Image from: http://myanimelist.net/anime/18897/Nisekoi
Name: Nisekoi ニセコイ
Status: Completed
Episode: 32 (20 + 12)
Release date (for eng subs): -
Summary:
Raku Ichijou, a first-year student at Bonyari High School, is the sole heir to an intimidating yakuza family. Ten years ago, Raku promised his childhood friend that they would get married when they reunite as teenagers. To seal the deal, the girl had given Raku a closed locket, the key to which she took with her when she left him.
Now, years later, Raku has grown into a typical teenager, and all he wants is to remain as uninvolved in his yakuza background as possible while spending his school days alongside his middle school crush Kosaki Onodera. However, when the American Bee Hive Gang invades his family's turf, Raku's idyllic romantic dreams are sent for a toss as he is dragged into a frustrating conflict: Raku is to pretend that he is in a romantic relationship with Chitoge Kirisaki, the beautiful daughter of the Bee Hive's chief, so as to reduce the friction between the two groups. Unfortunately, reality could not be farther from this whopping lie—Raku and Chitoge fall in hate at first sight, as the girl is convinced he is a pathetic pushover, and in Raku's eyes, Chitoge is about as attractive as a savage gorilla.
Nisekoi follows the daily antics of this mismatched couple who have been forced to get along for the sake of maintaining the city's peace. With many more girls popping up his life, all involved with Raku's past somehow, his search for the girl who holds his heart and his promise leads him in more unexpected directions than he expects.
Now, years later, Raku has grown into a typical teenager, and all he wants is to remain as uninvolved in his yakuza background as possible while spending his school days alongside his middle school crush Kosaki Onodera. However, when the American Bee Hive Gang invades his family's turf, Raku's idyllic romantic dreams are sent for a toss as he is dragged into a frustrating conflict: Raku is to pretend that he is in a romantic relationship with Chitoge Kirisaki, the beautiful daughter of the Bee Hive's chief, so as to reduce the friction between the two groups. Unfortunately, reality could not be farther from this whopping lie—Raku and Chitoge fall in hate at first sight, as the girl is convinced he is a pathetic pushover, and in Raku's eyes, Chitoge is about as attractive as a savage gorilla.
Nisekoi follows the daily antics of this mismatched couple who have been forced to get along for the sake of maintaining the city's peace. With many more girls popping up his life, all involved with Raku's past somehow, his search for the girl who holds his heart and his promise leads him in more unexpected directions than he expects.
Summary by: MAL Rewrite
Summary from: http://myanimelist.net/anime/18897/Nisekoi
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Personal Ratings: 3.2 / 5
Idea: 4 / 5
While the idea of having a "pretend" relationship isn't really all that unique, but in fact pretty common and widely used in the shoujo genre, the way they used a "symbolic" approach to identify his past 'lover' was something different.
I have seen some manga used this kind of approach before, but I have never seen it being used as the main part of the story. Though, I would have to complain about the design of the locket; having a locket that big, I doubt there would be anyone who would wear it.
Having the 2 main characters (and most of the side characters) share the same type of family background is also not one of the mainstream methods. Most of the relationships starts off by being 2 very different beings, or beings that are different from the 'norm' which sparks off the relationships.
Execution:
Development: 3 / 5
As for how the story goes, I actually do feel that it’s not
a bad anime as far as harem anime goes. Even though I do think that they could
have focused more on some other characters. But I still liked how they stayed
focus on the two main girls, on top of that, rather than having all the girls
who like Raku (main character) have a key each, I liked how they actually
spread it out – some have, and some don’t. I feel that it actually did made the
viewers understand the good sides of Raku, instead of the normal harem where
the main characters I liked for no reason.
However, as far as how much the main purpose of this story progressed, I feel that it didn't moved much since the beginning. While certain truths and facts were revealed, there wasn't any conclusion made as to who Ichijou's 'fiance' was.
Emotions: 2.5 / 5
For me, I didn't really feel any emotions towards this work. The story was pretty stable and there wasn't much ups or downs in the anime. But I also feel that the characters are pretty hard to related too, especially because their backgrounds are pretty far off from any average normal household (I mean, how many people's family are in relation to the yakuza, gangs and police?) which makes it hard for us to relate back to the characters and how they are feeling.
Planning: 2.5 / 5
I know that this was done to drag on the story more, but, I
did feel that there was a lot lesser emphasis put on the main story of this
anime, which is the pendant lock and the keys, at the back of the anime. At the
beginning it was always mentioned and there was so much emphasis put onto that, to the point that it was really annoying, but towards the end of the 1st season
and the whole of 2nd season, it was hardly mentioned. I think that
they should have spread the emphasis throughout the whole anime to make it more balanced.
Also the past memories which were mentioned a thousand times in the anime kept on getting overlapped with one another as new characters are being introduced into the anime. Some contradictions due to the lack of planning there.
Main Character Development: 4 / 5
This whole story is basically about Raku, and follows his perspective. As a result the person whom the viewers will know the best at the end of everything is Raku.
That being said, Raku shows quite the development towards each girl, and it's properly showed as to how he feels about each girl in different stages of the anime.
