If I were to compare Kokoro Connect to other animes, it’s like a cross between Hyouka (a narrative divided into multi-episode “mystery” arcs) and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (five students in a made-up after-school club dealing with unexplained, supernatural phenomena). The obvious parallels to the latter series might lead some viewers to offhandedly dismiss Kokoro Connect as just another light novel adaptation trying to cash in on the mega-success of Haruhi Suzumiya. In response to this sentiment, let me note that even if Kokoro Connect was heavily inspired by Haruhi Suzumiya, there is nothing wrong with a series “ripping off” another series as long as the rip-off is bringing something new to the table. For example, while Log Horizon (a show I adore) is often labeled a rip-off of Sword Art Online, the two shows are nothing alike with respect to how they approach the “characters stuck in a video game” trope. Also, SAO did not spontaneously invent this trope; it was already well-established long before SAO came along, by works such as Tron and .hack//Sign. All I’m saying is that a show can take an unoriginal concept—here, high-schoolers dealing with body-swapping and other supernatural shenanigans—and, through intelligent execution, produce something unique and memorable. In fact, I actually enjoyed Kokoro Connect more than both seasons of Haruhi Suzumiya (though the latter franchise still wins by virtue of the film The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya).
Kokoro Connect centers on the five members of the Student Cultural Research Club: “main character” Taichi (a pro wrestling fan with a white-knight complex), actual main character Iori (whose chipper, bubbly persona masks something darker and more cynical), best girl Inaba (a snarky computer nerd voiced by Miyuki Sawashiro, who turns in yet another brilliant performance), second-best girl Yui (whose petite physique belies her skill at karate), and best friend Aoki (a happy-go-lucky goofball in love with Yui). The characters have excellent chemistry with each other, particularly Taichi and Yui (probably my favorite platonic boy-girl relationship in any anime I’ve seen).
The narrative progresses in a way that gives each character a chance to enjoy the spotlight as well as undergo meaningful development. Indeed, one of the things I liked most about Kokoro Connect is how well it used its various supernatural “intrusions” to facilitate this character growth. The anime also does an admirable job depicting these characters as awkward, horny teenagers who, despite their claims to the contrary, have no idea what they’re doing or what they really want. These attempts at realism help counterbalance the show’s fantasy setup and make the characters much more relatable than those in other high school-set anime I’ve seen, which includes Hyouka (its cast, while likeable, can sometimes come across as overly one-note or idealized).
Kokoro Connect does have some problems, though I wouldn’t label any of them as major. The animation is very average, especially when compared to the masterful art direction in Hyouka (which, I should note, came out the same year as Kokoro Connect). With its cookie-cutter character designs and rather drab color palette, Kokoro Connect more closely resembles a show produced by A-1 Pictures than Silver Link, which is disappointing given how most Silver Link shows make an effort to integrate a sense of vibrancy and visual playfulness into their respective animation styles. While the soundtrack is pretty good, they reuse certain tracks quite a bit and neither OP is particularly memorable. On the other hand, I liked how the show introduced a new ED for each of the four story arcs (I'd say the first ED is my favorite of the bunch).
In terms of story, I’m not usually a fan of love triangles or white-knight characters; however, I feel Kokoro Connect handled both elements fairly well: the love triangle produces a satisfying payoff in the final arc, and Taichi’s self-awareness mitigates his infuriating instinct to “save everyone” (which is more than I can say about Shiro Emiya from Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works). Some of the more emotional moments in the series can get heavy-handed as they drag on, though for the most part the drama manages to hit home. (Also, I should note that the show has a fair number of laugh-out-loud moments, such as the “sister kiss” in episode 16, which had me on the floor rolling.) Finally, the show doesn’t ever definitively explain the reasons behind the supernatural incidents that occur throughout the series, and while I personally didn’t mind this lack of closure I can imagine it might frustrate some viewers.
Overall, Kokoro Connect is an enjoyable 9/10 show with a great cast, interesting story, and good mixture of humor and drama. Please be aware, however, that the series is actually 17 episodes long, with the final 4 episodes released as OVAs after the first 13 episodes. Together, these 4 episodes form what I consider to be the strongest arc of the series, wrapping up the show beautifully while also leaving the door open for a Season 2 (which, at this point, likely isn’t going to happen).
