journey. Branches of intimacy extend as their relationship grows and they grow closer, from the seeds of two teens finding out they share the burden of insomnia, something they try to work around as a positive throughout the story.
From outside the couple, the supporting casts add extra depth, introspection, perspectives, and bounce off the leads very well. All of them lead their own lives but are there to provide the wisdom and support to help the two not only grow closer, but as people. They are the friends and people you wish you had in your life in high school. Shiromaru is the senpai that wants to make sure you truly understand the passion you are diving into. Kurashiki is the sensei that helps you decipher the kind of person you are, the struggles you face, and the emotions you hold. Ukegawa is the kind of wingman you’d want as not only a best friend for life, but a brother. Nono is the girl you’d want nothing more than to protect and keep her happy, her outgoing silly nature is contrasted by her focused, meditative one when it comes to art. Anamizu is the inspirational gal that you’d love to goof off with and play sports all day together due to her passion of her own, the gal who works her butt off despite people telling her she sucks and can’t do something right. Kanikawa is the spoiled brat that seems to be extremely hatable, but her energy and enthusiasm is nothing short of infectious and uplifting, plus being a chef that wants to bring the best food for the people she cares about is not half bad either. In a sense, they embody the best parts of teenage years almost just as much the couple do. It’s the sense of having these kind of people in one’s life at one point that makes high school truly worth cherishing.
The anime’s background visuals are very beautiful and as expected of Lidenfilms, the skies shine bright, the twinkling stars lined with a wonderful blend of blue, black, pink and and purple. The animation is not much to write home about but for a slice of life romance, it’s not very necessary. The emotional moments and beats are of course enhanced wonderfully by Yuki Hayashi’s OSTs, the man behind the music for Haikyuu and My Hero Academia.
Overall, this anime is a treat for those that enjoy well-paced, natural, casual and laidback romance helmed by leads with wonderful chemistry. It is a refreshing take on the romance genre and unique in its normality. The raw display of earnestness, genuine love and care the couple have is nothing short of a sight to not only behold but to truly feel, along with the calm and healing atmosphere. For me, it is a romance anime peeled back to the most rawest and beautiful layer.
bambooo_ooo
This is a treasure. This is something beautiful and rare in the sea of mediocreness. This is a warm blanket. It makes you feel warm inside. This is Bob Ross of a show. It speaks to you softly and makes you feel at ease. This is Yuru Camp of romance (What?). I admire the creators of the manga and adaptation for following a clear path. I feel like they had to say no to so many things. The mainstream romance 101 list went to trash and it's still (or rather because of that) a beautiful, touching, romantic piece of art. That's why this feels so good.I am so tired of those tropes forcibly thrown at me, repeating over and over in each production. Here there are so many situations where in my mind I was picturing the usual thing to happen in a standard show, but every time I got surprised how maturely it was handled. And it felt good to be positively surprised.
It's also not a tearjerker. It has touching moments that evoke emotions but not on a magnitude that I want to lay down and cry or regret of what happened.
Quick list of characteristics:
-No fanservice except ONE case - which felt out of place. Again, fanservice scene felt out of place in this anime. You would have to try hard to find a frame you could label fanservice. They avoided all opportunities.
-A sibling is not a crazy obtrusive pervert weirdo or anything.
-MCs not some unreachable beauty queen/cool guy nor a secluded loners with some monumental issues or inner struggle. Yes they have insomnia.
-flashbacks are very limited
-conversations are not a stuttering fest or a missed opportunity championship
-plot is not driven by misunderstandings, accidents, forced drama
-no violence
-no pervert stuff
-no cursing
-no pushed agenda
-no triangles/polygons
-no lenghty intermissions filled with monologues or internal banter
+fireworks+yukata trope is there. welp..
Note, Ep1 being a little of an exception (they do get locked in, which is a common trope).
Characters.
