Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru.
My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected

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" I want something genuine. "

* * * *
now, i know what you are thinking after reading that sypnosis. Another generic mediocre romcom, isn't it?
WRONG. Sure, the plot line is nothing new and it's just like most other LN's. So what sets it apart from other LN?
First, this is one of the most realistic LN out there (pretty rare).
And Mainly, the difference lies in characters.
Hikigaya, is, a loner. It's not like he wanted to be one, but he had some mental trauma from junior and middle school and other circumstances forced him to be one. He tries his best to distant himself from others. He ... tries to read between words. Plus, he has dead fish eyes that makes people not to approach him.
Then, he meets yukinoshita, she's a loner too but a complete opposite of 8man. Excellence at everything she does.
And then yui yuigahama. She's total opposite of 8man and yukinon. Popular, good looking and a nice personality who wants to get along with everyone.
These three make make up the service club.
The story moves along with the requests the service club gets.
Now most anime watchers say that Oregairu doesnt have a story, but, is that true?
It does have a story. It's a character driven story, and a good one at that. We see how Service club tries to solve the request they get.
Again, so what? What's so good about those requests?
NOTHING. The request are simple. What matters is how 8man solves it.
And more than that, we see the psychology aspects of high school students and the philosophy of today's society with those requests.
Hikki's view on other people, the society, is harsh. It's crude. (lets just say cynical, k?)

Yet, none of it is wrong. Instead, his view is so accurate that you cant even refute that. And it's thought provoking.
As i said, this LN is realistic, so even you, the reader, have to agree with his views even if you dont want to.
Hikki is called monster of logic. Why? Because he has a logic for everything.
Hikki's thoughts are contradictory. It's full of sofistry. Yet, you agree with him.
Yukino & yui, both try to solve the problems. But for some reason, 8man is the only one who solves it.
But his methods are not complementery.
Anime watchers, who saw those methods, said, " HIKIGAYA IS BADASS ".
But no, he's not. It's just that hikigaya doesnt have other options.
This series, has an amazing writing style and narration. You relate to the characters, you cheer for them, you feel sad with them.
The character development is also good, something you should look forward to.
The story, as I said, is character driven. There are plot twists, there are some sad moments, some cheerful moments, some satisfactory moments.
The art illustrations are good too. Especially the color illustions. Those are beautiful.
But hey, is this really a love comedy?
Yes and no. It's like 25% comedy, 10% romance. But the rest of it, is the reality described in a cruel way, harsh words.
Now, something about yukinoshita. She's an ideal student, but even she has her problems. She has a bad tongue, plus she's beautiful. Also she's a cat lover.
Makes her a good character.
Yuigahama, is someone relatable, for me personally. Someone cheery and who wants to get along with everyone. Reminds me of my highschool days.
The thing is. Every character, including side ones, are people you'll find around you. The atmostphere, is exactly like a high school.
It doesnt feel artificial or fictional, like most LN's in market.

About romance angle, it's there. Yui and yukino, both have shown an interest in hikki. (Plus 2 more characters, but that'd be spoiler)
and finally, a minor spoiler.
" I want something genuine. "
when hikki says that, he cries. The badass, cries. And at that moment, your heart warms up.
But what does hikigaya want? What is that genuine thing?
It's something you, the readers have to find out.
Overall score : 9/10
If you liked the anime, then you're gonna love this LN even more.

I was promised a masterpiece. A novel full of well crafted dialogue and deep story with a social commentary. Needles to say I got none of that.

The whole time while reading this I was waiting for the breaking point, the part when it gets good, the big twist or something, as I couldn't believe this is what the huge amount of people are praising. Yet here we are.

Oregairu is a harem light novel. No matter how much it tries to hide that with pseudointellectual monologuing, it is still a harem LN. Of course, I'm not saying that anything harem is inherently bad (look no further ... than Monogatari Series or Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei), but Oregairu certainly failed to make the genre interesting.

In other reviews, you can see "this isn't your typical romcom novel" being noted a lot. That's a lie. This is your typical romcom novel. The only difference there is that the protagonist is (self)described as a loner and loser. A loner and loser yet he gathers supporting characters around and 2+ girls hinting theirs interest in him (this is a romantic comedy after all). You guessed it, it's just a self-insert character at his core. A character for the unpopular folks to identify with and to fantasize how they'll get surrounded by girls too. And Hachiman is self-insert not only for the reader, but also for the author, as the author himself even mentioned that in the afterword. Everyone else is just a background character for the MC to interact with, really. Yes, even the secondary lead consisting of the two girls. And have I mentioned considerable chunk of the whole content of the novel is the MC fawning over a trap? If that is your thing, good for you, but otherwise be beware you might cringe a lot.

I suspect that the reason for mostly positive reception is that almost nobody who didn't like this from the start is going to stick around to actually finish it. And it is the right decision, there is no improvement or reward for forcing yourself through the novel even though you do not like it. The only reason I haven't dropped this is because of my personal no drop policy, and even then I was tempted to just drop this numerous times. It's not outright awful, but it is boring most of the time.

The social commentary, the beloved philosophical and psychological aspect of this franchise. It just turns out to be a shallow "people are bad and people in a group are even more bad" rambling. The philosophical level of Oregairu is unironically on par with "We live in a society" memes. It brings nothing new to a table for your understanding of society if you made it through a highschool. As mentioned above, all of this really feels just as an excuse for the reader themselves to feel cool - "Those normies don't even understand how cruel society is", "I'm actually totally smart and capable, I just hide it because I'm a lone wolf", "Girls would totally like me if they got to know me more" etc.

As usual with light novels, unless I'm reading an official translation, I'm unsure if the writing style is a fault of the author or of the fantranslation, but I'll have to make do. The writing is bland and there are almost no descriptions, just a string of dialogue and inner monologue of the protagonist - even more than usual with light novels. Contrary to what their recommendations might try to convince you of, the style is in no way similar to Monogatari series. If anything, it's more Hyouka-tier, and that is no compliment either. Popculture references are sprinkled over the novel in attempt to make it more interesting, yet (especially in the first few volumes) the references follow the pattern of "What am I, X from Y?!" or "I see, you know about X as well". This is not a hyperbole. The beauty of references is that you get them only if you know what it references, this is just smashing them in your face. Thanksfully this reference "humor" is used less in later volumes.

