Why I Couldn’t Stop Replaying The Saekano Kiss Scene

Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata Fine was average at best as a film. It did not exceed my expectations, nor did it go below it. Yet, it did not explain the indescribable feeling I had after watching the movie. Perhaps, the emotion I felt was satisfaction or maybe even sadness. I wasn’t able to tell. This was even the case when I witnessed the kissing scene. It was quite an awkward scene. It shouldn’t have made my heart beat a thousand times; however, it did. It felt like my heart was about to explode as if I drank 10 litres of Red Bull before watching the film. It was an otherworldly experience. In some sense, I understood an inkling of a reason why this film spurred on such a reaction from me.

Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata (Saekano in Short) was one of my first harem shows. It was from a time when I used to consider myself the “Romance Master”, which was quite cringy when looking back at it now. I simply loved harems at the time. Despite their mediocrity, it was something I revelled watching. I dreamt of those stories and imagined how lovely it was if it could have happened to me. Those were not pure reasons; in fact, it was as incelly as it sounds. It was a power-fantasy. The hope and idea of it just resonated with my 14-year-old brain. And, as a filthy otaku, I ate all of that shit up. That is why I fell in love with all of the characters in Saekano. Characters such as Eriri Spencer Sawamura, Megumi Katou, Utaha Kasumigaoka, and Aki Toyoma became a part of my life. They became people I vaguely know. It was a vicarious experience, as I saw how they lived out their lives through the lenses of anime. This sole reason was why it was a masterpiece for me back in my heydays.

Sadly, these opinions of mine didn’t continue as I grew up. I became a more jaded individual. I started learning the narrative flaws and inconsistencies of harem shows. I stopped simply enjoying shows; instead, I started looking for aspects that coherently made sense. I wanted a show that made me think. One that could elicit new perspectives and responses out of me. Having fun was no longer a priority, I was going all in the concept of learning. As such, Saekano lost some of its magic from me. The anime just couldn’t do it for me anymore. The constant pandering to the otaku fans. The sheer way it stretched out its narrative plot. As the person I am today, I felt like it would be disrespectful to the art and craft of anime to name it a masterpiece. It couldn’t be a part of me any longer.

For how many years, I kept those memories and feelings inside a locked box. I didn’t want to remember it, but for some reason, it couldn’t cease coming back to my life. I rewatched it again. Not because I wanted to, I merely wanted to see why I enjoyed it. I wanted to rate it accurately again. From this, it resulted in me binging the entire series. It made me fall in love again. From Season 1 to Season 2, I started relating with the characters again. Once again, the show has entered back to my life.  That’s why the release of the movie’s Blu-rays on September 23 made me ecstatic. I simply couldn’t wait to see the series finale, so when proper subtitles started rolling out, I started watching it. Plot-wise and narrative-wise, it was a whole incoherent mess. It felt out of place and rushed. Yet, I must ask, “was it all bad?” I did not once complain. I did not get infuriated. I simply viewed the movie as it is to the point that I reached the kissing scene. From that point on, my heart went full-on Doki-Doki, and I’m not using that term lightly. That single scene made me realized one thing: I liked the movie. As one meme succinctly put it, “my mind was telling me, no, but my heart was telling me yes”. This movie from a purely emotional standpoint was a masterpiece.

The main reason I couldn’t explain this feeling of mine is because of one reason only: my mind and heart were at a clash with each other. As a work of art, it was utter trash. However, it brought back those feelings. Ones that I could finally describe. It made me go through a nostalgic trip back to my past when I didn’t have any good understanding of a good anime or bad. It made me understand the show’s true goal. It was simply a love letter to otakus. It was shameless and unabashed in how it represented itself. It very well knew how bad it was, narratively speaking. It was as I said, “a show that simply panders a lot to its fans.” Despite that, I do believe that aspect is its strength. I believe that all shows are not meant to be masterpieces. They were not all made with the simple goal of becoming the next “Akira”, “Casa Blanca”, etc. They were made to entertain. Looking back at it now, I think it is simply absurd to compare to the superior shows. It’s like comparing apples to oranges. It does not make sense. That’s why no matter how painstakingly average the movie is, I can’t admonish it at all. If I did, how can I explain the fact that I replayed the music and scenes many times, far-exceeding what a so-called hater could do? So, to help myself, and make myself not look like a hypocritical piece of shit. I can say that compared to the myriad of mediocre harem animes, this series could very well be at the top percentile. Correspondingly, that must mean the movie is a masterpiece. One that would be ingrained in my mind forever.

The Greatness of the Ice Kaguya Arc

Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai – Tensai-tachi no Ren’ai Zunōsen (or Kaguya-sama for short) is a manga that I deeply adore. It always manages to bring a smile to my face. Seeing the gags, the schemes, and the characters every single week makes me giggle with child-like joy. As a result, I became extremely jubilant when reading Chapter 136: Dual Confessions, Part 3. The picturesque image shown by the chapter was so flawless: balloons flying everywhere, Shirogane confessing his love to Kaguya,  Kaguya kissing Shirogane; it could not have been executed any better. Other than all of that, I was simply overjoyed from the prospect of seeing Kaguya and Prez finally hooking up. I was elated, but I was also feeling a bit melancholy. The thought of “I guess this is ending” was pervasive in my mind. I could not imagine any other way this manga would progress without becoming a drab. Chapters 138-141 were still hilarious and side-splitting; however, I was still thinking at the back of my mind that it can end anytime soon. Funnily enough, though, I barely had any qualms with it finishing early because at least it’s better than dragging the story out. This is why I was very angry when Chapter 142 came out with it introducing Ice Kaguya. It infuriated me as I felt like the story just got reset. I did not want to see the relationship start from zero, once again. Thinking about it frightened me that there is a chance of my beloved manga being milked dry like all the other popular ones before it. Because of that, I hastily readied myself for what I presumed to be the series’ inevitable demise. I thought that merely sticking with it will lead me to subject myself to tiresome and overdone cliches. However, I am immensely happy to say that I was severely wrong. The Ice Kaguya Arc, in spite of my previous concerns, may go down as one of the best arcs in Kaguya Sama. It has some of the most well-done character developments that I have ever seen in the comic, and I will explain intensively on why I think that is the case. 