Side Character Development: 3 / 5
Though I think that Shuu (Raku’s friend) did play a huge
role in this anime despite being a side character, I did feel that he wasn’t
really there in Raku’s private life, even though he has been with Raku ever
since. Moreover, I did think that they should have added more emphasis on his
character throughout the whole show, even if it’s for a few seconds. I think
giving the viewers a better understanding of this character would actually make
his love story a lot more engaging, instead of having it felt like it was an
extra plot added into the story.
As for the girls, it was nice how they actually prioritize Chitoge and Onodera even though there was an influx in girls in the later part of the story (season 2). Though I felt that the development with Onodera was pretty much at a standstill because nothing has changed since the first episode, you could see a huge development for Chitoge's and the other 2 characters.
As for the girls, it was nice how they actually prioritize Chitoge and Onodera even though there was an influx in girls in the later part of the story (season 2). Though I felt that the development with Onodera was pretty much at a standstill because nothing has changed since the first episode, you could see a huge development for Chitoge's and the other 2 characters.
Seiyuu: 4 / 4
I think selecting Uchiyama Kouki for Raku’s role was one of
the best thing ever in this show. Uchiyama’s voice has a plain feel to it, yet
his voice still stands out, which I think was what gave Raku a presence in the
anime. It was also really fun to hear Uchiyama’s voice in with all sort of
emotions, which was an added bonus for me.
It came to me as a shock when I heard Kaji Yuki was selected
for Shuu’s role, and not the main character’s role. But it’s only after
watching for a while that I understood that Shuu’s role is probably one of the
hardest to act out, mainly because Shuu has many hidden emotions behind his
words – so even though it’s being said in the same way, Kaji has to input
different emotions behind it. And it’s also hard to understand when Shuu has
realise certain “secrets”. But as expected of Kaji Yuki to carry all this out
perfectly.
As for the female roles, I feel that all of them were the
perfect voice actor for their role. With Hanazawa Kanna carrying out the roles
of a quiet, sweet and yet easily embarrassed Onodera; and Komatsu Mikako carrying out
another gender bender role.
While I feel that Touyama Nao had carried out Chitoge perfectly (as
always), I was most pleasantly pleased with Uchiyama Yumi’s Ruri (Onodera’s
friend). Though her character has a very typical “lazy” voice, I feel that the
way she expresses Ruri’s emotions through that same type of voice is what makes
her perfect for the job.
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Art Ratings: 4 / 5
Yet another anime done by shaft. And to be truthful I don’t really liked the style of animation done by shaft, yet I still find this anime bearable. So I do think that people who don’t usually like shaft animation can give this anime a try.
The main reason why this anime is more bearable is that they do not enforce their strong “shaft” animation style into the whole anime, but instead it feels like a more subtle form of input. I actually like how they use a more artistic form of approach in the whole anime, but not too over imposing.
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Similar Animes:
Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji:
In this anime, the two main protagonist was also in the "pretend" relationship. Although, not a harem, but a very typical shoujo anime and plot line, I think that this anime and Nisekoi are very similar with their "pretend to be a couple at first and then falling for each other" plot.
However, for Ookmai Shoujo to Kuro Ouji, they did become a real couple after which, unlike Nisekoi, where the relationship status is still unknown.
Toradora:
Toradora doesn't have any of the "pretend" relationship status, but more of a "cheer each other" plot. In Toradora, the 2 protagonist likes 2 other people, in which they agreed to help cheer each other on, but ended up liking each other during the process.
Although in Nisekoi, there wasn't really any "cheering each other" going on, I feel that the plot was kind of similar with their two friends helping Raku and Onodera get together (though they didn't end up having feelings for each other), and the misunderstanding between Onodera's and Chitoge's relationship status with Raku was also similar.
Though, Toradora has a more serious plot compared to Nisekoi with all the comedy in it. But the complexity of the characters feelings for each other and how they came about was about the same (maybe Toradora was a lot more in depth compared to Nisekoi).
In this anime, the two main protagonist was also in the "pretend" relationship. Although, not a harem, but a very typical shoujo anime and plot line, I think that this anime and Nisekoi are very similar with their "pretend to be a couple at first and then falling for each other" plot.
However, for Ookmai Shoujo to Kuro Ouji, they did become a real couple after which, unlike Nisekoi, where the relationship status is still unknown.
Toradora:
Toradora doesn't have any of the "pretend" relationship status, but more of a "cheer each other" plot. In Toradora, the 2 protagonist likes 2 other people, in which they agreed to help cheer each other on, but ended up liking each other during the process.
Although in Nisekoi, there wasn't really any "cheering each other" going on, I feel that the plot was kind of similar with their two friends helping Raku and Onodera get together (though they didn't end up having feelings for each other), and the misunderstanding between Onodera's and Chitoge's relationship status with Raku was also similar.
Though, Toradora has a more serious plot compared to Nisekoi with all the comedy in it. But the complexity of the characters feelings for each other and how they came about was about the same (maybe Toradora was a lot more in depth compared to Nisekoi).
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Recommended for:
Gender: Both
Age: 16 and above
My Ratings: PG-13
