Reviews

Jun 21, 2022
Mixed Feelings
"Or, is it just that you care more about money than your friends?"

-- the following is a few paragraphs on my overall thoughts, followed by spoilers about some of this show's problems. reader discretion advised. --

TOMODACHI GAME

What a show this was. Watching the change in rating was fun enough, it jumped all over 7's backyard, and now seems to be heading for a high one. Checking forums every once and a while seeing people praise it and people absolutely dunk on it. Sitting thunderstruck weekly with a friend as it dragged on and on and ooonnnnn. The experience of watching Tomodachi Game while it aired was worth it alone.

This show is dumb. Like, immensely stupid. But dear god, if it isn't entertaining as hell. Every game has rules purely for loopholes, for some characters to misinterpret or not utilize to their full potential while the MC has already fully adapted to the situation and everything that happens was completely foreseen. Yep, it has an overpowered MC that can worm his way out of any situation AND he's incredibly edgy, it's the early 2010's my friends.

Yuuichi is a young man who must decide between the two most important things in life: friends or money. Now, everybody would choose the former of course... but what if the money was... a LOT of money.

Would your answer change?

That's basically the entire show. Lots of money on the line, choose your relationships or financial wellbeing. It works. We get abysmal accusations, terrifying twists, wacky whodunnits, and radical revelations and/or red-herrings (whatever floats your boat).

The problem lies in length and the edgy stuff that doesn't revolve around Yuuichi. Over the course of twelve episodes, three games (and an unofficial one) are conducted. Yeah, only three and it isn't like they're super complex or deserving of these heinous runtimes. So, at times, it feels like you're dragging your feet. The edgy stuff that doesn't work is Tenji's role in the second game - he's revealed to be a stalker and we get an episode completely from his perspective where it shows how much of a creeper he is when it comes to their friend Shiho (wanting her "all to himself" by cutting off the others from her and revealing he's been stalking her for over a year). The problem is that, for one, it's uncomfortable and not fun / interesting to watch, but that after, before the third game, he reveals his true intentions to Yuuichi that explains his behavior in a more interesting manner... so why did we need that episode where he becomes the worst character ever? He becomes a better character, but that episode still leaves a bad taste in the mouth. The other edgy stuff that's bad is the random moments of sexual harassment like during the last episode with Kokorogi and, as previously mentioned, Tenji's treatment of Shiho with some of his terrible lines.

Would I recommend Tomodachi Game? If you think it'll be enjoyable and you're okay with a dumb thing, you're golden. If not, steer clear! Just check out the OP, it's awesome.

TOMODACHI GAME
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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