Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai: Yaminabe wa Bishoujo ga Zannen na Nioi

Hasegawa Kodaka has transferred schools, and he's having a hard time making friends. It doesn't help that his blond hair tends to make people think he's a delinquent. One day, he runs into his bad-tempered solitary classmate Yozora while she's talking animatedly to her imaginary friend Tomo. Realizing that neither of them have any actual friends, they decide that the best way to alter this situation is to form a club and start recruiting.
That is how "Rinjinbu", The Neighbours' Club, was formed, a club specifically designed for people who don't have very many friends. As other lonely classmates slowly join their little club, they'll try to learn how to build friendships through cooking together, playing games, and other group activities. But will this group of relationship-challenged misfits really be able to get along?

(Source: MU)

Kashiwazaki, Sena Main

Itou, Kanae Japanese

Mikazuki, Yozora Main

Inoue, Marina Japanese

Hasegawa, Kodaka Main

Kimura, Ryouhei Japanese

Hasegawa, Kobato Supporting

Hanazawa, Kana Japanese

Shiguma, Rika Supporting

Fukuen, Misato Japanese

Takayama, Maria Supporting

Iguchi, Yuka Japanese

Kusunoki, Yukimura Supporting

Yamamoto, Nozomi Japanese

Futami, Yousuke Producer

Ougi, Jiyuu Producer

Saitou, Hisashi Director

Kitahata, Tooru Episode Director, Assistant Director

Reviews

Sep 20, 2011

DangoSadge

Recommended

"I have lots of friends!"
"No you don't"
"My hair is blonde. Your arguments are invalid."

Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai literal translation "I don't have many friends" light novel Japanese written by Hirasaka Yomi and illustrated by Buriki. What lead me here was my nose for seeking up potential Harem animes. And the Harem God smiled upon me for thy wish came true. However I would suggest the author change the title of this anime to "I Have Lots of Potential Candidates for my Harem" instead.

Insert cliched harem anime story! An unpopular guy Kodak Hasegawa (as everyone know, harem law #69 states that every unpopular male lead ... have a 75% chance of forming a harem) starts a club for unpopular people like himself in his Catholic School. Let's refer this as the "Forever Alone" Club. I remember forming one of these back in my high school days. Unfortunately for me, only male members joined (Because my school was full with weird guys not girls. God, we even play Monster Hunter on our PSPs all day) Luckily for Kodak Hasegawa, weird and eccentric female members started joining his club thus begin directing his path towards "The Way of the Harem" But MAL refuses to acknowledge this in the "genre" database.. RAGE.

Produced by AIC Build, the same people who brought you Oreimo and choco banana (ok I was kidding about the choco banana). Thus explains the similarity in their animation style. Character designs are exceptional. Knowing Watanabe Yoshihiro was in charge. He was responsible for character designs and animation for notable animes such as Minami-ke and my other all time favourite harem anime, Sora no Otoshimono. I can't comment much on sound yet because I have yet to hear other BGM and OSTs but the ending theme is about friendship! Thats what this anime is about? Friendzoning all the girls? I hope not.. I already have my full dose of "friendship" theme from the "My little Pony" show.

Not much had been introduced about the characters but nevertheless I shall try my best to assumely review them.

Kodak Hasegawa
The protagonist, Mr-so-called-unpopular. He is the product of you know those "videos" you watch in your room... alone... where a japanese girl have unprotected copulation with an American. Yep. Not that I watch those things I just know about it... *whistles*. He has blond hair thus japanese culture always associate them with delinquents.

Yozora Mikazuki
From the tone of her voice, we can expect her to be an egoistic lady with a sadistic nature. Can't get along with Kashiwazaki Sena and forms a huge rivalry with her. I shall note her down as Tsundere.

Kashiwazaki Sena
Nicknamed "Meat" by Yozora Mikazuki. She comes from a rich family. (Ahh every harem need a rich spoiled brat) She joined the club because she hate ordinary-ness. (Reminds you of another female lead doesn't it?) Perhaps another Tsundere here...

Kobato Hasegawa
Younger sister in the harem?! I thought whats-his-name already outlawed incest? Ah well, no skin off my back. Not much is revealed about her but she seems to have a dark persona

Yukimura Kusunoki
A maid! Now we're back on track! Apparent she wants to be more muscular and more manly. Thus she became a disciple of Kodak since he has an image of a deliquent. Trust me. Only Kogarashi from Kamen no Maid Guy is able to pull of the whole "Manly even in Maid outfit" routine. Bless his soul wherever he is.

Shiguma Rika
Glasses girl and Mad Scientist. Yep, nuff said.

Takayama Maria
The loli of the harem! Apparently she is only 10 but is a professor and the club advisor. Oh Japan, you never cease to amaze me.

Overall, this OVA left me a significant impact on me. Yep I was expecting a cliched harem opening and I got that at first. But then it all changed. You know what they say, "Nothing is too good to be true." Comedy wise this is more of the "guy gets tortured by female cast" which became really popular recently. Potential of being a harem anime? Yes most definitely. Potential of deviating from the typical RomXCom scenario. Perhaps not.