Two main characters are Isaki and Ganta. They share the titular issue of sleeplessness but have quite different personalities and complement themselves. They treat eachother whith great respect and are able to set boundaries.
Ganta is a somewhat reserved person however he is competent and focused on his tasks. At first he isn't very social but he improves as time goes. He's the brain. He plans, considers, does homeworks.
Isaki is a joyful sweet potato. Energetic, friendly, smiling, running around, kinda impulsive, even rebellious. Not afraid to take a step. Has a distinct style. She is the heart. She does not do very well with homeworks.
I like how easy they are around themselves. A touch, a look or something trivial like exchanging contact info is just that. Compared to other shows where it's sometimes elevated to monumental event preceded by long hesitations and followed by long afterthoughts.
Sound.
As for music, it took me half of 1st episode to search for OST and save it in favourites. "Blanketed in stars" caught my ear while watching even though it was just a background for a conversation in ep1. Go ahead and look around the OST, it will give you a hint on the mood of this show. It's nothing spectacular but just very pleasant and calming, often playing quietly in the background to create a mood. I put it on often when I need to chill. The music is like a warm blanket on top of a warm blanket that this whole show is.
The ending song is nice too, usually I let it roll to the end as whatever nice happens in the episode, that song wraps it up so nicely. Like a blanket!
Both dubbing and original voices are nice to hear (though I have to give Japanese Magari the lead). English dubbing has just recently been done, which is great, meaning the show got some traction and they didn't wait long (just over 1 year).
Visual.
The visual side was nice. Because of the subject we have alot of outdoors, night sky, landscapes and landmarks. It's all beautiful (albeit a bit exagerrated in depiction of the sky maybe, still beautiful..). Animation was consistently okay. Not a marvel by any stretch, it's rather basic and there are some static shots and pans to fill, but it didn't feel cheap or lacking. Some scenes are 1:1 with the source manga, which will make manga readers surely happy - that is nicely shown in ED. Of course with beautiful colors, voice and music added.
I liked how the characters were made with careful restrain. They have normal proportions, heads are not gigantic, lips aren't tiny, eyes are not gigantic, people have noses! Nobody's hair or pupils are of weird colors (crimson red, yellow, pink, bluray discs, burning haystack to name a few I witnessed..). Profiles look like a human, not a dog. Despite that each character is unique.
In line with the source material and this production, its deliberate, reasonable, toned down, thought out.
If you want to have an idea on how restrainedit is, take a 30s peek at ep9 from 14:15 (BUT NOT A SECOND BEFORE PLEASE) - it will reveal nothing of the plot.
But, uhh, the cats looked really uncanny.. U guess I found one thing I don't like about this show. There, it's not perfect after all.
Plot.
Through a series of events they start an astronomy club, which is a motor for the plot. There are a few linked reasons there, but they are quite believable and not forced. The main theme in most episodes is photography, but it doesn't take over the show. There is some explaining on how it works but it's very basic and doesn't steal the time. Like music shows, where you are not blasted with endless monologues about how x pulls a string in slightly a different way than y and how it makes x feel sad and what the strings are anyway and how they work and btw here are whole 4 episodes for one concert only.
There was not much internal monologue. It's there but really limited to statements or realisations. I like it much better this way.
There are many different situations they are in. They travel, walk, lay on the ground, camp.. By no means it's a talking heads show.
The last few episodes are a beautiful adventure/slice of life focusing mainly on the main characters.
FINAL THOUGHTS
So I am thinking about this show after watching it. And maybe not even thinking but feeling. I feel longing. It was short but that's fine. It made me happy to watch, happy to finish and I'm happy to jump back. This is how it made me feel, regardless of all the quantifiable technicalities. It found me in a time in my life when I just needed it.
Despite no cliffhangers, drama or fast pace, I was eager to put on the next episode because of sheer attachment. Instead of "I need to know what's gonna happen!" it was more like "I wanna be there". Of recent shows I've finished, this truly had an impact and didn't let go easily.
