(L+CR) It's Not My Fault I'm Not Popular (WATAMOTE)

[ElMikkino]

That was a great ending episode, just perfect! I was laughing so much at the Another reference, and I was in awe at the 3D animation they used for that cockroach scene. And what Tomoko said at the end, it's true--maybe if she stopped trying to so hard to be popular and just relaxed a little, she might randomly acquire a friend.

[HandofFate]

I liked watching I guess, but overall, giving it a 6/10 because it was physically painful to watch.

[s07195]

Great ending episode. But season 2 is probably never going to come along.... T_T

[NoemiChan]

I give the anime 6/10, Her character was horrible. I don't see why she has to be an idiot from first til end. She has no development/ progress at all.

[LeoXiao]

What a sad but painfully relevant show. While most people don't fail as hard as Tomoko does, I'm sure just about everyone should be able to relate to her daily struggles/failures in some way. The only glimmers of hope, I think, lie in that she was evidently even more messed up in middle school ('I want to become a gun runner?' wtf?) and that she never seems to give up completely. You live and you learn, it could be that this is what she needs to grow up, even if painfully and gradually.

[Jan-Poo]

That whole arm dealer fantasy was clearly a case of chuunibyou which is apt considering that she was actually an 8th grader back then.

It's kind of funny how Yuu still believes that Tomoko was serious and that while believing that she was serious she doesn't think there was anything wrong with that "dream" of her.
Her naivety is almost scary.

[ReinZwei]

If there will be a season 2 , the thing that I mostly wanted to see on that is if Mokocchi will become friend with Imae (even though it is hardly possible because of her character), but who knows hoping that Imae will make a move for her to open Mokocchi's heart to her.

Anyway it's like that this show is painful to watch, 9/10 for being in my most awaited anime of the week.

[LeoXiao]

Originally Posted by Jan-Poo

That whole arm dealer fantasy was clearly a case of chuunibyou which is apt considering that she was actually an 8th grader back then.

Yes, but I'd say the fact that her current fantasies aren't as extreme and that she realizes there's something wrong with her behavior can be taken as a sign that there is hope.

[Jan-Poo]

Originally Posted by LeoXiao

Yes, but I'd say the fact that her current fantasies aren't as extreme and that she realizes there's something wrong with her behavior can be taken as a sign that there is hope.

Strange, I had the opposite thoughts on the matter. One of the main problems behind chuunibyou is a fundamental lack of social understanding, in other words a chuunibyou doesn't understand how much lame and obnoxious his behavior looks in the eyes of others. Rather than trying to keep to himself, a chuunibyou tries to show off by adding to his "character" peculiarities that would distinguish him from the others.
The popularized "evil eye" type of chuunibyou that goes overboard in the realm of fictions is just one kind. There's also the DQN type that pretends to be a delinquent (because he thinks being a delinquent is badass) or the subculture type (because he thinks that having different tastes from the masses makes him superior).

The common denominators are: "the desire to be better than the rest", "the creation of a fake self to achieve that goal", "the desire to show it off", "the fact that they are doing it wrong and that they turn out to be obnoxious/lame instead".

In this respect the case of Tomoko was closer to that of text book chuunibyou than the case of Rikka, which gives the wrong impression that chuunibyou is about losing contact with reality.


So basically when you consider that Tomoko's main problem now is that she is too much self conscious and that she has a severe case of social anxiety, the fact that she's no longer a Chuunibyou somehow worsened her situation.
While she had no problems talking to a classmate before because of her inflated ego now she can't even talk to one without stuttering and even then it takes her a lot of efforts.

[LeoXiao]

Originally Posted by Jan-Poo

Strange, I had the opposite thoughts on the matter.

<omitted>

So basically when you consider that Tomoko's main problem now is that she is too much self conscious and that she has a severe case of social anxiety, the fact that she's no longer a Chuunibyou somehow worsened her situation.
While she had no problems talking to a classmate before because of her inflated ego now she can't even talk to one without stuttering and even then it takes her a lot of efforts.

Her lack of chuunibyou is causing her even more problems now, and indeed, this seems to be the beginning of her life's darkest period yet, but it's kind of a necessary step for her mental/social growth. Her old paradigm has been shattered, which causes her all kinds of grief (basically what the anime showed us), but at least now she has cause to make a more functional worldview for herself. How possible that is depends on the severity of the problems she faces.

[Chiaki_chan]

10/10 for this anime

[GDiddy]

Originally Posted by NoemiChan

I give the anime 6/10, Her character was horrible. I don't see why she has to be an idiot from first til end. She has no development/ progress at all.

That's pretty much the point, especially in the manga. Tomoko is the cause of her own misery.

[bastek66]

Megami/Nyantype fanart preview

NSFW

Warning: Not safe to view at work or school!

