Forum - View topicCan a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive? (TV).
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Edjwald
 Posts: 3510 |
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Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive? (TV) Source: Light Novel (completed @ 12 volumes, written by Nana Nanana, illustrated by Parum) Demographic: Shounen Animation Studio: J.C. Staff Genres: comedy, drama, romance Themes: love polygon, school Plot Summary: Himari Inuzuka and the flower-loving Yū Natsume swore to be friends forever during middle school. They spend their time together happily, even until high school. But when Yū's first love reappears in his life, their relationship slowly becomes more chaotic, and Himari and Yū's relationship slowly turns into something else. Air Date & Platform: April 04, 2025 (Friday) Available on: Crunchyroll Episode Count / Runtime: 12 episodes [EDIT: Fancy opener stuff edited. -TK] |
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Edjwald
Posts: 3510 |
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I thought this was pretty fun. Teasing Master Takagi-san is one of my favorite romance anime, and Himari isn't quite as adept at walking that thin line between being annoying and endearing as Takagi-san in my opinion, but she also doesn't have as much material to work with as Natsume really isn't the type to go charging in at full speed to take a kick at a football over and over again. He's more passive, like a crash test dummy, but it seems to me that there's real affection there on both sides. It feels like one of those relationships where an introvert relies on an extroverted friend to thrust them into social situations, and the extrovert relies on the introvert to give their social butterfly selves a place to let down and rest every once and a while.
I'm not all in on this one yet - I remember liking the one about the dude getting engaged to his classmate and moving in with her last season, but I couldn't maintain that same level of interest as the scenario moved into the second stage. But I liked what I saw today, liked all 3 main characters, and wasn't bored or annoyed. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4997 |
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Agreed, a rather charming start. I am particularly pleased with the male mc having an actual personality and a hobby/passion that he wants to go for. Most male characters in romance anime are so bland that it is hard to view them as more than walking rocks and I am a bit tired of that.
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Edjwald
Posts: 3510 |
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@Smurky Yah, he's got a little bit of that Gojo vibe going, but instead of being fascinated by Hina doll crafting, he's a jewelry maker. Natsume's also not anywhere near as cringe as Gojo was for those first 3 or 4 episodes until he settled down.
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Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 25599 |
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Episode 1
I'm kind of surprised how straight forward this is. Just your basic love triangle with no unusual wrinkle to it. I don't really understand why Himari has been so clueless about her feelings for Yu for two years. If she was male, I'd get it because by law all Japanese anime males must be romantically clueless. It's hard to take the so-called premise seriously (i.e. what happens to a boy-girl in platonic relationship when a potential romantic partner is introduced into the mix?) given that Himari's feelings are so obviously non-platonic. A true platonic relationship is when two people genuinely only have feelings of friendship for each other. Given how Himari has been crawling all over Yu like a horny crab, I ain't seeing the platonic. Anyway, not sure about this yet but willing to give it more time. |
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DuskyPredator
 Posts: 15852 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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The first episode good, I just think that the premise is kind of poisoned from the start. It really doesn't feel like a genuine attempt of having a relationship between a boy and girl that is going to stay platonic. Most of the episode felt like it hint after hint that they actually like each other, and needed to throw in things like non-committal promises to marry if by a certain age. I have to think there would have been ways to have their dynamic feel like a couple of bros/girlfriends that really don't see each other in that light. The first episode had her saying she doesn't get love regarding her past relationships, like a foghorn saying that she doesn't actually understand what her feelings to him actually are.
It would be cool if the show actually delivers on the series name premise without it feeling like an automatic no. The series has an aspect such that he has an interest in creating jewellery, a more feminine coded thing, but that dynamic also feels a little underserved so fa, it isn't something like he appears to have any accessories. It feels like it is still being a bit safe, when they probably could have had all the room they would want to mix with a premise that kind of sounded like; gender, friendship and question mark. But just the first episode, there will be more. There was a quick bit in showing her brother, which had ... implications. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4997 |
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The second episode has me feeling a bit mixed. The revelation about Rion and Yuu's past was cliche but I am glad that it was fully revealed in the very same episode as it was introduced. No secret pining or wondering who the girl was for two seasons. There is also some decent chemistry between the two and I like Yuu looking for ways to improve his merchandise.