I cannot express enough my gratitude for putting so much care to creating this the way it is. I wish more shows would be like that instead of jumping the easy train of stupid standards, overused tropes and cliches. I am sick of rolling my eyes thinking "not again.." during shows and realising it's tiring to watch, I can't bear it anymore and dropping it.
I don't think it needs another season. With my whole heart I would welcome it as I want to have this experience again but I'm not sure it will come out as good. The manga still goes on, so there should be some source material.
PixelB
Insomniacs After School is much, much better than the likes of Your Lie in Apil. Why? Because it's much more grounded in reality and much less reliant on melodramatic scenes that "pull on your heartstrings" to create a compelling romance and slice-of-life show. That's right: this show is much less melodramatic than I ever expected. Is this a good depiction of a person with insomnia? I can't say, since I don't suffer from it. What I can say, however, is that the genre of this show is mainly romance. The main couple being insomniac is more of a subtheme and a way for them tocome together rather than the main point of the story. You're not going to be seeing crippling levels of insomnia where it takes a huge mental toll on both characters. It's not a dark and edgy story like that. It's more like a rather manageable amount of stress in their lives that they mitigate through companionship than anything else.
The show is also much less dramatic. No, nobody is dying in 24 days, and nobody's parents are murderers or something stupid. It's again, a bit unfortunate circumstances, but a realistic amount. Why yes, I know people who have suffered pretty harshly in life, but if the goal is romance, why bother with all of the over-the-top suffering and drama? There's a manageable and realistic load of depression, anxiety, and angst that comes along maturing and puberty that Ganta and Isaki both go through.
The problem is, does that make this good? Hmm, I think you're going to have to be the judge of that. I'm not the biggest romance type of person, so if the genre is down your alley, I'd say you would enjoy it. It certainly holds a sense of realism when it comes to dialogue, pacing, interaction, and character development.
Well, I guess realism doesn't mean too much when it's boring to watch. The entire show is Isaki and Ganta. Yeah sure, there are a few side characters, but let's be honest here, the entire show is carried by the main couple and the side characters barely contribute to the story very much. There are only two characters in the astronomy club, so it's basically a love nest. There are basically no relevant side characters, and the show knows that too, for the lack of focus on them. I think if there were a relevant cast of side characters that aren't clearly there as a supporting cast role, then the show could have been much more enjoyable than the lacking variety that you get from the scenes. In the end, you would have to decide whether or not the payoff is worth it. For me? I'll read the manga to decide. I, however, was not very impressed with the final half of the season for the lack of variety.
adrianwhy
Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia is a poignant anime that delves into the complex inner lives of two high school insomniacs, Nakami and Isaki, through their shared late-night encounters in a deserted school observatory. While some viewers might dismiss this anime as boring or monotonous, I believe such opinions stem from a misinterpretation of its thematic depth. The series excels in its grounded, realistic portrayal of adolescent struggles, exploring personal trauma and the emotional battles each character faces. The relationship between Isaki and Nakami is exquisitely crafted. As they find solace in each other's company, their mutual encouragement helps them confront and overcome their traumas, fostering a profoundrespect and burgeoning love. This dynamic is a testament to the show's sophisticated narrative, avoiding common anime clichés of teen romance.
Cinematographically, the anime shines with its careful use of motion and angles that poignantly capture the nuanced emotional states—be it melancholy, loneliness, joy, anxiety, or sadness. The opening and ending themes, performed by Aiko and Homecomings respectively, beautifully complement the mood and themes, enhancing the overall emotional resonance of the series.
In my view, "Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia" approaches a masterclass in romance anime. It is well-written, thoughtfully produced, and free from the usual unrealistic tropes found in many teen romance stories. I give it a solid 10 out of 10—an essential watch for anyone who appreciates deep, realistic character exploration and subtle storytelling.
