Kimi to Boku.

Kimi to Boku is a series about a group of four (later five) teenage boys and them finding things to do in their everyday lives. And...that's it, really.

KtB is truly a slice-of-life show, but I am of the opinion that even SOL series deserve actual plots and in this way, KtB falters. There isn't much plot to speak of. Most of the time, the "plot" deals with the boys doing ho-hum everyday things, like reliving childhood memories, drawing manga, or even contemplating what to do because they're bored (I kid you not). Every now and then, things get somewhere interesting - for example, the cultural ... festival episodes were fun, as was the venture to the boys' former middle school, where they meet Shun's younger brother. Other episodes were downright boring and entirely forgettable; these mostly dealt with the boys sitting around and talking about things (I can't even tell you what of because I don't remember and frankly don't care). Indeed, I nearly fell asleep during the first episode because all the characters did was talk and relive flashbacks that weren't that interesting.

Now, a lacklustre plot can be somewhat forgivable if the series had great characters. For the first few episodes, our main cast of boys numbered four - Shun (the soft-spoken, effeminate one), Kaname (the straight man and the glasses guy), and Yuuki and Yuuta (the twins). However, they're all either so quiet or deadpan that they don't make for a very entertaining group to watch. Like I said, the first episodes deals entirely with them talking about things. Even the introduction of the stereotypical tsundere in the second episode doesn't help spice up what little plot there is. In fact, the tsundere, Masaki, is one of the more annoying characters, who is more "tsun" than "dere" and gets upset at the tiniest offer of help. For the record, she doesn't get much better by the end of the series.

The group only really livens up when the fifth member, Chizuru, is added. His boundless energy and enthusiasm adds a different dynamic to the main cast - he contrasts well with the deadpan twins and the quieter Shun and gives the straight man Kaname a better character to work off of for comedic effect. At the same time, he adds a bit of a love triangle with Masaki (the tsundere). Still, Chizuru alone isn't enough to save the plot from its own blandness. Nevertheless, the show does become less boring with him around because at least when they sit around and talk, there's some energy in it.

Also, in later episodes, the group comes across other characters who, through their own plots or development, give the main cast some depth that we would otherwise not see. For example, when Yuuta goes on a date with a shy classmate, we get a glimpse of his personality underneath his emotionless exterior. Unfortunately, such instances seem to occur only when they meet people outside their group rather than when the main cast is together. I would have liked to see the main guys develop within their group as well as without, like in the case of Ouran High School Host Club.

Animation-wise, there isn't much to see. That's not to say it's bad; it's just simple because that's all the show requires. Basically, there's nothing notable about it, good or bad.

In terms of sound, the music, like the animation, isn't very notable or memorable for anything. I'll admit, though, I have a fondness for the OP "Bye Bye" by 7!!, which has cute melody and a catchy opening beat. I have no complaints about the voice actors/actresses, who I guess had to work within their given characterizations.

So, really, is there anything truly notable about Kimi to Boku? Well, no. Is it a bad show? Well...that depends on how you see it. Frankly, I don't think of it as bad but it's far from memorable. Other slice-of-life series I've seen had something to distinguish them - Aria had a beautiful utopian society with a dash of fantasy; K-ON! had catchy music and "moe" girls; Azumanga Daioh had off-beat humour and even more off-beat characters. Kimi to Boku has...cats? Look, I don't know, I'm trying.

If you like action, drama, and fast-pace plots, then Kimi to Boku is not for you. If you like slice-of-life, give it a try but if you don't like it by the third or fourth episode, it's probably not for you, either.

EDIT: It's been about 2 years since I finished this series and wrote this review. Suffice it to say, I can barely remember a single thing about this series. It was simply that forgettable for me.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a huge Slice of Life fan. Perhaps I'm missing some subtle art, but they usually just seem so boring to me. But I try to give everything a fair try.

In a lot of ways, Kimi To Boku was exactly what I expected it to be. The characters were unoriginal tropes who didn't defy their blueprint very often, if at all. I watched both seasons, but it was slow going. The animation budget seemed to be lacking. The character designs were kind of bland, and though there was a ton of dialogue in this show, they often ... focused on things that were much cheaper to animate while the speaking character was offscreen.

