Watamote: No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular! - Reviews

Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui!, or more aptly, WataMote, is an anime that will elicit one or more of the following reactions:

1) Deep empathy ("Oh my God that is/that was so me in middle school/high school/right now")

2) Extreme discomfort and second-hand embarrassment ("This is so awkward...Oh my God what is she doing now? Oh my God, really!? Are you absolutely socially retarded?")

3) Amusement ("Pffft! She thought THAT would work! Idiot!")

4) Schadenfreude (This girl is a complete idiot. Serves her right for judging everyone around her and not understanding why she can't fit in)

5) Frustration and slight irritation towards the main lead ('Oh my God just say what you need to say. Oh my God you called your best friend a slut? You judgmental bitch!")

6) Other (????)

Tomoko Kuroki is a newly-minted high school girl who has thus far failed to integrate herself as a figure among her peers; she's withdrawn, socially inept, anxious, very naive with the real world (her knowledge of things seems to always lead back to anime/manga/video games/pop culture), and has a bit of a misanthropic and judgmental streak towards those around her. So basically, a typical outcast nerd that may have a touch of Asperger's. Or is just shit at socializing.

In any case, the anime takes the viewer through the trials and tribulations that Tomoko throws herself into in order to appear much more desirable and approachable by the people around her. These schemes spawn from a warped sense of reality in that she believes if she does X, then everyone will fawn over her and commend her for her coolness. We've all had that stage in middle school or even as late as high school where we try to mold ourselves into something we're not. In Tomoko's case it's not so much a "coming-of-age" story so much as a teenager trying to find a niche to fill, to find a place in life that is as innocuous and simple as the microcosm of the classroom.

As we are led by the hand against our will to her various schemes that--from miles away--we can clearly see are doomed to fail, all the while exclaiming "No no no no, no. No, that's..you're not..it doesn't...Jeez", we are given a smattering of brief references, homages, parodies, and nods to other pieces of anime-related pop culture, which is always fun to see played out in the moments that it does.

And let's not forget her very reluctant and easily irritated younger brother Tomoki, who had long since grown out of idolizing his older weird sister and now only sees her as a nuisance and a complete idiot. Tomoko's constant dropping in and bugging him is one of the highlights of the show, I find, as Tomoki is mean in the way someone who is used to reality would be to a space cadet. Anyone who's had *younger* siblings that are constantly in their business would be able to see where Tomoki's coldness towards Tomoko is coming from, while those of us who have had older siblings or cousins that act in such a way would be able to see Tomoko's desire to at least re-establish the brother-sister relationship again (or are unaware that it's even fractured to begin with) and the half-hearted attempts to do so, the awkwardness that encompasses it, is both funny and a bit bittersweet.

Speaking of bittersweet, the show has the most unique tone to it. The show is funny because it relies on the viewer to recognize one of two things:

1) That other people are/were just as nerdy as you (a la Tomoko) when you were younger and the things we've done as kids in order to be popular and be considered cool should be looked back on with a mixture of cringe, self-effacement, and a bit of pride at how far you've come and how much you've grown.

2) Don't worry, chances are you weren't *that* bad, and even if you were, this shit is super hilarious, so have fun with it.

Among all these shenanigans there are subtle bits of the relationship dynamics between Tomoko and Tomoki, and even her own mother. Over the course of the series there are flashbacks to when Tomoko was younger, when she and her younger brother actually liked each other, as well as how increasingly fed up her mother is with her lazy, unhelpful, and generally rude behavior around the house. There are moments for Tomoko to reflect and to deflect the stern words that are directed towards her, most of such thinking tending towards the latter--hey the show is essentially a proclamation that removes all guilt and responsibility from the main lead onto everyone else. But such is the way with the world.

There are some truly sad moments but the show does not wallow in it, and it gives the viewer a small light or bit of good luck to counterbalance the disappointments and failed ventures that Tomoko decides to undergo, with the message that yes, it is difficult to feel comfortable with yourself, but if you look around you, you'll find that there are little things that can comfort you to reinstill your hope. And that's an admirable thing about Tomoko's personality: She is socially inept and a bit selfish (she steals her brother's food and drinks all the time and constantly invades his privacy; she also needs to be practically dragged by the hair in order to do something as simple as clean around the house), and there are times when she submerges herself in self-pity, but in the end she finds the resolve to continue on. It's not smacked in the face of the viewer and fake-happy motivational "You just gotta try harder, rah rah rah!" like shonen anime probably would, and it does not outright denounce someone for feeling hopeless after falling on their face...

