Anime: Junjou Romantica

Rules in yaoi/shounen-ai:
1. If it's not by force then it's not right
2. In a homo world are only homos (of course there are exceptions, either rule #3 applies then or: The exception proves the rule)
3. Any hetero can, and will, be turned gay (or at least bi) – often by using rule #1

I don't know what obsession the Japanese have with rule #1 (since it naturally shouldn't feel right when it's not mutual; let alone moral and ethics) but #2 and #3 only exist as fan service and have nothing to do with reality.

Those rules are just my experience after reading few yaoi/shounen-ai mangas and not my attitude, preference or wish. If you've much trouble with any of them, then skip the review and the anime and look out for something else.


[Story]
It consists of 3 lightly connected storylines with one couple each. Because I value each story and pair much differently I'll split my review.

1. Storyline: Akihiko Usami & Misaki Takahashi
(episodes 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 12)
Usami-san a 28 year old unsocial but popular novelist pairs up with (yet) virgin Misaki a 18 year old student. Actually Usami has been in love in Misaki's older brother Takahiro for many years and all in secret as he knows it is a one-sided affection. So how does an adult switch to a brat? Originally he was only supposed to tutor Misaki on his brother's wish. On the first encounter in Usami's flat Misaki gets already molested (see rule #1). Due to certain circumstances Misaki will have to move in Usami's flat for a while (how surprising). Rest is up to your imagination.

The story is and stays pretty absurd but has the most comedy because Usami is quite a weirdo. Actually there isn't much story and thus no depth at all even when there's room for the usual dramas (I'm glad I was spared them - maybe that's a point for it).
I give it 5/10

2. Storyline: Hiroki Kamijou & Nowaki Kusama
(episodes 3, 5, 6)
Kamijou, or Hiro-san, is a former school mate of Usami and around his age too. He's been in love with Usami for some years but since Usami loves the Takahashi brothers it is also one-sided but not so secret. The story begins where the shallow relationship, if it can be called one, with Usami ends. Emotionally down he meets Nowaki (4 years younger) who sees the troubled Hiro and immediately drags him to his friends to cheer him up, even stalks him home and is quite persistent about Hiro becoming his tutor (hm, the tutor line seems to work pretty well).

Considering the timeline this one would be the first story as Hiro is around 21/22 years when he first meets Nowaki.

Other than the first storyline above, their relationship is mutual. That's why I liked this one the best. Each one lives separate in his own apartment and no weird circumstance forces them to live together to build up their friendship and followed relationship. And because of some ironic turn later (don't want to spoiler, but LOL) I rate it 7/10

A funny thing in episode 3 is, it ends as it starts – can be looped that way.

3. Storyline: You Miyagi & Shinobu Takatsuki
(episodes 10, 11)
Miyagi, a 35 year old professor, works at the same university as Hiro, in fact he's something like his superior as Hiro is a associate professor. A hetero man, recently divorced, was already done for when he got introduced as a main character in the 3rd story, as we all know what will become out of him (see rule #3). At least rule #1 didn't apply here as his counterpart is the virgin Shinobu, a 18 year old brat, the brother of his ex-wife, who bursts in Miyagi's life and claims to love him endlessly and eternally. And as in story 1 the minor will also have to move in temporary. If that isn't absurd enough yet he'll even have success with that.

This one is by far the lamest story I've ever heard of. 3/10

Note: Don't end a episode with the ending tune, since after it there's often a little extra (and I don't mean a preview) that can be important for the story.
Episode 9 is just a flashback of Hiroki's and Usami's shared childhood (in case you missed the number above).


[Characters]
Each pair consists of one pushy character and another one full of self-doubts.
The anime is around that characters thus the weak story. Or lets say the characters are what the story is about. It has many inner monologues from the doubter's side who narrate through and create the story that way. I liked that a lot.
The pushy ones express themselves without inner monologues, even when exactly those are the best thing and the only thing that make this anime worth to watch. Because of the characters and the emotions they displayed I was often like 'eww how cute' and 'cute' and 'so cute', 'hah, how sweet' and sometimes also 'wahhh cuuute'. ;)
Sometimes I sighed and suffered along with the doubters. Even when many things are cliché, exaggerated and unbelievable it still often touched me. And that's worth more than a rational and logical story that doesn't move a thing in me.

