For all of what the AniManga industry has to offer since its humble beginnings decades ago, only one genre stands out the most due to its consistent relevancy: the romance genre, which comes in a lot of flavours for everyone's enjoyment. And seemingly, one of the most popular themes from that genre would come to define the next level of enjoyment: harem. Sure, you have the obvious ones, like Ken Akamatsu's Negima! Magister Negi Magi series, which has a child MC being loved by his class of 31 high school girls, is, to my mind, the very first incarnation of the "more than single-digit" harem rom-com series.
And while no other series would beat the famed mangaka's work in time to come (if focusing on just that aspect), it would take almost 8 years for the next rival to show up, and I don't know how this author came up with the absurd concept, but it has earned its fanbase overtime to become one of the most vocal communities whenever a new rival...erm, girlfriend shows up to add to the total number. And that, my friends, is mangaka Rikito Nakamura and illustrator Yukiko Nozawa's Kimi no Koto ga Daidaidaidaidaisuki na 100-nin no Kanojo a.k.a The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You, one of the most unapologetic AniManga works to come out in a very long while, came out guns blazing to give everyone a dose of its voraciously irresistible over-the-top harem medicine with the ever-so-loving parody twist that leaves us drugged and intoxicated for more.
Just a short story between the two mangaka that made something that has since been the eye-opener for the manga readers anticipating the long-awaited and much-hyped anime adaptation: both Rikito Nakamura and Yukiko Nozawa already had works to their name, the former starting out in 2016 and the latter starting out in 2013. But for the par of their course, none of them really panned out, with Rikito Nakamura having his own absurd ideas that just cannot be translated into full series (the best (unknown) was 2017's Heppoko Yuusha ni Senryaku wo a.k.a Please Give Strategies to Immature Hero) and Yukiko Nozawa already having her debut of 2013's Eguchi-kun manga series to lukewarm reviews. Clearly, something, somewhere, must be missing, and it would not be until the latter's single manga volume of 2016's Henshoku Joshi wa Koi de Onaka wo Mitashitai that she would experience the turning point of her life, plus another 3 years for the former to once again create a manga series of his choosing. This then brings us to both author and illustrator joining hands for 100 Girlfriends a.k.a HyaKkano, where within the span of 4 years (plus the anime adaptation into account) since the manga's release in December 2019, has seen an exponential explosion in its loyal fanbase, cementing that the series IS the next step in the harem rom-com evolution of being not just the first "triple digit" harem rom-com series, but a manga series that would stand the test of time to come. And what a manga it is that we still have Season 2 of the anime to go, which speaks to the testament of the fantastic adaptation that we received here.
Going into HyaKkano, the only thing that you need to take note of: despite being a typical harem rom-com, this show is NOT meant to be taken seriously, since it's a parody of said genres that bends its rules to the limit so outrageously and dim-wittedly that it corners itself into masterpiece territory. The idea of someone being rejected — that's normal, but 100 times? The God of Love sure is unruly with this boy named Rentarou Aijo. Every high school boy and girl wants to achieve their romantic soulmate, and Rentarou is no different, being a failed chad MC that has gotten 100 rejections in a row without any of the stupid anime shenanigan requirements like the usual cultural festival and shitz. Determined to change his life for the better, he visits the shrine that would help turn his situation around, and the God of Love literally visits him and grants his wish. The problem: due to the God of Love breaking the 4th wall, he made a mistake by not blessing him with a girlfriend of his dreams but with 100 girlfriends instead. However, this comes with a very simple caveat: get rejected by at least one of them, and their lives are marked for death, plain and simple. Therein starts Rentaro's self-improving project of keeping his "Rentaro (harem) family" together, despite all circumstances.
