Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun

If you get reeled in by seeing the word ‘romance’, then you probably would be the first person to drop this anime as the romance aspect of this anime is pretty much scanty and one-sided in all possible ways. Fret not, as this anime still provides one of the best comedies that will entertain you to the very last episode. When I saw the anime’s name, the very worldly presence of the word ‘Shoujo’ didn’t fit well with me and hence didn’t bother to watch the first episode. Then, as usual, I was proven wrong once the news floated around in the internet that the ... first episode was promising and hence with no real expectations, saw the pilot episode and the interest levels were growing at an alarming rate. Note that this anime progresses in an episodic manner except when the all important ‘new character’ introduction takes place.

The entire plot is filled with alarming but comical misunderstandings and the way the characters jump to conclusions by playing it in their mind were hilarity personified. Although the presence of romance is very less, there are still some romantic scenes that take place only to be followed methodically by obliviousness and screw-ups. This show also depicts how a shoujo manga can possibly become either a hit or a dud. A worthy thing to consider is the interactions between the editor-in-chief and the authors. The main character Nozaki Umetaro researches quite a bit for his manga and his research; which consists of the interactions between the 7 characters that helm this show, makes up the 12 good episodes.

The art and the animation had the usage of vibrant colors and vivid backgrounds. One nice point to be taken note of is that, the manga which Nozaki draws. The 2 main characters of the manga, Mamiko and Suzuki-kun have their own voices and it was a different experience. The artwork of the manga was of a typical shoujo manga and the details regarding shoujo manga were neatly analyzed even though they did not delve deeper into the topics related. The OST was good and the timing of the music was good with the music accentuating the situation persisting over in the anime. One piano sonata caught my attention and the OP and ED are normal but catchy, especially the ending.

CHARACTERS: This is where the entire anime excels the most and where this anime became a runaway hit among the audiences. Each and every character portrayed in this anime is unique and have its own quirks that are very much necessary for the progression of each episode.
Nozaki is the protagonist. He is diligent, intelligent but highly oblivious. He is unable to detect the easiest of advances by the only normal and level-headed character, the female protagonist, Sakura Chiyo. Sometimes, it might seems hilarious but at other times the ‘I’mma gonna fucking punch the screen’ feeling arises. Next, Mikoshiba (Mikorin) who thinks he is a playboy (actually, he is, in a way). Wakamatsu, a first year, he is like Kise Ryouta without basketball and handsomeness. They both have the same voice-actors too. Hori is a third year student who is bullied by his underclassman prince(ss) Kashima without her knowledge that she is bullying him. One of the wonderful traps provided to us in recent times is Kashima. Then, finally another oblivious freak who speaks her mind without knowing that she lacks the utmost delicacy, Yuzuki Seo.
All these whacky characters come together in various episodes and the unbelievable incidents that these characters get entangled into duly forms the entire body of the anime. When any one of these characters is missing, this anime would not have thrived like it did. Unlike many anime where the focal point is either the extravagant plotline, animation or the music composition, Nozaki-kun’s engine is the characters. Without the characters’ interaction, this anime would not have become what it is now. The comebacks (tsukkomis) and retorts provided by the characters are magical and seem to be realistic but at the same time it felt as if with each passing episode, the retorts became somewhat predictable, at the least to me. Maybe they should or should not have toned down on the retorts. Note that, the extravagance of the voice-crew for this anime is unmatched by any other Summer ’14 anime excluding Nobunaga Concerto; another vital reason why the characters’ speeches and interactions looked lively.

To sum it up, a hilarious anime that employs misunderstandings to narrate a great story regarding on how to and not to craft a shoujo manga is the gist of this show. Animation, music and plot all seemed normal and maybe this is where the anime comes good owing to its normality although there were some instances (only scanty) that seemed not believable. Animation could have been improved, so could have been the music but even still, it was good. DAT ending to the final episode might not have been the perfect one, but the aptness of it was impressive.


Overall rating: 8/10

[intro with compelling quote here that somehow relates to what I want to say next]

[write-up of the show in pseudo-intellectual text that relates to the compelling quote]

[reasons why you should watch this show]

[paragraph that wraps up everything I said up there because let's face it, you probably forgot]

That's my review, folks! [that stupid part where I ask for you to rate the review as helpful]

Actually, I do get tired of reading reviews here because they follow this format. I do understand the informative part, but to be honest, I feel like there's a template when it comes to writing reviews, one that people blindly follow ... in the same way writers decide there must be a template to making a good anime show (or manga, for that matter). What was that?! Did you just say we can all become critically-acclaimed in a liberal art career field?! HAHAHAHAHAHA no. It's not like following the template all the time will win you a fanbase (unless most of your viewers watch TMZ, or some shit. Seriously, fuck TMZ), but every time I turn my back and decide to score something, given enough thought, there MUST be a template to all this that they ALL follow. It gets incredibly boring.

However, something I found impressive about GSN was the way it gave me an expectation, then delivered it. No, it did not say "this is what to expect, here you go, DEAL WITH IT." If that was the case then I would have simply asked you all to read the first few lines of my review which deals with writing a review. It's like a genie granting a wish. When you ask for something, the genie gives you what you ask for, but in a way you don't expect. The thing is, you still got what you asked for, but the expectation versus the reality leaves you with some kind of shock. Or trauma. Or pleasure. It really depends on whether you're the S or the M in "S&M."

