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EP. REVIEW: Komi Can't Communicate


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MagicPolly



Joined: 26 Nov 2020
Posts: 1568
PostPosted: Sun Oct 31, 2021 1:34 pm Reply with quote
Florete wrote:

Quote:
As for the other stuff ... they still use chalkboards in most American classrooms too.

I haven't seen a chalkboard since I was in the 1st grade, which was the 90s.

And most of my old middle school still has chalkboards to this day aside from the new wing they built more recently. It's all anecdotal.
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Florete



Joined: 21 Jan 2018
Posts: 363
PostPosted: Sun Oct 31, 2021 3:13 pm Reply with quote
MagicPolly wrote:
Florete wrote:

I haven't seen a chalkboard since I was in the 1st grade, which was the 90s.

And most of my old middle school still has chalkboards to this day aside from the new wing they built more recently. It's all anecdotal.

True, it is anecdotal. I didn't really mean that chalkboard mention as a criticism (though I can understand if it was taken as such considering it was surrounded by actual criticisms) as much as something that just tends to distract me because I see it as something immediately outdated, like when modern series show characters playing 8-bit video games.


Last edited by Florete on Sun Oct 31, 2021 3:16 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Beltane70



Joined: 07 May 2007
Posts: 3868
PostPosted: Sun Oct 31, 2021 3:30 pm Reply with quote
Florete wrote:

That thing is clearly not part of his hair. It's an ornament of some sort. Regardless, it doesn't mesh with his self-proposed identity.


Only it actually is part of his hair. The manga even states that that is just a cowlick.
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MFrontier



Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 10946
PostPosted: Sun Oct 31, 2021 5:49 pm Reply with quote
Rie Murakawa is doing a great job as Najimi.
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Thatguy3331



Joined: 18 Feb 2012
Posts: 1790
PostPosted: Sun Oct 31, 2021 11:23 pm Reply with quote
So ngl I was kind of dreading Nanajimi's introduction, not because I dislike their character but because their gender being presented the way it it, in the way most anime are ought to do it, I was certain this was going to be the cause of a lot of arguments both justified and not so much, not to mention sometimes the series can get a little too over the top in what characters are allowed to get away with without facing consequences (as a manga reader I can tell you you're gonna hit that pretty soon) though in this case I was more thinking of the random guy forcing himself on to Nanajimi than anything.

Personally the second half of the episode was my saving grace, as while I do like the basic premise of Komi and Nanajimi's interactions it's still saddled with some things I don't care for. The second act is clearly a gag, but one I found funny and Nanajimi quickly realizing they went too far with Tadano also briefly arguing with them was pretty funny as well. actually hearing them mumble to each other was great.

on the plus side it seems the other part I'm dreading most will take up only like half of episode 4 and from that point on it should be pretty smooth sailing for the most part. The series definitely has it's slip ups and isn't perfect but I do think it's a fun series and it'll be nice to shake the dread off and just properly enjoy the rest of whatever this season will adapt.


Last edited by Thatguy3331 on Fri Nov 26, 2021 12:27 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Piglet the Grate



Joined: 25 May 2021
Posts: 520
Location: North America
PostPosted: Mon Nov 01, 2021 12:13 am Reply with quote
Thatguy3331 wrote:
So ngl I was kind of dreading Nanajimi's introduction, not because I dislike their character but because their gender being presented the way it it, in the way most anime are ought to do it...


Najimi's gender is presented in the anime as ambiguous, both to the audience and to other characters. The only similar case in anime that readily comes to mind* is Tsugumi Aozora in Asobi Asobase.

Thatguy3331 wrote:
...not to mention sometimes the series can get a little too over the top in what characters are allowed to get away with without facing consequences (as a manga reader I can tell you you're gonna hit that pretty soon)...


The unofficial fan-subbed version** has already shown Episode 4 with "that".

*There certainly may be others that I am not aware of.
**Was going to pretend that it did not exist, but others have already mentioned it in the comments. Weird that the official Netflix sub is 3 weeks behind the Japanese home market release.
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Jonny Mendes



Joined: 17 Oct 2014
Posts: 997
Location: Europe
PostPosted: Mon Nov 01, 2021 6:14 am Reply with quote
Piglet the Grate wrote:

Najimi's gender is presented in the anime as ambiguous, both to the audience and to other characters. The only similar case in anime that readily comes to mind* is Tsugumi Aozora in Asobi Asobase.


The other character that is talked about many times when fans talk about Najimi is Kinoshita Hideyoshi from Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu.
There are many that even say that Najimi's gender is "Hideyoshi". But the consensus on the manga community is to say that Najimi's gender is "Najimi" or Unknown". Nobody will know probably until the last chapter because Najimi responds he/she is the exact opposite of what people asks and laughs about people making a confusion afterall another of Najimi characteristics is Najimi's lies allot (even Najimi's birthday is April 1) to create the most confusion possible. It really is fun to see that Najimi have an uniform where the top side is a male uniform and the bottom side is a female uniform to make the confusion greater.

From the Komi-san wiki:
Full Name: Osana Najimi
Kanji: 長名なじみ
Furigana: おさな なじみ
Birthday: April 1
Gender: Najimi
Occupation: Student, Childhood Friend
Osananajimi means childhood friend

Murakawa Rie is really making a amazing work as Najimi.
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Minos_Kurumada



Joined: 04 Nov 2015
Posts: 983
PostPosted: Mon Nov 01, 2021 4:36 pm Reply with quote
I have never liked the comparation with Hideyoshi.