For brevity sake, I will call Ice Kaguya, “Tsundere-chan”, while I will call Normal Kaguya, “Kaguya-chan.” Bear with it, please.

Even though, I praised the Ice Kaguya Arc for being so special; its ingenuity was not transparent at the start. Chapters 142-145 were almost the same exact repeat of the previous chapters before it, only this time it had Tsundere-chan instead of Kaguya-chan. However, when I said that its brilliance was not obvious at the beginning, I think I was merely not looking hard enough. These four chapters may be in the same setting as before, but it gave me a new perspective on the manga, thanks to the inclusion of Tsundere-chan. In each passing chapter, I saw how much Kaguya (including all of her personas) loved President Shirogane. I realized that it was never really an act or any type of superficial love. In Chapter 144, I witness Tsundere-chan dropping the act and stating that she definitely loves Shirogane. It was exciting to see that despite my previous doubts, she was still the same Kaguya-chan that the fandom all knew and loved. All of the things that Tsundere-chan did was only a product of her not being honest. Alongside with this, we saw Shirogane’s mask crumble down bit by bit. It was funny to see Shirogane panicking over every little action that Tsundere-chan takes. With him being such a dense and ridiculous character, he was not able to handle the tall order of trying to understand a girl’s heart. I was filled with laughter, but on the other hand, I was also absolutely mortified. From knowing Shirogane the character, I can say that he has a fragile heart. He was like a ticking time bomb. Any second from now, Shirogane can explode and breakdown because of the ordeal. That is why when he finally collapsed, I felt like it was a long time coming. 

After that, it was all downhill from here for Tsundere-chan and Shirogane. Both of their disguise broke-down in Chapter 146-147. When Tsundere-chan was contemplating whether she should give back the reins to Kaguya-chan or not, her backstory was revealed.

“A Shinomiya never relies on others, we use them, manipulate them, and if needed, we toss them, you must never express emotion, a polite smile is permitted, but you must never show anger or sadness, and crying is out of the question.” 

These were the type of things that were echoed all-throughout her childhood. As a result, Kaguya had trouble communicating with others, as being perfect was so ingrained in her mind. “Do it properly” and “Why can’t you do something simple,” she would say to her classmates; however, unbeknownst to her, they were already trying their best. She was a scion from the Shinomiya family, born with plenty talents and benefits. Due to that, she must conduct herself as one. In spite of that, all she wanted to be is a girl with nothing attached to her name. She wanted friends, a family, and a person to love. She wanted a normal life, but she could not grasp that dream because of her situation and blood. She may seemingly have everything; yet, it was more like she had nothing. 

In addition to that, the reason why Shirogane worked so hard was unveiled. It was intimated earlier in the manga, that the reason was Kaguya-chan, herself; though, it was more than that. President Shirogane, in spite of his grandiose and flawless demeanour, was born without talents. He confessed in Chapter 147 that he was not always an intelligent student. He was abandoned by his mother because of failing to meet her expectations. Traumatized by such an experience, he worked his way up to the point that he cannot be called an underwhelming child. This, however, was not the final obstacle that he faced. During a normal day in Shuchiin Academy, he was distraught by the fact that Kaguya-chan ignored him. He was saddened because of what transpired. To bounce back, He needed to find a way to become of equal status as her. Taking the advice from his senpai, he constructed himself a new persona, one that is a complete opposite of his timid nature. He challenged Kaguya-chan one day, and he defeated her. At long last, he did it. He found a way to be at an equal level as Kaguya Shinomiya, the prodigy. He became the perfect actor. Every day, he meticulously grinds to keep up this facade. Despite that, there is always the looming anxiety at the back of his mind that it can all go crumbling down. As a result, he must continuously keep up with his mask even at the detriment of his own health. He became diligent in staying perfect to the point that it even showed in his room: 

“Talent can’t beat hard work; “Always Triple Check”; “Fearless”; “The pain from studying is only temporary. The pain from not studying lasts a lifetime”; “Everything else is meaningless”; “Fuck Ignorance”; “Fuck Sleep.”

All of these sayings were plastered on his room’s walls, showcasing how willing he was to subject himself to a life of insanity as a mere price for perfection.

Chapters 146-148 alone showed me the totality of the arc. It also established the duality of Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane. Kaguya was born perfect and was raised to be one; on the other hand, Shirogane was born imperfect and made himself perfect. Yet, even if they achieved perfectionism, they were suffocating from the standards that they set for themselves. Shirogane is burdened by his hard-working nature; in contrast, Kaguya is burdened by her own abilities and talents. They were both barred from having a normal pleasant life. For them, going back to what they were once was is life-threatening. Kaguya unveiled may push people away again. Shirogane unveiled may disappoint people again. It is the curse of the winners who achieved perfection or maybe really the losers. 

With their weaknesses perfectly laid bare, the conclusion of the Ice Kaguya Arc in Chapters 150-151 couldn’t have been any better. Shirogane afraid of showing his gift ran away from Tsundere-chan. Thankfully, Tsundere-chan managed to catch up to him. The gift that Shirogane gave was an astoundingly… perfectly crafted Kendama (hilarious). Tsundere-chan, in spite of being initially surprised a bit, stated that she was not disappointed. Having the chance to overhear the confession that Shirogane made in Chapters 147, she was determined to let him open up to her. Instead of an extraordinary confession as seen in Chapters 136, she prefers just an ordinary teenage romance. Shirogane seeing Tsundere-chan still loving him, in spite of what she has witnessed, calmed him down. Kaguya was saved by Shirogane’s hard-working nature, while Shirogane was saved by Kaguya’s kind nature. They were always meant for each other. After all of that, while sitting on the bench, Shirogane finally kissed Tsundere-chan; it was a simple kiss. Additionally, we see that the true nature of Tsundere-chan was Kaguya-chan all along as they were just all caricatures of a girl’s unwavering heart. It was quite a perfect finale to the romantic war.