That said, there were a few things I did really enjoy. I wasn't too caught up with most of the side characters, but there were some really sweet moments, and there was something in every single episode that made me laugh. This show had a really subtle, dry sense of humor that I loved. The music was nice also, but it wasn't anything that really stuck out.

Though the characters were all shameless stereotypes, I did enjoy how they were portrayed. I love their portrayal of Yuki and Yuta. Though they're identical, I never had any trouble telling them apart, and they made a point of showcasing differences in their personalities from the very first episode, which just isn't something I usually see with identical twins. It was nice to see the writers thinking outisde the box a little. Yuki and Yuta clearly aren't used to being mistaken for each other. The childhood friends aspect of this show was done very subtly as well. Little things like how well they knew each other's personality quirks and how comfortable the boys were in each other's homes went a long way. I appreciate that they didn't have to make it loud or forced. It was refreshing.

So if you're a Slice of Life fan, I'd definitely recommend this show. I personally feel one viewing was enough for me.

Hey! This is my first review so forgive me if it is a bit lacking or too wordy.
A bit of a side note: I am not a huge fan of this genre but I tried to write this in a way that I feel and didn't want to sugarcoat anything in fear it'll lose a touch of being "me"

Starting with the story: 6

The story in Kimi to Boku is fairly average with nothing to really make it stand out from all the other slice of life high school comedies. However, despite being a genre that's been seen a million times over, still managed to ... keep itself from coming off as stale. Despite being nothing exceptional, I can't help but feel the execution was still done well enough to keep it if not enjoyable, very slightly above average.

The art: 7

In my opinion, it doesn't have the greatest art but it does have an art style that I very much enjoy with a very bright and mellow color palette that reflects the feel and theme of the show. I felt it was well done.

Sound: 6

The op in wasn't the most memorable op and neither was the ending but despite that, I did enjoy it and also felt it matched the tone of the anime very well. Not very bombastic and rather mellow compared to other animes. The soundtrack used in the anime was not very exceptional but followed all the right ques to keep it from clashing with the story telling which makes me feel kind of said there wasn't a much more fleshed out story to led the soundtrack shine more...

Characters: 5

Many of the characters laid out in the anime were very... unexceptional. Most of them had nothing to really keep them memorable or make me "fall in love (no homo)" with them. The cast felt rather bland with your typical blonde transfer student that also happens to be a childhood friend of one of the cast members, Megane-kun who is that smart class president type who is engrossed in his books and adds a sense of reason and stability in a group of seemingly misfits. The lazy character who is actually fairly observant and keen when he wants to be but in the end, is very lazy.. etc etc. The characters felt rather bland which makes "sense" for a slice of life high school comedy show but I felt there could have been a bit more to define the characters from falling into tropes.

Enjoyment: 6

The show, in my opinion, was without a doubt enjoyable with a slightly above average story, good art, a fairly good soundtrack and direction that felt a bit wasted with the average story, characters that didn't seem too special but in many respects, average. I didn't find myself craving the next episode as I listened to the ED but I also did not find myself wanting to take a break or drop it while watching so I would rate it as "alright"

Overall: 6

A bit of a note, these types of shows (Slice of life high school comedy shows) often do not seem special to me and often get rated a 4 or a 5 depending on how bland and generic it can seem but I felt this Kimi to Boku was still very much enjoyable with a good art, average story w/ sound, and a very average cast. It is a show I would definitely recommend to someone who is a fan of this genre.

Kimi to Boku – or You and Me, in English – is a slice of life anime touted as a very realistic glimpse into the daily lives of five high school boys. Praised for its lack of melodrama and absence of overdone cutesy-ness, this anime promises viewers a blend of comedy, everyday drama and a touch of romance, delivered in a laid-back, down-to-earth way. A refreshing concept in a genre riddled with tired tropes and rehashed storylines, but does it work? Well, not quite.

After reading a large number of positive reviews for this show, I was expecting to enjoy a realistic representation ... of high school life, albeit without too much drama. I was also looking forward to meeting a cast of characters complete with well-rounded personalities, depth and some direction to their lives. Unfortunately, I was let down on all fronts.

