Frustratingly satisfying...

Written by stevodevo on May 8, 2012 at 3:33 PM

I've always said if a show can evoke an emotional response, whether good (happiness) or bad (anger), then the show has succeeded... and Itazura na Kiss succeeds on several levels!

Before I hit the midway mark I was sure the series was written by a man because no female would write a male character like Naoki - but after looking up the wiki I discovered I was dead wrong! The level of frustration with his lack of emotion is infuriating! Thankfully toward the midway mark there was somewhat of a reprieve but then you're launched right back into his seemingly uncaring ways with hints of emotion here and there... if it wasn't for the naive cheerfulness and indomitable (never-give-up) spirit of Kotoko I might've thought a lot less of this series.

Another vital aspect that kept the series from drifting into a morase of angst and frustration was the clever use of humour in just about every episode... I must admit I laughed my way through this one in spite of Naoki's deadpan attitude.

One other positive mark for this series in my opinion was the timeline the story represented. It's not very often that I've seen an anime series that begins in high school and doesn't just end there. No, Itazura na Kiss takes you from high school, through college, into married life and beyond! That alone was great! A very unique touch I thought and highly enjoyable!

If you enjoy a healthy helping of romance with a dollop of frustration, liberally sprinkled with side-splitting comedy and a happy ending on top, then you're sure to like Itazura na Kiss!

Highly recommended!