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Dec 6, 2025
The one thing every other romance lacks is the one thing this show has. We just can’t win, can we?
The dreaded Nothing Sandwich trope is the plague of 99% of all romance anime. You watch an entire season of two people meeting, blushing a lot, being cute a lot, getting in adorable situations and then the final episode comes and… nothing. Their relationship goes nowhere. That is the Nothing Sandwich, and that is the one trope that is surprisingly missing from this show. Aside from that, however, they practically throw the whole damn trope book at us.
It’s not worth listing
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all of the tropes being applied. If you know, you know. If you don’t, you’ll likely have a fine time watching this show. Give it time-you’ll get sick of them soon enough.
Within this show specifically, the most prevalent and irritating trope is the one where a so-called “adult” romance really just features middle schoolers masquerading as adults. They do adult things like working a job and living alone, but they still have the emotional maturity of 12-year-olds. Misinterpreting things, overthinking to the extreme, turning beet red at the slightest romantic thought, and of course being utterly allergic to physical contact with the opposite sex. In the case of the female, she apparently has massive PTSD from past confessions which means receiving any admission of affection from a male results in a thousand-yard-stare trauma response and being catatonic for the next week while she sorts out whether or not this boy she’s been obviously crushing on for months now is actually going to murder her in her sleep and wear her skin. It’s kind of insulting when you think about it, to be honest.
But the catch to all of it is the fact that this couple, against all odds, actually decide to date, and decide to get married, and we even get some thoroughly delightful scenes of them being blissfully smitten with each other in the final episode. So while the final episode is very worth the watch, I can’t say it was necessarily worth the wait. Overall, 6/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Dec 3, 2025
Another cute slow burn romance that ultimately goes nowhere - 5/10
Before I say anything else, we need to establish the understanding that this was clearly made by Japanese people who know very little about Christianity. Here in the western world we're so heavily steeped in Christianity that it can be hard to comprehend a culture that's fundamentally oblivious. Don't worry, it's obviously not an accurate portrayal. IT'S OK! The fact that the church isn't villainized for once is honestly very progressive. I'm a devout Christian myself, and I found this positive take to be pretty refreshing.
On to the review. I don't really have an awful
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lot to say about this show. It's a very standard slow burn romcom story where all the cute things happen while actual progress is avoided like the plague. The artwork looks nice, there's no abusive behavior between the main characters(side characters are another story), no senseless drama or love triangles, everything is pretty cut and dry for maximum wholesomeness. However, the standard slow-burn tropes are also there. The maddeningly oblivious guy, the endlessly blushing and flustered girl, the side characters who bring their sob stories and individual variations on slapstick humor, and at the end of it all, the big fat nothing sandwich that always ruins shows like this one.
Upon finishing the series, you're left completely hanging. The nothing sandwich they give us here is particularly empty. There is seriously NOTHING that happens between our 2 protagonists. No confession of affection, no holding hands, not a single inch of progress towards anything that could be considered romantically fulfilling. In the midst of the cries for a second season comes the inevitable truth that there's nothing that sets this show apart from the dozens of others exactly like it. And like all the rest, there will be no second season. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200, no meat between these buns, no sauce, no cheese, the Nothing Sandwich has spoken.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Dec 3, 2025
Most realistic take on young love I've seen - 8.5/10
Normally I do what I call the "5 Tropes Review" for romance anime, but seeing as how this show is utterly devoid of all 5 of my most hated romance tropes, I'll have to diversify my methods.
More than anything else, this show is just REAL. Aesthetically it's gorgeous: the movements are well animated, the still images are masterfully drawn, and it all gives a very immersive and realistic feel. All without using that stale shot of power lines that I keep seeing in other anime. (what IS it with the power lines?!) Bonus points for that.
The
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story honestly doesn't even feel like a story. It feels more like a memory, like it was pulled directly from someone's journal entries. There's no fantasy element, no excessive drama, no stupid tropes or pointless plot mechanics, and when there is conflict, it's because they're acting like actual middle schoolers. Awkward, naïve, inexperienced, a bit cringy but trying their best.
