Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun

I love love love how much story was condensed in episode 3. Probably (again) 2 manga chapters.

The main female lead is so dang practical. I love her; I love her practicality, her honesty, her snark, her moments of (hilarious) denial. She has just the right balance of good and not so good characteristics, which makes her endearing but not pandering to the audience.

Heck, I like her so much that I want to ship everyone with her, all the boys and all the girls.

That said, I'm starting to feel just a bit annoyed with Haru. I'm jealous.

Episode 3: A confession cop-out that actually gets cleared up early? Heck, properly talking about feelings? This show. Is amazing.

Granny clothes! XD All the hubbub with building the chicken coop was funny, plus we get to see more of the supporting characters! I got a lot of laughs out of the two guys swooning over Natsume, with Shizuku marveling at her ability "to build without actually working".

Yamaken looks like a potential love rival. Not that he'd make a dent. Yuzan is... well, vaguely antagonistic. Serious times ahead, but I hope not much of the fun is lost.

I always like the son/daughter brings friend of the opposite sex for the first time scenario. Doubly so in this case because Haru was so chill with it.

Awesome things that the awesome Mizutani did this episode: cook well, getting Yamaken and his friends to help, oh and of course "I give up. You win. I love you, Haru. D'AWWWWWWWWWWW

Episode 4. Deeper things are revealed. Well, it's revealed that there are deeper things.

I like how she reacted when she was told she was jealous. I can really understand Haru. She's very likeable. Well, if you get close enough.

For me, 4th episode is the least entertaining. Still good. I think my expectations are unrealistically high when it comes to this series.

Watching everyone fall in love with Haru was pretty amusing.

And it's nice to know who the sunglasses guy is.

To be honest I am worried the pace will slow and the jokes will get less funny. So far it's still good though.

edited 22nd Oct '12 10:58:58 PM by UltimatelySubjective

Episode 4: Opens up with Mr. Mizutani asking how Haru could be so casual about his overnight stay. XD

God I love Shizuku. Freakin' awesome gal. "Oh, so this is what jealousy feels like." Heh. She and Haru make a good couple at any rate, those mutual blushing scenes can't help but make me smirk. Plus they're so friendly~

Speaking of Haru, talk about an instant harem. All he had to do was smile. Well, he is handsome.

Wanna know Sasayan's backstory.

Yuzan hasn't done anything "villainous". Yet.

Also has one of the best smashing watermelon scenes I've ever seen.

P.S. Lol at the human imprint on the wall in that one scene.

EDIT: Oh and Shizuku asking for a date was HNNNNG-level sugary cuteness.

edited 27th Oct '12 8:11:22 AM by fillerdude

Episode 5:

I'm starting to completely distinguish this series from Sukitte Ii Na Yo. They're kind of similar.

It's kinda-but-not-exactly clear what Yuzan wants. Pure Evil.

Someone seems to butt in more and more. Pure Violet.

Someone has forgotten how she used to think. Pure Change.

I also like that they can disagree, vehemently state so, and still get along.

Haru continues to be quite amusing to listen to. When he thinks out loud it's almost like the ramblings of a madman.

It seems that Haru isn't crazy for automatically avoiding his brother either. I think Haru's instincts are good on this one. Yep, once you're able to see past the surface, haru's brother makes Haru look completely grounded.

Episode 5: Haru's date plans... XD

Delectably sweet with just a hint of EVIL thanks to Yuzan and his I'm-sure-it's-a Stepford Smiler persona. Entertaining guy, though.

Haru and Shizuku's dynamic continues to entertain~ I especially loved their fight in the park, they were yelling at each other and end up just cooling off. Aww. At least Haru talks about his past a bit afterwards. A step forward for their relationship.

Iinchou is set to be Shizuku's romantic rival, which means love triangle shenanigans! Or maybe not, seeing as Shizuku seems to already be aware of the situation. It would be nice for there to be no misunderstanding for once... Hmmm, looking forward for Iinchou's future appearances, if only because she's kinda cute and voiced by Kana Hanazawa.

Funniest episode yet. So many hilarious moments.

I can't help but like the main fem chara. She's so practical. Also, so honest.

Meanwhile, I am still feeling (jealous) of the main male chara.

Also, may as well say it - I currently prefer Shizuku with the other (sorta) study bug character. I found his reactions to falling in luv the most hilarious of them all and Haru's no-need-to-study is annoying me quite a bit.

It's been a long long long time since I want to (seriously) ship a character (I like a lot) with someone who ain't her canon love interest. Just to be clear, I ain't going to go Die For My Ship on Haru (even in my own mental playground).

You wouldn't think that adding the eminently plain class rep character would increase the comedy, but then Shizuku and Haru go and do their absurdly blunt talking like normal with her in between them. And guess who can't take that kind of pressure =P

So, somehow, this show became the shoujo version of Boku Wa Tomodachi Ga Sukunai.

Which isn't a bad thing at all.

Well, I have mixed feelings about that comparison myself.

How exactly would you say they're alike?

First of all, when I say that it's a "shoujo" version of such, that means that I'm not talking about all those raunchy, ecchi elements of Haganai, that would generally feel out of place in a shoujo.

Still, you have a cast of people that don't have many friends, who somehow have managed to band together, albeit dysfunctionally, and stumble over each other trying to help each other overcome the particular barriers that keep them alone.

Obviously there are some big differences, and I don't mean to say they are completely alike, but I just get similar vibes from both shows.

Don't know that show. Maybe cause it's about making friends?

Noticeable number of the main characters of Tonari has problems with making friends. At least 3, I think - Haru, Natsume, the class rep girl. I guess the main gal can also be counted though she's not looking for friends.

Well I'd say they have nothing in common aside from some Friendless Backgrounds.

I get different vibes from it.

I think the shounen equivalent would be more generally agreed to be Toradora. In this case the distinction between harem comedy and romantic comedy is significant.

Not that it matters I guess, since in the end it's still a matter of opinion.

I don't think Boku Wa Tomodachi Ga Sukunai is all that similar. There's a group of people with an odd dynamic, but that's about it. There's a lot more to a series than that.

I like the class rep, as she makes things funny. Though I still like the honesty of the main couple. Makes for some harsh truth moments.

Poor class rep is fighting a losing battle. But her contribution to the comedy side of things is much appreciated, as is her wonderful, wonderful voice.

Popping in to offer my opinion - I've really been enjoying this show so far, and I haven't seen a single episode yet that I haven't enjoyed. On the other hand, Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai was almost unbearable for me... I don't know why, but I got much more of a feeling that the main characters in Sukunai didn't have friends because they weren't very nice people. Shizuku, Haru and Natsume are weird, but they're likable beneath it, while Oshima and... (crap, what's his name?) both seem fairly well-adjusted.

I'll agree on Oshima's voice, too. Damn.

edited 11th Nov '12 4:52:00 AM by RedSavant

I don't see why you'd compare Haganai to this show at all. The Tonari cast save for Haru are rather well-adjusted people. The Haganai cast save for Kodaka are dysfunctional.

I mean, granted, it's a show about socially awkward people meeting each other and learning about making friends that way, but so is almost every other show out there.

Okay, okay, so I am the only person who got the same vibes from both shows. Fine. Now that that's been made clear, go on and talk about something else while I go isolate myself in the Weird Corner.

@Savant: You were looking for Sasayan.

I liked both shows, but I agree that there's no real comparison here.

It's just like that saying, "When one is pursued, one runs." or something like that. Haru needs to stop chasing Shizuku so hard for a start.

I laughed at Haru naming his barricade "Mizutani Shizuku".