Initially, I was quite perplexed by Aka Akasaka’s decision of bringing Tsundere-chan to the limelight. I couldn’t imagine how the series could go on after the terrific Chapter 136. I was terrified from the mere prospect of the series ending disastrously. Yet, I was once again proven to be incorrect. With Aka Akasaka’s ability to surprise me every single time, I can finally say that the manga is in good hands. Aka Akasaka is a genius mangaka and because of that Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai – Tensai-tachi no Ren’ai Zunōsen will always be a top-notch work of art.

July 13, 2019 : Edited the Grammar

Ego Is Not Fit For A Teacher

With my years as a student, I have seen the importance of teaching. I regard teachers as a requisite for the contemporary world. Without them, our normal everyday lives will cease to exist. All the things that we know of will be gone in an instant. Teachers are the ones that keep our convoluted society running because it is to my knowledge that they provide many benefits to the people of Earth. For example, teaching encourages the transfer of knowledge from person to person. Teachers allow subjects such as Mathematics, Science, and English to be passed on to people. Even if someone tries his damndest to deride their value, it cannot be denied that those subjects significantly influenced our domain. It was due to those subjects that humanity even had a chance to upheave itself to the stars. Adding to that, we learned how to walk, speak, eat, sit, type, and dance due to the presence of our teachers. We became the person that we are today thanks to them. Another benefit of teaching is that it helps people recontextualize topics that they already have known before. The things that we use to perceive as self-explanatory may have been more intricate and complex than we thought. By the process of regurgitation, it reinforces or develops our understanding of a previous subject. Through this, we become more knowledgeable and calculated in how we approach our daily life. All of these facts support my belief that without teaching, mankind’s progression will come to a halt. All of man’s invention and activity will end. The world today would not be able to stand in its own two feet. This is why I believe that it is highly necessary for us to find out what makes an ideal teacher. We need to know the characteristics of a teacher that helps encourage a healthy classroom in which everyone can learn. In line with this, I can confidently say that ego is not one of those characteristics. They are irrelevant to the teaching environment.  There are many reasons why: Ego makes a teacher focus on success rather than improvement; it leads them to become bitter when students surpass them; and, it hampers their explanation. Ego is not fit for a teacher.

For a better understanding, I will have an in-depth explanation of why I think Ego is not fit for a Teacher. First, as stated earlier, it makes a teacher prioritize accomplishments over progress. Why? It is due to them thinking that they have taught their students at the utmost of their ability. It will cause them great pain if they even catch a glimpse of their students failing. They want to avoid trying again. They do not want to acknowledge that they could have done better, which is why they want to see excellent results immediately. According to their pride, it is nigh impossible for their students to not get their lessons. If not, all of the time they spent on preparing the classes will be all for nought. However, the fact of the matter is that reality never really pans out the way we want it to be. Even if they refuse to admit it their way of teaching is not foolproof. They will have to repeat their lessons again to their students. They will have to do extra work. They must hammer the same points to their students until they understand it. Egotistic teachers are impatient and are incapable of seeing the minor improvements of their students. Learning takes a long time. This is why having impatience is a complete antithesis to the core values of a teacher. 

Here is the second point, teachers with an ego, who gets outpaced by their students, are the most vitriolic creatures on the planet. They writhe from even a sight of their students becoming better than them. These teachers with an ego assume that they are best. It is mind-boggling for them to see a person that they once taught to become more knowledgeable or skilled than them. It is preposterous that a student can go above their teacher. But unbeknownst to them, their students took in what they learned, experimented with it, and achieved higher heights than what they could have ever reached. The teacher gave them the knowledge and they used it for their advantage. Also, they berate students who oppose them. They forbid an interesting discussion from occurring mainly due to their inferiority complex. Students are forced to live in a world where they could do anything except break off from their teacher’s cage. Teachers filled with hubris will resent students that will go even further than them; as a result of the empty shell that is their lives. Their nature significantly goes against the function of teaching, which is to pass down lessons and improve upon them. Egotistic Teachers revile the fact that there are people more superior than them. They struggle hard to stay more brilliant than others; yet, their time is already up.

Lastly, the worst aspect of the Ego within a teacher is that it hinders their explanation.  For the sake of looking smart, they will resist trying to make the lessons intelligible to the listeners. They hate simplifying things because of the fact that they are so self-centred. They think how they understand things will work for everyone. They cannot consider that throwing out fancy terms and words merely makes them look conceited and pretentious. They are haughty beings that loathe streamlining their teachings for the sake of brevity or clarity. In their head, it is like they are stooping down to someone’ level. They take it as an attack on their “superiority.” This way of teaching is pernicious to the student’s learning experience. Because of the inability of dumbing things down and looking at things pragmatically, these lessons will find a difficult time penetrating inside the learner’s head. It will inhibit the student’s development. This is the worst consequence of all as it simply curbs the act of teaching itself. It is logically flawed to have even an idea that simplifying things is senseless. As Albert Einstein was once attributed to saying, “if you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it enough.” Teaching must be explained in a simple manner in which all students can get. If a teacher cannot do that; then, they are are just ineffective and ignorant to the core.

Teaching is highly essential for the development of humanity. Its influential effect on society meets no bounds. That is why it is vital for us to rid ourselves from things that can dilute the process of teaching. Because of that, Ego has no place in the teaching environment; it only brings trouble. It makes Teachers allergic to improvement, greatness, and practicality. Ego can only bring them down. A teacher must be wary of letting their ego get the better of them. Yet, they shouldn’t be the only ones worrying, as this does not only apply to the profession of teachers. People like coaches and leaders need to liberate themselves from their arrogance. How can people follow such pompous people? Nobody is safe from condescension. People must always be reminded to lead and teach people with the goal of improvement in mind. Humanity did not come this far merely because of one person, it was a collective effort. My advice to people who want to lead and guide others is that they must remain humble. They must transform that ego of theirs into motivation and drive to lead people to success. Based on my experience, this is how teaching is supposed to be like. Ego is definitely not fit for a teacher.