That being said, it takes a good 6 episodes for the show to gain traction. The first half of the season drags hard. The focus on their awkwardness and inability to express themselves results in 90% of the dialogue being "uh... mh..... hmm.... ehhh..... oh..." just an agonizing montage of sighing and breathing that had me wanting to slap them both and say "JUST FREAKING SPEAK, USE YOUR WORDS FFS". I get that it's realistic and that teenagers actually do this, but it really isn't necessary to portray it to that extent.
Bottom line: the most realistic Slice of Life ever. Unfortunately, life can be kinda boring compared to most works of fiction, so don't expect to be overly entertained. However, this is a BEAUTIFUL tale of romance and personal growth that I think is well worth the watch. Easily stands out above 90% of romance shows.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 3, 2025
The hidden gem no one expected - 9/10
This anime reminds me of Napoleon Dynamite, in that it was clearly made on a teeny tiny budget and yet something magical happened and absolute gold was the result. I don't think the creators expected much from this, but rather than stress about it they simply relaxed. As a result, it doesn't ask for applause, it doesn't tell you when to laugh, it doesn't force feed you a single thing. See, that was the issue with Komi Can't Communicate, the show that this one is often compared to. Komi was definitely a bigger production and became something of
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a phenomenon, but it was so damn preachy that I had to set it down. Aharen-san, on the other hand, demands nothing from the audience. THAT is what's so refreshing. As far as I can tell, it wasn't made with any sort of agenda in mind. It was made simply to be enjoyed, and the authenticity of that intent is a breath of fresh air.
It's not flawless, though. There are some elements of the standard tropes: one being the Whipping Boy. He doesn't get beat up, but he does lose at basically everything and it gets a little tiresome. The other is the Nothing Sandwich. Now, I wouldn't classify this as a "romance" per se, but it's still all about the relationship between the two of them. I was BLOWN AWAY when she kissed him well before the season finale. That is not something that most shows have the gonads to do mid-season! It was a beautiful scene, and it felt so authentic that I suspect it was drawn directly from someone's personal experience. Unfortunately, afterwards... nothing happened. They went back to doing exactly as they had done before, and at the end of the season all we got was another "yay for friendship" ending. Curse you, Nothing Sandwich!
Now, I realize that giving this a 9/10 puts it up there with some pretty high-octane shows. But frankly? That's where it sits in my book. I would be just as happy rewatching this as I would be rewatching Horimiya or Kamisama-Kiss. It's simple, calm, and pleasant.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 3, 2025
Carbon Copy: Beauty & the Beast - 5/10
First off, this isn't a bad show, per se. This is just one of those "if you've seen one you've seen them all" kinds of things. Long story short, I got bored at 7 episodes and decided to look for something more interesting.
This is a standard Beauty & the Beast story. Our beloved heroine: beautiful, wilful, wise and (as always) possessing powerful magic, is tasked with melting the cold heart of the mighty king and as a side effect, inspiring everyone she comes into contact with. The king has a quirk though: in this
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case, it's that he's 10 years old (give or take). I'm assuming she's 15, which in the anime universe apparently equates to a grown woman. Sigh... I wish I knew why Japanese people were so obsessed with sexually active children... maybe I don't want to know.
Anyway, the plot's about as standard as you get, no surprises there, and all the usual characters make their appearances: the Lolita, the Glasses Guy, the Shoulder Jacket Pretty Boy (y'know, wears his white jacket on just his shoulders so that the sleeves flap dramatically behind him), the Lecherous Old Man, The Evil Priest (pretend it's a plot twist), etc. etc.
And in keeping with some inexplicably popular trend, the show features a magical song: the one she sings to summon the rain. And, also in keeping with the trend, it's a LAME AS BALLS POP SONG. AND IT GETS REPEATED AT LEAST ONCE PER EPISODE.
