Tonikaku Kawaii

I just want to leave a short review on why I only gave a 6/10.

While I do love romance anime and like the feel-good aspect of a lot of SoL anime, I didn't quite get the same from Tonikaku.

In my opinion, the best aspect of romance anime is when the two people you ship are unsure about how the other one feels, with a romantic finale of them getting together. I also don't mind a story where the characters are already a couple.

The problem I saw with Tonikaku is, that there is not ... really a story. I can pretty much tell the whole story in less than 5 minutes. Also, while the first episodes were cute as hell, it got repetitive really fast.

Another problem is that there aren't really memorable locations other than the ones the whole anime plays in. There also weren't astonishing animations or pictures.
They didn't cover the secret of her at all, so the mystic element is totally unnecessary in the end.

Tonikaku is definitely a feel-good anime and pretty cute as it is. I just don't see it having 13 episodes and can't recommend it to actively watch or binge it. It's a really good series to watch for when you want to chill and feel good or to watch next to playing games or something else, but I didn't have the need to binge it as I did with 5 other anime this week with a romance theme or parts of romance.

All in all not bad and totally wholesome, but a bit bland.

Tonikaku Kawaii is a series that uses a catchy premise in order to hook the audience but soon turns into something generic. Normally I would consider that to be a negative but in this case it works in its favor because to me said hook is unnecessary.

There is a supernatural element in the series which is barely present, not really adressed much and on top of that it has no real purpose in the otherwise generic plot so why is it even there? I don’t know. Thus said element is so underplayed that even the english name of the show hints to it more than ... the series itself.

Aside from fooling the audience into thinking there’s more with a 0.1% of mystery bait, Tonikawa definitely grabs the attention of the audience with its first episode because it begins where at least four decades of its genre usually ends. Even a romcom from not so many years ago like Ore Monogatari! seemed to move fast at first, only to slow down right after the main couple is established.

Tonikawa begins estabilishing a couple, having them holding hands and even getting married and starting to live together! Is a series that understands that in this time and age, not even a generic romcom can attach itself to the way things used to be. If your series starts slowly and does not hook the audience pretty fast nowadays, you might as well give up.

It also knows how to play with expectations because it indirectly mocks the isekai genre in the way the characters get to know each other, weird but effective use of trolling and comedy.

So it knows how to get an audience and it avoids the usual slow set up in order to get to the most interesting bits of its genre but at the same time the first episode makes the couple to feel completely unbelievable. I mean come on, would any of this really happen? No, this sudden girlfriend/wife appearance can only happen in anime and it has since at least three decades, especially in the harem genre. You know, My Goddess, Monogatari, Sekirei, Campione, Rec, heck even Monster Musume, and above all High School DxD which even has a bigger similarity with this show by having the protagonist being saved by the main girl in its first episode.

Another catch is the main protagonist who is far more direct than any other protagonist of its kind yet I have to point out how Nasa is really obnoxious in the beginning with his embarrassment towards his actual wife, and his referential comedy is easily among the worst I’ve ever seen. At least later on he becomes a little more direct and is shown as a capable guy able to manage just about every situation.

From there, the series unfolds in a close to what would happen manner, the daily routines of this couple has to do with living together, getting more stuff, buying rings, getting another better house, getting to know their families and friends, all that stuff.
Yet the tone is to the most part very light, there’s no conflict between the couple and their interactions stop at being cute. Also for a series with this fast beginning they sure don’t get any further than perhaps two or three kisses per episode with never getting to the juicy parts.

All of the paragraph above is still questionable because a valid criticism which I’ve seen made about the show is how it plays out almost like a kid pretending to have a wife while playing with a doll. That has to do with Tsukasa being so... submissive. This is a thing which makes sense in an anime because it comes from Japan but man would it cause an uproar if it ever becomes mainstream in the west. I don’t mind that much but I would definitely like a little more proactive character.

Her character stops at doing everything Nasa wants her to do, which makes him feel obsessive and possessive half the times. She’s also idolize beyond belief because she has all the traits otaku want in their perfect waifu. Tsukasa is cute, obliging, don’t want to spend much money, likes Nasa for the most generic reason that he’s kind and on top of that she’s a gamer, and that’s pretty much it. At least the references she makes are way better than Nasa’s.

She sometimes let out some lines in the likes of “your tongue will be completely mine” or “I’ll let you see me on my underwear whenever you want to” that makes you think that something juicy will finally happen but nah, both get embarrassed and the show keeps being cute and wholesome.

