What happens when you mix gaming, love-hate relationships, and misunderstandings together? You'll get Gamers! the Animation...nah, that's a joke altogther, calm your button-mashing and keyboard-warrioring shtick down! But on a serious note, mangaka Mashiro's Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru a.k.a My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999, has been one of the manga series that I have been wanting to read for quite a while now (that was put on hold due to the anime announcement during Aniplex's Online Fest late last year), and I have to say that with Madhouse's anime adaptation, it has been quite the pleasant experience from start to finish.And in a season where there's no shortage of rom-com shows, I'd like to believe that Yamada-kun stands aloft at the top of the pack, being, in my opinion, single-handedly the best rom-com of the season, bar none.
Love-hate relationships can come in a variety of forms, from coincidental school meet-ups to even being nurtured through online gaming, which has happened before and can result in either a loving and growing relationship between partners of the same common interest...or in the case of college student Akane Kinoshita, end in the worst of situations. Through the MMORPG Forest of Savior a.k.a FOS game, that is where Akane experienced both heartbreak and heart-pounding feelings in simultaneous succession, for once when she was cheated on by her ex-boyfriend Takuma Furukawa for another girl online in FOS, she wants to find a shoulder to lean on to rant about her heartbreak, which leads her IGN sheep-like avatar of the same name (because she uses her real name as her avatar nickname) to an avatar by the IGN of a simply named "Yamada", who's someone of an aloof and emotionless, afro-haired "Dumbledore"-like male elf character. That's where Akane's new and renewed love story starts by noticing that she still has her online friends who will stay by her side, though paying close attention to this "Yamada", who in real life, is a pro-gamer and a gaming legend that's known to everyone around the gaming circle. With that, the unlikeliest of relationships ensues as the two central male and female MCs get ever so close to each other, with their own hurdles and issues to cross towards unlocking the key to each other's hearts, leading to the typical heart-thumping romance for the ages.
Yamada-kun has a pinch and slice of everything that we've seen in AniManga for a few years now within the rom-com genre, from the video game thematics (which are similar to Spring 2018's Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii a.k.a Love is Hard for Otaku and Fall 2017's Net-juu no Susume a.k.a Recovery of an MMO Junkie) to the rom-com and slice-of-life genres (which are similar to Winter 2021's Horimiya), so the core essence of the premise isn't anything new. So, in a saturating market of rom-coms that increases in number and gets more competitive by the day, there's a need for Yamada-kun to stand up to the game and attract the audience in its own way, and it's very interesting to see how Mashiro pulled things off to create the experience that is the anime, from the original source material (that is the manga).
For one, if you start comparing the show to many others like it, you get the following results, and if you can identify it the same, it's up to your discretion and judgement.
Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii a.k.a Love is Hard for Otaku:
- Same romance in an adult setting, but differs in the gaming aspect as opposed to the former's Otaku-laden plotline.
- Both likeable MCs are gamers, and shoot out funny jokes from time to time, with the relationship being insanely cute but also mature as well. They do have similar personalities with not much difference in the relationship segment, though the female leads lose their ex and gain a new love interest with the black-haired introverted male leads who love games and get roped into the outgoing personalities of their female counterparts, whom they share a common interest with.
Net-juu no Susume a.k.a Recovery of an MMO Junkie:
- MCs finding themselves meeting in-game, then (by coincidence) IRL, being romantics that relate to their IRL selves with their in-game characters.
Horimiya:
- The female leads are attracted to the male leads, because they are outlandish and caring, with the same level of humour and romance; they are both fluffy and relaxing, whereas if the situation were reversed, the male leads would be hardly talkative, soft-spoken, and more introverted, while the heroine would be really outgoing and extroverted.
- The two MCs meet and fall in love in a slice-of-life setting with friends and family as likeable supporting characters, despite being opposites attracted to one another, with the core theme being getting to know each other and developing a friendship, which leads them to recognise and love each other more, with the biggest benefactor being no awkward tsundere moments (because there sure as well will be one), and most importantly: no unnecessary drama.
There's a lot to like about the characters as well, heck, this ensemble cast is one of the most endearing cast of characters that I have seen over the past few years, and each and every one of them deserves a good hefty amount of mentions.
