Kaguya-sama: Love is War is rom-com perfection

If you’re looking for an electric romantic comedy that’s equal parts romantic and comedic, and Also shares some classic literature roots à la Ten Things I Hate about YouOr She’s the Man, Kaguyasama – Love Is War It is the ultimate show.

Love is WaR is basically two. tsundereBig crushes and big minds fighting each other in mind battles. But if you’re not an anime fan and the word tsundere is puzzling you — don’t worry. It’s still a fantastic show and one of the best romantic comedies out there right now. Kaguya-sama It captures the very best of anime with its unique blend of humor and heart as well its diverse and engaging cast. You don’t need to be tapped into anime to enjoy a great rom-com.

It’s hilarious…

Image: A-1 Images

After learning that everyone on campus thinks they’d make a cute couple, class president Miyuki Shirogane and vice president Kaguya Shinomiya independently decide to get the OthersTo confess their love. Both of them believe the same. They will most definitely not fall for the other — and that ends up spectacularly backfiring, as they both end up with massive crushes on one another. But of course, they can’t lose their self-imposed game, so it turns into the sort of battle where every win is also a bit of a loss.

This is all heightened even more by the nameless narrator, who keeps a tally of who “wins” or “loses” a certain interaction. The narrator offers commentary to the character’s inner thoughts, kind of like a sports announcer keeping a running tab on who comes ahead in a game. The narration itself is often very serious, and when that’s juxtaposed with silly shenanigans or more mundane conversations happening on screen — like trying on cat ears, or discussing a possible group vacation — it turns into something absolutely hysterical.

Shirogane, Shinomiya and other compelling characters are very similar. Both are incredibly prideful, calculating, and intelligent — and rarely show their true feelings. In actuality, they’re quite different, and as the show unfolds, more of their unique personalities are revealed. It’s compelling enough to learn more about them, but the supporting cast is just as spectacularly vibrant.

Image: A-1 Images

Class secretary Chika Fujiwara is a bit of a ditz — except she’s an amazing piano player, an enthusiastic member of the board games club, and a ramen connoisseur. She also has more social awareness than the entire student council put together, so she’s able to push them along and get them all to hang out. Meanwhile, treasurer Yu Ishigami is the sort of guy who’d rather play video games than study, and is so pathetic that Shinomiya can’t help but feel a bit bad for him. Those are just the other student council members — there’s also Shirogane’s annoyed little sister, Shinomiya’s dutiful bodyguard-slash-handmaid, and Shirogane’s eventual political rival, Miko Iino, a freshman with some very strong ideas about justice. All of them bounce off one another brilliantly and even the most basic tasks, such as shopping or studying for final exams, turn into hilarious situations.

While the diverse characters on the show are very individual, what unites them is the key to their success. At the end of the day, every one of them is an overly emotional and hormonal high school student — and the show lets them be completely cringey and over-the-top. To get their crushes’ attention, they do dumb things. Every social interaction is scrutinized. They are obsessed with reading receipts. They are bad rappers. It’s all painfully embarrassing, in the best way possible.

…but also deeply vulnerable

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Everything becomes more special, even simple things such as a tug of your sleeve and a visit to see fireworks with friends. It is very easy to become swept up with the same huge emotion when you are watching the show. Yes, opening your crush’s text messages and staring longingly at them is just as big a deal as it feels like. Even though you tried to arrange a return walk, it is still excruciating just to miss your crush leaving school. These situations are funny but just as serious for their characters.

All the characters ruminate deeply on their own interpersonal relationships — romantic and platonic — and their self-perceived character flaws. Their relationships help them bring out their best qualities. It’s fun to see their hijinks, but it’s just as fulfilling to see their relationships blossom. Of course, since this is a romantic comedy, it does come back to the main couple — and they have the most touching arc of them all.

It is the best thing about this love story that both Shirogane (and Shinomiya) struggle with insecurities. These anxieties turn into anxiety over what their relationship could look like. Although they both attended the same private school, Shirogane & Shinomiya are from completely different backgrounds. Shinomiya comes from a wealthy and distant family. Her parents are very protective of her. She’s been sheltered and lonely her entire life and struggles to relate to her peers. Shirogane is the sole son of an out-of-work father. He worked hard to secure a scholarship. Now, Shirogane juggles student presidency responsibilities with school and part-time work. He feels incredibly out of place among the elite students at Shuchiin Academy — and especially with Shinomiya.

This makes their rivals to-lovers relationship more nuanced and deep. Their relationship could end up in sitcom purgatory. They might be stuck in hilarious miscommunication after hilarious misscommunication, and the viewers will not care much about their progress because they are so entertained by the absurdities (e.g. Tom never catches Jerry, or how the Trix is just outside the reach of the rabbit). The “get the other person to confess their love” bit is fun, but by the end of the first season, their feelings are so tangible, their impact on each other so palpable, that you might be screaming JUST KISS ALREADY at the television screen. It’s not that simple, but it is a beautifully done buildup, with just enough tug-and-pull to keep you invested and the perfect blend of humor and heart. Kaguyasama – Love Is WarThis is what a romantic comedy should strive to be.

Kaguyasama – Love Is War Crunchyroll is streaming it right now