Let's just say this: after watching GSN, there's no doubt in the back of my mind that it compares to Neon Genesis or Madoka Magica. If there was an anime genre that focused solely on shattering expectations, you just found your comedy.

On second thought, I'll take credit for introducing it to you. You're welcome.

Oh, also, [insert section where I explain I have no spoilers here, when in reality I probably have a spoiler or two so you've been warned, joke's on you].

Story: Yes, I'll tell you a story. Once upon a time, there was nothing. And it stayed that way. The end.

Just kidding.

To be fair, as far as adaptations of 4-panel komas go, the story is flimsy. Every half-episode focuses on a different problem and the last episode feels heavily accelerated when they rushed into the "overview" of everything and "all that time we spent together" and "cherry blossoms and butterflies" and all that (I don't know if that last part actually happened. I started drinking at the last episode for no reason at all).

In the end, the plot ran into a tree and it was hilarious. Take one for expectations.

Possibly the only real progression of a story comes from Sakura Chiyo, the focus of the entire show, and her feelings towards Umetarou Nozaki (oh, by the way, SPOILER. Unless of course you read the show's synopsis so shut the hell up about it). As the show progresses, we see her feelings grow, we see some more development, but otherwise, that's about it. Beyond that, there's nothing to look forward to.

Art: As expected of a 2014 anime, the art is noticeably modern. I only bring that up because I saw Ao Haru Ride and I thought we were taking a trip back to the '90s. I'm fine with that, but then all that bullshit '90s kid hype will come back so I decided to get over it.

I did watch GSN, though, because of the art. It was reminiscent of the show Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou, and to be honest, that's the only reason I wanted to watch it. What I do like about this show is the use of manga drawings to explain some situations or give a sense of what the characters were seeing, especially given the fact that the show revolves around Sakura who has a crush on Nozaki the manga artist.

The animation depending on the character portrays a distinctive style as well. Seo Yuzuki, the oblivious tomboy, for example, has a pretty radical, spontaneous style surrounding her character. Mikorin is depicted with the pretty boy style, while the frustrations of each character in troubling situations is exaggerated, most likely to stop us from feeling sorry for them.

Also, I'm not an art major so if anything I said makes no sense, SUCK IT.

Sound: Yes. There is sound. Yes. There are voices. There is also background music and special effects.

Character: Remember that whole intro about expectations? This is that section about expectations. How we prejudice comes down to this, and quite frankly, because of the characters in this show, you could simply call GSN a Public Service Announcement against discrimination.

Here's what I'm talking about: if someone introduces a sensitive person with a cutesy nickname, we expect a shy girl. If someone introduces a womanizer, we expect a tall, handsome man. If someone introduces a person who's always being chased by guys, we expect a popular girl.

Umm....yeah. About that.

Think about it this way with the characters: GSN was casting. They then decided to seek out the actors and were given a production deadline. The talent scouts went out to find their actors, but with a minor problem: they can't find anybody. The position for a shy, petite shoujo character was given to a somewhat two-faced child actor. The position for the incredibly-sensitive character was given to a male, teenage pop idol with a nasty attitude. The role of the "womanizer" was shortened..... to "woman." But did the producers care that the characters were completely mismatched? Absolutely not! They have a production deadline to meet!

"Aaaaaaaaaand that's your line-up! Ready? ACTION!"

*two minutes later*

"THAT'S A WRAP! I know you all fucked up somewhere down the line but it's okay, the footage is still watchable every Monday night 8/7 central!"

Enjoyment: Looking back on it, Character and Enjoyment go hand-in-hand. Without the characters' obscure logic, there wouldn't be any "good" moments, especially regarding Nozaki, the male lead. Want to walk home with him? Nozaki will do that. Want to stay the night? Sure, why not? Want to eat his cooking? Absolutely, Nozaki will arrange that. Of course, remember what I kept saying about expectations. Be careful what you wish for.

But something that really gave GSN its humor was the fact that it went over-the-top without going completely "over-the-top." Some shows take pleasure in exaggerating moments or portraying crude, perverted humor to generate big laughs, but I suspect they only do that because it's easy to gain a couple brain-dead perverts by doing it. GSN seems to have taken a different approach, using events or common cliches that most would find mundane and finding a "loophole" that makes them enjoyable. I'm not talking about amplifying a funny moment to make it funnier, but finding an event so mundane and so boring that we generally overlook it, then turning THAT into the punchline. Example? Like the time Nozaki and Mikorin-- never mind, I'll spoil that. Or that time Nozaki and Sakura were-- I'll spoil that too.

I think probably the only dull moment in this show was the density of Nozaki, but that's because I've already gotten over the whole "dense character" bit with Infinite Stratos (take a hint, dumbass!). Otherwise, there is so much to describe about the show, yet I do not want to talk about because these events are really the first time I've seen them ever happen in an anime show. This really requires the salesman's pitch to describe: "see it to believe it!"