The illustrations are amateurish and unimaginative. It's mostly just the characters, well, standing there. As if to complement to writing, the art style is also bland. And just a little pet peeve and again mostly in the first few novels, the boob physics are hideous and on a level of bad ecchi. Though to be fair after finishing the series I can say that the art actually improved, so at least that's something positive.

Overall, there seems to be a lot of readers enjoying this, so you might very well become one of them. Just be warned that there is a chance you might be unpleasantly surprised.

"Yeah, I'm being stupid. I know that it's out of question. I know how this will end. I'll be left with nothing. Even so, I want us to think, writhe, struggle... and find... something genuine." - Hikigaya Hachiman

Oregairu is a pilgrimage destination for people who set out to quench their thirst for finding something genuine. It takes its characters, and you, the reader, on a journey to explore the themes of self-realization, inferiority complex, cynicism, and social awkwardness.

The seasons have changed. Compared to my teenage-self, I have gotten better, become more open-minded, met new people, found people that I love, and have stopped hating ... myself. But one thing that has remained the same, is my love for Oregairu. Its bittersweet aftertaste still lingers. Even though, sadly, I no longer relate to Oregairu.

[Story & Writing] The story and setting of Oregairu is a simplistic high school club-themed slice-of-life, which is good, considering what it is trying to achieve. The story is just a device to dig deep into the psychology of teenagers, in order to explore its themes. Going in expecting a prioritization on romance will disappoint you, but for me, it is the least important aspect of Oregairu.

The novels are written from the main character's point of view so that the readers can see and judge the thought process behind every action he takes. Additionally, Oregairu is written in a roundabout manner, the monologues and the dialogues are all very vague and open-ended which means that the reader is free to form his/her own opinion on them. So even if you think that it is all bullshit, it doesn't mean you are wrong, it just means that Oregairu is just not for you.

That being said, Oregairu did not know where it was headed for the starting 3 volumes, and hence these volumes feel disjointed from the rest of the series. Mind you, they are still entertaining but they certainly lack the true Oregairu essence. Needless to say, they could have easily been compressed.

[Art] In the author's own words-- "The story is penned by the author of the light novels in order to create cute scenes for the illustrator to illustrate". Luckily, Oregairu had the pleasure of being illustrated by Ponkan8 (also drew Shirobako's character designs). Their art kept on improving with each passing volume and is certainly an eye-candy. Although, the last couple of volumes suddenly saw a huge downgrade. I still wonder what happened.

[Character] Oregairu's characters follow the basic archetypes that you will find in similar light novels, but what differentiates them is the layer upon layer of characterization the author has put with each chapter. The way the characters grow throughout the series is nothing but a sight to behold, it is subtle and yet significant enough.

Hikigaya Hachiman is my teenage-self. He is a pessimist, a hypocrite, a coward, an edgelord, cynical, anti-social, and a loner. Until high school, he tried to be a normie but failed. Now, he has completely given up and has ended up deceiving himself in believing that his current self seeks and needs no modifications. He performs actions in a way that, even though produces the outcome, ends up sacrificing himself. He is adamant about not forming new relationships and maintaining the status quo but slowly by slowly, he comes to self-realization that he is the way he is because he is afraid of getting hurt.

Yukinoshita Yukino is another loner teenager, with a lack of self-esteem because of her exceptionally talented elder sister. Even though she herself is talented, she constantly keeps on comparing herself with her sister. She keeps people at bay because of the consequences of her own talents and beauty. Throughout the series, her self-esteem gets hit more and more.

Yuigahama Yui seems to be your typical normie teenager and has developed a crush on the protagonist. The novels do an exceptional job to flesh out her characters by guiding the readers through her actual personality.

Most of the side characters in the novels are given enough screentime and a proper characterization that separates them from the original archetype they were originally based upon.

[Enjoyment] Enjoyment is highly subjective. Personally, I was engrossed enough to devour two novels in a single sitting. Sometimes, the drama can get too heavy but honestly, that is the best part. A warning-- Initial 3 or 4 volumes might give a fake impression of what Oregairu actually is.


Oregairu might not be the greatest fiction on the planet, but for me, it is more than that. Oregairu is an easy recommendation for people who want to dig deep and want something genuine.

Upon finishing the series, I found myself disappointed. I've seen enough bad shows, manga, and novels with high commercial success and merit to know that I should never have high expectations regardless of its public rating, so my experience with this novel was genuine - how I feel about this novel is genuine. While reading, there were moments where I was entertained, bored, disappointed, humored, agitated, annoyed - and in the later volumes, it felt I was reading only for the sake of finishing the story. But even with the annoying parts of the story, it sure was a ride. Note that there are spoilers ... further into the review.

The characters are the most flawed part of the story by far.

Our protagonist, Hachiman Hikigaya, is a character that leaned more on the pessimistic side of philosophy. Anyone who hates society or humans, in general, may have no problem saying he is a relatable character. And although a considerable portion of his philosophy brings justifiable points, a large portion of that comes off as pretentious. And when he does bring up good points, so what? It's nothing more than the basic philosophy we learn in high school. I often hear conversations about how Hikigaya is one of the most relatable characters in anime, but that is to their own subjective opinions where even they are fooling themselves. Hikigaya's character is flawed. His opinions contradict each other when given the situation. His whole character is constructed to appear what the author wants him to be when it only comes off as being, for lack of a better word, edgy. He tears down his image in exchange for nothing for the sake of the people he hates when, in reality, no one in their right mind would do that - a pretentious portrayal of self-sacrifice. His whole character is something no one will ever encounter, but you can find some parts of his character that are relatable to many people in our demographic (Weebs). So if you're reading this with your MyAnimeList account, chances are that you're an introverted otaku with no friends, so you'll probably find Hikigaya relatable - minus two hot girls slowly developing feelings for you.

Jokes aside, I think that Hachiman Hikigaya is the main selling point for this light novel and how it achieved its commercial success. His character as a whole is not relatable and anyone who says otherwise is lying to themselves. He is not someone who anyone can relate to, but someone who many people want to relate to, whether they're feeling existential angst or going through their edgy teenager phase.