But since the tone of the show is very light and not serious at all, and Nasa don’t come off as too pervy or desperate to me, I give it a pass, however, if it tried to be dramatic or a serious romance, instead of a comical silly version of one, I would complain about it too.

Their interactions alone would make the series boring very fast and that’s why more female characters keep appearing and thankfully none of them makes the show feel like a harem, except perhaps for the 11th episode, which was easily the worst because of that and because of the way too obvious Capcom publicity. Other than that all of the other girls are funny in their own way except maybe for Chitose who’s really annoying at first but thankfully Nasa is a capable main character who knows how to deal with her and it has nothing to with romance nor misogyny.

As far as production goes, the show is nothing espectacular, it plays it very safely with ok visuals and ok sound, there’s people who don’t like Chitose’s voice and say her voice actress don’t fit the character, I personally don’t know her and her job at portraying an annoying little sister was properly done to me. What I don’t like is Nasa’s voice, he looks too moe for me and yet he has quite the deep voice which sounds older than he is and looks, with each passing episode he raises his voice a little so my issue with this disappeared as I got accostumed to his voice.

Down to it, despite a forced and unbelievable but otherwise weird and somewhat interesting premise with a quick set up, Tonikawa is still a basic romcom trying to be either funny or fluffly, it has nothing offending nor insulting, it can be funny at times and is to the most part just a watchable time passer, it got lucky to come out in 2020 where there wasn’t much hype, and not having any competition in its season. Is just a romcom which you watch and enjoy with your brain disconnected or hate because you don’t like the characters, then you forget in a week after it’s over and you move on to the next of its kind.

I absolutely love the romance and slice of life genres. Toradora and K-on are my favorite anime of all time and I'm always hyped for the next big romance/sol adaptation. However, Tonikawa left me severely unimpressed with its average well... everything.

Story:
I have to give credit where credit is due. I didn't find the whole "Truck-kun" premise stupid like many other low score reviewers did. It set up the story pretty well and made for some really cute moments down the line. Tonikawa is meant to be a wish fulfillment FANTASY, not a realistic take on the struggles that come with marriage.

However, Tonikawa has ... its flaws, lots of them. The comedy is oftentimes hit or miss with a lot of it relying on references to other IPs. Unlike parody anime like Gintama or Saiki K, the references feel extremely out of place in the anime. Although I can recognize them when the come, I just end up thinking to myself, "but why?". As for the narrative itself, its a bit polarizing. Some episodes add much needed development for the main couple which is great and all but others end up introducing characters that do almost nothing for the show. Its feels like the author makes these characters for unnecessary conflict in order to further prove the love between our main couple (something that was already established in the beginning of the anime). It would be fine if they were more interesting but their personalities can be boiled down to your typical romance tropes.

Art:
Nothing much to say here, the art is just average. The colors are way too bright despite it being set in modern day Japan and the animation often looks very choppy. I was never captivated by its animation or its visuals because to be honest, Tonikawa doesn't have much to offer in that department.

This may be a minor nitpick but Nasa's design is really off putting. I thought he was a shouta until I saw how tall he was in the first episode. If this design choice was made to show how innocent and immature Nasa is then it was a bad one because he is clearly capable of doing many adult things within the narrative.

Sound:
I'm going to say it. The opening sucks. Yes, I realize that music taste is subjective and I do see the appeal it but god damn this opening was so hard to listen to. When I first heard it, all I could think of was how it sounded like a glorified 2010s era Minecraft intro. The main motif that plays in the buildup is awful and it gets even worse when it gets repeated with overproduced EDM effects. Koi no Uta is easily one of the worst EDM yet alone anime songs I've ever listened to and the opening is an automatic skip for me.

Tonikawas OST thankfully isn't as bad. I actually quite like Tsukasa's theme and it fits the tone of the series beautifully. But that one track that plays during comedic moments (the one with clown honk and cartoon noises) bothers me to no end. Aside from those two, the OST is nothing to write home about and I look forward to hearing more Tsukasa's theme.

Character:
Nasa and Tsukasa are decent main characters and its fun watching them go through everyday life as a married couple. But of course that gets interrupted when the side characters come into play. Although some of them contribute a little bit to the story, many of them are there to act as conflict and sometimes as "love rivals" if you could even call it that. They do nothing to strengthen the bond of our main couple and they do nothing that contributes to the plot as a whole, so why bother? I can only hope that they do something interesting further down the line as the manga is still ongoing but only time will tell.

