Much like the other students at her school, first-year student Saki Aoi finds herself captivated by the beauty of her senior on the school board, Makoto Hanaoka. While she worries that Hanaoka would be uncomfortable receiving a confession from another girl, Aoi musters up the courage to tell her anyway. However, Hanaoka's response surprises Aoi for a completely different reason—Hanaoka is actually a cross-dressing boy!
Fully expecting Aoi to be abhorred by this revelation, Hanaoka is shocked to find that she has no issues with it. Though Hanaoka rejects Aoi's request to go out with her—citing his identity and the fact that he has never fallen in love before—Aoi insists that she will become his first love. Taken aback by Aoi's determination, Hanaoka wonders if he can really fall in love with her if he cannot find it in him to truly love himself first.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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KANLen09
Senpai is an Otokonoko – In the age of emerging societal issues about sexuality, this show couldn’t have come at a better time to define the current age of the fragility known as the collective human society. And I’m all here for it. Cross-dressing and bisexuality are only some of the better-known terms when it comes to this sensitive topic that’s called sexual orientation. I’m sure that you’ve often heard terms like queer/LGBTQIA, homosexuality, and same-sex marriages all around given the rapid (and unfortunately rancid) age of the internet shoving and forcing ideals that regardless of your sexual orientation, we as humans should all be lovedone and the same, and that we should have our own ways to deal with anything that’s outside of the norm. Case in point, the very conservative Land of the Rising Sun that is Japan, experiencing yet another boom and resurgence of the known phenomena, especially within the 21st century. In the current day and age where people are more outspoken, the majority of which comes from the younger generation, they’re quite vocal in support over the years that same-sex relationships and marriage should be constituted into the National Diet (that is Japan’s government legislation), despite the ongoing views for and against LGBT rights that continue to this very day. And despite the awful and discriminative bigotry that is the Western view on LGBTQ+, Japan hasn’t had an issue with said term for decades now, which is seen throughout its culture, most especially in the AniManga industry where Yaoi and Yuri a.k.a Boys and Girls’ Love works are rampant, thereby creating an even deeper subculture of the infatuation of people who are sticklers to same-sex relationships and marriages to this day.
From the many Yaoi and Yuri works that are out and about in the AniManga industry, one such series stands out. And the surprising bit? It’s not even categorized as either genre. This is mangaka Pom’s Senpai wa Otokonoko a.k.a Senpai is an Otokonoko (or This is Him), a deconstruction of the LGBT genre, and simultaneously a coming-of-age story of accepting who you are regardless of gender norms, and its creation is quite the unique story of fascination. All of this was enough to win the hearts of its readers, thus increasing its popularity, as well as being well received by critics for its writing and characters, taking 3rd place in the web manga category of Kadokawa and Niconico’s Next Manga Award (of which its winner was mangaka Naoya Matsumoto’s Kaiju No. 8), as well as being Line Manga’s 3rd most read Webtoon series, all in 2021 alone.
Senpai wa Otokonoko: My Crossdressing Senpai tells the story of 2nd year student Makoto Hanaoka, a young man…who’s not really what he seems to be. His physique may be the fact that he’s a born-bred boy, but everything else is as otherwise. He’s best described as a tomgirl: someone who fancies the feminine side of things that girls often dress themselves with, to the point that he even wears his school’s standard female sailor uniform, despite from being shunned by everyone around him, to getting used to seeing him as such: a crossdressing boy. And that captures the attention of 1st year student Saki Aoi, who falls in love with him at first sight, thinking that he’s a girl, until the eventual reveal that he’s not, leaving her rejected. But she’s fine with whatever orientation he is anyway since she’s bisexual, being able to love both his heterosexual traits all the same in the hopes that she will become his first love, even though Makoto doesn’t reciprocate as much, even sometimes to the point of being judged by hanging out with a cross-dresser. And then there’s Ryuji Taiga, Makoto’s childhood friend who has been through the way with him since kindergarten, but his sexual orientation forces him to constantly question if he’s alright going all-in with the childhood friend-to-lovers trope, being that he’s secretly gay and in love with Makoto since their childhood days. This is quite the unusual love triangle as Makoto, Aoi, and Ryuji dig deep into their hearts into trying to understand and support each other as people who are unorthodox to their typical sexual orientations, and the drama in this anime does reveal a similar likeness of real-world discussions on what it means to be homosexual.
What started off as a manga draft for a lesbian romance, as both writer and illustrator, Pom had difficulties drawing male characters, and had to receive advice from an acquaintance on drawing a series where a boy dresses up as a girl, even if that meant that she was at times unhappy with her presentation of Makoto as a bona-fide boy. This is especially in Japanese high school culture where male students crossdress as female students and wearing the school’s female sailor uniforms does occur, though the school in her series is fictionalized and not based off of real-life high schools, down to the specifics. Pom also conceptualized the series in a way that instead of making a gag-based comedy (of which the manga, and now the anime, does have elements of it), she chose to tackle the theme of not obfuscating one’s sexuality when it comes to human relationships – the diversity of love and romance regardless of gender; being forward about liking feminine things as someone of the opposite sex and taking care of oneself. To note, however, this is NEVER the subject of litigation against people who try to defy gender norms, balancing the dark elements with lighter ones, and this is one of the key reasons why the mangaka herself kept the cast to as few characters as possible, stating her dissent when character-driven stories outpace the bigger picture of the actual story itself.