And speaking of those two beautiful women, I feel like they are the most flawed among all the characters. Yui Yuigahama and Yukino Yukinoshita. First, let's talk about Yui. If I can describe her character with one word, it would be "convenient." She feels more like a tool than an actual character. An instrument to keep Hikigaya's and Yukinoshita's relationship from falling apart. She was there just for the sake of having a love triangle. On the other hand, Yukinoshita plays the role of our main heroine. A character so similar to Hikigaya, yet so different. Like our main character, she has no friends, but this time by choice. She was loved throughout the whole school despite her cold attitude towards everyone. A bleak and flat character. And despite receiving almost all of the character development in the story, her character is still flawed. She and Hikigaya, despite being heavily entitled to their ideals, were easily manipulated by a single word.

There are only three likable characters in my opinion, and one is Totsuka for totally non-gay reasons - I swear I'm straight (But seriously, he is such a lovable character). Next is Hiratsuka sensei who I honestly believe is a great role model. And the last one being Hayama. Now, if you're the majority of people who love Hikigaya's character, you're probably shaking your heads. But Hayama is the best representation in the show not only for a good character of a story but also for a good person in general. He is only disliked because his character is meant to serve as Hikigaya's rival. Possessing ideals and methods opposing the main character's. Wataru Watari placed too much weight between Hayama and Hikigaya's relationship to the point where Hayama is villainized. He cares about his friends so much so that he asked help from someone he hates. He didn't reveal what his plans for the future are so his friends can make their own decisions, and Hikigaya tried to ruin that just because of a request.

That's another thing I find flawed about the story - the service club, with a goal or duty to help students with their needs. The idea, in the beginning, was a breath of fresh air. A slice of life where the main character isn't part of a literature club. It was a great idea at first but it started getting out of hand. It was all just simple requests at first but then they started working with the student council. It was all logistics, logistics, and logistics. I could not have imagined that a span of several pages could be filled with vague logistics alone. It was one of the most annoying parts of the story, where instead of the story progressing, we are presented with several pages of useless information. If you were to read the story, I would suggest skipping over these parts as it holds nothing of importance to the story (Except the volume where their school collaborated with another to hold an event, where the logistics are actually an important part of that section of the story). They were working so much with the student council that the possibility proposed by the previous student council president of all three leaving the service club and moving to the student council was a more preferable turn, as they still have a duty of attending to the student's needs. And then we get requests that were too personal. This was something more convenient than logical in the story. Normal regulations would cause to disregard personal requests like helping with a confession or finding out what choice someone had for their future even though they have explicitly said they don't want to reveal it. Hikigaya was a reasonable person with intellectual competence, so he should be able to know when a request is getting out of hand. He should know that some of these requests were an invasion of privacy and plain out insensitive. Yet he still went with them. What for? To show the struggles of adolescence? To show that humans don't need anyone's validation to make their own decisions? If so, then the message is exaggerated and poorly executed.

The dialogue and situations in the story felt way too convenient. I know I've been using the word "convenient" a lot in this review, but it is one of the flaws in the story. Instead of being believable or natural, many parts of the story felt like it was just conveniently and weakly planned. All the drama in Orgairu was just the source of miscommunication. The author chooses words for the dialogue to conveniently create misunderstandings and conflicts. There were also times when the conflict came out of nowhere, where no reason was given on why there was stress in the situation (e.g. the reactions when Hikigaya faked a confession).

For clarification, I understand that many things within a story have to hold convenience to devise a plot as what makes a good story good is meticulous planning. Many aspects of Oregairu had devices that only hold importance to a specific subject and not the entirety of the story or part of the story's development.

As I've seen from Wataru Watari's work, he is no doubt a great author, but his mistake was putting too much of himself in his work. Getting attached to your story, especially your characters when writing is common, but sometimes, it can be too much. It is okay to put your feelings into the story but it is also important to not put too much of yourself into it as well. Looking forward to reading more of his works.

I still would like to recommend this light novel to people despite the criticism I gave. The majority of people seemed to like it, and I can see why this is a commercially successful story. So if you like your basic harem but with a little bit of edginess, feel free to give Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru a read.

We all yearn for something genuine - relationships, emotions, feelings - but while doing so, we end up creating fakes.
The question that remains is - where is the line separating the genuine from the fake, and who gets to draw it?

Before going any further lemme say this - Oregairu is one of the most emotionally complex, deep, realistic, and thematically well-written story I've ever read.

On the surface, it seems to be a clichéd love-triangle (or even harem) romantic comedy, a stereotype further amplified due to the anime unfairly selling it as a harem-styled story, with skewed focuses on the characters. I expected nothing special when ... I started watching it, but I found something completely different and wonderful. Neither romance nor comedy is the prime focus here. The story is very deep and well-structured, and deals with themes that I haven't seen explored in any of the anime I've seen or manga / light novel I've read.


Story:

A simple and generic sounding plot it is, but it eventually grows much deeper and more complex. The progression and development of the story is steady and well-paced, things don't feel rushed or drawn out at any point. It has its fair share of anime and weeb-culture tropes, but those are now a part of the aniverse, and do not, in any way, jeopardize the quality of the story.

The most prominent theme here is fake vs genuine, the conflict the characters face when they seek something genuine in their relationships whose foundations themselves are fakes.

Further, questions arise as to what is it that you can call genuine, and what can be branded as fake? who gets to decide what emotions, feelings, ad relationships are fake? This theme is prevalent throughout the story, not only for the main trio's, but for many side-characters' situations as well. The ending (light novel) properly wraps up everything, and is a great thematic conclusion to the story.


Characters:

The characters are the highlight of this show, because they have many layers to them, and are very well written. The character motivations, thoughts, and developments are very well written - sometimes subtle, sometimes drastic, but always beautiful. These developments are in sync with the core theme of the story, which makes them much more endearing to watch.

Popular opinion out there is that this is the one of the most emotionally complex story in the aniverse, something I agree with, compared to others that I've read / watched. What the characters say, what they are thinking, what their motivations are, nothing is presented easily for the viewer to just accept, one has to to put effort into thinking about stuff to understand, comprehend, and appreciate it all.