Uliquois
A Review of the Best Romance Anime(and Manga) The title of the review isn’t exactly hyperbole, although there is definitely a mix of bias in my review but I genuinely believe the show is easily the best romance anime of at least the last decade or so…Here is a spoiler-free(ish) review of prolly my fave comfort anime(and manga). There will be mild spoilers in some section but as a whole, I don’t think the spoilers would deter one’s enjoyment of the story as there is no mind blowing plot points to worry about. (Just a little disclaimer: Whenever I would be referring Ganta and Isaki(show’s main lead),I would describe them as “night owls” because…why not? They are insomniacs too…lol)
Insomniacs After School is one of the most kindest and wholesome stories out there that touches right at the audience’s heart with a great and lovably cast of characters, primarily Ganta and Isaki, the two main characters stands out obviously. Both of them suffers from Insomnia’s and fall in love with each other. Simple enough, right? Yeah but Show’s simplicity is its greatest strength as the anime exceedingly executes the story’s simplicity to downright perfection without rushing the story even the slightest bit. No moments feels rushed and every moment between our two lovey dovey night owls dorks are handled with such care.
Plot isn’t something extra spectacular or neither revolutionary. The plot contains many commonly known tropes to the genre. And yet the plot is powerful to produce moments of emotional depth so perfectly. Plot primarily contains Ganta and Isaki travelling, sometimes alone and sometimes with their (awesome) group of friends. These little trips are goddamn…beautiful. The story is extremely character driven by our two night owls which makes the trips extra special.
Characters are easily the story’s biggest strength. The side cast is great, they have their own unique personalities. They aren’t inherently interesting in traditional sense and almost everyone is supportive of the night owls . Their chemistry with the main cast is what imo makes them special. The two adults(the nurse and Shiromaru) are important…Now in the anime, they are narratively important. Shiromaru taught Ganta photopgraphy(or astrophotography to be specific) and the Nurse teacher(Kurashiki iirc) gave them the permission to open Astronomy Club. In the manga(especially in the ending part), they have a huge role to play or an important lesson to teach Ganta…(I will restrict myself from talking about manga contents entirely lol).
Now as a whole, Cast is unique and have great chemistry among themselves and the night owls. But the two magnum opuses of the character writing are- Ganta and Isaki.
The chemistry between them is…eloquent(idk why am I using so many fancy words lol). The romance between them doesn’t seem forced, they are two people who met each other by a small accident, discovered they have a similar problem and then…well…became lovers. Story never suffers from weird pacing issues and develops the story perfectly to cook . Their progress in their relationship and character development is just pure gold.
A bit dive deeper into the Night owls(It contains spoilers )-
Ganta got his insomnia from his fear…a fear of losing the ones he loves. Whenever he attaches himself to anyone, they disappear from his life. This is where he develops his unhealthy habit of self loathing and self hatred. He is naïve, he is flawed. His parents got separated as one morning, he never saw his mom. A fear that tomorrow will be worse than today. Self blame and Self guilt is something which is common in many kids who experience their parents getting separated or grew up in a household with toxic environment. Ganta was unfortunate to grow in such a similar environment. He planned the meteor watching party and got ruined by rain is one of the first examples of his self loathing we see in the story and his naivety.
Isaki was born with a heart condition. A lthough, when the events of the story(both in the anime and manga) starts, she is far from danger but she has fear. A fear of facing the future. A fear of being left behind. She was treated as special due to her condition and she hated her. Everyone treated her like a burden. She too is flawed…her sister is the only person who treated her as a normal person.
Photography is an important plot point. Ganta yearns for the past. He wants to go back to how things were simple back then when his family was happy and not separated. Isaki fears future, the future where she would be left behind, a future which she may not even be able to face…but photography is something which teaches them how to live in present properly. They can treasure their memories together. Its such a beautiful concept executed so perfectly in both the mediums.
I am a lil hesitant to deep dive more as I am undoubtedly gonna divert myself to the “manga territory” as manga still has 70 ish chapter more worth of content filled with equally(if not greater) highs.