The first issue that is readily apparent in Kimi to Boku is the characters, who are little more than one-dimensional clichés – the girly boy, the uptight glasses-wearing guy, the cool and good-looking twins, the energetic and annoying kid… Although it steers clear of many of the biggest pitfalls of ‘factory-farmed’ slice of life anime, unfortunately Kimi to Boku still forsakes originality for total familiarity.

The second problem is that the show’s strict no-melodrama approach works against it, as there are never any obstacles presented to our one-dimensional characters to help them gain any new dimensions. As a result, all of our five boys seem to have the same personalities throughout the series, never even evolving from who they were in their elementary school flashbacks.

The plot is debatably realistic in the sense that nothing extraordinary happens. On the other hand, I would argue that it is too plain and boring to be realistic. Watch as our main characters engage in thumb wars, walk around to various places, do homework, talk about putting salt on watermelon, cut each other’s hair and bicker a lot. I found myself literally dozing off in several episodes, thinking that instead of watching Shun, Kaname et al do nothing I could actually be doing something – anything – more interesting than watching Kimi to Boku.

In defence of the show, once in a while it does have moments of brilliance. The art, sound and direction in episode five made me feel immersed in the height of summer, even though it was winter outside. Yuuta wiping away a girl’s tears in episode seven is surprisingly tender. These magical moments, however, are frustratingly few and far between, and proof of Kimi to Boku’s inability to create anything consistently engaging and solid from its basic premise.

No noteworthy events, no conflict, no character development, no discernible plot – that is Kimi to Boku. Unfortunately its attempt to do slice of life differently is misguided – life does have its noteworthy events, conflict, character development and drama, and that’s what makes it fun, entertaining and challenging. For the most part, Kimi to Boku is not fun, entertaining or challenging.

You may like Kimi to Boku if you enjoy watching ‘cute’ high school boys do mundane, typical slice of life stuff to the detriment of all else – and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. If that is not your cup of tea, however, switch off your computer, go outside and do something interesting with your own life, instead of watching these 2D cartoon characters do nothing with theirs.

this show is honestly really nice. it might be boring for some people but if you're looking for something thats just chill and laid back id recommend this one !

story is fairly simple, just a group of guys thats been friends since kindergarten hanging out and a few other characters eventually join in. the animation, soundtracks, everything is simple but thats not nesscesarily a bad thing !! sometimes its nice to just watch something laid back :]

but i dropped this show. why?

theres this tsundere girl character thats prob gonna join their friendgroup but why? theres actually no reason for them to get her in ... the group. she literally bullied one of them because he wanted to help her. she threw rocks at him, almost got him framed for bringing porn magazines, made him trip, this that its basically bullying. but its okay because she's a wittle cute tsundere that just cant express her feelings !! /s and one of them ended up crushing on her !??@! dropped then and there. i also have no attachment at all to any of the characters neither do i rly enjoy the show so i dont see why i should continue watching it

probably rly stupid to drop a show just bc of that but i cant rly stand those characters

Kimi to boku, as the cover shown, but it wasnt ONLY about the characters from the cover. From episode to episode, they will introduce a characters or more and made them interact with each other and the next episode, they will completely forget about the new character cuz these new (side) characters were lasted for only ONE episode.

So mainly, the series is about slice of life of 5 friends. I thought only that however, it wasnt as enjoyable as i thought since im fan of slice of life com. They do have story but again, only lasted for an episode and the next episode will ... forgot about the prev episode. Each episode isnt THAT enjoyable as well, each plots is something you see EVERYANIME in slice of life and the joke only made me smile but one episode particularly made me laughed (the make manga episode).

Oh didnt i mention, theres also romance. The romance is kind of boring, shallow, im into romance genre too but the heroin for each boys (except Shun) are boringgggg including their love story. Only lasted for an episode but in the end they not dating with their 'love interest' as if they forgotten about them for good. The 'side' characters has better romance and they actually going out with each other. But at this point, WHy DO I CARE ABOUT THEM?

The main characters (5 boys), they're mediocre af. I do like the twins with their cool playful characteristics but they ruined them by introduce to their 'love interest' that has the most boring characteristic that i nearly skip the episodes. Yes one episode=one love story.

For those who love and a veteran weeb romcom slice of life like me, i dont recommend this anime especially if you're experience other better anime with same genre. This anime isnt bad but isnt good either but if you're weeblets, i guess this is ok for you.