Kaguya-sama: Love Is War - Reviews

Title: Kaguya-sama: Love Is War - A Hilarious Battle of Wits and Hearts

Story (7/10): "Kaguya-sama: Love Is War" offers a refreshing take on the rom-com genre by turning it into a battle of wits between two prideful student council members, Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane, who refuse to confess their feelings to each other. The series explores their amusing attempts to make the other person confess first, leading to hilariously elaborate schemes and misunderstandings. While the central premise is engaging, it relies on episodic situations, which may occasionally make the narrative feel repetitive. The manga provides additional content and character development that enhances the story.

Animation (8/10): The animation quality in "Kaguya-sama: Love Is War" is well-executed, with vibrant visuals that capture the essence of the characters and their comedic expressions. The character designs are distinct, and the series creatively uses visual metaphors to convey the characters' inner thoughts during their battles of wits. The animation successfully complements the humor and romantic tension of the story.

Sound (7/10): Sound design in the anime is effective in enhancing comedic moments and romantic tension. The soundtrack features a mix of playful and dramatic tunes that suit the mood of the scenes. Voice acting is a highlight, with the voice actors delivering stellar performances that bring the characters to life and amplify their quirks. While the sound doesn't necessarily stand out, it serves its purpose well.

Characters (7/10): The characters in "Kaguya-sama: Love Is War" are the driving force behind the series' humor and charm. Kaguya and Miyuki, as the central characters, have well-defined personalities that evolve over time. Supporting characters, such as Chika Fujiwara and Yu Ishigami, contribute to the comedic dynamic and have their moments to shine. Character development is present, but the episodic nature of the series means that deeper exploration occurs primarily in the manga.

Overall (6/10): "Kaguya-sama: Love Is War" is a delightful rom-com anime that stands out due to its clever premise and witty humor. The animation effectively brings the characters' expressions and schemes to life, while the voice acting adds depth to their personalities. However, the episodic format can lead to occasional repetition, and the manga offers a more comprehensive look at character development and relationships. My overall score for the anime is 6/10, reflecting its strengths in humor and character dynamics, but also noting potential for further storytelling depth.

This anime takes all of the romantic tropes you're used to groaning and rolling your eyes at, and makes them completely intentional in a strategic ploy by the main character, Student Council VP Kaguya Shinomiya, and her love interest, Student Council President Miyuki Shirogane. 

The first episode I was unsure about it but pressed on to give the second episode a chance, and man am I glad I did. This series is genuinely one of the funniest animes I have watched in a long time. The narrator is an absolute gem in both the sub and dub, I love Shirogane's voice actor in both versions as well - you can just hear how much fun the actors had bringing these characters to life.

Each episode is usually broken down into 3 mini episodes, it makes them feel much longer than they are and is a phenomenal method for the layout of this anime. 

I love how Kaguya and Miyuki are both incredibly methodical and strategical in their approach to having a simple crush. Kaguya constantly arranges for events to happen while Shirogane tries to predict and get the upper hand. It's strangely incredibly wholesome and side-splitting at the same time.

And oh my god I LOVE the side characters so much, they each have something to add and give to the story without being empty and unfinished.

It's difficult to describe this anime but you need to watch this. Please watch this incredible anime and fall in love with the insanity and hijinks of the student council too.

Love is no game, it's an all out war. And the one who falls first...loses.

Kaguya-sama: Love is War is the second anime I first took in as a manga (Laid-Back Camp the other).  The first pages of Vol. 1 set up the key premise.  The narrator (epic voice!) wishes to examine the sweet and magical moment of the love-confession and see it for what it really is, a dynamic power struggle where the one who yields to offering that confession is the loser and is doomed to be under the thrall of the wooed.

The spin of this premise is that the TC Kaguya Shiromiya and MC Miyuki Shirogane truly have feelings for each other.  But to give that fatal love confession?  And to admit defeat?  Never!  And the mind games and subtle strategies used to get the other to lose ... priceless viewing for those who want their rom-com to travel the long and rocky road.  Three seasons now?  The really long and rocky road!