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[mystogan]

one of the most unique anime and tomoko is the best 10 out of 10

[Lord of Fire]

Originally Posted by bastek66

Megami/Nyantype fanart preview

NSFW

Warning: Not safe to view at work or school!

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Well, at least the focus is on Tomoko herself now, rather than Yuu.

And I must admit, that image totally fits her. She looks like she's having fun, even if it is by herself.

[GDiddy]

Mokoicchi looks like she's listening to Yandere Boys

[SPARTAN 119]

Originally Posted by Jan-Poo

That whole arm dealer fantasy was clearly a case of chuunibyou which is apt considering that she was actually an 8th grader back then.

It's kind of funny how Yuu still believes that Tomoko was serious and that while believing that she was serious she doesn't think there was anything wrong with that "dream" of her.
Her naivety is almost scary.

And that, naturally leads to yet another crossover idea: Jormungand

And for that matter, given the whole chuunibyou thing, "Motenai Demo Koi Ga Shitai!" (If I didn't just murder the Japanese language, its should say "I Don't Care If I'm Not Popular, I Want A Date!") anyone?

Originally Posted by GDiddy

That's pretty much the point, especially in the manga. Tomoko is the cause of her own misery.

And that what makes Watamote stand out from other slice of life anime. It dares to go beyond the idealized representation of high school, which, lets face it, has to be as bad in Japan as it is in America. Watamote is depressing at times, but that's the point, to create a character that just about anyone can relate, having either felt like Tomoko or known someone who was like her. She seems more like a real person, even if her depression is a little over the top, compared to some other anime female leads, it's obvious that Tomoko has deep-rooted problems, and that what gives her her appeal- you can laugh at the jokes, but at the same time you feel sorry for Tomoko- she's the kind of character you wish you could reach through the screen and give her a hug.

Also, not sure if anyone's interested, I was listening to this song while posting this and realized how much it fit Mokocchi- definite AMV potential here.:

Five Finger Death Punch- Stranger than Fiction (disregarding the irony of how well it fits with a fictional character).

If you don't want to listen to the entire song, the chorus makes it obvious how this could make a good Watamote AMV, but unlike many songs that would go well with Watamote, the lyrics would fit more with an outsider's view of Tomoko than the view of Tomoko herself. For instance:

"Is this what you wanted to be?
Alone standing by yourself.
Is this what you wanted to be?
Or was that a cry for help?"

[Tempester]

YouTube

https://youtu.be/r28NIJkKfEs

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[Jan-Poo]

Originally Posted by SPARTAN 119

And that what makes Watamote stand out from other slice of life anime. It dares to go beyond the idealized representation of high school, which, lets face it, has to be as bad in Japan as it is in America. Watamote is depressing at times, but that's the point, to create a character that just about anyone can relate, having either felt like Tomoko or known someone who was like her. She seems more like a real person, even if her depression is a little over the top, compared to some other anime female leads, it's obvious that Tomoko has deep-rooted problems, and that what gives her her appeal- you can laugh at the jokes, but at the same time you feel sorry for Tomoko- she's the kind of character you wish you could reach through the screen and give her a hug.

Actually Tomoko isn't really that depressed, especially when you compare her to other anime characters in her situation. She is surprisingly taking it well considering all that she has to go through on a daily basis. Somehow I feel that it is more depressing for me than it is for her.

If she was the character of a visual novel, she probably would brood over the fact that since nobody acknowledges her existence then she basically doesn't exist and that she should just disappear and be replaced by someone better than her (yes I'm actually referencing a certain character form a certain Key visual novel).

Instead Motoko never loses her fundamental will to become popular or at least to get better. She does it in her own way, through bitter sarcasm, denial, scorn, and many other things that she should actually be ashamed of, but at least she didn't give up.

[Gan_HOPE326]

Originally Posted by SPARTAN 119

Also, not sure if anyone's interested, I was listening to this song while posting this and realized how much it fit Mokocchi- definite AMV potential here.:

Five Finger Death Punch- Stranger than Fiction (disregarding the irony of how well it fits with a fictional character).

If you don't want to listen to the entire song, the chorus makes it obvious how this could make a good Watamote AMV, but unlike many songs that would go well with Watamote, the lyrics would fit more with an outsider's view of Tomoko than the view of Tomoko herself. For instance:

"Is this what you wanted to be?
Alone standing by yourself.
Is this what you wanted to be?
Or was that a cry for help?"

I personally had thought that this would be rather tongue in cheek :

Disturbed - Stupify



or for a more serious take (always following on the heavy metal theme of the OP):

Disturbed - Infection

And I’m still afraid of the lights
And a thousand voices share their
Laughter at my demise

Now if I am to survive
The infection must die
Murder the beast
That’s been eating me alive
The infection must die

Powerful stuff.