One scene I feel that captures what I'm talking about perfectly is, after failing to find a companion to watch the meteor shower with, Tomoko is sitting on a bench and reflecting on why she's so nervous and why this disappointment feels especially hard to her. She makes a wish for a boy to watch the stars with her. Moments later a stray cat appears, which then proceeds to act friendly towards her. Tomoko is happy to have a cute animal to watch the stars with her and discovers it's a tom cat. The moment lingers for a few seconds, and then the next scene plays.

As illustrated above, the show acknowledges and touches upon the frustration and misgivings that people much like Tomoko feel trying to feel out their increasingly confusing and stressful lives as they transition into adulthood. What is very pleasing and touching to me is that the series then offers a nice pat on the back and the universe offers a bit of consolation, which in the aforementioned example was a cat. The universe is not showering Tomoko with "I'm so sorry" gifts and throwing out the red carpet as an apology or fulfillment fantasy but instead directing a few nuggets of ...reprieve and solace that come in inconspicuous disguises. Or in other words, "Life is what you make it".

Special mention for the voice actors: I watched the dub and found it very good. Monica Rial's voice, which seems to be a mix between gravelly and high-pitched neurotic, was perfect for Tomoko, with all of the range of emotions that her character expressed. David Matranga as Tomoki perfectly nailed the "I'm so sick of this shit" younger sibling irritation that he held for his older sister, an even more unique blend of the slightly 'tsundere sibling' given that he is much more responsible and put-together as the *younger* sibling of the two (Tomoko even comments on it at one point, much to her ire). And of course Emily Neves as Tomoko's only friend Yuu-chan was adorable as the much more well-adjusted, supportive high school girl that Tomoko wishes she could be.

Overall, I would definitely give this a watch if you're into otaku/hikkomori/nerd-loser stories but want a little something different and a bit more charming. I'm confident that this series will hit much closer to the heart than any other ones that play straight for laughs or straight for psychological analyses of such characters.

Silverlink’s 2013 study of a socially awkward teen seems pretty common currency in anime these days. Certainly, Watamote is great early slice of the genre although it seems to have invoked extremes of reaction. People loved it or hated it. We understand why maybe. It is all too easy to identify with our heroine Tomoko Kuroki to the point that it makes many in the audience uncomfortable. Other critics seems to have misread the show entirely. Tomoko is 15 and just started High School. She imagines that her life will be renewed and all those uncomfortable experiences of middle school are behind her. Her problem is that her excessive self-confidence doesn’t translate into any deliverable action on her behalf. She is chronically shy and buckles under the weight of her social dysfunction. She dreams up lots of plans to overcome the problem yet none of them actually involve the very practical reality of striking up a conversation with classmates. She just cannot make friends and her frustrations results in her blaming everyone else other than herself. A natural self-defence mechanism. Enter the story her long-suffering younger brother. He is very much the opposite of her. Sporty and popular he has loads of friends but now has to tolerate her lengthy monologues on the problem. Her chats with her brother are extremely funny if only for the poor lad’s reaction to his sister’s anxieties. What 14-year-old boy is really going to be that sympathetic?

It leaves the audience to watch in disbelief as every one of Tomoko’s far-fetched plans founder whilst she wastes time fantasising about how popular she will become. You could hate her but you just can’t. Despite her obvious ineptitude you really want her to succeed. She is pushing on an open door as there are several opportunities she could exploit to make friends at school. The other kids don’t dislike her and many would be charitable if only she could over-come her awkwardness. The tale is well told in glorious detail and is often roll-around-on-the-floor funny. The girl is too easily identifiable. We have all been there to a certain degree and she garners much natural sympathy in the audience. The manga had a vastly broader cast of characters who do not appear in the anime at all. This is because it only took early “Nico Tanigawa” material making Tomoko seem more isolated and lonelier. Several of her friends simply do not appear in the anime at all. (Serialisation began in 2011 and material is still being published so these characters came into existence after the anime was complete largely changing its perspective.) Opening title song (translating as "No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!") is quite good and became a minor hit in its day. Several other songs on the soundtrack are worth a listen to. The show won itself critical praise for its depiction of social anxiety and was quite popular when first shown. However, some reviews were very negative. Some argued that the show exploited mental illness but this is an extreme reading. Tomoko is not mentally ill. She is just very shy and we should not treat this as an illness. It is a mountain to be climbed and most people meet this challenge to become the people they are today. It was almost as if you either understood where this show was coming from or you did not. Tomoko is not beyond redemption and the manga goes way beyond the anime. It would have been nice to see further seasons on screen to see this coming-of-age tale blossom. Sadly, the anime ends way short of what the audience would like to see. Still, a great show. Worth watching. Make your own mind up.