Regarding the love triangle that is Makoto, Aoi, and Ryuji, this is where the aesthetic of the series truly (and I mean TRULY) shines the brightest. Pom intentionally designed Makoto and Aoi to contrast against each other, with the former being constantly apprehensive and distressed, while the latter is assertive and poised, and Ryuji is the weighted balance within the two’s love life that got away but stood for the long run. You can tell that this unique trio of friends have a bond that’s like a balloon that no matter how much it inflates or deflates, it holds them altogether, but when it bursts, it bursts in a colossal way that it’s near to impossible to repair their close-knitted relationship. This is one of the reasons why Pom opted for visual storytelling rather than text-based storytelling as much as possible. The contrasts of Makoto liking the feminine side because of its aesthetic whilst being portrayed as a male in the inside; Aoi just being the typical high school student with a personality being that of a proactive and immature childish brat who always stays true to her values; and Ryuji just trying his best to counterbalance the insanity that is his childhood friend and the rejected heroine who loves them both the same (and even calling Ryuji her “Master”). This is a trio of characters planned to the precise detail, and Pom ultimately decides to “go where the others go” since there’s essentially no story to begin with, with her conceived characters being the ones to dictate the progress of the story itself, it’s all based on her experiences on the belief that they could not portray things believably unless she had experienced it herself, thus with each character having a part of the life and vision of the mangaka herself. And I mean, what can I say? This is a VERY well-thought-out plot, and characters designed for the intention to tell a story that’s larger than life itself, and I respect Pom for what she’s done here with this work that earned her the credibility and fame that is absolutely well deserved in the first place.
Running a tight ship like Senpai wa Otokonoko is a fine but ludicrous job, and having a subpar studio like Project No. 9 who’s doing 2 shows this season (this and the horrid animation presentation that is Naze Boku no Sekai wo Daremo Oboeteinai no ka? a.k.a Why Does Nobody Remember Me in This World?), both aspects will eventually crash and burn…but unexpectedly not for the former. With the backing of a big conglomerate like Aniplex, in-house director Shinsuke Yanagi and his staff team are undoubtedly blessed with a big budget to work with, being able to present the manga in anime form to a crisp, beautiful, and gorgeous display of both the gag comedy (which is taken off from the manga) and its world itself, which is just chef’s kiss. If anything, this anime is one of the best produced shows this Summer season, and I’m not exaggerating when Sakuga this fluid (even in a minimalistic way) is a treat for the eyes.
The OST also is really good and provides the deep and rich atmospheres, that’s all thanks to veteran music composer Yukari Hashimoto, having done prior high-profile series the likes of 3-gatsu no Lion a.k.a March Comes in Like a Lion and more recently with Komi-san wa, Comyushou desu. a.k.a Komi Can't Communicate, and this Winter's Yubisaki to Renren a.k.a A Sign of Affection. But if there's just one complaint, the OP and ED songs from Kujira are hit and miss, even if the ED (feat. Nishina) displays lighthearted feelings. It's decent, but forgettable.
Senpai wa Otokonoko a.k.a Senpai is an Otokonoko is a show that you CANNOT just enter into blindly because of its subject theme, thinking that you'll understand the motivations of the characters, and even far down to their personalities and such. This is NOT a show for the easily offended, and it takes a whole deal of maturity to put yourself in the shoes of a fellow LGBT who's been harassed, assaulted, or even judged to the point of hate, having to deal with feelings that are so far out of the typical straight human, and that's not an easy feeling for the Makotos, Aois and Ryujis in our fragile human society to overcome the constant plaguing issues of discrimination.
However, with that said, the anime, in my opinion, is one of the best shows of the Summer 2024 season, and all it takes is the heart of sympathy and understanding to see from their POV, then you can be guaranteed that Senpai wa Otokonoko is more than just a great show. It's a story about what we can do as the collective human society to help these people get along in this defecting, cancel culture of an egregious, sensitive society, to embrace and love them one and the same, regardless of who and what they are. It's a story about love and acceptance, and I'm glad to see that light and be better at treating people all the more.
Tardivex
Senpai wa Otokonoko is an anime that steps into delicate territory with a potentially impactful story but ultimately plays it far too safe. At its core, the show revolves around themes of identity, self acceptance, and navigating the complexities of personal relationships, especially those involving gender nonconformity. The setup promises meaningful exploration, but time and again, it pulls back just before things get real. This consistent hesitance gives the entire narrative a "sanitized" feel, like it’s afraid to truly engage with the difficult topics it skirts. The show touches on serious issues, strained family dynamics, the pressure of societal expectations, and the bittersweet nature of unrequitedlove, but it only ever brushes against them. Every time it seems poised to dive deeper, it retreats to an almost utopian status quo where everyone is perfectly accepting, and conflicts resolve themselves without any real confrontation. While this can be refreshing in certain contexts, it feels out of place here, given the weight of what’s being dealt with.
Makoto Hanaoka, the crossdressing protagonist, is a prime example of this. There’s a clear struggle within him, exacerbated by the conflicting attitudes of his parents, yet the story avoids digging into the psychological impact of such a situation. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the dynamic between him and his mother. Throughout the show, their relationship is marked by tension and misunderstanding, but when the time comes for a resolution, it feels completely unearned. The abruptness of this shift robs the moment of emotional weight, making it seem more like a narrative shortcut than a meaningful breakthrough. The narrative implies tension but never follows through on it, preferring to wrap things up in a neat bow. It’s a pattern repeated throughout, whether in Makoto's aforementioned family dynamics, his interactions at school or his evolving relationships with other characters. Despite some promising moments, the show's reluctance to explore these tensions undermines the emotional resonance it could have achieved.