Overall: A solid 8. While GSN is not your typical comedy show, disregarding all those other morons who say "not your typical anime show" for something with more cliches than a B-list children's movie, I have no doubt in my mind that if it wasn't for my low expectation for this show, given the fact that I only wanted to see this because of the art style, I would have rated it higher.

Honestly, I have nothing else to say, other than if you're looking for a shining example of how good the quality of comedic content can really get, then search for GSN Episode 1 and start watching, otherwise [insert some kind of conclusion that conveniently wraps up this review and ties back to the intro. Some shit like that, I don't really care.]

.......

Yeah, fuck this. I'm over the inserts.

PROS
-fun OP
-Sakura super kawaii, my most memorable female character in 2014.
-variety of unique characters that actually focus on different kinds of relationships other than romance such as brotherhood, senpai, etc. therefore, I think other demographics besides the shoujo fans can actually enjoy this 12 episode series
-plenty of silly "anime" moments that I wholeheartedly enjoy about anime as a medium
-clever dialogue especially at the "meta" moments
-commits to humor which, when it works, is genuinely hilarious. (moments: the ink, the curry, etc)
-not too serious (compared to sth like Ao Haru Ride) which I appreciate and which I think it works--it leaves a positive atmosphere and a ... mood boost.

CONS
-the anime's gimmick is to take a meta/parody approach to shoujo manga/anime. However, cliches like the Japanese festival or the completely romance-clueless male protagonists were never addressed nor did they try to at least take a new approach. Of course, sticking to a tradition itself is nothing to criticize, but as a viewer, I've always found their complete unawareness to romance to be so unrealistic for high school people that it takes me out of the experience quite often.
-some of the meta-jokes and dialogues missed--when you know just about any cliche is going to be turned around itself, that itself becomes the cliche.
-didn't feel like they pushed the 2 main characters and the plot enough.

Ultimately, this is a bubble gum anime, but I did find myself re-watching it. Personally, I'd prefer to view this as a manga than anime for its strength is the dialogue and the animated scenes can get repetitive and unnecessary. I do praise this anime for being able to garner such popularity despite not resorting to harem-esque scenes and other cheap humor. The best thing about it imo is its light-hearted approach so it's a good anime to watch weekly for a mood boost.

Adapted from manga with same title, I have heard many good reviews for this. A refreshing romcom with manga at its base, I must say it exceeds my expectation. Not only the characters are unique and hilarious, it also has great quality of art and sound. Well, I just can’t stand series with bad quality of art after all. xD

Okay, let’s begin my review!

Music - 10/10

Frankly say, i love both the opening and ending song. For the opening song, dunno why, but I get the comedy-secret-agent-club feeling at first hear it. The melody just brought me to this kind of atmosphere. Then, I fall in ... love in the chorus. What a nice harmony between the melody and visual. And for the ending, i like how they repeat “hantai no” many times. It gives me that cute feelings. And, Sakura Chiyo as the background picture just make it better!

For the background music, I amazed at how it blend with the situation. Mostly when, the comedy yet serious scene. How this series using serious music in comedy scene just hilarious. And not just that, there’s one more thing which is more hilarious. That is… when someone give idiotic advice, yet the music play a mellow piano as the background. HAHAHA. This show always make my day.

Visual - 9/10

Effect-wise. That’s a perfect word for this series. They know well when to use effect and do not overused it. From the first episode, I have known it has a great quality of art. Colorful environment which adapt every situation. When romantic scene, it becomes warm and comfortable (well, it is afternoon and they succesfully build the environment romantic). And when the comedy comes up, it adapts to shoujo situation which is hilarious.

One more thing, I loved it when the “manga” scene takes part. How it moves between pages is beautiful. And, how the background music and voice actor blend with this situation just makes it better. I don’t really know why this scene leave good impressions in my heart, but I just can’t forget how I enjoy this series in my looong holiday.

Character - 10/10

This is one thing I truly like from this series. Why? Because, there are so many unique personalities here. Let’s say Mikoshiba, a narcissist but shy. Saying really cool things but can’t act after it. Or Kawashima, a prince (or princess?) but… a true fool. Oh wait, all of them are fools anyway. But, i just can’t hate them, they are lovable in their unique ways. Gekkan shoujo is charming because of its foolishness, and it’s a perfect way to produce comedy.

Way better, all the characters have the room to develop properly. This is why the environment seems lively and not rigid. All of their fool actions connect each other. Well, they are a “group” with every single person have unique characters. And, when a unique person meet others, the comedy starts. In my opinion, this is the hardest part to built romcom story, when we need to connect all the characters but still at its track. But, this show done it beautifully.

Story - 8/10

Well, it’s common knowledge that comedy film doesn’t need a decent plot. If we can enjoy how the story flow, then it succeed. This series’ plot is quite simple, just revolve around how mangaka (in this case, Nozaki) live his lives. But, the spices make this series enjoyable. A fall-in-love assistant, a true fools friends as model characters, and an idiot editor. Feels like a simple white rice, but with nice choice of ingredients. With it, they changed the “simple one” to “amazing one”.

Ah but, I can’t give it full points because the originality of this series. There a lot of anime with this kind of thing out there. Manga, highschool romance, unique person. The difference lies in how it develop. Personally, I don’t think how the story starts is the most important thing. How the story flow is key to make one show interesting. That’s why I still love this series although its originality.