Akane, for one, is not like many other similar female leads who are all about the jealous, tsundere moments when the female lead falls in love and gets all annoyed about her crush interacting with other girls than herself, she is rightfully mature, though therein lies a bit of naiveté that she can be gullible enough to be cheated out of. Her compulsive hoarding, also known as hoarding / Plyushkin's disorder, is both a curse and a blessing to her well-being, because she treasures everything that she is given. Akane has a friend in the form of Momoko Maeda, (nicknamed "Momo or Momo-chan") acting as her confidante, and best and closest friend both in the best and worst of times, from her breakup with Takuma to finding a fresh and new start with Yamada, giving her the courage to express her feelings to him, even during times when she was feeling unsure or hesitant, offering words of encouragement and motivation, inspiring her to take action and pursue what she truly wanted.
In FOS, Akane belongs to the "Chocolate Rabbit" guild, and plays the Paladin role, who exudes a warm and welcoming aura within her personable and vivacious individual traits, often described as someone who is approachable and easy to converse with, making her a popular figure among her social circle. Despite her upbeat demeanour, Akane is not afraid to express her opinions in a candid manner, which Yamada finds particularly appealing.
Speaking of which, Yamada, whose real name is Akito Yamada, is basically everything that Akane seeks in communion: a pro-gamer who is a computer geek, he is mostly known as someone who is more interested in playing video games (FPS-centric games, to be precise, that he's even sponsored, before the romance shtick with Akane). Yamada's stints in real life, though, show that he's of a tall and slim build, which adds to his overall attractiveness. In fact, most people who encounter him, whether male or female, tend to describe him as exceptionally good-looking, along with his many admirable qualities such as being kindhearted and empathetic towards others' feelings, and always trying his best to help those around him whenever possible, without expecting anything in return, that make him stand out from the crowd.
However, despite his good looks and charming personality, Yamada is an introvert by nature, and often feels uncomfortable with the attention he receives from others due to his appearance. This can be overwhelming at times, as he prefers to keep a low profile and avoid drawing too much attention to himself, and as a result, he tends to keep to himself most of the time, often preferring to spend time alone or with his team playing online games rather than socialising with others, especially if he doesn't know them. This, initially, hinders Akane's progress with him as she doesn't understand his ways, but despite his aloof nature (which was sorely mistaken because he has a fear of engaging with individuals who try to approach him), the latter's concern for the former's well-being is what eventually won her heart towards him.
However, since this is a rom-com, there is no shortage of drama, and this comes in the form of Yukari Tsubaki. Being Yamada's classmate in high school and the president of their class, she is a complex individual who possesses a unique blend of personality traits. While she may not be the most outgoing person, she is far from aloof or unapproachable, and has a keen intellect, to the point of often spending time observing her surroundings in order to gain a better understanding of the world around her. Her observational skills come into play, especially in regards to Yamada. She witnesses firsthand how he handles situations where girls confess their feelings to him, and despite being aware of his tendency to reject these advances, Tsubaki still finds herself drawn to Yamada, and wanting to know more about his behaviour. In fact, her intelligence and perceptiveness make her an ideal match for Yamada — someone who can appreciate her analytical mind and ability to read people. And while she may not always be forthcoming with her emotions or thoughts, there is no doubt that Tsubaki has much to offer in terms of insight and understanding when it comes to matters of the heart. In spite of her quiet demeanour, Tsubaki has a passion for gaming that is anything but subdued: an avid gamer who loves nothing more than immersing herself in virtual worlds and exploring new realms of adventure, providing an escape from the stresses of everyday life and allowing her to tap into her creative side. Whether playing solo or with friends, Tsubaki finds joy in the challenge of mastering new games and discovering strategies within them.
In FOS, Yamada is an Afro-haired character who wears a Noh mask and plays the role of a wizard. He is joined by his fellow Chocolate Rabbit guildmates, of which there are the notable few:
Starting off with Eita Sasaki, more than him playing the Senpai role towards Yamada as a mentor, he plays the role of Ruri-hime, the guildmaster, who just watches the rest as they take on quests within FOS, with the only motivation being that he exudes an infectious energy that is reflected in his overall trollish demeanour (which I live, laugh, liao a lot at the hilarity of it all), along with his lively and vibrant personality evident in the way he carries himself. This quality may be attributed to the fact that he has a female in-game character, which was inspired by the appearance of his younger sister, who loves to wear dresses like a lolita, and has a way of speaking that is so animated that people can sometimes visualise heart emojis popping up around him, almost like he's his actual in-game character. And that, in essence, interweaves his personality and appearance, creating a unique and captivating persona that draws people towards him. Despite being a gaming addict, Eita is kind-hearted and empathetic towards others, making him someone who is easy to approach and talk to, and is one-of-a-kind, making him stand out from the crowd in the best possible way.
