Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun ep 13 + Overview! [final]

This week on Tonari no Kaibutsu kun- is the final week. The week that asks the question – can you fix twelve episodes worth of basic issues in one episode? Can you make an empty relationship based on an obvious idea into more than an idea, but a fully developed concept? And most of all, can I be charged for homicide for murdering a show? And, will I be more forgiving since I have lacked internet for the majority of a week?

We will find out today, on the final review of Tonari no Kaibutsu kun! The episode 13 final review and series summary extravaganza!!!

Let me start out by saying sorry for the delay. My computer is one it’s last leg and I am in Florida for the holidays so all I want to talk about is Miles Edgeworth and his sexy investigations. Oh Miles Edgeworth. . .if it was socially acceptable to pair myself with you I would. I’d pair myself with you all night long. . .you, that cravat, and I.

COUGH anyway, so the real moment of truth for me right now is this. Can this series be salvaged in one episode? Let’s review my problems with the show before we continue on to the finale, because lets face it, you all came here to hear me complain. Either you came to tell me I’m wrong or to agree with me, or you’re one of the mysterious people on the internet who value my opinion IN WHICH CASE HAY FRAND HAPPY HOLIDAYS hur.

 

My problem with this show started in Episode 3. You will recall I started by saying, why aren’t these two together yet? I stand by that. This show should have been a feature of ‘these two idiots figuring out love together the series’ and it might have been good. Instead we are left with several situations where we’re going. . .why didn’t they just get together? It’s like the author hates me and doesn’t want me to own happiness or joy. And my main argument here is,

Their reasons for not getting together are distinctly adult reasons for not getting together. This show is lauded as a representation of young love, but fails at being such. I mean come the hell on people, who goes ‘I don’t want to be in a relationship with you for fear our feelings might not be similar enough’ at 14 or 15? Someone who looks 14 or 15 and is really 30. This show is not an adequate representation of young love because of this: No one this young is thinking that way.

Now the real kicker is, you can’t see this as an adult show either. Why’s that? Because these idiots are obviously too unexperienced to understand love, too. The author couldn’t decide between college kids or high school kids and it’s blatant in this show. No one who has ever even had an unwanted or significant crush can say love is as simple as ‘ welp I dont love you anymore I HAVE DECIDED ‘ and at the same time what kid has the composure to say ‘ my education is more important and I need to consider this ‘ most people can say that last thing. . .but only people who have the ability to control their emotions. Young LOVE IS NOTHING YOU CAN CONTROL, BUT IF YOU’RE TRYING TO PASS OFF A MATURE YOUNG GIRL AS BELIEVABLE AND SMART, HER LOVING SOMEONE LIKE HARU MAKES NO SENSE. It would all be fixable, too, in her realizing while she can’t help her feelings her relationship with Haru is unhealthy. LOL NOPE ITS NORMAL.

Shizuku jumps from believably in control to extremely unsure about herself to completely uncomfortable with Haru to start over all again. Now all of those apart are bad writing.  . .but together they actually make Shizuku really well written! She’s a confused teenage girl who’s never been in love. But because she is so smart. . . I can’t buy into her just glossing over some of the nasty and gross things Haru does.

I could believe this if;

if she had affection for someone who deserved it?

Or someone who actually cared about her?

Or someone who didn’t accidentally abuse her?

Or someone who didn’t make her doubt herself?

Or someone who didn’t try to control her out of jealousy?

Or someone who doesn’t imagine maiming her.

Shizuku is fine. . .until you really look at it. She is mature beyond her years yet a kid. Hands down one of the best pieces of this show.

And she gets accidentally hurt constantly by Haru, she accepts it. She accepts his jealousy. She ‘understands’ way too easily, she forgives way too quickly, she shrugs off behavior that is downright scary and it is viewed as comedic. You can’t choose who you love but if this girl is smart enough and in control enough to control herself in the way we have seen

THERE IS NOTHING TO INDICATE SHE WOULD ALLOW HERSELF TO BE WITH HARU BECAUSE HE IS A TERRIBLE ROMANTIC CHOICE FOR HER. I am not saying he didn’t improve her life. But how did he do it? Through friendship and outgoing behavior. HE DIDN’T IMPROVE ONE THING BY FORCING HIMSELF ON HER IN THE FORM OF A KISS OR THREATENING TO RAPE HER. I tried for so long to not care about his stupid assertive behavior but he accidentally assaults her almost every episode and it’s supposed to be funny. It’s not funny. It’s not funny that he never learns from it and just continues to assault people and fail only to assault the one he claims to love.