Enjoyment:
Everything from the overhyped opening to the uninteresting main characters and OST made this anime barely enjoyable to watch and I'm surprised that I managed to keep up with it this long. This my first experience with having a different opinion than the general anime community and not gonna lie, the fact that Tonikawa has a rating over 8 on this site really irks me. But I guess that's just the power of a wish fulfillment rom-com

Overall:
I've been reading a lot of reviews for this anime lately and I noticed that people either love the series to death or wish for it to burn in hell with the likes of "Mars of Destruction". Its not the best anime don't get me wrong but is it the worst? Hell no.

Score: 5/10 (mediocre/average)

In Nasa and Tsukasa's new lives as a married couple, there is no drama and there are no high stakes. There are no drawn-out misunderstandings nor are there frustrating love triangles. Tonikaku Kawaii is twelve episodes of unwaveringly cute and inconsequential romance.

The art style is very reminiscent of the anime style of the mid 2000s with its most obvious comparison being Hayate no Gotoku from the same creator. Like the anime itself, the art and animation are inoffensive, simple, and consistent. The opening song "Koi no Uta" by Yunomi is a modern bop of this decade that contrasts with the previously mentioned mid 2000s ... art style. The sweet and sentimental sounding ending song "Tsuki to Hoshizora" by KanoeRana often pleasantly transitioned at the end of each episode. The voice acting performances from every character were entertaining and full of life. It felt as though the cast had a fun time doing their lines.

I remember two years ago, I started reading the manga for this when it was brand new. I stopped reading after a couple of chapters because I thought neither of the two main characters had any personality, and more importantly, I thought it was ridiculous that anyone would agree to marry a random person they had not seen in two years and only known for literal minutes prior. After reluctantly picking up the anime, my opinion is a bit different. Looking at this set-up alone, it sounds like uncreative wish fulfillment. But how Tonikawa articulates its idea of love throughout the show helps make that initial set-up less and less iffy. Tonikawa leans heavily into things like love at first sight and true love. For Nasa, he knew the moment he saw Tsukasa that she was the one. Though he knows nothing about her at first, something inside him tells him that it doesn't matter and his love for her is real. Tsukasa's character is more of a mystery, but she, too, made the insane decision to marry Nasa. Despite the entire situation being utterly reckless and crazy, there is nevertheless this vague notion of pure undeniable instantaneous love that attracts these two to each other. I personally don't believe in something like that, but I've always liked the exploration of the meaning of love, and Tonikawa's idealist take on it is interesting to me. Also, the anime just puts a dumb smile on my face.

So, I think Tonikawa's conflict-less and immensely fluffy romance works in two ways: It is a pleasant and cute show for those who want to watch two people endlessly flirt. It also justifies Nasa's immediate proposal to Tsukasa as well as her agreement to it. Their perfect relationship drives home the idea that these two really were fated for each other - that they lucked out on the one in a zillion chance of finding the person who is undeniably, without a doubt, one-hundred percent for them.

To me, Tonikawa is almost so full of fluff that it's almost depressing because nothing as perfect as Nasa's and Tsukuasa's relationship would ever happen and there's no point in ever hoping it would happen and 3D is just one dimension too many and.......

But overall, Tonikaku Kawaii is, well, cute.

“You’ve only got one life, so take better care of it, okay?” – Tsukasa Tsukuyomi
Tonikaku Kawaii was a downhill ride for me. It started off great but the excitement faded in the final episodes.

Story: 6/10

I found the concept very interesting; Nasa and Tsukasa get married and from there on you see their relationship developing. It did get boring after a while though. We saw a lot of romantic moments between Nasa and Tsukasa, but it was a bit too much for me. In the end nothing really happened, except for a lot of romantic moments.
On the other hand, we had the whole "moon stone" thing, ... which hinted that Tsukasa may not be a normal human being. If this would be expanded on in season 2, I'd up the score.


Art: 7/10

The artstyle isn't my favorite, but it was certainly not bad. The scenery was really well animated, but the design of the characters felt a bit plain to me, especially Nasa's character design.


Sound: 5/10

The OP isn't very good in my opinion. It's not recognizable and it wasn't really that interesting. The OST's are like your average rom-com OST's that don't really bring that much to the story. It did accompany the scenes well though.


Character: 6/10

I had mixed feelings about the characters. They were likeable, but a bit too likeable, especially Nasa. He's your typical "nice guy", who's always positive and is easily embarrassed. Those type of main characters aren't really my vibe, but he was not a character I disliked necessarily.
Tsukasa is a nice girl who occasionally had some tsundere moments. There's also some kind of vibe around her that put me off. Maybe it's the whole "not dying after getting hit by a bus" thing.
The side characters played their role well. They were purely there for comedic relief and there were indeed some funny moments. Chitose was pretty annoying to me though, but oh well it's just 1 character in the whole series.


