Seeing as you're reading this review, I'd assume you've seen plenty of other 4-6 reviews. Out of disbelieve, I've read through the majority of them, and I consider the majority extremely biased, or downright false. This also highlights some of the strongest suits that this anime possesses. Please keep this in mind while proceeding to the later section of this review.
1. This is a manga adaptation. If someone expects a conclusive ending after 12 episodes, he/she'd be complaining about horrible pacing.
2. The story was told by the main female lead. Her strong character growth has been displayed many times from the very first episode to the very last. There are even moments where she or her friends verbally reminded us of how different she is, and to bring our attention to it. The other characters have shown significant growth as well. I fail to understand how any counterargument could make logical sense, regarding "no character growth" and "plain and flat development".
3. This is a slice of life show, and people seem to expect a marvelous, unique story which not only teach a huge life lesson, impeccable character development, and also a spectacular romantic relationship. To that I say the following:
Please make up your mind. What you're actually looking for is called a fairy tale.
>> Side note: It is extremely irresponsible to discourage people from watching an anime, without acknowledging the pros along with the cons. You don't see 4-6 rated reviews discuss why the show isn't any lower than a 4. They simply bash the show to an absurd degree, so I don't see why they couldn't have rated it a 1 in the first place. Please don't speak for others. Let them be the judge.
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With that out of the way, let's take a look at what Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun excels at.
1. The pacing. Each episode is packed with enjoyable moments and engaging interactions between the well written characters. Anything more or less would have ruined the flow, yet the show kept on giving, pausing to reflect on important moments, and giving details when necessary. The progression is smooth throughout the series.
2. The characters. All characters were presented with their own issues, and their way of tackling them. Most importantly, they are down to earth and very relatable. It's a story of ones who discover and experience friendship and romance for the first time. This is the show that made me go "yeah I was pretty silly as a teenager". I can't help but wonder how mature and experienced some people were as a teen, when they criticized the characters for "falling in love too fast". Similarly, I wonder how lucky they must have been to not be able to relate to "relationships going nowhere". Maybe they simply had no life experience whatsoever. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
3. The cliché. It is true, that this show might not have been the first to "exploit" the "introvert meets extrovert, opposites collide" stereotype, nor was it the most outstanding and inspiring romance of the decade. However, this is an anime which perfects it. I'd go as far as to say that it coins the genre. The awkwardness between newly met friends was on-point, the conversations felt natural, while embracing what the stereotypical cast of characters could offer. Cliché =/= bad. Stereotypes usually came to be because they are true / accurate / popular.
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Conclusion:
I highly recommend this series, especially to those who are new to the genre. It showcases what slice-of-life rom-com has in store, which makes for a great starting point. For those who has seen plenty of the genre, please watch it and judge it for yourself.
As I have mentioned at the beginning, this is my 3rd time watching the anime over the span of 6 years. Being one of the earliest anime I've seen, I've decided to revisit it every 2 years, to see how my thoughts of it differs as time passes. My impression has gone from sweet to bittersweet, and for that I liked it even more.
I wouldn't deny that nostalgia may have had an effect on my rating. Realistically I can see the show rated at 8.5, while I have personally rated it a 9. (My 10s are preserved for no more than 7 shows, and they change according to time.)
Thanks for reading :)