So can this one episode fix all of this?

Can one episode show a mature young girl realize she needs to find someone more suited to her, who won’t completely contrast with her goals and ideals? Someone who will let her be around people regardless of their supposed
affection for her?

Can one episode turn a show that has a clear deformed preborn spine and no clear connection to the nervous system?

Can one episode please fucking stop being so bad I have to keep coming up with metaphors?

. . .

And two minutes in, the answer is no. THIS IS A LOVE ETERNAL

A LOVE ETERNAL WITH SMILES AND WAIIFUS AND FOREVER ACCIDENTAL PHYSICAL VIOLENCE kawaii desu.

Hey, lets just take this for what it is and know that at least, it probably won’t get any worse-

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hate this show.

I HATE THIS SHOW.

OH THEIR TRUE LOVE

THEIR TRUE LOVE OF ONE CALLING THE OTHER FAT LOL

 

Lol but it’s okay cause right after that he insulted Natsume’s blog and said it had a bunch of typos. Oh Haru, you cutie pie fun button! Keep

calling the girl you threatened to rape and dismember a fatty! Lawl!

I am so sick of this! I am so sick of just dealing! OMG, one of my favorite mangas has someone who says pushy stuff, I GOT OVER IT CAUSE HE WAS REDEEMABLE AND THEY HAD CHEMISTRY THESE TWO DONT I HATE

THIS WHOLE SHOW

I JUST

WANT IT TO DIE

 

 

Surprisingly this episode, while being a ‘conclusion’ episode, was very boring and dull. The first ten minutes was so uninteresting and boring that Haru could only say one thing to piss me off in that span! Shock and awe. Seriously, most of this episode is trying to fit everyone in and give us an impression of their lives at the moment and how they all come together.

Everyone is brought to the batting ring by one thing or another. Natsume wants to see Mi-chan after her confession, Sasayan stopped by after Haru’s crazy running around, Kenji and his idiots come by to drop off Haru’s keys, and Shizuku comes by to bring back Nagoya along with Yuu, because that’s what Haru was running around looking for all day. Yes everyone.

The stupid chicken is the last episode.

I do not know how they could bore me more. The episode is everyone worrying about their feelings, and then coming together because of a chicken. That was fucking cute for two episodes. I hate Nagoya because he is unnecessary and he is obviously another plot device. This author cannot do ANYTHING without a see through plot device. It is really, really frustrating. This whole show can be summed up in the word frustrating.

There was a cute Yamaken moment where he tried to tell Shizuku how he felt but you know, he’s Yamaken and her derps all over love. Then Haru and Shizuku bump into each other and Haru admits he was looking for something else entirely, a firefly. And yes.

He wanted to watch the mysterious winter firefly with Shizuku.

It’s romantic guys.

 

ROMANTIC FOREVER.

 

I just. The end of the episode is so stupid. They see the bug and then Shizuku is like WILL WE EVER LIKE EACH OTHER SINCE-

 

Are you fucking kidding they don’t even get together by the end?

Alright. THIS SHOW IS INVALID THEN.

 

I’m sorry, but nothing about Shizuku and Haru is a stable relationship. If the premise of this story is they have to grow up and they’ll be together, I’m sorry, but if Shizuku grows up she’ll realize she deserves better. She’ll realize that she has different ideas. She’ll realize that while Haru helped her find friends and is likely her BEST friend, he is not MORE than a friend.

Yamaken keeps losing in the comparisons because he’s not able to say what he thinks or be direct. But Haru? Haru thinks awful dark things. Yamaken’s one disadvantage is NOT KNOWING WHAT TO SAY.

Let’s think about what this story would have to do in order to be legitimately good, make sense, or have a point and character development that doesn’t just scream manufactured.

Four Years Later

Shizuku: Wow. Our relationship was not a good idea.

Haru: *laughs* Yeah…I’m sorry.

Shizuku: I keep telling you not to be sorry.

Haru: You’re just. . .too good, Shizuku.

Shizuku: Don’t…think you’ll escape my friendship!

Haru: !

Shizuku: I. . .really value you. The problem is I just. . .I made more of it. . . than it ever should have been.

Haru: ! Shizuku. . .don’t say that. I did it more than you did.

