Nov 21, 2021
---*** CONTAINS SPOILERS ***---
Contrary to a lot of the other top reviews, I found Senpai ga Uzai Kouhai no Hanashi to be quite... unremarkable?
Comedy/Romance/Slice of Life are a genre combination that has been done so, so many times by now, it's hard to even keep track. This has the effect of new shows having to be especially memorable in some way or another, or they will just fade away as the next season comes with a new (possible multiple) Comedy/Romance/Slice of Life anime.
Senpai ga Uzai Kouhai no Hanashi does nothing remarkable in terms of the plot. They just threw us into the world of a
...
cute junior saleswoman and her senior who is comically large compared to her, and then just left viewers to watch the largely predictable plotlines play out. If you know the slightest bit about Japanese working norms, or have watched any slice of life anime that has adult characters living in Japan, you won't ever get surprised by the plotlines or settings that are supposed to drive the story.
The characters are nothing to write home about.
Futaba is a pretty generic, fiesty loli-type that is secretly caring and kind, we've seen that archetype countless of times over the years.
Takeda is a gentle but protective giant that is also pretty clueless, and he has to be those things, because if he were not, the show would not be able to play on the dynamic between him and Futaba at every chance they get. Very stuck in his archetype with little room to be anything else.
Sakurai is a basic flawless pretty girl that all the guys have a crush on.
Kazama is a basic introverted but capable guy.
The most endearing character in this show, to me, is actually Futaba's grandfather. The interactions between him and his granddaughter are some of the most wholesome and heartwarming in the show. It would be a lie to say that it doesn't put a smile on my face when he fawns over her or reminisces about when she was an even smaller girl. The interpersonal issues he has with her are also very believable, understandable and as relatable as a 60 year olds' problems can be to a 20-something guy with no kids.
The characters don't have any actual backstory. We get too much context as to why they are the way they are, how their experiences form their choices, how they arrived at where they are in life. The characters just conform to their archetype and don't really get a much of a story.
It's really a shame, because to me, complex and imaginative characters are really what drive these sort of anime onto the next level, but it's just not present here.
Now, I've made it sound bad, but honestly this is not better or worse than any average, seasonal anime with the same genres. You go in, get your fix of a little bit of cute, predictable lovey-dovey stuff and get out after a quick 12 episodes. Nothing horrible, confusing or deplorable about it, even if it is unoriginal.
At best, you get attached to the cute looking characters, the well made art (nicely done, studio), and the quirky dynamic between the two main characters.
At worst, you get pretty bored with strict archetypes and unoriginal content.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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