All of that aside, if you haven't seen many of these shows already, you'll likely find it reasonably entertaining. I, on the other hand, have seen SO many shows that are EXACTLY like this one, I just can't bring myself to watch another.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Dec 3, 2025
Extremely average and predictable non-romcom 5/10
If you've seen one, you've seen them all. Superhumanly nice heroine gets matched with a broody tall dark extra-gorgeous victim of racism, and they progressively grow closer as she pursues her dream of being the best at a thing. Ultimately, every hardship is overcome by her inspiring everyone with her niceness, which means that's the only personality trait she'll ever need, other than perhaps her drive to fulfill her dream of being the best at a thing. Very standard anime story that dangles a romance carrot in front of you and then gives you a fistful of nothing.
Plot twist: I
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made it 3 episodes in. How close was I?
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Dec 3, 2025
I don't know how it's this good, but it is - 8/10
Angel Beats has it all. It's got action, humor, love, hate, and everything in between. It's a glorious all-you-can-eat buffet of everything you could ever ask for. You will want for nothing.
Except a structured plot. The more I think about it, the more I'm like... "they had no idea where they were going with this, did they?" The feel of the show changes gears so dramatically that I'm not even sure what genre it would fall into. Is it an action flick? A comedy? A romance? Most shows will exhibit elements of different genres,
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but there's almost always a central pillar around which the other themes rotate. This serves to keep the plot grounded and establish expectations. Angel Beats is not grounded in any way whatsoever. It legitimately feels like they consulted a 5-year-old: "today, we're going to create the ultimate bad guy and make it seem like everything before this was just leading up to his great reveal! And the first villain was just keeping him in check!" "What happens next?!" "He... um... he gets a hug, and now he's a GOOD GUY!" And to clarify: I had already coined the phrase “Hitler Just Needed a Hug” long before I had seen this show - I NEVER expected this trope to manifest so accurately.
Aside from pointless villains and 15 minute plot arcs, Angel Beats is also rife with plot holes. The biggest one being right at the end, where she reveals that his donated heart gave her a longer life. Except that she obviously died first since she was ALREADY THERE when he arrived. And no, there wasn't any alternate timeline where he went into "limbo" until her "wish" summoned him to her or some nonsense like that. Are we still consulting the 5-year-old? Seriously, this show should suck.
And yet it doesn't.
I don't know how they did it, but somehow there's a level of depth to the story that defies all of the inconsistencies. It deals with incredibly tough subjects like God, death, trauma, and learning how to find peace, and does it SO WELL, I'm still at a loss. The 5-year-old's convoluted plot, implemented with the maturity of Solomon the Wise. Just... HOW??
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 3, 2025
Yet another abusive relationship showcased as "comedy" - 3/10
I get that this is an older show but in this case that just means the roles are reversed from the current social norm. Instead of an abusive girl, it's an abusive boy. Same rules apply: tsundere=dirtbag human, and that will never change.
I surprised myself by making it all the way through the 7th episode. From the very start I felt no interest or connection to the characters and was watching just to get through it. I have every reason in the world to believe that the rest of the show (HOW are
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there 25 episodes of this??) would be any different from the first 7 episodes.
To summarize: she's a dumb but hard working klutz, and he's a brilliant and good looking douchebag. She does something dumb(often while fantasizing about him), he says something rude and uncalled for, she gets upset and tries to swear him off, he shows a sliver of humanity and she goes simping back for more. Repeat this pattern for every episode.
Now for the people who keep saying "it's just a comedy" and "it's not real" and "stop being a snowflake." First off, it has to be funny to be a comedy. One person hurting another is not funny. It's shallow, cheap, and normalizes abusive behavior. And you can say "it's not real" as much as you like, but the fact is that healthy relationships are becoming more and more uncommon, and one of the reasons is because of shows like this. This "comedic" portrayal of a toxic relationship is SO commonplace that many people legitimately think it's normal. And why wouldn't they? They haven't witnessed a healthy relationship once in their lives.
No doubt he comes around in the end, but I'll tell you this now: that is NOT how it works in reality. Toxic people never reform when they keep getting what they want.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Dec 3, 2025
The Beanzoid 5 Tropes Review: Better than most harem anime, but not by much - 6/10
In this review, I will address my top 5 most hated tropes that almost all of these shows share. Lack of these tropes grants a higher score, etc. etc.