Shizuku: Ah. . .

Haru: As long as we’re friends, I dont mind

Kenji: Yo, Shizu- oh. . .

Haru: Grrrrr. . .

Shizuku: You promised you wouldnt do that anymore.

Haru: Right. Not your boyfriend. Gonna fuck off now.

~Excellente~

If Bill and Ted have another sequel it will be Bill and Ted 4: The magical Tonari Yamaken Fandom adventure.

True story.

NOBODY IN REAL LIFE COULD TREAT SOMEONE THEY LOVE THIS WAY

NOBODY IN REAL LIFE WOULD FIND THE FUCKING PHRASE

‘BE QUIET OR IM GOING TO RAPE YOU ‘FUNNY

OR TELL PEOPLE THEY WERE BEING TOO PROGRESSIVE IF A GUY THEY JUST MET SAID THAT AND THEY WERE OFFENDED.

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So let’s talk about what I said earlier. Obviously, this show has no fruition. It will probably have a second season which I will also suffer through, because this show is a fucking injustice. It’s an injustice that this is considered healthy or a good representation of romance. IT is not REFRESHING, it is just as offensive as the other shoujo crap, it’s just DIFFERENT. People are calling it good because it’s DIFFERENT, but it’s not good. It’s. bad. So bad.

This fucking show.

Now that I’ve said my piece, or what I can without needing to shoot a cardboard cutout of Haru in the face, let’s go for the actual other elements of this story. This long introduction was meant to explain one aspect of my review, so for

~~~SHOUJO BEAUTIFUL LOVE RATING SCALE~~~

This show get’s a 2/10 because at least it’s not the worst thing ever made. But it’s offensive and stupid,  so I’ll go with that. Keep in mind for most people this is the most important rating in a shoujo story. My special rating for horror is GORE MIXED WITH MYSTERY and shounen it’s ACTION PACED WITH IMPORTANT PLOT POINTS so naturally, Shoujo’s key factor should be it’s core relationship and how those involved are developed. This show? Not good at all. I am including the normal plot in this because it’s a slice of life, so it’s nothing special or extraordinary.

Supporting Cast:

Natsume is one of the only reason most people I know watch this show. That being said, even as someone who relates to her I find her storyline a little overbearing at times. It was explained once and it has since been constantly over stated. Now as for everyone else? I hate Yuzan’s place as sibling made to make the male love interest a darker character. Mi-chan is funny but he’s hardly developed, and it’s clear he’ll reject Natsume and is a pretty predictable character. Sasayan I want to like, but he is so boring it’s hard to. So what does the cast of Tonari get for it’s overall rating? 5/10, they’re all a little boring but they’re not the worst. Yamaken scores them an additional point.

Art:

Well shit. I’d love to give this anime a solid 2, but thanks to the art and acting I really can’t. It’s obvious the people behind this put a lot of effort into making it a pretty piece of work. I don’t even like the art style, but the animation is crisp when it needs to be. A little bland here and there, but definitely given more love than most this season. 8/10

Music:

I HATE THE MUSIC. Unfortunately I can’t call it bad, but I’m so sick of hearing the general music and it’s little pips of a melody I hate it so fucking much it’s so UGH. But, the composition is good, it’s just my preference. So unfortunately, 8/10 yet again.

Voice Acting:

Man, good for you Tonari. If you didn’t have terrible characters I’d be happy you’ve got good voice actors. Yamaken’s voice, Haru’s, Shizuku, and Natsume’s are all great. 9/10

 

My recommendation  Don’t read it, don’t watch it, hell if you could unread this post I’d even recommend that. STAY AWAY FROM THIS ANIME IF YOU LIKE YOURSELF OR GOOD ROMANCE. I don’t know what everyone else is smoking, but ALL THIS ANIME IS IS A DRAMATIC PIECE OF SHIT WRITTEN BY A MANGAKA WHO HAS NO LOVE, JUST THOUGHT UP AN IDEA AND THREW IT ON PAPER. The writing and pacing are so poor that I’m surprised Shizuku was executed with such excellence. Seriously, I like two characters and one of them is a place holder romantic rival so I guess good on the writer for that. Everything else is subpar, stupid, poorly paced, AND ALL OF THESE ISSUES ARE ONES YOU WORK OUT IN A RELATIONSHIP I HATE THIS SHOW

Hoping never to see this shows stupid fucking face again,

Oki