Why Kumagawa Is An Awesome Anti-Hero

If there is one way to describe Nisio Isin, it is that he loves adding idiosyncratic and verbose dialogues in his works. As a result, most or if not all of his creations are mind-boggling and odd pieces of literature. One of those creations is a series called Medaka Box, but what makes it different from the rest is that it was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump, a magazine targeted towards young boys and teenagers. Seeing Medaka Box in that magazine is such a surprise considering it is filled with esoteric themes and convoluted battles, things that not any average young reader would be able to comprehend fully.  In spite of that, astoundingly enough, it managed to have a four year run in Shonen Jump. There are many reasons why, but the most predominant cause is the introduction of a character named Kumagawa Misogi. Before that, the story had an extremely sluggish and boorish start. It was a series without an identity, but this all changed during the middle of its run. The manga did a complete turnaround and started going to an upward trend. It started giving the reader a reason to invest in their characters. With the story starting to be filled with fast-paced action and breathtaking stakes, the audience were now glued to the pages. Among all of these changes, this was also the time they added in the lovable loser, Kumagawa Misogi. This is probably the greatest decision Nisio Isin could have ever made for Medaka Box. Combining him with the other elements introduced earlier elevated the manga to a higher level, as it is a fact that he is, without a doubt, a great anti-hero. He can be compared with the likes of Kira from JJBA Part IV, Meruem from Hunter X Hunter, and Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z; who are all excellent and relatable villains. Kumagawa Misogi is such a remarkable character and this blog will go to great lengths stating why he is one.

Not a lot of characters can be taken seriously while being comedic, but Kumagawa Misogi is one of these outliers. He is a hilarious character filled with quips that just passes over a reader’s head. For example,  Kumagawa Misogi’s style of speech is a pun in as of itself. Kumagawa is known for speaking in 『』(brackets), which implies literally in Japanese as 括弧かっこつける (kakko tsukeru), meaning “to add brackets/parenthesis. Subsequentially, the brackets can be interpreted as the well-known expression of 格好かっこつける (kakko tsukeru), roughly translated in English as “to look cool.” This shows that Kumagawa Misogi is a guy who loves acting mysterious, even if his character is inherently goofy. In spite of this, his demeanour is showing that maybe all of it is not an act. Another thing is that his ability to materialize screws in front of his enemies is a way of saying, “Screw You.” So, every single time he defeats an opponent is a symbolism of him screwing them off. This adds more to him being a terrifically wicked character. One last thing, his habit of constantly making silly banters during his fights is reminiscent of someone like Spider-Man. A person cannot help but chuckle a bit when he does his snappy wisecracks. All in all, these characteristics of his make the audience fall in love with him even more. Kumagawa Misogi is an incredible character because he is such a humorous individual while staying amazingly awesome.

Kumagawa Misogi has another aspect to his character that makes him compelling to readers, which is that he is charismatic. He manages to pull people in with his antics and misadventures. If I were to describe him, he is an enigmatic character. He has that aura that makes him so endearing to people. It may be because, as stated earlier, of his disposition that percolates the feeling that he is a phenomenal figure. Kumagawa Misogi dons an old black European military uniform. The black colour epitomizes the mysterious and strong air around him. The military uniform shows that he means business and that he is ready to fight anytime and anywhere. Meanwhile, he stands upright in a way that appears as if he is looking down on others, despite his short stature. Plus, he smiles in a devious fashion. This prevents people from actually knowing what he is feeling or thinking. It gives others the impression that he is unpredictable. As a result of these attributes, he easily became the most popular character in Medaka Box. To illustrate, in the second popularity poll of the series, Kumagawa Misogi gained a staggering three-thousand-eight-hundred-fifty-four fan-votes, while the character behind him, Kurokami Medaka, only had nine-hundred-ninety-two fan-votes. He is a magnetic character that only garners love from the readers.

Finally, what makes Kumagawa Misogi a noteworthy anti-hero is that he is extremely strong and weak at the same time. That statement is a non-sequitur; however, he really is replete with contradictions. He has an unbelievably powerful ability named All Fiction or (Oousotsuki/大嘘憑き), which means “Lying Demon,” a name that pays homage to Kumagawa himself. It is an ability that gives him the power to turn anything in reality into fiction. It is absurdly strong that he can even evaporate the world from existence. In spite of this, he consistently manages to lose, shading light to his title “the Good Loser.” Every time he almost reaches to the brink of winning, victory always somehow slips away. Yet, this does not deter him, he repeatedly stands up and walks again. Maybe it is true that he is inherently flawed, but that does not stop him from chasing his dream. He will never break his pursuit of becoming victorious. He learns from every mistake to the point that he became a savant in finding people’s weak-points. He is strong-willed and wants to be the main character of a story. The best example of this is shown when he battled Kurokami Medaka in the Kumagawa Incident Arc. Even when he was facing Kurokami Medaka, who is perfect to the point of imperfection, he did not back down and even made a fierce declaration that he will beat her. As expected, he did lose but that resolve of his is admirable. He is a character that is unlucky and nevertheless formidable to the core. This is the major factor why Kumagawa Misogi is a remarkable character.

In conclusion, these are all the reasons why Kumagawa Misogi is an awesome anti-hero. He is a character that people must aspire to create. He is overpowered; yet, extremely underpowered at the same time. He conducts himself in an intimidating but stunning manner. He does that to a degree that he attracts people to him. Additionally, he entertains everyone by always starting his speeches with a zinger. He is a character of mesmerizing quality. It is reasonable to say that Kumagawa Misogi is the central reason why Medaka Box avoided cancellation. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to state that Kumagawa Misogi is one of the finest characters to ever appear in the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump. This is why a person cannot help but support Kumagawa Misogi in his journey for greatness. He maybe is vilified, reviled, and maligned by the other characters in the series; nonetheless, he will never ever consign his dream to anyone. Kumagawa Misogi will plainly stay as the hilarious, charismatic, and relatable character that he is while marching forward to acquire the taste of victory.