That’s all from me, thanks for reading! c:

A show about a guy writing a shojo manga who somehow forces a girl that likes him to help in writing/drawing this manga (along with a couple of other guys who are pretty embarrassed about it).

So, I’ll start off by saying the art in this, I thought, was really appealing. Nothing was hard to look at, there were no times I kinda had to casually just look up to avoid embarrassment at seeing some ecchi sort of shot and everything was just nice to look at. The character designs were really good (it made me want to style my hair like Sakura’s haha) and pretty. ... I’d give it about 8/10.

Next, the characters. I generally just enjoyed them. I typically don’t watch a lot of anime in this kind of genre, so they might be typical characters of shows like these, but I wouldn’t know and, frankly, I wouldn’t care. There were an array of characters that ranged from the overly confident ‘playboy’ who had major self-confidence issues when he wasn’t trying to show off (God, Mikoshiba was adorable) to the practically psychotic girl who laughed as others died in a movie, was way too blunt and had a secret talent that wasn’t a secret to everyone but the boy she liked. I personally thought they were funny, and interesting, and I found I could relate in some way to most of them. Even if they are your kind of ‘oh, we always get these kind of characters’ characters, well, I don’t mind because they’re entertaining as hell, or, at least they are for me when I need a good, solid stress reliever. So, another 8/10, I suppose.

The plot isn’t much to go by. It’s literally explained in the first sentence of this review and it doesn’t go off much from that. A few “Oh, did that really just happen?” moments here, a few, “Why am I even watching this?” moments there. All in all, it’s pretty much more centered around the relationship between Sakura and Nozaki, as well as what’s going on with the other more minor characters (Nozaki’s characters in his manga included). I liked the progress of the relationships going on. I thought they were well-paced, nothing happened too fast, there was just the right amount of teasing for me to swear at the ending, but also feel really happy about how it ended. I wasn't quite expecting that, but I'm glad that was how it was. I think it fitted well with how their relationship had built up so far after I thought about it and I'm glad they didn't push that last scene. It just made it all the more satisfactory for me. So for pure plot, I'd give it like a 5/10.

As for enjoyment, however, I must say that, damn, did I enjoy this. The amount of times this show had me cracking a goofy grin, trying to stifle a giggle and shaking my head were crazy. I probably questioned why the hell I was watching this more than five times, but that's when I know I've enjoyed it. It's been great for me personally because I enjoy silliness and lame moments and awkwardness in a show. If you perhaps can't stand that, then maybe it's not for you. But, hey, it doesn't hurt to try, right? I know people say this all the time, but you don't know you won't like it unless you try it. I think a lot of people can enjoy this.

All in all, I'd give it an 8/10 based purely on how much entertainment I got from it since that is what anime essentially aims to do.

This is my first review, excuse me if it is not that great.

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-Kun (Girls Monthly Nozaki-kun) was a rare and amazing anime for me to find. I tend to not go anywhere near romance in anime, probably because I find the female characters clingy and annoying. But after the first episode of this anime, I was in love. Many of the items that I would find not that great in other romance anime, or sometimes other anime in general, will make up for it here.

Story: The story and plot is similar to most romance anime. A girl falls for a guy, not having ... enough courage to say, goes through many problems and good times with him and friends. You would think it would be an average romance/school anime, but it exceeds that. Sakura, a regular high school student, ends up falling in love with a tall, regular looking guy. Only to find out he's a famous mangaka. They become good friends, meeting new people who all together with Sakura, help out Nozaki on his books.

Art: The art was very bright and beautiful, I never got tired of it. I don't usually dislike the art of an anime, so I would find it nice. But this anime's art and faces the characters make are beautiful and priceless.

Sound: I don't particularly like the sound/music of anime. I tend to skip the opening and ending songs, but I could listen to the opening a ending songs over and over if I wanted. They were light and very nice sounding.

Character: All the characters have their own style. A girl who acts like a prince. A guy who charms girls, only to be completely embarrassed about it and shy around any new people. Nozaki, who is not afraid to try on a sailor costume at a store, only to be sad he is not a slender "bishounen" and is completely oblivious to everything. They are all unique in their own ways, and they all make the show more amazing.

Enjoyment: I enjoyed this anime much more than I thought. When I started it, it only had 2 or 3 episodes out, so when I got caught up, I was wanting to see much more of the show and the characters. The humor is great. You will laugh probably every minute. Once you think the moment will be cute and light, Nozaki brings something weird in.

Overall: 10/10. This was an outstanding series I did not think I would ever enjoy as much as this. I highly recommend this, for romance, as you can ship and there is romance with about everyone in here, but also just for the comedy and moments.

this is my first review ever (on this site) so i'm not sure if there's a certain format i should follow... hope i'm not breaking any rules :D

i just have to say that after watching this anime, i can't remember the last time i've laughed this hard... it was that funny. and i genuinely laughed my heart out, not the "wow what a lame joke haha". i guess you can say its the anime's plus point. its light and funny. something to help you destress after a long day.

plot wise it isn't something to write home about... it was interesting enough. the anime spends a ... lot of time developing character as opposed to plot, but i don't mind it. it was fun to watch as all the characters were unique enough... they all stood out in their own way.

i liked the opening ost... it was really catchy and i felt it captured the feel of the anime. i didn't really pay attention to the ending ost as i can't stand cutey-voices like that.

the voice actors are amazinggggg. they did a good job giving life to the characters. a lot of my faves were in the cast :D

should you watch this: yes, yes please. i'm begging you. watch it. you won't regret it. i'm giving this an overall score of 10/10 just cause it made me laugh so hard.