Hideyoshi is a man, no question.

The "Hideyoshi is Hideyoshi" joke in Baka Test is actually a "Mind cannon" of the main character about feeling attracted to him to protect his masculinity, it actually pises Hideyoshi off when people call him a girl and is constantly fighting against it.

Najimi is ambiguos on purpose becase he likes to mess with people just because, he even makes sure to always use gender-neutral clothes outside school and answers ambiguously when asked.
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NefCanuck



Joined: 20 Feb 2015
Posts: 22
PostPosted: Mon Nov 01, 2021 10:20 pm Reply with quote
Komi Can’t Communicate is one of those shows (and the manga that spawned it) where reactions will vary wildly and as much as it is the product, the person watching factors in as well.

If you’ve ever gone through anything like Komi Shouko is going through, feeling like you don’t belong and just wanting to fit in, you’re going to react to the show differently than someone who hasn’t.

In fact as characters are introduced, depending on how far the show goes, I’ll bet that many folks will find *someone* they relate to… and it might make some uncomfortable, seeing their situation on screen (especially if it gets played for laughs initially) but that’s one of the draws of show to me, that it tries to be that relatable to say “hey you’re okay at the end of the day no matter what your situation is”

That’s a positive message and something that’s appreciated.

NefCanuck
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Piglet the Grate



Joined: 25 May 2021
Posts: 520
Location: North America
PostPosted: Mon Nov 01, 2021 10:36 pm Reply with quote
NefCanuck wrote:
Komi Can’t Communicate is one of those shows (and the manga that spawned it) where reactions will vary wildly...


The end of Episode 4 in relation to the events that proceeded it comes dangerously close to "jumping the shark". "Hey, spoiler[you assaulted, kidnapped, and threatened to kill my first friend, but I am going to forget all that and be your friend too"] stretches credulity to the near breaking point unless Komi has much deeper issues than social anxiety and a communication disorder.
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MFrontier



Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 10946
PostPosted: Mon Nov 08, 2021 2:33 pm Reply with quote
Ah, Agari...everyone's favorite dog.

I love how Komi dips into being a horror anime because of how people mistake Komi's intentions.

Also nice that Komi can talk over the phone just so we can hear Aoi Koga do more than just breathe. Funniest parts was her saying Tadano dialed the wrong number.

Komi wanting Tadano to be her 1st contact and both getting super happy at their accidental call was adorable.
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njprogfan
Collector Extraordinaire



Joined: 08 Feb 2007
Posts: 1155
Location: A River Named Toms
PostPosted: Mon Nov 08, 2021 3:45 pm Reply with quote
Having read four volumes of the manga, I will say I react more to Komi's nervousness during the anime as opposed to the manga; it really can be a gut punch. I had a moment in my early 20's where I dealt with be introverted and what it took to break out of it, where nowadays I'm the opposite, (being the main greeter where I work). I appreciate all that she's going through and yeah, it's cute as all heck her reactions to Tadano and the anime does a fantastic job of it. Both make me laugh out loud thunderously with the occasional cringy, been there, moments. I look forward to every episode and is in my top 5 so far this season.
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Thatguy3331



Joined: 18 Feb 2012
Posts: 1790
PostPosted: Mon Nov 08, 2021 4:09 pm Reply with quote
Yeah one of this series biggest problems is the fact that there is an overly huge chunk of side characters who come off less as misunderstood weirdos and more into deadass obsessive psychopaths who aren't worth being friends with period, which undermines quite alot of Komi's goal. I didn't mind this so much as a manga since a fair bit of these go by really quickly and Tadano is usually around somewhere for there to be another character who is actually likable in any realistic degree, but it takes an irritatingly long time before some more reasonable characters show up who are worth talking about any longer than like, a minute.

Thankfully, even if they aren't super compelling or anything some such characters do begin to pop up by like episode 5 but we still get stuck with the psycho under the bizzare pretense that "they're not so bad" [again, episode 4].

The beginning of the series as an anime was always going to be an uphill battle given this issue (the characters I like don't pop up til near the end of first year/beginning of second) and I think the biggest praise I can give the anime over anything else is trying to get through it as reasonably quickly as possible.
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Piglet the Grate



Joined: 25 May 2021
Posts: 520
Location: North America
PostPosted: Mon Nov 08, 2021 4:34 pm Reply with quote
Thatguy3331 wrote:
Yeah one of this series biggest problems is the fact that there is an overly huge chunk of side characters who come off less as misunderstood weirdos and more into deadass obsessive psychopaths who aren't worth being friends with period, which undermines quite alot of Komi's goal.


The only character I find issue with so far is spoiler[Ren Yamai] since her behavior crossed the line from weird to criminal - in the real world (as opposed to Manga/Anime World) she would almost certainly be held in jail without bail until trial due to her posing a danger to others, and might well end up in a facility for the criminally insane.
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Beltane70



Joined: 07 May 2007
Posts: 3868
PostPosted: Mon Nov 08, 2021 5:18 pm Reply with quote
Even though I didn't initially recognize her voice, the moment that Komi's mom made the eternally 17 years old joke, I knew that she was being played by Kikuko Inoue![/list][/list]
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