Enjoyment: 6/10

The show had its ups and downs. There were a lot of wholesome moments that I genuinely liked, but there were also some dull and boring moments that made me stop watching it. I was also hoping for some more comedy, but I guess the author purely wanted to focus on the romance part.


Overall: 6/10

It started off as an 8/10 for me, but at the end of the anime I'll have to give it a 6/10. There were genuinely some wholesome romantic moments, but on the other hand some boring ones as well.
I'd not recommend this show to a person who has already watched a couple of good romance anime, since it will probably not mean that much to them.

It's late May, I finally get some free time. Lying down in my comfortable bed while watching the beloved and highly acclaim rom-com of 2020, Tonikaku Kawaii. But I do not feel relaxed a bit watching this boring show, in fact, I was so annoyed that I'm writing a review about an interesting concept that fails to deliver due to executions.

Yuzaki Nasa always has a complex about his name. So he tried really hard studying to live up to it. But fate has no mercy, one day, while walking to the convenience store, he met the love of his life. So dazzled by her, he ... immediately ran across the street not noticing a truck-kun running at max speed. Right before it can turn him into a pancake, the mysterious girl uses her body to shield him from the truck like superman and saving him. With his leg and several bones broken, he still chase after her and confess his love. The girl agrees to date him but only if they're married. There our love story begins.

While many finding the premiere to be interesting, I feel really cheesy and never be ultilized to its full potential. Tsukasa, the main's love interest, is built as a mysterious girl that has unusual background, but it has no weight in the story. Make one wonder why they include that in the first place. Manga reader might argue that it does matter in the long run but right now, I'm just reviewing the anime.

But even that not the main point I wanna make. Our main character, Yuzaki Nasa, is extremely annoying. He yells every time something good happens, acting like a shy little girl. He's 18, but his decision making is 12, built as top-class student with mindnumbing communication skill, he's still indecisive in everything. Yet sometimes he's manipulative, sometimes downright an asshole to his lover. He really believes that wedding ceremony is not needed for his lover. Such an inconsistent character. How can anyone relate to him is more of a mystery than anything in Tonikaku Kawaii.

There's not much I can say about the girl, Tsukasa is every weeb's dream wife. Emphasize on 'dream' cause she can't be real. She's caring, understanding, never talking back to her husband and praising him about every little thing he does. I'm not kidding about the last point, she monologues her thoughts about how she loves him in everyway because the viewers is dumb. They can't possibly understand simple storytelling. So the producer let her spew out everything.

The side cast is not much different, they are thin as my love for life, you can hardly feel anything lively in them cause they're fucking NPC. They are there reading their default line to help the story move on. And even so, the story barely moves, nothing really happens or changes during the course of 12 episodes. The characters are exactly the same.

While I enjoy the osts, I can't say the same for the visual. They're average like the quality of this show.

Overall, you can safely takes my words and avoiding this anime. Hell you can even thank me later. I'll be waiting.

So I recently watched this anime and while looking through the reviews I noticed a lot of polarizing opinions on this show. A lot of really high marks of 9 and 10s and a lot of really low marks for 2 and 3s but I think both of these ratings are missing the point of the show and are using emotions and probably some preconceived notions to rate this show. The truth is that this anime is just fine, it's not some Shakespearian masterpiece redefining the romance genre and it's now some gutter trash that deserves to be thrown away. The best way I could ... describe this show is that it's a cutesy romance anime doing cutesy romance anime things and the show knows it.

I think with shows like this it's especially important to view the show through the scope of it's intent. I think often a lot of people go into series with their own expectations; which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I think it often leads to people missing the point and what the author was trying to do. A lot of time people sit down to write stories they just want to tell, they don't have some grand vision of telling this super intricate plot with amazing character growth filled with plot twists and suspense. Sometimes people just want to tell a happy story and allow people and themselves to escape inside a different world.

Does that mean we can't be critical of a show? No of course not, and that is why I think both ends of the spectrum are wrong when it comes to this show. It certainly has it's issues, with a pretty one dimensional female lead (although I think it improves by the end and the manga certainly writes her better), to some pretty no existent side characters, some bland artwork at times and a forgettable OST and I think it's okay to hold those things against the show.

But, what is the intent of the show? Like I mentioned above, it's a cutesy romance anime and that is certainly this show's strongest asset, and when looked at through that lens this show becomes show much more enjoyable. This is most evident that as you watch this show you will see there is little to almost no melodrama that is present. Any issues that crop up between the two leads are almost always resolved in the same episode. They actually talk to each other, learn from each other and grow as a couple. It's kind of surprising given some past experience with romance anime. A lot of the tropes that normally exist between the lead couple are non existent, and it's for these reasons that this show isn't as bad as others say. Because the show is often criticized for it's weak "plot" but that's the point. This show doesn't have a plot. It's not meant to, it's just meant to show a world where these two meet and fall in love and how their lives progress through their fateful encounter.

