Now there is a simple reason behind the show going bad and dragged out. It was good. It was more than good. It was profitable due to how the story had gotten so good. The main character developed from the worst mc in anime history to a great character, each of the girls got development like all the harem manga do, and there were plenty of heartbreaking moments, as the show got quite real at times. It made a 180 from the horrible first season utilizing that and making it better. Unlike many of these harem and Rom-coms that thought that changing the environment and characters slightly would make the formula better, Rent a girlfriend changed the heart of the problem: the repetitive dialogue and situations. But then, possibly my favorite (Rom-com, Romance, comedy?) fell from its highs, both diminishing its great characters, and bringing no substance and changing from an actual story to episodic encounters with the same blushing childhood friend interaction we all have seen at least a million times in these tales.
Rent a girlfriend was a really enjoyable tale that had a bad start, one long but really good arc, and a horrible and borderline insanity inducing arc. In case it wasn’t obvious by the title, the story is about a person who “rents Girlfriends” to get over his breakup. While defiantly not a cool move, the story does redeem itself in the beginning with its female characters, who while are not amazing, are interesting enough to keep watching. Before the good arc the manga was still pretty decent, the art was really good, the female characters were written interestingly, and the plot was focused on developing these female characters and their relationship with Kazyua, creating some “interesting situations.” There was plenty of variety in each of the little mini arcs with the characters, aside from Kazyua, and while he was a horrible and annoying main character, it was built as a foundation for the development in future arcs.
The show like many in its genre relies on fan-service, and introducing more and more female characters, but one standout thing about these two elements, is that they were used almost as they were supposed to. While the fan-service elements are few and far in between, aside from the beginning where the author goes way to hard in, it is used to highlight the scumminess of Kazyua. And as much as unlikable he is(And he is very unlikable for a good 100 chapters) the show decides to develop him using the female characters, as they develop themselves. As the show progresses it explores the female characters, as they all do, but here it works. Despite being a lighthearted comedy, some moments are pretty deep and work really well, especially with the character of Chizuru.
However, that being pushed aside, the story devolves pretty fast. Maybe by coincidence the anime ended its cour as the phenomenal Chizuru/Kazyuya arc ended, and unsurprisingly the manga plummeted in quality extremely fast. The previous arc had so many good character moments, and development of Kazuya and Chizuru, but it all goes out of the window with the new arc, where each 3 chapter mini-arc leads to a confession where he/she inevitably fails.
Have you read Nisekoi and were annoyed with Onodera and Raku’s interactions, as they never were more than, “I like him But I am too nervous to ask him out”, and “I like her But I am too nervous to ask her out, “ and meanwhile it was obvious as well as annoying as none of the interactions were slightly different or brought anything new, each time and interaction making you hate them, as the other girls are going through all sorts of trials and he just Stands there blushing ignoring all their interactions. Imagine interactions like that but increased 10 fold, and instead of some variety with different girls, its just the same thing over. Their characters quickly lose the depth and ideals that they started with, but its not just them, its the whole cast.
The drop in quality is so sudden and such a drop that its hard to put into words. The three other girls either get sidelined and forgotten about, or diminished to a single character trait. They each had developments, but that is sidelined for the one trick pony it inevitably becomes. MAJOR characters are thrown out the window, all for the sake of sales. People dislike how some manga (like tagaki-san) have one main dynamic and nothing else, but what they don’t realize is that sometimes it’s the characters or it just works for others. However, this annoying loop of confession after confession where it is obvious that nothing will happen, but the author keeps saying “Maybe they will”, causes annoyance that comes from all the potential it had, and ruined.
I’m sorry. The manga had promise and the first 166 chapters were amazing. But now its lost that all. And I was one of the few people who liked the whole thing through. Either read it to chapter 166 and stop until it is finished before skipping to the last arc, Or don’t pick it up, and make up in your head a much better story.
Note: I do have it as an 8 on my profile but that’s because it has some great highs, and I believe that despite that the subsequent 30 chapters have been objectively bad, he might put in a good arc near the end. The 4 I gave it, is representing what the story overall currently stands as, and the 8 is me hanging onto the past and hoping for a good ending.