This also leads me to another point as to how beautifully both influence each other. They teach other, they cure each other’s insomnia(not permanently ofcourse), they teach other how to live and care, they understand each other and how both develops wonderfully when you juxtapose it with the beginning of the story. Now, here is a lil fact(you can consider it a spoiler but I don’t think it’s a huge thing). There are a grand total of 2 kisses in the manga(out of which one is covered in the anime and the other one is a double page spread of their silhouettes). There is no sex as expected. But the story still feels intimate. Them sleeping together for the first time or the one time(during their picnic) or them holding hands in the ending. They are moments of intimacy that adds more depth. The execution of these scenes are just so sweet that I would argue it is even better than them having sex together to describe their intimate relationship…yeah.
The Comedy and the overall tonal awareness and atmosphere is great. The show perfectly masters the late night vibes of the sky, their trips and its beautiful. The soundtrack elevates the overall tone. Show contains a good amount of comedy(some can be a rather clichéd comedy) but they are honestly fine. I feel 8/10 times the comedy hits right perfectly and even in the remaining 2 times, the comic scene doesn’t feel “off” or ruins the overall atmosphere, comedic scenes always take place during the light hearted moments and doesn’t feel jarring or tonally off even if the jokes may not land perfectly.
The soundtrack is great. The OP and ED are rock solid(and I am even listening to ED while writing this review lol). Soundtrack never really falters the excitement and the voice acting is really on point.
Now is Animation which well…uhh let’s say is the weakest part of the show. No No, The animation isn’t terrible but seldomly inconsistent. There are some clunky and choppy frames and editing which feels weird . Although, they do manage to perfectly capture the feeling and vibes of the everlasting Night sky which has its own importance in the story and makes the night owls night time vibes and meetings alongside their trips even more memorable.
The ending is somewhat a lil divergent from the manga in a sense it feels more as a stand alone and a lil too “definite” one may say. But the ending doesn’t have any falters and is perfectly executed at a very beautiful moment, like really beautiful. Only one could hope for the Second Season. Just give us the goddamn Second Season…
This wraps up the review. I am a lil afraid didn’t deep dive into the story more.(I would be restricting myself to do that and mostly will do it when I will write a review on the manga). The story is genuinely heartfelt, kind and wholesome. Its handled with such a brilliant care and all the themes and characters are lovable, real and in many ways relatable. Just Watch the Anime for god’s sake. And It deserves a higher rating for god’s sake. I cant expect something like Erased or Demon Slayer is rated higher than this….
Dinodango
A wholesome more realistic story about two struggling teens who find each other. I can imagine why some (the minority I believe) may find the show boring, but for me this show depicts feelings of finding safety love, friendship, "purpose" and healing in such a beautiful and soft way. The beautiful animation combined, shots and sound design really pull you in the world the characters live in (Aka Japan in summer time) and makes the show instantly feel nostalgic. It reminded me of shows like Skip and loafer, Hyouka and Kimi ni todoke. The soundtrack is beautiful and suprised me several times. If you like storieswith a very clear goal/focus and or more "action" this might not be for you. But as a slice of life, romance with a pinch of drama it's perfect to me.
The only reason I gave it a 9 instead of a 10 would be that I would've loved to learn more! About the side characters and about the rest of the main characters stories and perhaps how their backgrounds continue to influence them. Time for the manga I guess.
VladWolfsbane
Speaking of insomnia, it's 4 am as I'm writing this review, so you'll have to excuse my biases when I say "Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia" has all the right vibes for a perfect SoL anime. It doesn't overly play on your emotions by giving unreasonably tragic pasts to all the characters, nor does it exaggerate adolescent romance to the point of fantasy. The concept of the anime, combining astronomy and insomnia, plays in perfect harmony. A sleepless night can be euphoric under the light of the stars, and it's even better if there's someone to share it with you. The character development was pretty solid for thetwo main leads. The story explores their tragic pasts that led to their current insomniac conditions. Insomnia can be very destructive for one's personal and social life, but with each other's company, not only did they learn to cope with it, they made their nights magical in their own way.
