Insomniacs after school - Reviews

Liden Films’ 2023 High School romance is pretty adorable featuring two main characters each struggling with a sleep disorder. Ganta Nakami is a boy with few friends and he can’t sleep at night. Seeking a quiet place at school to get his head down he stumbles upon the abandoned school observatory. However, that is already occupied by fellow insomniac Isaki Magari. Isaki is very much his opposite – popular, friendly, outgoing, good at everything and with a wide circle of friends. They swap stories before finding it remarkably easy to get some much-needed kip in each other’s company. This natural chemistry is the key to their growing intimacy. Unfortunately, this happy arrangement doesn’t last long when they are discovered by (an otherwise) sympathetic teacher. She sets it up for the two to use the observatory officially with the only catch being that the two have to formally resurrect the school’s defunct astronomy club. So together with an alumni advisor the two set about using their idle night hours star-gazing and taking photos of the sky. They soon find that the secret to getting some sleep is to sleep together. Surely romance must follow? Of course it does, but as in all these things the path of true love does not run smooth. Then there is the ominous presence of Isaki’s possible ill health that foreshadow’s proceedings. The show has its moments of beauty and drama. The main characters are depicted with bodies in realistic proportions giving it a decidedly non-cartoonish look somewhat offset by Isaki’s enormous eyes. The close bond between the two principals remains much of a mystery. They share insomnia but there is something else here that attracts the girl to the boy. She is too forward at times embarrassing Ganta to the point that he does not know how he feels for her. Interestingly they adopt and adapt to their new hobby in way unlikely for two teenagers. Soon their needs for a good sleep seem forgotten by their drive to get good star shots. If it wasn’t for them occasionally dozing off at odd times, their chronic sleep disorders seem to take second place later in the season. It’s a fun show if a bit slow moving. It certainly turned out to be quite popular and deservedly so. One to watch.

SPOILER-FREE REVIEW

Insomniacs After School has been one of my favorite romances in the last years and I welcome it as a fresh change to all the cheap romcoms and "waifu-pandering" romances like Rent A Girlfriend etc., where no one acts like an actual human being.
You could tell me "but it's an anime, some reactions can be overdone for artistic purpose"; well yes, but at their core they still need to be human and believeable.
Usually some high school romances get on my nerves too, but these teenagers aren't annoying or too superficial at all.

I think them acting more like real people is the biggest strength of this romance. It feels grounded and their personalities and relationship development doesn't feel forced. Both of them bond over a shared hobby and struggle, both with their own reasons for it, which I thought were understandable.
As someone, who had and sometimes still has insomnia in phases, this is a quite accurate portrayal of its struggles too.

It's also a pleasure to watch a slow burn romance without the feeling of the spark dying out before it could burn and then never getting anywhere. The pacing is well-done in here.

Not only are they more grounded personality-wise, but I think Isaki as much as Ganta look more human too. See, I don't think these "artificial" designs like Marin etc. look good or attractive for that matter, especially not for a 15 year old teenager, and I always welcome designs like Isaki's, who I think is more beautiful than most other anime girl, but that's just my taste.

Insomniacs After School is also building up a very beautiful atmosphere and portrays the night and the sky gorgeously and in a calming way. It really catches the feeling of being out at night and at peace, while everything is quite and the world changed its rhythm. Some worries of the daily life become more unimportant then.
Since I love the night sky and everything related to space, I really wanted to give it a try and wanted to like it right from the start.

I also thought the art style per se is really nice to look at and supports this atmospheric anime a lot.
The opening und music were a nice addition too.

I definitely could recommend Insomniacs After School as a more grounded romance for people, who like to watch something that hits that spot.
Lately I dropped most other new romances (or in general anime romances), but this one was a very soothing and beautiful watch of two teenager, who bond with each other over a shared hobby and struggle.
Also you will find a beautifully portrayed nightly atmosphere in here, drawn in a pretty art style.

***No Spoilers***

This show is an amazing straight pure romance that doesn’t rely on your standard tropes or humor that you would expect in most anime romance. It’s just a very real and normal feeling romance that comes together naturally, not forced at all. Leading to such a wholesome, cute, and deep relationship between the MC’s that is very believable as a result. It really was an outstanding joy to watch them develop and grow as characters and in their relationship. It always left me wanting more and more after each episode. However it can be quite melancholic as it is also a coming of age type and does deal with some serious subjects that the cast try to grapple with, so prepare yourself for that.

My only worry during the show is that episode 13 has an anime original epilogue ending that wraps everything up very nicely and makes it seem like they are not expecting to get a season 2. This would be such a shame even if it's a solid ending already, because there is so much more content from the manga to adapt and these characters and their story deserve to be seen more. It's just that good.

9/10 - Best Romance and Seinen combined tag this year, a must watch.

𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖  >>>  Very so often you come across a piece of medium that just makes you feel something different after watching, this feeling of emptiness that’s just so hard to describe. I’m really grateful to say that I had this feeling after watching "Insomniacs After School". 

A series about star gazing and photography just asks to be aesthetic, this combined with one of the best and most wholesome romance you will find in anime makes "Insomniacs after school" the sleeper hit of this season for me. The interaction between the main duo feels so real and was what kept me hooked after the first couple of episodes.

The overall animation was very beautiful and at the most important moments the studio really delivered with some breathtaking scenes. The music made by the talented composer Yuuki Hayashi really suited the vibe of the series well. It's totally worth it, go watch it now.

LOVED THIS SHOW TO THE BITS !!!!!
ONE OF THE BEST ROMANANCE SLVIE OF LIFE ANIME