Komi Can't Communicate - Reviews

    I really liked the show. It tells a good story, and just like people, every one is different. You might have a similar social issue, or you might not, but either way the show is enjoyable and informative.

    This particular show showed mostly the good parts, and that's understandable for an anime, but there is plenty of bad times to be had with a social issue like this. I would know, I have a similar issue.

    My one and only issue with the show is that they didn't show how to beat social phobia. It IS possible. If you do have extreme social anxiety, you CAN beat it. It might take years to do so, but it's worth the struggle. You might never have the social skills of the socially gifted, but you can at the very least achieve normalcy... with some effort and time.

(pro tip: If you can become friends with one of those socially gifted people, you know the person that's always talking to everybody and doing everything, they can help you beat it a little faster.) exposure therapy works for me. 

Komi Can't Communicate is a show about a young girl, named Komi, who struggles with a communication disorder. To most people around her, she comes across as a very confident and elegant girl, but in reality she struggles to communicate with the people. Instead, she uses pen and paper to get her message across. She basically starts out as the ice queen of the class who gets put on a pedestal, but the more she interacts with the people around her, the more they start to understand that she's just a normal girl who is struggling with her own insecurities, just like them.

The first season covers the first 60 or so chapters from the manga, only skipping a handful of chapters, so it remains pretty true to the source material. The animations are pretty solid. I will say that I rather enjoyed the way the show deals with the onscreen explanation text that will pop up several times in each episode. The overall animation consistency is pretty high, but there are a few dips here and there, but the quality is better than most shows in this genre. 

I wasn't expecting much going into this season, mainly due to how some other manga adaptations were handled (like Nagatoro) but I do have to say I was pleasantly surprised. But, if you'd ask me if I preferred the anime over the manga, then I'd have to say no. Just like with Nagatoro, there are certain parts that don't really transfer well. 1 panel skit, kinda turns into an awkward 10-second scene. There was also a bit of mystery about how Komi's reactions were seen by others, but now you see a girl just tilting, which really makes you go "Yikes!".

Still one of the better manga adaptations in the school romcom comedy genre.

Finally, after a year, I finished the last episode of this season, of course, along with watching for the second time! The first time I saw it, it was interesting and different, but I got bored little by little... But this time, I had more humor and I liked the anime in a strange way. I laughed at several episodes and I had fun watching it... so I don't regret watching this anime! Komi is really a cute and funny character. Anyway, in a strange way, it had very good graphics and the voice actors were very skilled! The story was simple but different... it was a very good school romance comedy anime... I liked it...!

Ah, this was such a sweet and wholesome anime. I haven't read the manga but I definitely want to after watching this! I'll do a quick run-through, point by point, of my scores for Komi Can't Communicate. This is a spoiler-free review!

Story 7/10

It's a slice of life anime so there isn't a lot going on story-wise, other than an overarching goal for Komi. Still, events that happen in episodes are referred to in the following episodes, so there aren't any inconsistencies or glaring faults.

Animation 9/10

The animation is wonderful! There are a few mock battle scenes that really show off just how hard the animation team worked on this anime, but I think the best-animated scene was in the opening. Specifically, the scene where Komi jumps up and the seats fly up, man that scene gets me every time. Characters' movements are consistently fluid and there are no stilted or robotic gestures (well, other than scenes where those things are intended at least).

Sound 9/10

Phenomenal, absolutely stellar. The voice acting is perfect for literally all the characters, but especially Najimi whose voice is ambiguous in terms of gender but also still excited and full of life. The op is absolutely delightful too, and although I didn't like the ed as much, it was still good.

Characters 10/10

What a colourful and fun cast of characters! The pace at which new characters are introduced really went a long way in how well developed they were. Najimi was absolutely my favourite, their voice, movements and behaviour all suited very well, and really did sell the vibe of "childhood friend"! Tadano is an absolute darling and endlessly funny. Komi's character is the most relatable thing in the universe, especially if you have anxiety too. Agari and Yamai freaked me out a fair bit, but I still liked them.

Overall 9/10

It's a really nice slice of life story, with likeable characters and gorgeous animation! Consistently funny and cliched or tropey at times (I love cliches and tropes actually), this was a genuinely nice and easy watch. I'm definitely looking forward to season 2!

The anime follows the manga perfectly, but the reactions and overall pacing for this story doesn't work in animated form. I would strongly recommend reading this adorable story in its original manga format.