This show is silly. Very silly. It’s silly in the best possible way. Strange characters of all types are brought together because of Nozaki, and they work well off of each other because of their strange attitudes. It shows how people are not 2D, and that characters are not defined by their genre. It bridges slapstick with Japanese humor, and makes for a great watch. Whether you know shoujo cliches well or not, this series can be appreciated for its endearing wackiness. You grow to love each of the different characters for their absurdities, and realize that you actually kind of know people like them. ... I found this show more real than any shoujo series simply because the characters were unique and contradictory. For one there’s Nozaki, a big masculine guy who draws shoujo manga. Then there’s Mikoshiba, a popular attractive guy who’s very insecure. The list goes on and on, and rather than spoil it I encourage you to explore it for yourselves. This series has easily one of the best list of characters I’ve seen in a long time. And the humor is just totally spot on.

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Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun, although not perfect, is probably the funniest and happiest anime I've seen in a while. The art sets the tone for the show, as it's not too showy nor is it too plain. The show's OP takes the cake for being my jam for this summer season, since whenever it comes on all I do is dance even though I can't dance and lip-sync even though I don't know Japanese. All the characters are lovable/likable (Seo's character being more likable than lovable) and there's a type for everyone. I personally loved Mikorin, since he was so dang ... adorable and stupid. As for the story, it's not really a story, more of a documentation of the little things in the character's life. There's no one goal, but that's cool with me, as long as it's enjoyable in all of it's nonsense. Overall, I really liked this series, and I'll be sure to read the manga just cuz i want more. I really recommend this to anyone who's looking for a good time.

But I have to say, at the last episode, I became so frustrated that I threw my phone and screamed "NOOOOZAAAAAKKIIIIII" because I am so fed up with his shit obliviousness like no. I don't give a shit bout your love for fireworks. Fall in love with Chiyo already! GOD! AKJGDYIHBJKHDIAHDU!

:P

Gekkan Shoujo Nosaki-Kun is most definitely one of the stars of the romantic comedy world, and will be held on a pedestal for me for quite a long ways into the future. The jokes, situations and personalities are on point, making it one of the best animes I have followed during the summer season.

As far as the story goes, Gekkan is adapted from 4-Koma comics, meaning there is not a mysterious over branching plot, and the series relies on its bountiful humor, but this does not disappoint. The story begins with young Sakura Chiyo confessing to her crush, Nozaki. Sakura, being terrible with words, decides ... to confess in such a way that Nozaki mistakes her for a fan of his manga. A love story between the tall, monotone mangaka and his twin-bowed companion ensues, rife with incredibly amusing situations around every corner.
This is of course a slice of life anime, but it is among the best. The day by day account of the students working in the manga world is a colorful one, and it makes for an onslaught of great punchlines.
My one blip is viewers may find a touch of unsatifaction regarding the love story itself, but other than that each episode is something to look forward to.

The art is nothing too out of the ordinary, but each character is color and wonderfully expressive. It is not hard to lose track of who's who, and the bright colors bring on a great enthusiasm, fitting the tone of the entire show.

As for sound, the OP, in my opinion, is very catchy, and a nice change from the usual j-pop associated with most rom-coms. Instead, viewers are created with an interesting beat layered over a colorful, fun atmosphere. The ED is rather irritating, and everything in between suites and assists Gekkan's portfolio of humor.

Each character within the series is well crafted and fun to watch; everyone has a specific relationship with each other, and each relationship is unique and almost always humorous. The pairings having a new flair to them, dragging them out of the typical tropes of 'the tsundere' and 'the prince'. Your prince is a clueless female who gets more girls than the men of the series, your best friend is an unapologetic delinquent, your usual pervy guy is adorably embarrassed by whatever junk spills out of his mouth. All in all, I believe the freshness of each individual is what makes Gekkan so enjoyable.

Every joke and situation in Gekkan is played out on point, leaving your appetite for enjoyment well fed. It will be difficult to reach the twelfth episode without a favorite character, and without a good laugh. I encourage and implore all of you to jump right into Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-Kun to raise your stand for comedy anime, because this is one of the funniest I've seen. Well done.

***spoiler free***

This was probably the best RomCom of the Summer and of 2014!
When at first I started watching I had no idea that a "good" or "nice" anime at first, would grow so much in only a few episodes. This has the whole pack of what a good anime is all about!

Story is very good, very interesting episodes mainly because of brilliant touches made in the characters.
Very good art and music, they did a great job there.

Overall, if you want an interesting funny anime, definitely see this one!

8.5/10

Let me be honest. When I read the manga I didn’t find Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun that funny. Sure it has it’s moments but ultimately it might not pull you in…until you watch the anime. It was one of those cases for me that the anime surpassed the manga. the quality here is simply amazing and I am not talking about the quality of the animation. I am talking about the amount of detail and care you can see in this anime. Specially the voice acting that really gave soul to the whole thing.