So I would say if you are looking for any sort of happy, drama free romance anime than look no further. This is a great series to get sucked into to, let your stress go, and just melt into the happiness that exudes from this show. This show, for any of it's flaws is still highly entertaining and I would recommend it to anyone that likes these types of show.

Is Tonikawa a good show? Definitely. But I'm on the minority that didn't have the "9 out of 10" experience as some. So, since I have the belief that high expectations can end up ruining an experience I'll try to point some stuff that (I think) held the show back a bit, while acnowledging the good of the series in order to no present as a 3/10, which would not be fair either. There are no spoilers here and I'm kinda working with the idea that you at least knows the synopsis before reading this. So yeah, here it is:

First let's get this out of ... the way, the production quality is not worthy of praise. The nature of the show makes it so that is doesn't require big flashy animation cuts and super detailed work meaning the simple artstyle fits its aesthetic, but there is some stuff that is honestly unacceptable. Shots where the outline of the characters dissapears, wrongly sized background characters and elements (there is this shot of a showroom bed that is so horrendously huge it had me in a laughing fit), all signs of a rushed production, maybe this will all be fixed on the BD's but if you're just going to stream it that's what will get. The show's strengh is in the characters facial expressions, they were not afraid of going off model and it made it for some of the best comedic moments in the show. 4/10

Sound wise the show does a fair job. Voice acting is pretty great, OP is a banger even if the visuals are just a rehash of Chuunibyou's first OP, ED is pretty good and the overall ost and sound effects are fair, though nothing to write home about. 6/10

The story is pretty much absent here, it exists only to hold the two main characters togheter, that's it. You get most of it in episodes 1 and 2 and it's slice of life land from there. There are however hints of more to come sprinkled here and there, still doesn't seem like it would be something groundbreaking but it's something to look foward in a potential Season 2. 5/10

Character wise the show lives and dies by its main couple Nasa and Tsukasa, with Tsukasa being the more intriguing of the two. They are however pretty safe characters overall, not offering anything that will "wow" you. Side characters are mostly bland and one-note, to the point where sometimes I actively wanted them to just leave as soon as possible, still the main two hold this front well. 7/10

All in all, I very much enjoyed watching Tonikawa. The premise is fun and skip all that BS from romance anime/manga which allows for different antics with the main couple, that said since the characters don't actually know each other very much we still get some of that clichèd romance anime stuff, which some people really like. I still appreciate how fast it moved overall, none of the barriers that appear in front of their relationship stays for long. I still wish that the series had a more mature main couple, maybe them being 25/20yo instead of 18/16yo would make it for a more realistic relationship, but that is my personal opinion. The whole Tsukasa subplot felt unnecessary but that is mostly because it wasn't this season's main focus. 8/10

So yeah, I do reccomend you give a Tonikaku Kawaii a try, just don't get into it with the idea that the it is a "10/10 romance that will guide the genre from here onwards" but more of a fun little wholesome low-stakes romcom to kill some time or unwind after a rough day. I'd give it a final score of 6/10 and I'm definitely hoping to see it get it a second season.

How many times can you hear a guy call his wife or gf kawaii until it becomes unbearable? I don't know the answer to that, but this show sure tries its best to find out.

The main characters are fairly boring, with a couple of chuckle moments here in there. Its the tertiary characters that actually keep you engaged and laughing. The main female character acts like a bashful schoolgirl, though that feels a bit nonsensical considering that they hint at her being far more than that.

At the end of the day, I didn't feel very satisfied with this one. It's okay, but not that I've ... finished it, I am left wondering if I regret giving this one my time or not.

Yeah no

Tonikaku Kawaii is perhaps too wholesome. To the point it actually feels like an exaggeration. Sure, give me a good lovey-dovey couple anime. I am all for it but for God's sakes sitting through 12 episodes of almost nothingness can tire a lot of people.

All of that cute romance and stuff became too repetitive and boring after first 4-5 episodes. Like it's ok the first time. The second time. A third time but being stuck in that "omg I want a kiss, no please danna-sama, *kisses* and then *blushes*" loop Bruh it's boring after a few times.

We got a tinni tiny bit of backstory ... of the main girl which hinted she had some sort "queen" status (very predictable out of a shounen romance show). No actual backstory of the main character except he's just perfect. Other characters that weren't of much significance except one had a crush on main character and the other had a crush on the main girl and also she wants to break their relationship.