This avoidance is also noticeable in the romantic arcs. One character’s feelings of unrequited love are portrayed in a way that seems on the verge of poignancy, yet rather than grappling with the complex emotions involved, the show opts for an easy reset. It goes back to a comfortable status quo, avoiding the messier but more honest aftermath that love often brings. It’s as if the show is afraid of its characters truly growing or facing the reality of their circumstances.
The same issue can be seen with Saki Aoi, whose backstory had the potential to dive into the emotional intricacies of forgiveness, resentment, and the yearning for familial connection, but the show’s desire to maintain a light, sanitized tone keeps it from fully realizing this potential. Instead of allowing the characters to confront and process these issues, the narrative opts for a simplistic resolution where everyone moves on without confronting the lingering scars of the past.
Despite this, Saki remains a compelling character. Her bright, optimistic exterior contrasts with the unresolved emotional baggage she carries, making her one of the more layered individuals in the story. However, as with many aspects of this show, the narrative’s reluctance to address these layers in a meaningful way leaves the story feeling incomplete. The show hints at deeper emotional truths but consistently pulls back before fully exploring them.
What’s frustrating about this title is that it frequently teases the audience with the potential for more. It’s not that the show is devoid of substance, but rather that it continually undermines itself by refusing to follow through on its more difficult themes. There’s a strong message about self acceptance and coming to terms with one's identity, but the insistence on avoiding discomfort drains it of impact. The result is a narrative that feels polished on the surface, but hollow underneath.
In the end, this anime isn’t a bad watch, but it’s hard not to feel disappointed by what could have been. It presents a world where tough conversations and emotional growth are hinted at but never fully embraced. While it offers moments of sweetness and warmth, the reluctance to tackle its core themes with the seriousness they deserve leaves it feeling like a missed opportunity.
Chuy_diazz
A very interesting premise but one that didn't have the necessary space to develop. A simple premise, a boy who likes to dress as a girl and pretty things. This will lead to an identity crisis and family problems, which would be the driving force of the story. Unfortunately, the story explored this theme halfway and in a very superficial way. The first 3 chapters are a bait where they give you a little of what you came to look for, but the rest of the story is divided into 3 subplots. The friend in love with the protagonist who denies the idea that he couldlike men, the cheerful and energetic girl with family problems and the story of our protagonist begins to develop in a secondary plane. The whole season I saw it more like a Turkish soap opera, since there were many subplots with high doses of drama and exaggerations to lengthen the plot just enough to announce a movie that closes the story.
What is most disappointing is that the protagonist's story becomes blurred during 6 episodes, because space has to be given to the other two stories. Honestly, those stories weren't bad but it's not what one came looking for. The girl's family problems have already been seen in many other media and the boy, although it works for the "romantic" factor that they want to give to the story, it doesn't feel right that they force a relationship when the protagonist is still lost in his life decisions. In the final stretch, the same story remembers who its protagonist was and tries to rush the pace so that everything is centered on Makoto again. Unfortunately, it doesn't end up having cohesion, since in the end everything is resolved with the power of family, love and friends but without really facing the reasons for the rejection that our protagonist suffered at the beginning.
If you just want to watch a soap opera, here you will find them and you may become a little fond of the characters. If you're looking for a story of acceptance and self-love while trying to fight against society's prejudices, there's none of that here. What's more, they're going to try to sell you the idea that society has never made a negative judgment of that magnitude.
Marinate1016
Being true to yourself is the most important thing in life. No matter what happens, you’re the only person you have to live with everyday for the rest of your life, so you better make sure you love the person in the mirror. Painoko is one of the most respectful and mature depictions of teenagers dealing with gender dysphoria and sexual identity I’ve seen. Unlike other stories in this medium, it’s not something played up for laughs or for entertainment, but an actual part of Makoto and Ryuji’s identities that they struggle with. While it’s not without flaws, on the whole painoko is a verycompetently written story depicting extremely relevant issues for young adults and a must watch for any LGBTQ fan, or just those who want to learn more about what goes through crossdressers’ heads. Thoroughly enjoyed this even as someone who wasn’t really interested in that sort of thing coming in.
Liking “cute” and “girly” things doesn’t make you less of a boy. You can enjoy whatever you want as whatever gender you want. It’s all made up social roles that society tries to box us into anyway. Painoko is great because it wants to drive this message home to people by showing Makoto coming to terms with who they are. Initially we see Makoto struggling with their “girly” tendencies while society views them as a boy, before eventually realising you don’t have to box yourself into either gender. As someone who likes things that society traditionally associates with girls, I really related to Makoto in this one. While I don’t have the crossdressing desire, I do empathise with wanting to just enjoy things and be myself in a way that society unfortunately looks down on me for. Fortunately at my age, it’s not as big a deal as it would be for a younger person. I’ve become very comfortable with myself, but I think this show has some nice lessons and offers encouragement for younger people who may still be struggling with accepting who they are. Again, the author clearly understands this and doesn’t use it as a simple plot device, this is very much a part of Makoto’s character and something they grapple with throughout the show. Even when they start to accept themselves, there’s the conflict with Makoto’s mother..
Normally in these situations, the mother is the more accepting one, but Painoko has a unique set up in which the dad is actually more understanding of Makoto’s gender dysphoria and crossdressing than their mom! Instead of accepting her child and encouraging them to be themselves, she belittles and is emotionally abusive to them. Honestly it was hard to watch, but it is sadly something that many people irl go through so I think it’s important to see it depicted. Also, like most people irl realise, that abuse comes from someone who themselves has a lot of deep rooted trauma. Hurt people hurt people as the expression goes.