The story is about a girl that fell in love with a Mangaka ... named Nozaki and become his assistant so she can win his heart. She gets to know a bunch of weird people through Nozaki and vice versa and lots of funny situations arise from their encounters. Fortunately characters are mostly already paired and there is no unnecessary harem. (not against harem just find most of them unnecessary). Each character as you can expect has it’s own unique joke but fortunately they don’t feel forced and the timing for most of them are right. Sometimes some jokes are just repeated to show you that the story still remembers the things that happened previously.(drawing a house as a background joke) The anime had to cut some of the stuff sadly even though they were funny (Nozaki saving all of his ex-editor’s messages so he can tattle him later and OMG NO BEACH EPISODE) while leaving some unnecessary ones in.

The good part of Gekkan Shoujo is where it pokes fun at Nozaki’s manga. sometimes when you read a manga you find things that are unintentionally funny, Gekkan Shoujo focuses on that aspect sometimes. For example Nozaki’s manga is about a girl named Mamiko that fell in love with a boy named Suzuki and at some point Nozaki’s new Editor notices some panels are exactly the same with Mamiko saying “Suzuki-kun” over and Over again (this reminded me of Orihime from Bleach). Another funny example is when Nozaki found it easier to leave backgrounds black (again Bleach? :P). As I said the anime has a good amount of details. For example they cared enough to show you a basketball poster in Nozaki’s room just to foreshadow his previous involvement in Basketball and his friendship with Wakamatsu.

The best part of the anime is the voice acting and is filled with experienced voice actors.(Ari Ozawa, Sakura’s VA is still new and it is her debut role as a main character and she really done a great job). Sometimes they make even unfunny jokes funny. As for most of comedy shows there are no memorable tracks or music but it is fine. The animation while is good is not something special either. Character designs are faithful to manga and everything is smooth. also i find the OP good and silly at the same time. also thank god for the character designs. sometimes only main characters are drawn good but here everyone feels the same and the whole world is pretty not only the main guys !

It’s not like Gekkan Shoujo has no weak points at all though, for example some characters act ignorant or stupid very convieniently sometimes(Seo is probably doing it on purpose, at least to Wakamatsu) or they act way too unreal.

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun can be a weird anime. It is one of those that you think it is not that good but you keep watching it and keep enjoying it. Ultimately Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun and Barakamon are my comedy suggestions of Summer 2014.

(This review will be updated once I can catch up with all the series on my "currently watching" list.)

Goddamn this show was funny. If you think this is going to be a tension filled, tear jerking, romantic drama, reread the genre list tags. COMEDY. Yeah. And lots of it.

Nozaki-kun was a show I was looking forward to since its anime adaptation announcement in March. I'm happy to say, the anticipation that I had for this show did not go to waste. In fact, instead of matching the bar I set for it, Nozaki-kun easily surpassed it.

First, we have Chiyo. Chiyo has a crush on her ... classmate Umetarou Nozaki. Due to a failed confession, she now finds herself in a world she never knew. Who would have known that her classmate, Nozaki-kun, was a popular shoujo manga artist! Next, we have our male protagonist, Umetarou Nozaki (Nozaki-kun for short), who this series is named after. A shoujo manga artist, Nozaki-kun is mostly stoic individual, who is COMPLETELY oblivious to Chiyo's feelings. Then we have the other characters: Yuzuki, Kashima, Hori, Mikoshiba. If there was one thing to describe ALL of the characters in this series, it's that they are so eccentric, so out there, that if you locked them all in a room and left them to interact with one another, you would have scenarios so funny that they would give you a heart attack. In short, the characters are hilariously interesting. They ARE the driving force behind why this series is so funny and easy to watch. If it weren't for them, I feel as though this series wouldn't have received such high marks.

Now, as for the story, there isn't really an overarching plot to this show; it's pretty straightforward. The story consists of putting the characters listed above in situations that lead to back-breakingly funny outcomes.

If you want a series to pick up that will leave you laughing (or at least grinning) throughout each and every episode, be it because you want a breathe of fresh air from a serious or sad show (ex. Clannad or Anohana), or perhaps you just love the comedy genre in general, check out Gekkan Shojo Nozaki-kun. If you don't at least laugh a few times, I'd be pretty surprised.

Neko again here, it's my first time writing review for popular anime series, so I'm a bit nervous to write and dunno what to write. But I'll try my best to present something from what I've seen in this anime.

I usually decide to watch a anime from what I saw in the art & illustration. Then I dropped this anime before watching it, since it have shoujo-themed art. But suddenly my friend recommend me this anime, I watch the first episode and I really enjoyed this while laughing my ass off..

This is different from what I see, I mean, the art have shoujo style, the ... male character is really 'beautiful-teenage-guy'. But the story itself is really funny. I looking forward to watch this anime every week. Even I might compare this anime to Daily Lives of High School Boys as equally hilarious!

The story is about a damn-she-is-really-cute-i-wanna-hug-her maiden in love Sakura Chiyo, and her super-airhead-scary-faced-guy-crush Nozaki Umetarou. She confessed, but what was she saying is like 'liking as a fan of her work since nozaki is a comic artist'. Then, typical misunderstanding-teen-anime situation occured.