“I want to beat them. Even though I’m not cool, or strong, or just, or beautiful, or cute, or pretty, I want to beat the cool, strong, just, beautiful, cute, and pretty people. Even though I wasn’t blessed with talent, even though I’m stupid and have a bad personality, have bad grades, am misguided and am a good for nothing, I want to beat the talented, smart, likeable, overachieving people. I want to beat those with friends when I can’t have friends. I want to beat the people who work hard when I can’t work hard. I want to beat the victorious people when I can’t win. I want to beat the happy people when I’m miserable. Even if I’m hated, even if I’m despised, even if I’m useless, I want to prove that I’m better than the main characters!”

– Kumagawa Misogi from Medaka Box

WHY HAREMS ARE INHERENTLY FLAWED

If you’ve been an anime fan for quite a while, you would have probably heard about this type of anime – called the Harem. Seeing them not even being mentioned by a bit from the anime community would be such an unusual sight. This is why I can confidently proclaim that Harems are, without a doubt, one of the most popular genres in anime. There are many reasons why but primarily it’s because they give the fandom a gift, one that came down from the heavens. One that is so beautiful to the point that you can’t even fathom it existing: an incorporeal blessing. This gift that I’m heavily exalting is the girl that we usually see in anime or as we commonly call them here in the community, our Waifu. They are fictitious creatures that give mankind something that they always wanted, love. As a result, these “overlords“, the fans, are willing to fight tooth and nail just for their waifus. Desperate to the point that they are willing to have long-winding pointless arguments just to “protect” them. They would defend girls such as Chitoge Kirisaki, Yukino Yukinoshita, Miku Nakano, and Mafuyu Kirisu from the haters lurking in the shadows. Witnessing those fine gentlemen exuberating with that passion, made me want to rally with them. Therefore, we can conclude Harems Shows do have a massive influence on the fandom; however, they do come with some flaws. The problems of the genre can start with their uninteresting protagonists up to their over-reliance on a multitude of tired-out and tiresome cliches. Many would probably attribute those flaws to the individual shows themselves but that isn’t the case. I’ll play devil’s advocate and state that it might be a problem embedded in the genre. I believe that Harems are inherently flawed.

Before talking about why Harems are inherently flawed, we must first talk about its issues. First and foremost, many of these shows have extremely uninteresting protagonists. They are characters that act as if their whole point of existing is to hamper the story’s quality. Examples of those characters are Rito Yuuki from To Love Ru and Raku Ichigo from Nisekoi. In my opinion, Nisekoi and To Love Ru have given me the most compelling and engaging heroines that the medium could have ever offered; yet, the same cannot be said with its protagonists. Hence, I am simply astonished from those two characters. Those two series have already shown that they are perfectly capable of creating unique and interesting characters, so how is it possible that those two protagonists can be dullest characters ever seen in anime.  To illustrate, Rito Yuuki, besides his ability to magically get girl’s clothes off, doesn’t really have any interesting traits except for being kind. When watching the show, he doesn’t come off as particularly interesting or impressive to me. I would even dare to say that I do not have any memorable memories of him. The only thing that I could recall about him is that for an average small dude, he somehow always gets the girls. Rito Yuuki is really an unexciting character. On the other side of the table, Raku Ichigo, if I can state it nicely, is an unremarkable character. The only thing I know about him is that he’s an alright dude who is sometimes kind; also, he comes off as an airhead. I believed that Raku Ichigo had so much potential as a character. He was legit raised by the mafia. There were so many ways that he could have made into a great character. Sadly, the creator turned him into the typical shounen harem protagonist with no personality. Comparing them side by side, Rito Yuuki and Raku Ichigo are really similar. They are both kind-hearted, air-headed, stupid, and boring individuals. They are the stereotypical protagonists that have nothing to do with their lives. And in my opinion, those are the worst type of characters because they aimlessly wander around in the story without much goals. Additionally, it is infuriating that they rely too much on others. They need to be prompted by others so that they can move on in the story. This is why Harem stories feel like they are dragged and stretched out, as these characters would take so long just to make a decision. The story would have turned out better if the MC had decided to do something immediately.

The Harem protagonist is also what I would describe being painstakingly indecisive and aloof. That is why I am taken aback on how those characters were popular with the ladies in the first place. It just amazes me how the heroines can even put up with them. For characters with no redeeming qualities, it puzzles me that they are so well-liked in their own respective series. This shows another problem that I have with the Harem genre – the romance rarely makes sense. Characters are usually paired up with one another without any thought about their synergy. How is it that people like Hikigaya Hachiman from Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy Wa Machigatteiru, who usually upsets the people around them, are even capable of having a harem? Am I missing something here? From what I observe, Hachiman is simply put an asshole to every person he meets. Yes, it’s not on purpose, but that’s simply how he comes off to people. In my opinion, his character is not fit for romance. Thus, I am left wondering how he managed to make those girls fall in love with him. For a person who pushes away the people near him, why does nothing happen? Is it because he was kind one time? Sadly enough, that is pretty much the answer.. I hate the aspect of Harems that makes majority of the protagonist’s flaws written completely because of them showing a split second of compassion. In these types of shows, just being friendly occasionally at times is all it takes to get the girls; in my opinion, that’s pretty dumb. Usually, it takes things like charisma, intelligence, chivalry, good-looks, and even a charming personality to charm women. Hachiman acting nice sometimes does not excuse him off from any of his earlier misdeeds. Yes, people change but I still see Hachiman doing the same exact thing in the next episode. What a contrived premise! The romance doesn’t make sense; since, they pair these lousy characters with one another, without any thought for the chemistry. What makes it worse is that I even regard Hachiman as one of the better-written protagonists coming off the genre. There are worse harem MCs than him. For instance, Aki Tomoya from Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata is an example of a character that makes me snore. He is generic and honestly at one point, I even forgot his name. That’s why it baffles me that he was able to get the girls to talk back to him. He has a demeanour that is plain and once again, very aloof. At least, I can say that Hachiman has a personality, albeit one that is edgy and filled with angst. I would like to mention that Kasuga Arata from Trinity Seven and Yokodera Youta from Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko are not “game-changing” protagonist. Saying that is such a fallacious statement. Being a pervert is not at all a new concept for harem protagonists. Rito Yuuki from To Love Ru, Hyoudou Issei from Highschool DxD, and many more protagonists have done that already. In addition, those protagonists being perverted fuels my previous argument even more. Why would people be romantically involved with a person that is quite a pervert? Yes, it is can be construed as a recurring joke but let’s be real here, it’s not really funny. In line with that, that’s another problem with the harem genre, they usually rely on mundane and unoriginal tropes.