That's all. That is literally all this show had to offer.

It's boring and too long just for the wholesomeness.

Also, I ain't writing paragraphs explaining art sound etc so

Art: 4 / 10
Characters: 5 / 10
Sound: 6 / 10
Story: 5 / 10

overall 5/10

Looking for that mediocre romance comedy to fill that void in your soul? Then Tonikaku Kawaii might just be what you want. I'll be honest, there is no real reason for you to watch this. The story line is plain and simple, the animations are okay, unmemorable characters, etc.

Nevertheless, that doesn't necessarily mean you'll regret watching this. I'd describe Tonikaku Kawaii as a series about an average(ish) man marrying and doing date stuff with an "ideal" anime waifu, and that's it. The series is as superficial as it gets and believe it or not some people, including myself, wouldn't mind watching that.

What makes ... Tonikaku Kawaii slightly better than other mediocre shows is that it at least puts some effort into creating a deeper narrative within the series and the story gives you the sense that it leads somewhere. basically it's not just random things every episode. This deeper narrative is simple and isn't developed during the series that much. But, in my opinion, it makes the show a little more interesting anyway.

At the end of the day, Tonikaku Kawaii is a show that is slightly cringe, has basically no interesting characteristics yet still manages to provide a reasonably entertaining romantic comedy.

Let me preface this by saying I absolutely love cutesy, typical romance anime.

This one just didn't do it for me.

Story:
Bland. There's not really much story, even the episodes themselves barely have any plotline to them.

Art: Phenomenal animation, but not up to the standards of other anime released this year IMO.

Sound: Didn't really notice it at any point. Not a very good sign. Seemed pretty generic.
...
Characters: Bland. Uninteresting. It seemed like the main female lead was alluding to not being human, but unfortunately it went nowhere with it.

Just no enjoyment out of this anime. Super bland. At no point did I squeal with happiness about the main characters getting together or at cute moments like I do typically with romance anime.

Kind of a let down. The original idea of it was great, but it's poorly executed at best.

Tonikaku Kawaii is a lightweight slice of life romance with a pervading theme of conservative housewife fetishization. I only started to get really grossed out after a particular scene pretty far into the series. In it, the basic "good boy" protag expresses concern at the idea of other men looking at his wife because of her choosing some slightly revealing clothing. Immediately, she allows him pick her clothes instead. WTF is this stone age mentality????

Reflecting on that, the plot leans into the perfect homemaker narrative a bit much for my taste. The protag leaps into a marriage with a young teenager without any history. She ... is immediately distanced from her family and social connections and has to rely on the protag for everything. Her entire existence is to be super cute, innocent, and eager to exist in servitude.

I get that most popular anime are essentially unrealistic wish fulfillment fodder aimed at some audience, but the innocuous idealizing of this tradwife dynamic seems a bit insidious to me. Especially in the current zeitgeist of incels and patriarchy romanticization.

Outside of this taint, I did enjoy many moments in the anime, mostly because of my heavy romance/slice of life bias. Most of the show outside of its stupid premise and themes is solidly average.

I adored this anime, as you can see from my scores. So why did I give it a 6 you ask? Its only because this anime spent entirely more than necessary time on a 15 year old watching an 18 year old's dick. It was only a couple of scenes you say, I say its two scenes more than needed.

Regardless of that, TONIKAWA is a typical feel good slice of life anime, not unlike I can't understand what my husband is saying, Tsuredure Children, Usagi drop etc. However, unlike those anime this one has a little bit of mystery feel to it - leading ... me to believe it is barreling towards a bittersweet end, but hopefully I'm in the wrong.

The ending of the anime is alright and sweet enough. If you're looking for something you can watch and feel good then this one is for you. If you're looking for well developed characters, intricate plot/setting, any sort of character development then you'd be disappointed.

"Tonikaku Kawaii" is a heartwarming and delightful anime that captures the essence of young love and the simplicity of genuine affection. The series follows the charming and endearing relationship between Nasa Yuzaki and Tsukasa Tsukuyomi, two characters whose connection is forged through a series of fate-driven events.

At its core, the anime is a romantic comedy that explores the gradual blossoming of love between Nasa and Tsukasa. The unique premise of Nasa's impulsive decision to marry Tsukasa after a chance encounter adds a touch of whimsy to the story. The innocent and sincere nature of their relationship is heartwarming, and the way they navigate the challenges ... of married life, despite their youth, is both amusing and endearing.