There are many interpretations that can be drawn of some scenes and conversations, and there is plenty room for misinterpreting stuff, which I've seen many people do. There are also people who didn't understand the depth of this story, which is a possible reason for the relatively low score of the (insufficiently adapted) anime has on MAL, while the light novel is ranked at #15.


Overall, Oregairu has possibly the deepest, most intricate, and beautiful story out of all the anime I've watched or manga / light novels I've read. When reading this, keep in mind not to rush, and not to jump to conclusions. The story and characters have many layers to them, try to think about and understand them. It is a great experience, a very thematically intricate and wonderful story, one with pretty valuable life-lessons and an emotional impact that won't be fading away anytime soon.

First of all: the title titl itself(my youth romantic comedy was wrong as i expected) kinda represent the story itself, but not overall. I mean titles are just titles.

Based on the title or even description, you'll think that this anime is about romantic comedy, or just comedy. Actually there are only 30% comedy and 10%romance, heck, it could be lesser...
The story is full of touching, hurtful, undeniable facts . almost everything here are based on reality.

There are also a lot things that differs this anime with other animes, such as the protagonist not sitting near the window, girls not too attracted to protagonist, ... and uncommon suspenses (which made it even more interesting) . This anime is full of deep meanings..

The story is about a loner who was somehow forced to join a club called Service Club, which help people with their problems
This loner guy somehow has the ability to state the facts and reality even though some people may not care. His words were usually harsh when it comes to bring popular and loner. But all his words are true

The comedy side of this anime well... Let me break it down little by little
An otaku freak
Feminine boy
Yaoi fangirl
These 3 are the best comedy related part i can find in this anime.

Full disclosure: I’m trying to NOT spoil anything.

What is ‘genuine’? What comes to your mind when you think of the word ‘youth’? What do you think when the term ‘romance’ comes up? How do you deal with the notion of ‘isolation’ and ‘being left to your own devices’? How would you define ‘altruism’?

If what you are looking for is a book adapting those ideas then you are wrong as you've expected. As this book is the romanticized struggle of a writer against his Publisher, and its vile underling, the Editor (that's only a joke for like 60%).

Story (meta-story mixed with actual story, as I deem ... them inseparable in the case of this series)

Yahari ore no Seishun Love-Comedy ha Machigatteiru! or SNAFU has been immensely popular in the west ever since its anime adaptation aired back in 2013. At first, it was just a weird copy of the rather popular title 'Boku wa Tomodachi wa Sukunai!', with similar character based comedy for which said characters had to suffer in depth and it even had lewd scenes and innuendos, much like the aforementioned series.

But with popularity came the realization to the author: he wanted something genuine. After the fifth book or so, Watari Wataru managed to find his own tone, his own humor, his own ‘literature’. It’s as if suddenly the story came to life: the first community event started. This is where Watari shines the best: giving an insight into the organization of such events.

This is of course just the first of many events that are going to be organized throughout the story, events like a Christmas party for the elderly, a Valentine’s day cooking club sort of event and others I refrain from spoiling further on. And what exactly does this sort of not popularly used trope have to do with the main themes of the show?

‘Being left to your own devices,’ and ‘altruism’ come into play as driving factors here. The series focuses on volunteer work and altruism, basically, defeating isolation, solitude, slipping into a negative feedback loop with your own ego due to cognitive dissonance (‘I’m different, I’m better than others’), and allowing you to realize the beauties of interacting with people around you, and finding the good parts of them. A lot of initially negative characters end up as plainly good folk. Turns out, we just had to take off our glasses smeared with the bias of appearance and general difference in demeanor.

The other ideas, ‘youth’ and ‘romance’ come from the same place; ‘youth’ is sort of the setting of the whole plot, while ‘romance’ seems to be the solution, instead of a driving factor like ‘isolation’ or ‘altruism’. This themes together build up the storyline and lead to the conclusion.
Important Characters
Isshiki Iroha is probably the most interesting character in the series. She only appeared after Watari had already found his voice, thus she is thoroughly genuine and straightforward as a character. On the story’s level though, she is manipulative and megalomaniac. She keeps an act to fool others and marionette them according to her own will. This mask quickly falls off, making her one of the most honest of people of the series – well, honest to one character, that is.

Hikigaya Komachi seems to be the personification of childish wisdom, the penetrating eye of children, although she is not that much younger than her brother. She gives advice and encouragement even in the bleakest of times, showcasing how the unconditional love and bond between siblings work.

Yuigahama Yui is a kind girl. And misplaced kindness hurts the most. She tries to read the atmosphere all the time, and acts in a way to not hurt anyone around her, but that is rarely possible. She is presented as a modern, popular girl, but don’t let the looks fool you, she is a deeply considerate and emotionally intelligent person, who can’t put herself in front of others in any situation.

Yukinoshita Yukino is the snow hidden by snow, the ideal Japanese beauty with raven black hair and show white skin. In the first few books she seems like a carbon copy of Mikazuki Yozora (haganai), and is only there to make fun of the reader. But with the maturing of Watari’s pen she matured as well. Her struggles surfaced and her insecurities could no longer be hidden. Yukinoshita became one of the most relatable characters for people who ever struggled due to expectations from their parents.

Language

Although I can’t hide the fact that this series suffered from being a light novel title and not a plain old novel with a lot fewer pages in total, I still feel like the good substance outweighs the sort of extensions one would normally feel unnecessary. And one thing that still helps get over the bad parts is the beautiful language Watari employs to convey emotions throughout some beautifully formed monologues.
I can’t speak for the English translation (neither of them in fact), but all I can add to my upper passage is that this series is worth learning Japanese for. I mean, what do you have to lose?

Illustrations

PONKAN⑧ went through a lot of improvement over the past 10 years, and that is clearly visible on their work. It fits the mood of the text perfectly, with the first few books being cartoonish, as the initial style of Watari is similar, but with the maturing of the text, the illustrations began to mature in their own, expressive and beautiful way.

The elephant in the room

I hate light novel main characters. They are 2 dimensional at best, they are all the same and they are just the projection of how the author sees or want to see themselves. They are that way so readers can self-insert into them and feel like they are the ones flirting with 4+ girls.
Is this the case with Hachiman though?
Most of that description doesn’t seem to describe him (at least after the 5th book), but one of them is painfully obvious. Probably the worst part, the projection of the author fits him pretty well. This fact is not even hidden, mind you, in his monologues it’s obvious that Watari expresses his own opinions (regarding his editor mostly) and his takes on the society of the ‘youth’ that drives the story.