Then there is gremlin Himari. It could just be me but she was so over the top this week that it felt relaxing when she was not on screen screeching. I get that she is secretly in love with Yuu and has not realized it yet but she is being a bit over the top and possibly a bit too forceful in trying to get her friends together. |
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zfunk
Posts: 546 |
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I like what I see so far. I am glad the mysterious girl from the past is resolved right away, so just get over with.
Yuu and his passion for his work, he reminds me of Gojo from My Dress Up Darling. It is weird all three main characters have an older sidling that plays a role in the series, though I wonder why they have to have this build to Rurin's sister appearance, why are they trying to hide her face? |
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Edjwald
Posts: 3510 |
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Last week, I kind of thought Himari was just pretending that she wasn't in love and was assuming that she and Yuu would hook up as soon as that block of wood became a real boy.
But nope, it looks like Himari really was clueless, and it was a tad painful watching her chatter away cheerfully while she dug her own grave. That said, the anime was still fun for me, and hey, if things don't work out, Himari can always audition for season 2 of Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines with season 2 in production... I think one thing making the budding triangle a bit lopsided is that Yuu and Rion are subdued, and Himari is extra, so that she winds up carrying more than her share of the plot by necessity. It's like three people paddling a canoe, and two are leisurely dipping their paddles in the water and the one in back is churning away like a madwoman. I'm not captivated by this anime, but the first two episodes have been a pleasant enough watch. |
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Piglet the Grate
 Posts: 1433 Location: North America |
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Episode 2
Good things: - Minimal internal histrionics from Yu, - Rion turns out to be just shy and not a tsundere, - The Yu/Rion relationship is started without an interminable delay, - Himari tones things down. Unless Episode 3 falls off the face of the Earth, will be a rom-com keeper. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4997 |
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It will not happen but after episode 3 I hope Yuu says goodbye to Himari as a friend permanently and moves on with Rion. Yuu also has to sort out his feelings properly but boy is Himari an annoying goblin right now. She is clearly jealous and regrets choices made but that does not excuse her behavior.
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4997 |
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Huh, as of episode 5 the show has me rooting for Yuu to get with Hibari, I did not expect that.
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Piglet the Grate
Posts: 1433 Location: North America |
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Somehow I doubt that this will turn into yaoi, as it would start an online [expletive deleted] storm considering that it is a shounen demographic story. |
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zfunk
Posts: 546 |
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Yuu and Rion are the only characters that are not jerks, and that includes Himari. Though she is by far by not the biggest jerk, the biggest jerk is an antagonist to Himari.
Last edited by zfunk on Sat May 03, 2025 7:42 am; edited 1 time in total |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15852 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Okay, I have been thinking about it pretty much since he appeared, but Hibari is queer, right? Knowing the reputation I probably have I knew I would just get disappointed looks from seeing, and I couldn’t find anyone elsewhere pointing anything out. But the teasing in episode 5 has just felt like another example that I think that I wouldn’t be crazy for putting it forward.
Granted on some level I was afraid his character was going to be some amount of distasteful gay man harassing a teenager, even if that didn’t sound like the whole picture. But it was some part that he is attached to Yuu, and supportive with sister, is that my current reading is of him being a queer/gay guy that wants to support a guy/kid that has a not gender typical. His actions just kind of feel like he knows what it is like to be mistreated for not doing masculinity “right”, and is willing to make his sister cry for not being supportive. Some aspects are a joke, like he was joking a bit at appearing too eager to wash his back, but feels all the more that it was just a joke and not something he wanted Yuu to feel uncomfortable about. It could be entirely unintentional, but it has just been setting my radar that I wouldn’t be surprised if it was part of the performance. |
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