The humor in "Tonikaku Kawaii" is gentle and often arises from the characters' interactions and their genuine care for each other. The episodes are peppered with charming comedic moments that evoke smiles and laughter without relying on exaggerated antics or over-the-top situations.

Visually, the anime adopts a vibrant and clean art style that complements its lighthearted tone. The character designs are appealing, and the animation quality maintains a consistent level of detail, especially in portraying the characters' expressions and interactions.

In terms of themes, the anime explores the power of connection, the beauty of simple gestures, and the profound impact that small acts of kindness and consideration can have on a relationship. It's a refreshing departure from more dramatic or convoluted romance plots, focusing instead on the subtleties of human emotion and interaction.

"Tonikaku Kawaii" manages to evoke a genuine sense of warmth and happiness, making it a great choice for those seeking a relaxing and heartwarming anime experience. While it may not have the complexity of more intricate plots, its simplicity is part of its charm, creating a series that leaves a smile on your face and a cozy feeling in your heart.

I am not sure what exactly this anime was supposed to be. Is this one of these Japanese government-sponsored programs aiming to boost mariage rate accross Japan that I sometimes read about? What we see on screen reminded me very much of a not at all light-hearted but strikingly similar manga "AsperGirl" - a story of autistic and sucicidal girl that moves in to live with a socially challaged guy, obiously also on the spectrum. Of course in Tonikaku Kawaii we do not get to see any grim, gloomy or remotely realistinc situations, so what's left is a story of two people whose social awareness ... is as developed as one would expected of a kindergardener, who out of nowhere decided to "get married". Seriously - at times the story felt like it's a tutorial on starting a family but targeted at 5 year olds.
- Remember kids, to get married you need to be 16 (girl) and 18 (boy).
- The registration office working hours are: this to that.
- The wedding? No, no, the law does not require the party.
- That's right! When you get married you CAN HOLD HANDS whenever you want!
- Here is the difference between the wedding rings and engagement ring... and here is the prices list...
- Yes! After getting married it IS customary to live in the same house.
- You would not believe it if I tell you, but for two people to sleep on the same elevation, they both need to be sleeping in the same bed OR on the futon. The bed IS higher than the futon.

The way the protagonists "discover" this little pieces of life could by all means be presented in wholesome and funny manner, but it is not. It is boring and dragged, and cringy and stupid. The story teases us that there is something "otherwordly" and "magical" about the female lead, that could explain how these everyday issues may not be common knowlegde - you know the alien-girl-moves-in-to-a-normal-teenager trope. The problem is - it's the male lead who acts as an alien not knowing how the world works around him, despite his implied genius, apparently rich social life and a few year of living on his own, which SHOULD count for some wisdom.

If this series gets the sequel, they should at least target a bit older audience - not five-year-olds - and start explaining how human procreation works. I understand this topic is way too difficult for the protagonists underdeveloped minds, but if this government program is to have any impact, it has to be done, no way around it.

I am amazed at the cult following this title - is it perhaps that the anime adaptation is just a very poorly executed retelling of a story so much better presented in manga?

Not sure if anything would be a spoiler so read at your own risk:

Tonikawa is listed as a "comedy, romance, and shounen" but fails to deliver in all categories. It's not particular funny, arguably has no "shounen" characteristics at all, and although it is certainly feels like a romance, none of the romantic moments in the show are really "doki-doki" enough for me to enjoy it as true romance. It also doesn't help that I don't particularly like the art style. They're supposed to be 16 or so years old, but look 10 or 12, and I don't find either protagonists as "cute" as their ... counterparts claim each other to be. In any case, there's no real conflict that happens in the entire show, and I found myself painfully waiting for anything to capture my attention at all. Moreso, I just wanted something to happen that would prove to me that this show was even worthy of the high ratings (8+ at the time) enticed me to watch it in the first place. They often hint at the mystery behind Tsukasa's origin but never develop on it. I often try to be forgiving of a series' lack of key details when it seems likely the concept will be expanded upon in a later season(s). But at this point, I would not give this series another chance.

This show is extraordinarily average, at best. I feel incredibly cheated by people who literally claiming it to be AOTY of 2020, subsequently wasting my time and leading me astray. If you want to watch a show about a couple's ordinary life where nothing of importance happens, this is the one for you. But otherwise, I would not recommend this show to anyone, ever.