Now, while Makoto crossdressing and struggling with their identity is a big part of the show, there’s also the Ryuji situation that I loved. Ryuji throughout the show struggles with his sexuality. He’s been in love with Makoto since they were kids and loves Makoto not because they dress like a girl, but just for the person they are. Makoto deals with this guilt wherein they feel like they’ve tricked Ryuji into liking them because they dress like a girl and Ryuji feels bad for falling in love with someone that society perceives as a guy. It’s a complicated and delicate situation that we see both struggle with over the series. Honestly it was hard to hear Ryuji put himself down constantly and lament over his sexuality throughout the series. It is again a sad, but often far too real experience that many people go through. The author does a good job of getting across just how dangerous falling into that mentality can be and how important it is to realise there’s nothing wrong with you and you can’t help who you’re attracted to. My only issue with this particular situation is I feel the Ryuji and Makoto relationship dynamic was handled poorly in the last couple episodes. There’s a big turning point that occurs and kind of gets brushed under the carpet because of third cast member’s drama.
Another big plus for this story is how everyone communicates and doesn’t drag things out. I really can’t emphasise enough how much I appreciate this. There’s no drawn out drama and when there are misunderstandings, the characters have mature sit down conversations within an episode max. Like it was genuinely such a breath of fresh air to hear people apologise, say what’s on their mind, confess and accept responsibility for their actions! Just as a brief example, there was a situation with Ryuji and Makoto due to those insecurities we talked about earlier, and instead of it being some long process, Ryuji instantly apologises and explains why he acted the way he did and why he felt a certain way. My jaw was damn near on the floor. The author really gets people and it shines through in the writing!
The love triangle in the story I think is probably one of the weaker aspects. For me, the big appeal here is the gender and sexual identity stuff. I felt like Makoto and Ryuji were the only real ship and that Aoi was frankly there as comic relief. Yes, she got a serious arc in the final third, but honestly I just didn’t care about her that much and I definitely didn’t see her as an actual potential partner for Makoto. She always felt to me like a really good friend or even little sister like figure. Going to sound a little mean to say too, but I was kind of happy when she was out of the picture and dealing with her own family drama so the other two could get closer..
Production wise it’s a solid seasonal. Nothing crazy, but the art style is cute and character designs really good. The animation is passable, nothing crazy, but not bad at all. The seiyuu performances bring this story to life though. There’s so many big emotional moments in this one that they convey their feelings thru the screen for, especially Aoi’s arc with her mom and Makoto and Ryuji’s arc in the final few eps. Hats off to them!
So, my verdict is that Painoko is a must watch. I had it in my top 10 new anime of summer video and that really has stayed the same. It’s been solidly in my top 4-5 shows of the season throughout and one of the best times of the week for me. I absolutely loved Makoto and related so much to the desire to enjoy “girly” things in peace. It’s no fair that the girls get all the fun! While I didn’t initially have an interest in crossdressing or even BL stories prior to this, I had my eyes opened and worldview expanded and now am really interested in reading and learning more. I feel that I have grown more interested in LGBTQ issues as a whole thanks to this series and that’s a testament to the job the author did with it. Bravo.
Painoko gets 9 out of 10.
Necrotoxic01
*Spoiler-free section.* I took Senpai wa Otokonoko off of the metaphorical shelf because I had a free slot in my seasonal anime, and the title sounded interesting. It was pretty far down on the seasonal popularity list, so I expected to find an alright show I could at least enjoy my time with. What I wasn’t expecting was a show that carefully, respectfully, and tactfully portrayed topics such as, LGBTQ people, gender non-conformity, and various forms of child abuse. Senpai wa Otokonoko isn’t a new favorite of mine, but I really respect and like the way that it handled its characters, story, and themes. Along withvery good animation, music, and VA work, this anime has become one of my favorites this season. 9/10
*Spoilers beyond this point.*
Senpai wa Otokonoko has three main stories. Makoto, Saki, and Ryuugi, and all of their arcs are a coming-of-age story about being yourself. The anime starts as a simple Party A falls For Party B, but then Party C discovers their feelings for Party A. Is this generalized plot entirely unique to this show? No, because many anime follow this format for their stories, so, this show does lean on the LGBTQ and gender non-conformity point a bit to make the story unique. However, the story quickly becomes more complicated. Party A can’t express themselves because of an abusive parent. Party B is abandoned and neglected. I believe that a secondary theme of this anime is breaking the cycle of hurt. Makoto and Saki are very kind, friendly, and caring people. All of these are qualities their homes lack. I also like how Makoto is a deep character and is not a typical objectified anime femboy archetype.
One of the reasons that Makoto is more than just that archetype is because he comes from a pretty difficult living situation. You see, his mother is, no exaggeration, obsessed with him being gender-conforming. So obsessed in fact that Makoto keeps all of his cute/girly outfits and objects in a locker in a storage shed on school grounds. Well, that just seems like a controlling parent right? Well, that’s not all because Makoto brings Saki over to his house. She meets his mom, and she acts like a normal person. However, a few days later she finds a pink handkerchief in Makoto’s room. Instead of assuming that the handkerchief is his friend’s who was over a couple of days ago, she assumes it’s his. She then sits at the dining table, for an unknown period of time, with all of the lights off except for one, literally STARING at this pink handkerchief like a lunatic. Later, Makoto tries to tell her that he wants to control when he gets his hair cut instead of her telling him to. She then begins to breathe heavily and has to be left in a separate room to “recover.” Poor baby. What is interesting is that his dad isn’t in absentia. He drives Makoto around while they talk about his gender identity. His dad basically asks if he wants to transition into a girl, or just likes dressing as one. Later, we see that his answer is neither. He wants to be himself. His dad seems at least passively supportive, and that’s better than what his mother offers. He also gives Makoto his grandfather's address and tells him to go and make a visit. His grandfather enjoys more feminine things, so obviously he is supportive and understanding of Makoto.
