Senpai wa Otokonoko

Makoto Hanaoka, a womanly second-year student, easily attracts other people's attention. First-year student Saki Aoi is no exception, and she falls in love with Makoto at first sight. Having a vibrant and vigorous personality, she does not hesitate to confess her feelings to her senior. However, Makoto differs significantly from the person Saki perceives: Makoto is not a girl, but rather a cross-dressing boy!

After revealing his well-known secret to Saki, Makoto expects her to be disgusted. Surprisingly, she is instead captivated by this revelation. Nonetheless, he still rejects her, but Saki's determination does not stop her from declaring that she will become his first love. With Saki and his childhood friend at his side, Makoto's world brightens, giving him strength amid his struggle between his interests and the expectations placed on him.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Hanaoka, Makoto Main

Umeda, Shuuichirou Japanese

Aoi, Saki Main

Sekine, Akira Japanese

Taiga, Ryuuji Main

Uchida, Yuuma Japanese

Hanaoka, Takahiro Supporting

Shinomiya, Gou Japanese

Hanekawa, Kaede Supporting

Aoi, Azusa Japanese

Hayase Supporting

Kakuma, Ai Japanese

Hanaoka, Mika Supporting

Nakahara, Mai Japanese

Aoi, Masako Supporting

Satou, Ai Japanese

Taiga, Konatsu Supporting

Maeda, Kaori Japanese

Yanagi, Shinsuke Director

Motoyama, Satoshi Sound Director

Kujira Theme Song Performance

Hashimoto, Yukari Music

Reviews

Jul 18, 2024

Ellenwitch

Recommended

Preliminary (3/12 eps)

What are gender norms.

Seriously. Is it wrong for a guy to like cute things? To seem more girly, and not manly. Can say the same case for girls too. It's quite the thought and topic for sure. Something of which doesn't come up a lot in anime, and with how serious this anime is seemingly trying to portray it from both sides of the argument, where you don't like it and think it's silly, or that you personally would support such, even if it's not your cup of tea. I know for a fact this show will step on toes for these reasons alone. But ... will it be a hit? Lets see.

Story and characters: 8
Here we have a good and fun love-polygon story with a twist that'll just add to it's watchability. Being having quite the serious topic when it relates to Gender, and what people see as what each are. When more likely people wanna like what they want to like, and be who they want to be. I really do feel like cause of this nature, and following both sides of the coin, it'll be told really well, and given the proper respect it deserves. Of course you'll find annoyances within that, but that's a natural thing to have. If everyone just out right accepted it, it wouldn't be a good show in context. It'd be nice, but if it's going for a more real vibes, then we'd need to have both the positive, and the negative side of it.

Through it's characters too, it's doing a real good job in presenting it. After all, not all of us are manly men. Or girly girl. Hell, some of us might even have hidden feelings that we could think is wrong, but really, it's more just showing how much you care for a friend, as you love your friends, they're your friends after all. Even if they have something 'weird' about them.


Art and sound: 7
There is a lot of fun with this. Really highlighting the more happy scenes with bright colours, or least seemingly more bright than usual. Then making it more tame, or darker whenever the scene is either going more serious in context, or is going in the opposite direction in terms of happiness. It's a nice touch really. Following that up with the random bits here or there, making it seem like tons of fun, despite the seriousness of the topic it's covering. Going with a good solid sound design along to boot.

Otokonoko covers quite the subject, and really does a good job at it. Will say however, this will depend your taste in the show, but for my money, for the product it has written up, it's delivering. Hopefully it keeps that up. A good show indeed.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Jul 22, 2024

jonnemummiska

Recommended

Preliminary (3/12 eps)

Please give this a watch if you're in a situation at all similar to Makoto for that giddy feeling of being seen, and fantasy of things ending up alright!!

With how conservative Japan tends to be with these things it's surprising to see, but I'm incredibly happy that something with this much heart gets to be aired :) In terms of plot, characters, etc. this show is so far just alright. HOWEVER, the entire premise is, at least to my normie eyes, so unique that it elevates the whole series to greatness.

Makoto's struggle with his identity is easy to relate to for those going through ... similar things, but I think this show gets close enough to capturing how the struggle for identity feels, that it's worth watching for anyone simply curious too.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Jul 20, 2024

teofilusSW

Recommended

Preliminary (3/12 eps)

Spoiler

Senpai wa Otokonoko is really the most recent art-deco for Japanese popular otaku literatures. Senpai wa Otokonoko is equal of quality with Eighty Six, Trapezium, or Idoly Pride, even Spice and Wolf or Yakusoku no Neverland (The Promised Neverland). It is so worth to stop people remembering Wonder Egg Priority, or increase the reputation of Project No. 9 which also did relatively better in 3 episodes compared to their works in in-linear Higehiro and Otonari-no-Tenshisama. Senpai wa Otokonoko anime is really historical for everyone across the industry and communities, even if this is adapted to fulfill Fuji Television's NoitaminA in Summer 2024 season which will ... share its own timeslot also for Paris 2024 Olympics coverage there.

The story centers itself in the dynamics of two confused persons called Hanaoka Makoto and Aoi Saki. Yes, I might call them confused because Makoto knows also actually of his gender identity and also his conformity in his core family. Vice-versa, Aoi Saki knows also of her romantic aspirations and her conformity in her bigger family. Makoto decided to throw out of his privilege on having a better couple named Hasegawa (and also Hayase) for Aoi Saki, and Aoi Saki decided not to be coupled with Ryuji (if everyone are not caring on Ryuji's gayness). This story is really revolutionary, even more than what I have analyzed from Nojima Shinji when he wrote out Wonder Egg Priority with CloverWorks. This is beyond the recent politics that plagued Crunchyroll a lot since the early 2020s, or beyond the smart, meaningful creativity Japanese people has already pushed with anime a lot. The story of Senpai wa Otokonoko really brings out people to rethink again about personal aspirations and personal inspirations, both, more than several names I have already mentioned regarding its coming-of-age aspects.

As the bonus for your meaningful life with anime: I recommend watch Senpai wa Otokonoko after watching Idoly Pride, Wonder Egg Priority, and Trapezium movie. Those are in sustain meaning of stories, but also proving the fact that Senpai wa Otokonoko can also be said "the most" among those titles.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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