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There is often a risk-reward spectrum in life. The higher the risk, the greater the potential reward. The same goes with Kubo-san, an anime which takes little risk, but fails to deliver anything substantial. It does have some redeeming features, though.

The concept of an "invisible person" is an interesting one, which if utilised correctly, can deliver deep, insightful messages to viewers. Kubo-san could have delved into a powerful backstory where the protagonist commits a grave sin in his formative years and is ostracised, or where his "invisibility" stems from a social inability to interact. Instead, the rationale behind Junta's invisibility is "just because": very safe ... in avoiding lengthy character development, but a low-risk, low-reward decision.

Perhaps the biggest risk the anime takes is its portrayal of Nagisa, who clearly harbours feelings for Junta, yet is proactive and sadistic and romantic (my dream girl). Nagisa being a quasi-dominatrix is not unheard of in anime (e.g Nagatoro), but it does add an interesting character element which lifts the very bland personality of Junta. It adds humour, heightens interest from the audience, advances the plot, and caters to those who are submissive. However, a big worry I do have for the remainder of the season is that Nagisa loses that sadistic attitude as she and the protagonist inevitably get closer, and with it, the biggest risk (and reward!) this anime provides.

The art style of this anime strikes a nice balance without being too stick-figure like or oversaturated with colours. It is a lovely art style which makes watching this anime a lot easier. For those who appreciate the art in anime, this may be worth a watch. Perhaps another reason to watch this anime is its star-studded lineup of voice actors. The inclusion of Kana Hanazawa often indicates an anime will have excellent voice acting; Kubo-san is no exception. The OP and ED, however, are disappointing: they are very plain idol songs. Every romance anime seems to have them, and it's always the same low-risk, low-reward thing: teenage girls (or heroine VA) singing some lyrics about love, with melodies that can be forgotten in 10 seconds.

As an afternote, postponing and re-airing the anime seems like a wise production choice in upholding the nice art style and ensuring decent storyboarding; my future review may evaluate whether this was done.

Anime is watched to enact some kind of benefit. It is an investment of sorts. Viewers may want to live vicariously in a fantasy world with monsters, dragons and medieval architecture, to experience the thrills of adventure. They may want to watch intense shows of personal struggle and hardship, perhaps learning a lesson about resilience along the way. But this anime will likely leave viewers questioning what, if any, benefits are received by watching it.

This is because the show's premise of pitting a "false-lover" with a childhood friend is a premise which is hard upon the viewer. The majority of the show is ... spent with Akari; viewers want to see a return on investment for her feelings, whether through a confession or more romantic moments spent with the protagonist. Akari is hence at an advantage when viewers want to decide the "waifu of choice". Yet, this anime makes viewers question whether this is right, because Shiori is a "childhood friend" who has "always been there" and the protagonist "loves her too": plot points which feel very forced and artificial. The end result is a very unsatisfying plot with an equally unsatisfying ending which offers no resolution or substance whatsoever.

Yet romantic snippets somewhat redeem this: the show does not shy away from its visceral depictions of kisses or the shades of crimson upon the characters' cheeks. No doubt this show will feature on some "Best of Romance" anime compilation on YouTube someday, if not already. For fans of "romantic moments" (note the distinction from a "romantic, well-rounded plot), this show really does excel.

Excel this anime does too in its art. The art style is lovely. Iridescendent splashes of colour really make the female characters (especially Akari) very pretty and pleasing to the eye to watch. For fans of more mature bodies, this show does not disappoint, with spattering of fan-service shots throughout. Voice acting in the series was good too: palatable and generally reflective of the characters' personalities.

The music is decent too, though it may not be to everyone's tastes. The OP is an idol-song backed title sequence which is not extraordinary or particularly engaging, though fans of "kyun-kyun"/"doki-doki" culture will probably like it. The ED is some twilight city-pop funk popular in J-pop these days, delving into lofi-jazz-funk vibes, with some really nice visuals, though it may not be everyone's cup of tea.