The art is pretty good; I'm not particularly for or against it. However, the celestial imagery really elevated many of the scenes. As for the sound, voiceover, and music, they're perfect.
Flashbacks can be annoying when overused, a sin many anime of this genre are guilty of. However, I must say this anime utilized flashbacks in just the right amount, keeping them brief but meaningful.
Overall, Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia is definitely a highlight of the season, and I'd recommend it to anyone who's okay with slow-paced slice of life anime.
Ob1ma
Every so often you come across a piece of medium that just makes you feel something different after watching, this feeling of emptiness that’s just so hard to describe. I’m really grateful to say that I had this feeling almost every week after watching an episode of Insomniacs After School. In a way it really made me feel like watching Your Name again for the first time, this magical experience with beautiful starry nights in the background. A series about star gazing and photography just asks to be aesthetic, this combined with one of the best and most wholesome romance you will find in anime makesInsomniacs after school the sleeper hit of this season for me. The interaction between the main duo feels so real and was what kept me hooked after the first couple of episodes.
The overall animation was a bit wacky at first, but at the most important moments the studio really delivered with some breathtaking scenes. The music made by the talented composer Yuuki Hayashi really suited the vibe of the series well.
I didn’t want to go too in depth in the story with this review, I just wanted to express my love for this series in a way I hope it may inspire you guys to watch it.
lycoping
This is a wonderful anime. I can't think of a better word to describe it. Not the absolute best anime I've ever seen, but near the top. Let me tell you why. This anime is about two teenagers who have insomnia, for different reasons. They find each other by looking for a quiet place to sleep during the day, and throughout this anime, they bond over this shared affliction, growing closer and having adventures while everyone else is asleep. It took me a little while to identify what makes this anime so good (as I say sometimes about the really good anime), butonce I figured it out, it was blindingly obvious. This is not a cheesy anime romance. The male MC isn't scared of girls and acting over-the-top embarrassed whenever he even touches one. The female MC doesn't just decide she likes the male MC for whatever reason, aggressively pursuing him until he finally breaks down, and comedic hijinks ensue. No, this isn't like that. This romance progresses realistically. While there is clearly a little awkwardness, as you'd expect from two high schoolers, they navigate their changing feelings for each other slowly, respectfully, and in a realistic way.
And while they're clearly hormone driven, it's not in an unrealistic way, either. They're (mostly) not afraid to touch each other, but they also don't jump into a relationship they're not ready for, even when they're given *plenty* of opportunity to do so. They also talk about their feelings and when they do take the appropriate steps in their relationship (all of which are family friendly) they do so respectfully and with plenty of communication. It's not a relationship based on misunderstandings and embarrassment, but mutual respect and care, that grows as the anime progresses. At one point, they are in a position where they could do, pretty much literally, anything they want with each other with no adults knowing or interfering, but they set up boundaries with each other and respect them. (Normally I'd find the lack of parental involvement to be offputting, but here it's played well. Teenagers will sometimes do stuff behind their parents' back, but that's very different from having no parents involved at all).
Put another way, this is a couple you can imagine spending the next fifty years (or however long they have) together, not just breaking up when one of them does something the other misunderstands.
This is such a breath of fresh air from those other "romance" anime where the male MC doesn't have a spine and the female MC just keeps "accidentally" flashing pantsu and getting embarrassed. Those anime are just annoying.
