This season’s most popular new anime promises a lot of laughs and tears, as Komi Can’t Communicate Episode 1 hit Netflix today. With all the hype and anticipation in the world behind it, was the anime any good? Let’s find out in this review!
Komi Can’t Communicate Episode 1 Overview
Komi Can’t Communicate, or Komi-san wa Komyushou desu in original Japanese is a comedy and slice of life anime based on an extremely popular manga written by Tomohito Oda. It is being adapted into an anime by Studio OLM, a very well known anime studio known for bringing several well-known projects like Pokemon and Odd Taxi, among other things.
The anime is being directed by Ayumu Watanabe, a veteran director known for directing several critically and commercially successful anime such as Space Brothers and Doraemon. He is also being assisted in direction by Kazuki Kawagoe, another veteran director primarily known for directing Beyblade.
– Komi Can’t Communicate Episode 1 Review does not contain spoilers –
Komi Can’t Communicate Episode 1 Review- The Plot
“It’s Shouko Komi’s first day at the prestigious Itan Private High School, and she has already risen to the status of the school’s Madonna. With long black hair and a tall, graceful appearance, she captures the attention of anyone who comes across her. There’s just one problem though—despite her popularity, Shouko is terrible at communicating with others.“- MAL Rewrite.
Hype is a fickle thing in this anime industry we know and love. Many a show has been unable to live up to the huge expectations attached to it. Whether it be another beloved manga property that couldn’t live up to the expectations set by the original material, like Berserk, or a new material destroyed by corporate overlords, like Wonder Egg Priority, nothing is safe. Hence, to say that I was concerned that Komi Can’t Communicate would crumble under the weight of the expectations set upon it would be an understatement. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Komi Can’t Communicate Episode 1 was among the best premier episodes I have ever seen in an anime. The episode had everything you could ever ask for in a great show. It had an interesting premise that was witty and heartfelt at the same time. It had a ton of promise for the future episodes bolstered by a tremendous concept. It had tons of incredible tiny details that made every frame incredibly dense. Above all else, Komi Can’t Communicate Episode 1 was freaking hilarious!
Read More- The World’s Finest Assassin Episode 3 Review: We Are Not Killing Machines
Anxiety is a pertinent issue in the show, and right now feels like the perfect time for a show that decides to shed a little more attention to this issue that plagues millions worldwide in a funny manner without denigrating the message. The show also has a lot of heart, and I was surprised by how heartfelt the show’s core is. Go out of your way to check this show out. You will not regret it.
Komi Can’t Communicate Episode 1 Review- The Characters
The main character, Tadano Hitohito, is just a guy. That’s how he describes himself, and it fits him perfectly. He is a well mannered, somewhat shy guy with a heart of gold and the perfect protagonist for a show such as this. His past is hilarious, and the way the show portrays him is perfect. The way it looks right now, he is also the only straight-laced guy in a school full of weirdos, further demonstrating the strength of this concept.
Read More- Takt Op Destiny Episode 3 Review: No Mercy, Kill Them All!
Komi Shouko, which literally means “Can’t Communicate” in Japanese, is also a well-written character. Her anxiety is palpable through our screens, and you can’t help but feel sorry for someone who has been idolised all her life while being unable to showcase her true feelings and thinking that the whole world hates you because of this. Never once have I related to someone so charming, and that’s the true point of the show. I can’t wait to see more in this universe.
Komi Can’t Communicate Episode 1 Review- Art and Music
This comparison is a tiny bit of a stretch, but hear me out. The art style in Komi san wa Komyushou Desu Episode 1 reminded me of Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse. It had the same callbacks, references, and homages to its source material as Spider-verse did to its source material. They are also very well animated properties that were highly anticipated and paid attention to tons of tiny details that one can look back upon repeatedly. TLDR- The animation in Komi Can’t Communicate Episode 1 was phenomenal.
The same can be said about the music, as everything we heard in the show’s premiere was competent and perfectly matched the setting and the moments. The voice acting was also tremendous, and even though Komi didn’t do anything but make noises and stutters throughout the episode, she steals the show. The main character also sounds just like you would imagine a guy like him would sound. Also, the large-eyed versions of the characters were uproariously funny, and I will not hear otherwise.
Verdict
Komi Can’t Communicate Episode 1 was perfect. The show had everything- charm, humour, and tons of heart, alongside being well animated and composed. Go out of your way to check this one out. It’s on Netflix!
Click here to read the review of the next episode!
NETFLIIiXXX are you hearing me!?! if you continues making atleast this one good as the 1 eps (and hopfully other animes), then you maybe make it up for the failures in the last 3-4 years (animes, movies, tv shows, short series, not the new good ones like: high rise nation, record of ragnarok, baki, eden zero, ), you could/should dig up some 80 and 90 animes to make it worth to have netflix,
that been said, i had actully a funny time for in a looong time, you gave this a only a 5!??!, its hillarious, funny, slap stick humor, good effcets, i could go on forever,
one thing i hope she really talk later, would be a bit boring she not talking at all, also then even someone is actully awake (just one word please), and her big problem seems easy solutions: private school with less people, and she may talk if there is only one person in the room at a time, otherwise use a mini chalkboard or write on a pice of paper thats she carrys with her in school,
anyway have you heard about a similer anime very close called: hitomi-chan, if not, make that a anime show too, have read the manga awesome stuff, if there is allready any anime adaption i must have lived under a huuuge rock latly,
anyway i want (hopfully) this one a full whole 12 eps or more, have been waited a while for this (a year?!??),
IL GIVE THIS A: 10 SCORE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
So, you wanted me to give this episode 10 stars when the highest possible score is 5? Have you not heard of the 5-star scare before? In any case, yes, the show is very good and I hope the protagonist helps Komi get better with her anxieties so we can hear her speak.