Introduction:

I have not had a lot of time to watch anime this past season which is unfortunate because I hear that a lot of good series have been airing recently. Even with my busy schedule I have made the time to watch Chuunibyou because of great recommendations from my friends. Something that everyone should know about this series is that it is a product of Kyoto Animation, or KyoAni, and if that doesn’t sound familiar, then maybe you just don’t know a lot about your anime production companies. KyoAni is responsible for things like Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu, K-On!!, and Clannad. The production company isn’t really known for having a lot of flops, so anime fans should at least give Chuunibyou a chance based on reputation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summary:

Why do we have to conform to what society tells us is normal? High school kids like to play sports, join clubs, and meet new people. People start to fit into their cliques and the majority gets to decide who the freaks are. Societal pressure sucks and whether you call it stubborn, courageous, or idiotic, there are people who will try their best to stay true to who they are. For the others that give in and try their best to assimilate into the bland flock of sheep that is normality, they will soon realize that one cannot change who they truly are. Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! is a series that directly attacks the peer pressure in high school as we follow the life of our main character Yuuta. Yuuta had an extreme case of chuunibyou which translates into eighth grader syndrome. Eighth grader syndrome is the tendency for people in middle school who are going through one of their first identity crises and latch onto imitating fictional characters and being caught up in a fantasy world. On his way to high school, Yuuta realizes how embarrassing his actions were when he claimed to be the Dark Flame Master and decides to attend a high school that is far away from where is old classmates planned to attend. With a fresh start in his sights, Yuuta encounters an odd girl named Rikka who is still afflicted with a heavy case of chuunibyou. Our story follows the relationship that develops between Yuuta, Rikka, and a few other interesting characters as the question of whether or not it is alright to be true to yourself is posed throughout the series.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Characters:

Chuunibyou really focuses on two characters with five more getting varying levels of screen time. Yuuta is the main character who is trying to live his life in its post-chuunibyou era. Even though Yuuta is very adamant about living an average life, there are moments where you can tell that his old life just won’t let him be. Rikka is a girl who is so deep into her chuunibyou lifestyle that it people avoid her at school. Rikka lives in the apartment directly above Yuuta’s and, although she does not seem interested in most people, continues to try to get closer to our main character for reasons unknown. Rikka is almost always in character and a lot of her interaction with Yuuta involves him translating her special way of talking. Touka is Rikka’s older sister and a very serious person. Even though she may seem very strict, you can tell that Touka is genuinely concerned for her sister’s well-being. Dekomori is a middle schooler that is in the heart of her chuunibyou. Rikka has taken the role of Dekomori’s mentor in the chuunibyou arts and the two are the best of friends. It is difficult to tell, but Deko-chan is an extremely smart individual and the top of her class. Nibutani is also in her post-chuunibyou era and took the same route as Yuuta when she decided to attend a far away high school. Nibutani plays the nice girl in front of most people, but is actually a very rough individual and we get to see a very interesting evolution for her character as the series progresses. Isshiki talked to Yuuta at the opening ceremony and is the only other male character of note. Isshiki is friends with Yuuta, but is mostly in the group for comedic effect. Kumin is a year older than our main cast of high schoolers and is an obvious airhead. As a napping enthusiast, Kumin spends a great deal of her screen time asleep. All of these characters are important, but the story puts a biased level of focus on Yuuta and Rikka.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Impression:

We all know of that level of embarrassment that you feel when you remember something embarrassing that you did in the past and the feeling is so extreme that you have physical reaction to the mental stress. That feeling is this series in a nutshell. The humor was greatly helped by the fact that a lot of people can relate, to an extent, to the things that happen to the characters in the series. It is through this relatable element that Chuunibyou distinguishes itself from the countless other slice of life anime that are based on high school kids. Along with that, we have KyoAni’s fantastic animation that really keeps you visually captivated. My personal favorite part of Chuunibyou is the adorable romantic story that is being told in the anime. I warn you that if you get caught up in the love story, Chuunibyou ruthlessly teases you with cliffhangers towards the end that let me in heavy anticipation of next week’s episode only to be forced to wait again. If all of this wasn’t enough to get me, Yuuta’s voice actor is the same one that did Lelouch from Code Geass and that makes for some vocal appearances from our favorite terrorist when Yuuta decides to bring out the mighty Dark Flame Master.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final Say:

Go watch Chuunibyou. I loved this series and I would say that a good portion of anime viewers would agree with me. Fans of KyoAni should definitely give Chuunibyou a chance because it definitely lives up the name. The unique nature of the story can really get the stale slice of life taste out of your mouth and that is something that most anime viewers really need. The show just finished less than a week prior to me writing this review so at this point in time you may have to catch it online. People in Japan can look forward to a DVD release and you will hopefully support the series by buying it. For those of you that do like this series and are looking for more material, there are a few short side series out there. Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! Lite is six episode ONA that is already complete and Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!: Depth of Field – Ai to Nikushimi Gekijyo is a short series of specials that is currently airing. The short series that accompany Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! are fun, but don’t seem to advance the main story. I am still going to watch them and I suggest that you try to watch everything that this story has to offer.