Thing is, his opinions, his takes and his monologues are not tone-deaf, as you would expect. It can be felt that this story is rather a documentation of his past feelings, his struggles with solitude and similar ides the series tries to grapple with (my interpretation).

And you know what’s dope about that? That this makes Hachiman’s feelings genuine. They are not fake, not a scam or a sham, they are unmistakably honest and utterly genuine.
No wonder everyone wants to be like Hachiman, as he perfectly embodies the lone, struggling teenager.

10/10 will read again and again and again.

I despise everything about this series from the bottom of my heart. It is a poor attempt to appeal to the otaku loners who can easily buy into the idea of "something genuine". In reality Hachiman is a complete moron; why continue to throw your pride and dignity away to help others who you previously made fun of for their lifestyle? Nothing about his character is "realistic" in any way, he is simply the person every loner thinks they are, when in reality they're a spineless loser with no social skills. You expect me to believe that 2 extremely pretty and intelligent women would actually ... fall in love with someone like him???? A cynical narcissist who believes himself to be better than anyone else simply because he doesn't form "fake" relationships with others???? I can assure you that reality is nothing of the sort, fake relationships occur all the time: It's called showing maturity and respect towards others and not simply blurting out whatever comes to your mind (kinda the opposite of what I'm doing in this review but oh well). On top of that the dialogue is so pretentious I felt disgusted reading most of the volumes in the series. This is by far the worst piece of media I have ever encountered in my entire life and would advise against putting yourself through the torturous action of reading it.

>You're asking me will my love grow. I don't know, I don't know.
You stick around now, it may show. I don't know, I don't know...

I'd tried to find something similar to this work, from the musical lyrics to the peers Haruhi Suzumiya and Koten-bu Series, but nothing truly fitted the frame. Then I remembered I had watched How I Met Your Mother, and even though its ending was justifiable, the audiences' reception would change after that amount of time spent with the series. Still different is the case of Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru.


__Characters__

Let's be frank. Oregairu is character-driven, so talking about ... them will automatically do the work here. Warning: What following has the potential of upsetting the fanbase, so be ready.

__Yukino Yukinoshita__ is the front of the work. Any discussions of the work will eventually lead to her. Despite the attention she received, the character is the biggest failure. She had wished to change, yet Yukinoshita was the one showing the least effort, if ever existed. If she had genuinely wanted to do so, here could be some suggestions. I think Yukinoshita the Elder already spoke of something similar to 'codependency', and what should have been her answer is 'Why don't you sit back and enjoy the flow, Nee-san? I will prove this codependency of yours, and just wait for his dance in my palm.' That's how to shut Haruno Yukinoshita up. She had had a tongue, a very sharp one, but why did she need to behave like a cat eventually? Against the mother, well, let her be the plan maker instead of Hikigaya, suck him dry and recharge him with the word 'I love you', because it was already the end and why there was still no sign of Yukinoshita's Revolution, let alone the opportunity of freeing herself from the shackles of Hikigaya's solo performance so far at the gist 8th volume, which would have built up the much better momentum towards the end? If those things had been done, other ships would have been effortlessly sunken. However, I don't hold any particular hatred towards the character. Her state is what the author wanted to preserve, and her annoying constancy spoke the unshakable will of his. So congratulation on him getting the waifu. Yuki is always a good example of overcoming dependent tendency, and it is my pleasure to say the full name, Yuki Souma.

__Hachiman Hikigaya__ is the protagonist of this novel. Past experiences had left such bitter taste that he considered kindness was the cruelest thing. It got him resolving the least imaginable logic, which consequently made him self-explode many times during the journey. However, what he sought for was something genuine, and if it weren't to prove after bending, twisting, shashing, then there shouldn't any belief laid in it at all. If the character had always been himself, then it would be fine, but actually, it wasn't. He had desired for something genuine, yet proceeded kicking the balls to others and remained passive for the entire Yukino Yukinoshita's True End (Shin involved). Investigating further, there was no Hachiman Hikigaya in the first place. IT HAD BEEN THE AUTHOR ALL THE TIME. WAKE UP, JAPAN. ~~Wataru Watari~~He never considered getting out of his cocoon, so the character is so bloody relatable and realistic. Also, if you dream, dream of winning, being a proper individual. Don't be a loser just to get the girl, but in such case, it would no longer be the good old insertable Hachiman Hikigaya, wouldn't it?

So far only boring characters? There are also the interesting:

__Yui Yuigahama__ was seemingly a character academically disadvantageous, big boobs, TOTALLY UNATTRACTIVE... but when it came to common sense, she was such a clever person. She knew and understood everything, so most of the time she was playing the role of an observer. However, when Yuigahama was on stage, she shone brilliantly. The character possessed things the other clubmates didn't, so in the darkest hours, she was the one keep everything binding together. She was always the first one taking a step forward, leading the story out of the stagnancy with her 'I want everything', which is my greatest impression of the work, from the portrayal of the surrounding to every expression of the characters. Eventually, her influence surpassed that of the narrator, and I used to think of which season would be remembered every time taking a whiff of that smell, tea or fruit tart, because I firmly believed the bakery product would be much better to become a straight-forward person, or gain weight.

The supporting characters were also prominent. __Shizuka Hiratsuka__ deserves the title of a (lonely) mentor. __Haruno Yukinoshita__, as well as her childhood friend __Hayato Hayama__, were loners full of conflicts and regrets. __Iroha Isshiki__ also found herself solitary. The author had gathered many kinds of lonely souls in his work, and the way they struggled finding a solution was so human, but certainly it is not that realistic. On the other hand, __Saika Totsuka__ had initially appeared forgettable, but turned out he was the first to graduate within the series. After the revaluation, I believe these characters, along with Yui Yuigahama, were the motivation for me to pursue the end. Nevertheless, there is still this unshakable sensation that many of them were the devices buying time whilst Wataru Watari making the decision that should have been thrown out 5 volumes earlier.


__Something other than the characters__

References are just fillers. I never paid any mind to them, not to mention they mostly missed.