Every episode is filled with comedy. Absurd imagination of Nozaki and his friends make the anime really funny. Every misunderstanding situation is epic. Then Sakura always played the role of straight-man wonderfully. This is best anime of this season. (source : my local club in MAL)

You might watch some cute expression of Sakura Chiyo when she blushes. But since Nozaki is airhead male character, don't expect romance story.

Idiot, is the very first impression of me about Nozaki anime. Why? Because.. Because.. It's him!! I couldn't even understand the way he think!! Yet he's soo hilarious!!!

Okay, I'm back to normal, forget what I'm sayin', feel free to push helpful or not helpful button. See you later on my another review..

Have you ever had ramen but got the wrong order, but then end up really liking the mistaken order? This is what the anime is. Its an anime that doesn't really stand out at all but excels with its well written story, witty puns, and very well developed characters, never leaving anyone out or making them feel like a side character. The anime also has great art, with vibrant colours that are pleasant to the eye, but doesn't make it feel like you are looking at the end of a unicorns butt. It has great use of music that is correct with the setting and ... background. The characters have properly matched voice acting, sometimes making you forgot you are watching an anime. Once again, it is like a ramen you ordered but got something else by mistake, but you finish it with enjoyment, drink the soup until there is no more... until another bowl comes.

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun is truly an example of comedy and moderation done right. While some may be unable to appreciate exactly how the show chooses to manifest itself, the audience nonetheless realize that the unique humor implemented within creates harmony amongst characters, story, and the overall progression. Therefore, nothing is essentially "shoved" down people's throats and nothing is forced, making the ride smooth from start to finish.

I particularly enjoyed Gekkan Shoujo because of the refreshingly strange cast of characters. Every single one of them are so very loveable in one way or another, as they all possess their own individual charm. All of them ... are "main characters" in their own sense, not depending on any other character in order to create situational atmosphere, conflict, and resolution. They simply stand out that much. Sakura was and still is one of my favorite girl characters in any anime. And as much as I tried, I simply could not fit any of them into a "stock character" trope, a formula for which many anime shows re-use, over and over again. GS breaks through the cliché saying, "If it isn't broken, don't fix it." It proves that there is ALWAYS room to improve, and even more potential to be tapped into, so long as the creators are in the right mindset and remain objectively calm in their work. The voice acting is spot-on. The punch-lines are quirky. The romance is desirable.

A not-so-typical romcom that has everything you'd expect from a slice of life and comedy, and much more. Romance is certainly very prevalent, but one would be somewhat disappointed if he/she began watching it for the sake of a full-blown love story with a clearly defined happy ending. And it isn't the whole point of the show, either. The emphasis on every character makes sure that as you watch, you watch with everyone in mind.

There is a lot of space for a cynic to hate on Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun. In the most sarcastic internal voice you can muster, you might think to yourself watching the first episode: ‘Oh great, another romance anime with one of those clueless protagonists who can’t take a hint. Just what we need’. You would be right – it turns out another one of those anime was exactly what we needed, because rarely is the concept so well executed, or stretched to such hilarity, as it is in Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun.

Gekkan Shoujo is about Nozaki-kun, a high-school student who is secretly a shoujo manga artist, ... and his life. (The anime is based on a manga as well, so I guess it’s manga-ception?) Now Nozaki-kun is not the world’s most perceptive character, and so when his adoring fan and the anime’s main character Sakura tries to ask him out, he infers that she wants an autograph, much to his satisfaction and her dismay. Similarly dense moments make the biggest running gag of Gekkan Shoujo. This is a show that creates scenarios so that the relationship between our protagonists might develop, only in order that they can be shut down in the most hilariously tragic way possible. You might be wondering whether it’s a parody of the shoujo genre or just a funny shounen? It doesn’t really matter when you’re laughing.

Sakura is a feisty protagonist if I ever saw one, the polar opposite to the Nozaki’s docile silence. But she’s very sweet and loveable all the same, such that you’re always excited when her relationship with Nozaki seems to be getting better. And what better way is there for it to improve than to help Nozaki with his manga? That’s right, not only is this show funny, you’re getting an insight into how manga is made at the same time! It’s not Bakuman levels of complexity, but it’s nevertheless really interesting to see all the different roles that make up the creation of a manga.

Obviously, Sakura can’t do this job on her own however, so this is where Gekkan Shoujo brings in its remaining cast of quirky characters. There’s Mikoshiba, our very own male tsundere with a talent for spouting cheesy pick-up lines and becoming embarrassed immediately after saying them. Then there’s Seo, the most insensitive best friend you could ever have – she’s desperate to attract the attention of one of Nozaki’s assistants Wakamatsu, but will happily compare Wakamatsu to a dog without so much as considering it might be insulting. Finally, there’s the drama club dream team Kashima and Hori. These two are the Laurel and Hardy of the show, and Hori is always Kashima’s throat trying to drag her away from her doting female fan club.

