Koi To Uso, or LOVE AND LIES, stays true to its title. It is an anime about the protagonist, Nejima Yukari, trying to find love with his longtime classmate Takasaki Misaka, whilst pretending to the government and his family that he wants to stay with his assigned partner, Sanada Ririna.
Premise: 4/5
The basic premise is that, when a student turns sixteen, they are eligible to receive a notice from the Japanese government that assigns them a partner, whom they must marry (unless they dislike each other enough for it to be cancelled). I thought this was an interesting idea, something of a spin on the classic 'Betrothed to one person, but loves another' trope. It is a little outlandish, since it is set in what seems like contemporary, realistic Japan, but it is explained well enough within the world for me to accept it. Even though it's based in something of a classic story type, it isn't boring, nor is it particularly generic.
Story: 2.5/5:
It does a good job of keeping you until the end, and the pacing is pretty good: just enough happens in one episode for the story to remain detailed, without it being too much to take in. The actual storyline isn't particularly special; it's a little predictable, but still enjoyable. Overall, pretty average. I have to knock half a point off for the ending, which is probably the most disappointing ending I've watched in my rather small anime watching career.
Music: 5/5
The opening is one of my favourites I have ever heard, and I listened to it long before watching the anime. The ending is also great, and is actually pretty emotional to me. The insert music throughout is good too, and underscores the relevant scenes well.
Execution: 4/5
Most of the time, the visuals are quite pleasant, with good-looking cities, forest, etc, but nothing particularly special. The eyes are really big, which distracts me a little, but it isn't an issue. At times, character movement can look odd, but it isn't anything major. Voice acting is great, with a lot of emotion conveyed through the characters' speech.
Altogether, I would give it a watch. It does a good job of making sure you're invested in the characters, whether you support Sanada or Takasaki (or even a mysterious third character who I shall not reveal for the purposes of keeping this review spoiler free). It also keeps a refreshingly mature view on such a concept as a boy choosing between two girls, with little to no ecchi content, as well as light humour.
Quick talk about the ending in the spoiler tag:
75.5 out of 85 users liked this review