It’s perfectly fine to be unimaginative at times, but constantly repeating the same thing over and over again is simply put annoying. They think it’s a good idea reusing the same bloody jokes as if they wouldn’t get old. This is done repeatedly to the point that these shows would milk those gags and plot-points dry. For example, these shows repeatedly include these tired out archetypes like the Tsundere, Kuudere, Yandere, and Deredere in their stories. It may be hilarious and interesting for the first few times, but it gets irritating after a while. The problem with these archetypes is that it makes these shows pretend that they are giving us “characters”; however, instead they’re just cardboard cut-outs of the same rubbish. Some shows avoid this by giving their characters an actual realistic personality, which is why I give them some leeway. Yet, there are still some that commit the same mistakes. Also, the deres aren’t the only ones being overused either. Harem tropes like the accidental panty shots, the opening the door while they’re changing “accident”, the lap pillows, the Valentine’s Day chocolates, and many more are overdone beyond proportion. You can correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t we create stories because we want to showcase original and creative ideas to the public? Well if I’m right, I’m not seeing any of that here. I see a complete lack of ingenuity from most of the shows to the point that it angers me. For example, the existence of animes like Rakudai Kishi no Chivalry and Asterisk Wars shows that some people are incapable of having any innovation placed inside their craft. Both of these stories cliches and plot are almost identical to the point that it makes me doubt their originality. How is it possible for them to coexist in the same universe. How was this not even prevented? Well, in my opinion, all of these occurred because of the industry’s cynicism. These shows use the typical harem antics as a crutch for having an over-simplistic plot devoid of any intelligence. As a way to garner more viewers without putting much effort, they would introduce something familiar to them. This will make creating an actual compelling story not anymore necessary. Since, instead of actually creating an excellent craft, they would decide to create another Isekai. They would rather accept mediocrity than risk losing money because of their originality. They would run away from failure instead of facing it and learning from it.

Finally, I must state the most glaring issue in Harem animes – the lack of narrative stakes. These stories seem to be allergic to progress and repercussions. Every time the anime showcases some growth, the next time it airs, they pretend as if nothing had ever happened. They accomplish this by giving out very idiotic excuses. Every so often, the reason can be justified; yet, the number of times it is just plain baloney is immeasurable. For example, stories such as To Love Ru, Nisekoi, Bokutachi Wa Benkyou ga Dekinai, and Zero No Tsukaima, have protagonists that are dense beyond belief. Every chance the story has of moving forward is ruined by their stupidity. Sorry did I just hear a confession? Oh, wait I’m wrong, it’s merely a statement that reaffirms our friendship even though it’s clearly obvious that you like me. I can’t help but laugh at how frequent these extremely dumb moments appear in these Harem Shows. What’s more hilarious is that as said earlier, the girls still like the MC even though they are totally dim-witted and even deaf. Joking aside, it is a worrying that these stories seem to have an affinity with bland and unchanging narratives. We see characters go through 20+ episodes or 200+ chapters with barely any development at all. Even worse is that these problems persist even up to the story’s ending. Adding to that, stories like these usually take a path that resolves absolutely nothing and rewards the character’s cowardliness. For instance, in Maga Tsuki, we see the MC, Yasuke Arahabaki, take the cowardly route by deciding to be paired up with all of the girls instead of only one. Because of his fear of breaking the other girls’ hearts, he chose to be with all of them instead. This shows one aspect of the harem genre: they love taking the easy way out. The genre is incapable of giving out any consequences based on the character’s actions. Spineless acts like these piss me off to no end.  It annoys me that these stories treat growth and character formation like it’s the plague. They avoid it as much as possible. Because of this, it pains me a lot seeing a series rip all of the growth that it has undergone apart. For example, Rosario To Vampire took the cheap approach and remove the consequences that it laid out. To cut it short, they did this by bringing Pink Monka back to life by essentially making her take the spot of White Moka. Witnessing this, made me feel like the series was mocking me for actually crying over the loss of Pink Monka. It was like the ending didn’t really matter. Sadly, this wasn’t the first time this happened to me. I see this same exact scenario being pulled out all the time to the point that I lack even the capability to care about it anymore.

From reading this, you may mistake me as a Harem hater; however, that is far from the truth. There are some shows within the genre that I regard highly. One of them is The World That God Only Knows (TWGOK). This series, thanks to its storytelling, made me heavily invest in its plot. Additionally, TWGOK has in my opinion, one of the best protagonists in the whole of anime. What sets him apart from the typical harem protagonist is that he’s logical, rational, consistent, and even entertaining. He is not the same cardboard cutout like the rest of the plebians. Keima Katsuragi knows what is going on and he acts appropriately according to his personality. When he acts altruistic, it is because his life is at stake. When he acts like a douchebag, it’s because he doesn’t want to be bothered. He also does all things in line with his experience in dating simulators. Addition to that, the show does have excellent story-telling. The plot device that made the girls lose their memory of the conquest was, honestly, a brilliant idea. It gave the perfect reason for why things never progressed between Keima and the girls. Also, it made Keima not find the need to make any contact with his harem. Barring the MC from interacting with his harem is a surefire way to cease any antics and cliches from happening. Another one of its strengths is that it parodied other shows and games in a way that was hilarious. I have never once gone through an episode without having a huge smirk coming off from my face. It was a breath of new fresh air.