Saki also comes from a difficult living situation. Being neglected by her father and abandoned by her mother for 10 years isn’t just something brought up once or twice to explain why her parents aren’t around when her friends come over, or why she lives alone with her grandmother. She is genuinely affected by her parents being bad people, and it’s shown through her actions. She craves love and attention from others. When she was younger, she tried to be friends with everyone, but that freaked some of the other kids out, and then they distanced themselves from her. In high school, she is friends with quite a few people, but now is looking for someone to be her “special someone” to make her feel happy. She is trying to fill the hole left by her abusive parents. On a side note, I do not trust her mother trying to come back into Saki’s life.
On the note of her parents, Saki’s dad loves his whale-studying job more than her, therefore, she learns a lot about whales just to try and make him pay attention to her, she texts him all the time even though he never answers her, and the only reason he comes back into town is when his mother is in the hospital after becoming light-headed and falling. After that visit, he leaves right for the whales again. He didn’t even realize that she was wearing a large band-aid on her knee. Her mother is no better. She walked out on Saki when she was little. Leaving her with an absent father and an aging grandmother. To me, there is no wonder that Saki is the way she is, and why she feels the way she feels.
Ryuuji doesn’t come from an immediately hostile environment like the other two mains, as a matter of fact, his little sister seems to know, and support, that he has a crush on Makoto. Now, this does not mean that his story is any less interesting. He starts the story by being friends with Makoto, and, with Saki’s help, he realizes his feelings for him. His feelings are shown in a, mostly, realistic and sympathetic way, and anyone who has developed feelings for a good friend would agree with me.
Everyone’s VA work is good, but the standout is Saki’s. She brings a type of excited, goofy, funny energy, but she can also be serious and nervous when she needs to be. The animation is great too. I’m not a huge fan of the art style drastically switching to simple and chibi-like art style for the funny parts. It pulls me out of the story a bit and makes me think that the creator wanted there to be a clear switch between the serious parts and the funny parts. As if they can’t coexist.
I have other small problems with the anime too. First of all, Makoto gave up on dressing like a girl, throwing away all of his cute stuff, and then getting over giving up on all of that stuff is done fairly quickly. I wanted to see more of his mental struggle. Secondly, Ryuuji doesn’t seem to struggle too much with his newfound sexual understanding. In the beginning, he was like “No, I don’t like Makoto” to, “No, I don’t like Makoto, but what if?” to, “Yes, I do like Makoto.” It was too straightforward for my liking. Thirdly, I would have liked to see more of Makoto’s current school situation. We see a few students acting weird around him in the first episode, but after that, everyone treats him no differently than anyone else. Also, most of the school problems we see are flashbacks to his first year. Also, I think that the first few episodes don’t set the tone for the rest of the show. I think that they come off as more like “A mostly unserious comedy about how this guy dresses like a girl.” Finally, I don’t like how the abusive moms are going through a type of redemption arc. Listen, it’s not like bad people can’t be redeemed, but these two are really bad people and I just don’t buy it.
Is Senpai wa Otokonoko the best show ever? Did it make it into my top 10? 20? No, no, and no. But, what this show IS is a well-done look into what life can be like if you identify as an LGBTQ person, a gender non-conforming person, and/or a person that has suffered one of, if not various forms of, child abuse. This show is tragic, comedic, thoughtful, and great all around. The characters and story get a 9.5, and the enjoyment, sound, and animation all get a 9. I can’t believe that a show I originally pegged down as a mid-7 was able to become a low 9. Quite the surprise, and what is even more of a surprise is that this show is my second favorite this season. 9/10.
Final words? The mains should get into a throuple.
Guthem
An anime with crossdress, delicate, and with many tense moments. This is Otokonoko You find here a great slice-of-life, which really hits youu heart Human beings created the concept of men's and women's clothing, and that is the differentiation. But what if the person wants to dress the way they want? This anime should be shown on open TV in every country, after all, clothes are clothes, that doesn't define who the person is. Do you want to meet the person? Introduce yourself, get along with the person With some twists and turns that leave you apprehensive, the plot gives us an excellent trio, yes, you will like allthree equally
CaptainKenshiro
I initially started this anime because part of its premise reminded me of Hourou Musuko, a 2011 coming of age and romance anime about two transgender protagonists. But as it turns out the main character in here later on does not see themselves as either a boy or a girl, so I guess we’re talking about a non-gender conforming non-binary protagonist here instead. I mean this anime still shares some things with that one, such as the main character dressing with feminine clothes half the time and being initially rejected by most people around, and having a supportive parent while the other does not accept them,but they have nothing in common beyond that and their approach are vastly different.
The romance part of the anime is peculiar, as the protagonist is part of a sort of a love triangle with both a boy and a girl, having the male character being conflicted by his feelings and afraid of being homo or at least bisexual, and of being seen as a creep, both by his friend and society. The female character has no issue with the main character’s identity but her feelings end up being different from what it’s initially shown.
Thus despite being a romance, the approach in here seems like an anti-genre sort of thing, as the characters go in and out of relationships without actually being in love with the others and instead being afraid of losing their bonds, and desperately want affection that was neglected to them at some point in their lives.