The illustration really grew with the course of actions, even though the quality was inconsistent at times.


__Conclusion:__ Honestly, I've never been onto the Shi* War, as all necessity would be for the characters to grow naturally. Nevertheless, Yukino Yukinoshita's True End offered no such thing. It had been fun, until it no longer was.

>Away, I'd rather sail away, like a swan that's here and gone.
A man gets tied up to the ground, he gives the world its saddest sound, its saddest sound.

Certainly, reality wasn't that kind regarding to what had happened so far.

OreGairu is one of the most famous titles in the high school slice of life genre, and most of the community has seen or at least heard of Wataru Watari and Ponkan8's work. But I believe that a relatively smaller number actually read the light novel to completion. The reason for this is that Novel/LN media has a very different model from what the general public watches or reads. Unlike the ninth art (comics/manga) and animation/anime, with sequential movements and a sense close to the seventh art, Novels are close to literature. And, from time to time, we have some prints and art (if it's ... one you have). The format causes disinterest in the public that does not have the habit of reading, which does not only concern LNs, but literature in general. However, the media thrives a lot among the public that have attachment and habit. And I can only hope it keeps growing.

That said, what's so special about OreGairu? What would motivate someone to read a juvenile title that has around 168 chapters?
The story revolves around Hikigaya Hachiman, an antisocial 2nd year student at Sobu High School. One day, he is taken by teacher Hiratsuka Shizuka to the Volunteer Club room. In which the only member at the moment is Yukinoshita Yukino, an exemplary student with a unique appearance. According to Hiratsuka, the objective of bringing him there was so that he could have his "distorted" ideals fixed. But through self-reflection, conditioned by Yukinoshita. Such action was encouraged, in large part, by an essay written by Hikigaya, in which he wrote abominations to the youthful spirit and the "riajuus" (the popular students).

Initially, both students take a dislike to each other, as they are theoretically opposites. However, when passing the first chapter, it becomes clear that both are similar in terms of interaction. Both don't have friends, but for different reasons. Hachiman for her antisocial and withdrawn attitude, and Yukino for being “perfect” in the extreme. The teacher then decides to establish a bet, in which both should strive to help as many people as possible in the club. The one who won could ask someone else for a favor. Such a gamble earns Yukino's revulsion, but she later reluctantly accepts. A few moments later, Yuigahama Yui arrives, the first person to open the bet. Yui is popular and, although not a bright student, she has a friendly attitude towards her fellow members and is kind. His aura is bright and spontaneous, the opposite of the two students. Yuigahama was asked to learn how to make cookies; such an arduous task is taken up by Yukinoshita, a proficient cook. After this unusual situation, which would be remembered many volumes later, our main trio takes shape. Over time, many other beloved characters emerge, each with their background and story worked on.

Although I have a lot of praise for the series, it is necessary to admit that everything started to take shape little by little. The first 3 volumes focus on daily problems and requests throughout the Sobu School. However, over time, the construction and destiny of the characters (and the protagonists in particular) intertwine, to the point that the story turns to what they really want. The trio begins to bond emotionally, to the point that they yearn for the Volunteer Club. An affection and companionship grows between the two girls in the club. The atmosphere and togetherness, even if routine, is a portrait of what is so special about them. A small fragment of daily life, which only gets due attention after a breakup. Be it due to raids and fights or the passing of the school years.

OreGairu shows that even if precious moments are lived, they won't be forever. The journey is about looking for “something genuine”, but also about breaking cycles. Which is evident from volume 10 onwards. There is a melancholy amidst the happiness during Novel. The feeling that those shards of joy will pass. For a significant amount of time, Hachiman struggles with his inner self. Self-sacrifice, not caring about those who care and want good is a recurring theme.

The lonely boy has always dealt with his problems using rough methods, but when in conflict with Yukino, they cause a bitter and distant feeling. Yui ends up always trying to unite the trio, even through superficial conversations. Speaking of which, authenticity is another notable theme. The need to maintain their appearances and masks is visible in order to have a favorable school life. What is Hachiman's point of criticism ends up turning against him. The loner who has always boasted of his emotional independence, when faced with people who become important, begins to fear losing his special days with his clubmates.

There is a sense of realism in each of the characters that I rarely find in industry work. My only criticisms overall would be a few points in Watari's writing. He likes to throw in a lot of references to games and manga. It doesn't bother me in general, but in some chapters it fills with references and this ended up getting a little off topic at certain times. Even so, I interpret it as an immersion into the world of youth and adolescence. And, of course, he never does this in more serious and tragic moods. And by the way, there's a slightly dramatic sense to OreGairu. Especially close to completion. And a lot of the time, the drama is timed right. I find the conclusion memorable and nostalgic, in part because of the tone adopted in his writing. Of course, I couldn't stop talking about the meticulous art of Ponkan8. One of my favorite illustrators in the Novel industry. I believe his art has evolved (and a lot) over time. There is even a separate book with her illustrations, with a great sense of fashion.

Overall, I consider OreGairu an amazing journey. With its ups and downs, the series shone a lot, especially in the triad of volumes 8, 9 and 10 (my favorites). OreGairu is a Novel aimed at everyone who wants to read something really authentic.

Thanks for reading <3

When I write my very first review, I have read seven volume of this novel.

This story is about a guy named Hikigaya Hachiban who has issue of socializing with other peoples and how he perceive the society from his point of view.

When reading the novel, you can find many references from anime,game, j-drama and popular culture in the Japan.

From my end, I found that this novel is not boring to read as the story is driven by dialog-based most of time and the conversation of main character with other peoples (like yukino, yui, shizuka...) is very interesting and fun to watch/read.

Sometimes you ... may feel that the main protagonist is talking/thinking many nonsense stuffs but there is always some truth in it.

In conclusion, the novel is still enjoyable even you don't know the references used in the novel.

Dedicated to those who yarn for something geniune

As a passionate reader, I am thrilled to share my transformative experience with the novel "My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU." This literary gem stands apart from the crowd, offering a unique and thought-provoking perspective that distinguishes it from typical market offerings. The narrative unfolds through the lens of Hikigaya Hachiman, a self-proclaimed loner who navigates high school with a determined effort to keep his distance from society. His solitude is not just a result of his personality; it's a defense mechanism forged from past rejections and childhood trauma. The author masterfully weaves these elements into the fabric of ... Hikigaya's character, creating a protagonist whose journey is both relatable and compelling.