The other series that I like within the Harem genre is Monogatari. Technically, it’s not a harem but it still has some aspects of it. So keeping that in mind, here are its strengths. One of the things that I like about the show is that it mocks all the tropes and cliches that are seen in its contemporaries. The show does this by taking those same tired old things and subverting them altogether. For example, Nadeko Sengoku is the classic Deredere: she’s shy, moe, and timid. She checks all of the boxes for the typical cute character. Despite that later in the series, we, in fact, had the chance to see her issues as a character. We managed to catch a glimpse of the inner-workings of her brain. We observed that she purposely acts like the victim so she can relish from being protected by others. Everything that happened to her was really caused by her inability to take action. All of it may not be her fault, but most of it was a byproduct of her behaviour. Showing this turned Nadeko Sengoku from a typical cute character into a realistic character with actual flaws. In my opinion, that aspect of the show is why it’s so different from the rest. It actually portrayed faulty characters that can make the same errors as the rest of humanity. These characters also have shown that they have their own motivation and agenda. They act accordingly to their beliefs and not to what the story asks them to do. In addition, for every action that the characters have done also had its own subsequent consequence. This was exhilarating for me as this is rarely done by these types of shows. Instead of acting ignorant, they actually respond to the events that happened previously in the story. Monogatari progresses its plot instead of becoming stale and boring. This, without a doubt, is the greatest strength of this show.

Monogatari and The World That God Only Knows are animes that I consider to be my favourites. I adore them and I respect their efforts in creating a compelling plot; nevertheless, they do have their flaws. For TWGOK, it still runs away from having to deal with any of the repercussions that would have come from its characters. The plot device was brilliant, in a sense, that it gave a perfectly reasonable excuse why the relationships didn’t progress. It prevented Keima from having to interact with his harems; however, it also barred him from facing the aftermath of his conquests. This was actually later tackled in the Goddesses Arc but it was done in a way that was still unsatisfying. The story was nearly verging towards the same harem tropes done in other boring animes. Additionally, most of the girls seemed unconcerned with Keima’s lackadaisical attitude towards real-life romance, and that would be another negative for me. While with Monogatari, even though it was great and all, it never actually focused on the romance and neither was it really a Harem Show. The meat of the plot was in the characters’ life and progression. That is why for all the characters to mature, the story had to target on something other than their love-life. Furthermore, what also disproved that Monogatari was actually through and through a harem series was that the protagonist, Araragi Koyomi, really only had a romantic affiliation with Hitagi Sengouhara alone. Meanwhile, Araragi had a platonic relationship with the other heroines.

So, what was the point of this discussion? Well, it outlined all of the reasons why I think that the Harem genre is inherently flawed. First and foremost, as seen with The World That God Only Knows and Monogatari, they needed to actually get away from the harem aspects of the show for the betterment of the plot. For example, TWGOK used a plot device that prevented Keima Katsuragi from having to deal with his harem. It made the common harem antics seen in other shows non-existent. Yet, those cliches and tropes are what defines the genre. By doing this, the show acknowledged that, by nature, harems dilute the plot. The audience wouldn’t have the need to see the typical boring and asinine cliches if it was avoided in the first place. Meanwhile, for Monogatari, instead of diving deep into the romance of all these characters, it focused on their lives and personality. We were shown actual realistic characters whose lives weren’t solely dependent on love. As a result, it strayed far away from the aspects seen in Harem shows. As you can see, both of these shows are distinctly different from their contemporaries. Instead of sticking with a formula, they created their own. This is because if they actually used those Harem tropes and antics, they would be hurting the story. And as has been shown time and time again, those aspects are indeed harmful to the structure of the plot. The uninteresting characters and annoying cliches prevent them from having a better story. All of these demonstrate that Harems as it is defined now, cannot and never will create any great stories. The first reason is that it needs a lot of women in the story to function. Remember it’s a harem show meaning, it needs girls fighting over for the main character. When there are multiple heroines involved, it usually devolves into a plot about who is the best girl. The story will be filled with scenarios that will try to argue which girl is better. And by the end of it all, when the story actually needs to come to an end, it will leave the creators a dilemma. How can we please the fans who stuck through the whole entire story? If the worst girl apparently wins, won’t that weaken the finale? That shows another problem with the genre, the fans. These shows must cater to the fandom so that it can succeed, Because of that, these animes do a lot of heavy pandering. As I mentioned earlier, the community is heavily obsessed with their waifus, they would stop at nothing just to buy merchandise of them. So as a cynical move of the industry to earn more money, they would put all of its attention into the heroines. As a result, the protagonist will get less screen-time. Plus, they would strip the MC from all of its personality, so that the audience can easily place themselves in their shoes. The fans would feel like they are getting all of the love. They will try to please the fans to the point that it may even hamper the plot. Doing this will help them get a quick buck. Last and not least, one inherent flaw of Harems is that they are romance stories. Be it as it may, a majority of love stories must rely on clichés to keep itself going. The act of falling in love has been told since time immemorial. Hence why there is not a lot of creativity going on in those types of stories. How can you surprise the audience when they pretty much know what’s going to happen. One more point that goes back to the fans again, generally people watch these in the first place as a form of escapism. For example, they want to experience love all over again and want to feel happiness. So, it is not hard to believe when saying that Harems are inherently escapism shows. They serve to please the fandom and tell them a story that would take away their fears. The audience watching these shows aren’t expecting a masterpiece, they just want a way to forget about their shitty lives. This is why these shows sole purpose is to entertain their viewers purely by the merits of its charm. They would use low-hanging jokes and waifus to keep them glued to the screen.

All in all, Harem Shows are inherently flawed, since if a person wants to fix their show, they must create a totally new genre. They can do this via gimmicks such as TWGOK’s plot device or a shift in focus like Monogatari. Only by doing that, can the story actually have the chance to develop their characters and create a compelling story. Harem antics are funny at first but they get really stale fast. If a show actually detracts from the harem tropes, it will benefit them greatly. We can see that in the two shows that I consider being high-standard Harem animes. For TWGOK, it led to the creation of an actual protagonist with a personality. We were able to witness the maturation of a character who was first stubborn and abrasive, and by the end, sees girls as real people rather than quests for the sake of completing a game. Meanwhile, for Monogatari, they were given a chance to develop the characters as real people. Because of this, they were able to surprise people by subverting expectations and transforming characters who were initially presented as archetypes into realistic characters. This is why I believe that for these types of stories to be better, they need to avoid aspects from other harem shows. They must evolve and become entirely different from what is usually considered to be a Harem anime. The reason is that they bring so much unnecessary filler to the plot. Those cliches, tropes, and elements do not improve the story, but instead, hurts it. This is why I believe that Harems are inherently flawed.