1. Storyline
Usami-san merges Shuichi and Yuki Eri (both from Gravitation) in one person. He's the grumpy super-novelist with no social skills but he's all over Misaki and his happiest day would probably be clinging onto him all day. That would be all okay if Misaki wasn't such a wannabe homophobe who's always crying no when he means yes (I assume - the manga expresses Misaki's feelings much better there).
His inner conflict with his light homophobia and love towards mr. Pervert is fun to watch tho, as well as Usami's great foul morning mood and teddy obsession.
For some reason Usami has a look-alike student in the university called Keiichi Sumi. Confused me and also annoyed me a little but since he stays a side character I ignored it then.
6/10

2. Storyline
Hiro, well that would be my drooling char then XD His inner agony with his morals and especially his pride that force him to stay calm and collected on the outside, and his sensitive ego, that he's too ashamed of to show, on the inside is touching (and sometimes fun to watch). Except for one slushy-mushy-whiney scene he is also the only realistic character.

Nowaki got me with his pure direct honesty and polite way to talk... at least I image it is polite. I don't understand Japanese but I often heard desu and masu at the end of his sentences, even when he was with Hiro. Unfortunately the translations didn't imply that so I'm not sure if it's something unusual. However, it would fit very well to his behavior and character.
Also I liked his persistence here too as it was needed to get Hiro out of his shell.
But all in all he is too good to be real.

Nonetheless, those two are just too cute XD
9/10

3. Storyline
First thing that came to my mind seeing Miyagi was 'Huh Nowaki?' because they look alike. Yes like Keiichi Sumi looks like Usami in the 1st story. Just Miyagi is not some side character but a main char and that's unforgivable to have two look-alike chars as main. Dear Nakamura-sama (mangaka), that costs points! In the anime there's at least the voice to differ characters too and there Mr. Miyagi is special too. He's got Kakashi's voice (if you don't know who it is: only one cool character from Naruto).
About his character: He appears superficial and loose. Also for that he's a hetero he's been acting like a homo towards Hiro in the 2nd story often (hugging him etc.) so I was surprised when he was so against the thought of men at first. Thought he's at least bi. Also he's the only one who's done it with a woman before.

Shinobu is even a worse brat than Misaki. From the first minute I didn't like him and that didn't change. There's also little known about him, except that he has a childish attitude, studied abroad for a while and is deeply in love with the Nowaki-Doppelganger here. Maybe there's more to come in the 2nd season but I hope not.
4/10


[Animation]
The art is the same as in the manga, except for the oversized underlips there's nothing to complain about. I think it's gentle and adorable. It's smoothly animated with changes in style for slapstick moments, not like chibis but something similar, simplified style. Adds to the entertaining part.
I love the blue/purple stripes over the eyes when one is embarrassed (in a negative way) or annoyed/disgusted and to my enjoyment this anime has lots of them.
Every now and then come black screens with white text (thoughts). Even when there were quite some inner monologues those screens added a bit more to the conflict some people had.

For the yaoi fans: There's no explicit art or action (check the manga if you want that). However I think it goes beyond the mere Shonen-Ai tag.
8/10




[Audio]
I liked the opening tune after the 2nd episode already. Opening and ending are both pop songs but the ending melody was nothing of my taste (I liked the lyrics tho). In some emotional moments it has nice background music which I cannot describe, various instruments, plain and simple.
The voice actors need credit... somehow they were all great, I liked them all (and normally when I know the manga I'm picky about such things.). No annoying voice (I recently watched 'Itazura na Kiss' and have still nightmares from Jinko's voice). I noticed many popular ones that I already know from other animes. I could swear Misaki sounds like Lee from Naruto, but I looked it up in ANN and it wasn't the same voice actor. However the animelists of the voice actors are long (main chars in: Vampire Knight, Naruto, Code Geass...). Impressive.
9/10


[Value/Enjoyment]
I value it high enough not to delete it (that alone is worth a 7). And I may even buy it when there's a possibility to get it for cheap (but I think it isn't licensed yet). Hiro and Nowaki's story alone are worth that for me. Watched their story about 4 times already.
It entertained me a lot, despite the quite non-existent drama in the story. The emotional parts in the characters are drama enough.
For fangirls I think this one is a must.
If you liked it, check out the manga, it has more details and additional stories of the same pairs.