General: 5,4 / 10

Honestly, Tonikaku Kawai seems to me to be one of the worst premiere disappointments that I received in many years that I have been watching Anime ...
Well, being someone faithful to the consumption of the genre "Romance" this work seems to me a mockery for the titles that if they seek to expound on their feelings in a true way. And it could even start from chapter 1 where a lot of irrefutable facts happen but it is not the fact of the accident with truck-chan that closely involves the problem, but it is all the following.
Let's see, the synopsis proposes to ... be a demonstration of a couple and skip all the steps that involve a relationship and go straight towards marriage to show an innovative premise, right? TRUE? well precisely if something that sins this program of originality. I mean, we have our partner already formed great but there is really nothing else, we never try to create a development of the same both as knowing each other, as worrying about things that interest them for their future or anything. The anime only takes care of showing a lot of scenes of a happy and INNOCENT couple (because they do not go beyond the kiss and blush for anything like any average teenage love series). Nor does it seek to show us the responsibilities and problems that come with having a marriage such as tight schedules, be it for work or even show that Tsukasa goes to school or something. nothing outside of showing the happy couple cares about the work, so what is left for us? Well, a simple daily life that does not lead to anything, nor does it flinch in touching its characters when they should be its entertainment engine and they are completely flat and boring. Not to mention the secondary cast with a lot of tropes already recognized worldwide in the Romance genres.
Anyway, I ended up watching the series, with the expectation that at some point they would get a rabbit out of the hat that would change things but the only thing they got was a lot of Fan-service for teenagers.

Terrible service


En español:

Sinceramente Tonikaku Kawai me parece de las peores decepciones de estreno que recibí en muchos años que llevo viendo Anime...
Pues siendo alguien fiel al consumo del genero "Romance" esta obra me parece una burla para los títulos que si buscan explayar el sus sentimientos de forma verídica. Y podría empezar inclusive desde el capitulo 1 donde suceden un montón de echos irrefutables pero no es el hecho del accidente con camión-chan lo que involucra estrechamente al problema, sino es todo lo siguiente.
Veamos, la sinopsis plantea ser una demostración de una pareja y saltarse todos los pasos que involucran una relación e ir directo hacia el matrimonio para si mostrar una premisa innovadora, verdad? VERDAD? bueno justamente si algo que peca este programa de originalidad. Osea tenemos nuestra pareja ya formada genial pero realmente no hay nada mas, nunca se intenta crear un desarrollo de los mismo tanto sea como conocerse el uno al otro, como de preocuparse que cosas les interesan para su futuro ni nada. El anime solo se encarga de mostrar un montón de escenas de una pareja feliz e INOCENTE (por que no pasan del beso y se sonrojan por cualquier cosa como cualquier serie de amor adolescente promedio). Tampoco busca mostrarnos las responsabilidades y problemas que radica tener un matrimonio como horarios apretados, ya sea por trabajo o siquiera muestra que Tsukasa va a la escuela o algo. nada fuera de lo que es mostrar a la pareja feliz se preocupa a la obra, entonces ¿que nos queda? pues una simple vida cotidiana que no desemboca en nada, ni se inmuta en tocar sus caracteres cuando deben ser su motor de entretenimiento y son completamente planos y aburridos. Ni hablar del elenco secundario con un montón de tropos ya reconocidos mundialmente en los géneros del Romance.
En fin termine viendo la serie, con expectativa de que algún momento sacaran un conejo de la galera que cambiara las cosas pero lo unico que sacaron fueron un monton de Fan-service para adolescentes.

Pesimo servicio

A totally mediocre romance anime. The key (and only) point of difference is that instead of the show being about two characters experiencing their budding romance being single or through dating, the characters begin the show as strangers who get married.

Besides this point of difference, the show is bland and generic. It does little to create drama or tension (perhaps intentionally) but does not execute on it well like a quality slice of life might.

Art is drab and lifeless, with most scenes consisting of boring settings with the two characters plastered on top.

A fine watch for someone looking for an easy to digest and unchallenging ... anime if you're desperate for a romance anime. Otherwise, I would recommend not wasting your time.

A comedic, cutesy, and somewhat idealized look at marriage.

Our leads get married in a rush after she saves his life from our old friend Truck-kun. They spend the next 12 episodes navigating life as a married couple, including laundry, cooking, domestic duties, and the scam that is the engagement and wedding ring industry.

This is, by and large, an average show. There's nothing really offensive (though some may take issue with the very traditional portrayal of gender roles on full display here) but it never really soars to great heights either. Pacing isn't bad, though the plot does feel a bit stitched together. The characters ... feel a little flat, but that might be a side effect of the flashes of development hinting at something much richer that we occasionally get. Married viewers will probably get some enjoyment out of this, as some of the dynamics between husband and wife are very relatable.

Overall, this is popcorn: a tasty snack, nothing rich or filling, but still satisfying.