I'm not great with explaining things or creating reviews so I'm going to try and keep this short and simple while fitting the 2.2k character requirement. D:
Some spoilers throughout I wouldn't say anything major.
I feel as though Hajimete No Gal was one of the best romances I've watched. I can really only explain why in one word, "Honest". Most romances I've seen have the characters head over heels for each other and immediately lovey dovey but this one was different. Sure the first couple episodes are just Junichi being horny and mostly ecchi but that isn't what goes on for the whole show. Past the first 5 episodes which were just character introductions we finally get some interaction between them. I feel as though these interactions are like I said before, very honest. They're all somewhat realistic, sure there are some things that are blown way out of proportion and by proportion I mean Nene and her proportions. Lots of people watch anime as an escape from reality and I do too, but I feel like realism in anime is needed for more of a connection between the viewer and the characters.
Now the romance, this is the part of the show I loved the most. In animes I've seen like Your Name. and Weathering With You their relationship faces turmoil but it's not particularly turmoil between the characters themselves but instead something that prohibits them from being together in the first place. These aren't great comparisons but I've got no other choice man every romance I've watched is supernatural. But anyways Hajimete No Gal actually shows turmoil between the characters and their feelings for each other, and throughout the show you really see their relationship grow into something more than just Junichi trying to lose his virginity. The last 2 episodes highlight this very well. In these last couple episodes Junichi starts to realize that his feelings for Yukana are for her and not her body. And as the final scene of the show it's a replication of the first episode which I always love. It really helps express the relationship of Junichi and Yukana and how it's grown. In the first episode Junichi asked Yukana out as a dare from his perv friends thinking it would be an easy way to lose their V-Card with no feelings for her and barely even knowing who she is. However in the final episode it's different. Junichi grovels on the floor asking Yukana to go out once again, though this time when Yukana asks why, he has an answer. He goes on to list the reason why he wants to go out with her and his feelings for her.
Overall I really enjoyed this show and it went way beyond my expectations. Though my expectations were ecchi shit so I guess the bar wasn't set high.
If I'm being honest, I really don't know why I enjoyed this show so much. Maybe it was just that I was trying to project myself into Junichi and how I would look at the situation if I were him. But one thing I do know, is that this is one of if not my favorite animes.
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