So, it’s the anime like KareKano? Which took the premise of a high school romance between two seemingly perfect characters to explore their real selves and their psyche behind them? Not really, hardly, as the series is mostly comical and leaves its themes in the background for the sake of focusing on something else, and when it does focus on them, it feels like a surface level of exploration.
KareKano was a comedy as well but it knew when and how to separate its humor from its psychological introspection, while this show only has the character feeling kinda sad yet doesn’t miss the chance to throw some jokes every few minutes.
Aside of the messy tone, another issue is that, despite its peculiar love triangle and themes it wants to explore, the execution still comes down to awkward teenagers being unable to resolve most things just by talking them out, which is why the resolutions of every conflict there is end up being very easygoing:
-The main character is bullied lightly only in the past on another school, and rejected just at the beginning of the story, they quickly become popular and supported by everyone in the school.
-Ryuji and Makoto’s relationship and conflicts get two episodes tops of focus. Exactly because there isn’t much content to explore about that, at least not in this anime.
-Related to that, characters faking their feelings does not lead to any interesting change in dynamics or a major conflict between them, as they are still around the others and keep accepting each other no problem.
-Aoi’s loneliness does get some focus throughout several episodes, but that can and is in fact resolved simply by having the other two mains around. And the most important part of that aspect, the absence of her mother, gets resolved extremely easily and in an easygoing and very lighthearted way by the end of the series.
-Want to talk about the thing between Makoto and their mother? It gets completely sidelined until the very end of the series, it is looked deeper only when the show is about to end, and just like with Aoi, for how big it seemed to be, the resolution leaves a lot to be desired.
Plus the adaptation isn’t even complete as there is a movie coming out next year to adapt the final bunch of chapters of the source material.
Apparently, the anime covered the whole source material by rushing through all of its content in just one season, so that could be part of the problem, but that does not change the end result of the adaptation.
I can’t even say that the aesthetics are remarkable in any particular way, the backgrounds and artwork are good, the special effects and character designs are one of the same you can find anywhere else. The main issue is the chibi art style the series goes for half the time, which negatively affects everything else.
Just like with Human Bug Daigaku, which I reviewed recently, I appreciate how this show properly captured the main aesthetic of its source material, but by itself it kind of sucks. For the comical moments, the style feels tryhard, and when it is used in between more serious scenes, it ruins the mood completely.
And that goes for the sound as well. The main character having a clear male voice is a nice touch, but everyone else sounds very typical, except for Aoi, who has a weirdly raspy or something like that voice and sounds unnatural a lot of the times to me. The opening and ending are cute and fitting but the rest of the music, as well as the sound effects, are mostly unremarkable.
So, if you’re up for a romance series with a somewhat unusual love triangle with some LGBTQ+ themes thrown in there, and with an attempt at exploring some more serious stuff to make it dramatic enough to feel like something might happens, while still having wholesome resolutions for you to not feel bad while watching it, this is your show. If otherwise you want an actual serious and more complex look into any of its themes, I think you should try somewhere else.
Recommended stuff
Products about the identities of LGBTQ+ and how they are seen by people around them:
-Hourou Musuko
-Yo nena, yo princesa (Argentine movie about the first legally recognized transgender girl in the country).
Romcom series about characters afraid to reveal their true selves:
-Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou
-Horimiya
Kigimya
I usually don't watch stuff with a love triangle because the childhood friend always lose and i start to hate the protagonist. But this time i couldn't hate makoto not even saki. This anime hits me in a different way that i have never felt. I do really recommend, its too good. And i need a ryuji in my life. He's too perfect (And his VA too. I love Uchida Yuuma and i have watched almost every anime he has starred this season). The art style is very cute and their interactions are really funny, I've laughed hard in some episodes. Sometimes they rush some events likewhen they are playing with fireworks or just going out together, i like to see them talking and enjoying their own company. And that's okay, i haven't read the manga, so i cant be really sure but i think the director did a good job.
BerryBlitz
I was pleasantly surprised by how heartfelt and genuine Senpai is an Otokonoko turned out to be. The story takes a refreshing and sensitive approach to gender identity and romance, which is not something you often see explored this well in anime. It manages to be both lighthearted and emotional, handling its themes with care and sincerity. The characters were definitely the highlight. Makoto, the cross-dressing senpai, is such a well-written and relatable character, portraying the struggles and emotions of self-identity with authenticity. Saki is sweet, sincere, and supportive, making her easy to root for. Ryuji’s character arc was also surprisingly touching, especially ashe deals with his feelings and perceptions. Their dynamic creates a unique love triangle with genuine emotional stakes.
The animation was decent – nothing groundbreaking, but it had a clean and colorful style that fit the tone perfectly. The character designs were charming, and the softer color palette added to the warm, slice-of-life atmosphere. The voice acting was also strong, conveying the emotional moments effectively.
Overall, Senpai is an Otokonoko was a surprisingly heartfelt and meaningful anime. It offers a beautiful exploration of love, identity, and acceptance while keeping the romance and drama engaging. I gave it an 8/10 – a sweet, emotional, and refreshing watch that handled its themes with care and left a lasting impression.
AkiFosu
Senpai wa Otokonoko - Final Episode The story severely under delivered in the end, and not only because of the topics treated. Awful pacing, a fudged narrative, and overall bad decisions on what to develop, to include or exclude, played the key roles in destroying good potential. Absent logic in the writing department strikes again. The anime often felt like three different seasons mixed into one, and nothing got the time it deserved. The whole "muh parents" arc and the "old friends from school appear, at the second last episode, bringing with them flashbacks, and a focus on people no one cares about" delivered the kill shot. Let'sbe fair, no law or rule written anywhere requires that a webtoon artist should know about dramatic technique or poetics. Just the intention to create something justifies the endeavor, and nothing wrong with that.