The catalyst for change in Hikigaya's life comes in the form of Miss Hiratsuka, a Japanese teacher and career counselor who disrupts his silent existence by coercing him into joining the Service Club. Introduced to Yukino Yukinoshita, the enigmatic "Ace Ice Beauty" of the school, Hikigaya's life takes a drastic turn. Yukinoshita, with her seemingly flawless exterior, harbors a defective personality that resonates with Hikigaya but challenges his understanding of right and wrong. The introduction of Yui Yuigahama, an initially naive yet endearing character, adds depth to the novel. Her admiration for Yukinoshita influences her character development, creating a dynamic interplay that adds layers to the storyline. The Tennis Court Finale incident and the theatrics involving a particular friend of Hikigaya serve as pivotal moments in this volume, propelling the narrative forward and setting the stage for future developments. One of the novel's standout features is the use of monologues. Presented in the first person from Hikigaya's viewpoint, these introspective moments provide readers with a window into the protagonist's mind, enriching the storytelling experience.

What sets "My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU" apart is its commitment to portraying reality in a world inundated with fantasy. Unlike popular series like SAO, Accel World, or Danmachi, this novel delves into the overlooked aspects of life from a loner's perspective. It resonates with the universal experience of loneliness, delivering a powerful message: never give up. This series is not only entertaining but also emotionally resonant, seamlessly blending humor with poignant moments. It establishes a solid foundation for future installments, making it a must-read for those seeking a fresh and different perspective on life. As I conclude, I assert that this series possesses immense potential, with the novel standing out for its detailed exploration of Hikigaya's thoughts. While the anime offers a visual feast, delving into the novel enriches the experience, providing a nuanced understanding of the protagonist's inner workings. Whether you choose to watch the anime first or dive into the novel, "My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU" promises a captivating journey that is both enlightening and enjoyable. Don't miss the chance to immerse yourself in this distinctive narrative.

anyone writing any more than a couple hundred words on the basis of a light novel translated by complete amateurs has already lost the little credibility they may have had. if you really cared enough to spend dozens or hundreds of days watching anime much less reviewing 18 light novels (which in itself requires its own degree of mental illness) just learn the damn language and recognize that this series is good because it is about an autistic guy and an autistic girl and is funny. there is no hint of pretension on the part of the author nor the protagonist. anyone who claims so ... has wasted hours they could have spent learning japanese instead reading jumbled high school english prose that makes no effort to capture any of the lightheartedness, or the wit, or the ability to actually dig into the shoes of an angsty teen who thinks he knows everything which the author so masterfully projects, self-insertion or not (has to be the dumbest review trope i’ve ever heard. who cares as long as the book is good?) (there's a better argument for the author's self-insert being hiratsuka, the teacher!). please just learn how to read japanese — you can start by watching anime you’ve already watched with japanese subtitles and you can supplement that with any books you might like — and i recommend this one for that purpose. loved it.

A well written generic rom-com.

Although the story uses stereotypes, the dialogue is well thought out for the most part. There is no deep philosophical message or unique approach to the genre; it is simply a fulfilling story about the protagonist's character development from a loathsome pessimist to a genuinely good person. What I think makes this story so loved is the snarky conversations between Hachiman and Yukinon as well as their different approaches to resolving issues. The story also includes a good amount of drama created through vague dialogue concerning personal issues.

To those who didn't like the book, please don't give an unfair ... review because you think it's overrated. Don't let the overhype create a bias. It isn't fair to the author.

This novel taught me one important thing. That being that I can laugh so hard at a light novel. I have never laughed so much, to a manga, an anime or any other form of entertainment. This is seriously hilarious.

Reading this is like first reading one piece. There is a cool story in the background and lots of humour in the way to keep the journey fun. The humour in one-piece is slapstick while that in SNAFU is sarcastic and witty. I personally like the latter which is why this is my favourite story ever. Period..
If you like sarcastic, witty and satirical humour stop ... reading this review and start reading the book. Till now I have not found anything better. Leave all prejudices about light novels. Yes most light novels are “op protagonist, harem , wish fulfilment, insert characters” but not this. This is anything but generic.
The setting being Hikigaya Hachiman is a loner in high school. He takes pride in being one. He also gives out some of the most hilarious social commentary ever. He may not be the most likeable but is definitely one of the most interesting protagonists I came across. Due to his loner tendencies and a particularly hateful and sarcastic essay he is forced to join the “service club” and hilarity ensues. In the service club there exists the female lead Yukinoshita Yukino (best girl) who is also a loner for totally opposite reasons. One being totally socially inept while the other being too outstanding. The thing in common is that they are both equally arrogant at heart. The conversations between them are some of the best verbal spars you will ever come across. If you like bakemonogatari, you will love this. they both and the other female lead try to solve people's problems as a part of the service club.
The best part about these novels is that they are completely in the perspective of our male lead. His inner monologues are a blast. Without them things wouldn't have been the same. It also helps us see his maturity increase as he progresses through the story and realises that he isn't always right.
The underlying romance is the cool part of this story. Funnily enough, nothing significant happens but it still is so gratifying. No holding hands, no kissing (not even close). The best that has happened so far is standing up for our MC in public. Yet these small occurrences feel so significant, because we wait so long and secondly because of how unnatural it is for our leads to even do this. Slowly but surely we are coming to a conclusion. So while the romance is as slow as spice and wolf (maybe slower), it diffrentiates itself by having a really large number of jokes in the way to make it a highly entertaining read. I honestly never got the middle-eastern economics of spice and wolf. In the end I found myself RE reading these small romantic parts again and again because of how gratifying it is. It took us 9 volumes to have our female lead tease our male lead. Whoa