Eita's sister, Runa, is exactly who he implies her to be: a middle-school girl who dresses up in lolita fashion (which acts as her older brother's Ruri-hime in-game character), something for which she is known for her unique fashion sense, which often incorporates elements of the popular lolita style, which is heavily influenced by Victorian clothing and the Rococo period. Of course, she possesses an introverted personality trait that often causes her to act awkwardly and rudely towards people she has just met or recently become acquainted with. This was exactly the case when Akane was new to the guild at that time. Due to her older brother being the founder and owner of the guild, Runa had the privilege of scolding Eita for not informing her beforehand about Akane's arrival, which consequently resulted in the initial rocky relationship between the two. However, as time passed, they were able to put their differences aside and become friends, largely due to the former's acceptance of Akane and her willingness to trust her enough to treat her like an older sister. And just like that, her former tendency to be maligned for being unwelcoming towards new members was overcome bit by bit by this unbehavioral trait, thereby creating a more positive environment for everyone involved.
Last but not least, the Chocolate Rabbit guild's deputy Takezo Kamota, who, despite his avatar being a small, cotton-like creature which grows to monster-size, claims to be a strawberry farmer, which may be his primary occupation outside of being the oldest and only known adult in the guild, with a vast amount of connections. Acting as the elderly adult within the guild of young players, he is an active member who takes charge of the guild meetings, and at one point, even shielded Akane from Runa's attempt to drive her off the guild in real life, demonstrating his protective nature towards those whom he cares about.
It's a great feeling to once again, see Madhouse back on the podium studio stage, because despite the once-prolific studio losing more of its core identity of years past, nonetheless, it's a return to form for all the good things in life. And would you believe that they got one of their best in-house directors to helm Yamada-kun's adaptation? That's right, acclaimed director Morio Asaka of Chihayafuru, Ore Monogatari!! and Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card-hen fame is tasked with the biggest role of his career, something that has been perfected with both Chihayafuru and Ore Monogatari!!, it's very clear that what Morio Asaka is doing, is doing the anime a lot of justice to the manga, even down to the Chibi-fied moments that add hilarity and substance. And that is a definite W in my book: if the anime is just as good (or even better) as the manga counterpart, with great animation and gorgeous visuals, we can see the possibility of a sequel season (just as is with Chihayafuru) in the future docket. Spectacular work to director Morio Asaka and his staff team.
The music, dare I say, fares even better and fits the anime to a T overall. Ryujin Kiyoshi's ED "Trick Art" is kind of so-so, but it's a generally good reliever to the episodic endings, that's just it. But the OP song? It's. A. Certfied. BANGER! Who would've thought that the unexpected collaboration of KANA-BOON and Yuho Kitazawa, vocalist and guitarist of "the peggies" band (which brought you banger songs from Seishun Buta Yarou a.k.a Bunny Girl Senpai's OP "Kimi no Sei" to Kanojo, Okarishimasu a.k.a Rent-A-Girlfriend's Season 1 OP "Centimeter", which the band is now on indefinite hiatus since last September) would produce one of the season's most catchy, bopping and banger songs, Yamada-kun couldn't have asked for such a perfect masterpiece of an OP song. Literally, my ONE AND ONLY OP of the season that evokes fun, happiness, and excitement, there is no debate that would convince me otherwise (yes, even above YOASOBI's massive global hit of her OP song "Idol" for Oshi no Ko).
There is no question in my mind that Yamada-kun will become one of AniManga's modern-day rom-com favourites, and while this naturally comes as a total double thumbs-up recommendation from me, I'd understand if you feel otherwise about the show's (and the manga's) wonky execution. But for what it brings to the table, it's nothing but a pure and unadulterated romance story that's both mature and expressive to the bone.
Rom-com fans, both casual and hardcore, do NOT miss or whizz past Yamada-kun! It's a rom-com show that sticks to its origins yet delivers at a level that's impeccable for even the best rom-coms out there (except, say, Tonikaku Kawaii and Kaguya-sama, of course).
