Thread: Romantic Comedy Anime

I've finally gotten around to Kare Kano, which a lot of people seem to praise highly.

For some reason, however, I can't seem to get into it. It feels.. rushed, or something. Like it was just tossed together haphazardly. I don't know why it feels like that to me, but so far, it just isn't holding my interest. I'm trying to watch it regardless of how I feel, but when a series feels like a chore to watch, I'm not sure if it's even worth it.

I'll give it up until episode seven or eight. Hopefully my opinion will change. I'm running out of things to read/watch yet again

Yeah, I couldn't take Kare Kano either - manga OR anime. Not sure why... others loved it.

In any case, let me see...

Suzuka's anime ends quite well, and is the only example I know where the anime's ending outshines the manga's continuing storyline. (Seriously, stop at the anime. The manga just introduces more levels of heartbreak in the story after that.) This is romantic drama, though, not comedy. There's a fair bit of angst involved, but the ending is very reminiscent of Maison Ikkoku (though perhaps not as well done).

I'm thinking about whether to recommend you Ai Yori Aoshi. The manga just finished being published in English (with apparently a very conclusive ending, though I haven't read it yet). However, the two seasons of the anime end with a "life goes on" theme, about halfway through the manga (if I'm not mistaken). Still, it's a nice example of a harem romantic comedy, with a truly beautiful and elegant main girl and some wonderful romantic moments. The comedy segments, unfortunately, kind of jar the romance... the series tries too hard to integrate both elements and ends up bouncing from one extreme to another. By themselves, the comedy and romantic elements are great. It's just when they are juxtaposed together that you can sometimes feel a little off-kilter. Still an above average show, though.

Onegai Teacher (a.k.a. Please Teacher) and Onegai Twins (a.k.a. Please Twins) are two separate stories set in the same universe. In the first anime series, Onegai Teacher, a high school boy, Kei, witnesses the landing of a U.F.O. near his town and sees a female alien, Mizuho, emerge from it. To his shock, the next day he finds out that she is moving in next door and becomes his homeroom teacher as well. To make matters worse, when he confronts her about her secret, an accident causes them to be locked together in a store room, and when the principal finds out, they have to pretend to be husband-and-wife in order to escape the consequences (expulsion, firing, revelation that We Are Not Alone In The Universe, etc.). But over time, this newly-married couple come to love and care for each other as they adjust to the new rhythms of life, while keeping their relationship secret from Kei's friends.

In the second anime series, Onegai Twins, Kei and Mizuho have been happily married now for a few years, but the story focuses on Maiku, one of Mizuho's students. Besides studying, Maiku lives alone in a large house that he pays for through his job as a freelance programmer. One night, he finds two girls on his doorstep, both claiming to be his twin sister that was separated from him long ago. They both carry the same photograph, and yet only one of them can be the right girl. But then who is the other, and why does she have the photo? Despite his misgivings, Maiku lets them both move in with him while they try to sort out the question. But as time goes by, both of them start to fall for him... and the question of which one is his sister and which one can be his unrelated girlfriend becomes all-important. (Sort of bittersweet ending, but that's only to be expected with a well-crafted romantic triangle like this one... one person will always be disappointed).

Hmm... I think my store of romantic anime is running out. I'm going to have to revert to manga. Let's see... I'm not sure how good the anime version is, but Marmalade Boy is a pleasant, enjoyable shoujo romantic comedy manga. About a girl and a boy whose parents divorce... and marry each other's partners. Now the four parents (in different couples) and their two children are living together in one big weird household. But what happens when the children who are supposed to be siblings fall in love with each other?

Let me know when you're ready to go back to manga, and I can provide you with a ton more romance/comedy series to read.

-Dizzy-

Oh, I'm ready to go back to manga now. After reading Angel Densetsu and a few other series, I figure I've watcehd enough anime for now.

I've seen Onegai Teacher, but have never seen Onegai Twins. I'll give that one a try, and I'll also start on the Marmalade Boy manga.

As always, thank you for giving me suggestions.

Hey dizzy. Thanks for the Yume de Aetara recommendation. It's a good one. It reminds me of Maison Ikkoku, though, in the beginning.

You're welcome, though I don't remember mentioning it in this thread yet. ^_^ Yeah, Yume de Aetara is a good romantic comedy to read... I think it was pseudorandom who first found and recommended it, though.

Natsumi, don't forget to check through the two other recent threads dealing with romantic comedy recommendations:
Looking for romance comedy manga, and
Recommendation for light-hearted shoujo comedy / romance

-Dizzy-

Oh, he did. I read it somewhere a couple of weeks ago, though . Whoever it is, thanks. I'm really enjoying the series now .

Originally Posted by Natsumi

I've finally gotten around to Kare Kano, which a lot of people seem to praise highly.

For some reason, however, I can't seem to get into it. It feels.. rushed, or something. Like it was just tossed together haphazardly. I don't know why it feels like that to me, but so far, it just isn't holding my interest. I'm trying to watch it regardless of how I feel, but when a series feels like a chore to watch, I'm not sure if it's even worth it.

I'll give it up until episode seven or eight. Hopefully my opinion will change. I'm running out of things to read/watch yet again

better drop it earlier then. For me the first few episodes were the best. the last few episodes went down hill. The ending is in the manga and I preferred that they have ended it in the Yukino arc. The Arima arc was too dark and not enough jokes (if you could even consider them as jokes) The sudden switch of main characters wasn't nice. Yukino arc: Main character is a crazy heroine whos life is like a comedy routine. Arima arc: Emo blah blah whine. =_="

I'm one of those who liked it. maybe their relationship were a bit rush but just remember the time frame of the story moves not on days but more on weeks.

EDIT:
as for Onegai Twins and Onegai Teacher. If you enjoyed the anime (I did). try reading the manga too. The story moved a bit differently for both of them.

Morino FTW!!!

I'll definately check out the manga for the Onegai series, as well.

I've just finished reading Yume de Aetara up to it's current point. I can't beleive the rest isn't translated. Considering where it's left off, it's such a huge blow not being able to know what's going to happen next. It's even worse not knowign when the next issue will be out, or even if it will EVER be out.

It's a good series so far, but I kind of have mixed feelings about it. I'm really liking it so far, but at the same time, all these misunderstandings one after the other over and over again are really bad on my heart. I keep finding myself yelling at the screen. "Why don't you stay and listen to the explanation, darn it!?" "Why don't you trust him more, you jerk!?" Stuff like that. ^.^;;

And now with yet another rival's appearance, and the fact that he seems to be winning her over (not to mention the fact that his son stole the letter, the jerk) is making me really uneasy. Argh, I want to know what happend neeext~

Again, dizz. Thanks for the recommendation for Rough. The ending, though, left me with something empty ... . I don't know, though, if I'm gonna read another of his manga. The story is great, but from what I've heard the ending is similarly vague.

Dang, and I was trying to restrain myself not to finish the series . Now, I have to look for a new one to keep me occupied .


Natsumi: you may want to read further on REC .

Ugh. Are there even any romance or romantic comedy manga series where there ISN'T a rival lover?

I've read partway through five series these past couple days, and in every one, there's always some rival guy who either succeeds in stealing the girls heart for a time (and sometimes even worse, sleeping with her behind the other guys back) or just attempts to do so, effectively messing up the main character's path to love.

I can't take it any more. Obviously, there has to be obstacles in order to make the story interesting. But not all obstacles have to be a rival lover, dagnabbit.