The personalities of the pair lead to the friction.  Kaguya is the typical spoiled daughter of a wealthy and influential family.  She is protected and her chances for managing her social life is nil.  Miyuki is the son of a lower-middle class family who is used to working hard to get where they wish to go.  Miyuki has striven hard to be the best student in the academic roster.  All the classmates think Kaguya and Miyuki are the ideal pair and they have chosen  Miyuki as school council president and Kaguya has become vice-president.  The school council chambers, the perfect place to practice one-up-manship.

The other characters just enhance the possible plotlines.  Chika Fujiwara is Kaguya's best friend from way back as middle school, but her girlish figure might be attractive to Miyuki (trips to the beach are off!).  Ai Hayasaka is the maid-attendant to Kaguya, and her quietly twisted mind is perfect for framing the most insidious advice to make Miyuki crumble.  Yui Ishigame is Miyuki's trusted council treasurer, but Yui has developed a morbid fear of Kaguya who insists that he will never leave student council ... or else (a classic 'damn if you do, damned if you don't' complex).  Kei is Miyuki's gorgeous younger sister from whom Kaguya would love to worm out those secrets about Miyuki (Kei deems her brother a worthless slug).  Nagisa and Tsubasa are the newly formed couple who gain their love relationship advice from Kaguya and Miyuki (note, love advice from those who would be rank amateurs in the love-game).

Each episode is a series of short vignettes based on some concept of selfishness as Kaguya Wants ... Miyuki Wants ... Chika Wants.  The action is enhanced by the narrator's commentary, a firm and authoritative voice that points out the subtleties no matter how zany the action has become, no matter how bizarre things have degenerated.  It takes treachery for Kaguya to just walk to school, but Miyuki's efforts to make sure she makes it to school on time, the first hint that love is just beginning to brew.  All throughout the season you can see that Kaguya and Miyuki care deeply for each other, but both are determined never to give the love-confession.  The climax comes at the festival fireworks which Kaguya is forbidden to attend, but to have a moment with Kaguya whose summer is ruined by familial restrictions, Miyuki will bend over backwards to give Kaguya that moment.

The muted color scheme and tendency for dark shades to predominate make for the best expression of two would-be lovers duking it out for love-supremacy.  There is an eerie glow to Kaguya's red eyes which dull and lighten all at the same time whenever she is close to her ideal moment of conquest.  The music succeeds to presenting the two sides of love, first ... Love is War.  Then, if you could see my angelic side.  Harsh contrasting with sweet.  Just someone make the first move.

The cast tends to balance each other out as Chika’s presence seems to cancel out the on-going schemings.  Yui's trepidation and Chika's mindless banter deliver a comic effect that hints that the duel of combative lovers can slip into neutral.

And so, this war of getting the love-confession can slowly develop through the three seasons, keeping us wondering what kind of conspiracies are, like love, a-budding.

Most of the time i don't watch this type of anime, but this one was different. This is what i would call a masterpiece of a romantic comedy. U have the 2 protagonists, they are trying to get eachother to confess their love to eachother indirectly, they are the 2 most high ranking students in their school. The secretary has a IQ of 3(as said by herself in an outro) which is why she doesn't get most of their plans to get eachother to fall in love, which ruins them without them knowing. They introduce new characters during the show which make it more interesting, definitely worth the watch.

This was fun and fast paced, and each episode was just as funny and sometimes sweet as the last one.  All the characters were great and added to the storyline as well as having great voice acting to compliment it all.  If you want something that is easy to watch, clean, funny,  sweet, and with great characters, then this anime is for you.  I was able to watch this anime in two sittings for the second time I watched it, I watched it when it first came out a few years ago.  This was very enjoyable a second time around, and I had a lot of amusement and laughs even seeing a comedy a second time through.  For me it was like watching 4 episodes rather than a full season since it was so easy and enjoyable to watch that time just flew by while watching it.  I decided to watch through this anime again since it has another season out and a movie done since the first time I watched it, and wanted to take it all in from the beginning.  I believe anyone could enjoy this anime at any age as long as they enjoy the humor within this series.