As a strict shunner of the harem genre, any anime with a "so-and-so best girl" mantra is one that I do not want to be any part of. And oh boy were there a fair share of hints eagerly putting me off – the generic looking poster of a guy standing behind two girls of different archetypes, the synopsis: Romantic comedy? An edgy, lethargic loner? Forced into a club with the PRETTIEST GIRL IN SCHOOL? Dear Lord.
Who knows what it was that drove me to check out that first episode, but whatever it was, I'm kinda grateful.
When you have a protagonist so cynical that he points out a godawful romcom cliché the moment the viewer notices it, you know the series is going to have a healthy dose of self-awareness. Then, the series even takes a step further, becoming so sardonic it turns into brutal honesty. So in additon to the entertaining interactions amongst an amusing cast and its mellow slice-of-life tone, there is a bitterly candid and unapologetically blunt narrative on society.
So, no, this series is certainly not a harem, or at least not the brand of atrocity we've linked the term with. It is very much a comedy, with a few romantic (borderline josei) elements, none of which bog the pacing. The romance doesn't really get anywhere until the 2nd season, where even then it's barely prevalent.
The protagonist is, thankfully, not the 2edgy4u people-hater he's made out to be. He's simply a slightly pessimistic wallflower, but at all times conscious of himself and his surroundings. And a lot of the characters actually have a third dimension! Some depth! Cancelling out what is undoubtedly the greatest vice of most love triangle centred anime – the need for appealing characters, not interesting ones. Although many side characters are admittedly not as fleshed out (in the first season), they do well in their role as societal representations. All in all, it's a pretty engrossing show with some ...genuine... laugh out loud moments.
Bonus: Episode 11 has what is very likely the greatest clapback in anime history
