So I went to the doctor the other day and they found I had a condition that is unnamed as far as they knew. I got to name it, and I went with SAKE. No, not the alcohol, it's an acronym for Severe Addiction (to) Komi's Existence.
I fecking love Komi Can't Communicate. It was my first manga, first waifu, and first series I have stayed up to date with as volumes released in English. You can imagine then that this is something near and dear to me, therefore, you can look at my review one of two ways. One: I'm a degenerate, Komi-simper that only loves this anime because of the beauty that is Komi and my sentimental attachment to the series. Or two: I'm a degenerate, Komi-simper that because of my dedication to the series is giving a genuine, believable review so others can appreciate the magic of the series. Either way, this is somewhat biased because of my love for Tomohito Oda's godly creation that is Komi-san wa, Comyushou desu.
Let's get into the story. Komi, a glorious goddess with beauty so omnipotent, it makes Aphrodite look like a fecking hag (remember that comment about being biased?), has issues trying to communicate due to how shy she is. Of course, no one suspects that fact when this godsent angel walks amongst them in the halls, so they all assume she is just a madonna who is too mighty for words and socialization with scum like they are. That's where my boi, my lad, my giga-chad Tadano comes in... this MF can read people's emotions like a book. Therefore, he soon finds out that Komi's seemingly menacing (but gorgeous) presence, is only a misunderstanding caused by her severe timidness. I really don't want to spoil much else because there is an extremely cute scene that will explain it all, but what you do need to know is that Komi really wants to make friends (100, in fact) and the story follows her efforts to gain friends, conquer her fears, grow a cute AF crush, all while having some blissful and hilarious slice of life occurrences along the way.
I'll be honest. There is no deeper story or drama to this. After reading 200+ chapters of the manga, I can guarantee that no deeper story will really emerge either, but that isn't the point really. It's just a cute, simple story that you kick back and enjoy without thinking. I call it the Yuru Camp of the romance/SOL genre and me plus many others fecking love it. It's just fun characters doing everyday stuff but somehow it just makes you feel happy and satisfied no matter how basic the progression really is. I'd say this anime does extremely well adapting the manga. Back in the dark ages (that's when there was no hope for a Komi anime), I believed a Komi anime would not adapt well because half of the story feels like filler to anyone who has watched a lot of anime before. After the anime was announced (and I had a heart attack from that news), I fully expected the producers/studio to cut A LOT out from the story, but God bless their souls... they kept almost everything. Naturally, some small details were changed, little details not in the source were added, some chapters were out of place, but that really only affects Komi-simps like me. I'm just telling you this so that if you have not read the manga (why the f^ck haven't you), don't worry about missing anything because, for the most part, it is all there in the anime. It's just so enjoyable to watch, especially for anyone who loves the manga. I mean, who doesn't love seeing their favorite waifu (I really mean goddess) and favorite series get animated? But I do believe, any first-timer can also enjoy just how damn enjoyable it is to watch this (if you like this genre that is). The one thing that irritated me and many others about the story was the text on-screen... you see... in the manga, there is a lot of text that will explain how characters feel or it'll just explain some of the nuances in a scene. Netflix did a shit job at translating all that. It hardly translated any of it. Not all of that text is important or NEED TO KNOW information, but it does add a lot to the experience, and viewers who haven't read the manga are missing that. So I highly suggest you watch a TOTALLY NOT ILLEGAL fan-sub of the show since they do a better job at adding that text in (or just learn Japanese, IDFK). Other than that, I do want to say, I was so happy to see they kept those little text bubbles in the anime because that just really made it feel like they kept the artist's original vision. I think the animators did a spectacular job at blending them into the scenes, but anyway, let's move along.
The characters... they are the heart and soul of this series. I feel like Tomohito (the god who delivered us the manga) made the characters before he even had a story because they are just so lovable, funny, and memorable. Each character's name reflects the personality they have, for example, Tadano Hitohito is a Japanese wordplay that basically means "average guy". Clearly, that is all lost in translation but it's those little things that make them much more entertaining. The interactions between all of the characters are the greatest. I'm either laughing my ass off or captivated by the cuteness of the scene. I feel there is never a dull moment in any episode as there is plenty of comedy in the traditional high school awkwardness and the savagery of some characters. Plus, let's face it, Komi is so damn adorable... yeah her personality is unrealistic and it would probably be cringe in the real world, but I don't give a damn what anyone says (it's anime for f^ck's sake, it isn't supposed to be real), she is mute, it is f^ckin' cute, and her reactions are some of the best things I've seen in anime.
Again, like the story, there is nothing incredibly deep or emotional to the characters. You aren't gonna experience a heartfelt drama here and none of the characters have huge development (other than Komi getting slightly less timid as the story progresses), but you will experience new characters showing up often and having a little development in the sense of getting closer to Komi. I find it amazing how little true character development there is in the story, but yet it is still great. I'm a person who heavily judges anime/manga based on how well the characters develop too, but somehow I just ended up loving this story anyway. That is not to say that there aren't any big developments because there will be some that are yet to come (in the already announced second season LET'S F^CKING GOOOO) and when they happen I think they will satisfy all.
The art/animation. The pure ecstasy of seeing Komi and the other characters I adore (but mostly Komi) in full color was great, but then also animated... fffffffffffff^ck....... I will not be able to recover for a while. It's beautiful. Simply said, it is guhdem bootefull. The intention of the art in the manga was to have gorgeous, Sistine Chapel quality drawings of some scenes and a page turn later, be simplistic and humorous. So I'm telling you the scenes meant to be beautiful, were fecking impeccable... and the scenes meant to be simple... were hilariously so. If you are still confused, you will understand when you watch, but just know, the drastic changes in art is the whole point of the humor and even reflect Komi's personality. She will look like a Rembrandt portrait for a frame or two, then suddenly her face is 90% covered by her wide-eyed expression. It's hilarious to watch and that's the whole reason she is designed that way. Watching this was a pure joy since my heart was happy, my eyes were happy, even my ears were happy because that soundtrack just fit so damn perfectly with the mood. I play that shit when I read the manga now because it just radiates the vibe that the situations give.
So would I recommend this? Hell. Yes. However, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who doesn't already like slice of life anime. If you absolutely need deep plots and action or whatever else, then you might honestly fall asleep to this, but I wouldn't know for sure since I don't know many people who didn't love this series after I recommended it to them. But like with any show, if you are unsure about the genre, just watch the first episode, and if you like what you saw, then continue! If you don't like it, don't continue! I think that is pretty much a given at this point and I shouldn't have to tell anyone that. Otherwise, if you love simple stories, cute and funny characters (Komi is the only cute one, I'll fight anyone who disagrees), and gorgeous animation... then Komi-san wa, Comyushou desu. is CERTAINLY a watch for you!
p.s. as of writing this review it is Komi’s Birthday… yes Christmas Day is her birthday. So, merry happy birthday to her!!! I’m gonna go to my dedicated Komi shrine now…
join us brothers in
loving our goddess Komi-san.....
one of us...... one of us......
