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Star Rating:
Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku is an anime about the everyday lives of Narumi Momose, a secret otaku who likes manga, otome games, and idols, and Hirotaka Nifuji, a gaming otaku as they date each other.
This anime is very enjoyable to watch. It’s funny, and the romance is well-written. The romance doesn’t happen too fast, but it also isn’t too slow. It’s natural and feels very realistic, especially considering the two main leads are also childhood friends.
I find their relationship cute, especially since I enjoy a lot of similar hobbies as the main characters. Seeing them do things together, like play video games or shop for manga, makes me want a similar relationship.
It’s also nice to see a romantic comedy anime that features adults rather than high schoolers. There aren’t as many rom-coms about adults, so it’s a nice refreshing change, especially when you are an adult watching romance anime. Also, there aren’t any of those childish misunderstandings and pointless drama. And we all know that pointless drama can get annoying.
I especially like how Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku is relatable. If you’re watching it, chances are you’re at least into anime, so you’ll understand some of the troubles Narumi goes through. You’ll relate to her concerns and worries.
She’s scared to show people what she really likes, and she finds it hard to date because of it. But when she finds someone she can date who she doesn’t have to hide from, it teaches you a positive lesson about being yourself. The anime has heart, and that message is one many of us need in our lives.
I find the anime genuinely very funny. I’ll admit that I wasn’t sure in the first episode. There wasn’t anything too funny that stood out to me. But as soon as I got into the second episode, I was laughing out loud and continued to do so through the rest of the anime.
However, if you’re not into anime, manga, and video games, you’re not going to understand many of the jokes. Many of them are really specific to being a gamer or anime/manga fan. But if you are a gamer or anime and manga enthusiast, then you are going to find this anime very funny.
The only other issue I could see someone having with this anime is the secondary couple, the main leads’ friends. The two of them don’t always treat each other the best, mostly saying some mean things to each other. However, they do genuinely love and care for each other, and they do show that side in the anime as well.
But if you’re someone who is sensitive and doesn’t want to see a couple who might say some negative comments towards each other, then you’re probably not going to like those two and how they’re written. It could turn some people away.
Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku is a funny, enjoyable anime. The pacing of the romance between the two characters is excellent. And it’s nice to see love between adults in an adult world for once. It’s very funny, but you’re going to need to be a gamer and anime/manga fan to fully understand all the jokes.
Still, it’s a very cute romance comedy, and I encourage people to watch it. The relationship is sweet and realistic. I hope that we’ll be able to get more romance anime like this one in the future. We need more romance anime starring adult characters that don’t add pointless drama for the sake of it. It’s much more honest and enjoyable to watch that way.
Check out my other anime reviews too.
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