In conclusion, oregairu is a must read for everyone unless they don't get the humour (then it is probably a chore) or are particularly averse to books. Try the first book. Like it, it will only get better. Volumes 8 and 9 are the very best. Volume 7 is the worst, since partly a large number of jokes are references that non Japanese people won't get, and it basically is setting up for volume 8 and 9.
Oh this light novel is filled with references to other works from one piece to code geass to even relatively unknown works.
If you have only seen the anime, understand that it doesn't even scratch the tip of the surface. People say season 2 had less focus on comedy. However the volumes season 2 were adapted from is by far the most funny (7,8,9,10,11). Reading is a different experience. Also probably in the anime some moments seem out of character. That's because we don't have enough time with the characters. That too doesn't happen with the novels.

i started reading it after watching season 1 of the anime, because i was thoroughly captivated and didn't expect it to get a second season, let alone a third one
and now that i finished it, i'm extremely conflicted about it
such a great, interesting and fun story with such a disappointing, uninteresting and boring end
now, there aren't any significant loose ends or poor writing in the end, rather the problem is that it set itself up in such a unique and interesting manner, but ended up going down the same path many other romcom light novels
hell, i suspected it was going to end this way by ... the 8th volume, and i was sure about it by the tenth or so, 5 whole volumes before it ended, that's how predictable it ended up being
i wanted the author to be setting up a curveball so bad that even a horrible, unfulfilling ending would've been preferable, but in the end he just did what had been done before, with an ok at best execution
if you've already read toradora or even sakurasou no pet na kanojo, save yourself the trouble and watch the anime instead, its much faster and its a great adaptation
if not, you should probably read toradora instead(but not sakurasou), but this wouldn't be a bad choice for your first light novel(it'd be an excellent one in fact) just keep in mind that toradora this this exact thing first(and some would argue, better)

So, finally, I have completed reading my first Light Novel ever (Completed all Canon stories). It was a long journey indeed. I have enjoyed every moment of it. Felt like I also graduated from high school 2nd year myself.

When I first started reading this LN. I tried to relate myself to Edgy Hachiman. I used his quotes/ideology as a flex. With time I realized that Hachiman became more and more developed. I learned that I have to be also a developed person rather than an edgy boy. So, I tried to change myself also. For a moment, I never felt like that it's a ... story. Felt like real-life incidents happening in front of me. If we go deeper, we understand that we have to develop ourselves. No one would help us. "I want something genuine" refers that in the present world, we don't have the relations that are real. We pretend to be real. Hachiman didn't want something like that. He wanted things and relationships to be real. In the end, everything for Hachiman was genuine.

So, instead of being edgy, we should develop ourself and make some good relationship with other people. These are all the things I learned from the LN.

Thank you Hachiman Hikigaya, Thnk you Wataru Watari for this series.

Introduction:
The Oregairu light novel series might be a hard read at times, yet I can confidently state that it is a masterpiece. The same goes for the anime adaptations. It does a decent job of capturing the timeline of Oregairu. That is excluding some extra karaoke short stories, the first gaming clubroom encounter, the judo arc, and many other small events. Below is a breakdown of my attempted non-spoiler review.

Story 10/10
We are introduced to a teenage protagonist, Hachiman, who views the world in a pessimistic and cynical manner. After Ms. Hiratsuka ... forces him to join a club, he loses his introvert status to an extent and has more chances to interact with his high school classmates. Throughout many arcs and volumes, Hachiman and even side characters undergo character developments. The additional context provided for sceneries and events not only helps create a richer story but also gives a finer understanding of the sociological and psychological side of things which is unique to Oregairu.

Art 8/10
Light novels usually have cool art on their covers and a few featured pictures here and there. The same is for Oregairu.

Character 10/10
Anyone who has consumed enough of the Oregairu franchise will instantly recognize that each character has their signature look and personality. Forgetting about one or two side characters will inevitably happen via binging or just the passing of time, but not enough to forget all of them. Each of their interactions with each other and Hachiman serve a purpose to the overall plot. Heck, the characters are well matured to where the author can make a joke about them and readers can still understand the reference.

Enjoyment 9/10
As someone who got into the light novel after finishing the first two seasons of Oregairu, I might have felt weary. Nonetheless, the protagonist's thought process, perspectives, and humor on certain topics are quite relatable to some people including me. The events that take place all seem realistic and not too cliched or typical. There is also a little sprinkle of romance here and there. Very captivating!

Overall 10/10
This is without a doubt something that people should invest their time into. I highly recommend it to anyone and even more so to the teenage group.

Easily a 10/10
I honestly couldn't find anywhere else to talk about this series so I had to come here and talk about it because I really miss it and I'm looking forward to volumes 13 and 14 to end this clinical masterpiece.
The anime without a doubt is great, but the novel is way better in a lot of ways. Notably the detail that I think the novel manages to deliver the reader more of 8-man's character to them and his thought process over situations.
The characters are beyond masterpiece all of them have a fitting role and are relatable to every single one of ... us out there with a life. Yukino and 8-man often have these interesting conversations about one another's ideas and they always captivate me to want to watch more. Yui adds the cheerful factor that is essential to an initially "depressing" series. But it's fun to read. Definitely recommend it.
P.S. This is my first review, dunno how well that went but I tried to share as much as I can.

This LN/Anime/Manga will never betray you, but other ones might.
-Inspired by Hachiman

This is a must watch, must read, to anyone out there, whether you're young or old, it doesn't matter. If you're too young to understand, it's okay, one day it'll hit you. If you're too old, and all this is just trivial youth moments you don't care for, you've become bitter and this will definitely heal you.

As the title suggest, it is a romantic comedy, but not what you'd expect. The story is pretty standard, focusing on some high schoolers who are in a club together, not by choice, but by situation. ... Where the plot of the story may have no real progression, the real progression is made through character development. There is nothing better than watching a character(s) you have invested in grow and change.

The story starts out pretty light, but it'll get heavy later.

The cast of characters are delightfully hilarious, and have their own distinct characteristics that makes them all likeable. The banter between all the characters will leave you feeling satisfied, because none of it really feels like it is wasted dialogue. It is a mix of sarcasm, dark humor, normal humor, all in one. Sometimes you'll see the characters have a dispute over something, both presenting sides that you sometimes would agree with, one more than the other, and find yourself at a standstill between 2 opposition.

There's not much one can say without spoiling, so I leave the reading up to you. It is an enjoyable read. You'll find yourself smiling like a creep sometimes, and I think that's just fine.

I am currently trying to add this LN/Manga to my collection as it slowly releases in the US. Worth.