Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai First Impressions (1): Love is hard
Published on January 13, 2019
Even though I've read the manga, watching this first episode was still good for some laughs. I've been a fan of this series for while, so it was fun to see. The basic concept is simple. The main characters, Miyuki Shirogane and Kaguya Shinomiya, overthink romance to a level that would put me to shame, as they fight to make sure that the other is one who confesses first. It's a fun premise, and it makes for some truly hilarious schemes.
I do have a small comment about the visuals in this series. For the most part, they're fine, but I do get the sense that they're a bit simplistic for how over-the-top the scenes are. Maybe I've just been spoiled by some of the visuals from the previous season, but I would expect more going on in the background.
The mental battles themselves are what really drew me to the series. It's not that the two are necessarily smart, but a lot of the jokes tend to be clever and enjoyable. Still, it's tough to talk about this series, since it's a comedy at its core.
You're going to be seeing this scene a lot. Have I mentioned how much I like this series?
Chika is also great as an agent of chaos in the episode, throwing the plans of both main characters into disarray. She's the source of a surprising amount of tension throughout the series, and it just makes it funnier.