5. The "Nat 20" (a 2 is matched with a 10 because reasons) - 7/10
Seeing as how this is a harem anime, the fact that he's actually matched with a girl at the end is kind of miraculous. However, the characters in general are pretty 1-dimensional and our mc is no exception. Yeah he has a "special power" and is "pure in
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heart" or whatever but there's really nothing special about him. That being said, none of the girls are particularly interesting either.
4. "Nice Girls Finish Last" (waifu gets snubbed for the princess) - 8/10
This might just be bias on my part, but I always consider the nicest girl to be the most deserving. Lo and behold, she is the one he chooses! For once it's not some stupid tsundere with a big rack!
3. The "Hitler Just Needed a Hug" (dirtbag villains always reform after being "understood more") - 3/10
More than half of the characters are introduced with them being utter pieces of trash. But every time, WITHOUT FAIL, once we see their tragic backstory suddenly they're cool and part of the team. How sweet. Flowers for everyone. Yay. Pardon me while I go vomit.
2. The Whipping Boy (violence is funny if the victim's a boy) - 2/10
Our mc takes a lot of abuse. The standard slapped-across-a-room-because-a-girl-got-embarrassed, punched-by-a-guy-because-his-girl-got-embarrassed, abject-violence-because-of-some-misunderstanding, etc. He's even presented at the start as a sort of badass delinquent, so it's extra stupid that he gets his ass handed to him all the time.
1. The Nothing Sandwich (boy meets girl, they blush, the end) 9/10
This one is kind of the show's saving grace - the simple fact that you don't feel cheated at the end. There is a confession, a relationship is established, and the ending feels conclusive.
Conclusion: Romantic progress is really the only thing that sets this show apart. Everything else is pretty standard.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Dec 3, 2025
The Beanzoid 5 Tropes Review: 8/10 - one of the better ones, though it still falls flat at the end
#5. The Nat 20 (Together only because somebody rolled high) - 8/10
Shirayuki definitely exhibits the Bella Swan Effect; in that everyone and their dog is inexplicably obsessed and/or in love with her. Meeting Prince Zen is quite the stroke of happenstance in the first episode, and the story tends to follow a trajectory of one coincidence after another. HOWEVER, our two lovebirds absolutely deserve each other, and the relationship itself makes perfect sense.
#4. Nice Girls/Boys Finish Last (alternate love interest is better but ultimately doomed to
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fail) - 9/10
In this case, the crowd fav alternate is Obi, and while noisy commenters love to simp over him, it's very clear that he's not in the running nor is he gunning for her attention. He clearly harbors some feelings, but it's not used as a plot device to add senseless drama.
#3: The "Hitler Just Needed a Hug" (Villains reform after being "understood more") - 9/10
This show doesn't have many villains, and those that do appear are only there for an episode or two. They all have to face consequences before returning (if they do at all), and they actually go through more of a process before changing. The trope is still there, (she inspires them, vs understanding them, bla bla bla) but it's pretty minimal and I thought it was well done.
#2. The Whipping Boy (abuse against boys is lol) - 10/10
Yay, the women aren't toxic and abusive!
#1. The Nothing Sandwich (boy meets girl, they blush, the end) - 6/10
We almost got a perfect show. So very almost. But that stupid nothing sandwich had to go and take that away from us. And what’s worse, this is the least justifiable nothing sandwich I’ve ever seen. His brother is literally hosting parties to try and pressure him into finding a wife, because as a prince of marrying age it’s vital that he move forward with fulfilling his role. Almost every other character that knows them is eagerly awaiting the day they make the announcement, and yet FOR SOME STUPID REASON we get to the final episode and he’s all like “wait for me…” Wait for WHAT, exactly?! Your princely balls to drop?!?! MAKE IT MAKE SENSE!
Now, we do get more than most: they do confess their feelings, they do kiss, but at the end, it's made very clear that their relationship will go ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE while the writers milk the story for more money. And now, 10 years after the 2nd season aired, the manga still hasn't progressed the love story at all. It's even stopped calling itself a romance. It's now just a fantasy. Which means a third season is also just a fantasy. All the romance in the story has been used up.
It’s unfortunate that the final 1% of the plot is such a letdown. This was almost a masterpiece.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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