Artistically, this is a beautiful anime, and perhaps given the subject matter that's to be expected, given that this anime is partly about photography. The character design is well done. The female characters are not done in a cutesy, "moe" style like with many anime, but also not in that semi-realistic somewhat ugly fashion that you'll sometimes see when they're actively trying to avoid the "moe" style. I won't go so far as to say the faces are realistic, but they're, well, more realistic than many. The body types are also much more realistic, I can't think of any female character that has unrealistic, well, assets. The background images are, in some cases, absolutely *gorgeous*. As far as music goes, while the OP and ED aren't the type that I'll put on my playlist (generally I prefer high energy with interesting harmonies and rhythms, and musically they weren't interesting), they are sweet and sweetly done and I didn't always fast forward through.
Put in simple terms, this is one of those anime where everyone involved clearly cared about the product and characters, and that showed.
As far as fanservice goes, well, I won't say there's absolutely *none*, but there's so little that what is actually there isn't really a big deal. As you might know from my previous reviews, I'm not a huge fan of gratuitous fanservice, but if you add the word "gratuitous", well, there isn't any of that. Worst you'll get is some of the girls in reasonably age-appropriate swimsuits, and one accidental boob-bump.... and, well, if I'm going to complain about that, why would I bother watching anime in the first place?
Anyway, my final thoughts: This isn't just a "not bad" anime, this is a "very good" anime. It's not quite at the level of what I'd call a "masterpiece", but it's one of the few I can say unreservedly that's worth watching. Strong recommend from me.
Laeradr
It's really hard to find good romance shows, the genre is overwhelmingly dominated by trashy wish-fulfillment, sloppy stereotype-hunting, or goofy romcoms. But Kimi wa Houkagi Insomnia isn't any of that, it's what I would call a "true romance" anime. It doesn't provide any fanservice, 24/7 over the top humor, or wish-fulfillment. Instead it focuses on two things: Personal growth (i.e. regarding insomnia) and the development of a relationship between the two protagonists. The way those themes are handled is incredibly organic and the characters feel unique without being over the top or unrealistic. No "love on first sight" or "safe the damsel in distress" tropes, just twoteens slowly getting to know each other. There is some comedy here and there, but it never distracts from the core narrative or feels inappropriate. Animation and sound are absolutely fine, the pacing is slow but adequate for a realistic show like this.
If you liked 2017s Tsuki ga Kirei you'll love this one - especially if you're suffering from insomnia (like I do) you'll appreciate the way this topic is handled. Kimi wa Houkagi Insomnia is a absolute gem in the romance genre.
9/10.
Beagle313
The premise of the anime is simple: two people with the same problem (insomnia) find each other by accident, and well, the story starts. As cliche as the idea may sound, Insomniacs deliver on it far better than many. It's a dive into insecurities, fears, feelings and dreams of two people, a story of personal growth and overcoming problems. Loved it. Now for the more in detail review: Animation: 9/10 - Starry skies and landscapes are absolutely astonishing, but some of the other scenes look rather choppy. It was rather nice to look at overall. Creativity: 9/10 - It's a unique show in terms of theme, that isastrophotography, and Insomniacs doubles down on that making the two MC insomniac, which not only makes perfect sense, but gives them a sense of connection.
Characters: 8.5/10 - The two MCs are human, which is unfortunately rare in romance anime, and they aren't totally blind (again, a rare sight). The side characters are a bit cliche, but at least relatable (shoutout to Ukagawa with the third wheel rolling out line).
Romanceness/sticking to the genre: well, not exacly quantifiable - This show belongs into a category known as "diabeties inducer", that is a wholesome, sweet, lovey-dovey anime. And it blesses our eyes with sugar almost every moment along the way.
Overall, it's a great watch. Expect wholesomeness, sweet relationship growing, and amazing skies. A must-watch for every romance enjoyer, astronomer or astrophotographer.
giraffenanime
Being a student is stressful as it is, but being a student who can't get a wink of sleep at night is utter chaos. The sound of the newspaper boy, shutter doors slamming, dogs barking and the morning alarming telling you too move when you haven't even slept. Nakami Ganta seems to be the only one in his world in this situation, and thanks to his cranky attitude due to lack of sleep no one seems to care about his position. Even after sleepless nights, being ordered around by his classmates and teachers telling him how to run his life, he still follows the rules andlistens to every gruelling word. But thankfully on a little errand, he was able to run into someone who understands his situation perfectly. Stress, endless thoughts about the days ahead, the "why did I do that" and of course the "why didn't I do that". This little errand brought together two people who would change each-others sleepless nights into sleepless adventures that would widen their horizons and clear their minds.