From here on, let's get introduced to the first few girlfriends attached to Rentaro for Season 1 of the anime:
- Girlfriends No. 1 and 2: the Deredere of Hakari Hanazono and the Tsundere of Karane Inda. Both girls are the aforementioned same-class classmates together with Rentaro, and these two girls will give you an idea of how unhinged the "assumed" two-timing relationship will go. Hakari is the rich man's girl of the group, but her personality is an entire 180° flip of a switch that she can become obsessive about Rentaro's advances, always in gleam of whatever he does to keep the relationship alive. But for Karane, she opposes the very idea that Rentaro is going for, despite not knowing the dire consequences that said chad MC would not do her so; she just went with it and warmed up to him overtime to accept that the nth-timing is a way that he can establish his "army" of girlfriends, despite her slim figure that hides a gargantuan gorilla-ish high strength.
- Girlfriend No. 3: the Dandere of Shizuka Yoshimoto. She's another classmate of the trio, but someone who always hides away in their school's library club is a librarian. Being someone of few words, Rentaro's trouble dealing with her comes with its own set of difficulties that honestly is a cinch. But being a bookworm and someone who loves to read fantasy romance stories allows Rentaro to connect better with her, to the point of developing a specific app to relay her replies to anyone. The level of dedication to this quiet girl is one reason why he's the ultimate harem chad.
- Girlfriend No. 4: the Kuudere of Nano Eiai. Think of her as like Komi-san wa, Comyushou desu. a.k.a Komi Can't Communicate's titular female MC character is the epitome of stoic emotionlessness that doesn't hide her spectacular levels of intelligence and high optimization of her daily life to remove all unnecessary clutter. Yet, in the eyes of Rentaro (like Komi-san's titular male MC Hitohito Tadano), she begins to feel emotions that she would not have otherwise felt, and over time, she begins to accept that Rentaro will always be a part of her life.
- Girlfriend No. 5: the Undere of Kusuri Yakuzen. The 3rd-year president of the Chemistry Club, her speciality is creating drugs that have 1001 ways of emitting strange effects, often being the boon and bane of Rentaro and his girlfriends when situations are called to the crunch. That said, Kusuri's biggest twist is that one of her drugs, the immortal drug, allows her to swap into the body of an 18-year-old girl but will always retract back to the 8-year-old body, which doesn't discount her young adult mentality. She's kind of like an oddball, working for the best of circumstances.
- Girlfriend No. 6: the Himidere of Hahari Hanazono. As you can tell by the family name, she is Hakari's mother, and her family history is one of distraught, where, in the simplest of terms, she raised Hakari as a single mother, having dated someone who was terminally ill from a very young age that he died a young child. She's hands down the biggest troublemaker when it comes to the Rentaro family; she stands her ground from the simple fact that it's immoral for Rentaro to nth-time her only daughter, which by hook or by crook, the chad MC managed to cure her heart, and that's how she got into the harem craze.
There are still more girlfriends to come, so this is just the start! And no, don't get me started on the kiss-thirsty vice principal of the school; she MUST be tied down like a snake.
I'm very impressed by the anime adaptation we got here, which manages to outdo the manga and amp it up to 11. This is much thanks to director Hikaru Sato, who is the director for the batshit-insane Jashin-chan Dropkick series. So for anyone who has seen an episode or two of that show, you'll know what to expect: absurd, ballsy, walls-over-the-top double-trouble of a show. Just like with Jashin-chan, he absolutely honoured the nonsensical parallels of the manga that's translated to the anime, and his staff team, for better or for worse, absolutely nailed the adaptation right down to a T. I have no words but endless praise for Hikaru Sato for a marvellous job done. And at first, I thought I was worried about the studio adapting this, considering that it's Bibury Animation Studios with their wide catalogue of shows with lots of variety. But my fears (as well as those ofanga readers) are soon allayed because the anime adaptation is, simply put, outstanding.
The OST is another highlight for the series as well. I often always deride songs sung by character VAs, but this one is just the right measure of vibes, and this is a great song. Even better, is Nako Misaki's ED, which is low-key certified, a bopping banger.
You don't need me to say that 100 Girlfriends a.k.a HyaKkano has been one of the most-awaited manga-turned-anime adaptations from source readers for quite some time, that with the anime, the manga has been done justice, and furthermore,.
That said, bring on Season 2! We need more of the Chad MC and his growing Rentaro girlfriend family!
