Slice-of-Life and Rom-com anime are my antidepressants, and Komi Can't Communicate has once again proved to me how wholesome they can be! Truly, I loved this season and here I will review comprehensively all my experiences with it.
Our titular character, Komi Shouko, is a high school girl who suffers from extreme social anxiety, to the point where she is unable to utter a single word to anyone around her. Due to this, she remains fairly saddened, being alone with no body to share her life with. This all changes when she starts off in Itan High School, where she meets a bunch of wild and helpful people who are willing to change her life for the better! She meets our other main character, Tadano Hitohito and her days of solitude slowly begin to end.
Social anxiety is a major problem, that only people who have it could understand - myself being one of them. Although mine is not as severe as the one shown in the series, I was able to relate at some points nonetheless. The show does a good job in highlighting the differences in the ways of life of an extrovert and an introvert. Komi had made a resolution of making a hundred friends, and as soon as Tadano gets to know about it, he decides to help her achieve it. Tadano is a guy who had decided to always judge a scenario and act accordingly, so as to stay out of trouble, but this determination of his results in some very difficult scenarios for him. It was hurtful watching them, but also joyful to see people helping her. The feelings I got watching it were all positive.
There are a wide variety of characters present in the show - an extrovert who has an infinite number of childhood friends - the complete opposite of Komi, a Yandere character who can kill anyone for her love of Komi, an overly competitive person who always wants to compete against Komi and some other shy girls - there is a lot of shy girls in this anime, and I love it! Anyways, different types of radically different characters add to the show's overall chaotic progression, which helps a lot in developing Komi as a character. Speaking about her, Komi is able to develop quite a bit by the end, and as we see her trying her best to make friends, it somehow brings warmth in our hearts, at least in mine! Tadano literally becomes her translator, as he is able to guess what she is trying to say. Their duo is fantastic!
Some of the actions seem a little bit absurd in my opinion, but hey, this is a Slice-of-Life/Rom-com anime alright! I must say that sometimes the humor lies in the absurdity itself, and if you're a fan of such tropes, I am sure you will find them a delight. Each episode comprises of multiple short incidents, and all of them were very chill to watch. And when Komi sets out to do something which is very difficult for someone like her, I was rooting for her as her supporter, cheering for her to do it. Sometimes she did it, sometimes she did not - the importance of accepting failure in life and moving on is highlighted and I loved it. It is important to keep going!
Some clichés of the genre are present in the story, but for me, they did not feel bad at all. Komi is a character who steals the spotlight the moment she walks in, and quite possibly steals our hearts too. I believe those who have watched this anime are already familiar with these clichés, and I'm sure they wouldn't mind too. The daily activities of Komi and her group of friends is great to watch, especially how she tries to make more friends - each new person she tries to befriend is a different type, and so she learns to adapt to people and gradually would become better at "communicating", which is the main point of the anime.
The animation done by Studio OLM was absolutely gorgeous - I think they understood the hype of this anime and fortunately, lived up to it. The aesthetic of the show, which is evident from the very first opening scenes, is beautiful and you won't be disappointed in this aspect. And what's more, the opening and the ending songs were great, at least for me.
Komi Can't Communicate is a fantastic anime, possibly one of the best that aired in fall 2021. It did a good job of portraying social anxiety in a beautiful way, which also makes us understand how someone who has it feels in front of people and we are able to appreciate their struggles. This really was an antidepressant for me, and for many people out there too, I believe. Since a second season is announced already, I believe it has spared us some pain of waiting for more. Will definitely watch the next season, and keeping my flingers crossed that it'll be this good. In conclusion, I will definitely recommend this anime - it was an amazing experience!
Thank you for your time in reading this review. Have a good day/night and keep watching anime!
Written by: Sekhar08
January 7, 2022