But the moment a studio invests (big) money into its anime production you should expect at least one educated guy to take a look at it and say ce n'est pas possible. We need to cut and reorder things. But none of that happened, so we got lukewarm and underwhelming nonsense in the end - 4/10.
VanyatheSuccubus
A great masterpiece for me This is my first review, please forgive any mistakes. Sorry if i don't explain me well, english it's not my first lenguage. The thrut it's, i'm very identified with Makoto and the autoexploring of his autoperception. This anime gave me a powerful message: "If you manage to let go of certain important things, you can at least protect one thing, whatever it may be". I grow up being a boy, but in my life i usually like girl's things, like clothes, make-up and cute things, but live in a sexist society in third world make the things very hard and i had tolet it go that tastes.
But this anime made me realize what doesn't matter, you have to live a happy life being who really are.
Friends, family and other persons opinion doesn't matter when you know who you are and you want to live happy.
This anime for me gave me the courage for search for what really i am, "a boy who like, look like a girl with a cute things".
The genders are just genders, the things doesn't have gender, so live how you want even if the society thinks you are weird.
Search happines, that's all, life it's just hard if you don't live how you want.
"Not living the way you want is the same as being dead"
5iv3_
I had little to no expectations for this show and didn't really know what to expect when i started it, but I immediately felt this warm and fuzzy feeling from watching this show over time and slowly came to look forward to this show as it was airing. It's cute, and even the love triangle wasn't that messy. It overall felt like a coming of age story about 3 high-school kids learning about themselves and each other. The characters for this series I feel are great examples and metaphors of the gender norms that exist in society. One actively breaks that norm, One wants toconform to the norms but struggles, and the other is in the middle and sees both sides. They in tandem act as a message for a bigger picture that is being conveyed to the audience. "Be yourself." and i feel it's told quite beautifully if i might add.
Animation wise, it's nothing overly flashy but it doesn't have to be to get the point across. The chibi's they use throughout I feel aid the lighthearted comedy that's sprinkled within that contributes to the warmness of the story. So overall, it's animated nicely i think. They used their resources well!
Now I have to add, The OP & ED for this are amazing and just feel that has to be said. I still listen to them even now they're just that great. The visuals as well are really nice and well animated. I'm gushing a little heheh ///>w<///
Anyways, if you get the point, this show is amazing and you 🫵 should totally give it a try!!
- Written while listening to Fake Idol by QWER
noobpro45
Overall, I think this anime is quite good. Initially, I wanted to give it a rating of 9. However, from a personal perspective, the anime takes a slightly unconventional turn. Because of this element, I decided to give it a rating of 7. But overall, the anime is still enjoyable. The story is quite unique and offers a fresh perspective. While there are some predictable moments, I still enjoyed it because I appreciate this genre and setup. The art style is fitting for the story, complementing the narrative well and enhancing the overall viewing experience. The characters are well-rounded with both strengths and flaws, making themrelatable and engaging. They are not portrayed as unusually strong, smart, or stupid, which adds to their realism. Additionally, the characters react to situations and events in a realistic way, which adds depth to the story and makes it more believable.
I believe others will enjoy this series, even if they might not share my exact views. The unique story, fitting art style, and well-rounded characters make it a worthwhile watch.
MidniteAndBeyond
I'm so happy with how this one turned out! It's a beautiful story about three classmates who are all trying to better understand, come to terms and fully embrace their own identities and their own personal feelings towards one another. It's a super cute show with so many fun and wholesome interactions. Don't wanna give away too much, but this show spoke so specifically to me and my own personal journey of self-discovery. It meant so much to me to have my specific placement in the LGBT community to be represented in a series like this. It helped me feel less alone and helped mebetter understand what I wish for myself in the future. I'd love to give this show a 10 for that alone, but there are a couple things I wish could've seen that didn't end up happening. I might have to rewatch it to get a second opinion, but I kinda feel like Saki was just sorta sidelined for most of the series. I wish her storyline had the other two protagonists involved in it more, but I also understand that was sorta kinda the point. I also feel like a very large part of Makoto's storyline just sorta got resolved off screen, probably due to the 12 episode limit. It still works, but I feel like there was a perfect opportunity to bring the background cast in for an episode and have a very serious revelation for them all that we all get to see, rather than just seeing the resolution at the end of the series. I'm thrilled to say that a sequel film will be releasing next year, so perhaps I'll get these tiny nitpicks resolved when that releases. Bottom line though, I absolutely adored this series and I'm so happy and grateful it exists. I highly encourage you to watch it, whether its to find some answers for yourself or to gain a better understanding of the people around you.
9.5/10
Laid_back_ash
Simple and refreshing. I was pleasantly surprised with this anime. It doesn't pander any message to anyone just presents its story confidently. And the story has a unique premise but it's quite universal the way it is told. The direction is really good. Our main characters are constantly put in different situations and their emotional growth is fun to watch. Their reactions are quite realistic and relatable. It's a complete story with a satisfying ending. The animation is decent and the VAs did a really good job. There are atleast three different arcs each dealing with a different side of the protagonist and the side characters. The anime worksespecially because these characters are so well written and well thought out.
Give it a watch atleast the first two episodes and then you can decide if it's good for you.