Life At Its Essence – 3 Gatsu No Lion

“You must learn how to give up”, he said. “This is just how life works”, I said. “Why do I need help?”, I thought. These statements all went at me like a raging tempest. And sadly once, I used to follow them religiously. I believed that it was a futile act to go tackle the hardships of life head-on. Why must I do such a daunting task, when I was sure I was only going to fail? But that’s the thing, no one can be sure of anything. The world just works that way. It is filled with unpredictability. We encounter good things and bad things, all in inconsistent intervals. So, why bother thinking of those things? Why not simply move forward and seek happiness.

This is a problem most people go through, which makes 3-gatsu no Lion’s protagonist Kiriyama Rei so relatable. Being already a professional shogi player by the age of 16. Kiriyama Rei has already experienced the unruly hardships of life and saw in his eyes the scars people got from it. As a result, he withdrew himself from other people because of fear: a fear of rejection, failure, difficulty, and suffering. Unbeknownst to him, however, there is more to life than misery. The world is conjointly filled with sweet things such as friendships, familial bonds, and love. Yet, he remained oblivious of their existence till he encountered the Kawamoto Sisters. The Kawamoto Sisters found a person, lost in the darkness that was his imagination, and took it as their duty to heal him from his scars. To Rei, they may not have the same blood or be from the same nest as him, but they were people that understood him more than anyone who did could.

Rei Kiriyama didn’t have a home, he didn’t have a family, he didn’t go to school, he didn’t have friends. He believed that he had no place in the world. However, he was wrong. There were people out there that would love his company. No longer does he need to gaze at the light outside the windows of his cold and empty apartment. Instead, he can be directly beside it in a now warm and welcoming home.

Alongside the realization of the existence of marvelous things that were around me. 3-gatsu no Lion also taught me the importance of depending on others. Not too long ago, I believed that I could only acquire success and happiness by relying only on myself. I hid from others, not knowing the dangerous implications that could come from doing so. I kept all the emotions inside me bottled up. I felt like there was no need in opening up to others. Why will I give up my entire existence to an alien entity? Yet, I was so ever wrong. It was merely me willingly allowing myself to drown in my never-ending whirlpool of nihilism. It may be correct to say that nobody can understand oneself better than himself. But, it is inaccurate to state that no one except yourself can understand you. It is an unnecessary pride that only leads to a person ripping himself apart. We all need that human connection similar to Kiriyama Rei. Talking to other people will make you discover an entirely new perspective on life. Like what we saw in the anime, through the help of the Kawamoto Sisters, Kiriyama Rei saw life differently. He can now cross the other bridge to encounter that heartwarming feeling that was previously hidden from his sight. Similar to him, we all need that human interaction. People need someone that can help correct or comfort them. When we are wallowing in despair, the solution can come from the aid of someone else.

This lesson should be remembered by everyone. A person preventing themselves from encountering different views and opinions because of fear is a lapse of judgment. Fear only serves as protection for their petty pride. Living in fear only obfuscates your true goal which is the acquisition of happiness or satisfaction. These, however, can only be acquired through opening yourself up to others. Only through this, can you improve yourself and be a better person. Every day, we encounter problems, it can be external or internal. Yet, we shouldn’t let that fact hold us back. We must learn from it and move forward. That is life at its essence.

Knowing all of these, it makes perfect sense that the English title of the 3-gatsu no Lion is March Comes In Like A Lion. It is not a mistake to base the title of from the idiom “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb” which describes when we encounter harsh and unpleasant weather from the start, that is immediately followed by a mild and warm one at the end. It is an impeccable description of the story. As I stated earlier, the anime shows a teenage boy coping with his struggles in life. But bit by bit, we see him progress in life along with the help and company of others, to acquire satisfaction and especially long-term happiness. There are so many ways to attain them. Yet, he cannot do it by himself. The people around him serve as the support system that helps guide him in his growth. And this, no matter what anybody says, is a more far-reaching message than the simple “punch the bad guys and friendship is the key to everything” that most mediums now had sadly devolved to saying. Yes, it may have the friendship aspect down. However, stating that’s the only lesson that the anime has to offer is such a huge disservice to it. It is much deeper than that. You still also need to rely on yourself to fix your problems, but there will arrive a moment where you encounter roadblocks that you yourself cannot solve. That is the time that you need to look for other people’s perspectives. Instead of fearing rejection, we must stand up and leave our pride. This will help make it easier for others to help you. And when the same people hit a wall, it is additionally our duty to bring them up. Instead of one aspect that is friendship, the message of 3-gatsu no Lion is a healthy amalgamation of elements that tells an even bigger picture of life. It is an image of people collaborating with each other for the purpose of being happy. This idea which spread throughout the anime was luckily packed into one line thanks to the teacher of Rei, in where, he states,


When you got a problem you can’t fix yourself, like today,
there’s a good chance that if you work together with
someone else, you can overcome it.
If someone helps you like that,
and the next time they’re having trouble, then you should help them.
That’s how the world works.
You know… that’s pretty important.
Listen…
If things seem hopeless when you’re alone, then rely on someone.
Otherwise, to be honest, no one will rely on you.


— Takashi Hayashida

This is a great line that is certainly echoed all throughout the series. Better than telling yourself things such as: “You must learn how to give up”,  “This is just how life works”, “Why do I need help?”. Everyone encounter problems, it is just the way the world works. However, move on. Problems are there for a reason, they serve as a reminder for the things that we should not do. Yet, they should not become things that will define us. Learn, learn, and learn. Toss away that arrogance of yours and take a step forth. Collaborate with others and find happiness, it cannot be stated anymore than just that. Deal with the world’s unpredictability. Life is just like that. Life can come down to you like a raging tempest, but it can also comfort you. It is two sides of the same coin. It is life at its essence.

June 11 Edit- Font Size was changed.

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started