QPlayer made an important point in the review  I read before offering mine ... Tomoko Kuroki is a character that would deserve our sympathy and perhaps empathy (some might even go so far as to identify with the MC).  The struggles of the girl who wishes to escape the world of the mojyo makes Watamote: No Matter ... Not Popular an intriguing watch.  You cheer for her, and yet you wonder why you'd support a lost cause.  That is, if Tomoko persists in being herself.

For Tomoko is best when she gets her Sadako on.  The season is laced with references to the more sordid episodes of sordid anime series ... more or less.  Tomoko is purely delusional in her self-estimation.  She believes she has the traits of a girl sure to become popular once she steps into high school as she repeats the mistakes of middle school.  She begins high school stuck in the back corner, the classic positioning of losers and loners.  Then a new semester brings on new seating assignments.  Tomoko finds herself just a seat behind ‘front and center.’  She has neighbors who can engage her in conversation.  Then we discover her weakness, social anxiety which either makes Tomoko choke in conversation or blather weakly and insipidly.  Lunch hour is an ordeal, and Tomoko's search for that comfortable lonely spot must give way to sitting alone in a sea of happy classmates.

Opportunities as school cultural festivals are wasted on a girl who wishes to avoid human contact.  And a cosplay café would have been the right venue to showcase Tomoko … but, no, didn’t at all.  Pity, as Tomoko does have a BFF from middle school who went to a different high school; all Tomoko can do is obsess on her bustiness.  Plus, one upper-grader, Megumi Imae, whose popularity is based on a personality of warmth and friendliness, sees something in Tomoko.  But, before Imae can act on her convictions and be the mentor Tomoko needs desperately ... season ends.  And with no incentive to take on a second year project.

The music of Sadesper Record gives the anime a grittiness as Tomoko lip syncs to the grunge rock vibes.  It is as if Silver Link wanted to create an abysmally repulsive character and see how close to redemption this character achieves.  But Tomoko's situation is dismal and nigh to impossible.  The character designs of Tomoko versus everybody else (even the pathetic younger brother Tomoki generates slight sympathy) is a contrast as it creates the gorgon which turns everyone to all types of  popular and lively.  And for Tomoko ... she may as well be made of stone.

This makes Watamote a difficult series to watch.  As a former teacher who has seen this type of lonely loser through the years of service (and know how many continued in that pathetic rut into adulthood), it's a much too sad story with no redeeming qualities.  If there is a second season ... I want results!  I acknowledge the sensei who greeted his students at the gate, a gesture lost on Tomoko.  What miracle that can transform this poor girl even with some inkling of hope ... that would be worth the viewing.

I hate it when pessimism is the dominant verve in any story.

К сожалению авторы не смогли придумать 12 серий про несчастную обиженную и непонятую девушку не от мира сего. Поэтому они постепенно превратили её в тупую лживую завистливую идиотку, которой так и надо.

Это не значит, что сериал провисает. Просто он мог быть гораздо круче, если бы получилось весь сезон выдерживать атмосферу первых серий.

A story about a girl who is so unpopular that no one even notices her most of the time, and she keeps blaming all but herself for that and half-heartedly tries to change for the better.

Motoko is simply not a very good character, in a way she is interesting sure, but from the flashbacks we can see that she used to be a good and nice person, but the show has no intentions of telling us what happened for her to change so much.

I kept hoping that she would find happiness, but unfortunately that does not happen.

Thoughts

• Every aspect of the show is pretty much average
• The best episode is 11 and the best character is introduced in the very same episode
• Overall I wouldn't recommend this show, it has two or three good moments, a lot of painful moments and some average/dull moments