What’s great about this rag-tag bunch is that they’re all given room to let the story explore their relationships. All of them are also built into storyline of Nozaki’s manga, often in ridiculously roundabout ways. Mikoshiba (a guy) is used as reference for the school-girl heroine Mamiko! What’s more, Kashima then becomes the reference for the hero’s rival, who tries to snatch up Mamiko’s love! With the sheer eccentricity of all these characters, Nozaki wisely decides to use his entire school life as one big reference for the manga. This results in all sort of comic situations for Nozaki and Sakura, including Nozaki trying to get into the mind of his manga characters (and possibly the best line ever muttered in anime: ‘I wish I’d been born a slender bishounen!’) Needless to say, when summer arrives Nozaki suddenly seems very keen to organise a guy’s pyjama party...

At the end of Gekkan Shoujo, I don’t really feel as though the story progressed all that much, and certainly Sakura and Nozaki are nowhere near the relationship level Sakura pines for. So if that’s something you’re looking for, you might want to look to something a bit more focused on the serious romance department. But as a comedy which uses romance as its medium, Gekkan Shoujo certainly delivers. I look forward to season 2, where perhaps Mikoshiba will learn not to volunteer for nude modelling until after he’s calmed down a bit.

Recommendations: School Rumble – Romance may be an element of both shows, but it’s an excuse in both to laugh at whichever wacky situation the characters will plunge into next!

Thankfully short. Spoiler free.

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun is a charming, light romance anime that takes those popular shoujo romance tropes and subverts them. Our leading man, Nozaki, is a manga artist who creates popular shoujo romance with zero personal experience. Our leading lady, Sakura, is an art club member who bungles up her confession and ends up as a Nozaki's inker. A wonderful partnership is born.

Warning: This series has more manga-making than romance.

The deconstruction of shoujo tropes was very well done. Much of the comedic material hinges on the “real life to manga to real life” deal. Nozaki takes inspiration from his friends with plenty ... of misunderstandings and even experiments on himself, without the malice or angst. One thing you’ll love about this series is that the supporting characters shine, not only our leads. Most of Nozaki's resources and quests for inspiration are written for hilarity, however, upon reflection, some may not be as funny. But don't let this stop you. If there’s a low comedic point in its 12 episode run, it isn’t noticeable.

The anime is a success as a parody. Under that self-effacing humor is something quite cerebral. If you enjoy shoujo romance without putting it on a pedestal, this series is for you.

A Comedy of Misunderstanding’s

Hilarity comes from many parts of life. But, misunderstandings can create some of the biggest laughs. Think back on your life, the most embarrassing instances. I’ll bet quite a few of those moments can be chalked up to misunderstandings. Yeah, those moments might be embarrassing, but put yourself in someone else’s shoes and thinks about those moment in your life. Chances are you might laugh at those misunderstandings. Hell you might even laugh at those moments as you grow older, and as you recount the stupid mistakes of you past.

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun is a comedy all about misunderstandings. From Nozaki misunderstanding Sakura’s ... confession to Hori-sempai mistaking Kashima for a man. Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki Kun thrives off of misunderstandings, and this drives the comedy that is the center piece of the show.

The Story is a simple one. Sakura, Chiyo is girl in love with a boy named Nozaki. She confesses to Nozaki that she has always been his fan. But, unbeknownst to Sakura, Nozaki is a famous shoujo manga writer. So Sakura instead getting a date, gets an autograph, and an invite to Nozaki’s home, but only to assist him with his shoujo manga. Thus begins the comedy of misunderstandings, which only continues with more misunderstandings as we are introduced to the cast of assistants and inspirations of Nozaki’s manga. To give away anymore would be criminal, because the comedy is again experienced from the misunderstandings, and the shock value of some them will have you rolling on the floor.

For those expecting your traditional Rom-com though be forewarned. Nozaki-Kun is not a traditional Rom-Com. It is Rom-Com, heavy on the Comedy, with just a sprinkle of Romance. Most of the Comedy comes from the cast’s misunderstandings or analysis of Romance. This could be from the almost eccentric Nozaki’s study of Romance for his inspiration, or the confusion of a cast of characters experiencing love for the first time. However, there are a few tender moment’s (and I mean very few) that will have you squeeing your little fanboy and fangirl hearts out. At least until you smacked in the face with by the blue ball gods who will have you wishing for more, as laugh through tears.

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-Kun is easily my favorite Rom-Com of all time. I’m hard pressed to find any faults with it. You won’t understand why until you see it for yourself. I know I will be re-watching this show, as I patiently wait for a second season, which I hope will someday come. Hopefully someday soon.

DISCLAIMER: Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-Kun IS NOT A ROMANCE COMEDY. IT IS NOT A ROM COM. (Romcoms are Toradora, Kare Kano, Golden Time, Lovely Complex) IT IS PURELY COMEDY. There are sweet moments in the anime, but that should not be seen as romance. Romance requires development of some sort. A one sided crush, is simply a one sided crush. And it's used for comedy.

This anime is glorious. Doesn't rely on tropes and even though it doesn't have a plot, it's episodic nature keeps you entertained. Part of the humor is taking apart gender roles and stereotypes. While this isn't the first anime to ... do it, it is one of the first I've seen that can do it in such a comedic way. The jokes are a constant reversal of expectation, and while you know this, it doesn't make it less funny.