Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku
Romance is Stupid and Hard But Always Worth It
If I've learned anything from this anime, it's that you should always, most definitely lie about who you are to be accepted by the general consensus of the public at large. Forget about being who you are or letting your freak flag fly. Sometimes that stuff’s “too much” or “too weird” for normal “normie” peoples and fitting into a mold is more important than any sense of identity or personality.
In other words: there will be people who accept you and there will be people who won't. Be wary of who you share your heart with. Some are careless when it comes to other people's possessions.
Narumi Momose finds that out the hard way when she’s dumped by her boyfriend for being an otaku. Devastating and definitely asshole-ish on his end. Momose does takes matters into her own hands and does a hard reset on her life by changing jobs, relocating, and hiding her anime and gaming interests at her new position.
Where she meets her childhood friend Hirotaka Nifuji, the charismatic and busty Hanako Koyanagi, and the stoic yet nerdy Tarou Kabakura. An eclectic group of secret otakus who band together to share their interests and vibe after many a post-work outings.
Easily enough, Momose and Nifuji end up dating and enjoying their anime and gaming interests with each other while we realize that Koyanagi and Kabakura are also a powerhouse of a couple to complement the quiet yet still geeky main couple.
We follow along at their careers but most importantly in their personal lives as they figure out how to date each other and what that word even entails. They embrace the qualities of themselves that we see Momose desperately try to hide and we feel like, “Hey if they can accept themselves, I can do that too.”
Quirky yet relatable and wholly over-the-top with their can-do, do-or-die mentalities, this is a fun little watch if you’re feeling lonely in this August heat or if you want a good laugh.
I liked how this 2018 anime looked at how our interests as a child define how we find hobbies as an adult and the happiness that comes from that nostalgia, but it tackles those themes loosely and acts more as a plot device to create conflict, than to actually explore them deeply.
Still. Would recommend. For the giggles.
[I’m something of an anime nerd myself and if you’d like to connect over some other great newsletters I’ve slammed a review out on, I gotchu: Clean Freak! Aoyama-Kun, Given, Little Witch Academia, Sk8 The Infinity, and Erased stored in our lil’ ole archives.]
[[Also some newsletters on animation as a medium which is similar but different in execution and storytelling: The House, Encanto (which comes with a Podcast! Yummy!), The Summit of the Gods, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.]]
What is Love?
We don’t really do a deep dive into the abstract quality of what love is in this anime. If I asked you what you thought love is, you’d have a very different idea of what it is compared to a 7 year old or someone from a different country.
Is it being happy with someone?
Is it sharing similar interests or wildly different ones?
Is it a feeling or is there logic?
Is it a choice or fate?
Here, it’s about finding someone who accepts you for who you are. The anime is a short 12 episodes and doesn’t have time to tackle these heavy themes or philosophies but oh man does it try.
This feeling, this love is different for everybody. Heck, there’s even quizzes online to identify your specific love language. It’s also about finding the right people who will uplift you and encourage you, no matter what.
Fitting In
The inciting incident occurs before we enter the anime. Momose has been dumped offscreen and we are seeing the effects of that failed relationship as she makes waves in a new job.
Desperate to fit in and seem like a fully-functioning, sane adult, Momose hides away her deep, very niche interests in order to be seen as the former.
Meeting Nifuji and Co. unleashes a wave of acceptance that she never had and now loves wholly.
Of course there are the standards of normal human social cues and S&P that make interacting with other bearable and, dare I say it, even enjoyable, and deviating from that ostracizes not only you but the people around you.
It’s a nicety to say hello, to grab a beer, to talk about movies and maybe reference some pop culture. Everyone will have interests across the board from motorcycles to Playboy to anime to baking.
No one says you have to stick to the status quo, it just makes life with others easier. But absolutely bombarding people and shoving a niche, maybe unusual interest at others for hours on end is usually frowned upon.
Shelving all your interests and hobbies in an attempt to seem cool and collected is a recipe for disaster and identity dysmorphia.
As with anything, moderation is important, and just like the last theme it’s about finding those who jive and jazz with the notes you put out.
The moral of this story:
Just do you. Do what makes you happy. Do what you love. And somehow, someway, there will be people who will love you for that. If you haven’t found them yet, don’t worry. They’re waiting for you just as much as you’re waiting for them.
Happiness When You’re an Adult
I’ve watched a lot of YA anime and animation, and the most common demographic it’s for is in the name: teenagers and younger. Being stupid and making bad decisions at this age range is not only understandable, but expected.
Story can be built on the innocence or ignorance of a youth and the consequences can be devastating and heartbreaking.
Take those similar characteristic into adulthood, then we have a problem of personality and intelligence that is far less endearing.
We enjoy seeing young adults live out the fantasies of our dreams because we give them the benefit of the doubt and cheer for them, also perhaps because we didn’t have that or because we wish we could live it now.
Growing up means becoming an adult. Becoming an adult sucks.
There are so many rules and regulations, and if you ever feel like your life is a 9-5 working to fill someone else’s wallets while you live paycheck to paycheck, I’m sorry.
I wish society wasn’t built this way, but it is for a vast majority of people. Finding your happy place, be that a person, a place, or an activity, then find it. Use it as much as you want.
Rekindle your interests from when you were a kid. Go on that trip to Easter Island that you’ve always wanted to do. Challenge yourself to complete the bucket list you made for yourself when you were a child.
Find happiness in the little things in the gray hustle and bustle of life because life isn’t made up of only the big moments, but all the little ones too.
Have a handful of happy little things to hold close and cherish.