Aechgal
Senpai wa Otokonoko brought up an important conversation about cross-dressing, gender identity, sexuality, friendship, love, family, and more. I was really happy to see the anime exploring whether Makoto truly wanted to live as a girl or simply liked cute, "girly" things. It would have felt like a missed opportunity if it had stopped at just cross-dressing and cute, pinkish aesthetics without delving into the deeper discussion of gender and sexuality. Unfortunately, other subjects took up some time (which wasn’t the issue). The problem was that many aspects felt underdeveloped and clearly needed more time to fully unfold, including the anime’s main theme. So, while I likedit and appreciated the topics it tackled, I was disappointed by the lack of more thorough development.
PlusBlue
So from episodes 1-11 i would of put this show at a 7.5 like its fun and i'd defently reccommend it too everyone but i just want too put it out there that if you are wanting too watch a romance this probally isnt the show for you although it deos talk about romance it isnt the main point of this show, i'd say this show focuses more on the conflict between characters emotions. However what truly boosted this score up too a 9 was the final 12 episode like being totally serious i have never seen an anime conclude that good before it is sucha good ending and the whole show is worth watching just for the episode (no spoilers).
In summary what im trying too say is not too be fooled into thinking this show is a romance from episode 1 and please try too stick with it and ignore the jumpey plot points and the hard too watch scenes it is all worth it!
mitsuwuki
I want to preface this review by saying that Senpai wa Otokonoko is one of my favorite manga of all time. I am writing this review from a fan of the source material's perspective. With this being said, I did enjoy watching this anime; however, it left much to be desired. While not a standalone bad watch by any means, I don't believe it to be a very good adaptation of the source material. TL;DR: really, really great series, but pretty lackluster execution in this adaptation. My complaints lie within two key points: visuals and pacing. Let's talk about the visuals first. I believe the characterdesigns were adapted well into the animation, and everyone looks very cute, but regarding "animation", there isn't very much of that to begin with. At many points it felt like I was just rereading the manga but with sounds and voice acting. Most of the actual animated sections were drawn in a sort of simple chibi style that Pom-sensei uses throughout the manga, and I found it to be quite endearing and enjoyable especially for comedic moments in the manga, but quite overused and distracting here in the anime. They especially take away from some of the more serious moments where Pom tends to refrain from using them, but are used very liberally in the anime. A lot of the rest of the scenes are depicted via slideshow montages of still images or otherwise very minimal animation. On top of this, many background characters are drawn without eyes, which I do understand as a way to make the backgrounds easier to draw, but the fact that they often remain eyeless even when attention is drawn to them is very off-putting. All this aside though, in general, none of the standalone visuals look bad at all, and Pom's lovely art style was adapted very nicely. Unfortunately, it's clear the show wasn't given a very high budget, and it definitely reflects in how it's presented visually.
Now, pacing. This 12 episode anime covers around 75% of the manga, which is 100 chapters long. This makes for a lot of things to be gone through too fast, or just plain skipped over in some cases. I imagine that as an anime viewer unfamiliar with the source material, this wouldn't be as much as of an issue; however, from a manga reader's perspective, it personally felt very weird to watch sometimes. Some important arcs in the manga felt very rushed through here, and some less important ones felt like they were given too much attention, which left me very confused sometimes. At no point during watching this did I have any idea where they were gonna end it off. And again, this is only really an issue from a manga reader's perspective, so take this paragraph with a grain of salt.
Now, as I am a big fan of Senpai wa Otokonoko as a manga, I have to talk about some of the positives of this anime adaptation. As I mentioned before, the character designs and Pom's art style were adapted into the anime very nicely. Along with that, all of the voice casting for this adaptation fits each character super well; they're all almost exactly how I imagined them sounding in my head when I was reading. The voice acting isn't all that's good in regards to sound either; The opening and ending and all the OST in between are very good and help tie scenes together very nicely. I'm also very grateful that much of the LGBTQ+ theming was given the attention it deserves, as it's very important to the series as a whole and a big reason why I personally fell in love with it.
To conclude, I will answer the main big burning question: do I recommend this anime, or do I not? The answer is it depends. I do not want to deter anyone from experiencing a series as beautiful and lovely as Senpai wa Otokonoko. If you're not someone who reads any manga at all, then I won't discourage you from watching the anime; by all means, go ahead! As mentioned above, if you're not a fan of the source material, much of the things I mentioned will not sour the experience for you. However, if you're someone who does read manga and happened to stumble upon this anime, I would definitely suggest trying to read the manga first instead. Overall, yes, I do recommend Senpai wa Otokonoko wholeheartedly. There is just simply, in my opinion, a much better way to experience it than via this anime adaptation.
The_Namer
In a season filled with romance anime, this was easily the best. In lesser hands, Makoto's titular cross-dressing could have been treated as a cheap gimmick, but fortunately this gentle romantic drama respects its characters and has a strong story to tell. Makoto dresses as a girl at school, but hides it from his mother, fearing how she will react. He hasn't reconciled how he perceives himself or how he wants to live his life, and this causes tension with those around him. Saki develops an obsessive crush on Makoto, which brings her into conflict with his fiercely protective best friend Ryuiji. The early setupis something that could have been spun out for surface-level romcom antics ad infinitum, but instead serves as a diving board for a deeper exploration of these three characters, their individual struggles to understand and accept themselves, the lengths they go to in attempts to avoid hurting each other, and the pressures they face from their families and friends.
With the exception of one late standalone episode that throws in another character, the show avoids the frequent single-cour anime pitfall of going off on tangents, instead remaining focused on its central trio. It covers a surprising amount of ground in developing these characters. While it doesn't resolve every plot thread in its 12 episodes, it picks its battles and has a mostly satisfying, self-contained arc. Fortunately a sequel movie has already been announced, which will presumably tie up the remaining elements that the TV series leaves hanging.