Such a sweet OST to go with a soft slice-of-life, high-school, romance.
I wouldn't suggest this anime for the animation quality (although it was certainly beautiful when it needed to be), but for anyone who enjoys soft hearted series to warm the soul, to fill the nights with a little noise, to romanticize the moments we take for granted and a slow burn romance with no regrets. If you enjoyed this 13 ep series, I would highly suggest these as well:
- Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso (Your Lie in April)
- Angel Beats!
- Kimi ni Todoke (From Me to You)
LuisSV23
A practically perfect romance. The plot is simple, with solid arguments and easily relatable characters. While it doesn't delve into philosophical depths, it's important to note that the situations presented are notably realistic, even if some are slightly exaggerated. As I mentioned before, the characters are excellent. They have well-defined personalities, and unlike many other anime, their actions are appropriate for their age. The interactions between them feel genuine and natural. It's worth noting that some may consider the characters' behavior peculiar or exaggerated. However, we must remember that they are teenagers, and it's completely natural for them not to know how to handle certain situations, and they don'tnecessarily face them in the best possible way.
The plot doesn't require exceptional animation, but the quality of the artwork and backgrounds is commendable. Some shots almost resemble photographs, but upon closer inspection, it becomes evident that they are hand-drawn.
The external soundtrack (opening and ending) is excellent and perfectly captures the essence of the anime. However, I can't say the same for the internal soundtrack, which, in my personal opinion, lacks standout tracks for specific moments. It resembles the kind of music you would find in a generic visual novel.
In conclusion, this anime is truly outstanding. It presents a romance with an adult focus that should not be overlooked. If you're tired of generic school romcoms and are looking for something more serious, this is the series you should watch. I highly recommend it.
bam541
Insomniacs After School is almost as wonderful as the starry night skies its obsessed with. The way the anime steadily fleshes out its two main characters is very commendable, and its perfectly in sync with how they progress as lovers. Nakami's gloomy attitude is understandably unappealing at first, but Magari's bright and playful presence pushes him to come out of his shell and realize that there's a way to live a better life, and his interactions with the other characters only supports that. Meanwhile, Magari finds an outsider that she can truly rely on in Nakami, somebody that she can easily confide in. Its avery lovely dynamic that only gets better as they open up with each other about the things that haunt them, the troubles they encounter in living their insomniac lives. It's heightened by the anime's beautiful art style and delicate directing, especially in regards with the more intimate scenes. The anime also manages to do well with the lighthearted comedic moments without breaking the grounded feel of the art style.
Outside of the main two characters, I can't say I liked all of the side characters, but I appreciate that they have just enough presence to make them feel worthwhile in the story, and not too much to distract the focus of the main relationship. I also enjoy the photography aspects of the story, it definitely feels like the creator is channeling their hobby through this story, and its done very well. That, and their love of cats.
I think some of the conflicts in the story felt a bit forced/cheap to me, and it kinda ended on a flat note, but its all so minor in the grand scheme of things. This is basically the anime equivalent of a kiss to the forehead from a loved one.
owisty
I think it's incredible how this anime has a simple story of love between teenagers, but it manages to convey a feeling of realism that was rarely seen before. The truth is that this is not an easy anime to watch, nor can I recommend it, as there is nothing special about it, but when you watch it, you understand the reasons why it is an excellent anime, in its subtleties, in its depth of the relationships between the characters, in the love, respect and affection between them, you can feel all of this, because it is very real. If you're looking for a realrelationship, in a real world, this anime is for you, enjoy it, it's worth it.
