Art
I really liked the art of this show. It didn’t really impose on itself too much and even though they were in the same uniforms a lot of the time, the change in hairstyles for the main character was actually a nice touch. This comes into play in the story, but that’s beside the point. I felt that while there were a few things that I would have liked to see changed when they were introduced, they were actually things used by the story to get a laughable moment. This really was a pleasant show to look at and at no point did i feel like I would stop watching because of the art.
Sound/Music
The music in the show itself was sub-par. This is really where the show fell short for me. The music really wasn’t anything spectacular and I found myself being more interested in the story than the music itself. On the sound part of this, things did a little bit better. There was a good balance of comic relief moments as well was soft music to help set the mood for a more dramatic scene (what few there where). Truly the sound direction really could have done a lot more and been a lot better, but due to the content of the show itself, I can understand why this might have been put on the back burner.
Story
We meet Riko, deemed the “Wild Kid” by her classmates at an all-female middle school. When she goes to check on something from the student council she finds the Student Council President, Maki, Kissing a body pillow with a crudely drawn boy on it. Understandably in shock she tries to get away, but then Maki begins to cry and thinks that her secret is out, in an effort to help her get better at romance, and stop her from kissing a pillow, she agrees to help her conduct “love labs” to get better at romance. However two things seem to be standing in Riko’s way: The fact that romantic relationships are forbidden by their school, and Riko has never had any experience herself! Maki assumes she is popular and has had a lot of boyfriends and Riko can’t bring herself to tell the truth. The story picks up from there with the inclusion of a cast of characters that each are unique (albeit Cliché) and fun to watch grow together.
Personal Reflection
The first episode Thumbnail was a little weird and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. But after the crazy antics and one laugh after another, I was hooked. I found that even though the characters were a little generic and the sound wasn’t amazing, the show had a charm that I really enjoyed. There was one part that I was a little weirded out by, which was a scene that had the characters in black face; that should have been avoided. Over the course of the show, there was a change in tone and it became less about the Love Labs and more about the friendships between the characters. I have seen this kind of shift happen before, but it never felt quite this smooth and natural. While the end slate left it open to a sequel series I am happy that it ended when it did. Love Lab is a perfect example of how a goofy comedy and slice of life show can have real heart and turn into a show that feels genuine. When the silence hung in the air during the last episode, I found myself holding my breath, waiting for what was to come next, and I hope you do too.
Overall Rating: 7/10
