Tomodachi game is exactly what we need more of in this medium. Cold, calculating and ruthless protagonists who have no regard for anyone besides their own goals and interests.
Initially billed as “squid game:the anime”, this doesn’t do Tomodachi game any justice at all. It’s miles clear of Squid Game in terms of writing and stakes in my opinion. While the show takes a couple episodes to get going, once it does it’s some of the most fun I’ve had watching anime in a long time. I absolutely abhor generic anime protagonists who just want to save the day, do the right thing, make everyone happy, etc. What I most enjoy are MC’s who are methodical and out to please no one but themselves, that’s exactly what Yuichi is and he quickly became a top 5 MC all time for me.
In addition to a badass MC who will let no one get in his way, I also love the social commentary aspect of Tomodachi Game. It’s basically an anime adaptation of the expression “Your friends ain’t really your friends.” I really enjoyed how the various games put the characters under pressure and seeing how they responded. All of them cracked to a certain extent and while it’s bad for the friendship aspect, it’s realistic. A lot of times in anime you’ll have people go through crazy circumstances and just stay solid through it all. In reality, most people are going to crack or switch up under pressure. If it comes down to saving a friend’s life or your own, most people are going to save their own life. It’s selfish, but that’s the true nature of human beings and this show does a great job of exploring that.
Like I said, the first couple of episodes while interesting, were a bit slow. But once this show got going, I was hooked and couldn’t wait until the next Tuesday for another episode. There’s so many twists and turns in this series and just when you think the MC is down and out, he manages to find a way to wiggle himself out and make you feel dumb for even doubting him. What I love most about that is that it’s not just BS plot no jutsu explanations. There is always a foreshadowed and well-written explanation for every twist in this show. It’s up to you as the viewer to actually stay focused and pick up what’s being laid down in advance which keeps you engaged and makes for a great viewing experience.
12 episodes into this and I feel like we haven’t even started to see the real story unfold. Based on what I’ve heard from manga readers, if the studio continues to adapt this well and we get another season or two, this could be a generationally great anime. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for more seasons of this.
Tomodachi Game gets 9 out of 10.