And remember, "My hair is blonde. Your arguments are invalid."

Haremu Kingu,
Singing off!

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Sep 21, 2011

Nasty001

Mixed Feelings

So, what do we have here? This OVA can be considered as a teaser for the up coming short novel anime "Boku wa Tomodachi Ga Sukunai," it sort of give us an idea as to the genre of the said anime, since this OVA only run for about 11 mins, so for the story I'll rate it as a "Decent" 4 since there is no plot anyway, and is OVA is only mend to as a promotional omake. It only gives us a glimpse as to what kind of situation that the main character Kodoka is gonna be into.

The art of this anime has similar ... resemblance with another anime "Denpa Onna to Seishin Otoko," So don't be surprise if you'll be seeing Meme (from "Denpa Onna to Seishin Otoko") being a high school girl who's name is Yoaora, so for this part I'll give it a "Mediocre" 5.

As for the sound, I'd say I like both the opening and closing theme, but, it's possible that the themes may not be the same ones when the up coming anime starts on October, still I give it a "Good" score number 7.

Charcters; there may be some info out there that details the characters of this anime, but it is still too early to make any assumptions as to their characteristics all we know are the role that these characters will be playing and who are they?

Hasegawa Kodoka - A transfer student who is a hybrid Japanese, and the Mr. Nice guy in the up coming anime.

Kashiwazaki Sena- The Miss Popular around the campus and possibly a tsundere.

Mikazuki Yoaora - The rich lonely girl with a weird habit of talking to the air and it is possible that she and Sena will be at each others throats.

Hasegawa Kobato- Kodoka's sister and may probably have a brother complex (we'll know soon enough).

Kusunoki Yukimura- according to MAL's info she a cross dressing maid, but to whom does he or she work for, we'll have to wait until the showing of the OVA's up coming anime.

Shiguma Rika - a genius with a thing for BL manga.

Takayama Maria- according to MAL's info she the supervisor for the "Neighbor's club," REALLY?!

since those were the info we have I think a "Decent" 4 will do.

Enjoyment and overall- Fair number 7.

The OVA has somewhat given us as what to expect for this OVA's up coming anime, as always it's either we'll enjoy it or we might dropped it. Let just wait and see as to how this OVA's up coming anime will fare up.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Sep 25, 2011

Jumendez-sama

Not Recommended

If you're looking for a redeeming story, or a harem with redeeming characters, leave now. Despite being heavily popular in the Doujinshi scene, I have to say that this series does not live up to the fanbase. In fact, from the doujinshi I've seen, I have to say that the story for this is actually worse than from what I can parse out from those works.

Story: I read the Light Novel out of curiosity, and I feel it was better carried out there, not that it was at all good. The presentation of this section wasn't even trying to create the light and happy ... hallucination he was having. Also, the part where the girls were puking when he woke up, I had hoped they were going to be tasteful and do that shit off-screen, but no. There are pervs for this show, but I don't think (most) want to see them puke like that. It wasn't even comedic when they did. Also, the concept of making some dastardly concoction out of food is just over the top and ridiculous. As I said, story is not this thing's strongsuit. And as a glimpse of the later plot...to give you a sense of where this show will go, a chapter in the first Volume of the Light Novel was left out of the Manga because they talk about rape and other terrible things, with the characters saying (although a bit out of context) "If you can't think of anything, resort to rape." So they do. Imagine what else this great literary mind can flesh out.

Art: Gorgeous in stills, but never has worked for me in terms of animation. Sure, I like girls looking hot, but I don't like every singly girl looking hot at every second. It also just feels to light and happy, which is an issue I felt with Denpa. Both series had the same artist doing the character modelling, so it's no surprise. Should I also be surprised that both of these have disastrous plots?

Sound: That OP... also, I actually have an issue with the voicing. The Light Novel describes Yazora as having a voice that is not too high pitched, and yet not too low pitched. However, her voice seems to be leaning on the low pitched side. It sounds way too mature for her character, not to say that ANY of these characters are mature, nor that she's loli status either. Next, Sena has that annoying voice actress, whose voice is always too high pitched and screechy. I didn't exactly listen to anyone else, though.

Character: Cardboard cut-outs mingling for stupid reasons and doing stupid, sometimes out of base cardboard cut-out things. Sure they look good, but that's only good for doujinshi or otherwise cock-teasing, but in terms of actually getting a story across, it's terrible.

Enjoyment: I skipped through this. I couldn't bear watching it.

Overall: A stupid clusterfuck showing how few ideas are out in the Light Novel and Anime industry, and moreso what little it takes to write a "good" light novel. This thing got awards, ranking in 2nd and 4th place. For something this awful to make it up even to those ranks is just terrible.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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Poll: Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai OVA Episode 1 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 ) shuncchi - Sep 20, 2011

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by JackOfDeath »» Oct 9, 4:17 AM